David Ortner - The Keto Cookbook: Dozens of Delicious Ketogenic Diet Recipes for Healthy, Long-Term Weight Loss

1. The Ketogenic Diet: An Overview

A S FAR AS I AM CONCERNED , one of the absolute best and most sustainable weight loss programs is the low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet. The reason is deceptively simple. This diet addresses the ultimate underlying cause of weight gain: a hormonal imbalance. You see, our bodies normally rely on glucose for fuel. This reliance is the result of our moderate to high-carb diets. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose, which then is converted into energy and transported to our muscles and organs.

But when we restrict the carbs we take in, our stores of glucose go WAY down, and our liver starts to produce ketones. This process shifts our body towards fat utilization. In other words, with little blood glucose available to use as energy, our bodies have no choice but to burn fat for energy.

A ketogenic diet can take many forms, but most people who follow this program restrict their carb intake to no more than fifty grams per day. Sources of carbs should come from whole foods, like vegetables, nuts, fruits, and dairy. Refined carbohydrates, like bagels, pasta, and cereals, should be avoided. And refined sugars, of course, should be avoided as well.

Meals should mostly be made up of protein and some healthy fats, like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados. If youd like a little more guidance, I suggest you follow the 60/35/5 rule. Here, 60% of calories come from fat, 35% from protein, and 5% from carbs.

O UR BODIES RELEASE a hormone called insulin in response to blood sugar (or blood glucose) fluctuations, which result from consuming carbs. When blood glucose levels increase, the pancreas releases insulin to move the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells where it can be burned for cellular fuel. If glucose is available for the cells to burn, they will burn it first, before burning stored fat. When the bodys cells become full of glucose and arent able to take in any more, the body converts any excess blood sugar into fatty acids and stores them in the fat cells.

Of course, evolutionarily-speaking, the purpose of this storage is to allow the body to later access this stored fat for fuel when food becomes unavailable. However, where insulin levels have become chronically high, the fat stored in the cells cant be broken down. In other words, high insulin levels keep the fat in storage and the body dependent on glucose only for fuel. As a result, the body becomes very dependent on the glucose energy coming in from food.

So what causes insulin levels to be chronically high? The answer is this: a chronically high consumption of carbohydrates. CarbohydratesALL carbohydratesare broken down in the digestive system and eventually converted into blood sugar. When we eat high levels of carbohydrates, the body has to release much more insulin to move the resulting blood sugar. The cells get bombarded with insulin, the body begins to rely on glucose for fuel, and the fat stores remain untouched.

Thats why the ketogenic diet is such an important tool for long-term, healthy weight loss. Carb intake on a ketogenic diet is low, which causes the cells to retain their sensitivity to insulin. Hormones stay balanced, hunger is decreased, and the cells can burn fat for fuel, which provides more energy. The body, in turn, accesses its stored fat and, as a result, you lose weight!

The ketosis process and the benefits of the ketogenic diet are, of course, much more complex than this, but, for the purposes of this cookbook, Ive provided you with plenty of information to keep you motivated to stick with a ketogenic diet. Just keep your ratios in mind, educate yourself as to which foods are keto-friendly, and try out the recipes (all tried and true) that Ive included in this cookbook. Happy keto-ing!

2. Keto Practicalities

T HE KEY TO KETO SUCCESS is to take in the correct types and amounts of fuel. Every person requires a unique set of fat, protein, and carb ratios or macronutrients (macros for short). You can use a calculator to determine the amount of fat, protein, and carbs you should be taking in each day. Here are some good calculators:

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

http://www.ruled.me/keto-calculator/

http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/page/KetoDiet-Buddy

Keep in mind that your macros are not a rigid set of requirements. You may need to slightly alter your proportions to suit your needs on a particular day. For example, if you have a day you know will be physically taxing, its perfectly fine to up slightly your carb intake for that day. If youve reached your weight loss goals, go ahead and increase your calorie intake by increasing the amounts of fat you eat. To lose more weight, decrease your calorie intake by eating less protein and smaller portions.

P REPARATION IS THE key to diet success. Before you begin your ketogenic diet program, make sure you have on hand plenty of tasty keto-friendly foods so that you wont feel tempted to stray. Here are some great examples.

Meats and Poultry:

• Chicken, whole or parts
• Ground turkey
• Beef steaks and tips
• Beef or pork roasts
• Ground beef
• Bacon, ham, and pork sausage
• Pork loin, chops or steaks
• Pork or beef ribs
• Turkey and ham cold cuts

Seafood

• Fresh or frozen shrimp
• Fresh or frozen fish
• Fresh or frozen scallops
• Canned tuna or salmon in oil or water
• Crab

Dairy

• Heavy cream
• Sour cream
• Cream cheese
• Butter
• Cheeses
• Full fat Greek yogurt, plain
• Eggs

Vegetables

• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Lettuce (preferable varieties with large leaves, like romaine)
• Leafy green vegetables, like spinach and kale
• Onions
• Garlic
• Squash and zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Artichoke hearts