Keto Diet

by Rami Abrams and Vicky Abrams

Keto Diet For Dummies®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019943091

ISBN 978-1-119-57892-5 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-57893-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-57940-3 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Part 1: Getting Started with the Keto Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5CHAPTER 1: BrushingUponthe Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7CHAPTER 2: WeighingtheProsandConsoftheKetoDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21CHAPTER 3: UnderstandingWhatHappenstoYourBodyin Ketosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39CHAPTER 4: GettingtoKnowYour Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Part 2: Doing the Keto Diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61CHAPTER 5: StockingUponKeto-Friendly Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63CHAPTER 6: CheckingOutYourBeverageOptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93CHAPTER 7: AchievingKetosisStepbyStep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111CHAPTER 8: MakingSureYou’reGettingtheNutritionYouNeed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129CHAPTER 9: EatingOutandLovingIt! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Part 3: Overcoming Obstacles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153CHAPTER 10:DealingwithUndesirableSideEffects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155CHAPTER 11:AlleviatingAnySocialPressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

Part 4: Maximizing the Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185CHAPTER 12:Fasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187CHAPTER 13:MaintainingaFitnessRoutine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Part 5: Keto Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243CHAPTER 14:Breakfast:StartingYourDaytheKetoWay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245CHAPTER 15:KetoLunches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255CHAPTER 16:KetoDinners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265CHAPTER 17:Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275CHAPTER 18:AppetizersandSnacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283CHAPTER 19:One-PotWonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291CHAPTER 20:Desserts:HavingYourSweetsandEatingThem,Too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

Part 6: The Part of Tens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315CHAPTER 21:TenBenefitsofBeinginKetosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317CHAPTER 22:TenSourcesofHealthyFats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321CHAPTER 23:TenKetoResources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325

Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333

Keto Diet

Recipes at a GlanceBreakfastsAvocadoCloudToast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248BlueberryAlmondPancakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

BreakfastTacowithCheesyShells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250ChocolateChipWaffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249GoatCheeseFrittata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253MiniBakedQuiches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252StrawberriesandCreamShake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251SweetRaspberryPorridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

Appetizers and SnacksCheeseChipsandGuacamole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285CrispyBakedOnionRings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289MiniCapreseSkewers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288PestoBreadStrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286ZucchiniChipswithRanchDip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287

SoupsButternutSquashSoup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293HeartyVegetableSoup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298One-PotCreamyCauliflowerChowder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297

SaladsChicken-AvocadoSalad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256LemonKaleSalad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262

LoadedCobbSalad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Main CoursesCashewChickenStir-Fry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259CheeseburgerCrepes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257Chicken-AvocadoSalad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256CreamyShrimpandVegetableCurry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260CrispyBaconChickenandGarlicSpinach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294Extra-CrispyChickenThighs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270LoadedBeefandBroccoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271MarinaraPoachedCod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273MeatballMarinaraBake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258MeatySkilletLasagnawithZucchiniNoodles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299MediterraneanLambBurgers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272Pan-FriedPorkChopswithMushroomGravy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296Pan-SearedPorkChopswithApple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269

ParmesanMeatballswithZoodles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267ChickenPizzaCasserole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263SalmonwithAvocadoLimePuree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268SausageandSlawSkillet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295SoyGlazedChicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274SteakTenderloinwithCrispyKale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292

Side DishesButteryGarlicMushrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281CauliflowerMashwithBrownedButter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278CheesyBakedAsparagus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282

CreamyColeslaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277CurryStir-FriedCabbage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279GreenBeansandLemonCreamSauce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280Oven-RoastedBrusselsSproutswithParmesan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276

DessertsAlmondFudgeBrownies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .312AvocadoChocolateMousse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311BananaAlmondMuffins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .309BananaPudding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .313CreamyCookieDoughMousse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305EasyCinnamonMugCake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .304KeyLimePannaCotta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308LemonJell-OCake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307MintChocolateChipIceCream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310PumpkinPudding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .306StrawberriesandCreamPancakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303

Table of Contents vii

Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

AboutThisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2FoolishAssumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3IconsUsedinThisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3BeyondtheBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4WheretoGofromHere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

PART 1: GETTING STARTED WITH THE KETO DIET . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CHAPTER 1: Brushing Up on the Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7UnderstandingWhattheKetoDietIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Standardketogenicdiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Targetedketogenicdiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Cyclicalketogenicdiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11High-proteinketogenicdiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

DecidingWhethertheKetoDietIsRightforYou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Youwanttoloseweightfastandkeepitoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13You’renotafraidofalittlecommitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Youwanttodecreaseyourriskofdiabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14You’retiredoffeelingrundownand sluggish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Youwanttogethealthyandstaythatwayforalongtime . . . . . . .14

FlippingtheSwitchonYourMetabolism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Consumingtherightratioofmacronutrients:Fat, protein,andcarbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Knowingwhenyou’veenteredastateofketosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Knowingwhentostop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

ClearingCommonHurdles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Dietaryrestrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Carbcravings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Unpleasantsideeffects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Socialpressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

CHAPTER 2: Weighing the Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet . . . . . . 21TheNumerousBenefitsofaKetoDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Weightloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Improvedbodycomposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Increasedenergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Improvedmentalfocus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Bettersleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Stabilizedbloodsugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Healthiercholesterollevels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

viii Keto Diet For Dummies

Reducedbloodpressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Reducedacne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Lessinflammation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Healthbenefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

PotentialDrawbacksoftheKetoDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Ketoflu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Ketobreath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Ketoacidosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35Nutritionaldeficiencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

TheLowdownonFatandCholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Identifyingtherealvillains:Sugarandprocessedfoods . . . . . . . . .37Takingtheblameoffdietaryfat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37Exposingthetruthaboutcholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

CHAPTER 3: Understanding What Happens to Your Body in Ketosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39ExploringYourBody’sFlex-FuelSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Burningcarbs:Glycolysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40Burningfat:Ketosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41Burningprotein:Gluconeogenesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

FollowingtheEnergyFlowalongthe MetabolicPathways . . . . . . . . . .43Whenfoodisavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43Whenthebodyisinfastingmode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Whenthebodyisinstarvationmode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

AnticipatingChangesinHowYou’llFeel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Short-termchanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Long-termchanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

TestingtoSeeifYou’reinKetosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Urinalysistesting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Bloodtesting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

CHAPTER 4: Getting to Know Your Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51LoadingUponHealthyFats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Healthyfats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Lesshealthyfats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54Unhealthyfats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

ConsumingModerateAmountsofProtein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58CuttingUnnecessaryCarbConsumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

PART 2: DOING THE KETO DIET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

CHAPTER 5: Stocking Up on Keto-Friendly Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63OutwiththeOld:ClearingOutYourCarb-HeavyStock . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Riddingyourshelvesofsugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65Ditchingfloursandgrains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68Eliminatingstarchyvegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

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Tossinghigh-glycemicfruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Purgingallprocessedfoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

InwiththeNew:HealthyFats,Proteins, andCarbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73Sayinghellotohealthyfats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Stockinguponhealthyproteins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Optingforhealthiercarbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Scopingouthealthiersweeteners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87Shoppingforpre-fabketoproducts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

CHAPTER 6: Checking Out Your Beverage Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93MakingWaterYourGo-ToBeverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Calculatingyourwaterintake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94Flavoringyourwaterwithfruitsandherbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94Addingano-orlow-caloriewaterenhancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96Addingelectrolytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

OptingforCoffeeorTea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Checkingoutyourcoffeechoices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Consideringyourteaselections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

FindingaSuitableMilkReplacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102ConsideringAlternativestoFruitJuiceandSoda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Avoidingdietsodas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105Shoppingforketo-friendlyenergydrinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

DrinkingAlcoholontheKetoDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Leaningtowardthelow-carboptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Avoidingthehigh-carboptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109Choosingachaser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

CHAPTER 7: Achieving Ketosis Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111PersonalizingYourKetoGoals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Settingyourweightgoals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Targetingspecifichealthconditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115Preventingfuturehealthproblems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

CalculatingYourMacroTargets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118Totalcalories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119Fatgrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122Proteingrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123Carbgrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

PlanningandPreparingMeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124SnackingwithoutBlowingYourDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Snackinginmoderation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Keepingthecarbsatbay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

ReplenishingLostFluidsandElectrolytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127Drinkingplentyofwater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127Restoringyourelectrolytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

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CHAPTER 8: Making Sure You’re Getting the Nutrition You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129CountingNetCarbs,NotTotalCarbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130CurbingYourProteinIntake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130GoingFullFat,SkippingLow-Fat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132ReplenishingYourElectrolytes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133AddingHealthyOilstoYourDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133GettingEnoughFiber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

CHAPTER 9: Eating Out and Loving It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139ChoosingKeto-FriendlyRestaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Steakhousesandbarbeque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Buffets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141Seafood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141Mediterranean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142Japanese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143Chinese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

SteeringClearofCarbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144LoadingUponFatsandProteins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146MakingSpecialRequests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147OrderingKetobyMeal:AFewSuggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

OptingforaLow-SugarBeverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150DiningattheHomesofRelativesorFriends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Communicatingyourpreferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151Bringingyourownbeverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

PART 3: OVERCOMING OBSTACLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

CHAPTER 10: Dealing with Undesirable Side Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155GettingOvertheHump:TheKetoFlu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155WatchingforSignsofKetoacidosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158AddressingMoreSpecificSideEffects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

Cramps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159Constipation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160Diarrhea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161Heartpalpitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162Ketobreath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163Reducedstrengthorendurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164Hairloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165Highcholesterol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166Gallstones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168Indigestion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169Rashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

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CHAPTER 11: Alleviating Any Social Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173StayingFocused . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174LettingYourSocialCircleinonYourJourney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178TalkingwithYourDoctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181

PART 4: MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185

CHAPTER 12: Fasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187RecognizingtheBenefitsofFasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Acceleratingfatloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188Boostingmusclegain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190Acceleratingrecoveryandrepair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192Improvingskintone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193Slowingtheagingprocess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194Improvingbrainfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195Reducinginflammation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197Detoxingcells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

SamplingDifferentFastingMethods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200The16-hourfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200Onemealaday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2015-2regimen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202Alternate-dayfasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

ReducingtheDownsideofFastingwiththeKetoDiet . . . . . . . . . . . . .203Gettingyourmindright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203Startingslowandbuildingyourfastingmuscle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204Stayingactive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204Maintaininghealthyketochanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204Stayinghydrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

CHAPTER 13: Maintaining a Fitness Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207AnticipatingtheImpactoftheKetoDietonExercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208

Exercisingwhiletransitioningintoketo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208Exercisingwhenyou’veadaptedtoketo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209Exercisingwhileintermittentfasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

AdjustingYourMacrostoAccommodate Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216Optimizingmusclegain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216Optimizingfatloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220Adjustingforendurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221

ChoosingtheRightStyleofKetoforYourUniqueGoals . . . . . . . . . . .221Followingthestandardketogenicdiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222Followingahigh-proteinketogenicdiettobuildmusclemass . . .222Followingatargetedketogenicdiettobuildworkout progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223Usingacyclicalketogenicdietforyourendurancegoals . . . . . . .224

xii Keto Diet For Dummies

AdaptingYourExerciseRoutine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228Anaerobicexercise:High-intensityintervaltraining andresistancetraining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228Aerobicexercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229Balanceorstability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230Flexibilityorstretching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231Bonusworkoutstoreachyourgoals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233

ConsideringSupplementsThatMayHelp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236Low-carbproteinsupplements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236Creatine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239MCToil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240Ketones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240Othersupplementsforoverallhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

PART 5: KETO RECIPES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

CHAPTER 14: Breakfast: Starting Your Day the Keto Way . . . . . . . . 245

CHAPTER 15: Keto Lunches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

CHAPTER 16: Keto Dinners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

CHAPTER 17: Sides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

CHAPTER 18: Appetizers and Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

CHAPTER 19: One-Pot Wonders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

CHAPTER 20: Desserts: Having Your Sweets and Eating Them, Too . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

PART 6: THE PART OF TENS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

CHAPTER 21: Ten Benefits of Being in Ketosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317Jump-StartingWeightLoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317StabilizingBloodSugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317IncreasingEnergy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318LoweringCholesterolLevels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318LoweringBloodPressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .318GettingBetterSleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319EliminatingCravings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319LookingYourBest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319LiftingYourMood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319StoppingInflammationinItsTracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320

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CHAPTER 22: Ten Sources of Healthy Fats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Avocado/AvocadoOil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .321Ghee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322CoconutOil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322OliveOil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322Almonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323Grass-FedBeef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323Medium-ChainTriglycerideOils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323FattyFish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324HempSeeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324NutButters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324

CHAPTER 23: Ten Keto Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325DietDoctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325TotalKetoDietApp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326HealthlineNutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326Tasteaholics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326PeterAttia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327Mark’sDailyApple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327KetoConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327Reddit’s/r/ketoSubreddit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327KetoMacroCalculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328FacebookKetoandLow-CarbGroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .328

APPENDIX: METRIC CONVERSION GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329

INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333

Introduction 1

Introduction

Are you interested in dropping a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time? Tired of crash diets that restrict your calories to near-starvation levels, only to have the weight rush back with a vengeance

when you return to eating normally? Has your doctor told you to lower your cho-lesterol or watch your blood sugar? It may surprise you to know that you can achieve all your weight loss goals by changing what and how you eat. The stan-dard American diet (appropriately abbreviated as SAD) is based around consuming extremely high levels of carbohydrates and minimizing the amount of fat you ingest. Although it’s certainly possible to live this way, as humans have been doing since the agricultural revolution, it isn’t actually the best way to live. A much better approach to eating focuses on low amounts of carbohydrates and high levels of fat — this approach is known as the ketogenic diet (or keto for short).

With all these advantages that have been repeatedly validated by peer-reviewed scientific studies, you may wonder why anyone would ever say anything negative about keto. Unfortunately, there is some reason for criticism. The primary issue most people have with the diet is more psychological than anything: Humans seem almost predisposed to look for “miracle cures,” “superfoods,” and anything else that seems too good to be true. As the saying goes, anything that seems too good to be true probably is. Keto isn’t magic. It is, however, a completely natural metabolic process that’s been ignored for most of civilized human history — not because carbohydrates are better for us, but because of how easily accessible they’ve been. Our society has become a chronic over-consumer of carbs and a systemic under-consumer of fats, leading to medical conditions that are simply the inevitable result of an imbalanced way of eating. Keto corrects this and does so in such a drastic manner that it can seem miraculous at times. If anything, however, these rapid and seemingly overwhelming benefits are more indicative of how imbalanced our eat-ing patterns have become than they are of the “miracle” of keto.

Another legitimate source of criticism revolves around people who are always looking for a quick fix for anything. We guarantee that you interact with individu-als like this regularly — people who constantly have the right answer, who can tell you one quick fix to completely resolve any problem area in your life, and who seem to oversimplify virtually everything. It’s an unfortunate reality that many people with this mind-set have jumped on the keto bandwagon, and the diet has garnered a lot of negative attention as a result. However, it’s important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater — just because some low-carb advocates

2 Keto Diet For Dummies

have the wrong mind-set toward the diet doesn’t mean that this nutritional approach is without merit.

We freely acknowledge that “crash” or “fad” diets are unhealthy. Even if they seem to work in the short term, that weight always comes roaring back with a vengeance the moment you resume normal eating patterns. We’re huge advocates of maintaining a healthy lifestyle that’s nutritious, delicious, and comfortable. For us, keto isn’t a short-term quick fix for anything — it’s the way we live, and you couldn’t pay us to go back.

Weight loss is the most high-profile benefit of keto, particularly in today’s environment of unhealthy eating and equally unrealistic body image expectations. However, it isn’t the primary reason we’ve adhered to a ketogenic lifestyle for years. When you maintain a diet that’s filled with healthy, satiating fats, your energy levels and mental clarity remain steady and unobstructed throughout the day. Our focus is sharper, we don’t experience the highs and lows of blood sugar spikes, and it’s been years since we felt “hangry.”

What you won’t find in this book is an encouragement to change your eating habits for a short period to experience rapid weight loss. Although it’s common for people on keto to burn through fat rapidly, this isn’t a crash diet you should go on for two weeks before a wedding, and then transition right back to high-carb eating. We highly recommend that you consider making a lifestyle change to a much healthier diet that has numerous proven benefits. You don’t need to decide to do keto forever at this point, but we’d be surprised if you aren’t strongly considering it after a month on healthy fats — you’ll look and feel that good.

About This BookWe’ve written this book so you can find information quickly and easily. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of the ketogenic diet and outlines how to make the transition, accentuating benefits or minimizing downsides, and structuring your diet and lifestyle to create your best “you.” There are quite a few specific details and practical tips, but you don’t have to read the book from front to back. Feel free to skip around, browse the sections that you find interesting, and just follow where your questions take you.

Reading this entire book isn’t necessary to experience a successful keto journey. We’ve designed it as a resource you can refer to continually. Make notes in the margins, jot down additional resources or recipe adjustments, and highlight information you find most applicable to your unique situation. In short, make this book a reflection of your ketogenic exploration, and customize it to fit you!

Introduction 3

Throughout the book you’ll notice text marked by the Technical Stuff icon, as well as sidebars (text in gray boxes). If you’re short on time, you can skip both of these kinds of text — they’re interesting, but not essential to understanding the topic at hand.

Finally, within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

Foolish AssumptionsAs we wrote this book, we made the following assumptions about you:

» You want to change your diet, lose weight, improve your fitness, or manage some type of medical condition.

» You have control over your and your family’s food choices, and you want to encourage your family to enjoy a healthy, low-carb lifestyle.

» You want to minimize processed and unhealthy junk foods and maximize wholesome food choices to feel younger, healthier, and happier.

» You’re interested in learning how food choices affect you physically and mentally, but you don’t want to get bogged down in all the scientific jargon. You want a summary of what you need to know in plain English.

» You’re open to the idea of making lifestyle changes — avoiding certain foods, making sleep a priority, adopting a fitness program — to enhance your quality of life.

Icons Used in This BookThroughout this book, we use icons (little pictures in the margin) to draw your attention to certain kinds of information. Here are the icons we use, and what they mean:

Whenever you see the Tip icon, you can be sure to find a nugget of information that will make your life on keto easier in some way, big or small.

4 Keto Diet For Dummies

This book is a reference, which means you don’t have to commit it to memory and there won’t be a test on Friday. However, sometimes we do tell you something that’s so important that you’ll want to file it away for future use, and when we do, we mark that information with the Remember icon.

When you see the Warning icon, beware! We’re letting you know about a pitfall or danger that you’ll want to avoid.

Sometimes we wade into the weeds and tell you something super-technical or scientific. This is the kind of stuff we thrive on, but if you’re not as geeky as we are, you can skip this without missing anything essential.

Finally, we use a little tomato icon ( ) to highlight vegetarian recipes in the Reci-pes in This Chapter lists, as well as in the Recipes at a Glance at the front of this book.

Beyond the BookIn addition to the book you have in your hand, you can access some helpful extra content online. Check out the free Cheat Sheet Keto Diet For Dummies. You can access it by going to www.dummies.com and entering Keto Diet For Dummies in the Search box.

Where to Go from HereYou can read this book from beginning to end, or you can use the table of contents and index to locate the topics you’re most interested in right now. If you’re not sure where to start, you can’t go wrong with Chapter 1. If you’d rather start cook-ing, head to Part 5, or use the Recipes at a Glance at the start of the book to find the kind of recipe you’re looking for, from appetizers to desserts. If you’re curious about fasting, Chapter 12 is for you. And if you’d just like a quick reminder of ten great benefits of being in ketosis, head to Chapter 21. Wherever you start, we hope the keto diet is as rewarding for you as it is for us!

1Getting Started with the Keto Diet

IN THIS PART . . .

Get acquainted with the foundations of keto.

Identify the positives and negatives of low-carb living.

Understand the science behind the keto diet.

Discover the keto building blocks.

CHAPTER 1 Brushing Up on the Basics 7

Chapter 1Brushing Up on the Basics

Keto has become quite popular over the past several years, but what do you really know about this seemingly trendy dietary lifestyle? Is keto truly worth the hype, and is it really a healthy way to lose weight? We’re here to

help you figure out if keto is right for you and the basic steps of following a keto lifestyle safely and effectively. In this chapter, we cover the nuts and bolts of the keto lifestyle and get you ready to go, with a clear sense of the benefits of making a keto choice.

Understanding What the Keto Diet IsThe ketogenic diet (or keto diet for short) is an exceptionally well-researched and proven method to start working with your body, rather than against it, to improve your health. Following the basic rules of the keto lifestyle can help you

» Feel more energized.

» Lose weight faster.

» Improve the health of your heart.

» Sharpen your mental focus.

IN THIS CHAPTER

» Getting acquainted with keto

» Pondering whether you and keto are a good match

» Getting to ketosis

» Staying positive

8 PART 1 Getting Started with the Keto Diet

In addition to these benefits, there are a host of other long-term benefits that will leave you jumping for joy. Though it’s become popular recently, the keto diet has been used for almost a hundred years to heal and prevent disease — that’s a long track record of benefits.

In a nutshell, the keto diet is

» High fat

» Moderate protein

» Very low carbohydrate

Having grains and carbohydrates form the basis of every meal may seem like contemporary wisdom, but for most of human history, this wasn’t the case. Processed and easily digested carbohydrates fuel weight gain and unhealthy spikes in blood sugar with each bite; over the course of a lifetime, this destroys your health.

The keto diet puts your body into ketosis, a process where you use fats, rather than sugars from carbohydrates, to fuel your body. On the keto diet, you learn to turn nutritional powerhouses — fats — into the basis of your meals.

In this chapter, and again in Chapter  3, we allay the fears that are commonly encountered when we talk about eating fat. The truth is that fat really isn’t to blame for the increasingly common problems of obesity and being overweight that you always hear about. Fat is actually very good for you, keeps you feeling fuller longer, helps you lose weight, and improves your health over the long term.

There are a lot of misconceptions about nutrition in general, and the keto diet in particular. In this book, we wade through the incessant chatter about what you should and shouldn’t eat to get to the meat of it all (pun intended). The keto lifestyle is much more than the “bacon wrapped in cheese” memes will have you believe — although you can eat cheese and bacon. It won’t wreak havoc on your heart or blood vessels, nor will it increase your cholesterol levels if you follow a whole-food-based keto lifestyle.

Despite what many of us have been told for decades, we don’t need to eat many carbohydrates as part of a healthy lifestyle. Instead, eating a range of whole keto foods can be the key to healthy living. Keto is a flexible and adventurous lifestyle that isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan; there are several different varieties to fit with your lifestyle and goals.

In the following sections, we look at the various options available, how they’re different, and what each has to offer.

CHAPTER 1 Brushing Up on the Basics 9

THE HISTORY OF KETOThe ketogenic diet has been around in one form or another for thousands of years; in fact, the first mention of this way of eating was found in Greek medical texts from 400 b.c. The diet was formally created and named a century ago by medical doctors who were seeking an innovative way to treat epilepsy in children. It was very successful, although the medical community didn’t completely understand how it worked — they simply knew that consuming a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet drastically reduced, and occasionally even eliminated, the number of seizures epileptic patients experienced.

The diet became less popular in the 1930s and 1940s as antiseizure drugs were invented. The primary selling point for these medications was their convenience, not necessarily their effectiveness. Keto is still so effective that it’s nearly always what doctors turn to in cases of intractable epilepsy, a version of the condition that is unaf-fected by medication. In these cases, keto nearly always works. The primary objection to the diet, and why it fell out of favor in the 1930s and 1940s, is that it requires quite a bit of dedication and discipline to cook in a way that’s completely different from the way the rest of society approaches food. The benefits are undeniable, but it does take effort — and if you can treat epilepsy by simply popping a pill, that’s a much more convenient approach than totally revamping your diet. For the approximately 30 percent of epileptic patients for whom medication has no effect, however, keto offers much-needed relief.

Between the 1940s and the 1990s, the ketogenic diet fell into some level of obscurity. It was still used in the medical community, but sparingly, and it didn’t generate a tremen-dous amount of discussion. That changed in the mid-1990s when Hollywood director Jim Abrahams discovered the diet as he desperately searched for treatments that would help his epileptic son. The Abrahams found keto to be so effective that Jim created the Charlie Foundation, named after his child, to bring the eating approach back as a main-stream treatment. Abrahams’s efforts marked a resurgence of interest in ketosis, and over the next several decades, thousands of studies were conducted on the ketogenic diet by the medical and scientific community.

As the diet’s resurgence continued, people began to notice that it had uses beyond preventing seizures. In the early 1900s, the prevalence of diabetes was roughly 3 in 100,000; a hundred years later, however, nearly 1 in 10 Americans are diabetic or predi-abetic. Those who began trying ketosis were shocked by the results: Not only did it help more than 90 percent of type 2 diabetics reduce their medication, but more than half of type 2 diabetics who stuck with the low-carb, high-fat lifestyle experienced such an incredible reduction in their HbA1C levels (the primary marker of diabetes) that their condition was effectively reversed!

(continued)

10 PART 1 Getting Started with the Keto Diet

Standard ketogenic dietThe standard ketogenic diet is the basic version of the keto diet. It’s been around the longest and has the most evidence and research behind it. If you’re thinking about keto, you need to be very familiar with the standard ketogenic diet. It clearly breaks down the sources of your daily calorie intake, as follows:

» Fat: 70 percent

» Protein: 25 percent

» Carbohydrates: 5 percent

Historically, on this diet, you’ll generally eat about 25 grams of carbohydrates per day. However, we live in more flexible times, and some people eat as much as 50 grams per day. That’s okay, because most people stay in ketosis on 50 grams of carbs a day, so they don’t need to limit their carbs anymore. Over time, you’ll figure out what works best for you.

The diabetic community reacted with understandable excitement, and people began to notice other effects. Individuals who stayed on the ketogenic diet watched excess pounds melt away, and they naturally assumed a healthy body weight, regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity — it didn’t even seem to matter if someone exercised or not. Keto was conducive to maintaining ideal body fat percentages.

Weight loss is a multibillion-dollar industry, so this discovery spurred a tremendous amount of interest. New research began to discover that this way of eating lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the bad kind) and raised high-density lipopro-tein (HDL) cholesterol (the good kind), which completely shocked the diet community of the 1990s. Women who suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experienced a reduction in symptoms, and studies confirmed that aspiring mothers who struggled with fertility issues had statistically significant improved rates of conception while eating low-carb.

Stories of people beating cancer with keto began to surface, and, as you can imagine, this generated quite the buzz in the medical community. Studies found that keto wasn’t a cure for cancer, but it did have several remarkable effects. The first was that many cancerous tumors feed almost exclusively on glucose but can’t be fueled by ketones; when patients transitioned to a different way of eating, even some aggressive forms of cancer stopped growing, giving traditional medical treatments more time to work. Studies also confirmed that a ketogenic lifestyle made tumors more sensitive to radia-tion and chemotherapy — not only did the diet give the medical community more time to work, but it actually assisted their efforts.

(continued)

CHAPTER 1 Brushing Up on the Basics 11

The amount of daily carbs is, at most, only a fifth of what many Americans eat. On the standard American diet, you get about 30 percent of calories from fat, 20 percent from protein, and 50 percent (or more) from carbohydrates. That means most Americans are eating about 250 grams of carbs or more per day. As you can imag-ine, making such a radical change from a carb-based diet to a fat-based one will have a massive impact on your health and energy levels.

On the standard ketogenic diet, the ratio is 70:25:5 in terms of calories coming from fat, protein, and carbs. You should aim for 30 grams of carbs or fewer in a day.

Targeted ketogenic dietThe targeted ketogenic diet is geared toward athletes. It’s a slightly more flexible version of the keto diet because it allows you to eat more carbs around the time of your intense workouts. When you’re burning a lot of calories, the carbs you eat are consumed as fuel immediately, so your body doesn’t get “kicked out” of ketosis in the long term. As soon as you use up all the carbs during your workout, your body goes back to fat burning because there aren’t carbs left around when you’re more sedentary.

This choice is good for very active people who are exercising at high levels regu-larly (for hours, not minutes) or training for an intense athletic challenge that requires a lot of energy, like a marathon. Regardless, this is not a free pass to eat as many carbohydrates as you would on a high-carb diet. You should consume about 20 or 25 grams of easily digestible carbs approximately 30 to 45 minutes before you exercise. After exercising, you’ll go back to the regular keto diet. Keep in mind the total number of calories (including your pre-workout carbs) when coming up with your daily energy intake.

It’s critical that you only eat enough carbs to fuel your workout, so your body goes back to burning fats when you’re done exercising. Generally, you should be well adjusted to the standard ketogenic diet for a couple months at least before you switch to this targeted version.

Cyclical ketogenic dietThe cyclical ketogenic diet is another more flexible keto option for highly trained athletes. We’re upping the playing field here — this is the ultramarathon runner or the professional athlete, not the weekend warrior. These athletes may increase their carb intake for a short time to “fuel” themselves for the high level of perfor-mance they’re about to commit to. The increase may be for a couple of days before a major training event — and the amount of carbs they consume is in line with the

12 PART 1 Getting Started with the Keto Diet

amount of physical activity they’re facing. Then they go back to the standard ketogenic diet after the major event is over. Although they may be out of ketosis during these “cheat days,” their high level of performance ensures that they’re still in the low-carb range because they’re burning so many more calories than usual.

Another group of people who follow the cyclical ketogenic diet are those who have a hard time sticking to the standard ketogenic diet and choose to have cheat days once in a while. This may involve going keto five days a week, with the weekends reserved for “cheat days.” For those who eat carbs on the weekend, or can’t stick to the standard ketogenic diet because of social pressures, it’s important not to go on carb-binging cycles. It’s quite a shift for the body to go from ketosis to high-carb so rapidly. Instead, increase your carbs to a “low-carb diet,” in the range of 150 to 200 grams on your cheat days. You won’t be in ketosis on those days — and it may take a while for your body to go back to ketosis even on your regular stan-dard ketogenic diet days — but at least you’ll still have the benefits of cutting back on carbs.

The cyclical ketogenic diet may be helpful for athletes and those who find it diffi-cult to commit to the keto lifestyle. Keto is very flexible and can work with any lifestyle, as long as you make a commitment to health.

High-protein ketogenic dietIn the high-protein ketogenic diet, you increase the percent of calories from pro-tein. Commonly, this breaks down as follows:

» Fat: 60 percent

» Protein: 35 percent

» Carbohydrate: 5 percent

This option is best for people who are concerned about losing muscle or even want to bulk up, like bodybuilders or individuals who have very low lean body muscle mass. Generally, keto is a muscle neutral diet (you don’t gain or lose it), so adding protein is a great choice for those who want to gain muscle. In this diet, you’re still in ketosis, but you don’t necessarily have as high a level of ketones as some-one on the standard ketogenic diet. It’s hard, but possible, to get kicked out of ketosis if you go higher than the recommended 35 percent of calories from pro-tein. It’s also important on this type of keto diet to remember to eat a range of protein foods that are healthy and nutritious.

CHAPTER 1 Brushing Up on the Basics 13

Deciding Whether the Keto Diet Is Right for You

Still unsure if the keto diet is right for you? In addition to the four options we just looked at, the keto lifestyle can be adapted to fit almost everyone’s needs — from the person seeking to jump-start weight loss to the person concerned about risk of diabetes. It does take a can-do attitude and commitment because you’ll encoun-ter some bumps in the road, but for those who press on, the keto lifestyle is well worth the effort. We dive more into the many benefits — and few side effects — of the keto lifestyle in Chapter 2, but in this section we give you a little taste of why the keto diet may be right for you.

You want to lose weight fast and keep it offIf you’ve tried multiple diets and feel discouraged because you can’t keep the weight off, the keto diet is for you. Keto turns your body into a fat-burning machine. With the right blend of exercise and a well-balanced keto diet, you can reach your weight-loss goals. The keto diet has been shown to help people lose weight faster than low-fat diets; if you stay committed, it’s a healthy and satisfy-ing way to maintain your weight over the long term.

You’re not afraid of a little commitmentKeto is great for those who can commit to it. There is some built-in flexibility to keto, but changing your mind-set to a “fat is healthy, and carbs aren’t as neces-sary as we thought” mentality requires some nutritional know-how (reading this book is a great start) and a commitment to choosing keto-friendly options in a sea of high-carb treats. You need to make some thoughtful choices about what you put into your body as fuel — looking at your long-term goals, rather than what is readily available.

You may find this challenging, especially in the first few days and weeks, if you notice some tell-tale signs of the keto flu (the muscle cramping and general feeling of being run down as your body adjusts to ketosis). We share some tips to decrease or avoid the symptoms in Chapter 3, but going through the keto flu may make you doubt your commitment to the keto lifestyle. If you’re serious about your health and you aren’t easily swayed by a few bumps along the way, keto offers lasting benefits.

14 PART 1 Getting Started with the Keto Diet

You want to decrease your risk of diabetesIf you’re concerned about your risk of getting diabetes, keto is an excellent option for you. Eating a keto diet stops the wild up and down sugar spikes associated with the standard American diet, which is loaded with carbohydrates. Keto can help reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes — a widespread problem that leads to heart disease and other major medical issues. Alarmingly, up to one-third of Americans are prediabetic and don’t even know it.

Be cautious, however, if you are diabetic. Research is showing that the keto diet may actually help cure diabetes and get people off medications, but diabetes can be a severe medical condition that requires a doctor’s care. It’s best to have the support of a doctor or nutritionist if you’re already diagnosed with diabetes and you want to try the keto diet. It can lower your blood sugar levels too much if you’re already taking certain medications.

You’re tired of feeling run down and sluggishMost people on the keto diet realize they have more energy and mental focus. We’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to have the “hangry” feeling we used to get around 4 p.m. — when we’d feel justified for biting off a coworker’s head if we couldn’t eat something, anything, right that minute.

These symptoms are practically universal when your body relies on the wild swings in blood sugar level that happen when you eat carbohydrates but haven’t had a meal in several hours. The keto diet allows you to break free from these symptoms because your blood glucose levels stay stable, whether you’re in the middle of a meal or you haven’t had a bite to eat in over six hours. With stable blood sugar levels, you’re energized and don’t feel a sluggish at the end of the day — or at any other time.

You want to get healthy and stay that way for a long timeThe keto diet is not just good for weight loss and sugar control; it’s also an anti-inflammatory diet that can improve your health in many other areas as well. The diet was initially developed for children with incurable seizures who weren’t getting better, despite having access to the newest and best medicines.