How to start Keto

So you want to start the ketogenic lifestyle. Maybe you heard about it online or from a friend. Maybe you saw first hand results of how changing what you eat really does change who you are!

Either way, you are here. Lets do some learning.

Lets get started with the basics:

What is the Ketogenic Lifestyle?

Originally formulated in 1924 for children with epilepsy, the ketogenic diet was made to rewire the people who stuck to it and change how their body burned fuel.  

The human body's preferred source of energy comes in the form of carbohydrates, and at one point carbohydrates were pretty hard to come by in the evolution of the human.  Now that we are overloaded with carbohydrates in almost every single processed food, this preferred source of energy has become a problem for most of us.  We eat sugar in every meal, even if we don't think we do!

The average American takes in anywhere from 225 grams - 295 grams of carbohydrates a day.

 That is 8- 10 ozs of sugar a day or about 72 sugar cubes a day!

When we eat too much sugar our, liver starts to produce insulin, which stores all the excess sugar and fat we eat into fat cells in our body. 

High Sugar + High Fat   = Fat Human

By moving to the ketogenic lifestyle we are changing how our body burns fuel, and the fuel that it burns.

The Ketogenic lifestyle turns your body into a fat burning machine instead of a sugar burning machine.   Since your body does not have sugar to burn, it resorts to burning the stored fats that we find make our clothes too tight.

The liver turns these fats into ketone bodies which the brain and body love to use as fuel.

How to figure out how much to eat

Are you trying to lose weight? Maintain your weight? Lower your cholesterol and blood pressure?  Not get diabetes? Stay away from gluten?

Then ketogenic lifestyle is for you.

Here is a simple and effective Keto calculator from ruled me.

In general you want to eat your calories in the following percentages:

Fat 70-75%

Protein 20-25%

Carbohydrates 5%

The Keto calculator will help you determine these numbers.

Most people consume a 20% caloric deficit while on keto.

It is important to note that keto does NOT mean high protein.  Your protein should be consumed in a moderate manner, just enough so your body does not use your own proteins (muscles) to build your internal structures and cells.  Normally if you don't exercise and are sedentary, you can get away with 0.6g of protein per pound of lean body weight.

Why does keto work?

Other than burning the fat you have stored in your body, the ketogenic lifestyle reduces hunger.  Since your blood sugar level has evened out and calmed down, your cravings to eat disappear.  Most of the time that we are hungry on the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) is due to spikes in blood sugar levels.

You lose weight while on keto for two reasons:

Burning fat

Eating less calories (and yes they matter)

What should you eat?

The ketogenic lifestyle is all about real food.  Make your own. Use real ingredients! COOK!

Always read your nutrition labels! 

Real Meats (not processed meats)

Green Veggies - Brocolli, asparagus, cabbage, kale, Brussel sprouts, lettuce, spring mix, zucchini.  There are more. 

Fats:

Olive oil, grass fed real butter, coconut oil, lard, bacon fat. Oh my god bacon fat.