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September 10, 2022
The Keto Diet includes high amounts of good quality fats, moderate protein & minimal carbs.
But doesn’t fat make you fat? We’ve been told that, but it’s false.
Fat has gotten a bad reputation over the years. It’s not bad for us. Our bodies need it. And so do our brains.
Our brains are the fattest organ in our body and they are made up of at least 60 percent fat. Knowing this, we don’t want to restrict fat, we want to add fat. The good quality fats.
When we consume high levels of healthy fats with very few carbs, we enter a state of ketosis.
Ketosis: a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel.
When we are in ketosis, our bodies produce something called ketones. Instead of using carbs as our energy source (which converts glucose into energy), we now use ketones as an alternate fuel source. Using fat for fuel is a much cleaner & more efficient source of energy.
The keto diet is one way to get your body to make ketones. We can also produce ketones when we are fasting or taking keto supplements.
BENEFITS OF THE KETO DIET
There are many benefits to switching to a ketogenic diet. Our top 2 favorites are…
1. BETTER WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Unlike glucose, ketones can’t be stored as fat because they aren’t metabolized the same way.
When our bodies produce ketones, it suppresses a hormone called ghrelin. Think of ghrelin as your hunger hormone.
When we are not feeling hungry, we can go for longer periods without eating. When this happens, our body will use fat stores for energy. Lose weight and have more energy? Win-Win, right?
Fat is also more satiating. When we feel less hungry, we have fewer cravings. This helps us feel more fuller which leads to less snacking & overeating.
2. MORE ENERGY
When your body becomes fat-adapted, you won’t have the same energy crashes or brain fog as you normally would while on a higher carb diet.
When in fat-burning mode on the ketogenic diet, your body taps into fat stores for energy.
Being in ketosis also helps to boost mitochondria. These are the power centers of your cells. More power in the cells, more power in the brain & body.
GETTING STARTED
Set yourself up for success.
Start slowly. Remember, your body has been used to a carb-heavy diet for years. Trying to switch things up too quickly will just make the transition more difficult for you. Over the 1st couple of weeks, start working towards eating fewer carbs & more high-quality fats.
Consume more of these high-quality fats…
Consume less…
Looking for ideas on how to incorporate these into your meals? Not to worry. I got you! To make things a little easier for you, I summarized keto-friendly recipes for you to choose from.
A STANDARD KETO DIET is typically 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% net carbs a day.
These ratios are not for everyone, it’s just the standard. We all have different health goals. Someone training for a marathon will require different intakes in relation to someone looking to lose 20 pounds. If you need help with food tracking, there is a good app out there called MyFitnessPal.
Try it out & see how you feel. Adapt as needed.
Grab some KETONE TEST STRIPS as well. These help give you an idea of your ketone levels. When you eat different foods, it will show you the effect it has on your ketones. You can grab your test strips HERE.
BECOMING FAT ADAPTED
Think of this as the great reset.
You will be resetting your system from a carb burner to a fat burner. When you do this, your body becomes more efficient. And when your body is more efficient, your body will require less energy to do things. Cool, right?
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME FAT ADAPTED?
Becoming fat-adapted varies from person to person. Everyone is different. It usually takes around 2 weeks. Sometimes a little less & sometimes a little more. Again, it depends on the person.
As your body adjusts, you may experience the keto flu during the first week or so. Not everyone experiences this, but I wanted to note it for you. You might experience symptoms like brain fog, muscle aches, constipation, stinky breath, or even a weird metallic taste in your mouth. Keep at it, these things should start to subside over the next couple of days.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU ARE FAT ADAPTED?
To find out if you’re fat-adapted, the most effective way is to ask yourself a few basic questions:
Also, keep consistent with monitoring your ketone levels with the KETONE TEST STRIPS. Over time, you should start to notice your ketone levels start to increase.
Once you start entering a deeper level of ketosis, you’ll start noticing changes like fewer cravings, greater mental clarity + increased energy levels.
As mentioned earlier, we are all different. How you react to this new style of eating differs from the next person. You may experience side effects like low energy or troubles with your sleep. If you are noticing this, consider adding little extra complex carbs to your meals.
