What is a  Ketogenic diet?  Why is it good for me? What can and can't I eat?  I personally found that the hardest part about this diet is the lack of information about what you can consume to be successful.  My first attempt at ketosis was frustrating due to lack of streamlined information. I also had great difficulty overcoming my sugar/carbohydrate addiction and went through withdrawal. I would get into ketosis after a long intermittent fast and mess it up by eating some bacon laced with sugar.  The littlest amount of sugar would put me back into insulin burn mode.  Please make sure to check all labels for sugar as this is the biggest obstacle to overcome. (they find a way to sneak it into EVERYTHING)  I have been in and out of ketosis for about 2 years.   I will do my best to help streamline all of the quickest "hacks" by skipping the ones that don't work.

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There are many resources on this subject and I recommend learning as much as you can before you start this process or at least have a "biohack" guru that has gone completed this process to help guide you with the experience. 

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The #1 thing to keep in mind is you will need to keep track of your total daily intake . This means that you need to keep a log consisting of feelings, food, and all tests.    Carbohydrates need to be <5 % or 20-30 grams. If you go through the process and get your body to ketosis, going over 5% will greatly lower the effects. 

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• Fats / Oils   coconut oil, olive oil,  grass fed butter, Ghee,  natural sources - meats and nuts 

•  MCT Oil

• Saturated fats 

• Monounsaturated fats 

• Polyunsaturated Fats - Fish and meats

• Avoid! !!processed polyunsaturated in heart healthy margarine spreads.

• Avoid!!!  Trans Fats 

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Protein 3 to 6oz per meal  (Always try to pick organic grass fed, or wild meat).  You want to pick organic grass fed whenever possible.  If you are eating out at a restaurant, my top 2 choices of beef are: buffalo or bison.  Usually buffalo or bison are raised in the wild so it is a safe choice to make on grass fed options.  Do not eat too much protein on a ketogenic diet.  To much protein can stimulate insulin production and backfire the ketosis plan!!

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Dairy -  watch for added sugar and the carb count.  The best items to stick with are harder cheeses that tend to have fewer carbs.  Some great examples are; brie cheese, provolone, gouda, cottage cheese, and you can use heavy creamer.

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Nuts and seeds.  Macadamia nuts are my go to snack on this diet.  Again moderation as there is a little natural sugar in some nuts.  Most nuts and seeds should be in moderation.  

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Vegetables - Fresh or frozen - above ground veggies are preferable the more leafy / green the better!

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Beverages - Mostly water (If possible have a gallon jug) this way you can measure your intake consciously throughout the day.  Some options to flavor your water are;  stevia-based flavorings,lemons/limes, or add a little apple cider vinegar to help suppress the appetite and keep your ph ALKALINE!

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First Week or Two -

80% of your diet is Fat, decreasing to 70% fat,

25% Protein and 5% Carbohydrates

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10 Golden rules for a Ketogenic diet!

1. Have fun and don’t stress!  It takes a little time to learn the Keto lifestyle, but the results are amazing!

2. Know thy body!  Start by purchasing some keto strips, an inexpensive blood sugar meter and also PH strips!  Take some time and learn how to use the equipment and start to document results in a log.  This will give you a baseline before starting the diet!

3. Reduce thy carbohydrate intake. Generally, most dieters only count net carbs (total carbs - fiber).  Challenge yourself to limit both net carbs and total carbs for optimum results.  Total less than 20g net carbs or 35g total carbs per day.

4. Restrict thy protein intake. When the body is low on sugar it turns to the liver for help. The liver has the ability to convert amino acids within protein to sugar in process called gluconeogenesis. Stay within .6g and 0.8g-protein consumption per pound of lean body mass to avoid the keto kick out!

5. Thall shalt not worry about fat. #1 source of energy while in ketosis is fat and you need a lot of it.  Unlike other diets, you will not lose any weight if you cut out the fat.

6. Wine into water…   Stay hydrated through out the day by consuming around 1 gallon.  Add PH booster to help raise your PH with this diet. This is a key element for keeping the hunger down and helps wash out those pesky toxins.

7. Stop thy snacking!  Try and keep to eating the set meals as much as possible to avoid having your insulin levels change.

8. In the beginning there was fasting. Fasting starts and maintains high level of ketones throughout the day.  There are three different stages of Metabolic Pathways or the break down of fat’s, proteins and carbs. Fasting 2-8 hours between meals or intermittent fasting is a key tool to staying in ketosis.

9. Move a mountain!  Exercise to get the most of your keto diet!  We all know the benefits to exercise, so I am not going to go there.  What I will say is that while you are on the keto diet, you will find yourself wanting to exercise and move.  It makes you feel like a super human!

10. Add thy vitamins and supplements. 1.Supplementing can be used to help to stabilize a keto diet by raising your ketones into the ketosis zone.  2. PH in your body becomes acidic even after eating large quantities of leafy greens.  A simple fix is adding PH drops or drinking 9.5 – 10 PH water.  3. You will need to add extra sodium to your diet.  Sipping bone broth or adding a tablespoon of Himalayan salt to water works well. 

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