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Part One
Here's a partial list of just some of the foods that can be consumed on a ketogenic diet. I'll
start with the '100% safe foods', the ones that shouldn't throw you out of ketosis due to
having either no carbs, or trace amounts of carbs. Next I'll go to 'questionable' foods, such
as hotdogs, where you must check the carb content on the package, because some hotdogs
have only 1 gram of carbs per hotdog, some have seven. I'm also including a list of higher
carb content foods, that can be eaten in VERY limited quantities. Finally I give a list of foods
that shouldn't be eaten on a keto diet at all. (Note: I've tried to list every food I know, in
any form, so there will be some redundancy. Foods marked with an '*' are considered
healthy, we highly recommend eating them as much as possible while staying under your
carb limit and staying in ketosis!)
Safe Foods (No Carbs/Trace Carbs)
Beef, Steak, Hamburger, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon, Roast Beef, Chicken*, Duck, Any Fish*,
Tuna*, Salmon*, Trout*, Halibut*, Lamb, Pork, Bacon, Ham, Eggs, Shrimp, Crab, Lobster,
Butter, Oils (Olive Oil*, Flaxseed oil*, etc.), Mustard, Salt, Pepper, Soy Sauce, Tea, Coffee,
Heavy Cream and Nutrasweet/Equal.
Minimal Carb Foods (Limited Quantities Only, Check Carb Content!)
Broccoli*, Spinach*, Lettuce*, Cabbage*, Bok Choy*, Kale*, Asparagus*, Mustard Greens*,
Mushrooms*, Cucumbers*, Pickles*, Olives*, Celery*, Green Beans*, Brussel Sprouts*,
Cauliflower*, Artichokes*, Peppers* (Red, Green, Jalapeno, Habanero), Onions*, Nuts,
Flaxseeds*, Cheeses, Salami, Pastrami, Hot Dogs, Sausages, Ribs (watch out for the sauce
it contains sugar which becomes carbs!), Buffalo Wings without breading, Liverwurst,
Oysters, Abalone, Protein Powders, Sugar Free Jello, Salad Dressings (some), some Wines.
Higher Carb Foods (Very Limited Quantities!)
Grapefruit*, Lemons*, Limes*, Strawberries*, Olives*, Rasberries*, Blackberries*, Kiwis*,
and Half-N-Half.
Foods that are NOT appropriate. (only eat on carb up days..try to limit the cake and candy)
Beer, Mixed drinks, Bread, Milk, Pasta, Grains, Cereal, Rice, Potatoes, Corn, Carrots, Peas,
Candy, Cake, Cheesecake, Donuts, Fruit Juices, High Carb Fruits (Apricots, Banannas,
Peaches, Nectarines, etc.), Pastries, Non-Diet Soft Drinks, Rolls, Bagels, Popcorn, Battered
Foods (Fried Chicken, etc.), Gravy, Honey, Sugar, and Corn Syrup.
Notes: Diet Soft Drinks, such as Diet Coke, Diet 7-Up, and Diet Pepsi can usually be
consumed in large quantities, but the citric acid content in these drinks can throw some
people out of ketosis. Be sure to check in your individual case if this happens. Hard liquor,
such as scotch, vodka, etc can be consumed because they have virtually no carbs. Wine
actually makes a nice ketogenic alcoholic drink, as most wines have only 1-6 grams of carbs
per glass, the sweeter the wine, the more carbs. Beer is usually very high in carbs, having
10-15 grams per glass. Watch out though, when you're in ketosis your blood sugar will be
very low, and the alcohol will have a more pronounced effect.
__________________
Against The Grain Should Be a Way Of Life
What's worth the prize is always worth the fight
The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: True Fat Loss
In recent media, low carbohydrate diets have been THE fad for almost everybody in America
wanting to lose weight. From your secretaries, elementary school teachers, and desk clerks,
to bodybuilders, models, actresses, and athletes.
However, there is a huge difference between those who follow an Atkins plan and those who
follow a cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD). Atkins is a low carb plan for those who are quite
sedentary, walk maybe 3 times a week at the most, and just follow normal everyday
activities. So forget Atkins here. The CKD is for those who’s main concern is true fat loss
and muscle preservation—muscle for sports and high intensity activities.
My opinion for those who practice Atkins is that while they do lose fat, there is much water
loss and most importantly muscle loss. Something we athletes do not want. A CKD is a true
fat loss diet that works undeniably, if followed properly and strictly. Yes, low carb diets can
be hell at first, but after two to three weeks, there have been anecdotal reports from many
dieters that the cravings for carbohydrates decrease. This route to fat burning is unlike any
traditional diet all the low-fat diet authors and FDA people have been advocating in history.
I got turned onto this diet a few years back when I got tired of cutting fat and still not being
able to lose those last percentage points of bodyfat without losing hard earned muscle. I
would start a low-fat diet, and be a either a social misfit (not going out with my friends to
party or not going out to eat). Or in the worse case, feel so deprived of delicious junk foods
I missed and bail out on the diet all together. One advantage to this diet is that there is no
true restrictions on food. One may eat anything labeled a "food"! Well, almost. I’ll explain
later.
How the diet works.
The science behind the CKD is simple. Carbohydrates in the diet cause an insulin (a
"storage" hormone) output in the pancreas. It is used to store glycogen, amino acids into
muscles, while causing excess calories to be stored as fat. So common sense asks me, "How
can one try to break down fat, when your body is in a storage-type mode?" Difficult to do,
indeed. That is why it makes perfect sense for step one to be cutting carbs.
The next thing that happens in your body is the rise in catecholamines (a "fat mobilizing"
hormone), cortisol (a "breakdown" hormone), and growth hormone. Now your body realizes
there’s no more carbs to burn for energy, so it must find another energy source: fat.
This usually happens during a metabolic condition called "ketosis." This is when your liver is
out of glycogen and starts to produce ketones (by-products of fatty acids). You can check
your status of whether or not you are in ketosis with urinalysis strips you can pick up at any
local drug store called "Ketostix." Just urinate and see if it turns color. If so, you have
ketones in the urine.
When the body is fed fat and protein, it will use dietary fat along with bodyfat for energy
with protein going towards repair.
As a side note, there is another reason why this diet makes the most sense to use while
keeping muscle. When one follows a high carbohydrate, low-fat, reduced-calorie diet,
there’s a point when some bodyfat is burned, but when the body is still in a carbohydrate
burning metabolism while trying to lose "weight," it will strip down precious body protein to
convert to glucose for energy.
On the other hand, during fat metabolism, protein cannot be converted into free-fatty acids
for energy. Although there is no scientific research done on this, there have been reports
from followers that there truly is a "protein-sparing" effect. It makes sense doesn’t it?
Where else would the body look for fat energy when all dietary fat is burned? Bodyfat.
Diet Requirements Mon. to Fri.
The phrase "working smarter, not harder" applies here more than any diet one has tried.
One must fully understand what they must do in order to optimize their goal. To set a CKD
up, one cannot just expect to cut all carbs in the diet, train hard, and lose fat! Although
some have come up with variations to this plan, the one stated in this article, I have found,
has worked for myself (it got me to 6% BF), and other clients I’ve trained to the leanest,
hardest they’ve ever been.
First, to set up the diet, write down your lean mass weight. Not your total weight, dough
boy. If you weigh 200, but have 20% bodyfat, your lean mass weight would be around 160
pounds. Multiply this by one, getting your grams of protein requirements for a day. Make
sure you eat at least one gram of protein/pound of lean mass! This is important in recovery
from workouts and enough nitrogen retention to keep muscle. Next, multiply by four, to get
your protein calories. Here, it is 640.
The rest of your caloric requirements for the day should be fat. Here is the catch: you must
eat fat to burn fat. There’s no way around it. There are many advantages to dietary fat on
this diet: Feeling of fullness since fat digestion is slow (less hunger), tastes great, and
lowers blood glucose levels (lowering insulin and allow all the fat burning hormones to do
their job).
So how much fat? I always recommend starting out with a 500 calorie deficit from your
maintenance calories. If you don’t know, it is usually 15 times body weight (full body weight
here) depending on an individuals metabolic rate. So here, the example would need 3000
calories a day to maintain weight, and 2500 calories to begin fat loss.
2500 minus 640 (protein calories) is 1860 which works out to be around 206 fat grams a
day. Now as you go deeper into the diet, and find the need to restrict calories more, you
must cut fat calories, not protein.
The Weekend Carb Load
Since muscle glycogen is the main source of energy for anaerobic exercise such as weight
training, we cannot simply deplete all stores while working out and not fill them back up. If
that does happen, be rest-assured that the body WILL use protein for fuel then. But this
won’t happen on the CKD.
Your one and a half days of "freedom" allow you to do two things: First, reward your carb
cravings from the previous days, allowing you to enjoy pleasures like pizza, pasta, breads,
etc. Second, eating these things are physiologically rewarding as insulin levels run high,
storing amino acids and carbs, as glycogen, into the depleted muscle allowing you to be
able to workout again the following week.
Your "carb-up" should begin Friday night and last until around midnight Saturday. Now the
next important issue to address is how many carbs. Some lucky individuals find that they
eat whatever they want for the 24-30 hour time interval and receive perfect glycogen
compensation, while others rely on a better statistical number.
What has been recommended by other authors of the CKD is 10-12 grams of carbs per
kilogram of lean mass. Again, time to do math. Our example had 160 pounds of lean mass,
so divide that by the conversion factor of 2.2, and we get roughly 73 kg.
100 Grams of easily digested liquid carbs along with around half as many grams of carbs in
protein (here 50) as a whey shake or something of that nature should be taken right after
the last workout (which I will address in the workout section of the article) when insulin
sensitivity will be at its greatest.
A few hours later this individual will start to spread the remaining 630 grams of carbs, along
with the important number of 160 grams of protein (remember, keep this constant) during
the remainder of the compensation period.
So what about dietary fat? I know you’re reminding yourself, "Didn’t this guy mention
pizza?" Yes, I did. And here’s why. During the first 24-30 hours of carbing up, the body will
use all dietary carbohydrates to refill glycogen, protein for rebuilding, and get this: fat for
energy. Still?
Just like the previous five and a half days. Makes sense. When all the carbohydrates are
being used for more important functions (muscle), what else is there to be used? However,
you can’t just eat all the fat you want. Keep grams of fat intake below your body weight in
kilograms. Again, here our example will keep is fat below 73 during the carb-fest.
By anecdotal reports, this should keep fat regain minimal to nil. Keeping fat intake
extremely low has even caused some extra fat burning during the carb up!
As stated before, some dietary fat should be eaten to slow digestion and keep sugar levels
stable. Whether it be saturated, unsaturated, or essential fats, is the dieter’s decision. All
have nine calories per gram. (Note: there is a claim that essential fatty acids such as flax
seed oil increase insulin sensitivity within the muscle cells, in turn, increasing glycogen
intake.)
In Case You Missed It
So here’s how it breaks down during the week: Sunday through Friday afternoon , you will
follow the low carb diet outlined above. Eat fat and protein all day everyday except on
workout days because after workouts, you will need to consume strictly just protein—no fat
or carbs.
Some have found to enjoy a protein shake afterwards because they are easily digested. Do
whatever works for you. But fat is not logical since you want the protein to fuel the healing
process as quickly as possible and fat will only slow it down.
Friday afternoon, around two hours before your last workout of the week, eat two to three
pieces of fruit. This will get your body/liver ready to start the carb loading and give you
some energy for that final, dreadful workout (trust me, during the first few weeks, you will
not want to do that final workout, but you must). Then from Friday night until Saturday at
midnight or until bed, eat those carbs!
CKD Workout
Now, the question is, how do we workout to optimize muscle preservation and keep our
metabolism up while dieting? Before we get into that, one must realize that during any
dieting scheme there is one thing that must be done, and one thing that must not be done.
First, you must keep training volume lower than your usual routine. Overtraining is probably
the number one killer in motivation, it deprives sleep, and hinders fat loss.
Second, you must not fall into the myth of lighter weights with higher reps. You got your
muscle by benching 240, and you have to bench 240 to keep that same muscle! Or at least
around that area! Okay, now that we have that established, here’s what we do:
On Monday and Tuesday we will work our weaker body parts, rest or cardio on Wednesday
and Thursday mornings, Thursday do our strongest body parts, and Friday a combination of
the Monday/Tuesday workouts in a loop format. The workout I have found to work optimally
for myself and my clients is this:
(Note: You may feel free to tweak, shake, and turn this example upside down.
Everybody is different, so find what works for you.)
MONDAY: Chest, Back, Abs
High intensity workouts with 60 sec rest between sets, 90 sec rest between
each exercise
(this excludes all warm up sets)
Bench 3 sets, 6-10 reps
T-bar Row 3 sets, 6-10 reps
Incline bench 3 sets, 6-10 reps
Latpulldown to front 3 sets, 6-10 reps
Dips or Decline bench 3 sets, 6-10 reps
Shrugs 3 sets, 6-10 reps
Flys (any type) 2 sets, 10-12 reps
Reverse flys 2 sets, 10-12 reps
Stiff-leg deadlift 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Rope ab crunch 3 sets, 10-15 reps
Reverse crunch 3 sets, 10-20 reps
TUESDAY: Shoulders, Arms
Same intensity mentioned before
Behind the neck shoulder press 3 sets, 8-10 reps
Military press 3 sets, 8-10 reps
Preacher curls 3 sets, 8-10 reps
French press or "skull-crushers" 3 sets, 8-10 reps
Shoulder raises (any type) 2 sets, 8-10 reps
Hammers 3 sets, 8-10 reps
V-bar tricep press 3 sets, 8-10 reps
Forearm curls 2 sets, 8-10 reps
Reverse forearm curls 2 sets, 8-10 reps
Wednesday: Rest or Cardio
Thursday morning: Rest or Cardio
Later on Thursday: Legs
Same intensity mentioned before
Squat or Leg press 4 sets, 6-10 reps
Lying leg curl 4 sets, 6-10 reps
Standing calf raise 4 sets 6-10 reps
Leg extensions 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Seated leg curl 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Seated calf raise 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Friday night: Final Workout
Same intensity mentioned before
Bench 2 sets, 6-10 reps
T-bar Row 2 sets, 6-10 reps
Incline bench 2 sets, 6-10 reps
Latpulldown to front 2 sets, 6-10 reps
Behind the neck shoulder press 1 set, 8-10 reps
Military press 1 set, 8-10 reps
Either curl exercise 2 sets, 8-10 reps
Either tricep exercise 2 sets, 8-10 reps
Stiffleg deadift 1 set, 8-10 reps
Normal floor ab crunch 2 sets, 10-20 reps
Reverse crunches 2 sets, 10-20 reps
Start the carb up for 24-30 hours!
Aerobics
Before we go on, I want to address the cardio/aerobics issue. Some people find that for the
first month on a CKD, cardio/aerobics is not needed. However when fat loss does start to
slow down a bit, that is when most start adding 30 min. sessions on their off days. Be
careful though, you do not want to hinder your Thursday leg workout. So experiment and
try to only add aerobic sessions if you feel you have to.
Supplements
So we have the basic diet outline stated, the workout, now what about supplements? Things
that can extremely optimize this diet regime. Well, I have to admit no allegiance to any
supplement company on this one: Water. Water is important on any diet, especially low
carb since there is a diuretic effect, and more importantly during the carbing period.
Glycogen is stored with water! You need as much water as possible to hydrate the depleted
muscle. Trust me, you will feel a huge "pump" on Sunday morning from all the stored carbs
and water INSIDE your muscle.
Speaking of muscle, the god of all sports supplement right now: Creatine. It can still be
used on a low carb diet. Usually 10 grams a day during the low carb days, and around 2030 grams during the carbing period should work for most everybody. I highly recommend it
for everybody who doesn’t get an upset stomach using it.
Finally, one that everyone that’s dieted before knows about: The ECA stack. Most have not
used pure ECA, but mainly herbal extracts in thermogenic products sold by sports
supplement companies. For a pre-work out boost and increased fat burning through
thermogenics (heat), this is my favorite supplement. It does its job, you feel it happening,
and it can help you psychologically when you don’t feel like working out that day.
Conclusion
With all this said, I will throw my personal opinion, thanks and motivation on or for the
cyclical ketogenic diet. First of all, to me, it is the greatest diet every developed. It makes
sense, works and isn’t as hard to follow as one might think. Just stay motivated and
concentrate on your goal.
When you have a craving during the week for that cupcake or pasta, just go eat a delicious
serving of some pepperoni and melted mozzarella cheese. Or how about a hamburger patty
covered in cheddar cheese and some strips of bacon? Foods that are delicious and that can
satiate hunger.
I followed this exact plan this past summer for eight weeks and loss 18 pounds of fat
without any loss in muscle. It was the leanest and most vascular I had ever seen myself.
And I must give thanks where thanks are due since I did not come up with this diet. Dan
Duchaine, who recently passed away, brought my attention to a CKD with his book
BodyOpus and Lyle McDonald has done deep research and wrote his book The Ketogenic
Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner.
This diet can be for you. Oh you’re only a mass builder? Well, lower bodyfat percentages
even make you look bigger! Give it some thought and decide. Then achieve your goal. It’s
worth it: A diet with true fat loss.
From Bodybuilding.com
More info on: CDK Forum
Part 2
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark91.htm
Along with the Atkins diet and the South Beach diet, individuals who are interested in low carbohydrate
approaches to dieting will likely want to look into the Keto Diet. Popular among many who are trying to
maintain blood sugar levels and lose body fat, the main premise of this diet is, 'eat fat to lose fat'.
So How Does It Work?
The idea of the ketone diet is to get your body into a process called Ketosis where you stop burning
carbohydrates as fuel and instead turn to the burning of what are known as ketones. This will occur when
you bring your carbohydrate levels to around 50 grams per day or lower.
Many keto activists advise that number to be 30 grams of carbohydrates but most individuals can still
maintain ketosis while consuming the 50 grams and this allows for a little more leeway in the diet since
you can increase the consumption of vegetables and a variety of flavoring's that contain a few grams of
carbohydrates.
Click Image To Enlarge.
You Can Increase The Consumption Of Vegetables.
TKD Or CKD
Usually people who are involved with exercise will follow either a TKD (targeted keto diet) or a CKD
(cyclical keto diet). A TKD is one where you will eat carbohydrates right before and right after your
workouts. This is the best bet for those who are involved in more intense activities and require some
carbohydrates to fuel them and who are not as interested in doing carb loads and depletion workouts.
CKD:
A CKD on the other hand is a diet where you will eat a minimum amount of carbohydrates per
day (that 30-50 gram number) and then on the weekend (or at a time that is appropriate for you)
do a large 'carb-up' phase where you will eat a large amount of carbohydrates in an effort to refill
your muscle glycogen stores so you can continue to workout the coming week.
Normally right before the carb-up phase you will do a depletion workout where you try and get
your muscles to completely eliminate their glycogen supply. Then when you do the 'carb-up'
phase, you cut almost all the fat out of the diet so you are now just consuming protein and
carbohydrates.
Forum Threads:
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GuitarWeights Keto Log! - Started By GuitarWeights
Breath stink since doing CKD/keto? - Started By Benji Snap
Who's having great success on KETO?!! - Started By DPP450
Step By Step Keto Diet Plan! - Started By Blindfaith
Setting Up The Diet:
To set the diet up, first you take your lean body weight and multiply it by one. This will be the total
number of grams of protein you are required to eat per day. After you get this number, multiple it
by 4 (how many calories are in one gram of protein) to get your total calories coming from protein.
Now the rest of your daily requirement will come from fat calories. You don't really need to
calculate carbohydrate grams specifically because by default you will likely reach your 30-50
grams per day simply by including green vegetables and the incidental carbs that come from your
fat and protein sources.
To figure out how many fat grams specifically you want, you would take the total number of
calories it takes to maintain your body weight (normally around 14-16 calories per pound of body
weight). Subtract your protein calories from that number and then divide by 9 (number of calories
per gram of fat). This should give you how many total fat grams you need to eat per day.
Divide these numbers by however many meals you wish to eat per day to get the basic layout for
your diet. Be sure to consume plenty of green leafy vegetables for antioxidant and vitamin
protection and you are good to go.
KETO DIET CALCULATOR
Weight
176
BF %
10
Meals
5
Pounds
Results
Protein Per Day 158 grams or 634 calories.
Fat Per Day 203-242 grams or 1830-2182 calories.
Protein Per Meal 32 grams or 127 calories.
Fat Per Meal 41-48 grams or 366-436 calories.
Weekend Carb Load:
Now this brings us to the weekend carb load period and usually the 'fun' part for most individuals.
You are now able to eat large quantities of carbohydrate containing foods, cereal, bagels, rice
chips, candy, pasta and so on are all good options here.
Since you won't be eating very much fat at all, there is less likely of a chance that these
carbohydrates will get turned into body fat as they will be going towards filling up your muscle
glycogen stores once again.
Most people will choose to begin their carb-up on Friday night and end it before bed on Saturday.
This is usually most convenient as it's when you are off of work and can relax and enjoy the
process. If you aren't overly concerned with fat loss and are just using this diet as a way to
maintain blood sugar levels, you can likely eat whatever carbohydrate foods you like during this
period. If you are worried about fat gain though, then you need the math.
Try and aim to keep your protein the same at one gram per pound of body weight and then take
in 10-12 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight. Start taking these
carbohydrates (usually the first bit in liquid form) right after your last workout on Friday night. This
is when your body is primed and ready to uptake the carbohydrates and it will be most beneficial
for you.
Note that you can have some fat here, since it will be hard to consume many of the foods you
really want to eat without being allowed any (pizza for instance) but do your best to keep your fat
grams around your body weight in kilograms (so if you weigh 80 kg's, eat no more than 80 grams
of fat).
CARB LOADING CALCULATOR
Weight
176
Pounds
Results
Protein 176 grams.
Carbs 1760-2112 grams.
Fat No more than 80 grams.
On a second note, some individuals find they like to eat a little fruit along with protein before their
final workout on Friday night as this will help restore their liver glycogen levels and give them the
energy they need to push through that workout. Plus, by refilling the liver glycogen you will help
put your body into a slightly more anabolic state so you don't see as much energy breakdown.
Pros & Cons:
Overall this seems to be a very good diet for most people as far as fat loss is concerned. Some
do deal with negative side effects while in ketosis but most people will find that although it's really
hard the first two weeks, after that period their body begins to adapt and it gets much easier.
Furthermore, one of the biggest benefits of being in ketosis is appetite blunting therefore it can
actually be an ideal program for someone on a diet.
Keto:



Don't Call Him The 'Keto Guy' - Lyle McDonald. - By David Whitley
Bulking With The Cyclic Ketogenic Diet! - By Jonathan Deprospo
In Depth Look At Ketogenic Diets And Ketosis. - By Jonathan Deprospo

Other Keto Articles...
The only draw back you will see is for those who do have high activities or are involved in lots of
sprinting type exercise. Although a few will find they feel fine, even have more energy on a high
fat/moderate protein diet, most of the time carbohydrates are the best source of fuel for these
activities. That isn't that big of a problem though, it just means that that person should instead
look into doing a TKD instead of a CKD.
Part 3
This is LOOOOOOOONG, but it completes the overview of a CKD. It is good reading, and should answer most
questions. If you have any others, post them in the CKD forum.
Here we go:
There are a great number of myths associated with the low carb diet. Many authoritative sources have
indicated the public must consume a diet, which is 60% carbohydrate, 15% protein and 25% fat for optimal
health and performance. Carbohydrates are considered the primary fuel source by the body and those who
have achieved degrees in institutions of higher learning would like us to believe that dietary carbohydrates
are of such importance that without them, we won't survive, or if we do, we'll be so unhealthy we'll wish we
were dead.
I'm here to tell you these ideas are only partially true.
NORMAL CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM
Let's look at what happens when carbohydrates, the typical primary energy source, are nearly removed or
greatly reduced This is where dietitians start to panic and ill informed medical professionals start to cry
because they've forgotten their biochemistry from way back when
First, let me paint a very clear picture of what type of low carbohydrate diet I'm about to describe. This diet
is considered extreme and compared to the typical U S D A Food Guide Pyramid, is extreme.
Typical dietary intake on this low carbohydrate diet will contain carbohydrates at no greater than 5% of
dietary intake, fats at approximately 55% of dietary intake and protein at 40% of dietary intake. This diet
will herein be called the ketogenic (producing ketones) diet and you'll see why later.
I am going to briefly describe the basic metabolism of food that it will upset some, cause a great sigh of
relief from others but in the end will hopefully provide just enough information to help you understand how
food is processed and why we can live on a ketogenic diet for intermittent periods, with energy, vitality and
weight loss.
When we eat a meal, typically consisting of some carbohydrates (sugars), lipids (fats) and proteins (amino
acids), digestion begins in the mouth. Enzymes begin ripping apart the carbohydrates in the mouth and
when the food hits the stomach more acids and enzymes begin ripping apart the proteins and fats. The food
then passes into the small intestine where it is further digested and absorbed into the blood stream for
transport to body tissues That which is not absorbed and remains unused is passed further to the large
intestine and finally is defecated
Let's briefly cover what happens specifically with carbohydrates during digestion.
Remember that carbohydrates start to digest in the mouth and are further digested in the stomach and
small intestine. When they are finally absorbed via the small intestine all carbohydrates circulate in the
blood as glucose. This means that whether you consume carbohydrates from bread, fruit vegetables, pasta
or candy the various usable sugars eventually are dismantled into plain old glucose.
When glucose is plentiful, such as when a person is eating the typical high carbohydrate diet described in
the beginning, the body will use glucose preferentially as a fuel to produce energy (ATP). This means that
fats (stored or dietary) are not a major fuel source when following the typical high carbohydrate diet. Major
organs use glucose and so do our muscles when carbohydrates are the major source of energy. Pretty
convenient how the body does that isn't it? You should also know that carbohydrates yield about 4 calories
per gram
GLUCOSE AND INSULIN INTERACTION
When glucose enters the blood the pancreas is signaled to release a hormone called insulin. Insulin's
primary function is to keep glucose levels from soaring too high. If glucose was left unchecked, the body
would enter a very unhealthy metabolic state of hyperglycemia after eating a high carbohydrate meal.
Therefore insulin prevents this condition from occurring, among many other functions.
One other action which insulin exerts is fatty acid synthesis (making fats) and storage. Simply stated, when
insulin levels are high, such as a 2-4 hours after a high carbohydrate meal, you stand a greater chance of
storing fat and a lessor chance of lipolysis (breaking down fat).
TYPE II DIABETES - A PERFECT METABOLIC CONDITION FOR OBESITY
Untreated type II diabetics are walking examples of what continual high blood glucose and subsequent high
insulin levels can do to the body. This disease literally makes you fat. Untreated type II diabetics almost
always have high glucose/insulin levels because their body is not functioning optimally and insulin is doing a
very poor job of removing glucose from the blood. Glucose levels remain high. The body is signaled to
release more insulin. It doesn't do its job very well so glucose and/or insulin levels remain high. The body is
signaled to secrete more insulin and the vicious cycle continues on and on.
Many overweight individuals (literally millions of Americans) are type II diabetics and don't know it. What
they do know is they can't seem to reduce bodyfat no matter how hard they try.
A very important point to understand at this point, is that it is very well established that when insulin levels
are high, the body stores fat quite easily and may convert carbohydrates or proteins into adipose (stored
fat). Also, lipolysis (dissolving fat) is nearly blocked in the presence of insulin.
STARVATION VERSUS THE KETOGENIC DIET-CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM
Now that some very basic carbohydrate metabolism has been covered I'll address the issue of
starvation/fasting versus the Ketogenic diet.
The two conditions are relentlessly compared because there are some similarities between the two. There
are some striking differences, however, that can't be ignored. During normal periods of fasting (2-6 hours,
in between meals) the body will secrete glucagon, another hormone, but considered the opposite of insulin.
Glucagon will break down stored glycogen at the liver, increasing blood glucose so we have glucose to fuel
major organs, such as the brain, kidneys, small intestine and muscles. This process occurs everyday and is a
part of normal physiology for most Americans who aren't eating constantly. After 12-36 hours of fasting,
however, we will run out of stored glycogen at the liver.
When this occurs during a fast some deleterious effects occur such as severe muscle wasting because the
body will begin mobilizing body proteins to make glucose until adjustment has occurred to the fast. Once
adjustment has occurred, (usually within a two-week period or less) the body will reduce the use of precious
body proteins and rely on high levels of fat burning and ketone bodies as fuel sources.
Ketone body production occurs as a direct result of mobilizing and burning large amounts of fatty acids for
fuel. When stored body fat and body proteins have run out, or become so low the body can't function
properly, (about a week for a normally lean person) they die.
A very fat person may be able to live for months, however, with only water and a vitamin/mineral
supplement (Don't even think about it This is very unhealthy!)
It might not be obvious at this point, but one major difference between a ketogenic diet and starvation is
FOOD. With a ketogenic diet you're not starving and are eating a plentiful diet. One reason the body begins
mobilizing body proteins to make glucose, during starvation, is because there are NO dietary proteins to
use. There's no food!
The body still uses non-carbohydrate sources, like amino acids from proteins; to make glucose (called
gluconeogenesis) during a ketogenic diet but a greater proportion of the protein used to make glucose can
be provided by the diet, instead of muscle and other cellular proteins. Thus, muscle wasting, a real concern
for someone starving, is much less of an issue for someone following the ketogenic diet
A period of adjustment may still follow initial startup of a ketogenic diet and some muscle proteins may be
sacrificed for a few days to a week but dietary proteins will be plentiful and will be used for gluconeogenesis.
STARVATION VERSUS KETOGENIC DIETING-FAT AND PROTEIN METABOLISM
I've made the distinction between starvation and the ketogenic diet with respect to protein for
gluconeogenesis but what about fats? During starvation the body uses adipose (stored body fat) as its major
fuel source after the adjustment period. It also uses ketone bodies, which are acidic byproducts of very high
levels of fatty acid oxidation (burning fats for fuels). Both fatty acids and ketone bodies are used
preferentially over glucose as energy sources during starvation.
During a ketogenic diet the body doesn't solely rely on stored body fat and ketone bodies as the primary fuel
sources. It will also rely on dietary fats as well. Once again, a major difference between starvation and the
ketogenic diet. It is also for this reason that one cannot eat unlimited calories with a ketogenic diet and
expect to lose weight.
The body will use dietary fats as a primary fuel source along with the subsequent ketone bodies from
oxidation of dietary fats and then will use adipose only if calories are below those needed to maintain
current body weight
If calories are kept at just below maintenance, and you are following a ketogenic diet, the body is forced to
begin a fat dissolving state called lipolysis. Simply stated, we are breaking down adipose and using the fatty
acids as an energy source. Not only is lipolysis activated, it is now the primary energy source with other
physiological mechanisms stepping up to allow normal and efficient operation of our everyday lives while
following a ketogenic diet.
Most reading this and wanting to lose weight have a tremendous store of energy in the form of fat just
waiting to be used. The typical fuel reserves in a young, adult male amount to about 90,000 to 110,000
calories of energy In contrast, the carbohydrate energy reserve is about 2% of this total, or approximately
2000 calories.
THE BODY'S INHERENT NEED FOR GLUCOSE
But what about the body's inherent need for glucose? Doesn't the brain need glucose to function? Yes, the
body does have a need for glucose and as I briefly stated earlier, glucose can be made within the body from
non-carbohydrate sources such as amino acids. This is called gluconeogenesis.
Additionally, the Cori cycle and the Glucose-Alanine cycle are pathways that ensure critical glucose will be
available for the organs that absolutely require it. We will not cover those cycles in this article.
Suffice it to say that they are very efficient cycles for the body to preserve glucose levels so they don't fall
too low when dietary carbohydrates are nonexistent (such as during starvation) or very low with the
ketogenic diet. Let's not forget that we're eating with a ketogenic diet, and at least a small part of our diet
(5%) is derived from carbohydrates, which ultimately ends up as circulating glucose
FATS BECOME THE PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE
Probably the most feared but greatest asset a ketogenic diet has on its side is the fact that when the diet is
not rich in carbohydrates, the body relies on them less as an energy source. This is called the glucose-fatty
acid cycle it basically says that when glucose is low and fatty acids are high glucose needs will be less. Isn't
the body a wonderful machine?
When carbohydrates were plentiful it used them as the primary energy source. Now that fats are the
primary energy source the body uses them preferentially over carbohydrates. Simply amazing!
One question you're all thinking relates to how we can possibly lose weight eating 55% of our calories as fat.
The greatest answer is that carbohydrates are no longer the primary energy source-fats are. Doesn't fat
make you fat? Let me give you a law you can use forever:
**Dietary fat doesn't make people fat. Excessive calories, a lack of activity, metabolic disease or
combination of any two or more of these factors make people fat**
If you stopped reading right there and based any diet you use on this law you would know everything you
need to know to lose weight and stay lean. Since dietary fat doesn't make us fat, we need not fear a
relatively high fat diet, as long as calories are controlled for age, lean mass and activity.
KETOACIDOSIS- IS THERE NEED FOR CONCERN?
At this point the naysayers are hoping I'll forget about the metabolic condition called ketoacidosis so they
can show their friends and whine about how the ketogenic diet is really a killer and how anyone who even
remotely suggests it's an alternative diet is also a killer and a lunatic. Sorry, you don't get your wish.
Ketoacidosis is a condition in which ketone bodies are created in such large quantities that they literally
make the blood more acidic. When this happens a series of events occur which may cause impairment of
organ function and eventual death. It is a very real concern for diabetics who are insulin dependent because
they are missing a natural feedback mechanism to prevent excessive ketone body formation. For them, or
any other person with any condition being treated by a physician, this diet should only be implemented with
physician assistance and guidance.
For normally healthy, non-diabetic individuals, there is always some insulin present in the blood. Always!
As you mobilize more fat for energy, ketone production rises. When ketone production reaches a particular
threshold, however, insulin is released by the pancreas (even in the absence of dietary carbohydrate) which
slows the mobilization of fats and subsequently reduces the number of ketone bodies produced. Insulin is
believed to keep ketone body production in check. Because this is so, those individuals who possess the
natural ability to secrete insulin from the pancreas, will not allow ketones to be produced in such excess that
the blood becomes acidic. The body also has several buffering systems in place which react quickly to
changes in the pH of the blood. These systems are highly effective and minimize potential changes in blood
pH.
Therefore ketoacidosis is not a condition experienced by adults with normal pancreatic function and who are
otherwise healthy, even on a ketogenic diet. If this were the case we'd have a lot of dead bodybuilders and
dieters on our hands right now that have used the ketogenic diet with positive results.
HIGH CHOLESTEROL-IS THERE NEED FOR CONCERN?
The same naysayers who hoped I'd shut up a page ago before the ketoacidosis section, are now pointing a
finger and saying that with all that fat in the diet we're going to have cholesterol levels shooting through the
roof. Wrong!
First of all, if foods are chosen wisely, the source of dietary fat is given due consideration, and the person
using the ketogenic diet is also reducing calories and losing weight, I can almost 100% guarantee that
cholesterol will drop or at the worst, remain the same. Triglycerides (another factor being given weight with
respect to cardiovascular disease) will fall substantially. Good cholesterol may also go up, which is a positive
factor for reducing cardiovascular disease risk. I hope I've kept this article somewhat readable so far and
I'm not going to change course and go into the dozen or so studies which prove my point but they are
readily available for anyone wanting to do some digging.
KETOGENIC DIETING AND ATHLETES
If, by using the ketogenic diet, we've created a fat burning machine that will:
Still function perfectly fine,
Will make and preserve necessary glucose,
Will not store fat easily,
Won't raise cholesterol,
What else could there possibly be to say about the diet and why isn't everyone using it?
The first point to address is using the ketogenic diet along with weightlifting or other exercise.
While we've created a fat furnace of sorts and the body functions optimally during daily activities, muscles
need glucose and/or stored glycogen to be at their very best. This is why we must incorporate a period of
carbohydrate loading to refill or even overfill muscle glycogen stores so they have the energy needed to
function optimally. If you're not exercising this carbohydrate loading period is not necessary. But if you're
not exercising, you're also not following my recommendations for proper weight loss.
Earlier I stated that liver glycogen stores are gone in 12-36 hours after beginning the ketogenic diet. Muscle,
however, retains its stored glycogen, even after liver glycogen is gone. This is great!
With liver glycogen gone we use fatty acids and ketone bodies as fuels and muscle retains glycogen for
physical activity. One problem…
When we hammer our muscles in the gym on a daily basis, the glycogen in them also gets used up and
because our dietary carbohydrates are so low the glycogen isn't replaced to proper, maximally optimal
levels. This is where the carbohydrate loading comes in.
THE CARB LOAD
Very simply, we follow a ketogenic diet for 5 1/2 days per week and for the remaining 1 1/2 days we eat a
typical high carbohydrate diet. During the 1 1/2 days of high carbohydrate eating our muscles will
supercompensate with glycogen and while we're also causing liver glycogen to refill and insulin to be
secreted like crazy, this 36 hour period is not long enough for the body to store any appreciable fat.
What did I just say? I said you can go nuts for 36 hours a week after 5 1/2 days of watching calories and
eating a ketogenic diet, without any fear of getting fat because of it. And as an actual survivor and thrive on
this diet I can tell you that those 36 hours are absolutely great!
Eat carbs like there's no tomorrow and don't worry about calories but don't exceed 36 hours or you'll start
laying down fat like crazy.
Here's what I do when I'm on the ketogenic diet
Sunday through Friday at lunch I keep my calories at 2000 (10 times my body weight) per day. At supper
on Friday I start my carb up, right after my workout (if your workout doesn't fall on Friday don't sweat it).
I then eat a grand total of approximately 2000 additional calories above my daily goal of 2000 calories for a
total of 4000 calories on Friday.
On Saturday I consume approximately 5500 calories with carbohydrates making up approximately 60-70%
of my dietary intake.
When I wake up Sunday I go right back to the ketogenic diet.
It takes time for the body to refill the muscle with glycogen but by Sunday night or Monday morning my
muscles feel pumped and full. My best performance in the gym is between Sunday and Thursday of every
week. As I go through workout after workout between Sunday and Thursday I use up muscle glycogen. By
Friday my workouts are suffering, just in time to refill again come Friday night.
WHY DID I USE THE KETOGENIC DIET AND WHAT HAPPENED?
I started the ketogenic diet because I was bored with low fat foods. I was sick to death of them actually. I
had been eating low fat for about a year and missed the higher fat foods that I believed were totally.
I had reduced my bodyfat to 15% from 32% but I wanted to see 9%. I didn't feel I could reduce my calories
any further and stay with low fat foods so I decided to give the diet a try after speaking with a true
ketogenic diet guru, Jeffrey Krabbe, who has more knowledge of the diet than anyone I know, including
Atkins, Dipasquale, Duchaine or any other alleged low carb diet guru.
By simply reducing calories and eating more low fat foods I did reduce my bodyfat from 32% to 15% I then
used the ketogenic diet to reduce my bodyfat from 15% to the 9% you see in the photos of me.
Was it a miracle? No.
Was I able to eat as many calories as I wanted and still reduce the bodyfat? No.
Was I able to break the monotony and eat some foods I consider delicious and missed very badly? Yes.
Did I lose weight eating high fat, low carbohydrate foods? You decide.
It works ladies and gentlemen I believe it's an alternative that can be used to break up boring cycles of low
fat chicken and tuna with generous helpings of fat free this and fat free that as the mainstays.
At the time I started the ketogenic diet low fat foods were enough to make me puke.
With all of this said I will briefly state that I believe some supplements are warranted on this diet I will then
conclude with my general recommendations and guidelines for anyone wanting to follow the ketogenic diet.
SUPPLEMENTS
A basic multivitamin and mineral supplement is warranted due to the lack of breads. cereals, grains, fruits
and some vegetables for 5 1/2 days per week.
I also recommend Fibersol by Twinlab because of the lack of dietary fiber that low carbohydrate foods
possess.
Fibersol is a carbohydrate-free soluble fiber Even if you want to forget all the healthy benefits of a high fiber
diet, at
least know that it may be very unhealthy and unpleasant to not have at least one bowel movement per day.
If you
don't supplement with fiber you may not have a movement for 3-4 days. That's way too long.
During the week I used Designer Protein as a midmorning, midafternoon or bedtime snack
I never took more than two protein shakes per day. They were only a sweet snack I craved and as you can
see from the dietary list I used, protein intake was not a problem. That's also a benefit for weightlifters
using this die. Protein intake is naturally, very high.
I used a product like Xenadrine for a preworkout energy boost.
I supplemented each of my protein shakes with 1.3 grams of evening primrose oil, and 500 mg of fish oil.
What a great source of essential fatty acids! They're polyunsaturated too.
Although not a supplement, I cannot suggest or recommend highly enough, that you consume at least 1
gallon of water every day. That's plain old water. Not pop or coffee. With a higher protein intake and
because ketone bodies act as a natural diuretic, you'll urinate more. This can cause mild states of
dehydration that could cause some not-so-mild performance problems in the gym if you don't replace the
water lost.
Ketostix were purchased to monitor urinary Ketone levels and to determine when ketosis was established
each week (must be purchased at a drug store, usually at the pharmacy counter). Ketostix measure some
Ketone bodies in the urine.
Presence of ketone bodies in the urine indicates fat is being utilized as the major fuel source while following
the ketogenic diet. Check it at different times of the day. You may not show ketones at all times.
All you want to see is a trace, very light purple. It's not a matter of the darker the better. Read the
directions with the package.
SUGGESTIONS
Don't whine and complain about the restrictiveness of the diet. It's only temporary and like anything worth
having, will only work with fortitude and dedication.
Eat about 8-10 times your body weight in total calories per day.
Exercise vigorously for at least 3 times per week
WHO MIGHT USE THIS DIET?
Dieting bodybuilders in precontest dieting phases. up to 12 weeks in duration.
Strength phase athletes who want to incorporate more meat and potentially more testosterone production
without a weight gain for maintenance of lean mass and strength while dieting.
Type II diabetics (non-insulin dependent) with medical supervision.
Anyone who is otherwise healthy, but overweight, and not happy with the mirror may try this diet for 12
weeks but after giving the diet a 12-week run should eventually bring at least 100-200 grams of
carbohydrates back into the daily diet.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Initially expect a feeling of mental unclarity for a few days. Not serious, but noticeable. This is normally only
experienced during the first few days of the first week only.
Expect a feeling of less energy for the first week (during adaptation) but some may experience no less
energy or an increase in energy.
Expect carbohydrate cravings like crazy for the first three weeks. You will raid the cupboards come Friday
night and all day Saturday during carb up.
After three weeks, however, my cravings were very much reduced and I could have taken them or left
them. I took them for my muscles' sake.
Expect great workouts after a week or two of adjustment, for the days of Sunday through Thursday Expect
not so great workouts on Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon Glycogen is depleted in the muscle
by then and hasn't had time to replenish yet
Expect to urinate more frequently
Expect a weight fluctuation of between 3 and 10 pounds per week due to water loss. Every molecule of
glycogen has 4 molecules of water attached to it. As you lose glycogen from the liver and muscle during the
week you will see a weight loss but it's not primarily fat.
Expect a weight gain by Sunday or Monday. During your first week or two you may even be heavier on
these days than when you started. This is due to glycogen supercompensation occurring within the muscle.
You will literally store up to 50% more glycogen than normal. Remember the glycogen-water issue
Expect your friends and family to whine and snivel about your new diet and tell you how you're an idiot and
are going to die from it. Most have never heard the word "ketone", much less spell it
Expect any one you know, in the medical field, to shun it.
Condemn it and repeat what your friends said. They've forgotten biochemistry and think that everyone will
end up like a type I diabetic. Ask them for studies, which showed a ketogenic diet raised cholesterol or was
shown to be unhealthy in humans. They'll talk plenty about typical unhealthy diets where carbohydrates
AND fats are high but not about diets where carbohydrates are kept at 5% of dietary intake. Don't miss this
distinction.
Expect it will take no less effort then any other diet where weight loss is the goal. It's not easy. It's simply
an alternative that works.
Expect that you will have to monitor calories for success, as all successful weight loss plans require.
There are over one million questions left unanswered in this article but you now have the basic tools to
decide if the diet is for you or not.
In the meantime please write me if you have any questions specific to your individual needs I've done 4
cycles of the ketogenic diet at between 8 and 12 weeks each time. It's always a nice break from the SOS
TYPICAL WEIGHT LOSS RECORD FOR 8 WEEKS
(A FEMALE SHOULD EXPECT LESS OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONDAY AND FRIDAY A FEMALE GENERALLY
HAS LESS MUSCLE AND THEREFORE, LESS MUSCLE GLYCOGEN AND WATER TO LOSE)
Week 1 Monday 200 pounds - Friday 194 pounds
Week 2 Monday 202 pounds - Friday 193 pounds
Week 3 Monday 199 pounds - Friday 192 pounds
Week 4 Monday 197 pounds - Friday 190 pounds
Week 5 Monday 195 pounds - Friday 188 pounds
Week 6 Monday 193 pounds - Friday 186 pounds
Week 7 Monday 192 pounds - Friday 185 pounds
Week 8 Monday 191 pounds - Friday 184 pounds
58 of the Most Common Foods I ate on the Diet
Dairy Products
Whole eggs
Egg Whites
Egg Beaters
Chicken Breast
Turkey Smoked Sausage
Ground Turkey Burgers
Velveeta Cheese
Cheese (Cheddar & Salami)
Cheese (Premium processed slices)
Cottage Cheese
Pork products
Bacon (Thick)
Spam
Pork Sausage
Brat Wurst
Pork Chops (pan fried)
Ham
Fish products
Tuna
Salmon (Pink. Canned)
Condiments
Real Mayonnaise
Miracle Whip
Mustard
Beef products
Braunschweiger
Beef (Hamburger)
Salisbury Steak
Roast
Steak (any kind)
Vegetables
Broccoli
Sauerkraut
Other mixed vegetables (check frozen section at grocery)
Cut Green Beans
Snacks
Sugar Free Jello
Protein drinks
Protos Ostrich Meat
Half of a Worldwide Pure Protein Bar
Cooking and Essential Fatty Acids
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Barlean's Organic Flax/Bor (Don't cook with Barlean's oils)
Butter
Fast Foods
KFC Tender Roast (2 breasts with skin)
McDonalds Double Quarter (No bread)
Burger King Double Whopper (No bread)
Subway Grilled Chicken & Tuna Salad (2 scoops of tuna plus 1
chicken breast topping a lettuce salad with a few pickles, a few black olives and vinegar & oil dressing)
Any Fast Food Egg & Bacon or Sausage Breakfast (No bread)
Hot Dogs (no bread)
Beef bologna
Other garnishes
Olives
Pickles
Dressings
Italian Dressing
Blue Cheese Dressing
Thousand Island Dressing
Kraft Bacon & Tomato
Part 4
http://books.google.com/books?id=JtCZBe2XVIC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=ketogenic+diet+carb+load&source=bl&ots=dMMJ98zUCD&si
g=vgzpRfHdek6YfilRylzZSh1N4Vc#PPA143,M1
http://books.google.com/books?id=JtCZBe2XVIC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=ketogenic+diet+carb+load&source=bl&ots=dMMJ98zUCD&si
g=vgzpRfHdek6YfilRylzZSh1N4Vc#PPA11,M1