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Keto in a NutshellVersion 3, Updated 2012-06-09
What is a ketogenic diet?
A Ketogenic Diet is any diet that causes ketones to be produced by the liver, shifting the body’s metabolism away from glucose towards fat utilization. Typically on a moderate to high carb diet, the body will prefer glucose for fuel (usually from dietary carbs), but by restricting carbs, the body will prefer fat for fuel. By inducing ketosis, a series of adaptations will take place.
Ketosis is also an effective way to control your blood sugar. When you eat something high in carbohydrates, your body produces insulin to get rid of all the sugar in your blood. But since there is already carbs to be used for fuel, your body will be storing fat cells and not releasing any to be burned. So by reducing carbs and being in ketosis, your insulin levels will be regulated at a lower level, and your body will want to access your body fat for fuel instead. In most cases this means impressive weight-loss!
With controlled blood sugar levels, you will experience less hunger and cravings. Paired with an adequate protein and high fat intake, you will feel both satisfied and satiated by the diet.
What do I eat?
A typical Ketogenic Diet is any diet which restricts carbohydrates between 0-50g of carbs per day. The general recommendation of /r/keto is to start with 20g of net-carbs per day. This limit does a good job of eliminating junk foods, refined carbohydrates and any other “fattening” foods.
Net-carbs are the total carbs minus the fiber carbs (fiber doesn’t count because your body doesn’t absorb it). For example, a cup of chopped broccoli is 6g of total carbs and 2g of fiber. 6g - 2g = 4g net carbs.
Your carbs should ideally come from whole-food sources such as vegetables, nuts, dairy, etc. Try your best to avoid refined carbohydrates such as breads, pastas and cereals; starches such as potatoes, beans and legumes; and other refined sugars such as white sugar, HFCS, and even sugar from fruits.
Most meals should focus on a protein and a fat with a side of vegetables. Some examples would be; a steak with a side of sauteed spinach, or chicken thighs with a side of broccoli and cheese sauce. Snacks can include nuts and seeds, cheese, or anything “keto-friendly”. When in doubt, check the nutrition label or google the carb count to see if it fits within your daily carb goal.
Side note: Be wary of claims such as ‘effective carbs’ or ‘net carbs’. Many of these items will use sugar alcohols, which do in-fact count (at least partially) and will have an effect on your blood sugar.
Adequate protein is also a very important aspect of the Ketogenic Diet and it will help you preserve muscle mass.
What portion of fat/protein/carbs do I need?
One of the mantras of low-carb diets is the ratio of macronutrients “60/35/5”. This means that the percentage of your daily caloric intake needs to be sixty percent from fat, thirty-five from protein and five from carbohydrates. Fat and protein keep you full, so more of them is often preferred to naturally keep you in a calorie deficit. Though macronutrient ratios are a good starting point, they aren't always accurate. Another method is to choose a carb goal between 15-50g/day (20g is a good starting point), set your protein requirements (1.5-1.75g of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight), and fill the rest of your calories with fat.
Do I need to count calories?
In many cases, a Ketogenic Diet will help you reduce your caloric intake naturally. Some people don’t count calories while others do, it’s really a personal decision! But if you aren’t counting calories and you find your weight-loss is stalling, then consider tracking.
What happens when my body adapts?
As you begin to adapt to ketosis, your body will begin to deplete its glycogen stores. Your body is normally trained to use this cheap, fast and easy-to-process energy source, and it needs some time to get used to running off fat as its primary source of fuel. To be blunt, you may feel like crap while adapting.
You may experience nausea, headaches, dizziness, mental fog and other flu-like symptoms. This phenomenon is often called ‘keto-flu’ or ‘carb-flu. Many times this is the result of your electrolytes being flushed out along with water weight. If you drink some traditional chicken or beef broth you can replenish your electrolytes and ease your symptoms. It is also incredibly important to drink plenty of water! Your water intake will keep you hydrated and it will help flush out excess ketones.
Fun fact: The body can excrete up to 100 calories worth of ketones per day.
This total adaptation process takes about three weeks to happen. During this time you may be continuing an exercise regimen or you may even be starting a new one. You may find that you don’t have as much endurance and strength as you are used to, and this is normal. Once you are fully keto-adapted, your body will be trained to operate on fat as its primary source of fuel, and you will see an improvement in your energy levels. Many even report having more energy, and more stable energy levels while in ketosis.
How do I guarantee I’m in ketosis?
An easy way to know for sure you are in ketosis is to use ketostix. These little sticks can be found in most pharmacies and even online. They only test for excess ketones, so they aren’t always the most reliable, but if you see a positive on the stick you are guaranteed to be in ketosis. Other signs of ketosis might be; a funny taste in your mouth, your urine will smell different or you’re incredibly thirsty. But if you have been eating 20g of carbs a day for at least 3 days, you are more than likely in ketosis.
I don’t think I can give up carbs!
Once you get over the initial hump of carb cravings, they go away! Since keto will stabilize your blood sugar, it will also stabilize your hunger and cravings. Since your body is now adjusting to a low-sugar diet, you will find that your taste buds will change as well and you can now easily detect the sugar content in certain foods. Items such as carrots and dark chocolate now taste sweeter. The longer you stick to keto and the stricter you are, the less you will miss carbs. Carbs and sugar are truly addictive, and like anyone else trying to break an addiction, the best method is to cut out the source of the problem.
Original can be found at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gZfJejOM8fJsX1iCilmnpp1qmT_KncJwWCR4-EsaEHc/edit?pli=1
