We invite you to study in depth the low carb ketogenic diet and its three options: standard, cyclical and targeted ketogenic diet. This guide includes detailed instructions for creating a meal plan and formulas for calculating nutritional needs.
The history of the ketogenic diet goes back several decades, and during that time it has managed to gather many ardent supporters in the bodybuilding subculture. In general terms, the ketogenic diet and its variants are diets enriched in fats and proteins, while being extremely low in carbohydrates (normally less than 10% of total macronutrients); With this diet, the body is forced to use fats for fuel as glucose reserves are quickly depleted.
For many, the ketogenic diet can be an effective and very correct way to achieve their goals, be it building muscle mass, burning fat, developing strength, etc. Although the ketogenic diet is primarily used for fitness and wellness purposes, it is also used in complex treatment algorithms for epilepsy.
You may ask, "What's the difference between the ketogenic diet and any other low-carb diet? " To be honest, there aren't many differences. Many believe that such a nutritional system becomes more effective at the moment when the body enters a state called "ketosis" and begins to synthesize ketones for subsequent energy generation (hence the name "ketogenic" diet), and such a transition is only possible if severely restricting carbohydrate intake. However, such a view of the problem is shortsighted and we will certainly address this issue later.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at the physiological processes underlying the ketogenic diet, take a look at the existing types/variants of ketogenic diets, learn how to create your own diet, and give some simple tips on how to whet your appetite for low-carb foods . And, of course, we will answer the most common questions.
What is ketosis?
As mentioned previously, the ketogenic diet received its name due to the fact that the restriction of carbohydrate consumption inherent to this nutritional system can place the body in a state of ketosis - a special physiological state in which the concentration of ketone bodies increases.
Ketone bodies are organic biomolecules, soluble in aqueous media, which are synthesized in the liver from fatty acids when food intake (especially carbohydrates) decreases. Once transported to extrahepatic tissues, these biomolecules can be used as an energy source.
Ketone bodies are constantly synthesized in small quantities in the human body, but normally the concentration of ketones is so low that they are not detected in a urine test. However, when the level of ketone bodies in the blood increases (a condition known as ketonemia), they begin to be excreted in the urine (known as ketonuria); Ketonemia and ketonuria together indicate the body's transition into a state of ketosis.
Therefore, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to place the body in a state of nutritional ketosis (not to be confused with pathological ketosis), which ultimately directs the metabolism to use fatty acids and ketone bodies as the main source of energy.
Basic Ketogenic Diet Options
In this guide, we'll explore three main variations of the ketogenic diet: the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), the cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD), and the targeted ketogenic diet (TCD). The type of diet you need is selected exclusively by trial and error and is largely determined by your priority goals (more details below).
- Standard ketogenic diet– This is the simplest and most basic version of the ketogenic diet. DF does not imply periods of replenishment of carbohydrate reserves, as required by CCD and TKD. This is a linear diet characterized by a constant supply of ketogenic nutrients (moderate to high protein intake, high fat intake, and extremely low carbohydrate intake).
- Cyclical ketogenic dietis a variant of the nutritional system that involves short periods of carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen reserves after the body's reserves have been completely depleted. The length of time between carbohydrate loads varies depending on the individual's preferences, training intensity, and goals.
- Targeted ketogenic diet- This is the final version of the power system we are interested in. TKD features a short-term carbohydrate supply during the training window. The goal of TKD is to flood the body with glucose to improve physical performance without suppressing ketosis in the long term.
Which option should I take?
Many factors will influence your choice of diet type. It is recommended to start with an "adaptation period" using a standard ketogenic diet. After a few weeks of this invasion, you will be able to assess how your body reacts to dietary changes, how your physical performance changes, and how energetic you are. This will make it easier for you to decide which diet to use in the long term.
You may also have doubts about which option is best for losing weight and which is ideal for gaining muscle mass. It must be said that if the total energy value of your diet meets your goals, the ketogenic diet option will not become a key factor in achieving your goal. You may come across the opinion that CD or TCD are better for those who want to gain muscle mass, since carbohydrates save proteins and stimulate insulin secretion, and the standard CD will be the ideal choice for those who want to lose weight, since the Insulin synthesis will be relatively low. However, these short-term fluctuations in long-distance insulin secretion will not become a decisive factor, unlike total dietary calorie intake.
Below is a brief overview of factors to consider when choosing a ketogenic diet option:
- SKD. Ideal for people who lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle and whose physical performance is not hampered by severely restricting carbohydrate intake. SKD will also be an excellent option for people who do not train very intensely and have high insulin resistance.
- TKD. If you train hard several times a week and notice that your performance worsens with prolonged carbohydrate restriction, it may be worth considering short periods of carbohydrate loading before and possibly after your training sessions. Additionally, TKD would be a good choice for people with more training experience who may benefit from a small increase in carbs but would not benefit from a heavy carb load.
- TsKD. Cyclic KD is often called the "most advanced" of all ketogenic diet options. CCD requires a person to patiently go through a trial-and-error phase, during which the ideal period between carbohydrate loads is sought and the amount of carbohydrates needed on loading days is determined. If you consider yourself an experienced athlete, you train actively all week and even against the background of SCD or TKD you notice a drop in performance, then think about CCD. Perhaps this option will help you get back to working at full speed.
Creating your own ketogenic diet
In this section, we will talk about how to determine the body's energy and macronutrient needs; These numbers will become your basic guidelines when creating an SCD diet. Those who choose CCD or TCD will also have to use the basic CCD calculations, but with small adjustments, which I will talk about later.
In general, we can say that anyone who wants to lose weight must follow the golden rule of a daily deficit of 500 calories, and anyone who wants to gain muscle mass must achieve a surplus of the same 500 calories. However, this is a very gross generalization without taking into account physiological characteristics and other factors. Additionally, if you choose CDD, you will likely have to adjust your caloric intake for a week.
Here is an example of how to calculate your macronutrient intake for ADS:
- Determine your energy needs using the daily calorie calculator;
- Daily protein requirement 2 g/kg dry weight: 150 g per day
- Carbohydrate requirement 0. 2-0. 4 g/kg dry weight: 15-30 g per day (in subsequent calculations we start from 30 g)
- Since 1g of proteins and carbohydrates contains 4 calories, we have (150 + 30) x 4: 720 calories from proteins and carbohydrates
- We concluded that this person should get 1, 280 calories from fat (2, 000 - 720), and since there are 9 calories in a gram of fat, they should eat approximately 142 (1, 280 divided by 9) grams of fat daily.
So, in total, this person's daily diet would include 150 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 142 grams of fat. We will distribute this amount between meals.
Example of a 3-meal meal plan:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal | 50g | 10g | 48g |
| 2nd meal | 50g | 10g | 47g |
| 3rd meal | 50g | 10g | 47g |
Example of a 5-meal meal plan:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal | 30g | 5g | 29g |
| 2nd meal | 30g | 5g | 29g |
| 3rd meal | 30g | 5g | 28g |
| 4th meal | 30g | 5g | 28g |
| 5th meal | 30g | 5g | 28g |
Selecting Foods for a Ketogenic Diet
There are no strict rules in the ketogenic diet, just as there are no permitted or prohibited foods. Many believe that the main sources of starch and sugar should not be included in the diet, as this will interfere with the transition of metabolism to a state of ketosis, but in small quantities such products are unlikely to become an obstacle, especially for large people.
Good options for a ketogenic diet include the following:
- Animal protein (especially red meat)
- Eggs (whole or just whites)
- Fatty dairy products such as cheese, cream, butter, etc.
- Oils, preferably vegetable oils, peanuts, flaxseeds, macadamia nuts, olives and certain types of coconut
- Nuts and nut butters
- Fibrous vegetables, especially green vegetables, lettuce, broccoli, celery, etc.
During the loading phase of the ketogenic diet, don't restrict yourself and include more sources of starches and sugars in your diet, such as fruits.
Central Control Center Planning
Now let's look at how you should integrate carbohydrates into a cyclical version of the ketogenic diet.
Those who choose CC should start carb loading once a week and then adjust the time interval between loading days as needed to meet their individual needs. Be prepared to do a lot of experimentation, during which you'll evaluate how many carbs you ate on loading day and how you feel in the following days.
The main thing to remember when loading carbs is to reduce your fat intake; do not continue to eat fat in large portions on loading days. But keep your protein intake at the same level (or even increase it to maintain total calorie content).
Using the macronutrient needs of the 150-pound person mentioned previously, here are some basic recommendations for establishing CKD with a loading day, depending on individual insulin sensitivity/carbohydrate tolerance:
- Protein requirement 2 g/kg dry weight: 150 g/day
- For low insulin sensitivity, we calculate carbohydrate intake based on 2-3 g per kg dry weight
- With normal insulin sensitivity, we calculate carbohydrate intake based on the calculation of 4-5 g per kg of dry weight
- For high insulin sensitivity, we calculate carbohydrate intake based on the calculation of 6-7 g per kg dry weight
- Now, as before, we simply count the remaining calories, divide by 9, and get the fat grams we need to eat on carb-load days.
An example CDF for people with normal insulin sensitivity and a lean body mass of 75 kg who follow a restrictive 2, 000-calorie diet:
- Monday to Saturday: nutrient intake must correspond to the needs previously calculated for the SKD
- Sunday (carb loading day, 2, 500 calories) – 150g protein/300g carbs/78g fat
TCD Planning
Now let's look at how to integrate carbohydrates into a targeted version of the ketogenic diet (pre- and post-workout in our example).
As with CCD, when starting TCD, first assess how your body reacts to certain amounts of carbohydrates and determine for yourself the ideal time to take them. Remember, when following TKD, you must eat enough carbohydrates for optimal performance, but without overdoing them. DRC assumes the presence of periods of replenishment of glycogen reserves, while TKD aims only at a short-term increase in energy and performance.
Therefore, if an athlete trains intensely 5 days a week, they should consume carbohydrates before and/or after training on those training days. On other days, nutrient intake should correspond to the calculations for the SCD.
Calculating nutrient requirements during TKD is no different from SKD; we just add carbs to the "peri-workout" meal on training days. To illustrate how carbohydrate training should be planned during TKD, here are recommendations for the same 150-pound athlete who is in the cutting phase, consuming 2, 000 calories daily and has a certain insulin sensitivity/carbohydrate tolerance:
- Protein requirement 2 g/kg dry weight: 150 g/day
- If insulin sensitivity is low, add 0. 5 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of dry pasta to the "near-workout" meal
- For normal insulin sensitivity, add 0. 75 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of dry pasta to the "near-workout" meal
- If you have high insulin sensitivity, add 1 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of dry pasta to your "next-workout" meal
- Now we subtract the "extra" calories obtained from carbohydrates and proteins from the daily energy requirement and add the missing calories from fats (everything remains as before).
A "near-workout" meal precedes or follows a training session. This means you can randomly distribute the "extra" carbs as long as they are all consumed within the training window. In general, it is recommended to simply divide the total amount in half and consume them before and after training.
An example of a five-meal TCD diet (on a training day) for a person with 150 pounds of lean mass and high insulin sensitivity who is on a 3, 000 calorie per mass diet:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal (before training) | 30g | 40g | 20g |
| 2nd meal (after training) | 30g | 35g | 20g |
| 3rd meal | 30g | 10g | 30g |
| 4th meal | 30g | 10g | 30g |
| 5th meal | 30g | 10g | 30g |
Thin tincture of TsKD and TKD
Keep in mind that the above recommendations for carbohydrate intake in targeted, cyclical ketogenic diets are just a starting point. It is impossible to develop an ideal, comprehensive diet that meets the needs of everyone reading this article because there are too many factors to consider.
For this reason, as mentioned previously, when mastering advanced versions of ketogenic diets like TKD and CCD, you must be careful, thorough, and open to experimentation. You'll learn what works best for your body as you go. Always listen to your body and be willing to make adjustments as needed.
If you eat 30g of carbs a day and still feel good at the gym, follow this strategy; If you feel more comfortable with two carb-loading days a week, do it. The carbohydrate needs recommended in this guide are based on experience rather than rigorous scientific research, and you can feel free to adjust them to meet your individual needs.
And the last piece of advice, especially relevant in relation to TKD. You should reduce the proportion of fat in meals that contain a lot of carbohydrates. This doesn't mean you shouldn't gain weight during your pre-workout meal, you just need to eat a balanced diet and distribute most of the fat between your other meals.
Opinion on the role of saturated fat in the ketogenic diet
Starting a ketogenic diet will inevitably increase the proportion of saturated fat in your diet, but that doesn't mean you should rely entirely on saturated fat and ignore your polyunsaturated fat intake.
There is considerable debate about how much saturated fat is considered excessive on a ketogenic diet. Many people who have tried the ketogenic diet insist on heavy portions of foods like butter, fatty red meats, full-fat dairy, etc.
Saturated fats are related to the production of sex hormones (androgens) in men's bodies and, therefore, a sharp reduction in their consumption can hardly be considered a good idea. However, chronic overuse of saturated fat can lead to increased insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders, so loading the body with these nutrients is not our plan either.
In my opinion, in the context of a ketogenic diet, you can safely increase the proportion of saturated fats in the diet to 20-30% of total fat. That is, if a person consumes 150 grams of fat daily with food, he should try to limit the amount of saturated fat to 30-45 grams per day.
Common questions
Question:Is it possible to include main sources of carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet menu?
To respond:Some adherents of the ketogenic diet categorically argue that basic carbohydrate foods should be completely excluded. However, in the case of older people, who can eat more carbohydrates and still remain in a state of ketosis, it is possible to allow "mistakes" in the diet in the form of cereals, grains, fruits and starchy vegetables.
Question:Can you eat more protein and less fat while on a ketogenic diet?
To respond:Yes, but keep in mind that consuming too much protein will simply lead to increased gluconeogenesis in the liver, which in turn will once again make glucose the main source of fuel.
Question:Do I need to use ketone test strips to make sure my body has entered a state of ketosis? Should I worry about whether I have reached this state or not?
To respond:The presence of ketone bodies in urine and the formal state of "ketosis" should not be given too much importance. As long as you consume few carbohydrates in your diet, you will use fats and ketones for most of your body's energy needs.
Question:Can I use artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes while on a ketogenic diet?
To respond:In most cases, yes. But remember that some sugar substitutes contain small amounts of fillers such as maltodextrin and dextrose, and if you overindulge in sweeteners, the amount of these fillers in your diet can increase to alarming levels.
Question:Is the ketogenic diet safe for people with high cholesterol?
To respond:Generally safe, especially if most of the fat comes from unsaturated sources. However, if you have chronic illnesses, it is advisable to ask your doctor this question, and only after his approval start a ketogenic diet.
Question:Should plant fiber be included in the total caloric intake of the diet?
To respond:Plant fibers are not listed as "net carbs" on food labels. However, plant fiber, like any nutrient, contains calories.
Question:After high-carb meals (during carb loading), my stomach feels bloated and I fall into a drowsy state. What should I do?
To respond:You can try increasing your meal frequency and distributing carbohydrate foods more evenly. Or try to eat most of your carbohydrates in the evening, when after eating you can finally relax and tune in to passive rest.
Question:When I first tried the ketogenic diet, I felt out of place. This is good?
To respond:Many people feel exhausted within a few weeks, especially if their diet was previously based on carbohydrate-rich foods. However, if your performance doesn't recover over time, try TCD or CDT and see if that helps resolve the issue.
Conclusion
I hope this in-depth look at the ketogenic diet has taught you a lot and provided useful information to help you get started. Remember, you must be open to experimentation and listen carefully to the signals your body is sending.
Many people use low-carb, high-fat diets with great success, while others feel terrible on a ketogenic diet and are unable to function or function normally. If you realize that you belong to the second group, don't try to force your body and follow a ketogenic diet for the sake of the diet itself.
Ultimately, your diet should do two things: help you achieve your fitness and health goals without interfering with your daily life. You don't have to sacrifice one for the other, although many people do just that when they set new goals. It doesn't matter how good a diet looks on paper and in theory if you can't stick to your plan. Do what works best for you and stay the course in the long run. This is where the secret to success lies.