Chapter 4: The Keto Paradox
The Keto Paradox is just another way of asking why does Keto work so well for men and not for women? This question is the main reason this book intrigued me because for so long no one was asking the question, let alone looking for an answer to it. Which had me wondering, along with plenty of other women, was anyone else having this problem, or was I alone? Was I just not getting my macros right? Was I overdoing it on portions? What exactly wasn’t I doing right? This is the question Dr. Gottfried sets out to answer here and I do especially love some of the insights she has, because they align with some of the ideas that I had eventually come up with.
Keto isn’t really a new diet. It’s actually been around for quite a while. Its use has been mainly in the area of neurological issues. I was actually quite surprised after my son had been doing Keto for a few years (for seizure control) that it suddenly hit the mainstream media with impassioned fervor. But after a while, I began to run into more and more women who had lost weight initially on Keto but failed to thrive on it as well as their male counterparts, me included. I actually never lost weight doing the Ketogenic diet. Any attempts I made either ended in a plateau or a weight gain.
Dr. Gottfried offers some solutions to this paradox which I will share here.
- The importance of “detoxification before and during keto, which can balance hormones by freeing up your endocrine system from the onslaught of a toxic load.”
- “Understanding which dietary adjustments to make based on your body type.” (pear/apple etc.)
- “Layering in specific carbohydrates that feed the beneficial microbes in the gut (your microbiome) and also the endocrine system in a way that further balances hormones.”
- “Incorporating intermittent fasting into your regimen, which can keep you in mild ketosis with a slightly higher carbohydrate intake.”
- “Timing your largest and smallest meals the right way, so you never end up starving and overeating.”
Her overall conclusion is that the reason “women don’t generally benefit from the ketogenic diet has to do with hormones, which can influence detoxification, stress and cortisol, thyroid function, hunger and food addiction, and low blood sugar.”
“This book describes a modified ketogenic diet and lifestyle plan specifically formulated for women and personalized to your particular body type, so that you CAN succeed at Keto.”
Chapter 5: How to Start and What to Eat
This program is a four-week program that “starts with a detox, then activates the powerful weight-loss power of traditional ketogenic diets, and finally harnesses the health-boosting and disease-resistant benefits of the Mediterranean diet for the long term.” It involves 3 basic principles:
“Detoxification early in the process to support the body as it rids itself of stored toxins as fat is melted off.”
“Scaled carbohydrate recommendations, beginning with the most restrictive, to encourage hormones to signal fat burning and a metabolism that supports long-term weight loss.”
“Increasing slow-burn carbohydrate consumption in the second and third phases (transition and integration) to avoid the potential long-term issues associated with extremely low-carb diets.”
How Food and Hormones Communicate
Certain foods might communicate a certain way with your brain. For example, I have a childhood memory of mom’s spaghetti on a cold winter day. Those same foods, however, can communicate much differently with your hormones. To your hormones, food is information, and most of the information they been receiving has been to store fat.
Overview of the Four-Week Protocol
Dr. Gottfried states: “After years of leading women through a ketogenic diet designed to honor their hormones, I realized that most of us need to think of keto as a short-term pulse, not a long-term diet involving lifelong restricted eating.”
This single statement alone and I’m applauding from the sidelines and doing a little happy dance. While the keto diet changed my son’s life for the better, basically giving him a life…I’ve come to realize over time that it’s meant to be therapeutic in nature and nothing more. It works well for healing in the short term but was never meant for long term health.
Here are the three basic phases of the Gottfried Protocol:
Preparation ” 20-25 grams of net carbs and detoxification. Keep a ketogenic ratio of 2:1. The 2:1 ratio that Dr. Gottfried is talking about is a 2 (ketogenic factors or fat from the food and/or added fat) to 1 (anti-ketogenic factors such as protein or carbs) Get your bowels moving so you can mobilize fat!
Implementation “20-25 grams of net carbs per day, and add in intermittent fasting (14/10 to 16/8) continue a ketogenic ratio of 2:1
Transition “Start to add net carbs slowly, 5 grams at a time and heading toward a ketogenic ratio of 1:1 for the long term or until you repeat the diet.
The cheat sheet that she provides for each meal during the first four weeks:
Minimum fat: 20-40 grams
Maximum protein: 10-20 grams
Maximum carbs (total carbs less total fiber): 7-10 grams but less is preferable.
We will dive a little deeper into what Dr. Gottfried intends for this 4-week program over the next few days and weeks. Until next time! Beth
Deep Roots Wellness 