Thursday, August 10, 2017

Ten Ketogenic Diet Tips

Here are my 10 tips for Keto. I know many people start the keto diet underinformed and that frustrates a philomath like me. I get that not everyone loves to learn things though, so I wrote this list of keto tips I've learned for the newbies and anyone else that is interested. Embarking on a lifestyle change/diet like Keto (modified Atkins) is usually amazing, but can be detrimental to your health if you don't follow some basic advice, here is mine*:
1. Keto is about Fat, not meats and cheeses. You need to consume moderate proteins and not let them become the primary part of your meals (that's what the fat is). 2. Keto is about eating more green leafy veggies than you ever have before. Keto can reverse Type2 Diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disorder because your body will adapt to using ketone bodies as energy and it can become less insulin resistant. High fat diets can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disorder too though, because of the high amount of metabolic toxins from fat w/o enough fiber to process them through. Be sure to eat plenty of green and leafy vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, lettuces, etc). Many people practice a vegan Ketogenic diet. Eat your veggies. 3. You have to track your macros and calories carefully and religiously. Use an app, and make sure you stick to the 75-80% fat 15-20% protein 5-7% carb rule. 4. Keto can cause kidney stones so, even though ketone bodies need less water to work (why you lose so much water weight), you need to get plenty of water. You'll also want acids in your diet, add acids like lemon, lime, and apple cider vinegar to your water. 5. Keto will use up your bodies supply of salts, and can cause headaches and "keto flu", especially if you're urinating out salts from drinking so much water. Be sure to add salt to your food and if you can, get your blood tested and try supplementing in Potassium, Magnesium, and sodium if your levels are low/moderate and/or you're experiencing: a - Body aches b - Muscle Spasms c - Shortness of breathe d - Exhaustion w/o physical exertion e - Trouble sleeping d - Headaches (that aren't migraines) 6. It's a good idea to consume plenty of probiotic heavy foods while on Keto. This helps to insure you have healthy gut flora and that cytokines do not make their way into your bloodstream. Make sure they're naturally pickled and contain low carbs (like kefir water, low carb kombucha, kimchi, pickled veggies - low carb of course). 7. Intermittent Fasting is an important part of losing weight on Keto. You'll lose weight over a long period of time if you cut back on your calories by approximately 10% and maintaining a moderate amount of activity, but nothing burns fat of of your body like fasting. Once you're fully fat adapted you'll want to eat during a 6-8hr window and fast the remainder of the day. During the fast, if you want to lose weight, you'll need to only consume water, tea, and small amounts of black coffee. Bulletproof Coffee will not help you lose weight and isn't a caloric fast even if it will keep you in "nutritional ketosis" that mimics "fasting ketosis". 8. Not everyone loses weight at the same rate. Some people drop 10-15 pounds in a few weeks, that's usually water weight so those individuals will need to continue to diet strictly if they want to lose more weight and keep it off. Some people don't drop any weight after a few weeks. they may be doing something wrong, but usually they're losing "fat" while their body adds protein to their muscles. Be sure to measure your waste and neck and other places where you have extra body fat. Many people lose inches before they lose pounds. You're probably doing fine, even if the scale isn't the evidence of it. Keep it up, you'll see those losses eventually. 9. Exogenous Ketones are wonderful but have not been tested in people long term. There are a few things you should know about them: They are energy and, although you’ll be in ketosis, your body will favor the exogenous ketones over your own body fat which will make it hard to lose weight if you’re on exogenous ketones long term. They are great for easing your way into nutritional ketosis at any point. I’ve used them for a few days after carb up weekends to insure I don’t have “carb brain fog” while I’m getting back into a state of nutritional ketosis Unless they’re mixed with MCT oil, they may not be as effective. There is a Keto OS that does this, but most do not. They’re expensive they’re expensive, not necessary for the diet, and usually taste terrible. 10. If you’re getting up there in age, collagen (aka bone broth) is a wonderful way to keep your joints in top condition while exercising. It’s low in calories, usually contains a good amount of salt, and has a reasonable amount of protein in it that should fit into most individual’s daily macros. I hope this was useful and informative. I know it's long, but trust me, it's condensed. If you have more to add, please include it in the comments. If you're like me, and like to research things, here are some additional resources that I've used over the last 18 months:
*I am not a doctor or a nutritionist, I'm just someone that read and researched to put this list together, I cannot stress enough how you should work with a doctor or trained nutritionist while dieting. Please do not use this list of advice as a replacement for medical information.
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