The keto miracle
David Perlmutter, M.D., uncovers the surprising reason many women struggle on a ketogenic diet—and the delicious fix that makes the plan easier and more effective
Lose up to 17 pounds a week eating “fat bombs”
The ketogenic diet has emerged as the weight-loss plan for women who want to shed fat fast, and for good reason: This very low-carb, high-fat way of eating is proven to help followers slim quick, and it delivers an array of impressive health benefits—from decreasing levels of heart-harming triglycerides by 300 percent to improving memory by 62 percent to boosting mood by 52 percent. But despite how popular—and study-proven—the diet is, many women who try it report seeing little to no results from their efforts. Some even gain weight or feel completely terrible. What gives?
New science suggests that many keto dieters fall short of the fat intake needed to optimize weight loss and wellness on the plan. Keto calls for getting at least 70 percent of calories from fat in order to stimulate the body’s production of
ketones—a super-fuel produced from fat that cells use to generate energy, so the body burns more of its own fat stores for fuel. But studies show that women tend to underestimate how much fat they should eat to hit their goal, often getting just 30 to 40 percent of their total calories from fat. “Fat has been looked upon as an enemy for decades, so it’s no surprise that we subconsciously believe we should dial back our fat intake,” says neurologist and weight-loss expert David Perlmutter, M.D., author of The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan. Without enough dietary fat, however, the brain and muscles don’t get enough fuel to keep metabolism humming—and keto dieters end up feeling tired, foggy, achy and ravenous.
Complicating matters: Many keto dieters turn to protein to ease uncomfortable symptoms and speed slimming, but that can backfire. “There’s a misconception that loading up on extra protein will help you burn more fat,” notes Dr. Perlmutter. “But in fact, excessive dietary protein actually enhances the body’s production of sugar.” He explains that when we consume more protein than the muscles need to function, the body turns that extra protein into glucose. As a result, blood sugar spikes, triggering a release of insulin that stops the production of ketones, shifts the body into fat-storage mode and slows metabolism to a crawl.
Consume enough healthy fat, though, and wow! “Eating plenty of dietary fats paves the way for weight loss,” promises Dr. Perlmutter. He explains that once the body is supplied with enough fat to produce ketones efficiently, metabolism kicks into high gear and cells begin to burn stored fat for fuel within just five days. The proof: Researchers at Bethel University in St. Paul found that keto dieters’ resting metabolic rate was as much as 10 times higher than those on a standard American diet. Another benefit: Researchers at Texas Tech University in Lubbock report that eating fats decreases the body’s production of hunger-promoting hormones and increases the production of satiety hormones—and the combined effect reduces calorie intake by 40 percent for four hours. All told, these effects helped FIRST readers who followed a fat-powered plan lose up to 17 pounds every week without experiencing the hunger pangs or plateaus that are common with other low-carb diets.
Effortless weight loss is just the beginning. “Within the first week, you’ll feel the payoff,” says Dr. Perlmutter. In fact, studies show that burning fat for fuel boosts energy levels by 88 percent and improves sleep quality by 21 percent—in addition to the memory and mood benefits. Eating plenty of healthy fats has also been shown to ease aches, stimulate hair growth and erase wrinkles for results you can see as well as feel.
The best part: Getting enough fat to shift the body into slimdown mode can be downright delicious.
In her work with thousands of dieters, nutritionist Kellyann Petrucci, N.D., has seen great results when her patients enjoy “fat bombs” on a keto diet. These decadent low-carb snacks deliver a concentrated dose of healthy fats to kick-start ketone production and shift fat burning into high gear. “They’re actually treats that taste out of this world and they’re good for you—as long as you have them as part of a low-carb diet,” Petrucci says. Read on for the easy how-to that will start your whole-body transformation!