The Keto Blueprint
The ketogenic diet has been around for almost a century and is rapidly gaining popularity today. There is a reason why keto is so highly regarded. It’s not a fad diet. It actually works, and it has tremendous health benefits in addition to weight loss. When on the keto diet, you are feeding your body exactly what it needs, while eliminating toxins that will slow it down.
The keto diet focuses on low carbohydrates, which the body converts into energy to help speed up weight loss.
What exactly is the problem with high carbs, and why should you avoid them? Carbohydrates are converted into glucose and cause a spike in insulin. As the insulin enters the bloodstream to process the glucose, which becomes the main source of energy. A spike in insulin can also result in storage of fats. The body uses carbohydrates and fats as energy, the former being the primary source. So the more carbs you consume in your daily diet, the less fat is being burned for energy. Instead, the spike in insulin will result in more fat storage.
When you consume less carbohydrates, the body goes into a state referred to as ketosis. Thus, the name for this low-carb diet. Ketosis helps the body survive on less food. By being in ketosis, you ‘train’ your body to utilize fats as the main source of energy instead of carbs, simply because there is close to zero carbs to begin with. During ketosis, the liver breaks down fats into ketones, which enables the body to use the fat as energy. During a keto diet, we don’t starve ourselves of calories; we starve the body of carbohydrates. This makes weight loss easy and natural. Later on,
you’ll learn that the keto diet has many additional health benefits besides fat loss.
The keto diet is an easy diet, but some people do miss beans and breads. It takes a bit of getting used to, starting anything new is challenging after all. But ultimately, you’ll feel much better, both physically and mentally that you’d be happy to avoid carbs once and for all. And being able to eat bacon on a diet does have its rewards!
What is Ketogenic Diet?
The keto diet is a low or zero carbohydrate diet, but it differs from other low-carb diets (such as Paleo) in that it deliberately manipulates the ratios of carbs, fats, and protein to switch fat into the body’s primary source of fuel. Our bodies are used to using carbohydrates as fuel. Fats, which is a secondary source of fuel, are rarely tapped on. That means the extra fat is stored and keeps adding on the pounds.
The only ways to reduce fat in a ‘normal’ diet are to consume less fat and workout a lot in order to increase energy expenditure over daily calories intake, which is why most people fail to lose weight on conventional diet.
On the other hand, the ketogenic diet uses fat for fuel, which means it gets used instead of being stored. So, weight loss becomes easy. In addition to weight loss, the ketogenic diet is known as the “healing” diet. The lack of sugar intake has been proven to help and prevent many diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, epilepsy, and many symptoms of aging. The manipulation of carbs, fats, and protein is crucial in order to get into ketosis. It’s a state when the body, deprived of the usual carbohydrates and sugar, is forced to use fat as its primary fuel. So the ratio of fats and protein are significantly higher than carbs in general.
Of course, consuming less carbs also means lowering the amount of insulin in your body. Less insulin; Less glucose and fat storage. That is why the keto diet has been so successful in helping people with diabetes. It adjusts the sugar level naturally.
The ratio of carbs, fat, and protein can vary. Many people allow themselves up to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day and still lose weight. On a stricter regime, the carb intake can be between 15 and 20 grams daily. The less carbs, the quicker the weight loss, but the diet is very flexible.
On the keto diet, you don’t count calories. You count carbohydrates and adjust the intake of carbs vs. fat and protein. A typical keto diet will get 60 percent of its calories from fat, 15 to 25 percent of calories from protein, and 25 percent of calories from carbohydrates. The only limitation on the diet is sugar, which you need to avoid.
The ketogenic diet is not a fad. Many scientific studies have shown the benefits and healing effects of ketosis. Discuss the ketogenic diet with your doctor if you are interested in consuming less sugar, losing weight, or as preventive measures against vulnerable health problems.
Benefits of Keto Diet
Although ketogenic diet is popularly known as a ‘rapid fat loss diet’, it is actually more to this than meets the eye. In fact, weight loss and higher levels of energy are only by-products of the keto diet, a kind of bonus. It has been scientifically proven that the keto diet has many additional medical benefits.
Let’s begin by stating that a high carbohydrate diet, with its many processed ingredients and sugars, has absolutely no health benefits. These are merely empty calories, and most processed foods ultimately serve only to rob your body of the nutrients it needs to remain healthy. Here is a list of actual benefits for lowering your carbohydrates and eating fats that convert to energy:
Control of Blood Sugar
Keeping blood sugar at a low level is critical to manage and prevent diabetes. The keto diet has been proven to be extremely effective in preventing diabetes.
Many people suffering from diabetes are also overweight. That makes an easy weight-loss regime a natural. But the keto diet does more. Carbohydrates get converted to sugar, which for diabetics can result in a sugar spike. A diet low in carbohydrates prevents these spikes and allows more control over blood sugar levels.
Mental Focus
The keto diet is based on protein, fats, and low carbohydrates. As we’ve discussed, this forces fat to become the primary source of energy. This is not the normal western diet, which can be quite deficient in nutrients, particularly fatty acids, which are needed for proper brain function.
When people suffer from cognitive diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, the brain isn’t using enough glucose, thus becomes lacking in energy, and the brain has difficulty functioning at a high level. The keto diet provides an additional energy source for the brain.
A study by the American Diabetes Association found that Type 1 diabetics improved their brain function after consuming coconut-oil.
That same study indicated that people who suffer from Alzheimer’s may experience improved memory capacity on a keto diet. Those with Alzheimer’s have seen improved memory scores that might correlate with the amount of ketones levels present.
What does this study mean to an average person? With the emphasis on fatty acids, such as omega 3 and omega 6 found in seafood, the keto diet is likely to fuel the brain with the additional nutrients to help achieve a healthier mental state. The brain tissue is made up largely of fatty acids (you’ve heard fish referred to as “brainfood”), and the increased consumption of those fatty acids will logically lead to improved brain health.
Our body does not produce fatty acids on its own; we can only obtain it through our diet. And the keto diet is rich in fatty acids.
A diet high in carbohydrates can lead to a “foggy” brain, where you have difficulty in focusing. Focusing becomes easier with the increased energy provided by the keto diet. In fact, many people who have no need or desire to lose weight use the keto diet to improve and enhance brain functions.
Increased Energy
It’s not unusual, and has become almost normal, to feel tired and drained at the end of the day as a result of a poor, carbohydrate-laden diet. Fat is a more efficient source of energy, leaving you feeling more vitalized than you would on a “sugar” rush.
Acne
While most of the benefits of a keto diet are well-documented, one benefit catches some people by surprise: better skin and less acne. Acne is fairly common. Ninety percent of teens suffer from it, and many adults do, as well.
While it was always thought that acne was at least exacerbated by poor diet, controlled research is still being conducted. However, many people on the keto diet have reported clearer skin. There may be a logical reason. A 1972 study found that high levels of insulin can cause the eruption of acne. Since a keto diet keeps insulin at a low and healthy level, it may very well affect skin health.
In addition, acne thrives on inflammation. The ketogenic diet eases and reduces inflammation, thus enabling the body to decrease acne eruptions. Fatty acids, which are found in abundance in fish, are a known anti-inflammatory.
While research is still being done, it seems likely that a keto diet has beneficial effects for clearer, healthier, more glowing skin.
Keto and Anti-Aging
Many diseases are a natural result of the aging process. While there have not been studies done on humans, studies on mice have shown brain cell improvement on a keto diet.
Several studies have shown a positive effect of the keto diet on patients with Alzheimer’s disease. What we do know is that a diet filled with good nutrients and antioxidants, low in sugar, high in protein and healthy fats, while low in carbohydrates, enhances our overall health. It protects us from the toxins of a poor diet.
There is also research indicating that using fatty acids for fuel instead of sugar may slow down the aging process, possibly because of the negative effects that sugar has on our overall wellbeing.
In addition, the simple act of eating less and consuming fewer calories is a matter of basic health, as it prevents obesity and its inherent side effects.
So far, studies have been limited. However, considering the powerful positive effects of the ketogenic diet on our health, it is logical to assume this diet will help us grow older in a more natural way while delaying the natural effect of aging. A normal western diet laden with sugars and processed foods are certainly detrimental to warding off the signs of aging.
What Do I eat on a Keto Diet?
Some people associate the keto diet with the bad word “fat,” and are quick to dismiss it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Fat is allowed, because it is converted into energy. Our body needs healthy fats to thrive. Other foods on the diet could not be healthier. When you’re eating ketogenic, you’re filling your body with nutrition. Let’s take a look at the foods you’ll be eating.
As this book has already pointed out, the elimination of processed foods and sugar is one of the best things you can do for your health in general. Processed foods are filled with toxic preservatives that do nothing for you but rob you of your good health. Fresh is always better. When purchasing anything at the market, get into the habit of reading labels. They can be very sneaky and revealing.
Keep your carbohydrates under 50 grams a day, and you’ll feel the difference. A stricter ketogenic diet will contain approximately 20 grams of carbs a day.
Food to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet
1. Seafood
Everyone knows about the healthy fatty acids, vitamins and minerals in seafood. Very few of us eat enough. The keto diet encourages the consumption of all things from the sea. Shrimp and crabs are carb-free, and other shellfish contain only a low amount of carbohydrates.
Fatty fish, such as salmon and sardines, are highly recommended because of their high omega-fatty acid content. Fish truly is brainfood. Enjoy at least two servings or more of seafood a week on the keto diet. Simple canned tuna counts as seafood.
2. Vegetables
Can a diet that recommends unlimited green, leafy vegetables be anything but healthy? They are extremely low in carbohydrates and bursting with vitamins, antioxidants, and the fiber we need daily. Green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and kale are believed to decrease the risk of heart diseases and cancer. Cauliflower and turnips can be prepared to look and taste like rice or mashed potatoes, with much less starch and carbohydrates.
“Starchy” vegetables, such as potatoes or beets do have carbs and should be limited on the keto diet.
3. Dairy Foods
a. There are cheeses to satisfy everyone’s taste. They are high in fat content for energy, high in protein and calcium, and low in carbohydrates.
b. Yogurt and cottage cheese are a great source of protein and calcium. They are low-carb and fit well into the ketogenic lifestyle. Be sure to stick with plain yogurt, as the flavored types contain a lot of sugar, as are the so-called “low fat” versions of yogurt. You can flavor yogurt and cottage cheese yourself with a few berries and nuts.
4. Avocados
Avocados are truly “superfood.” They are high in important vitamins and minerals, including potassium. According to a study, avocados are also believed to help lower cholesterol by 22 percent.
Loaded with nutrients and delicious taste, avocados only have 2 grams of net carbohydrates. Use them in salads and sandwiches.
5. Meat and Poultry
The keto diet lets you eat plenty of meat. Meat contains very few carbs and is high in protein to help you build muscles. Whenever possible, choose healthy, grass-fed meats, which are higher in fatty acids.
6. Eggs
Eggs are high in protein and contain a mere 1 gram of carbohydrates. As they are also inexpensive, they are ideal for anyone on a ketogenic diet.
Eggs also make you feel full, thereby helping you eat less. Many people take pride in only consuming the whites of eggs, but the true nutrition lies in the yolk, so be sure to eat the egg in its entirety.
7. Coconut Oil
Too many people are unfamiliar with coconut oil, another “superfood.” It is perfect for people dealing with diabetes and has been used with Alzheimer patients.
Coconut oil can be used in most recipes in place of butter or oil. You can also use it for frying and sautéing.
8. Dark Chocolate
Did you know that dark chocolate has a high amount of antioxidants? As a matter of fact, dark chocolate is reaching superfood status. Chocolate with 80 percent or higher real cocoa powder can lower your blood pressure.
An ounce of 80 percent dark chocolate contains 10 grams of carbohydrates, so it definitely counts as a healthy snack. Keep in mind the lower of cocoa content, the less healthy the chocolate will be. Milk chocolate does not count as a healthy chocolate.
Sample Recipes
Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori chicken is all about the spice marinade. Serve it with some cauliflower rice.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken thighs
Ingredients for Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. cumin
Directions:
With a sharp knife, cut several slits into the chicken thighs.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with the lemon juice.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
Place the chicken in the bowl and coat thoroughly.
Refrigerate up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate, the more flavor is absorbed.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and layer the chicken on top.
Bake for about 45 – 50 minutes, until the skin is nice and crispy.
Nutrition facts: Calories 145; Fat 5.8 g; Carbs 2.3 g; Protein 17g.
Cobb Salad
This salad is very high in protein. Enjoy.
Ingredients for Dressing:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. diced onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Cobb Salad:
¾ cup cubed cooked chicken
½ cup diced tomatoes
½ cup blue cheese
2 tablespoons blue cheese
1 sliced hard-boiled egg
2 cups chopped greens
1 sliced avocado
4 cooked and sliced bacon slices
Directions:
Arrange the greens on a plate
Arrange rows of chicken, diced tomatoes, blue cheese, egg slices, avocado slices and bacon pieces on top of the greens.
Combine all dressing ingredients.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Nutrition facts: Calories 295; Fat 11 g; Carbs 4 g; Protein 22 g.
Keto Diet For Rapid Weight Loss
There is a reason why the ketogenic diet has become so popular. It helps improve your overall wellbeing in addition to helping you lose weight. You have more energy during the day, and you feel sated and full, thereby reducing the cravings for unhealthy snacks. In essence, you are eating less, but better. That’s what makes the keto diet so unique and successful.
The ketogenic diet is not magic pill made up by some gurus. Countless studies and testimonials are able to back the effectiveness of this diet. It is a scientifically proven method that balances your body’s fat intake to help achieve optimal weight loss.
By using fat instead of sugar as your primary source of energy, the keto diet induces a state of ketosis, which is achieved when your body stops receiving carbohydrates to turn in glucose. The fewer carbohydrates you consume, the more you force your body to burn fat for energy instead of storing it.
This is why it is possible to lose weight so quickly on the keto diet. It counts carbohydrates instead of calories. Using fats as an additional energy source is what ketosis is all about. It is a natural state that helped our hunter-gatherer ancestors survive in early days.
They feasted on low-carb foods when they could, and fasted when food was scarce. Fat was stored and converted into energy during the scarce times. The ketogenic state is a natural human state, which makes the ketogenic diet so powerful and successful. In addition to the benefits of the keto diet, most people simply enjoy the way it makes them feel better.
Weight loss results on the keto diet differ among individuals, depending on their specific body composition. But weight loss has been the consistent result of people who’ve been on the keto diet. The keto diet is known as the best weight-loss diet, as well as the healthiest.
A 2017 study divided Crossfit-training subjects into two groups, with both groups following the physical training, but only one group combined the ketogenic diet with the training. The results showed that those on the keto diet decreased their fat mass and weight far more than the other group.
The keto diet group showed an average of 3.5 kilo weight loss, 2.6 percent of body fat, and 2.83 kilos in fat mass, while the other group lost no weight, body fat or fat mass. Both groups showed similar athletic performance ability.
A 2012 study divided overweight children and adolescents into two group; one was put on a keto diet, the other on a low-calorie diet. As in other keto studies, the children on the keto diet decreased their weight, fat mass, and lowered their insulin levels considerably more than the low-calorie group.
Besides more rapid weight loss, a decided advantage of the keto diet over a low-calorie diet is that people actually stick to the keto diet. A low-calorie diet will help you lose weight, but you may be constantly feeling hungry and deprived. That is the main reason most diets fail. Hunger and deprivation are not a part of the ketogenic lifestyle.
Now it’s up to you to take action and do the work. Put in the effort and you will feel better, look fabulous, and lose weight if that’s your goal. Start today and create a better, healthier version of yourself.