Ketosis Diet ( II )

BENEFITS OF THE KETOGENIC DIET
The list of benefits concerning a ketogenic diet is a lengthy and happy
one. These are some of the perks of the diet you can expect to see after
a month of switching to the ketogenic diet plan:
1- Being in ketosis allows the body to process fat and use it as fuel.
Carbohydrates are much easier to convert and use as fuel, so when you
are providing plenty of these to your body, you need to burn and use all
of it before your body will finally begin converting and using fat as fuel!
2 - Another benefit of being in a state of ketosis is that excess
ketones are not harmful to your system in any way whatsoever. Any
ketones the body produces, which are not needed are simply excreted
through urine, easily and harmlessly. In fact, this excellent benefit is the
reason why you can check whether you are in a state of ketosis using
urine testing strips in the morning.
3- When your body gets used to being in ketosis, it will actually begin
to prefer ketones to glucose. This is the ideal state you want your body to
be in: no longer craving sugar whatsoever, and in fact preferring protein
as a fuel source as opposed to sugar.
4- Another benefit of the ketogenic diet weight loss is that being in a
ketogenic state is useful for controlling insulin levels in the body. Insulin is
one of the substances that make you crave food, particularly because it is
high in sugar, and so controlling it at healthy levels is one of the key
elements of weight loss.
5- Most research studies on the benefits of ketosis diets for epileptic
seizures in children show a large improvement, which is especially
significant since these children usually did not respond to previous
medication therapy. In one study, 38% of the kids on the ketosis diet had
more than a 50% reduction in the frequency of seizures while 7% had
greater than a 90% reduction. A modified Atkins diet, basically an
extended Atkins induction phase, showed similar results.
6- Last, but certainly not least, is that a majority of people who take
advantage of ketogenic diet weight loss report that being in a ketogenic
state makes them feel significantly less hungry than when they are in a non-ketogenic state. It is much easier to stick to a diet, any diet, when
you're not fighting cravings and hunger every step of the way. In fact,
hunger pangs can often derail a person's best efforts! Not having to deal
with them makes it easier to meet your goals, all the way around.

MAKING THE KETOGETIC DIETS WORK
The Truth
Ketogenic Diets (more specifically Cyclic Ketogenic Diets) are most
effective for achieving rapid, ultra low body fat levels with maximum
muscle retention! Now, as with all such general statements, there are
circumstantial exceptions. But done right, which they rarely are, the fat
loss achievable on a ketogenic diet is nothing short of staggering! And,
despite what people might tell you, you will also enjoy incredible high
energy and overall sense of wellbeing.

The Perception
Despite these promises, more bodybuilders/shapers have had
negative experiences than having seen positive results. The main
criticisms are:
Chronic lethargy
Unbearable hunger
Massive decrease in gym performance
Severe muscle loss
All these criticisms result from a failure to heed the caveat: Ketogenic
Diets must be done right! It must be realized they are an entirely unique
metabolic modality that adheres to none of the previously accepted 'rules'
of dieting. And there is no going half-way; 50 grams of carbohydrates per
day plus high protein intake is NOT ketogenic!
So, how are ketogenic diets 'done right'? Let’s quickly look at how
they work.

OVERVIEW OF KETOSIS:
Simply, our body, organs, muscles and brain can use either glucose
or ketones for fuel. It is the function of the liver and pancreas (primarily)
to regulate that fuel supply and they show a strong bias toward sticking
with glucose.
Glucose is the 'preferred' fuel because it is derived in abundance from
the diet and readily available readily from liver and muscle stores.
Ketones have to be deliberately synthesized by the liver, but the liver can
easily synthesize glucose (a process known as 'gluconeogenesis' that
uses amino acids (protein) or other metabolic intermediaries) too.
We don't get beta hydroxybutyrate, acetone, or acetoacetate
(ketones) from the diet. The liver synthesizes them only under duress, as
a last measure in conditions of severe glucose deprivation, like
starvation. For the liver to be convinced that ketones are the order of the
day, several conditions must be met:
Blood glucose must fall below 50mg/dl
Low blood glucose must result in low Insulin and elevated Glucagon
Liver glycogen must be low or 'empty'
A plentiful supply of gluconeogenic substrates must NOT be
available
At this point, it is important to mention that it is not actually a question
of being 'in' or 'out' of ketosis. We don't either totally run on ketones, or
not. It is a gradual and careful transition so that the brain is constantly
and evenly fuelled... ideally. Ketones SHOULD be produced in small
amounts from blood glucose levels of about 60mg/dl. We consider
ourselves in ketosis when there are greater concentrations of ketones
than glucose in the blood.
The reality is that most people, especially weight trainers, have had a
regular intake of glucose for a good couple of decades, at least. The liver
is perfectly capable of producing ketones but the highly efficient
gluconeogenic pathways are able to maintain low-normal blood glucose
above the ketogenic threshold.
Couple this with the fact that many people are at least partially insulin resistant and have elevated fasting insulin (upper end of the normal
range, anyway). The small amount of blood glucose from
gluconeogenesis induces sufficient insulin release to blunt glucagon
output and the production of ketones.
Sudden glucose deprivation will cause, initially, lethargy, hunger, and
weakness, in most people, until ketosis is achieved. And Ketosis will not
be reached until the liver is forced to quit with gluconeogenesis and start
producing ketones. As long as dietary protein is sufficient, the liver will
continue to produce glucose and not ketones. That's why no carb, high
protein diets are NOT ketogenic.

What Is So Great About Ketosis Anyway?
When the body switches over to running primarily on ketones, a
number of cool things happen:
-Lipolysis (bodyfat breakdown) is substantially increased
-Muscle catabolism (muscle loss) is substantially reduced
-Energy levels are maintained in a high and stable state
-Subcutaneous fluid (aka 'water retention') is eliminated
Basically, when we are in ketosis our body is using fat (ketones) to
fuel everything. As such, we aren't breaking down muscle to provide
glucose. That is, muscle is being spared because it has nothing to offer.
Fat is all the body needs (well, to a large extent). For the dieter, this
means substantially less muscle loss than what is achievable on any
other diet. Makes sense?
As a bonus, ketones yield only 7 calories per gram. This is higher
than the equal mass of glucose but substantially less (22%, in fact) than
the 9 calories per gram of fat from whence it came. We like metabolic
inefficiencies like this. They mean we can eat more but the body doesn't
get the calories.
Even cooler is that ketones cannot be turned back into fatty acids.
The body excretes any excess in the urine! Speaking of which, there will
be quite a bit of urine. The drop in muscle glycogen, low Insulin and low
aldosterone all equate to massive excretion of intra and extracellular
fluid. For us that means hard, defined muscularity and quick visible
results.
Regarding energy, our brain actually really likes ketones so we tend
to feel fantastic in ketosis: clearheaded, alert and positive. And because
there is never a shortage of fat to supply ketones, energy is high all the
time. Usually you even sleep less than usual and wake up feeling more
refreshed when in ketosis.

DOING IT RIGHT:
From what is said above, you will notice that to get into ketosis:
Carbohydrate intake should be nil; Zero!
Protein intake should be low - 25% of calories at a maximum
Fat must account for 75%+ of calories
With low insulin (due to zero carbs) and calories at, or below
maintenance, the dietary fat cannot be deposited in adipose tissues. The
low-ish protein means that gluconeogenesis will quickly prove inadequate
to maintain blood glucose and, whether the body likes it or not, there is
still all the damned fat to burn.
And burn it does. The high dietary fat is oxidized for cellular energy in
the normal fashion but winds up generating quantities of Acetyl-CoA that
exceed the capacity of the TCA cycle. The significant result is
ketogenesis, synthesis of ketones from the excess Acetyl-CoA. In more
lay terms: the high fat intake ''forces'' ketosis upon the body. This is how
it’s done right.
Now you just have to throw out what you thought was true about fats.
Firstly, fat does not ''make you fat''. Most of the information about the
evils of saturated fats, in particular, is so disproportionate or plain wrong
anyway. On a ketogenic diet, it is doubly inapplicable. Saturated fats
make ketosis fly. And don't worry, your heart will be better than fine and
your insulin sensitivity will NOT be reduced (there is no insulin around in
the first place)!
Once in ketosis it is not necessary, technically speaking, to maintain
absolute zero carbs or low protein. But it is still better if you want to reap
the greatest rewards. Besides, assuming you are training hard, you will
still want to follow a cyclic ketogenic diet where you get to eat all your
carbs, fruit and whatever else, every 1-2 weeks, anyway (more on this in
another article).
Don't be mistaken: 'done right' does not make ketogenic dieting easy
or fun for the culinary acrobats among you. They are probably the most
restrictive diets you can use and not an option if you don't love animal
products. Get out your nutritional almanac and work out an 20:0:80 protein: carb: fat diet. Yeah, it’s boring. As an example, your writer’s daily
ketogenic diet is 3100 Calories at 25:0.5:74.5 from only:
10 XXL Whole Eggs
160ml Pure Cream (40% fat)
400g Mince (15% fat)
60ml Flaxseed Oil
30g Whey Protein Isolate

Supplementation:
There are a number of supplements that assist in making Ketogenic
diets more effective. However, many popular supplements would be
wasted. Here is an overview of the main ones:
Chromium and ALA, while not insulin 'mimickers' as many claim,
increase insulin sensitivity, resulting in lower insulin levels, higher
glucagon and a faster descent into deeper ketosis
Creatine is a bit of a waste - at most, 30% can be taken up by the
muscles that, without glycogen, cannot be meaningfully 'volumized'.
HMB (if it works) would/should be an excellent supplement for
minimizing the catabolic period before ketosis is achieved
Tribulus is excellent and comes highly recommended as it magnifies
the increased testosterone output of a ketogenic diet
Carnitine in L or Acetyl-L form is an essential supplement for
Ketogenic Diets. L-Carnitine is necessary for the formation of
Ketones in the liver.
Glutamine, free-form essential and branched-chain aminos are
worthwhile for pre and post training. Just don't overdo the glutamine
as it supports gluconeogenesis
ECA stack fat burners are useful and important though don't worry
about the inclusion of HCA
Flaxseed oil is great but do not think that you need 50% of your
calories from essential fatty acids. 1-10% of calories are more than
sufficient.
Whey Protein is optional - you don't want too much protein
remember
A soluble fiber supplement that is non-carbohydrate based is good.
But walnuts are easier.
Ketogenic diets offer a host of unique benefits that cannot be ignored
if you are chasing the ultimate, low body-fat figure or physique. However,
they are not the most user- friendly of diets and any 'middle ground'
compromise you might prefer will be just the worst of all worlds. Your choice is to do them right or not at all.

FIVE TIPS FOR SUCCESS ON THE KETOGENIC
DIET
Just getting started on the ketogenic diet? Good for you! Following
are some of the important hacks to remember when following your diet
plan in order to get the most out of it, and maximize your success rate.

1. HYDRATE YOURSELF
Your body finds it difficult to retain water when on a ketogenic diet, so
replenishing your body with plenty of fluids, especially water is crucial.
Drink a minimum of three liters of water a day, and take your urine color
as an indicator of proper hydration. A gentle yellow means you are
properly hydrated.

2. REMEMBER THE FATS
Our bodies need fuel to function. When we restrict our carbs intake,
especially to the point where it activates ketosis, back-up fuel is needed
by our bodies. Because protein is not a great source of energy, fat is the
option our bodies turn to.
The good news is that while in ketosis, most of the fat eaten is turned
into energy, and not stored. Therefore, it is important that you choose a
wide variety of unsaturated, healthy fat containing foods, like nuts,
avocados, dairy products, olives and seeds for consumption.


3. BE SMART ABOUT LIQUOR
Another great perk of the ketosis diet is the ability to enjoy alcohol
without compromising your weight loss efforts. Try switching to
unsweetened drinks, like scotch, whiskey, vodka, tequila, rum, gin,
brandy and cognac while occasionally treating yourself to a low-carb
beer.
Low-carb mixers should be your choice of drink, and remember to
stay fully hydrated as hangovers are especially bad while in ketosis.
Remember to not go crazy as calories still count.

4. BE PATIENT
Remember that weight loss is not an overnight process, and so don’t
freak out or lose motivation, and stop weighing yourself every other day!
The results are gradual and require persistence and a strong willpower.

TEN LOW-CARB DIET MYTHS DEBUNKED
Before jumping into anything new, we all have questions. If you are
curious, and looking for answers regarding the authenticity of myths that
soar about low-carb diets, like ketosis, now is the chance to educate
yourself. Here we have compiled a list of the10 most popular myths
concerning low-carb diets, and the truth behind these statements.

Myth #1:
The low-carb diet is dangerous. The truth is that it is not, and has
been proven over the years to be safe and extremely effective. Dr. Atkins
gets credit for this diet, but he was not even close to being the innovator,
he just brought it into the mainstream, which brings us to myth #2.

Myth #2:
The truth is the father of low-carb, high protein diet dates back to
1863. William Banting of England who wrote a little booklet titled "Letter
on Corpulence Addressed to the Public” is considered the father of low
carbohydrate dieting. He proved this over years, helping people lose
weight without any side effects.

Myth #3:
Low-carbs, high protein and high fat raises cholesterol. The truth
behind this statement is it actually lowers cholesterol. For one year,
researchers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia
followed 132 obese adults randomized into two groups.
The carb intake for one group was below 30 grams a day, while for
the other, their overall daily caloric intake was reduced by 500 calories
with 30% of the calories coming from fat sources. 83% of the study
group had diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease.
In the low-carb group, triglyceride levels decreased more and HDL
('good') cholesterol levels decreased less than in the low-fat group. (High
levels of triglycerides, a fat in the blood, are associated with heart
disease.) People with diabetes on the low-carb diet had better control of
blood sugar.
Another research study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine,
involved 120 overweight people and was conducted over a period of six
months. Researchers from the Duke University found that participants on
the low-carb diet lost 26 pounds, on average, whereas the other group
averaged 14 pounds.
The low-carbohydrate group had more beneficial changes in blood
triglyceride levels and HDL cholesterol levels than the low-fat diet group.
In this study, the low-carb diet groups also received vitamins and other
nutritional supplements.

Myth #4:
The low carb diet will cause my blood pressure to rise. Again, the
truth is with lower LDL levels and VLDL levels, blood pressure levels
actually drop. Lead author, Dr. William S. Yancy Jr, associate professor of
medicine at Duke, said their findings send an important message to
people with high blood pressure who are trying to lose weight.

Myth #5:
You need carbohydrates or glucose for your brain to function.
The truth is if you are on a hardcore low-carb high protein diet, where
carbohydrates are non-existent, you are on what is called a Ketogenic
Diet. When on a strict diet, your body produces ketones in the absence of
carbohydrates, and then converts the ketones into a form of glucose that
enables proper brain function. This brings us to the next myth.

Myth #6:
You cannot eat any carbs on a high protein diet. Using the Atkins
diet as an example, Atkins himself said on the Larry King show, "You can
eat all the carbs your body allows as long as you do not gain weight".
What he was talking about was when we reach our desired weight you
can add as many carbs to your diet until you start gaining weight, that is
your threshold, for some people it is 50 grams a day for others it's 200
grams or more.

Myth #7:
I will gain all my weight back if I stop my low carb diet. This is
totally false. It does not matter which diet you choose, if you are
successful in your weight loss and then stop your diet, 9 out of 10 times
you revert back to your old eating habits, and start eating junk and
overindulge, then of course you gain weight back.

Myth #8:
Eating protein makes you fat. This statement doesn’t hold much
truth. Protein actually raises your calorie burning metabolism by as much
as 30% over carbohydrates. When proteins are consumed, your body
must digest and break them down into amino acids. This takes energy
and plenty of it, which actually helps you lose weight, not gain it.

Myth #9:
High protein diets include fats, and fats are bad for me. Fats in
the absence of carbohydrates burn more efficiently, and do not clog your
arteries. As the studies show LDL levels (low density lipoproteins) which
are the artery cloggers, are lowered. The levels of HDLs, which are the
good triglycerides are raised even though your fat intake is increased,
that as mentioned above is attributed to low carb intake.
As is previously mentioned, carbs and fat don't mix, and your body
cannot efficiently break them down together. Your liver is overburdened
and ends up converting the carbohydrates into fat, unless of course you
are exercising like crazy.

Myth #10:
I will not have any energy with the low carb diet. This statement
is totally false, unless you are a marathon runner or bodybuilder. When
you consume small amounts of carbohydrates, your body needs another
source of energy. When glycogen levels are gone, your body starts using
fat for energy and combustion.
If you are extremely active, it will take about 2-3 weeks, after which
your body is acclimated to your new eating habits and adjusts, energizing
you as before. If you are involved in an endurance sport, then of course
you need extra carbs to be competitive. If you are an athlete or workout
extensively, you probably would not be dieting anyway, and a low carb
high carb is a moot point.

Conclusion
With this, we come to the end of our eBook on the Ketosis Diet. Over
the course of the eBook, we have covered all the information you will
need to start following the Ketosis Diet and also achieve success with it.
As long as you stick to the information provided here and follow the
tips, you shouldn’t have any problem shedding the extra pounds in no
time. It is truly the best approach to losing weight fast, but in a healthy
and safe manner.