The Keto Diet Cookbook

by Leanne Vogel

  Seriously, I’ve said this so many times that I have it memorized. But it does such a great job of introducing keto that I just can’t stop using it.

  Signs It’s Time to Heal Your Body

  You may be thinking, “I don’t have anything to heal. I just want to lose weight, and my body isn’t cooperating.” You’d be amazed at how many signs, symptoms, and imbalances cause our bodies to shut down and not do what we want them to do. Here are some signs that your body is in need of healing:

  HOW KETO HEALS

  When we reduce our consumption of carbohydrates and increase our intake of healthy fats, we see the following improvements:

  Inflammation goes down, which allows us to physically move more and be free from inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and arthritis.

  We naturally drink more water, which helps balance energy levels and relieve constipation.

  Our exposure to nutrients increases because we’re pairing fat with fat-soluble vitamins.

  Our metabolism is regulated as blood sugar balances, which means we don’t crave foods as often, and mood stabilizes.

  Triglycerides decrease, which lowers cardiovascular disease risk.

  Quality of sleep improves, which leaves us feeling rested throughout the day.

  Endurance improves and muscle is spared, which leads to more gains at the gym.

  Hormones are better managed, which increases fertility and leads to more enjoyable periods, pregnancies, and menopause experiences.

  No other diet heals the body like keto. As you satisfy yourself by consuming all the fats (I get to which fats are best on here), snacking on nut butter, and actually enjoying vegetables, your body is upregulating, balancing, and healing itself to a new normal. It’s not uncommon for the body to change so drastically in such a short time that following a strict ketogenic protocol becomes unnecessary—or rather, what worked for you as you were healing your body becomes less of a concern in later months of eating keto.

  Unlike other “diets,” when you follow a ketogenic diet, your weight regulates itself without immense effort. Your anxiety subsides, your hair grows quickly and becomes strong, your appetite regulates itself without appetite suppression products, and all you have to worry about is ensuring that you eat enough fatty foods to keep yourself satiated. No self-loathing, guilt, or calorie counting required.

  Your main takeaway from this chapter is that keto shouldn’t be hard and doesn’t have to be complex. I hope I make that point very, very clear in what’s to come in the rest of this book.

  BENEFITS OF KETOSIS

  BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION

  As you lower your carbohydrate intake, your elevated blood sugar level goes down and balances out, meaning that you have less need for insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. When you start using fat as fuel, you become more and more insulin sensitive, whereby your body responds properly to carbohydrate intake, effectively releasing insulin when it should, with cells reacting to insulin as they should.

  Once ketosis takes hold, you can say goodbye to eating every three to four hours in order to regulate your blood sugar. No more hangry feelings and no more pre-meal shakiness. You’ll be riding the wave of blood sugar balance and enjoying the benefits after only days of following a ketogenic diet.

  CLEARER SKIN

  Carbohydrates might be the main dietary culprit for acne because of how they negatively affect hormone regulation. So, when you lower your carbohydrate intake via a ketogenic diet, you are effectively reducing your intake of the macronutrient that could be contributing to your hormone imbalances. In turn, you’re balancing hormones that, when unbalanced, can result in acne.

  It’s incredible how much clearer my skin has become as a result of this eating style. I’m much more in tune with how my body responds to eating certain foods, and I’ve been able to determine that eggs, nightshades, and nuts affect my skin negatively.

  HOW DO HORMONES CAUSE ACNE?

  Androgens, such as testosterone, cause increased sebum production, which leads to oily skin. When sebum production increases, cell production ramps up, and dead skin cells aren’t shed in the normal fashion. The extra cells combine with the excess sebum, which causes blockages or plugs in the skin.

  SUPPRESSED APPETITE

  The keto diet is naturally satiating because fats are satiating. When you’re in fat-burning mode, fat is a constant fuel source that your body can access on demand.

  When I dieted in the past, food ruled my world. I always felt hungry and had to play mind games with myself to resist chowing down. With keto, I don’t need to make an effort to avoid food the way I did before. I just . . . don’t want to eat. With this shift comes great freedom—I can hop on a flight without snacks, I can go the whole morning without getting hungry, and I generally am not the least bit concerned about food.

  BALANCED BLOOD WORK

  Your biomarkers change as the way you fuel your body is flipped upside down with keto. Cholesterol, the precursor to all sex hormones, aids in balancing your endocrine system, HDL increases due to a higher saturated fat intake, HsCRP (a marker of overall inflammation) is reduced as you eat fewer inflammatory foods, and so much more.

  As a vegan, and even when I was Paleo, I could never get a handle on my numbers. My total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol—everything was all over the place. But, after I had been in ketosis for six months, my blood panel looked marvelous, and it still does! My HDL is higher, my triglycerides are low, and my cortisol has balanced out.

  ENHANCED BRAIN FUNCTION

  Ketones are a powerful source of fuel for the brain. Fueling a brain with only glucose results in blood sugar highs and lows, which affect brain function and cause fluctuations in energy, focus, and ability to complete tasks efficiently, or at all.

  After two months of eating this way, I was able to work with my doctor to stop taking all the ADHD medications I’d been on since I was eleven years old. I felt as if a veil had been lifted, and I was able to think clearly for the first time.

  MOOD STABILIZATION

  As your blood sugar levels off, so does your mood. Also, many of the foods you may have had negative reactions to—such as those containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives—are no longer part of your eating style, which contributes to further mood stabilization and healing through a focus on whole, unprocessed foods.

  My moods have stabilized dramatically. Now, when I do eat a touch more carbohydrate than I’m used to, I’m reminded of just how crazy I used to feel all the time! These days, I can clearly identify my emotions and make levelheaded choices based on how I’m feeling instead of having the erratic and involuntary emotional reactions that so often controlled me in the past.

  ACCESS TO FAT STORES FOR ENERGY

  In a state of nutritional ketosis, our cell walls can stay wide open, which makes them ready to release fats into the energy chain through lipolysis. When you’re fueled by glucose, insulin is out partying in your bloodstream and causes your cell walls to stay closed, which makes lipolysis much more difficult.

  When you go keto, you activate your body fat as fuel for nearly every one of your body’s daily processes. This fat energy is available at any time, so you have a steady stream of energy rather than suffering the peaks and valleys you experience when you’re fueled by glucose.

  IMPROVED MENTAL FOCUS

  Think of ketones as rocket fuel for the brain. When your brain is receiving ketones, either in the form of exogenous (external to the body) ketones or endogenous (internal to the body) ketones, your brain lights up!

  Regardless of the time of day, when you’re fueled by fat, your brain has the ability to fire on all cylinders. You can expect improved focus and concentration the whole day through.

  MEET THE KETONE:

  YOUR NEW BEST BUD

  Ketones, also known as “ketone bodies,” are by-products created when the body breaks down fat for energy. There are three types of ketone
bodies: acetoacetate (AcAc), beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB), and acetone.

  KETONES

  Are ROCKET

  FUEL for the

  body

  Increase

  MENTAL

  performance

  Provide

  ENERGY for

  exercise

  How do you get this wonder drug? All you have to do is eat a ketogenic diet!

  If you want to boost your body’s natural ketone levels, you can supplement with MCT oil, which boosts ketones indirectly, or exogenous ketones, which are a pure ketone supplement that delivers ready-to-use ketones to the systems in your body that need them the most.

  Exogenous ketones are not an absolute fix-everything supplement, and not everyone needs them. Also, using them improperly can lead to some serious drawbacks. For example, you should not use exogenous ketones to “erase” poor eating choices, such as consuming excess carbohydrates. You also shouldn’t use them to extend fasting beyond what your body is comfortable with, or think that if you supplement with them, you don’t have to focus on food quality and eat a well-rounded keto diet. Most importantly, it is possible to rely too heavily on exogenous ketones, so keep that in mind if you decide to try them out. However, if you use them responsibly and purposefully, then they can be an awesome keto game-changer!

  THE BASICS OF THE KETOGENIC DIET

  It’s important that you understand the following definitions:

  MACROS (short for MACRONUTRIENTS) are fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

  When someone asks, “What are your keto macros?” what they’re asking is, how much of each macronutrient do you consume?

  Macros can be displayed as percentages, such as 80% fat, 15% protein, and 5% carbohydrate, or as gram amounts, such as 178 grams of fat, 75 grams of protein, and 25 grams of carbohydrate. The carbohydrate amount refers to total carbohydrates consumed, not net carbohydrates.

  TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES include all carbohydrates consumed.

  NET CARBOHYDRATES are total carbohydrates minus any fiber and sugar alcohol consumed.

  The premise of the ketogenic diet is to eat a lot of fat, moderate protein, and limited carbohydrates, like this:

  Think of these percentages as the amounts of food you eat in a day. All the food you eat equals 100 percent, with fats, proteins, and carbohydrates being the three pieces of the pie.

  2,000

  CALORIES IN A DAY

  Here’s an example to bring it all together for you:

  Your goal is to eat 2,000 calories in a day, and you want your macros to be 80 percent fat, 15 percent protein, and 5 percent carbohydrate. To figure out how much of each macronutrient to eat, you need to know that 1 gram of carbohydrate or protein equals 4 calories, while 1 gram of fat equals 9 calories. With that information in hand, you can translate the percentages to caloric equivalencies:

  Calories of fat in a day = 2,000 x 80% = 1,600

  Calories of protein in a day = 2,000 x 15% = 300

  Calories of carbohydrate in a day = 2,000 x 5% = 100

  Now, you can calculate how many grams make up each of these groups of calories by doing the following calculations:

  Grams of fat in a day = 1,600 calories / 9 calories per gram = 178

  Grams of protein in a day = 300 calories / 4 calories per gram = 75

  Grams of carbohydrate in a day = 100 calories / 4 calories per gram = 25

  The grams in these calculations represent the grams of actual fat, protein, and carbohydrate found in a food item rather than the physical weight of that food item. For example, 100 grams of chicken breast as weighed with a food scale does not contain 100 grams of protein; it has 31 grams of protein. So remember that these calculations don’t refer to the physical weight of the food, but to the fat, protein, or carbohydrate the food contains.

  To give you an idea of what 178 grams of fat looks like, it is about 1¼ cups (315 grams of physical weight) of almond butter. (Remember that almond butter also contributes carbohydrates and protein to the equation.) Here are two other examples:

  • 75 grams of protein equates to about 2½ chicken thighs cooked with the skin on.

  • 25 grams of carbohydrate equates to a small head of broccoli.

  Understanding these concepts is super helpful when you’re looking at the portions on your plate. It helps to know that fat contains more than double the energy (that is, calories) of protein or carbohydrate.

  ADJUSTING KETO FOR YOUR BODY

  You don’t necessarily have to commit to specific macronutrient ratios in order to reach keto success. I’ve formulated the recipes in this book in such a way that if you make use of the recipes and meal planning strategies (see Chapter 3), you’ll be quite close to the standard ketogenic ratios.

  Once you get the hang of combining small, medium, large, and huge meals to create a meal plan that suits you best, you can start to tweak things here and there as you learn more about your body, your needs, and how adjusting the macro percentages affects your progress toward your goals.

  You might be thinking, “Great! I know the keto macros; I’m set!” However, figuring out which macro percentages work best for you depends on what your body needs at any given time; the numbers might be different for someone else.

  Many people (including me) respond best to keto when they adjust their macronutrients to their current circumstances. Perhaps you’ll have days when you eat more protein than usual as you reduce your carbohydrates to nearly zero. On other days, you might consume less fat than normal so you can incorporate more leafy greens or load up on animal protein.

  Let’s run through some of the most common adjustments people can make to their macros based on their health imbalances or overall goals.

  NO GALLBLADDER OR

  FATTY ACID DIGESTIVE ISSUES

  Best for: People who know that they don’t digest fat well or who do not have a gallbladder.

  THYROID IMBALANCE,

  ADRENAL DYSFUNCTION,

  OR DIFFICULTY SLEEPING*

  Best for: People with thyroid imbalance, adrenal dysfunction, or difficulty sleeping.

  Eating low-carb, high-fat all day and then incorporating a touch more carbohydrates in the evening in the form of fruits (like apples and berries) and grain-free starches (like parsnips, squash, and sweet potatoes) might feel best.

  *Don’t worry too much about whether the boost in carbohydrates will affect your ketone level. The amount of carbs you consume is so minimal that you’ll be back to burning fat in the morning, and having that touch of carbs will go a long way toward balancing out the body systems that need it most.

  REACTING TO PLANTS

  OR WANTING TO LOSE FAT

  Best for: People who are working on healing their digestive system, react to plant foods (such as vegetables, fruits, or nuts), or want to shed excess fat and develop muscle definition.

  INFLAMMATION, AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS, OR PCOS

  Best for: Those who have an autoimmune condition, struggle with inflammation, or have been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

  POST-SURGERY OR

  FEELING UNDER THE WEATHER

  Best for: People whose immune systems have taken a hit, either with an oncoming flu bug, during a stressful period in life, or following a surgery where the body needs to do a bunch of healing and resting.

  HEART HEALTH

  Best for: Those concerned with the health of their heart.

  If you find that when you eat keto, your cholesterol increases and you gain weight quickly, try reducing your intake of saturated fats and focus on monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocado oil.

  NEUROLOGICAL IMBALANCES

  Best for: People who have imbalances of the nervous system, including biochemical, electrical, or structural abnormalities in the brain, nerves, or spinal cord—for example, struggling with poor coordination, loss of sensation, confusion, muscle weakness, or paralysis. Conditions that can cause these imbalances include ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, dys
lexia, and restless leg syndrome.

  LADIES! SYNCING HORMONES WITH YOUR KETO PROTOCOL

  If you’re experiencing a monthly menstrual cycle, or you’re at an age where a monthly cycle is expected of your body, understanding the hormones that influence your cycle is key to understanding hormone imbalance and how a ketogenic diet can help correct this imbalance. With just a slight tweak to your macronutrient ratios, you can support the ebb and flow of the two main hormones responsible for a balanced menstrual cycle: estrogen and progesterone.

  If you do not have a cycle due to a condition called amenorrhea, this information applies to you as well. Your body still might go through the hormonal ebb and flow, but that ebb and flow is not strong enough to produce menstruation. If you’re unsure of where you are in your cycle, use the phases of the moon as a guide. A full moon can signify ovulation. When is the next full moon? Count backward 14 days from that date and pick that as day 1 of your next cycle.