What is Keto & Information for Keto Beginners

I had seen the term referenced many times before having any idea what keto actually was. With so many different diets in popularity these days (keto, paleo, fruititarian, etc.) the (often new) information can be confusing and overwhelming (+ there is a lot of misinformation out there look out for too). So what exactly is keto, what can it do, and how do you it.



What is a Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic Diet became a popular diet in the 1920's & 1930's as a therapy for epilepsy.  Years later in the 70's it became very popular for weightloss. A Ketogenic Diet is all about the ratios. It is an extremely low net carb, high fat, and minimal/moderate protein diet that allows your body (specifically the liver) to release ketones. Ketones are byproducts produced when your body burns fat for fuel for energy (instead of glucose) when you follow an extremely low carb diet.

In order to achieve ketosis (burning fat for fuel) you need to consume a maximum of 20g net carbs (roughly 5%) per day. Some people can remain in ketosis even with as many as 50g net carbs per day but 20g is the standard for those looking to follow keto to lose weight (& lots of weight if you stick with it) and the amount I recommend (20 max). Net carbs are calculated by taking the total carbohydrate count of the food and subtracting any sugar alcohols or fiber. For example 10 total carbs - 4 grams fiber - 3grams sugar alcohols = 3 grams net carbs.

As mentioned keto is all about the ratios and there are 3 macros (macronutrients) to pay attention to - Carbohydrates (covered), Fats, & Protein. The easiest way to keep track of your protein is to take your weight (lbs) and multiply it by 0.6 & 1. The lower of the two numbers is how many grams of protein you need to eat per day to ensure you don't lose muscle mass while following keto + the higher number is the number you need to stay under to ensure your body won't be thrown out of ketosis. If you consume too much protein, your body will burn the it for fuel instead of fat which can throw you out of ketosis. You want to stay around 15-20%.

Lastly, fats! Welcome to the new center of your diet. When first starting out on a keto diet one of the hardest things that can happen is getting enough fat. For so long there has been this idea that fat is making you fat - and that just isn't true. Eating high amounts of certain fats can do bad things like raise your blood pressure & cholesterol (so I highly recommend taking a heart healthy plant based omega supplement) so to stay healthy on a keto diet you need to be careful about the types of fats you are eating.

You want to eat foods high in unsaturated fats (fatty fish, nuts & seeds, avocado, olive oil), limited saturated fats (coconut oils, cheese & dairy products, fatty deli meats), and avoid trans fats (the cookies & donuts of the world + things made with hydrogenated oils). Fat should make up about 75-80% of your diet. To calculate your macros this out.

Keto Flu

When beginning your keto journey your body is going to need some time to adjust to burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. This results in something called 'keto flu' during this time you might find yourself feeling foggy, tired, achy, and with overall general flu symptoms.

One of the best things you can do for yourself when you start keto is take an amino acid, potassium, & magnesium supplement to help stave off symptoms. Another thing you can do is something called intermittent fasting which is when you don't eat for a certain number of hours and then eat all of your calories in another time frame - most people like to go 16 hours fasting to 8 hours of eating. By doing this you can help get your body into ketosis faster and out of keto flu. This isn't for everyone though so be sure to look into it more before you start.

Not All Supplements are Created Equally

When stocking up on your supplements it is important to know what you are buying. As mentioned above it is essential that you supplement potassium, magnesium, amino acids, & for some sodium. I personally ensure I get enough sodium in my diet that I don't need to supplement it but this isn't the case for everyone.

When it comes to supplements I always recommend powdered and liquid forms as they are more bio-available for you body. This helps your body to absorb the nutrients without being passed when you go to the washroom.

Low potassium levels have been associated with kidney & heart problems which is why it is so important to supplement. A daily intake of potassium is recommended at 4700mg per day - most supplements only come in at 100mg per serving (under FDA regulation) so it is also important to eat lots of potassium rich foods like broccoli, brussels sprouts, avocado, swiss chard, almonds, & spinach to ensure you are getting your daily dose.


Magnesium Supplementation is just as important and much easier. Magnesium is required for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and it is estimated that over 80% of North Americans are deficient in it! Magnesium helps to promote natural calm within the body & relieves stress, supports your heart, boosts energy, aids in digestion, breaks up crystals in the body (important for gout & kidney stones), & so much more. There are several cheap magnesium capsules you can buy but they aren't as readily available for the body to absorb. I highly recommend either AOR Magnesium Synergy (it also contains potassium & amino acids) or Natural Calm's Magnesium Citrate Powder.


Lastly, amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and play an important role in your muscle. Muscle burns roughly 2x the amount of calories ounce for ounce as fat does so even though you are looking to lose weight it is important to make sure you aren't sacrificing muscle mass. I drink collagen coffee everyday using Organika's Enhanced Collagen which provides both essential & non-essential amino acids + it helps promote collagen formulation which is very important for your skin when losing a lot of weight (currently sitting at -54 lbs over here - just saying).


The only other thing that I recommend taking is Bone Broth or Bone Broth Protein. Bone Broth is a rich source of amino acids, proteins, & collagen that will help to keep you fight off keto flu symptoms at bay. It also has benefits for your gut, skin, & immune system.

I hope that this helps some of you that are new to keto get started and point you in the direction. I know when I first started some of the hardest information to find was the most basic because I didn't know what to look for. There is a lot to learn and it can be confusing to I wanted to post this in the hopes it might help you if you are at the beginning of your journey.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I do have a background in nutrition and human health & wellness but always recommend everyone do their own research before undergoing any major diet or weightloss journey.

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