Some of the most common questions I get involve ketosis. Is it healthy? Should I do ketosis? How much bacon is too much bacon? The answers to these particular questions are usually, maybe, and the limit does not exist. But I think I can perhaps explain things a little bit better. I want to take some time to make a few suggestions on who is and is not right for the ketogenic diet, as well as give some background information.
To begin with, a short history lesson: The long-story-short version is that researchers in the early 1900s noticed that patients with severe epilepsy had remarkably fewer seizures when they were fasting. You see, when fasting we deplete liver glycogen and the body tends to shift into a state of ketosis. In this state, ketone bodies (produced from fat) are used in place of glucose for most energy needs. But here’s the trouble - although fasting proved to be a remarkably effective tool against epilepsy, one can only fast for so long. The researchers found that when people ate, it kicked them out of the ketogenic state, causing the seizures to start again.
So how do you solve this ‘starving with no seizures’ vs ‘fed with seizures’ situation? By eating a diet that mimics many of the features of fasting, without actually fasting. By dramatically reducing carbohydrates, increasing fat, and keeping protein at moderate levels, one could enter a state of “nutritional ketosis” which could be adhered to long term.
Are you still with me? Because here’s the kicker: Although the ketogenic diet was born of a need to help epilepsy, many people observed that low carb diets were exceptionally effective for fat loss. Additionally, the ketogenic diet has been studied as a therapy for conditions ranging from type 2 diabetes to cancer and even performance enhancements in endurance athletes. Unfortunately, we tend to have a culture that likes the one-size-fits-all approach. This means that most people either see the ketogenic diet as the devil, or as the savior of everything. As is usually the case, I tend to fall in neither camp. Nuance, people! So here are a few suggestions of who should and should not consider the ketogenic diet:
ONE.
If you have disordered sleep - firefighters, ER doctors, 3rd shift workers - you should consider the ketogenic diet. Sleeping is the most important thing that you can do for your body and for your mind, regardless of whether your priorities are health, athletics, or aesthetics. The most important thing. Having poor or disordered sleep and sleep patterns can not only disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm (the natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle), but it will cause brain fog as well as inflammation throughout all systems of the body. Chronic inflammation is the leading cause of most western diseases and should be managed seriously and diligently whenever possible. The ketogenic diet is known to be an incredibly effective anti-inflammatory, both for the brain and for many of the body’s systems.
TWO.
If you compete in CrossFit or another glycolytic sport, you should not consider the ketogenic diet. I said what I said. If you are a competitor (the keyword here is competitor - as in you care about the outcomes of your performance) in a sport that requires the repeated use of the glycolytic pathways, you aren’t doing yourself or your performance any favors by not having adequate glucose available. Observationally, I can tell you that the athletes I’ve worked with in these sports - CrossFit, rowing, mid-distance running, etc.- who go into ketosis can keep the wheels from falling off for a short period of time. But when they come off, they come off hard. Don’t be that athlete.
THREE.
If you want to lose a lot of weight without the usual feelings of starvation and deprivation, you should consider the ketogenic diet. To begin with, it is very easy to feel full on a ketogenic diet. This is partially due to the fact that fat and protein are very satiating macronutrients, whereas carbohydrates tend to stimulate hunger. Furthermore, when you do get hungry on ketosis it is a much more manageable level of hunger. Being in ketosis will naturally help control fasting blood sugar levels, as well as your insulin sensitivity. A great side effect of these regulations is that you will no longer get that shaky, ravenous hunger (you’ve perhaps experienced being “hangry” - I know I have), and instead your hunger will be more dull and feel more controllable. Lastly, when you are in ketosis, your stored fat is being broken down for energy (this is what produces the ketones), so you are quite literally burning fat at a relatively quick rate.
FOUR.
If you’re not interested in tracking your macros or weighing and measuring your food, you should not consider a ketogenic diet. Here’s the thing guys. As is the case with most macronutrient diets (and yes, ketosis is a macronutrient diet), you need to make sure you’re eating the proper ratios of macros in order to make the diet work optimally for you. I cannot tell you the number of athletes I’ve worked with who swear they are “doing keto” but not going into ketosis. Similarly, some are in ketosis and “being really good” but seeing no progress. In these cases, when I get them to really track what they’re eating (not guess or eyeball, but actually weigh and measure), their macros are off. This can be anything from eating too many carbohydrates, not eating enough fiber, eating too little fat, eating too much fat, eating too much protein, or even eating too little protein. Yes, once you’ve gotten the hang of it you might be able to relax and not weigh or measure everything. Eventually. But the seat-of-the-pants approach needs to come after the dedicated work, not before.
As with most subjects, there is so much more that can be said on ketosis and the ketogenic diet. Please reach out to me with questions or to have a discussion, whether it’s about the correct macros for you, or about how delicious bacon is (remember, the limit does not exist).