Our first food plan discussed was the Mediterranean lifestyle. Now we will move onto one of the most popular trending diets, the Ketogenic Diet.
Origins
The Keto Diet dates back to the 1920s when doctors began using it to control seizures among patients with epilepsy. Then it was discovered that it was an effective diet plan for weight loss.
Going Keto is to get the body into a ketogenic state where it uses ketones to burn for energy instead of using sugar or glucose to burn or use for energy. In order to do this, one must not consume sugars or foods that turn into sugar (carbohydrates).
So, a true ketogenic diet, when the body uses only fat to burn as energy, means the body should be in ketosis 24/7. This translates to a diet comprised of 70-80% fat, “moderate” protein (15-30%) and low carbs (5-10%).
Eating moderate amounts of protein are important because if eaten in larger quantities, it will break down into glucose. Also, keep in mind that the total limited carbs include some healthy vegetables and fruit. with zero commonly known carbohydrate foods such as grains (rice, pasta, wheat, white potatoes, etc.).
Foods to Emphasize
Wild caught fish and seafood
Organic grass-fed beef, goat, lamb, pork, veal
Organic free range, pasture fed chicken and turkey
Organic eggs from free-range hens
Seeds and nuts (except peanuts)
Fruit (low sugar)-strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado
Vegetables (less starchy)- broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, celery, garlic, onions, mushrooms, lettuces, etc.
Dairy-Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream
Healthy oils and fats- olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil, almond butter, etc.
Foods to Avoid
Grains, breads, cereals, pasta
Refined/processed food
Refined sugar
Artificial Sweeteners-Sucralose, Equal, Splenda, Saccharin, etc
Legumes (beans except for green beans and snow peas)
Fruit Juice and soda
Hydrogenated oils or products-vegetable oils, canola oil
Ease to follow
The Keto diet is simple in that it is very specific in cutting out most carbs. It is also typically more filling and satisfying than many other diets due to the high amount of fat.
Benefits
Eating Keto can balance blood sugar levels due to avoiding sugar and grains that turn into sugar. It also promotes more lean muscle with the higher amount of fats. In addition, satiety levels tend to be high with increased amount of energy. Eating Keto also could help prevent heart disease and cancer by cutting out the inflammatory foods and substituting with foods rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients.
Eating Keto also can result in very quick weight loss with many reporting higher cognitive function.
My Opinion
While I believe going Keto for a bit can be a great solution for quick weight loss which is great. However, I tend look at what our ancestors ate and what our bodies were intended to eat. Personally, I believe our bodies are actually meant to use glucose for energy and we were designed to eat GOOD carbs such as fruit and even white potatoes (horrors!).
I also strongly believe in diet variation, or variation in anything we do for that matter. There is a reason that if we started jogging every day, the first month or so, we could see great benefits. However, if we were still jogging the same exact distance and pace after 6 months, our bodies get used to it and we don’t experience the same result.
This is also the reason why when you want to improve brain function, the recommendation is to try something different you’ve never done like try a new language or even brush your teeth using your other hand. The changes keep the body and brain on its toes so it can learn to assimilate quickly.
Keto expert, Dr. Dan Pompa recommends doing Keto for 3 weeks out of the month and do carb-loading one week out of the month for that very reason. He feels that is the secret to longer lasting results and sustained benefits.
For me, I tried going Keto and had some good results at first. For the first month or so, I felt pretty good and energized. However, I started feeling sluggish and actually began to gain weight! For me, it was simply too much fat and my body was not metabolizing it well. Now, this is the case for many people who don’t have enough stomach acid to help break down their fats.
Also, I believe too much fat can clog up the liver. Our liver is one of our most important organs as it has a ton of major functions, one of which is filtering out toxins and producing hormones and bile–all necessary to help “take out the garbage” or toxins from our bodies. If it’s clogged up with too much fat, the liver cannot do its job.
So, while healthy fats are in integral part of a healthy diet, too much of a good thing is just that. And our bodies are meant to eat various types of foods for a reason. Think different foods available in different seasons. We can now eat apples all year long as we can buy them from all over the world where they are in season, However, our bodies are optimally designed to rotate apples in the fall, root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots in the winter and lighter foods and fruits like greens and berries in the Spring.
In the end, going Keto may be a great temporary way to lose weight, but may prove to be unsustainable when coming off or after the body simply gets too used to it. I would more recommend either Dr. Pompa’s Keto recommendation of healthy “carb loading” one week a month or diet variation in general.
I like to vary it up even more by having a few higher fat days a week, with a few more higher healthy carbs days a week and a few low or no fat days a week. I even like to add in a fasting day once a week. I think that mixing it up with healthy one-ingredients and lots of vegetables is the most powerful and satisfying weapon in bringing your health back to balance and staying there.
With that said, everyone is different and Keto may be a great alternative. However, it is important to listen to your body after a while of staying with this type of lifestyle.
Sample Menu
Day 1
Breakfast Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil.
Lunch Chicken salad (4 oz) with olive oil with salad
Snack Handful of nuts
Dinner Baked Salmon with stir fry vegetables in coconut oil
Day 2
Breakfast Coffee with added butter/coconut/MCT oil
Lunch Sardines (4 oz.) mixed with avocado and fresh salsa with salad greens
Snack Celery with almond butter
Dinner Meatballs with tomato sauce with steamed broccoli
Day 3
Breakfast Sausage with sautéed spinach in coconut oil
Lunch Cottage cheese with walnuts and hot sauce
Snack Handful of pumpkin seeds
Dinner Roasted chicken with roasted vegetables.
Please look out for Part 3 of 5 when we discuss going Paleo.
If you want to do a combination of these healthy food plans so you can have more energy and get to the weight you want without any working out, check out my free shopping list to help get you on your way.
All material in this newsletter is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication;instead readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information provided has not been approved the Food & Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease.
“It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities.”
Live well and love more,
Jill Gordon
CHHC, MHt, MNLP, MTT, MSC, CLC
Certified Holistic Health Counselor, Master Certified Clinical Hypnotist*, Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming*, Master Certified Life and Success Coach
