25 Tips for Better Keto Dieting
Here’s some tips for a great start into keto dieting
Jenny Borecky-Soder
Figure Competitor and Ketogenic Dieter
How do I get started on keto? What can you eat on keto? What can you not eat on keto? How do I get into ketosis? These are frequently asked questions when starting a ketogenic diet. These tips will answer those questions and more.
Keto dieting has been used with children who have epilepsy, from people with diabetes, for weight reduction, controlling heart disease, helping folks with cancer, to bodybuilding, to a recent military study that may ban the use of carbohydrates with Navy SEALS. I'm not a fan of our military being brain fogged, which is one of the side effects for some people who begin to enter ketosis (you can read the article here).
Ketogenic diets have some setbacks, but there is some data that says it is a viable option to reduce body fat and ward off cravings. As a caveat, if you ask someone who is pro-carbohydrate, they'll obviously say you need carbs.
I am in the middle. I've used both diet protocols, and I am for both. I have trained physique athletes for contest prep using keto, and they have placed well. My most successful keto dieter was figure competitor Jenny Borecky-Soder, who received second place at Canadian Nationals.
I myself have used a variation of keto dieting, made famous by Lyle McDonald who has written several books on the subject. My diet consisted of ten days of keto dieting as an entry phase, then after ten days, you get a massive carb load for a period of 36 hours. By the end of the carb load, you're stuffed and ready to begin a new training week with your muscles loaded with sugar (glycogen). I have also used Dave Palumbo’s keto diet. Dave is a former professional bodybuilder. He suggests a period of time in ketosis, then a single large carbohydrate meal to "break" the diet for a short period of time.
At a physique competitor's request, I can diet them with a keto approach. It's a viable option, although it can be hard to get used to. There are other types of athletes that I don’t feel should use this approach. They are MMA fighters, powerlifters, Olympic lifters, wrestlers, runners, hockey players, and track and field athletes to name a few. It can be done, but I believe there are more problems with performance than those who carbohydrate diets.
My suggestion is to try it for a period of six to eight weeks. You'll know if you're capable of continuing the diet or if you need a carbohydrate enriched diet plan.
Here are some diet tips to make the transition into keto dieting smoother.
The first week is the hardest for most.
Learn to like coffee with heavy cream. The caffeine will keep you alert and offer you energy. Make low carb chicken or lean meat soups. They will fill you and you'll be getting a lot of nutrients and vitamins
Carb meal refeed
Take one step back for two steps forward. Plan a single carbohydrate meal after the transition to ketosis has passed ten to fourteen days. It’ll help by helping you stick to your diet and fill your flat muscles with cell pumping glycogen.
Snacks
I loved pork rinds and beef jerky. There are new snacks available that cater to keto dieters that I didn’t have the luxury of using, Check them out.
Keto-friendly Ingredients
Learn to make cauliflower dough for pizza. I have used this recipe for my physique athletes and it feels like a cheat.
Sweetener
If you need to have a sweetener, try Stevia. It is a lot sweeter than sugar and you won’t need it as much. You can also try Splenda or Erythritol. Be careful, as some of these sweeteners may cause gas or diarrhea (sorry but it had to be said).
Circuit training for carb depletion
For the first two days of ketogenic dieting use a circuit routine and do it for 2 days. Then go back to your regular programming. Be warned, this workout is brutal and for intermediate to advanced athletes only.
3 sets of 20 reps, with 1-minute rest. Repeat the next day.
Leg Press
Bench Press
Leg Curls
Lat Pulldown
Shoulder Press
Barbell Rows
Close Grip Bench Press
Finish off with 30 minutes of low impact walking on an incline. For beginners, I wrote a program for a client who was on a plane 3-4 times a week. She could use only limited equipment. This workout can also work inside of a gym or a home gym. You can access it here. Train as aggressively as you can.
Water
TONS of water. At least 10 (8 ounces) glasses a day, or at least half your weight in ounces.
Fiber
Use psyllium husk powder at least three times daily. You can become constipated very easily if you don’t add extra fiber to your diet. Green leafy green vegetables are loaded with fiber, fill you up and are almost no carbs.
Watch for hidden carbs
Choose your dairy products carefully. There may be some trace carbs.
Intermittent Fasting
Use intermittent fasting for a period of 16 hours, then eat. Make sure you get all of your food in the 8-hour window.
Be sensible
Don’t just eat bacon, deep fry butter, and eat 2 dozen minute steaks. Yes, they're loaded with fat but be sure to include healthy fats and protein sources.
Protein
Maintain higher protein intake. Best to multiply one gram x bodyweight. Don’t be afraid to overeat protein, as it harder to gain weight while eating more protein.
Track, track track your macros
Track what you eat in a diet app. It's not hard. Just a swipe and add numbers. I like FatSecret Calorie Counter.
Track your macros-carbs, protein, and fats. Don't just eat anything high in fat and protein. You can still gain weight.
Track your keto diet for a period of ten days. If you don’t lose weight, your calories are too high. If you drop too fast and feel hungry all the time, it may be a sign to add a little more food and slow down the drop. If, after ten days of dieting and you don’t drop weight, consider deducting 3-5% of your fat intake.
Measure your ketones
Measure your ketones. There are strip test kits available. When using the strips, remember keto strips are not foolproof. Test and test again, frequently.
I hope this helps you in your weight loss journey.
