Ketogenic Diet

What is it? 

This form od dieting restricts the intake of carbohydrates. Restricting carbohydrates reduces the level of glycogen that gets stored in the liver and in the blood stream. Ketones become the primary source of energy used to move the muscles rather than glycogen, which is actually the first-line energy source.

How are ketones released in lieu of muscle cannibalism? These are the by-product that is left over when the body metabolizes fat for energy. This process begins after the glycogen stores in the liver are used and the glycogen in the bloodstream is being used. The time-frame for that is, on average, 20 to 25 minutes. After which, the muscles are in need of a secondary energy source. The energy will either come from the body breaking down extra muscle fibers – a fast and relatively simple process – or metabolize fat stores, which can take more of the body’s energy stores than using muscle tissue.

Glucose is used in the making of adenosine triphosphate, ATP. ATP is used to fuel the muscle cells and just about everything else going on in the body. It is when we exercise that these stores in the liver and in the blood stream get depleted so quickly.

As we eat our body stores the energy in two ways, glycogenesis and lipogenesis. In glycogenesis that glucose is stored in the liver and in the blood and muscles. With lipogenesis the glycogen is stored as body-fat because there is already a maximum amount of glycogen stored in the other areas. Without exercising, the energy stored through glycogenesis can sustain the average person from 6 up to 24 hours. The fat storage is more of a long-term thing. This energy is slowly released and can sustain a person for from weeks to months depending on how much body-fat they have and how much of what nutrition is available.

When glucose is being used, ketones are a by-product. The process if using glycogen and lipogen is known as glycogenolysis. Glycogenesis is the creating and storing of glycogen, glycogenolysis is the using or breaking down of glycogen. The same suffixes are applied to lipogen.

This is all great news for the body. Well, for most of the body. Ketosis is too slow a process for providing one organ with energy to function properly. Thankfully, it’s not an organ that all people rely on. Although, more should. That organ is the brain.

Glucose needs to be quickly available to the brain for it to function. Also, any diet that removes fats from the body impacts the brain. Why? The brain is 60% fat. The brain requires fat to function. Initially, that is, the ketogenic diet is too slow in providing the necessary fuel to run the body and the brain.

But, do not worry too hard or too long. Our bodies are infinitely adaptable. Even this issue will be adapted to and compensated for.

Recall that ketones are a by-product of the glycogenesis process, this is also ketogenesis … is this going to be another genesis? Who knew, right?

The ketogenesis results in acetoacetate, which is usable in the brain as fuel. The adaptation for this will take a couple of weeks. So, you may feel a little sluggish or off for the first week or two. That is perfectly normal. Have some extra coffee or tea, do not reach for energy drinks. Those are bad for you, real bad. Your brain will kick over and start burning the new fuel just as efficiently as the rest of your body.

How well does acetoacetate work? Here comes another $1.50 word. For acetoacetate to be useful, it undergoes another metamorphosis and becomes beta-hydroxybutyrate, or BHB. BHB, as stated, is far more efficient a fuel. It is up to 70% more efficient according to several reports.

Why and how does it work? A full diet is necessary prior to the ketogenic phase. That means a diet with solid nutrition, full spectrum of amino acids (both essential and non-essential), proteins, carbohydrates. Not an over-compensation styed diet. Do not take the idea that you need 1,000 or more calories every meal for a week prior to fasting to make it through. A day or two of fasting will hurt you.

Another knee-jerk reaction is taking in too much protein during the ketone phase. I can see why you might want to think that eating protein, a lot of it, is the way to go. Protein is going to protect my muscles. But, it will not protect your muscles. What it will do is increase your insulin levels. The higher your insulin levels are the slower ketogenesis is going to go. Right, too much protein in the keto phase will slow down the keto process. Not at ail what you wanted in the first place.

Does it work?

In short, the ketogenic diet transitions the body metabolism away from relying on carbohydrates for fuel and onto ketones and body fat for the energy necessary. This energy is far more efficient and effective than carbs.

This diet technique is found to be far more effective than low calorie and fat restrictive diets. This technique enables the dieter to lose fat, maintain or even gain muscle, support brain function, and protect vital health functions simultaneously. Studies are verifying these benefits. The National Institute of Health published a study in April 2003 that compared the ketogenic diet with low fat and calorie restricted diets. Their findings show that the ketogenic routine burned fat at a rate of 2.2 times faster than either of the other two routines. This success comes without the related risks to the cardiovascular system associated with the other diet regimens.

Health and diet specialists recommend this diet for those who are pre-diabetic and diabetic. Due to the body using fat more effectively as fuel, body fat levels are kept lower. This is a duel effect for the human body. First, it increases insulin sensitivity. Up to 95% of ketogenic patients on insulin were able to stop taking their diabetes medication, under doctor supervision, after having lost an average of 24 pounds.

What do you get to eat? Some rather delicious stuff is the short answer. For the longer answer I went to the blog Kettle and Fire to refer to their ketogenic guidelines. These are fairly clear and simple to recall and use.

• 75% of your fats are from healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables
• 20% of your diet is protein
• 5% of your diet is carbohydrates

Is it safe?

Yes, it is safe. Or, so it appears to be. It is even proving to be an effective and efficient diet for diabetics, pre-diabetics, and those looking for weight loss
www.healthline.com/ketogenic-diet-101#types.

. That is, according to

Is it new?

This diet style is not new. It has been around for decades. The studies on its efficacy, however, are newer. Healthline tells us that of the variety of ketogenic diets, the only one studied is the Cyclical ketogenic diet. This involves cycling high carb days in the diet routine. For instance, having two or three days of high carb intake to five or seven days of strict ketogenic days. There are several ketogenic diet variations, although healthline.com lists the following four with the attached description:

·         Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs .

·         Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.

·         Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.

·         High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

21/90 Habits in Training and in Life

By now you have easily caught on that the 2017 January Tabata Challenge is going to be posted and talked about daily. In these daily posts, which are journal entries more than articles, I am hoping to accomplish three primary goals.

First, to pass on important information. For me, if I understand the why of something, then it is easier for me to get behind it. If that “why” can help motivate some of you, then fantastic, it is vital.

Second, learning is awesome! It is. Learning is a lifelong process and is a sign of growth. Both of which go hand in hand with exercising and the fitness lifestyle.

Third, and most importantly, is the creation of a habit and lifestyle. This is where the 21/90 Rule comes into play. A long, long time ago, in a training center far, far away a coach with a mounting tension headache that was nearing migraine proportions was trying to impress upon a group of young would-be athletes that to change a habit take 21 days.

No matter what that habit is, it takes 21 days to change it. Your running form. Your lifting technique. Not smoking. Changing your eating habits. Everything, habits take 21 days to form. Some smart guy, or gal, expanded on that with the very real fact that it takes 90 days to make that habit a lifestyle.

With that in mind, I am reposting a piece I wrote last February on making habits stick.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager, worker, student or other making new habits is a difficult and trying task. It is something that successful people seem to have made look easy. It isn’t, though, is it? How do professional athletes and elite forces make new habits? They build muscle memory. Your brain is your best muscle. Or, at least, it should be.

By actively using the steps outlined below you can be pretty certain that you will have new habits in place and benefiting from them. It won’t be overnight, not in the least.  New habits are instilled, on average, over about 21 days. This time frame is based on the observations of a plastic surgeon from the 1950s.

“What can a plastic surgeon from almost 70 years ago know about making habits?” Good question. He noted that his patients took an average of 21 days to get accustomed to the change. Be it their nose, cheekbones, an amputation the time to get used to the change was around 21 days. I am inclined to agree with that timeline.


Making Habits Stick

During the initial habit making you will go through the following phases. There are the Glory Days. There is the Rough Run. Finally, it begins to settle in to a comfortable habit. The Glory Days are the first several days of the new habit. Everything feels new and exciting. The Rough Run comes after the new car smell has faded. Then there is the Comfortable Habit. This is when you are doing just what you set out to do in the first place. It feels good. Good results are coming in.

Visualize what this new habit will look like. See it so vividly in your mind that you can feel and taste it. Bring in all of your senses when visualizing the success of the new habit. Elite forces like Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces do this with their training and making new habits. Top rated athletes practice this. They play each step of the game in their mind before getting onto the field. Martial artists do this to help solidify their techniques. Research shows that by visualizing your actions and the success of them actually makes the neural connections necessary for the new act. It also does trigger some physical adaptation for it, as well.

How does one get through the Rough Run? Linking personal positive rewards as a way to mark hitting the milestone.

Link Positives to making new healthy habits. Treat yourself to something that involves as many senses as you can to reward yourself. Something I like, and miss from my days in Europe, is sitting back with a cappuccino. I use them now as a reward for achieving a set goal and for making new habits. Cappuccino smells wonderful. It tastes grand. It even has its own feel in your mouth. The sound of the milk being frothed is the audible cue that things are great.  Even seeing the foam reminds me of those late afternoon coffees sitting near the curb or a heater in a café. This is the sort of thing that brings all of you together to celebrate your achievement.

Sometimes life will knock you out of the new track before it becomes a healthy rut. At these times you have to head back into your healthy habit as fast as you can. As fast as you can without stressing out, that is. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for about 12 breaths. That will take approximately 2 to 3 minutes if you are breathing fully and deeply. These breaths will not only help slow you down, but they will flood your system with more oxygen. The higher O2 content will feed your brain. There you have it, you are reset and ready to reengage.

Visualize the new habit as a regular attribute or action. Breathe deeply. Refocus on the goal. Then, with your mind calmed, cleared, and full of O2 step back into your habit. After the 21 days are done you will find that coming back into the track is easier and that getting knocked out of it is less perturbing.

Supplements Updated 1/9/2017

     Good afternoon, Fitness Family and Friends! With all of this training and these new goals we are all looking to fuel our bodies with the best nutrition available. To further that effort, I am reposting a piece I did a while back covering supplements; however, I would like to open it up with an addition and an introduction. Kristen Michaelis is a personal friend and she runs an awesome food blog, www.foodrenegade.com. My wife and I met Kristen years ago when we lived in Dallas. Kristen and I actually met in the college library, we had some mutual friends. She worked with my wife for a while. Now she is running this blog and has published several books. She loves food. Let me clarify, healthy food.

     To introduce my piece on supplementation I want to summarize and link to her Kristen’s piece on a line called Gelatin. Vital Proteins Gelatin hit the top of her list for many reasons, including:

• High biologic value (BV) animal protein. Important due to the fact that vegan acceptable and plant based proteins are not as high in BV as animal proteins.
• The higher the BV the more gets absorbed by the cells
• Made from hormone free animals

     What precisely is gelatin? It’s processed collagen. Something that all animals, including us, make. The animals this product is made from are guaranteed free from chemicals and drugs. They are grass fed. Most likely they are even patted on the head thrice daily. Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but, knowing people who work with animals, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they were.

     At any rate, the link to Kristen’s blog is here. Please let her know where you heard about her. The rest of my piece is below.

     Train hard, eat well, be happy!

     Supplement is defined as that which completes or enhances something else or adds an extra element or amount to something. It seems that we are all so busy that getting a decent meal is nearly impossible. Simplifying our lives would be the ideal, as would getting all of our nutrients and vitamins from our meals; however, a proper meal plan feels like an impossible goal. So, many of us, myself included, often reach for a nutritional shake or a meal replacement or some other kind of supplemental to pick up where we have left off. It has become the norm as almost all adults in America do this.

     There was a time that supplements were limited to just a few brands of multivitamins and an even smaller choice of protein powder mixes, the biggest name of which was Weider. Today's supplementary mix includes vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and a plethora of products in a variety of forms. They come in tablets, capsules, powders, drinks, bars, and even gel packs. There are also prepackaged vitamins that are “specifically designed” for your male or female, age, and athletic needs. Supplements can NOT replace a healthy diet. Here are two resources on that … Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate.

     Keep in mind that some ingredients found in dietary supplements are being added to a increasing number of foods, such as breakfast cereals and drinks. If you are currently supplementing, you could be getting more than you think, which may not be good. Too much vitamin A can cause headaches and liver damage, reduce bone strength, as well as birth defects. Excessively high levels of iron can cause nausea and vomiting and may also damage the liver and other organs, too.

     Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. What you take in gets passed on to your nursing child and many of these supplements have not been FDA approved for infants and children. If you are taking supplements, or are interested in doing so, see your doctor. Now. No, go see your doctor now.

     As with anything that you do in relation to your health and health-care, I strongly suggest and urge you to talk to your doctor first. You really need to be certain that what you are thinking about doing is not going to conflict with any medications you are taking or any health issue you may have.

Once you start using supplements, it is a great idea to keep a log of the results. Just as you keep a training record, keep a dietary record to track how you are feeling and reacting to your dietary changes.

What you need to know about the most popular dietary and nutritional supplements on the market. Let's categorize supplements under the following; Vitamins and Minerals, Meal Replacements, Sports Nutrition, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, and Homeopathic Medications.

Vitamins and Minerals

     There is really no harm in taking a daily multivitamin on a daily basis. It safely covers dietary shortfalls. If you are taking a good multivitamin, then you do not need to take an extra B vitamin. You should already be getting enough between your diet and multivitamin.

B vitamins

     B vitamins include thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12. These are said to reduce stress. Still, many of us don't need these supplements. Not much research actually supports this theory of stress reduction.

     The exception to this may be seniors because seniors absorb less of it. Instead of supplements, the diet can be adjusted to include more grains, dark green vegetables, orange juice, and enriched foods. There are some medications that will inhibit the absorption of B vitamins, these individuals will likely need to supplement with B vitamins after talking with their doctors.

Vitamin C

     Vitamin C is often taken in an effort to ward off colds, though there's little proof this works.

Your health-care provider may tell you to take vitamin C if you have a wound that's healing. Otherwise, go for food sources. Rich sources include oranges, peppers, grapefruits, peaches, papayas, pineapples, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, and melons.

Vitamins D

     Chances are, you are not getting enough vitamin D for good health. Experts agree that we can safely take in up to 1,000 IUs a day. There is no risk of toxicity is at that level. We can get that with a daily vitamin or safe sun exposure. Just 15 to 20 minutes outside in the sun each day. Too easy!

Check with your dermatologist about guidelines for safe sun exposure.

Meal Replacements

     SlimFast, Ensure, Special K are just three of the many meal replacement drinks and snack bars that are out there. They are all designed to supplement the diet and are nutrient rich.

Weight management? So long as you are including your meal replacements as part of a meal plan that supports your physical needs in relation to a good exercise program, then there should be no problem. There are exercise routines on this blog, feel free to gibe them a try after you do what? Talk to your doctor!

Sports Nutrition Supplements

     This category has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. When I was a competitive swimmer and distance runner looking to stay lean and light, the market was dominated by Weider. The stuff tasted bad, at best. Either that, or it was the Rocky Balboa thing, a dozen raw eggs.

     Today, there are so many to choose from. Creatine, amino acids, protein formulas, fat burners, pills, powders, formulas, and drinks. There are fat loss and weight gainers and energy boosters and carbohydrate shots for fast glycogen during endurance events. Chances are, you want to know mostly about the meal and protein drinks and mixes.

     These products do help, when used properly. It takes time. As before, you are not going to see massive or drastic changes in couple of weeks. Patience, Grasshopper.

     Protein drinks are going to be effective within the first half hour after exercising. Also, once each hour. You could also just eat a good protein based meal at the same times, within a half hour of exercising and about every hour or two during the day. Your body cannot absorb more than 8-10 grams of protein per hour. That means, the 34 gram protein shake you just made and are chugging down, well, 24 grams of that protein is going to just go through your huts and wind up in the toilet. The big take away here is protein, be it whey, egg, beef, milk, whatever, protein within 30 minutes of your workout is going to provide the nutrients your body needs to rebuild from all of that tearing down you just did.

     Creatine monohydrate is also very popular. It pumps fluid into the muscle cells. This helps with the volume of the cell, it gets bigger. This also helps flush out fatigue compounds, lactic acid, thus enabling high intensity, short burst activity. This is not so much an endurance-type supplement. You make this naturally. You get it dietarily from beef and pork. If you want to, supplements are sold over-the-counter. These usually have a loading dose and then maintenance dose thereafter. One more point on this, if you already eat meat you will not notice as drastic a change as a vegetarian would.

     Caffeine and stimulants similar to it are also found in some supplements. Be very careful about this. Too much of this can cause, and has caused, serious issues. A cup or two of coffee about 30 minutes prior to your activity can sharpen your edge. You can keep using your caffeine source during your event to keep up the buzz.

Calcium

     According to experts, calcium is one of the most often lacking minerals in our diets. Taking a supplement may sound like an easy answer; however, experts recommend that we get our calcium from our diet. We need to be eating calcium rich foods like yogurt, dark leafy greens, soybeans, beans, fish, and raisins.

     If you have not been diagnosed as lactose-intolerant, some cheeses are also a good choice. This will provide both calcium and protein as well as some necessary fats. Yes, some fats are necessary, but that will be in a different article.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

     It is currently inconclusive if taking this combination does anything to help prevent joint damage or to repair the cartilage.

     Kaiser Permanente rheumatologist Eduardo Baetti states that only about 40% of his patients had taken this combination four times a day for four to eight weeks. The doses were 1,500 mg of glucosamine and 1,200 mg chondroitin sulphate. In addition, most of these patients were also taking pain relievers.

Homeopathic Medicines

     These are not technically dietary supplements, but are nonetheless a popular category. Homeopathic medicine is a medical philosophy dating back to the late 18^th century. It's supposed to be a self-healing response. The theory is that if a certain substance causes symptoms in a healthy body, a minute amount of the same substance may cure the symptoms.

     This practice may have a negative effective with medications you are currently taking, so, say it with me, talk to your doctor first. Thank you. Some professionals see this as nothing more than a placebo effect.

Tips for Choosing Dietary Supplements

     There are some rules of thumb for choosing dietary and nutritional supplements. First, look for trusted brands that have been around for some time.

-- Read the labels carefully to be sure of what is found in the product.

-- Read the claims carefully. If they look too good to be true, they probably are.

     There is no possible way that you are going to pack on 20 pounds of muscle in one week or 40 pounds of muscle in one month, not without steroids, at least.

     You could check the studies companies site documenting the effectiveness of products by reading the journals International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism or Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise for studies on dietary supplements.

     Of course, always talk to your doctor about your goals. Your doctor may be able to make a recommendation for you.

     Whatever you choose to supplement your diet with, do not, and let me say that again, DO NOT over do it. Having too much of some vitamins can be dangerous. We touched on this earlier.

NOTE: The maximum rate that whey protein can be absorbed is about 8-10 grams per hour. Little Miss Muffet drank a 50 gram whey protein shake. Since Miss Muffet can absorb only 10 grams every hour. The next time she goes to the can, she is going to crap out a lot of protein.

     What your high protein, muscle growth, fat loss, diet plan would look like is a protein and fruit, vegetable meal about every hour or two. You can certainly grab a protein based snack like brrf jerky, a half or a quarter of a chicken breast, some pork, or a protein shake. What have you.

     My protein mix is 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit, whole milk, 2-3 cups of ice and water … I dump this into my blender and run it until it's smooth. If you prefer it a little sweeter, then you can add a touch of sugar or a few drops of vanilla extract. Occasionally, I will add half a scoop of whey protein as that will sweeten the mix, even though I know that the rate of protein absorption is going to make me drink this stuff slowly.

     Let me know what will help you! See you next week. Be healthy, be happy!

Federal Government Information Sources on Dietary Supplements

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

The National Institutes of Health supports research on dietary supplements.

• Office of Dietary Supplements
  The Office of Dietary Supplements provides accurate and up-to-date scientific information about dietary supplements.
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clearinghouse: 1-888-644-6226
• National Library of Medicine
  Medline Plus
  PubMed
• NIH Health Information

U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

The Food and Drug Administration issues rules and regulations and provides oversight of dietary supplement labeling, marketing, and safety.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

The Federal Trade Commission polices health and safety claims made in advertising for dietary supplements.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on a variety of food and nutrition topics.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides an encyclopedia of health topics, personal health tools, and health news.