Going “keto” is one of the most effective plans to achieve the fastest fat and weight loss in the shortest amount of time. Being right in the smack middle of summer, if you need to play catch up fast and shed some lingering winter pounds in the next 21 days, then this is your plan. Is it the easiest. No. Is it the most effective plan you can follow to see the fastest results. Yes.
Despite its current popularity, high fat/very low carbohydrate diets have been around for centuries and there are decades of science supporting their efficacy and safety. I’m going to show you how to put a ketogenic diet to work for you so that you can take the brakes off your body’s fat burning potential and slim down in the next 21 days at X GYM.
I will try to keep the science simple, but understanding any plan you partake in, is important. Ketogenic diets get their name from a group of unique compounds called ketone bodies, commonly just called ketones. Ketones are a metabolic by-product that your body creates when it is burning fat (either stored body fat or dietary fat) at a very high rate. This generally only happens during long intense exercise, or when carbohydrates are severely restricted, because the presence of the hormone insulin (which is released by your body when you eat carbs) squashes fat burning and ketone production.
When you remove carbs from your diet and increase the amount of fat you are eating, your body produces so many ketones that their level in your blood increases – you are then considered to be in ketosis or a ketogenic fat-adapted state. Your body has adapted to using fat (and ketones) as primary fuel sources and not carbs/sugar.
Many people continue to struggle to see results in fat loss and weight loss by never giving their body a chance to tap into body fat (simply stored energy), simply because they are constantly consuming too much easy energy in their diet (carbs). If you feed fat, it will stay. If don’t feed fat, it will burn off as energy and you will get leaner and lighter.
This is the key to achieving rapid fat loss. There are many diet plans that work, and ketogenic diets work very well. You just need to see if they work well for you, your current goals and your lifestyle. Not in so much of a rush for results?, no problem, just keep with a more moderate approach that is proven to work like Precision Nutrition.
One of the biggest myths about ketogenic diets is that they are bad diets to maintain your energy as you greatly reduce carbohydrates. This is flat out untrue. There is an initial 3 days or so for most people that is tough (known as the “low carb flu”) because they are simply addicted to excess sugar in their diet as you transition your body from burning those constant carbs you are eating to stored body fat.
But this is only temporary and many find the rapid results worth the initial discomfort (and most of the effects can generally be overcome with drinking lots of water, consuming caffeine, using pink Himalayan sea salt or drinking good homemade bone broth for electrolytes, and supplementing with magnesium, all while your body builds the cellular machinery it needs to be a dedicated fat burning metabolic machine.
Ketogenic Diet Basics
As with any nutrition plan, there are guidelines around how much and what types of carbohydrate, fat, and protein you can eat. Here is a breakdown of each with all the info you need to get started.
Constrict Carbohydrates
If you want the fastest fat loss in the shortest amount of time, starchy carbs are your enemy, at least for a while. When on a ketogenic diet, you need to severely limit the amount of carbohydrates that you are eating to around 30g per day or less to keep insulin levels really low – allowing your body to readily access, liberate, and burn fat as its primary fuel source. If you are going to count anything on a ketogenic diet – count carbs.
Your new go to carb sources will be fibrous vegetables (and a little fruit):
● Spinach
● Swiss chard
● Artichokes
● Mushrooms
● Asparagus
● Broccoli
● Zucchini
● Bell Peppers
● Cauliflower
● Blueberries, Raspberries (very high in fiber)
● Lettuce
Fat is Fuel
When keto is done right, 60-70% of the calories in your diet will come from fat (yes, that’s seems like a lot of fat!) but tour body will quickly learn to thrive on it. Your body was actually built to thrive on fat (70% of your brain is fat, your hormones depend upon it and half your cell membranes are fat), and removing carbs from your diet frees your body from these metabolic constraints, blood sugar roller coaster and allows you to tap into near limitless amounts of energy (via stored body fat and the fat you eat).
Eat a variety of healthy fats but try not to overdo one type. Be careful when eating some mixed nuts as they can have added sugar and contain carbs. Walnut and Macadamia nuts are the preferred nuts, as they are low carb and high fat. Here are some other fats to include:
● Extra Virgin Organic Olive oil
● Extra Virgin Organic Coconut oil
● Butter
● Full Fat Sour cream
● Cheese
● Heavy cream
● Coconut milk in can
● Ghee
● Avocados, or avocado oil
Perfect Protein
How much protein you eat on a ketogenic diet is more nuanced than carbs and fat. Carbs and fat are easy. Carbs – eat very little. Fat – eat a lot. Protein – you need to find your sweet spot. You need enough protein to support lean muscle repair and recovery from your workouts, but if you overeat protein, your body can still turn it into glucose (i.e. sugar) and it will negatively impact your body’s ability to produce ketones and use fat as a primary fuel source. At the lowest level, you want to aim for 20-30g of protein 3-4 times a day. This will be enough to maximize metabolism and optimize hormonal function. You only need .7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Women on the lower end, men on the higher end.
All protein is fair game, especially protein with higher fat levels that you might normally avoid like sausage or beef short ribs:
● Beef
● Chicken thighs
● Salmon
● Sardines
● Pork
● Eggs
● Turkey
● Shrimp, Mussels, Oysters
Here’s an example below on how you can put all of this together in a ketogenic diet plan. Just adjust portions to suit your needs.
● Calories: 1919 kcal
● Fat: 152g
● Carbs: 30g
● Fiber: 12g
● Protein: 121g
Sample KetoBurn Diet Plan Set-Up
Pre-Morning Workout
● 1 cup of black coffee with 1 tsp of full fat cream or coconut oil
Post Workout/Breakfast
● Super Shake, 1 scoop of whey protein blended with ¼ cup berries OR
● 3-4 eggs scrambled in 2 tsp of butter, and ¼ cup berries
Lunch
● 2 Palm size boneless skinless chicken thighs
● 2 cups mushrooms, 2 cups of spinach sautéed with 1 Tbsp olive oil
Snack
● ¼ cup macadamia nuts or walnuts, or ½ Avocado (quick guacamole made with hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt)
Dinner
● Palm size pork, steak or seafood topped with 1 Tbsp butter
● 1 medium zucchini (diced or turned into noodles) sautéed in 1 Tbsp olive oil.
OR Portobello Mushroom Pizza with pesto sauce, cheese and veggie toppings
OR Jalapeno Cheddar Burger!
Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers!
Here are some tips to keep keto with a busy lifestyle!
1. Prepare 2lbs/4 servings of slow-cooked meat. Cook the meat until tender, best in a slow-cooker (pork or beef with herbs such as rosemary, onion and garlic, pink Himalayan salt). Such simple ingredients will add a very small amount of carbs (~ 1 g net carbs per serving). Store 2 servings in the freezer and keep the remaining 2 servings in the fridge. There are thousands of recipes and ideas online and some links below.
2. Pre-cook 1 serving of chicken thighs or turkey. Then place in an air-tight container and defrost each serving a day before needed by placing it in the fridge.
3. Pre-cook one of the salmon fillets or other fatty fish and place in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer. Defrost a day before needed by placing it in the fridge. (or used canned sardines, kipper snacks or smoke oysters)
4. Bake a tray of bacon and keep refrigerated and ready to eat.
5. Boil some eggs to have them ready at hand when needed either in your recipes or as quick snacks.
6. This diet plan may not be suitable for everyone. Depending on your goals and lifestyle commitments, you’ll have to make small adjustments. If you need to have less protein, reduce the portions of meat and eggs. Don’t worry about small excess of protein, it will not kick you out of ketosis. In fact, protein will keep hunger at bay. If you need to add more fat (or less), focus on added oils and fatty foods when making your adjustments. Control carbs if anything.
7. Cook veggies at the same time you do meat, whether in a slow cooker or roasted on a baking sheet in the oven with olive oil, sea salt and spice. Cook meat on the other rack at the same time!
Low Carb Keto Resources and Recipes
http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2014/01/3-day-keto-kickstart-menu-plan.html
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