The Ketogenic Diet: 8 important truths before you jump on the Bandwagon

  Self-development. It's taken off. Either the world has decided to get it's act together or everyone's going crazy. It's probably a bit of both. First it was Atkins, then it was Paleo, now it’s Keto. The question on everyone’s mind: Is Keto staying or going? For those humble readers who don’t know the ins and outs of this hyper-prolific diet that has swept the world recently ... the Ketogenic diet is a fat-fuelled diet with EPIC restrictions on carbs. It posits that through burning fat instead of glucose, your body runs off a more efficient, stable form of energy which upgrades your life in quite a wonderful way. It boasts a new way-of-being that offers more energy and less cravings. The question: Does it work?

I think it just might. Aside from the well-documented 'super powers' you get from Ketones, life without cravings is definitely a liberation. This article is for those of you who are looking for a life-hack to give you more energy and essentially make you smarter. I began this painstaking journey just 2 months ago and I use the word 'journey' with the deepest intention.  Here's what I found:


1) You're going to fail ... at first

You might not know this about yourself ... but your eating habits are some of the most concrete habits you possess. You most likely love bread and pasta and sugar served with a delicious side of more bread, pasta and sugar. Therefore, tweaking this is like taking a band-aid to your hypothalamus (it hurts). Consequently, the first important truth is that YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL. However, this is OK. I repeat, this is OK. Just because you gave in and ate that sandwich DOESN'T MAKE YOU A BAD PERSON. It also doesn't mean you have to abort the entire mission for good since clearly you have no self-control and what's the point because it's never going to work?!

No. Calm down. Take a breath. What's important is this: don't quit. Start again tomorrow. If you only lasted 2 days before you caved this time then try and make it 3 days next time, and maybe a week after that. The aim is to get your body burning fat instead of sugar, the aim is not to rid your body of sugar instantly or to view sugar as a toxic poison that needs to be demonised. If you really want that cheese burger and chips, just eat it. And then figure out a way to avoid the temptation next time. 

2) Protein is your new best friend

One of the great things about going on a diet like this is that you become more conscious of exactly what it is that your body needs. Sadly, when you are throwing everything you set your eyes on down your gullet it becomes quite difficult to know which things are helping you and which are hindering you. This is why I suggest fasting when you begin Keto. What you will inevitably find when you do this is the true benefit of protein. Protein is a wonder nutrient, it provides strength to your joints and muscles and it literally allows you to power through your day. For those going on Keto: Use protein to your advantage, it is your best ally in getting through the insatiable needs for sugar and carbs.

I suggest stocking up on cheap sources of protein like sardines, mackerel, chicken and anchovies. These can be mixed easily with your spinach and salads and will leave you feeling full and satisfied (not to mention much stronger than a plate of pasta will!)

There have been claims that because protein eventually can be converted into glycogen in the blood that you should restrict it. However this conversion is a long process and unless you are ingesting ridiculous amounts of fish and chicken all day every day, you will be fine. Protein will keep your Keto streak up and will lead to that sought after Keto lifestyle! Use protein, it's your new best friend!


3) Be patient, it takes time for your body to utilise fat as energy

The Ketogenic diet is predominantly a fat-based diet. The ultimate aim is to get your body burning fat as fuel. What the liver will produce in response to this fat-burning are water molecules known as 'Ketones' and when you are producing enough of these you will enter something called 'Ketosis'. Ketosis is a glory filled paradise where everything makes sense, life is easy and you're at your cognitive peak. But since most of you reading this have never (or only momentarily) been in Ketosis before, getting there won't happen immediately. You will need to eat enough fat over the course of approximately two weeks whilst fasting intermittently before your body catches on to the hype. 

Don't lose hope! Your carb cravings are going to be a big part of this 'Keto flu' and I therefore reiterate my initial point about not giving up. It is OK to give in and eat carbs, just make sure that the fat keeps coming! Good sources of fat are:

• Pure butter
• Almonds
• Coconut Oil and MCT Oil
• Salmon
• Avocados     

So long as your are eating plenty of fat, and doing an occasional fast, you are well on your way to this enhanced way of life. Your body will eventually learn that is has a choice between fat and glucose for energy and when you get the habits right you won't have to think about this anymore (and your cravings will disappear!).


4) You're going to be annoying to be around for a while
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Probably the hardest part of changing your habits is the social pressure that comes with it. No-one likes a pedantic, picky, pretentious **** but unfortunately this will be you for a few weeks whilst everyone else is drinking their beers and eating their sandwiches. Just embrace it. I find the easiest way to get through this is by owning the pretentious persona for a few weeks and letting everyone hate you. Come out and say things like 'A sandwich? No thanks I like my digestive tract the way it is', it'll be funny (for you) and it'll motivate you to not give in and look like a hypocrite. If everyone is going out boozing, stay home and say 'No thanks I don't drink'. By making these annoying claims you'll be motivated to stand by them and it'll give you a new persona to embody, which will make the whole thing easier. 

Don't worry, once 'keto-flu' is over you can start reintroducing it all back in. Just be 'that guy' for a few weeks. It'll be worth it. 


5) Fast, fast, and fast some more. 

Your body releases a hormone called Ghrelin when you get hungry. This signals to your brain to eat. The more frequently you eat sugar, the more Ghrelin you produce. One very important trick that will benefit you immensely is to not give in to the hunger cravings that Ghrelin produces. Once your body realises that it's not getting any carbs it will resort to burning fat. It has to. It needs to get the energy from somewhere! 

Do not begin a fast half way through the day! This will be next to impossible and you'll use up all of your will power doing it. Start your fast at the start of the day. Begin your day with a big glass of water mixed with some lemon and salt. Then go about your day. After about 2-3 hours you will start to get hungry. DON'T EAT. I repeat: DO NOT EAT. After the annoying effects of your Ghrelin hormone have worn off, your body will start digging into to your fat stores and you will stop being hungry. This will be the most beautiful feeling you have experienced in a long time and will give you a glimpse into life in Ketosis! Once you are half way through the day your body will spike your Ghrelin again and you will get hungry. DON'T EAT. You will dig into more fat and the cycle continues. 

Superpower tip: Drink salt water with lemon every time you get hungry to suppress your insatiable need for carbs.

There are multiple health benefits to fasting that have been well-documented. One of these is a thing called 'Autophagy'. This is the deep cleansing of the cells in your body which can only occur when your body is not ingesting new bacteria! So not only are you training your body to burn a far more stable form of energy whilst fasting (fat), but you are also cleaning out your system! I recommend fasting once or twice a month for the whole day to really reap the benefits. Remember to keep eating lots of fat and your body will have plenty to burn.  The human body can go up to 2 months just off of water alone, you will be fine with one day. Trust me!

6) Ketones are good, but succeeding is paramount

If you happen to take this diet seriously enough to get yourself into a high state of Ketosis, you'll realise just how 'switched on' your body and brain can really be. In fact, you'll probably feel so good that you won't want to eat another morsel of food again. Water fast from here on out! Of course, this isn't sustainable. Ketones are good, but long term Ketosis is better.

After engaging in your fast, you'll find that your body starts to produce Ketones almost immediately. It might only be half a day before your Ketone levels sky rocket higher than they've been your whole life. This will switch on your brain in ways you can't imagine and your meditative state will be so alluring that you'll want to maintain the fast for as long as you can. Please, do not fall in to this trap. It won't be long before you've used up every ounce of will power abstaining from sugar that you'll inevitably give in and consume more calories than a grizzly bear after hibernation. This will in turn set you back about 3 days and you'll be less inclined to start the journey all over again. So by all means ... fast. But don't get trapped by the excitement of Ketones. A steady production of Ketones will be part of your life soon enough. Ketones are good, but succeeding is paramount. 


7) Eat vegetables (and salt)

If you go back to point 3, you'll notice that I have given you some quality fats to start introducing to your diet. You can eat these in abundance, and you should. But you're going to need some quality carbs to go with it if you want to stand a chance of making it through the Keto Flu (butter has to go with something!). I suggest eating plenty of vegetables. Even though some of these are high in carbohydrates (like carrots and peas), they will still give you plenty of nutrient benefits and will give your body and easy route to fat digestion. Steer clear of fruit at first though; the level of sugar in fruit just isn't worth the vitamin content they provide. 

Another thing that inevitably happens when you go on Keto is you drop a considerable amount of water weight. This is because the body stores water weight as a means of storing carbs, so when you cut out carbs, your water weight dissipates! Although this may be aesthetically exciting, it also means you're ditching a lot of important salt in the system. 95% of people aren't eating enough salt anyway, so those on Keto are going to be really deficient. Eat lots of salt (sea salt not table salt) to increase the sodium levels in the blood and prevent fatigue. I suggest mixing some sea salt and lemon with your water first thing in the morning and the same before bed. This way you won't struggle with getting out of bed in the morning and won't feel tired throughout the day.

8) Enjoy the process

I know that's all a lot to take in, but once you get your daily habits sorted it's easy, I promise. Just remember to eat enough protein to curb your hunger and plenty of fats to get your Keto journey underway. Remember to drink plenty of water (and salt!) and stock up on your almonds and sardines for when those hunger pangs hit! 

Life in Ketosis is worth the effort. The fact that you're reading this post is a great sign. Refer back to it when you need a boost or if you've forgotten anything. And enjoy the process! 

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