I’m switching gears in this post, because I’m OBSESSED with all things KETO.

Mind you I’m in the beginning stages of my 6 month experiment – so stay tuned and be sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter so that you don’t miss all the updates.

First, let me admit, that in my grad level Nutrition studies, KETO – or the Ketogenic Diet, was barely touched on, despite my school being functionally based – meaning not mainstream or MyPlate “Carbage” based. As students, we were minimally exposed to the ketone pathways in biochem and Ketogenic Diets were confined to rather extreme nutritional therapies used in neurological conditions like Epilepsy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

It wasn’t until I started reading books like The Wahl’s Protocol and Grain Brain that I realized that the metabolic ketone pathway was available for anyone to tap into in order to take advantage of it’s anti-inflammatory, fat loss, appetite reducing, energy boosting and brain health benefits.

This BLOWS my mind!

Anyone who’s worked with me knows that I always recommend a “CLEAN”, paleo-ish lower carbohydrate diet as a starting point. The science so strongly supports reducing carbohydrates – especially processed carbs in bread, pasta, crackers, bagels, cookies, it’s a no-brainer. But I also tell clients to watch out for too much fruit and starchy veggies, grains and beans as well. All of these foods eventually turn to glucose and can mess up blood sugar balance (which promotes fat storage).

For those wanting to lose body fat and stop cravings, my typical carb recommendation is (was) under 100 grams per day. This is a great start for most people – especially those eating a carb dominant diet (oatmeal or cereal/bagel with OJ in the am, sandwich or wrap for lunch, pasta or pizza for dinner as an example).

From a Macronutrient ratio perspective (MACROS = percentages of protein, fat and carbs), my standard recommendations (and many other functional health experts concur) target a minimum of 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% protein for fat loss:

This works for most people and it certainly keeps me from gaining weight, but I still have dips in energy, cravings, and brain fog. I’ve shared some of my hormonal imbalance/Hashimoto’s/Adrenal journey in prior posts, so I won’t go into that here. Suffice it to say, despite my relatively consistent discipline with diet and exercise AND my constant inner work, I still haven’t been feeling my best and I certainly haven’t been getting any leaner. Not one to restrict calories with all the typical “diets” out there, I just felt kinda stuck.

Enter KETOSIS!

I’ve heard about ketosis and Ketogenic Diets on various nutrition, paleo and performance podcasts and posts for years and I always dismissed this way of eating as too extreme and even unhealthy. By way of comparison, below are the Keto macros (you’ll see where I was coming from in my resistance):

WT-EFF? is right…Are you serious? That much fat? That few carbs? Are you crazy?

This was my thought too, UNTIL I looked at the science, read the books (those mentioned above and several others), studied the physiology and biochemistry and realized that, as extreme as this way of eating sounds in our modern times of processed foods and ‘amber waves of grain’, it is simply a more health-promoting, efficient way of eating on a physiological level.

There are loads of resources to detail the science and studies, but in a nutshell, this my spiel on KETO:

As humans we have 2 main pathways for fuel: GLUCOSE and KETONES. With glucose, we convert carbohydrates (and even excess protein) to glucose. We have about 2000 calories of glucose daily used to run our basic bodily functions – including the brain – as well as fuel for exercise/movement. Glucose levels in circulation are managed by insulin and the excess is stored as – you guessed it – FAT. This is why we have a DIABESITY epidemic (diabetes and obesity) on the Standard American – Carb-based Diet.

Signals are sent to the brain when we need to eat more carbohydrate to refuel the glucose metabolic pathway (i.e., hunger/cravings/dips in energy). This is why marathoners and competitive cyclists have to use those nasty gels and drink Gatorades every few hours to replenish their glucose pathways. This is also why most people crave carbs and not protein or fat.

Ketones are made in the liver when glucose levels dip to low levels for a period of time. Without this pathway, in times of scarcity, like winter in some regions during Paleolithic times, we would die, but that doesn’t mean that ketones are only suitable for starvation situations. What’s amazing about using ketones for fuel is we have about 40,000 calories to tap into in our fat cells! – compared to the measly 2000 calories of glucose.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition:

“In comparison with glucose, the ketone bodies are actually a very good respiratory fuel. Indeed, there is no clear requirement for dietary carbohydrates for human adults. Interestingly, the effects of ketone body metabolism suggest that mild ketosis may offer therapeutic potential in a variety of different common and rare disease states. Also, the recent landmark study showed that a very-low-carbohydrate diet resulted in a significant reduction in fat mass and a concomitant increase in lean bodymass…”
Source: http://www.jissn.com/content/1/2/7

So far in my experiment, I’m noticing more energy, increased satiety (I can go all day without being hungry), a brighter mood and clearer thinking. I also feel leaner and less flubby – although I’m waiting to remeasure/weigh until I’m “keto-adapted” (I’ll go into that in future posts too).

Keto is not for everyone. And for some people with high carbohydrate tolerance, they can do just fine with a high carb diet ( — FREAKS – lol jk 🙂 —). In fact some genotypes don’t do so well metabolizing fats either. Also Type 1 Diabetics or those with pancreatic dysfunction should not attempt a ketogenic diet without medical supervision. Those without a gallbladder or with gallstones or kidney stones need nutritional support with this way of eating as well.

Keto is a commitment. It’s not culturally accepted – especially here in the US – home of McDonalds, the “healthy whole grains” moniker, and the lingering low fat craze of the 80s and 90s. Although the Ketogenic way of eating is gaining in popularity because of the science, it’s amazing fat loss results and health benefits, it takes planning, creativity and determination to keep the ketone pathway turned on.

Bottom line: Keto can’t be half assed – you’re either in ketosis or you’re not. I’ll explain all the details in future posts.

For now, if this is something you may be interested in experimenting with, I suggest you start by doing your own research. There are tons of blogs, podcasts and books on the topic. I recommend reading Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore for an easy to read overview with detailed how-tos. If you’re into the science, The Art and Science of Low Carb Living and The Art and Science of Low Carb Performance by Phinney and Volek are excellent. YouTube also has some great lectures…Watch Dr. Peter Attia’s Ted talk (and search for his other lectures): https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes?language=en.

If you decide you want to try the Keto way of eating with my support, here are 2 things I recommend:

1. Mindset – You have to be in the right state of mind to commit to Keto. I’m giving this experiment 6 months (btw – you can drink dry wine and low carb alcohol in moderation (within carb macros) which is a plus for me ;). I also recommend committing your mind to CLEAN Keto eating – avoid all the artificial fake “Low Carb” frankenfoods and Atkins bars that are out there.
2. Detox – Since ketone conversion begins in the liver, I recommend a gentle detox, like my PaleoCleanse for 2-3 weeks. This will accomplish a few things:

You’ll get your carbs down. This is a higher protein, lower carb Cleanse program.
You’ll be eating “Clean” – unprocessed, whole foods along with the Cleanse/Protein shakes.
Your liver and detox pathways will be cleared and you’ll likely be 5-10 lbs pounds lighter and REALLY motivated to keep going.
You’ll get free support on my private FB group page dedicated to the group that will be focused on Keto transition and clean/lower carb living after the Cleanse.

Please reach me with any questions along the way. And please, share your thoughts on Keto or low carb eating here. Are you ready to give it a try? Do you think it’s crazy? Wondering what the heck you’ll eat? Well here’s one awesome recipe that may inspire you:

Pesto Zoodles with Bursted Yellow Tomatoes and Meatballs

Of course this is totally Keto, but anyone would love it (even vegans minus the meatballs!):

Ingredients:

(Zoodles and sauce)
2-3 medium zucchini – spiralized and drained
Basil Pesto – I bought a locally made one from Whole Foods that was zero carbs, mostly fat.
10 yellow grape tomatoes (or whatever you have in the garden or market )
4 Tbs Olive oil

(Meatballs)
1 LB grass fed ground beef
1 small bag of Rosemary & Sea Salt P ork Clouds – smashed into crumbs (these are da’ keto bomb)
1 egg
1 large clove of garlic – minced
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
Bunch of chopped basil and thyme or dried italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix meatball ingredients well and form into ~1.5″ meatballs. Place on lined baking sheet and cook in oven for about 20-25 minutes or until browned. Heat oil in deep skillet, add tomatoes until they blister (about 5 minutes). Add zoodles and pesto. Toss for another 5 or so minutes. Serve meatballs on top of zoodles. Top with Parmesan cheese if tolerated.
Keto isn’t so bad now, is it! 🙂