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:

• https://www.ketonutrition.org/resources
• https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/
• https://www.youtube.com/user/drericberg123
• https://www.youtube.com/user/healthfulpursuit
• https://www.youtube.com/user/lowcarbdownunder
• https://www.amazon.com/30-Day-Ketogenic-Cleanse-Metabolism-Whole-Food/dp/1628601167/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502428651&sr=8-1&keywords=keto+cleanse
• https://www.foundmyfitness.com/
• https://tim.blog/tag/ketogenic-diet/

*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.

My "The Ten Commandments/Decalogue" AKA The Decca-edicts

Most of the Ten Commandments are antiquated and useless for our modern world/lifestyle. With mass communication and the blending of societies and tradition through globalization, the useful tenants are easily found in any other religion. That being said, there are plenty of anachronous rules in many of humanities traditions. So, with that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to share my take on a set of ideas that are meant to make humanity better. I've chosen to use ten, just like the decalogue Moses brought down with him from Mt. Sinai.

If we as a society believe that posting commandments in public with the purpose of creating a better social well being than those ideas should be universal and modernized. The ancient religious ones would be displayed in a religious setting and the shared secular world could post the list in the manner of Confucianism. In fact, to keep the sacred where it should be, I like to call the ideas as a group the Decca-edicts. Of course, in order for the ideas to remain a lodestar rather than a whip, they're better when considered as "10 suggestions for a better human experience with humanity".

Without further ado, Here they are:

1. Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.
2. In all things, strive to cause no harm.
3. Treat the world with honesty, kindness and respect.
4. Do not allow evil to thrive through inaction - Do not tolerate the intolerance of others.
5. Forgive wrongdoing freely admitted, honestly regretted, and fully indemnified.
6. Live life with a sense of joy and wonder.
7. In every moment one should strive to learn and experience. Enlightenment can happen anytime and anywhere. Be Mindful.
8. You cannot know the truth of/in everything. Wisdom is the ability to reshape and/or discard cherished beliefs if they are no longer accurate. Be open to changing what you know as truth in the face of overwhelming and contradictory evidence.
9. Never seek to censor or cut yourself off from dissent; always respect the right of others to disagree with you.
10. Do not guard knowledge or information selfishly. If it is not private, share your knowledge and information with any that seek it from you.

Deathray Comics in Logan Was Better Than Any Venue in SLC for Utah's first Live Smodco Podcasts.

When I heard that independent film critic and geek culture royalty Kevin Smith was bringing his long-time friend and actor Jason Mews to Utah to record his podcast “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old” in front of a live audience I was at first excited and then quickly confused. Most people will assume my confusion was over his choice of venue because he was going to be recording the show live in Logan Utah at Deathray Comics. Those people would be wrong. My confusion was all of the madness and upset comments from people who were confused as to why Kevin Smith wouldn't have chosen Kingsbury Hall or the Capitol Theatre for such an event. I wondered why those fans thought Deathray was the wrong place for the event when I thought it was perfect.

Deathray Comics is first and foremost a comic book shop with a built in stage, lighting and a sound mixer. It is also the hub of geekdom for the mountain town and home of Utah State University. In addition to those qualifiers, it’s run by Trent Hunsaker who is co-host of the Smodco podcast network show “Netheads” and occasional co-host of the “Smorning Show” on the same Smodco network.

Windows were blocked for a "special" surprise

That network is Kevin Smith’s network co-named after Kevin and his long-time producer Scot Mosier. With those credits being public knowledge the one last thing going for Deathray comics was that it was an intimate setting. Kevin Smith hadn’t recorded such a small live podcast since the Smodco networks burgeoning live podcasts shows began in a small theatre dubbed the Smodcastle. The Smocastle setting only had about fifty seats. Trent, his partner of “Rattle Can Heroes” Jonathan Ribera, and Trent’s older brother along with a pack of loyal and enthusiastic staff managed to pack in nearly 100 seats into Deathray comics.

The seating was comfortable but it was a bit tight. No one complained though because everyone there was more than happy and appreciative for the visit from Smith, Muse, and even Trents Netheads co-host and the Smodcast Networks tech guru Will Wilkins. Although the shop had to be mostly emptied, comic books lined the walls along with many other signs that this wasn't just an event in some theatre, this was an event in a theatre crammed into a comic book shop. The setting for a Kevin Smith event couldn't have been better. The intimacy and excitement from the crowd confirmed my opinion was shared by everyone at the event.

The stage was at most 11 rows of tightly packed chairs from the furthest back corner. Kevin Smith and Jason Mews are also two of the kindest and warmest celebrities anyone could hope to meet. They’re film-makers and even to some, heroes, but they come off as real people. Jason Mews wandered around the front of the building and mingled with the crowd in line to see the show. He posed for some selfies, took a few pictures for himself, drank a Red Bull and asked, “Why is this town so quiet? It feels like a ghost town.”

Kevin Smith was patient with audience questions. Some people rambled and fell over their words but everyone was polite to Kevin and he was extremely polite and courteous back. He answered every question in a direct manner and the crowd got the intimate experience the setting of Deathray Comics promised. The event honestly felt like a conversation with Kevin, Jason, Will and Trent. It felt that way so much so that people approached the stage, shook the hands of the podcasters and most even wished Kevin et al a good day to which Kevin was taken aback. To one audience member he replied, “Wow Man, thank you. I've never had a Q&A person wish me a good day and thank me after I’d answered his question. You people in Utah and Logan are really nice.”

Even more great things happened at Deathray Comics that couldn't have been possible without the venue and the venue wouldn't have been possible without Trent Hunsaker’s generous $25 donation to the Wayne Foundation charity and his lucky winning of a prize that eventually turned into a wonderful show for the people of Logan and the people of Utah.

Music is my Girlfriend

Geoff shut himself away from the world that is for the world he’d rather be in. The moment when all of the background slipped away to the track on his headphones was the first thing he looked forward to every day. The world of music gave him life where he thought there wasn’t any. All anyone did was make demands of him. He was going to do things with his life when he was ready. It’s not like he was just drifting, he had his music and was looking for a job. Well, he’d made a LinkedIn profile and a Monster account. He was good at things and no one understood that fact. He would work his butt off but no one really got him. They certainly didn’t respect him enough to reward him for his hard work. 

For Geoff a paycheck wasn’t enough if it didn’t come with some respect. Everyone treated him like he owed the world and not the other way around. The funny thing about Geoff though, is that shutting out the world is what caused his to die. Living in the fantasy of elevated emotion rather than connecting with those that shared his life resulted in the solitary his headphones gave him becoming the reality he always wanted it to be. Certainly the old adage of, “be careful what you wish for,” applied to his escapism, but so did, “self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Tanya was the last to leave him. She took care of Geoff when even their mother stopped trying. Tanya could hear the deafening beats bumping through the bedroom door but knew that hunger and the smell of fresh Mac and Cheese would eventually lure her brother from his trance. She questioned that line of thought when the beats from the other room seemed to grow with more intensity. Realizing there was someone at the door, she flipped off the stove. The knocking she heard wasn’t part of Geoff’s track and he would eat it cold anyway. Not much in Tanya’s life was unexpected.

She turned the knob and received a sharp pain to her face starting from the crushed and bleeding nose and following to the deep emotion that she was being attacked. She fell on the floor and was violently shoved to the side by the blurry figure who had bashed her front door into her face. She tried to cry out for help but the blood was already choking her and she only made a sad gurgling sound. Tanya furiously wiped at the tears in her eyes, if she were going to be hurt she wanted to know by whom. She tried to get a good look but was slapped across the face opposite the hand she was wiping her brow with. She spun and fell over her left shoulder.

By the grip of the hand suddenly on the back end of her right calf she could tell her attacker was a man. With too many questions spinning in her head and not enough answer, the one that kept bubbling to the top of her thoughts was, “where is Geoff?”

Face down across the kitchen floor, her puffy bloody flesh made a sickening squeegee like sound as the man continued to drag her past Geoff’s room and into the nearby bathroom. She kicked on the ground but her thumping only seemed to synchronize with the beats coming from the other room. Her voice finally back, she screamed with all her might. It instantly turned to a shrieking wince as the man’s booted foot crushed her ribs and nearly her spine. Surely Geoff had to have heard this, but as the shriek turned to a panicked and desperate cry, she continued to hear only music over her labored breathing.

Her eyes had begun to swell; the blurry figure was just that and nothing more. She would only ever know the comfort of her love for her family again as a memory. She held to that memory as the hands grabbed her roughly by the back of the neck and lifted her into the air. She reached for the blurry man’s hands but he was so much stronger. He shook her as if to say, “do not fight me, you cannot win.” He placed her down softly and ran his hands down her sides. She whimpered at the pain in her chest and did all she could to not think of what she knew was coming next.

Instead, her attacker dropped her into the tub, or at least she could only figure it was the tub. Tanya held onto those loving memories. She pictured Geoff and his beautiful eyes, her mother’s smiling face and felt her father’s loving embrace. She would have been safe in her thoughts if it weren’t for another bubble of questioning, “Where was Geoff with his God Damn music?” Other than a hot pressure against her throat that quickly turned sticky, the thought of Geoff and his music was Tanya’s last.

Geoff’s eyes opened and his heart rose in his chest. The house wasn’t just quiet under his headphones, it was muted and comforting. The smells of food had left and his playlist had ended. He preferred to avoid his sister. T-Dog didn’t get him and his music and he liked Mac & Cheese cold anyway.

That Mac was calling his name now but he wanted to make sure to cut short any conversation Tanya might want to make with him. He loaded a new playlist, Dining Music, and hopped off his bed. He was happy to see the house lights were off when he opened his bedroom door. That meant Tanya had gone to bed early. He’d slip into the kitchen, grab the pot off the stove and use the mixing spoon. He figured he’d have to wash the thing tomorrow and delay another conversation about house chores. She really did nag him too much but hiding the dish away now was a good idea considering how sticky the floor was. Tanya was just going to gripe when she mopped it tomorrow and he’d rather she not have the dish to complain about too.

“Well” he figured aloud, “If she gets annoying again I’ll just start up my Conversation Playlist.”

Mark Avos Blog, an introduction.

I'm going to post some thoughts on here and, hopefully, a weekly chapter to a short story I started back in the days of Myspace. Yes kids, we did have to walk a mile up a steep hill in the snow. We did it while the wind was blowing hard and Facebook was something you did when you fell asleep cramming for finals. Check out my other content any time:

Find me on Twitter

Find me on my Flavors.me site

Find me on Deviant Art

Look at a bunch of pictures I took on my Windows Phone

Check out my Crafty side on Etsy

Oh, BTW... did you guess why the name of this Blog is so weird? The hint is in the title!