We invite you to thoroughly study 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 nutrient requirements.
The history of the ketogenic diet goes back several decades, and during this period it has been able to gather many ardent supporters in the bodybuilding subculture. In general terms, the ketogenic diet and its variants are diets that are enriched in fat and protein while being extremely low in carbohydrates (usually less than 10% of total macronutrients); With such a diet, the body is forced to use fats as fuel, since 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 used primarily for fitness and wellness purposes, it is also used in complex treatment algorithms for epilepsy.
You may ask: "How is the ketogenic diet different from any other low-carb diet? "To be honest, there aren't that many differences. Many believe that such a nutritional system becomes most 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 ifsevere restriction of carbohydrate intake. However, such a view of the problem is short-sighted, and we will definitely touch on this issue later.
In this guide, we'll take a closer look at the physiological processes that underlie the ketogenic diet, take a look at 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 earlier, the ketogenic diet got its name due to the fact that the restriction of carbohydrate consumption inherent in this nutritional system can put the body into 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 taken together indicate the body's transition into a state of ketosis.
Therefore, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to put the body into a state of nutritional ketosis (not to be confused with pathological ketosis), which ultimately directs 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 solely by trial and error and is largely determined by your priority goals (more details below).
- Standard ketogenic diet– This is the simplest, most basic version of the ketogenic diet. SCD does not imply periods of replenishment of carbohydrate reserves, as required by CCD and TKD. This is a linear diet characterized by a steady 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 in order to replenish muscle glycogen reserves after the body’s reserves have been completely depleted. The length of time between carbohydrate loads will vary 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 supply of carbohydrates 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 a "break-in period" using a standard ketogenic diet. After a few weeks of such a break-in, you will be able to evaluate how your body reacts to changes in diet, how your physical performance changes, and how energetic you are. This will make it easier for you to decide which diet to use over the long haul.
You may also have doubts about which option is better 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 people who want to gain muscle mass, since carbohydrates save protein and stimulate insulin secretion, and standard CD will be an ideal choice for those who want to lose weight, since insulin synthesis will be relatively low. However, these short-term fluctuations in insulin secretion over a long distance will not become a decisive factor, unlike the total calorie intake of the diet.
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 does not suffer when severely restricting carbohydrate intake. SKD will also be an excellent choice for people who do not train too intensely and have high insulin resistance.
- TKD. If you train your butt off several times a week and notice that your performance deteriorates 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 carbohydrate boost but would not benefit from a heavy carbohydrate 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 optimal period between carbohydrate loadings is sought, and the amount of carbohydrates needed on loading days is determined. If you consider yourself an experienced athlete, actively train all week long, 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 maximum 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 a SCD diet. People who choose either CCD or TCD will also have to use the basic calculations for CCD, but with minor adjustments, which I will talk about later.
In general, we can say that anyone who wants to lose weight should stick to the golden rule of a daily deficit of 500 calories, and anyone who wants to gain muscle mass should achieve a surplus of the same 500 calories. However, this is too rough a 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 one week.
Here's 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 further calculations we proceed from 30 g)
- Since 1g of protein and carbohydrates contains 4 calories, we have (150 + 30) x 4: 720 calories from protein and carbohydrates
- We get that this person should get 1280 calories from fat (2000 - 720), and since there are 9 calories in one gram of fat, he should eat approximately 142 (1280 divided by 9) grams of fat daily.
Thus, in total, this person's daily diet would include 150 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 142 grams of fat. Let's distribute this amount between meals.
Example of a 3 meal meal plan:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal | 50 g | 10 g | 48 g |
| 2nd meal | 50 g | 10 g | 47 g |
| 3rd meal | 50 g | 10 g | 47 g |
Example of a 5 meal meal plan:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal | 30 g | 5 g | 29 g |
| 2nd meal | 30 g | 5 g | 29 g |
| 3rd meal | 30 g | 5 g | 28 g |
| 4th meal | 30 g | 5 g | 28 g |
| 5th meal | 30 g | 5 g | 28 g |
Selecting Foods for a Ketogenic Diet
There are no strict rules in the ketogenic diet, just as there are no allowed or prohibited foods. Many believe that the main sources of starch and sugar should not be included in the diet at all, since this will interfere with the transition of metabolism to a state of ketosis, but in small quantities such products are unlikely to become a hindrance, especially for large people.
Good choices for a ketogenic diet include the following:
- Animal protein (especially red meat)
- Eggs (whole or whites only)
- Fatty dairy products such as cheese, cream, butter, etc.
- Oils, preferably vegetable oils, peanuts, flax seeds, 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.
Planning of the Central Control Center
Now let's look at how you should integrate carbohydrates into a cycling version of the ketogenic diet.
Those who choose CC should start by carb-loading once a week and then adjust the time interval between loading days as needed to suit their individual needs. Be prepared to do a lot of experimentation, during which you will evaluate how many carbohydrates you ate on the loading day, and how you feel on the following days.
The main thing to remember when carb loading is to reduce your fat intake; do not continue to eat fat in large portions on loading days. But leave your protein intake at the same level (or even increase it to maintain your total caloric content).
Using the macronutrient needs of the previously mentioned 75-kg person, here are some basic recommendations for setting up the CKD with one 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 of 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 of dry weight
- Now, as before, we simply count the remaining calories, divide by 9 and get the grams of fat that need to be received on carbohydrate loading days
An example of a CDF for people with normal insulin sensitivity and a lean body mass of 75 kg eating a restrictive diet of 2000 calories:
- Monday - Saturday: nutrient intake must correspond to the previously calculated requirements for the SKD
- Sunday (carb loading day, 2500 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 evaluate how your body reacts to certain amounts of carbohydrates and determine for yourself the optimal time to take them. Remember, when following TKD, you must take in enough carbohydrates for optimal performance, but not overindulge in them. CKD 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, he should consume carbohydrates before and/or after training on those training days. In the remaining days, nutrient intake should correspond to the calculations for the SCD.
Calculating nutrient needs during TKD is actually no different from SKD; we just add carbohydrates to the "peri-training" meal on training days. To illustrate how carbohydrate training should be planned during TKD, here are the recommendations for the same 75 kg athlete who is in the cutting phase, consuming 2000 calories daily, and has a certain amount of 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 mass to the "near-training" meal
- For normal insulin sensitivity, add 0. 75 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of dry mass to the "near-training" meal
- If you have high sensitivity to insulin, add 1 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of dry mass to your "near-training" meal
- Now we subtract the "extra" calories obtained from carbohydrates and protein from the daily energy requirement and add the missing calories from fats (everything is the same as before).
A "near-training" meal precedes or follows a training session. This means that you can randomly distribute the "extra" carbohydrates, as long as they are all eaten within the training window. In general, it is recommended to simply divide the total amount in half and eat them before and after your workout.
An example of a five-meal TCD diet (on a training day) for a person with 75 kg lean mass and high insulin sensitivity who is on a 3000 calorie diet per mass:
| Squirrels | Carbohydrates | Fats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st meal (before training) | 30 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| 2nd meal (after training) | 30 g | 35 g | 20 g |
| 3rd meal | 30 g | 10 g | 30 g |
| 4th meal | 30 g | 10 g | 30 g |
| 5th meal | 30 g | 10 g | 30 g |
Thin tincture of TsKD and TKD
Keep in mind that the above recommendations for carbohydrate intake on cyclical and targeted ketogenic diets are just a starting point. It is impossible to develop a comprehensive and optimal diet that will meet the needs of everyone reading this article because there are so many factors to consider.
For this reason, as mentioned earlier, when mastering such advanced versions of ketogenic diets as TKD and CCD, you must be careful, thorough and open to experimentation. You will learn what works best for your body as you go. Always listen to your body and be willing to make the adjustments it requires.
If you eat 30g of carbs a day and still feel great in the gym, stick with this strategy; If you feel more comfortable with two days of carb loading per week, do so. 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 suit 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 get fat at all in your pre-workout meal, you just need to eat a balanced diet and distribute the lion's share of fat between the remaining 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 this does not mean that you should rely entirely on saturated fat and ignore your intake of polyunsaturated fat.
There is considerable debate about how much saturated fat is considered too much in a ketogenic diet. Many people who have tried the ketogenic diet insist on hefty portions of foods like butter, fatty red meats, full-fat dairy, etc.
Saturated fats are related to the production of sex hormones (androgens) in the body of men, and therefore a sharp reduction in their consumption can hardly be called 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 also not our plan.
In my opinion, against the backdrop of a ketogenic diet, you can safely increase the proportion of saturated fats in the diet to 20-30% of the total fat. That is, if a person gets 150 grams of fat from food daily, he should try to limit the amount of saturated fat to 30-45 grams per day.
FAQ
Question:Is it possible to include main sources of carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet menu?
Answer:Some adherents of the ketogenic diet categorically argue that basic carbohydrate foods should be completely excluded. However, in the case of larger people who can eat more carbohydrates and still remain in a state of ketosis, it is possible to allow "errors" 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?
Answer: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 primary fuel source.
Question:Do I need to use ketone test strips to make sure my body has entered a state of ketosis? Should I even worry about whether I have reached this state or not?
Answer:You should not attach too much importance to the presence of ketone bodies in the urine and the formal state of "ketosis". As long as you consume very few carbohydrates in your diet, you will use fats and ketones for the lion's share of your body's energy needs.
Question:Can I use artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes while on a ketogenic diet?
Answer: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?
Answer:Generally safe, especially if most of the fat comes from unsaturated sources. However, if you have chronic diseases, it is advisable to ask your doctor this question, and only after his blessing go on a ketogenic diet.
Question:Should plant fibers be included in the total caloric intake of the diet?
Answer:Plant fibers are not listed as "net carbohydrates" on food labels. However, plant fiber, like any nutrient, contains calories.
Question:After high carb meals (during carb loading), my stomach becomes bloated and I fall into a drowsy state. What should I do?
Answer:You can try increasing the frequency of meals and distributing carbohydrate foods more evenly. Or try eating the lion's share of 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 fine?
Answer:Many people feel exhausted within a few weeks, especially if their diet was previously built around high-carbohydrate foods. However, if your performance does not recover over time, try TCD or CDT and see if it helps solve the problem.
Conclusion
I hope this in-depth look at the ketogenic diet has taught you a lot and provided you with useful information to help you take your first steps. 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, do not try to force your body and stick to a ketogenic diet for the sake of 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 seems on paper and in theory if you can't stick to your plan. Do what works best for you and stay the course over the long haul. This is where the secret of success lies.