There are three different types of Keto diet, they have very similar rules. Some are stricter than others. Here I present the three main types of Keto diet, although other modifications have come up over recent years. Yet, there are little changes which makes it a bit easier for some to follow.
These are the ones most often practiced:
- The Standard Keto Diet
- Cyclical Keto Diet
- Targeted Keto Diet
The Keto diet was originally formed in the 1920s as a therapy for children with epileptic seizures and later, it was discovered to have several other health benefits. Such as weight loss and blood sugar control. It is also beneficial when used to control diabetes. The different types of Keto diet are additionally reported to give you more energy after the dreaded keto flu passes.
The Keto diet is a very low-carb diet with high fat and moderate proteins. It involves reducing your carbohydrate intake drastically and replacing it with fat. Your body burns the fat much in the same way it would burn carbs.
There are different types of keto diet, depending on your goals or activities levels. You will want to experiment with them to get the best results tailored to your body.
If you are an athlete, you may struggle to keep up with your workouts if you restrict the intake of carbohydrates. As your body is used to using carbs to fuel your muscles.
Switching to a variation where they allow the intake of carbs for a specific time like the cyclical ketogenic diet, or a targeted keto diet would be more appropriate for your body and muscle usage.
The Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)
The standard Keto diet is what people normally think of when they hear about the Keto diet. The calorie intake is typically constituted about 10% carbs, 20% protein, and 70% fat.
When you are on this diet, you will be restricted to having your intake of carbohydrates to about 30 grams or less a day.
The reason this is needed is to induce and stay in ketosis.
Your primary sources of carbohydrates are going to be low-carb vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Dairy products are another way to get fats and protein, but keep in mind that dairy products can cause irritation and inflammation in persons who are sensitive to animal milks.
Avoid starchy foods, foods that contain added sugar or honey along with processed foods, and onions. You will also need to avoid fruits.
If you want to lose weight quickly or burn fat this Keto diet is the easiest pick especially, if you do light workouts like yoga, walking, cycling or even planking.
Targeted Keto Diet.
The targeted keto diet is just like the normal Keto diet with the exception of eating carbohydrates around your worktimes. It simply means that any day you exercise, you should consume more carbs.
The targeted Keto diet is meant for people who exercise for long periods as it can help enhance performance during heavy exercise. This is another way of incorporating more carbohydrates into your diet after you have been following a strict keto diet for a while.
It’s advisable to eat about 20 grams of carbohydrates before a workout and to consume more carbs immediately after a workout. This will aid in protecting the body from burning its own muscle for fuel.
The reason for this is because you do not have enough glucose in your body to use as energy during workouts and yet still stay in ketosis.
Following this diet can also help you build more muscle since it boosts performance and repairs muscle damage. It is best to consume food with healthy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and fruits.
You are advised to still stay from sugary foods, this also includes certain sweeteners, because it can kick you out of ketosis. They can cause digestive distress to your body due to following a stricter keto diet for a longer period.
I bet you are wondering if you should try a Targeted Keto diet. What you will want to do is to meet with your physician or dietitian. They are qualified to set you on the right path to support a healthy diet plan.
The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet or Cycle-based Diet.
The cyclical Ketogenic diet may be like the standard ketogenic diet, but there are some prominent differences.
For instance, to get started on this cycle-based Keto diet you will start by doing the standard Keto for at least a month. This gives you time to fat-adapt and have a solid base to start. This will assist in helping you return to ketosis faster after eating carbs.
The Cyclical Ketogenic diet involves following the standard Ketogenic diet for around 5 to 6 days in a week and then followed by one to two days of high carbohydrate intake (refeeding days).
This is meant to replenish the body’s exhausted glucose reserves. There have been some claims that the cyclical keto diet is better than the standard keto diet for boosting strength and muscle.
- Plan your carb indulgence. Pick a day or two each week to eat high carb and stick to it. It is important to get your body used to a schedule.
- When it comes to refeeding days, eat healthy carbs.
- Manage your carbs and stay on top of it.
Following the Cyclical Diet, Will It Lead to Weight Loss?
Another way to start this diet is by first following the standard ketogenic diet for five to six days in a week, then followed by one to two days of high carbs intake.
During the five to six days of the standard ketogenic diet, you will be planning for your total calorie intake. Healthy fats should amount to 65-90%, while protein should be about 10-30% and carbs should be as low as 20-50 grams per day.
While on the refeeding days, you will consume more carbs to break out of ketosis. For your total daily calories’ consumption, fats should be about 5-10% of your total calories, while protein should amount to about 15-20% and carbs which should be high will amount to 60-70% of the total sustenance consumption.
The cyclical Keto diet is beneficial, as it adds more fiber to the diet along with other nutrients and minerals which are lacking in the standard Keto diet. It also reduces Keto-related side effects like keto flu or brain fog.
The High Protein Keto Diet
The high protein Keto diet plan recommends eating about 120 grams of protein,130 grams of fat, and about 10% of carbs for your total daily calories.
People find this Keto diet plan easier to follow since it allows you to eat more proteins and less fat than the recommended standard Keto diet.
The high protein Keto diet is also helpful to people who want to lose or manage weight. Following this diet will make it take longer to reach ketosis because of the high amount of protein intake.
Keto 2.0
The diet is minorly different from the standard keto diet. On Keto 2.0, 50% of calories should come from fat, 30% should come from protein, and 20% from carbohydrates.
Although they are still some restrictions on the diet, it encourages the consumption of plant-based food like fresh fruits, oats, and lentils. It emphasizes on leaner protein sources like fish and fiber.
Keto 2.0 is considered to be healthier and more balanced when compared to the standard ketogenic diet.
The Lazy Keto Diet
The lazy Keto is another popular variation of the Keto diet. This is often used for weight loss and it’s designed as an easy diet plan since it’s less restrictive. In this diet, you don’t have to worry about tracking your calorie intake.
Even though it may restrict the intake of carbohydrates, there are no rules about the intake of calories, fat, or protein. The lazy Keto diet also has the benefits of traditional keto diets.
It also has some downsides as following the lazy Keto diet may not put you in ketosis. To reach ketosis you must severely restrict your intake of carbs and monitor your protein intake. This diet plan doesn’t need to track your intakes or macros, so it will be difficult to enter ketosis.
Eating too much protein on the lazy keto could prevent you from entering ketosis. While lazy Keto diet also restricts some nutrient-rich foods similar to the traditional Keto diet, it hasn’t been studied vastly like other variations so many other side effects are still unknown.
The lazy Keto diet can be an alternative if you find it hard to follow the traditional Keto diet, but you should seek consultation from a healthcare provider before trying it as with any new diet.
Well Formulated Keto Diet
The well-formulated Keto diet was coined by two scientists Dr. Stephan Phinney and Jeff Volek, who worked on researching about low carbohydrate nutrition.
It’s not only a low carb diet but it also provides important nutrients and it’s rich in healthy fats and provides adequate but not much protein.
There have been reports on some long-term health benefits as it reduces inflation, improves insulin sensitivity, and improvements in metabolic health and weight loss.
To maintain sustained ketosis carbohydrates should be kept around 20 to 30 g per day. Although some individuals can tolerate up to 50 to 60 g today and remain in ketosis.
Moderate protein intake is also required as too much protein can cause the body to kick out of ketosis.
The well-formulated keto diet focuses on macronutrients which comprise vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy. Nuts and seeds should be taken at a minimum. The major energy intake should come from fat.
The Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet
The very-low-calorie ketogenic diet is very useful and effective in managing obesity and overweight. Studies have been taken to evaluate the efficiency of the diet and It was studied that some patients who were following the very low carbohydrate keto diet lost around 20% of their weight in just 3 months.
Before trying any of the types of Keto diet, you should go see your dietician or doctor for a consultation to see if it best meets your needs. The standard Keto diet is best for people who consider losing weight and having overall health benefits of the Keto diet. You can also perform exercises that are not intended for this diet like walking and cycling or more aerobic exercises
The targeted Keto diet is good when you don’t feel energized for some workouts. Consuming about 20-30 grams of carbs before workouts will provide energy throughout the workout.
The cyclical diet or cycle-based keto is beneficial if you’re into intense exercise and you’re not getting enough energy from the targeted keto diet.
You should be aware that too much protein can knock you out of ketosis and then, little protein intake can have you to lose muscle mass.
Too many fats can make you gain body fat. While too little fat can supply your body with low energy.
Having to many carbohydrates will knock you out of ketosis. While little carbohydrates will produce more ketones production but less fuel for high-intensity exercise.
It is a good idea to explore the different types of keto diet to find one that works for you and your body goals.