Keto Meal Prep: Comprehensive Step-by-Step Beginner Guide to Prep, Pack, & Store Low -Carb, High -Fat Ketogenic Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss

By Christine Bailey

The ketogenic diet derives from the metabolic process known as ketosis, which forces your body to use fat as fuel. This diet uses fat as a quicker and easier way to shed unwanted pounds by reducing your intake of carbs and excess sugars.

As with any diet, life on the keto diet can be a challenge at first. You are limited to certain kinds of foods that can quickly become boring. Plus, it is hard to stick to any diet when you are on the go 24/7.

What if there were a way to combine efficiency with tastefulness? Guess what? There is!

Within this book, you will discover a compilation of tasty recipes that will satisfy your taste buds and leave you feeling great. In addition to the array of recipes, you will find all the information you need to succeed on the ketogenic diet, no matter what your goals may be. Do you want to lose weight? Keto! Do you want to feel better? Consume fats! Do you want to switch up your entire lifestyle and cause your loved ones to wonder what new diet fad you are on? The ketogenic diet is the answer!

Your time management issues will resolve themselves once you read through the power of meal prepping and planning!

The ketogenic diet is not just a diet, but a lifestyle change. It can help you burn excess fat, reduce fat reserves, and feel younger! What is there to lose?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Imaginarium Press Publishing
• Release date: Feb 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386100720

Book preview

Fundamentals of the Ketogenic Diet

If you have purchased this book without a clue as to what the ketogenic diet is, don’t fret! This chapter will discuss the most crucial factors that make this diet so successful!

WHAT IS THE KETOGENIC Diet?

The phrase ‘ketogenic’ stems from the natural process of ‘ketosis’, which allows our bodies to thrive when our food intake might be low. During this process, ketones are produced as the fats in our livers break down. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to force our bodies to stay within this state of high metabolism.

The ketogenic diet is not about starving yourself by avoiding the consumption of food. Rather, it is about the starvation of consuming carbohydrates. We humans can quickly adapt to our environments. When you pack your body with bad edibles, it will start burning those precious ketones that are partially responsible for weight loss and optimum mental and physical performance.

How the Keto Came to Be

Weirdly enough, the ketogenic diet has been around for quite a few decades. It was developed in 1924 by a man named Dr. Russell Wilder. The ketogenic diet treated epilepsy but unfortunately fell out of favor due to the creation of anti-seizure medications during the 1940’s. It didn’t make much of an appearance until the mid-1990’s, when the Abraham family began the Charlie Foundation for their son, Charlie. Charlie’s body did not handle all that anti-seizure pill-popping very well. He began following the ketogenic diet as a toddler and stuck to it for five years. He is now a successful college student and to this day is seizure-free.

The bottom line is that the ketogenic diet consists of extremely low-carb and high-fat intakes. This diet is similar to that of Atkins and other low-carb diets. While you are drastically reducing your intake of carbohydrates, you are replacing it with foods high in fat.

The absence of carbs creates a highly metabolic state known as ketosis (as mentioned above). In layman’s terms, the body becomes an incredibly powerful working machine, burning off fat instead of ketones for energy. It warps the metabolism so that the body no longer burns precious substances utilized to keep our bodies in the best shape possible.

This diet has been shown to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, which means it offers quite a few health benefits. You will read about some of these benefits later in this chapter. 

Different Types of Ketogenic Diets

Standard ketogenic diet (SKD) – This diet is the most utilized and recommended. It requires one to consume moderate amounts of protein and high amounts of fat. Usually it involves 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs.

High-protein ketogenic diet – This form of the keto diet is the same but involves consuming more protein. The ratio required to stick to this diet is 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbohydrates.

Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) – This diet allows wiggle room to consume a few more carbs if they revolve around workouts.

Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) – This form of the keto diet requires periods of high-carb intake, such as five ketogenic days followed by a couple of high-carb-intake days.

The standard ketogenic version of the diet is the most sought after and recommended, as well as the most researched. The others are usually utilized by advanced individuals, such as athletes and bodybuilders.

Benefits and Risks of the Ketogenic Diet

All low-carb diets have been sources of controversy for quite a few years. It has been said that diets high in fat raise cholesterol levels through the roof, causing heart disease and other ailments. However, research has been changing the face of low-carb dieting. It has been shown that among other diets, low-carb ones seem to win the race. They are not only a great substitute when one is trying to lose weight, but they have other health benefits, including the reduction of cholesterol levels. Here are some ways the ketogenic diet could produce good things in your life!

Benefits

Ketosis is the main process working in your body during your time on the ketogenic diet. This metabolic state has been proven to have positive effects, even if you are on the diet for only a short time. Here are some benefits of ketosis itself:

Increases the body’s ability to use fat as a source of fuel.

Has a protein-sparing effect, which means our bodies prefer utilizing ketones as opposed to glucose.

Lowers insulin levels within our bodies, and produces a lipolysis-blocking effect, which reduces the utilization of fatty acids as a source of energy. When insulin levels are lowered, growth hormones and other growth factors can be released without issue.

Hunger suppression – Naturally, many diets require you to eat less than your body is used to consuming. Because of this, never-ending hunger pangs seem to strike, and at the worst times. This is the main reason people tend to feel miserable while on any diet plan. Diets low in carb intake are great because they automatically reduce your appetite. Those who cut carbs and consume more proteins and fat take in fewer calories.

More potential for weight loss – It doesn’t take a scientist to realize that reducing the amount of carbs we consume will directly contribute to weight loss. People who stick within the means of low-carb diets lose weight at a much faster rate than those who do not. Diets low in carbohydrates tend to help eliminate excess water in our bodies, which can add on the pounds. The ketogenic diet reduces insulin levels too, meaning the kidneys are shedding all that excess sodium that can lead to the retention of extra weight.

Triglyceride reduction – That long term is a fancy name for fat molecules. These little boogers contribute to ailments such as heart disease. When people reduce their consumption of carbs, the triglyceride buildup in our bodies declines.

An increase of good cholesterol levels – HDL is the kind of cholesterol you want to have. The ketogenic diet helps raise the levels of HDL because of the consumption of fats. Major bodily improvements occur when the levels of good and bad cholesterol start to shift.

Reduced blood sugar and insulin levels – When we consume carbs, the digestive system breaks them into simple sugars. They then go into our bloodstreams and elevate our blood sugar levels. A high amount of sugar can be toxic, which is why insulin exists. Many people have a type of diabetes not simply because of their bloodlines and genetics but because they have not eaten the best for quite a bit of their lives. Their bodies no longer recognize insulin when it tries to lower blood sugar levels. The ketogenic diet can lower blood sugar and insulin levels.

Reduction in blood pressure – Diets low in carbohydrates are effective at reducing blood pressure levels, which can help us live longer. When blood pressure is high, we are at a greater risk of developing hypertension and other ailments.

Natural treatment for cancer – Properly regulating your body’s metabolic functions has been proven to be a great step toward reducing the risk of – and even treating – cancer. Reducing or totally removing carbs from your diet can help delete energy from cancerous cells and stop them from spreading.