4 Different Types of Keto Diets

There are many ways to live low-carb and therefore, many ways to live a Keto lifestyle. Although Keto has become a new buzzword within the health community; there are differences within the category, all with their own sets of rules and health benefits. In this blog post we’ll take you through a few of the most popular versions of the keto diet, how to follow them, and their impacts on your body. While these diets may differ slightly in variation, they all follow the same basic principles.

The Basics

All diets that fall within the category of ketogenic generally hold a few things constant. The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high fat diet that puts your body into a state known as ketosis due to the drastic decrease in carb intake. When in ketosis your body goes into a metabolic state in which you burn fat (rather than carbs) as your primary fuel source, which then promotes weight loss.  

On this diet, all your meals should be planned around fats such as avocados, butter, ghee, fatty fish and meats, etc. You need to consume around 150 grams a day of fat in order to get your body to shift from using carbs to fats as its fuel source. Simultaneously you should consume no more than 50 grams of carbs a day. And finally you’ll consume around 90 grams of protein per day which can be split in between your 3 meals of the day with 4 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry.

MacroNutrient Ratio: 75% fat, 15-20% protein, 5% carbs

Pros

• Works well for aiding Type-2 Diabetic patients in maintaining safe glucose levels
• Aids in weight loss 

Cons

• Possible to experience symptoms of "Keto Flu" (fatigue, dehydration, headache, etc.) 
• Not for Type-1 Diabetics 

This diet acts, as the name implies, as a cycle of going back and forth between lower carb, Keto, days and carb refuel days. An approach to this diet is to have 5-6 days of traditional keto eating and 1-2 days of non-keto days per week. On your days off, it's best to eat wholesome carb-rich foods such as fruits, starchy veggies, dairy products, and whole grains! This diet is more suitable for athletes who have intense activity and can handle carb loading.

MacroNutrient Ratio: 75% fat, 15-20% protein, 5-10% carbs on keto days; 25% fat, 25% protein, and 50% carbs on off days

Pros: 

• Helps increase lean muscle gain
• Promotes strength gain
• Increased Endurance

Cons:

• Due to cyclical nature of this style, it makes it harder to stay in ketosis for an extended period of time
• Once in ketosis, high carb days approach, leading to a vicious cycle

This style of Keto is also popular among athletes or weight lifters with high-intensity exercises who need more carbs to fuel their lifestyle. With a total of 70-80 grams of carbs per day, this diet allots an additional 20-30 grams of carbs for immediately before and following a workout for higher intensity in workouts and enhanced recovery; however, it also includes a reduction in fats consumed.

MacroNutrient Ratio: 65-70% fat, 20% protein, 10-15% carbs

Pros:

• Increased energy/strength during workouts 
• Increased endurance during high intensity workouts

Cons:

• Increased carb intake can lead to being kicked out of ketosis for a few hours after working out

This plan includes eating a larger amount of protein than the standard keto diet with this plan requiring 120 grams of protein per day versus 90 on the standard keto diet. The difference with this diet is that it allows for individuals to eat more protein and less fat than the standard diet.

MacroNutrient Ratio: 60-65% fat, 30% protein, 5-10% carb

Pros:

• Can aid in promoting fat loss while retaining lean muscle mass
• Can be used to help build muscle 
• A sense of feeling fuller 

Cons:

This approach may not result in ketosis, due to proteins ability to be converted into glucose (sugar) for fuel.

At the end of the day, there is no “one size fits all” diet. What works for some may not always work for others, but we hope with this guide you’re able to make informed choices about which approach to Keto works for you! We want to thank our friend Darius Pittman over at Sugarless Crystals for their contributions to this article and you for reading! Next time we’ll cover more extensively the benefits of ketosis and the medical applications that have been discovered thus far. Until next time!

-The ChipMonks