The Keto Diet, short for “ketogenic diet,” is a hugely popular diet trend.  This eating plan is all about minimizing your carbs and upping your fats to get your body to use the fat as a form of energy, that typically translates to: 60-75% of your calories from fat, 15-30% of your calories from protein, and 5-10% of your calories from carbs.

After about two to seven days of following this eating routine, you go into something called ketosis, or the state your body enters when it doesn’t have enough carbs for your cells to use for energy. Then it starts making ketones, or organic compounds that your body then uses in place of those missing carbs.

Keto was designed to help people who suffer from seizure disorders—not to help people lose weight. That’s because both ketones and another chemical produced by the diet, called decanoic acid, may help minimize seizures. 

But people who started following the keto diet noticed weight loss for a few reasons: When we eat carbs, our body retains fluid in order to store carbs for energy (you know, in case it needs it). But when you’re not having much in the carb department, you lose this water weight. Also, it’s easy to go overboard on carbohydrates—but if you’re loading up on fat, it may help curb cravings since it keeps you satisfied, but it does nothing to preserve your energy or metabolically active muscle. It also suppresses thyroid function, increases cortisol, fatigue, inflammation, the risk of fatty liver disease and nutrient deficiencies, and is particularly harmful for women as it spurs the production of excess estrogen which is linked to increased risk of breast cancer.

So, The Keto Diet is not the answer, but ketosis certainly is. Before getting into the specifics of my approach, let me share how I came to discover and use it to lose 24 pounds since I began this journey to find a fix in September of 2017.

During two years of illness, I discovered the root issue was a hidden dental infection as a tooth was over-drilled, killing the root, before a crown was placed over it. This infection was so serious it eroded the bone in my jaw and lead to excessive inflammation, immune and insulin imbalance. However, through my own research and experimentation with various dietary changes, supplements and workouts I was determined to find the solutions to my weight loss resistance and continued weight gain.

Well, everything happens for a reason. Because as a result of this illness, I have subsequently developed a clinical approach that solves every cause of weight loss resistance. My tweaks to the Hormone Diet nutrition plan has culminated in an approach that will always offer results – if it is followed (and I understand how to modify it weekly to ensure success).

I developed a specific panel of tests that is available only through my clinic Clear Medicine as part of our successful weight loss program. I have also mastered the workout for fat loss and preserving muscle. Lastly – I have case study after case study to prove the approach works to restore abnormal blood values (we retest the abnormal values after 4 to 6 weeks to make sure they are corrected) and to increase muscle mass – even without exercise. The last patient to achieve two pounds of muscle was 77 years old.

With my approach to ketosis, you can be sure that each pound you see drop on the scale is equivalent to the loss of one pound of fat that is the equivalent to a block of butter coming off your body. You do not lose water or muscle on this plan – only fat.

Dr. Turner’s Safe Three-Phased Approach to Ketosis:

Phase 1: Getting into Ketosis – The Right Way

We can eat less or move more to get into ketosis – which simply refers to the state in which your body is burning fat. Every metabolism is different. When and how ketosis occurs varies from person to person, which naturally results in a necessity for alterations in dietary restrictions/permitted foods and serving sizes especially with respect to an individual’s daily activity level.

• We begin the process of entering to ketosis by consuming less calories when we should eat less (i.e. on the days we are moving less). Phase I, which is typically 6 – 14 days, all starchy carbs and sugar and fats are avoided as they are the highest calorie macronutrients. We want your body to start tapping into stored body fat for fuel and not to exist on the fat from your diet.  
• Start your day with a fat and starchy carb free breakfast, which will keep you in ketosis from your fast overnight.

Breakfast meal – Don’t eat this keto meal…

Ingredients

• 5 oz. diced bacon or chorizo
• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 oz. fresh spinach
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 oz. shredded cheese
• salt and pepper

Eat this meal instead: Dr. Turner’s Hormone Diet Keto Style Breakfast Meal: High Veg, Fat-free fat, protein-enriched to maintain muscle mass, and anti-inflammatory with lean choice protein, removal of bad fats and spices

• Two rules that must not be broken in all phases of the Hormone Diet Keto Style diet:
  • You must consume at least two cups of cooked vegetables twice a day. They can be in the form of soups, baked, steamed, stir-fried, they can even be cold and added to a green salad. Cooked veggies have much more fiber than greens, cucumber, and celery. The fiber keeps you full and lowers insulin and harmful estrogen.
  • You must never eat less than your required amount of protein to maintain your muscle mass daily. (the formula is 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight – divide this number by four to find the amount per meal four times per day)

Lunch meal – Don’t eat this keto meal:

Ingredients:

25 oz. ground beef
2 oz. butter
3 tbsp Tex-Mex seasoning
7 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 oz. pickled jalapeños
7 oz. shredded cheese, for example Monterey Jack
For serving 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream 1 scallion finely chopped5 oz. leafy greens or iceberg lettuce and 1 cup guacamole

Eat this instead Dr. Turner’s Hormone Diet Keto Style Tex Mex Casserole:

High Veg, very low fat, protein-rich to maintain muscle mass, anti-inflammatory with choice of lean protein, removal of harmful fats and benefits of added spices.

Afternoon Meal – Don’t eat this keto meal

Keto smoothie

Keto smoothies use coconut, avocado, and nut butter as a base to boost fat content and provide a creamy texture. But the fat in this recipe is three times the amount recommended in one meal. And only 10 grams protein, which is not enough to maintain muscle, unless you weigh less than 80 pounds!

Yields: about 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup filtered water
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 tablespoon MCT oil
  • 1/2 organic cucumber
  • 1 large handful dark leafy greens
  • 1 – 2 leaves dandelion
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • Juice from 1 lemon

Per smoothie: 360 calories, 33 g fat, 10 g protein, 12 g carbs, 8 g fiber

Dr. Turner’s Hormone Diet Keto Style Midafternoon Meal: No or Low fat, protein-rich to maintain muscle mass, nutrient-dense with the multivitamin in the meal replacement

Protein- Rich/Low-fat/Low- Carb option on the go: 1 scoop meal replacement of your choice with one added extra scoop protein powder to increase the protein content – can be vegan or whey-based protein and meal replacement

Ice (optional)

4 to 8 ounces of water

Optional permitted fruit on the side

You can consume one serving of fruit at lunch or midafternoon – but only from these selections:

• Kiwi, berries, grapefruit, watermelon or golden berries.

Per shaker cup (using Clear Medicine meal replacement and protein powders): Calories 250, 8 grams fat, 35 grams protein, 13 grams carbs, 9 grams fiber

Phase 2: Remaining in Ketosis & The Link Between Your Activity to Your Food Intake

The goal is to begin reintroducing foods as quickly as possible while keeping you in ketosis. You will add in food groups based on your exercise habits and by monitoring your body’s response to the addition of fats and starchy carbs via the Ketostix.

• You can test your ketones and weight each morning to ensure you are in ketosis. Once you are in ketosis, you are ready to move to phase 2, which involves the addition of food groups.
• Begin by adding one serving of fat – if you remain in ketosis and do not gain weight you will keep this added fat source in your daily diet. If it kicks you out of ketosis remove it or you will need to increase your activity.
• Add a daily walk of one hour to one hour fifteen minutes. I suggest that you download the Strava App and use it to ensure you walk at a speed of about six KM per hour.  Keep this rule in mind – if you are not moving, unable to exercise or sitting at your desk all day, you do not need this fat or the starch in your evening meal.
• In this phase, you also have earned one cheat meal per week. Eat whatever you want at an evening meal. If your weight is up two to three days post the cheat meal, you have overdone the cheat meal.

Evening Meal- Don’t eat this keto meal: Keto Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 medium Onion
• 1.5 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Make this instead: Dr. Turner’s Keto Butter Chicken Evening Meal – Recipe here.

With One Fat Source High-veg, lower-healthy fat (nut-butters and coconut milk rather than heavy cream), protein-rich to maintain muscle mass, anti-inflammatory because of lean protein, the removal of bad fats and benefit of added spices

Phase 3: Getting Back Into Ketosis

This phase is all about lifestyle adaptation and it is the phase that gives you the tips to get you back on track if you have slipped up, gone on vacation, or become overwhelmed with life or work demands, which forces you to get off track with your diet choices. When this comes up, and it does for all of us, here’s your Hormone Diet Ketosis Reset:

• Use Regular Girl Fiber or Clear Solufibre before, during or after cheat meals to reduce the absorption of fat and sugar from a meal.
• Have meal replacement – any product from the Vitamin Complete line – one scoop in water before attending parties. Do not miss the 2 – 4 PM protein-based meal. It is essential for fat loss, blood sugar balance, and adrenal gland recuperation in all cases of adrenal fatigue.
• Pick your poison – carb, alcohol or dessert – not all three. Pick one!
• Wake up do a fasted cardio post cheat meals – then have breakfast that is fruit-free and carb-free except for greens.
• Sauna – sweat it out. You can burn 300 to 400 calories in one infrared sauna therapy session.
• Do not miss your protein – even if you overeat fat and carbs – keep up your protein. This may mean drinking a scoop of protein in water before bed.
• Do the five and two plan – 500 – 600 calories (mostly from protein) one to two days a week to keep losing fat even with off-track eating other days of the week.  This may look like one scoop of a clear complete product with one scoop of a protein of the same base in a shaker cup three to four times a day. One solid meal of veggies and protein – no fat or starch – is optional.
• Add in an extra walk – one hour at a time to burn off the excess you consumed.
• Remember – when you move more – eat more – so have a fat and or a starch or both – but when you move less – skip the fats and the starch. Never be short on your protein and your cooked veggies.
• Go back to Phase 1 if you need to.

For recipes, meal plans and weekly coaching, come see us at Clear Medicine and enroll in the 5-week ketosis and fat loss program. Read all about the Ketosis / Fat Loss Program here.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash