Are you tired of looking at yourself in the mirror and pinching the flab around your waist?
Are you fed up of telling yourself that you’ll start your diet on Monday?
Does Monday always come and go without you starting your diet?
You know you’re overweight. You know you want to lose the excess fat… BUT you also know that you’ve gone down this path before.
You’ve tried the diet pills. You’ve tried the gym (for a while). You’ve tried all the fads and advice that you’ve read online… and no matter what you do, the weight never seems to come off.
You may have lost a pound or two but the moment you indulge in some food you love the pounds return - you're back at square one.
You’re frustrated by your never-ending cycle of planning to lose weight. You're tired of starting, succeeding a little, but always failing.
All that changes today!
By the time you’ve read this post you’ll have all the knowledge you need to lose weight in the fastest possible time.
What is The Keto Diet?
The Keto or Ketogenic Diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. It will require you to reduce carbohydrate intake to an absolute minimum, while increasing your fat intake. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. While in Ketosis your body will use your stored fat for energy, causing an excelerated weight loss.
- No starving yourself
- No hours of mindlessly pounding on the treadmill
- No landing back at square one because you slip up now and then
Welcome to the Ketogenic diet – it’s not hard... and it’s definitely one that can get your great results.
What is Ketosis?
For years we’ve been told that in order for our bodies to function correctly we need carbohydrates (glucose).
What most dieters don’t know is that there’s a better source of energy called ketones. Ketones are produced while you’re in ketosis.
Ketosis is the metabolic state your body puts itself into when there is no more glucose left in your body.
When there’s no glucose to burn, the body goes straight to the stubborn fat stores and uses the fat for fuel.
This is the core principle of the ketogenic diet. That is the reason why it’s one of the most powerful weight loss strategies you can use.
Your body empties your body of fat and fills it up with ketones, which it uses as energy. Weight loss becomes automatic and much easier than if you were to use conventional diets.
For years we’ve been told that in order for our bodies to function correctly we need carbohydrates (glucose).
What most dieters don’t know is that there’s a better source of energy called ketones. Ketones are produced while you’re in ketosis.
Ketosis is the metabolic state your body puts itself into when there is no more glucose left in your body.
When there’s no glucose to burn, the body goes straight to the stubborn fat stores and uses the fat for fuel.
This is the core principle of the ketogenic diet. That is the reason why it’s one of the most powerful weight loss strategies you can use.
Your body empties your body of fat and fills it up with ketones, which it uses as energy. Weight loss becomes automatic and much easier than if you were to use conventional diets.
How Does Keto Work?
One of the reasons obesity is an epidemic is because our diets are high in carbohydrates and sugar. Processed carbs get converted into glucose by the body.
Glucose is sugar. In other words, you’re giving your body a ton of sugar if your carb consumption is high.
The human body is incapable of burning fat if there is too much glucose in the blood.
When you’re on the keto diet, most of your calories will be in the form of fat. Your carb intake will be very low. This is one of the rules of the keto diet.
Since your diet is low in carbs, your body is forced to find another source of fuel – your fats. Now the fat burning process begins and accelerates over time.
When you eat less carbs, while burning fat, your liver takes fatty acids and turns them in to ketones. These ketones are then used as your energy source instead of glucose.
There are three types of ketones:
- Acetoacetate (AcAc) – This is the first ketone created.
- ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) – This is made from acetoacetate.
- Acetone, which is created as a side product of acetoacetate
These three ketones will supply you with enough energy to get through day.
Glucose is your main source of energy when you are eating foods with plenty of carbohydrates. When you starve your body of carbohydrates you enter ketosis.
Cut-Out Carbohydrates
Keto Diet Overview
Now, you'll learn what the benefits of ketosis are and why people are going mad about it.
One hormone that can influence whether you get into ketosis is insulin. We will go over how it can help you get into ketosis.
Ketosis is what you want to achieve to start burning weight. Ketoacidosis is what you need to avoid at all costs.
Getting your body ready to burn fat is a process. You have to learn to fine tune your body to get the best out of keto adaption.
Those are the basics.
Next, we are going to dive into actually achieving ketosis. This will be the most challenging part of your journey.
Don’t panic. It’s still easier than most of the other diets out there.
There are simple and advanced strategies you can follow to get into ketosis. I believe it’s best that you set goals to help you achieve the results you’re striving for.
A superficial understanding of the keto diet will trip you up. Many people believe that they know what to eat. Often, they end up eating foods that they think are good but they’re sabotaging their weight loss.
There’s a saying that abs are made in the kitchen. It’s very true. More than 80% of your success when it comes to losing weight will rest on the effectiveness of your keto diet.
The remaining 20% is in exercising and getting enough rest. Too many people make the cardinal mistake of trying to out exercise a poor diet. You can’t do it. Period.
You MUST have your diet dialed in, and then you’ll not need to torture yourself at the gym. The weight will still come off, faster and easier.
While on the keto diet your body may start to ache, you will feel hungry and may experience lethargy. All this is normal and temporary.
In this post, you’ll learn how to deal with keto-flu and what steps to take to recover and carry on progressing.
Measuring Ketosis
There are three ways to find out if you’re in ketosis:
- Using Keto Sticks
- Using a Breathalyzer
- Using a Ketometer
Do note that you don’t need to test yourself every single day. Later on, we’ll cover when it is best to test yourself to see if you are still in ketosis.
We’ll also look at intermittent fasting which is powerful for weight loss.
When you combine fasting with the keto diet you’ll become a fat-burning incinerator and reach your ideal weight in no time at all.
Not a lot of people know how to begin intermittent fasting. I’ll explain some of the best techniques used by successful dieters all over the world.
Knowing a little about intermittent fasting will set you up for great success. Once you are ready, we will then move onto the quickest way getting into ketosis.
There are different strategies that you can follow to get into ketosis. I'll show you the best proven way that you can adapt to suit your specific needs and lifestyle.
Expect Extreme Weight Loss
Basics of Ketosis
In this section we’ll discuss why you need to get into ketosis and its benefits.
Benefits of Ketosis
Here are some of the best benefits going into ketosis.
1. Weight Loss
Ketosis is all about burning fat, and since the hormone insulin is so low, you’ll burn fat at a much higher rate.
You’ll feel less hungry, but still have an appetite. While you’ll need to cut out most carbohydrate foods, you’ll still be able to enjoy fatty foods like bacon.
The keto diet is not as harsh as the paleo diet. There is some degree of flexibility and you can still eat a lot of the fatty foods you love.
That’s one of the benefits of the keto diet. You won’t have to sacrifice your taste buds. Eating can still be fun.
Once you have ketosis activated and eat the right foods – the weight will drop off.
2. Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Being on the ketogenic diet regulates your blood sugar levels. Some diabetics have even been able to reverse their condition completely.
Even if you don’t have type 2 diabetes, you can prevent the disease by being on the ketogenic diet.
3. Mental Focus
When you are in a state of ketosis, the brain will function on an effective fuel called ketones.
People often experience increased energy when in ketosis. You'll have more focus and concentration. This is because ketones flow to the brain throughout the time you are in ketosis.
4. Endurance
When your body uses carbohydrates for energy, this will only last for a couple of hours. Yet your fat stores contain enough energy to last you a few weeks or even months.
In a state of ketosis, your body will have access to the energy that your fat stores can provide. FINALLY, you’re now able to target the stubborn fat that you couldn’t seem to burn off before!
5. Controlling Epilepsy
In early 20th century the ketogenic diet was used on children to control epilepsy. It was so successful that adults today are using it to control epilepsy without the use of drugs.
There are many more benefits, but these are a few of the reasons why people want to go on the diet.
Insulin vs Ketosis?
There are many factors that can prevent ketosis, but the most common cause is the presence of insulin.
When you’re in the state of ketosis, you use ketones for energy instead of fat and carbohydrates.
Insulin prevents the production of ketones. The quickest way to reduce insulin is by watching what you eat.
There are two foods that you should reduce in your diet. They are carbohydrates and protein.
1. Carbohydrates
When you consume carbs your body will break down the digestible foods into sugar. Those sugars flow into the blood stream.
Your body then goes into alert mode as it has a high blood sugar level. It then creates insulin, which halts the production of ketones.
Less carbs results in less insulin which translates to more ketones and faster fat loss. It is that simple.
2. Protein
Did you know that excessive protein intake can spike the insulin levels in your body? Not a lot of people are aware of this.
A moderate intake of protein is essential to achieve stable blood sugar levels. You also need enough protein to make the body function optimally.
The keto diet is a fat-based one. The belief is that you need to eat fat to lose fat. When your body is getting copious amounts of fat in its diet, it will be more motivated to shed the fat it’s clinging on to.
The body realizes that it has access to ample fuel. So, it doesn’t need to store too much for self-preservation.
By cutting down your carb and protein intake you’ll be reducing the amount of insulin in your system. This will prepare your body for accelerated weight loss.
The lower the amount of insulin the body produces the better chance of ketones creation. Then, you'll have no problem getting into ketosis.
Ketogenic Breakfast
Ketosis vs Ketoacidosis
They are two metabolic states the body goes into:
- Ketosis being the natural way of creating ketones.
- Ketoacidosis is usually seen in people with type 1 diabetes. It’s a state where the body creates ketones at an alarming rate which can turn the blood acidic.
If you can produce insulin, then are you not diabetic. So, it will be less likely that you will ever get into ketoacidosis.
Keto-Adaption
Do you remember the first time you learned how to ride a bike? You kept falling over and over until you mastered the feat of cycling without any problems.
Your body adapts to the keto diet in a similar manner. It has to learn how to create ketones which gives you the fuel you need to carry on with your day to day activities.
This is beginning of what we call keto-adaption.
For someone who is not yet on the keto diet, your body will carry on burning glucose and storing fat. It will take a while for it to adapt and start burning fat instead of glucose for energy.
The entire process can take anywhere from 4 days to a few weeks. How fast your body adapts depends on your current diet.
If you’ve been on a poor diet that used to be high in sugar, carbs and processed foods, you may experience symptoms such as fatigue and weakness.
These symptoms are normal and as someone who is new to going though keto-adaption, you may have the urge to give up.
Do NOT quit.
To become keto-adapted you need to train your body. Star by consuming less foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Consume healthy fats such as MCT oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and grass-fed meat.
Don’t give up carbohydrates right away. You’ll begin to feel ill and weak. These keto symptoms are referred to as the ‘keto flu’.
Your body will cleansing itself. You may experience sugar cravings or caffeine withdrawal or carb cravings.
Carbohydrates, caffeine and sugar are addictive.
Once you break through these ‘addictions’ your body will feel much better.
You will need some time to get over them. It can take a few days or up to a few weeks.
So, how can you tell that you’re fat adapted?
Hit Your Weight-Loss Goals
How Long Does it Take to Get into Ketosis?
You need to ask yourself 3 questions:
- What is the length of time you are going between meals?
If you used to eat every three hours and now you find you can go 6 hours without eating, then you are fat-adapted - Are you feeling motivated and feel full of energy throughout the day?
If you are fat-adapted, then you will have an unlimited supply of energy. - Has exercising become easier?
Once you have become adapted to the keto diet, you’ll have all the energy you need to keep on exercising.
Note: If you’re saying yes to the questions above, then it is likely that you are fat-adapted.
Achieving Ketosis
You are ready, primed and about to take the next step into getting into ketosis.
Before, I mentioned that you can get into ketosis between a few days to a few weeks, this all depends on you and your body.
How to Achieve Ketosis Quickly?
Here are five steps you can take to speed up the process.
1. Cut carbs slowly
The recommended amount of carbs to consume while on a keto diet is 30 grams a day. So, try and aim for at least that.
Some may argue that you need to do this gradually to make life easier. But if your goal is to get into ketosis right away then start limiting the carbs you eat today.
2. Increase your fat intake
There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats; you need to consume around 75% of healthy fats as calories.
Foods such as MCT oil or powder, avocado oil, avocados and coconut butter are healthy fats.
3. Intermittent fasting
Fasting is used by a lot of people for a variety of health and religious reasons. Fasting has a range of benefits. It can increase energy, lower blood sugar levels, speed up weight loss and improve focus.
If you don't like the idea of intermittent fasting you may want to try eating around 1200 calories a day instead. Try to get 80% of your calories from healthy fats.
4. Exercise
Let’s be real here. You need to exercise. Your body requires exercise for it to be healthy and function.
The benefits of regular exercise are extensive; you can’t be healthy without exercise. Yes, the keto diet WILL help you to lose weight… but weight loss is not the be-all and end-all of good health.
Exercise will strengthen your bones, prevent cardiovascular disease and lower your cholesterol levels. It will keep you mobile well into your senior years and much more.
Combine your keto diet with regular exercise to speed up your weight loss. You’ll be fitter, stronger and have a body that looks fantastic.
5. Make healthy swaps
Starting the keto diet doesn’t mean you have to put life on hold, you don’t have to stop going out with friends and family.
You can make healthy swaps such as:
· No sugar beverages
· Removing dressing from salads
· Having burgers without the bun
These pointers in this chapter will see you into ketosis much faster. It may be hard at first but stick with it and you will start to see and feel the benefits in no time at all.
Tasty Keto Diet Meals
Foods to Avoid on the Keto Diet
You may think that you know everything there is about what foods you can and cannot eat. But, there are several foods that look good, but in reality, they’re not in alignment with the keto diet.
Let’s look at these ‘suspicious’ foods and why you should avoid them.
1. Mayonnaise – This contains vegetable oil which contains a lot of unhealthy fats.
2. Chicken – It doesn’t contain enough fat because it is a lean meat. If you are going to eat chicken, then eat chicken wings as they contain some fat.
3. Sugar free sweets – Are they? They may contain Maltitol that increases your blood sugar levels.
4. Salad dressings – Avoid any dressings that contain canola oil, soybean oil or sunflower oil.
5. Vegetables – Veggies are important but not all vegetables are good for the keto diet.
Avoid root grown vegetables, white potatoes, etc. that contain starch. These will make you feel bloated.
6. Nuts – Nuts are high in omega-6 which is what we don’t want in our diet so try and stick to macadamia and pecan nuts.
Exercising While on the Keto Diet
When you are in ketosis, you’ll be restricting your carb intake. This will stop your muscles from accessing sugar, which your body relies on.
When your muscles don’t have enough fuel (e.g. glucose) the cannot cope well with high intensity exercise.
Avoid any high intensity exercise over 10 seconds. You do not need hard exercise to lose weight. The keto diet is so powerful that the fat will still melt off.
Enjoy activities like walking, swimming, cycling, etc. If you maintain a moderate pace you won't tax your body. Weight training is great too but don’t overdo it.
Low intensity aerobic exercises are great. So are yoga and Pilates sessions. Stability exercises are good too.
Once you’re fully keto-adapted, you can progress on to higher-intensity training. It’s always during the initial stages when you have to be most careful.
If you feel dizzy or something is not right, stop and assess your situation. If needed, seek professional medical advice.
Accelerate Results With Exercise
How to Tell if You're in Ketosis
The ketogenic diet is without a doubt the most popular way to lose weight. When followed correctly your ketone levels will rise and your insulin levels will drop.
Yet, it is still hard to tell when you are in ketosis.
Am I in Ketosis?
Here are common positive and negative signs that can help you identify if you are in ketosis.
1. Weight Loss
You will almost immediately drop a lot of weight due to water being flushed out your system. Then, gradually your weight will decrease.
2. Bad Breath
This is a good sign! Once you have bad breath you would have reached full ketosis.
3. Increased Ketone Levels
As you continue the keto diet, you’ll have an increase in ketone levels and the best way to measure this is via a test kit. You want to be in a range of 0.5–3.0 mmol/L.
4. Low Appetite
Not feeling as hungry and sometimes skipping meals is a good sign. Ketones are sending signals to your brain to reduce your appetite.
5. Focus and Energy
When you start the keto diet you may feel weak. As you start to get more energy and focus you'll know you are on the right track.
6. Digestive Issues
For the first few days at the start of your diet you may experience constipation and diarrhea. Eating low carb vegetables that are high in fiber will help ease your stomach.
7. Insomnia
When you change your diet, you may find it difficult to sleep. Your body is adapting to the changes and may crave carbohydrates or be very hungry. This problem will disappear in a week or two.
These are signs and symptoms you can keep an eye on. If you are losing weight then there is no need to track your ketone levels every single day.
Dealing with Keto Flu
You may have experienced the flu at some time in your life and the keto flu is no different. These similar symptoms are caused by reducing the intake of carbohydrates.
By reducing the amount of carbohydrates your body will start to burn ketones for energy.
This quick change in your body will come a shock to the system and cause withdrawal symptoms.
Switching to the keto diet is a big change and your body will need time to adapt to this way of eating.
Keto Symptoms will be different from person to person - some people may not experience anything at all.
Here are some common Keto Flu symptoms:
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Constipation and Diarrhea
- Poor concentration
- Stomach pain
- Muscle soreness
- Insomnia
- Cravings
- Headaches
Keto-flu is temporary. There are a few things you can do to limit or even completely get rid of symptoms.
1. Drink plenty of water
When you begin your diet, you’ll lose a lot of water so drinking plenty of water will keep you hydrated. Drink often and drink throughout the day.
2. Replenish electrolytes
Your electrolytes will be out of balance. You can restore balance by increasing your salt intake. You can also eat foods high in potassium such as salmon, avocados and nuts. Some people have a tin of sardines as it is high in calcium.
3. Exercise
In the beginning stages of keto flu, you may not feel like doing the exercise you used to do. So, keep it low-key for the first few weeks with light exercise twice a week.
4. Increase fats
Your body is now on a very low-carb diet. So, increasing the good fats as a fuel source is must. Adding a little MCT oil to your coffee will bump up your fat intake (and improve your focus).
5. Take exogenous ketones
Adding more ketones to your body will help you overcome ketosis quicker. Exogenous ketones come in the form of supplements.
By using the tips above, you’ll be available to avoid most of these symptoms all together.
Keto Breath Meter
Measuring Ketosis
Now we get to the fun part…
We are going to cover how ketones are measured and different ways to measure them.
Earlier, we spoke about the three types of ketones that your body will produce. These are Acetone, Acetoacetate and Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB for short).
Each of these ketones are tested in their own way:
- Acetone ketone is tested via breath
- BHB is tested via the blood stream
- Acetoacetate is tested via urine
Why Measuring Ketosis Can Help
You can measure their weight to see if their diet is working but measuring ketosis is a much better alternative.
Monitoring your keto levels is vital to stating on track on your keto diet. By knowing exactly what your levels are, you’ll be able to adjust your diet and routine accordingly.
Your weight can increase or decrease throughout the day but by knowing the level of ketones you have in your body you’ll be able to find out if you are burning fat.
Some people may be building muscle while reducing fat. The scales can only show you weight gain or weight loss using numbers that can be misleading.
By measuring ketosis, you can see if you’re actually getting rid of body fat.
To be in a fat-burning state, you need to aim for levels of between 1.5 to 3.0 mmol/l and there are three ways you can measure this.
1. Keto Strips/Sticks
Most people on the ketogenic diet will prefer to use keto strips. using urine (acetoacetate).
The reason being is they are cheap, and you can pick them up from Amazon for around $8 for 100 strips. The downside to the cheaper option is that it can be inaccurate.
They are inaccurate because when you start the diet the body will pass more ketones.
Once you have adapted to ketosis and got past the keto-flu stage then it will be an ideal time to use keto strips.
Once opened keto sticks/strips usually last three months. There are 100 strips, depending on which pack you buy. You can test twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening a few hours after a meal.
2. Keto Breathalyzer
A keto breathalyzer (also called a ketonix) is a handheld device. It measures acetone ketones in your breath and gives results are in real time.
It works like an alcohol breathalyzer. You match its reading against its unique chart to see how far into ketosis you are.
You can test yourself using a ketonix at any time and one of the advantages is that you can use it anywhere.
The cost for one can start at $20 and can go all the way up to $250, depending on its quality.
Go with one that suits your budget and know that you usually get what you pay for. So, it’s better to get the more expensive ones that are more accurate and with more features.
3. Blood Ketometer
This ketometer measures Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). It has proven to be the most accurate method of checking your ketone levels. By using a little drop of your blood, you’ll have a precise reading in a matter of seconds.
Some meters do come with a lancet pen and a supply of strips included, but if they don’t then you can get them at a very low cost.
Prick your finger with the pen, drop a little blood on the strip and let it absorb well. The meter will then give you a reading.
The four sets of universal readings you need to work from are:
- Less than 1.0 mmol/L – Not in ketosis
- Between 1.0 and 1.5 mmol/L – In ketosis but not on the keto diet
- 1.5 and 3.0 mmol/L – Optimal ketosis
- 3.0 mmol/L and above – Unhealthy levels of ketones
Blood ketone meters are more accurate than the other keto strips Breathalyzer. These test the source and not a by-product like acetones.
If you’re taking supplements, the results will not be affected in the readings either.
The only disadvantage is that blood meters are expensive and the strips need to be replaced.
If you are losing weight via the keto diet, then a blood ketometer is optional. If you’re competing in a sport or have clients that are, then it would be a good investment.
Measuring your ketone levels will remove uncertainty. If you’re looking to only lose a few pounds, then there’s no need to invest in expensive tests.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a great way to slim down, become more focused and stay fit. You don't have to change the way you’ve been eating or even change the diet you are currently on.
When you’re intermittent fasting, you will eat much less. So, your appetite will decrease over time. It is great option for those that want to reduce the number of calories you consume.
You fast by only eating during a specified duration (eating window) which can last anywhere from 5 to 8 hours. Any other time outside this window will mean that you’re fasting and can’t eat anything.
There are two basic protocols that people work from. The 16/8 protocol, where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window. Also, the 24-hour protocol where you don’t eat for 24 hours.
There are people who have lost up to 12 pounds by fasting. While a lot of it will be water weight, you would have lost quite a bit of fat too.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Besides losing weight, IF does come with the following benefits:
- Reduce Insulin Levels – During ketosis there is a low level of insulin in your blood. This results in fat burning. Couple this with IF and you are a walking, talking fat-burning machine.
- Weight Loss – When you’re in a fasted state, you’ll notice that your stomach “shrinks”. This results in you eating less and losing more fat.
- Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes – As your insulin decreases due to IF, it will also lower your blood sugar levels. Clinical studies have proven this to be true.
- Reduce Stress – Not any stress but oxidative stress which causes aging. People who fast look younger.
- Healthy Heart – IF can reduce risks for heart disease such as cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Activate Cellular Repair – Your body begins to dump a lot of waste including water. It also starts to repair itself.
- Fights Cancer – Fasting can slow down the growth of cancer cells. It can even stop cancer from taking root in your body.
These benefits are only scratching the surface. It's amazing what can be achieved with intermittent fasting.
Intermittent Fasting 12 to 16 Hours a Day
Combining Intermittent Fasting with Keto
You have begun your keto diet.
You are starting to lose a little weight, but it’s not fast enough.
What can you do to improve it?
Intermittent fasting and KETO. That’s what.
Intermittent fasting and keto are two separate strategies to lose weight. Both methods produce enough ketones to burn body fat.
Intermittent fasting and keto work towards the same goal which is achieving ketosis. So, the question many people ask is, “Why not stick to one?”
The answer is quite simple.
The keto diet receives a long-term boost when combined with intermittent fasting. IF becomes a lot more effective when used in conjunction with the keto diet.
It’s a win-win situation.
You won’t feel as hungry when combining the two, and since you’re fasting there will be no crashes due to the lack of sugar.
Intermittent fasting while on the keto diet works!
How to Start Intermittent Fasting?
Embarking on the keto diet can be intimidating. There are cases where people are afraid to get started due to fear and mindset issues.
Before you start, you need to have clear and concise goals for yourself. Do you want to:
- Lose weight?
- Prevent diseases?
- Live longer?
You need to set aside worries and common misconceptions...
Eating fatty foods on their own won't make you fat.
Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day.
You don't need carbohydrates.
These outdated beliefs are halting your weight loss progress. Give yourself a chance to try something new and amazing. You’ll never look back.
Here’s a quick challenge that you can try
Day 1: Make you last dinner around 7pm and then drink water till you go to bed.
Day 2: You are awake at 7pm, delay that breakfast till at least 10pm then carry about your day.
Day 3: Same again don’t eat until 10PM, eat lunch and don’t eat anything until dinner at around 7pm.
Day 4: Skip breakfast but have lunch at 11pm so you will be going 16hrs without food. Don’t have any snacks and eat dinner at 7pm.
Day 5: Repeat day 4 again. Congratulations you have gone through a quick 5 day fast.
Use this 5-day challenge to get a feel for intermittent fasting. You may even see results in this short time
With intermittent fasting will come the downsides such as fatigue and brain fog. These symptoms are like that of keto flu. So, before you begin make sure:
- You seek medical advice before you start.
- Keep it simple and easy.
- Follow a schedule that suits you. You don’t have to have a last meal at 7pm.
Intermittent fasting will allow you to lose weight and improve your health over the long run.
What is Allowed During Fasting?
Common sense says that you should not eat at all during your fasting window. While you are fasting… do not consume any calories. It’s as simple as that.
You are allowed something to drink as you need to stay hydrated throughout your fasting. However, your drinks should contain no calories.
Here are few options:
- Water – You can drink water all day long, but avoid adding any cordial to it. You can add a squeeze of lime to give it a bit of taste to make things a little different.
- Coffee – Black coffee is all you can drink. Adding a little cream or milk is a big no. Remember to drink it slowly as you may upset your stomach.
- Broths – Don’t buy any broths from your local market. Instead, make one at home. Nothing is better than homemade and stick to vegetable broths.
- Tea – Any tea is fine but green tea is the best as it helps suppress your appetite
- Apple Cider Vinegar – It helps regulate your blood sugar levels. It also makes intermittent fasting work a lot better.
Again, keep it simple. Don’t drink or eat anything with calories while you are in your fasting window and you are golden.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Getting Maximum Benefits
There are several ways you can get started with intermittent fasting.
Here are a few options to choose from:
- 12 hours fast – You need to decide when you want to start. The most popular is to fast between 7pm till 7am the next morning.
- 16 hours fast - Same as the 12 hours fast, but you may be skipping breakfast or lunch.
- 2 day fast - Eat for 5 days and reduce your calorie intake for 2 days. Don’t stop eating for 2 days; consume less calories. Around 500 calories is safe.
- Alternate fasting – For a quick loss in weight, try alternate fasting. Only consume around 500 calories during your fasting days. Don’t try alternative fasting if you are beginner.
- 24 fast once a week – You don’t consume anything during this fast for around 1 to 2 days. Be careful on this fast as it can cause you headaches.
Your experience and requirements are different from everyone else. Decide for yourself which is the best fast for you.
Make sure you stay hydrated throughout your fast by drinking plenty of water. You can also have the occasional green tea.
Relax as much as you can while enjoying light exercise or a gentle walk, don’t become a coach potato.
Count your calories and don’t go over the recommended allowance during fasting days. You should consume around 500 per day (based on your activity levels).
For the absolute best results on non-fasting days, eat a healthy meal.
How to Speed Up Ketosis
Ketosis is a natural way of your body producing more ketones to burn off fat and allows you to stay fit and healthy.
A lot of people are turning to the keto diet as a way to lose weight but the weight loss only starts when you are in ketosis.
The main question people have is “What is the quickest way I can get into ketosis?”
I'm going to give you a few tips. As well as more information about protein, exogenous ketones, bullet proof coffee etc.
To help you get into ketosis a lot quicker, we have compiled a list to assist you:
- Eat more healthy fat by eating foods that contain coconut oil, avocado oil and butter (grass fed cows).
- Supplements can help you get into ketosis in as quick as 24hrs.
- Eat fewer carbohydrates. Your body will begin to turn to burning fat as an energy source opposed to glucose.
- Consume more MCT – A lot of people on the keto diet, include this in their morning coffee know as bullet proof coffee.
- Exercise more but keep it light.
- Eat a balanced amount of protein.
- Try fasting to speed up the process.
There are many more tips, but these are the main ones to get you into ketosis quickly.
Let’s look at a few more points...
Meat is a good source of protein
What You Need to Know About Protein
Protein is one nutrient that many people take for granted while on the keto diet. Protein is essential in any diet as it will have an effect on:
- The functionality of the brain
- Health of bones of skin
- Muscle growth
- Recovery after workouts
- Reducing body fat
The above factors allow you to live a longer life and boosts your metabolism. But some people worry that too much protein will push you back out of ketosis.
The truth is that protein is crucial to the keto diet. You should eat enough of it to lose weight as it will replace any new fat coming in to the body.
Remember you want the already stored fat in your body to burn first.
Protein contains fewer calories than fat. If you do not consume protein as part of your diet you can suffer from:
- weak muscles
- sluggish brain activity
- a compromised immune system
- risk of disease
You’re probably asking yourself right now – “How much protein do I need?”
The amount required will vary from person to person. If you are not as active as you were in your teens it is recommended to consume around 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body mass.
If you are very active or training for a sporting event then consume 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
Don’t be afraid of adding protein to your diet. Testing yourself to see if you’re in ketosis will help keep you on track.
Exogenous Ketones
Not everyone will burn the same amount of fat even if they’re on the exact same diet and training regimen. There are many factors in play and people are different.
Achieving your best with the keto diet will boil down to how much ketones your body is producing.
If your body’s production of ketones is low, consuming exogenous ketones will give you the boost you need.
Exogenous ketones are a supplement. They are sent to the cells for energy. The body burns fats, transport nutrients to the liver, and turns them into ketones.
Exogenous ketones are like an instant hit. They can be found in a variety of products such as salts, oils and raw ketone esters and can be used:
- To burn fat – Using exogenous ketones will tell your body to start using ketones for energy which will then result in fat being burned.
- Get into ketosis sooner – Once you’re in ketosis it is very easy to fall out of it and very hard to get back into it. ½ scoop of exogenous ketones will get you back into ketosis within 24hrs.
- Assist you with keto-flu – Your body will go into a state of shock when you transition into ketosis. Less than half a scoop will ease that transition period.
- Increase in endurance – Rather than burning fat, exogenous ketones will provide instant energy. It is commonly used by athletes.
If you are struggling to get into ketosis then I would recommend exogenous ketones.
Bulletproof Coffee
Bullet Proof Coffee
Are you one of those high impact, high performing people that need their coffee hit every morning? Or do you need that extra amount of good fat? Bullet proof coffee is your answer.
It stops you from craving food and is a complete meal replacement. Also, it doesn’t give you the negative effects that caffeine does.
Bullet proof coffee will also help you increase focus and performance. It contains MCT oil, which is crucial as it contains good fats which helps with weight loss.
Ingredients needed for bullet proof coffee:
- 1 cup of hot coffee
- 1tbsp of grass fed/unsalted butter
- 1tbsp of MCT oil
Put all the ingredients in a blender and enjoy your new morning ritual. It comes with positive health benefits unlike the usual latte.
Hidden Sugars
So, you can read the labels and point out carbs in every type of food. But something that you often scan past is hidden sugar.
If you are not careful with what you eat, then you may be taking on more sugar than you should.
When a label says no sugar, you need to take extra care about what is actually in it. If any label says no sugar or no refined sugar, then there will be alternatives used in the production of that food.
There aren’t a few sugar alternatives out there; there are in fact hundreds, such as:
- Invert sugar
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Malt syrup
- Maple syrup
- Raw sugar
The bolder the statement of 'no sugar' is on the ingredients label, the more careful you need to be.
Ingredients such as Mannitol, Maltitol, Sorbitol, Splenda, Isomalt and Lactitol contain sugar or cause insulin spikes. These need to be avoided at all cost.
You can find these types of sugars in sugar free drinks, protein bars, store bought green smoothies, non-dairy milks and salad dressing.
Keep an eye on the labels, keep your carbs to the least and you’ll be hitting ketosis fast.
Fats You Need to Avoid
There are good fats and bad fats. Bad fats are trans-fats or some other fat that’s detrimental to your body. The hydrogenated vegetable oils sold in supermarkets are NOT good for your health.
When you go grocery shopping, make sure you avoid:
- Vegetable oils such as corn
- vegetable, safflower and canola
- Margarine and Vegetable shortening
Olive Oil is a Healthy Source of Fat
Avoiding Alcohol
You don’t have to avoid alcohol all the time. But make sure it’s not a daily habit.
When you drink alcohol, you’ll begin to feel hungry and this can cause you to eat junk food. This will kick you out of ketosis. Not only that, lager contains a huge number of calories.
Alcohol is toxic to your body and your body reacts in such a way that it stops burning your fat. Instead, it turns its attention to getting rid of the alcohol.
If you are on a keto diet and have a party night with beer and wine, be ready to suffer in the morning. You will get drunk a lot faster as well suffer the worst hangover.
If you are new to the keto diet avoid alcohol altogether, especially if you are looking to lose weight.
Supplements
Using supplements on the ketogenic diet can make your progression to ketosis easier. They can provide you the nutrients you’re missing from traditional foods.
For the ketogenic diet to work, you need to understand supplements. Your body is going through a change where it breaks down carbs in glucose to burning fat from your fat stores.
Supplements also help you overcome:
1. Keto-Flu
As your body burns the rest of the glucose in your body, water and electrolytes deplete. The transition can be hard and keto-flu is common for people who don’t use vitamins or minerals.
2. Nutritional Gaps
You are not allowed certain foods when on the keto diet such as fruit and vegetables that contain starch. Supplements, such as greens tablets will give you the nutrients you need.
3. Health Goals
Have you set yourself certain health goals while on the keto diet? Supplements can help. If you want more weight loss, take a spoonful of MCT oil.
Understanding what each supplement can do for you will help you achieve your goals.
The Best Supplements
Not all supplements are made equal. There are some which are perfect for keto and some which you need avoid.
1. Vitamin D
When you are in ketosis and lack vitamin D you can suffer weakness, muscle breakdown, weak bone density.
If you live a sunny place, then exposure to sun will give you all the vitamin D you need. The safer option would be to eat fatty fish or 400 IU tablets per day.
2. MCT Oil
It is a type of fat that can give the body energy almost immediately. It creates ketones quickly and puts you in ketosis very quickly.
It helps by keeping you in the metabolic state of burning fat without you worrying if you are going to fall out of ketosis.
You can find MCT oil in butter, yoghurt, cheese, coconut oil. The majority of people use MCT oil and have it with their coffee as we mentioned in earlier chapters.
3. Electrolytes
The important ones such as sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Now you are going to get all these from the keto diet but just not enough.
Sodium you get from Himalayan salt, bone broth and red meat. Be careful with how much you do take. ¾ of a teaspoon is safe enough.
Magnesium can be found in spinach, avocado and mackerel. You can also buy magnesium tablets from your local store and around 400mg per day is adequate.
Potassium helps break down carbs and build proteins. It can be found in avocados, salmon, and mushrooms.
Calcium makes sure your bones stay strong and reduces blood clotting. Calcium can be found in dairy products such as milk but that is something we want to avoid on the keto diet. You can purchase calcium tablets and the recommendation is around 1000mg per day.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (fish oil supplements)
This supplement is extremely powerful and should be used by everyone even if they’re not on a keto diet. Our diets these days have too much omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s.
As a result, inflammation arises and many diseases start to creep in. Omega-3 fish oils help to lower your risk of heart disease and it is a fatty acid which is perfect for the keto diet. It can be found in salmon, sardines and anchovies.
5. Digestive Enzymes
Digestive Enzymes are useful for helping you transition into the keto diet. It prevents nausea and diarrhea.
6. Exogenous Ketones
You can use Exogenous Ketones to get you into ketosis and supply you with a quick boost of energy.
7. Greens Powder
This supplement provides a means for you to get your daily intake of vegetables. They contain extract from plants like spirulina, chlorella, kale and broccoli.
The ketogenic diet can provide everything you need to fill in your nutritional voids. Yet, we are human and can’t stay on track all time.
The supplements above will help you stay in ketosis without sacrificing the nutrients your body needs.
Supplements can help you achieve ketosis
Conclusion
You’ve made it this far and are ready to start on the keto diet.
Initially, it will be tough to adapt to and you’ll have to endure the keto flu for the first few days. Don’t lose hope. If you stick with it, the symptoms will pass.
Here are a few tips that will help you on your way if you get stuck.
Pick a day and start your keto diet by limiting the amount of carbs you consume. This will help your glucose levels drop, and your body starts to burn fat for energy.
As soon as you can, head to your local health store and grab some MCT oil. Use the recipe for bullet proof coffee and have that first thing in the morning. This will give you more focus to stay on track on your diet.
Get rid of any remaining glucose in your body by exercising a little. A brisk 15-minute walk is all you need to jump start your body to producing ketones.
The keto diet is all about good fats. We covered a whole lot about good fats and the best one. Get your fridge stocked today.
Combine intermittent fasting as soon as you can for quick results. The first week you have experienced a huge loss in weight due to water drop.
Start with a simple fast of only eating between 10am and 7pm. You can drink water or green tea as you wish.
Consume protein is small amounts only. Don’t starve yourself of every nutrient. Re-visit the supplements chapter for quick recap.
Buy keto strips from Amazon or your local health store. Test yourself and test yourself each day to see where you are and adjust where needed.
What to Do If You Cannot Fast Intermittently
You and your friends started intermittent fasting together. But only your friends are seeing the benefits and have lost 10lbs.
You haven’t seen any progress, and it could be down to one or more reasons.
1. Starting right away – Jumping into intermittent fasting is the same as jumping into a pit of fire. You are going to fail. If you’re eating every couple of hours it will be harder to start eating every 6 hours. Start with a 12hr fast two weeks into keto and you will be fine.
2. Not planning correctly – Your window and fasting times are different from everyone else. If you work nights and don’t eat from 7pm till 7am, you will burn out. Instead fast when you get home till you go back to work the next day.
3. Eat during your window – If you are not eating healthy food during your window, you might gain weight. Your window is your window so eat when you are hungry.
4. Look out for what you eat – Your window is your window but keep an eye on what you eat. Fasting doesn’t mean you are allowed to take a trip down McDonalds. Instead, look at what foods you should eat as part of your keto diet.
5. Dehydration – Intermittent fasting is about not consuming calories during your fasting window. This doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated with enough water.
You will at times feel the hunger creeping in. Acknowledge it and occupy yourself with something else to do besides eating.
After a while, the hunger will pass. Usually, people get hungry around the times that they’re used to eating. Once you’ve passed that time, the hunger will dissipate and only return later.
It always comes in waves. So, aim to get over the wave… and you’ll make it through a few more hours until the next wave. With time, your appetite will decrease, and you’ll not have to deal with hunger pangs anymore.
Take the time to build up your fasting windows, let your body get used to it and you will thrive.
Using Keto for Weight Loss
The keto diet is mostly used for weight loss and it will take some longer than others to see the benefits.
There are four factors that determines how much you will lose and in what space of time.
1. Your current health state – If you are overweight or resistant to insulin, or cannot burn fat as fast as the majority of people, then you will lose weight a lot slower.
2. Your body – What is your BMI? Do you need to burn a lot of fat? In the beginning, if you have a lot of fat to burn you will see some weight loss very quickly. Whereas a leaner person make take longer. Over time, the results will taper off.
3. Current habits – What is your current diet like? Are you eating keto only foods and reading the labels to make sure you are not taking on hidden sugar? Are you exercising? Changing your habits to positive ones will set you up for success.
4. Transition into ketosis – If this is your first time on a keto diet becoming fat-adapted will take a little longer. Your body needs to learn to product ketones and then use fat as an energy source.
Stay on track by eating the correct amounts of keto food. Remember that the keto diet is not about going on a diet; it is a way of life. So, treat it as your new lifestyle.
During your first week on the keto diet you can expect to lose up to 10 pounds as you are losing water. Remember to keep drinking more water than usual to avoid become dehydrated.
After two weeks, your body is getting used to creating ketones and the cycle of burning fat starts. It will be steady and consistent. Expect to lose up to 2 pounds per week.
As you progress further into your diet, you will start to see the fat come off. Your weight loss will slow down as the calories you are eating will sustain your current physical needs.
Sit back and re-evaluate what you need to do next to increase the weight loss further.
The keto diet will have different effects on the body for everybody. Listen to your body and make changes as and when you need to.
There are many Facebook groups you can join for tips and peer support. Share your love for the diet, share recipes, learn and ask questions.
You’ve got this!
To loose weight the easy way I use and recommend Keto Resources, which you can buy here. If you want to learn more about this product I have a review where I go more in depth: Read my Keto Resources review here.
Taylor Williams - Women's Health Writer
A self-described 'Health Nut', Taylor is an expert health and lifestyle consultant who enjoys a proven record of helping women reach their personal health and fitness goals.
She is passionate about teaching the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and has an understanding of the kinds of health issues that are unique to women.
Taylor has been a full-time, professional trainer and health writer for over fifteen years. Married with two children, she's a busy career mom. When Taylor isn't working she likes shopping, social networking and listening to music. Taylor is based in Los Angeles, California.
I’ve been reading through topics on the keto diet as I’ve heard a great deal about it from Dr. Berg. I was kind of wary about the keto diet since I thought it was unsafe, this shows important how you need to do the research to get behind the science of it. The challenging part about this is sustainability, I will be facing periods where I’ll crave non-keto stuff. So whew, very important to not quit. Nice to have the keto diet explained, thanks.
I’ve had the Keto diet explained by a friend that is on it now but your explanation makes more sense and delves into it a lot more. I usually eat every 4-5 hours but I’ve had periods of time when I would eat every 8 hours or more. This happened when I had something important I was working on or working on a passion of mine. That was the time when I didn’t even feel like I was needing food at all. I think I could use this (work on my passions more) to help out with this diet.
Nice to have the keto diet explained in a logical manner. I feel like the keto sites sometimes are really not geared towards beginners. I tried keto once but now reading this I realized I messed up BAD, like not getting enough water or electrolytes.
This is hands down the best article I have read when it comes to the keto diet being explained. I feel like I have more knowledge about it than I originally did just watching videos on YouTube. Seeing people raving about it online, I wanted to give it a try but I wanted to make sure I did it the right way. My goal is to lose 50 or so pounds by my husband and I’s 5 year anniversary since we are going on holiday for it where I will be wearing a bathing suit. So I have 6 months and I think I can do it! Thanks for posting the keto diet explained all on one page. Going to share this on Facebook.
My brain fog disappeared on the keto diet – I’ve had brain fog all my life. Glad you explained the keto diet in depth and are telling others about it.
The keto diet is great for reversing insulin resistance! It really helped my dad. I think a lot of people are confused about the keto diet, your explanation of it helped a lot, esp. the signs to look out for in the first few weeks.
Those scallops look divine in that photo!! 🙂 I wouldn’t be able to make it on a diet without meat, that’s for sure. Thank you for having the keto diet explained logically and easily.
Do you think it’s okay to do keto if you are highly active?
Bone broths are delicious and nutritious and a great accompaniment to the keto diet. I’ve not personally done the keto diet, but I’ve done a lot of IF (intermittent fasting).
Thanks for your clear cut keto diet explanation!
I was on keto for two months, and it came really hard for me since I am the person that usually doesn’t eat meat. I lost weight, but it is definitely not for me, but I would recommend it to everyone that eats meat.
I recently found out that i am insulin resistant, so I was looking for something to help me have it under control. I read that keto is the best choice for it. I found so much info on the internet but no one wrote is complete as this. Thank you.
I was for two months on keto and I lost 30 pounds. Unfortunately, I gained almost everything back after I stopped dieting. This article inspired me to get back on track. Thank u.