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.
Breakfast meal – Don’t eat this keto meal…
Ingredients
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
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
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:
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.
Evening Meal- Don’t eat this keto meal: Keto Butter Chicken
Ingredients:
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:
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