The Keto Zone® occurs when your body is in a sate of ketosis, meaning the cells in your body are retrained to use ketones (fat) as their primary fuel source, opposed to using glucose (sugar) as the major energy source. Ketosis is a completely safe, natural physiological state that leads to weight loss, increased energy, enhanced focus, balanced blood sugar and decreased inflammation.

The term macros refers to macronutrients, which are the large scale nutrients known as carbohydrate, fat and protein. These are contrasted with micronutrients, which are small scale nutrients. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients.

The Keto Zone® is reached by limiting carbohydrate consumption to less than 20 grams per day while upping your consumption of healthy fats. Your daily macronutrient ratios should look something like this:

Fat: 70% of calories
Protein: 10-15% of calories
Carbohydrate: 10-15% of calories

The term net carbs revolves around the concept that not all carbohydrates affect the body the same way. Simple carbohydrates, like refined sugar and starches, are absorbed faster in the body and have a higher glycemic index, meaning blood sugar levels rise rapidly after eating. While complex carbohydrates, like fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables, are digested slowly in the body.

Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the total grams of carbohydrates by the grams of sugar alcohols, fiber and glycerine.

Getting in the Keto Zone® requires limiting carbohydrate consumption to less than 20 grams per day. You must pay close attention to nutrition labels so you know exactly how many carbs are in the foods you are consuming.

Depending on the state of your metabolism it can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks to become effective at burning ketones for energy. For those with obesity, diabetes, or other blood sugar related issues it can take longer.

You can use urine test strips to assess whether or not your body is producing ketones. During the transition from carbohydrate metabolism to fat adaptation the body might experience symptoms of the “keto flu.”

Focus on eating real whole food. Mostly low-carb non-starchy vegetables. This includes:

–Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower.

–Leafy greens, like kale and collard greens.

–Alliums, like garlic and onions.

–Herbs, like cilantro and parsley.

Avoid or limit starchy vegetables including:

–Grains, like wheat and corn

–Legumes, like beans and lentils

–Root vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and parsnips

Keep fruit consumption to one or two small handfuls of berries per day. Most fruits are very high in sugar and should be avoided. Remember that alcohol is a carbohydrate as well so consumption should be limited.

By limiting the amount of carbohydrates in the diet, the cells in the body are forced to begin burning fat. Most modern people have been eating carbohydrates all day every day for the majority of their lives. Since fat is a “back-up” fuel for when carbohydrates are not available, consistent carbohydrate consumption has caused most people’s cells to not be well adapted to burning fat.

When carbohydrate intake is limited to less than 20 grams per day the cells are forced to begin burning fat. The cells must adapt to this new fuel source and it can take days or even weeks for them to become efficient at using fat for fuel.

During the transition, as the body becomes fat adapted, there can be flu-like symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and headache.

Don’t worry, if you are experiencing the keto flu the symptoms such abate once the body becomes fat adapted.

To help curb the severity of the symptoms you can try to eat more fat, a few extra carbs, or supplement with Instant Ketones.

Many studies show that saturated fat does not increase the risk of heart disease. If you would like to learn more about the science of cholesterol, what to look for in your blood work, and what to be concerned about, read this article: The truth about cholesterol.

Many people have had tremendous results on the Keto Zone® diet without a gallbladder. That said, there are some precautions that will be necessary.

The gallbladder is responsible for storing and excreting bile and enzymes to help in the digestion of food, especially fats. Since the Keto Zone® is a high fat diet, you will need some support with fat digestion.

The most important enzyme for digesting fat is called lipase. We developed a high lipase enzyme called Fat-Zyme®. The Keto Zone® Diet is also high in vegetable matter so Fat-Zyme® also has enzymes to help digest the cellulose in plants. Take Fat-Zyme® with all your meals to make sure you are optimizing your digestion.

For additional support, those without a gallbladder should also find a high quality ox bile extract to take with every high fat meal.

Contact your healthcare physician if you’re unsure about whether you should try the Keto Zone® Diet without a gallbladder.

Many people find that being in the Keto Zone® enhances their workouts by improving their energy levels and increasing their endurance. There is plenty of evidence showing that those who have weight to lose can safely engage in cardio workouts while in the Keto Zone®.

During the adaptation phase of the diet, some people may experience fatigue during their workouts. If this happens to you, consider supplementing with Instant Ketones before your session. This will provide your body with exogenous ketones which will kickstart  ketogenic metabolism. It is so effective that many people continue to supplement even after they are sufficiently adapted to the Keto Zone®.

If you are trying to build muscle, it might be necessary to eat a few more carbs after your weight lifting sessions. Start small (5-10 grams) and then work your way up if necessary.

Many people will experience constipation as they first begin the Keto Zone® diet; however, constipation will usually correct itself once the body has adapted to the diet.

Make sure you are eating enough fiber-rich foods, like leafy greens, coconut, chia seeds, avocado, cauliflower and broccoli. The Keto Zone® is not just a high-fat diet, but also a high low-starch vegetable diet!

Supplementing magnesium will also help stimulate bowel movement.

Another supplement to consider is MCT Oil Powder.

Don’t worry, you are not alone. This happens to many people and there is usually an easy way around it.

First, make sure you are not consuming any foods you are allergic to (even if you don’t know you’re allergic). The most common allergens on a keto diet are dairy, eggs, nuts and fish. These reactionary foods can lead to inflammation, which will halt your weight loss progress.

Take these inflammation-causing foods out of your diet and see if you start losing weight again. If you do, then slowly add each food back in, one-by-one, until your weight loss stalls again. This elimination process will help you figure out which foods to avoid. You can also get a food allergy panel from your doctor to take out the guesswork.

Check out this article for a more in depth look at why you might not be losing weight and some actions to take: Why you aren’t losing weight on Keto and what to do about it

For foods you can eat, take a look at our Keto Zone Shopping List.

The most important thing to remember is to keep your carbohydrate consumption below 20 grams per day. That said, a good rule of thumb is to avoid all grains, legumes, most fruits, starchy vegetables and added sugars.

This includes: wheat flour (breads, tortillas, pastas, biscuits, pastries, crackers, cakes, cookies), corn, oats, rice, beans, peanuts, lentils, potatoes, bananas, dried fruit (dates, raisins, etc.), mangoes, cantaloupe, carrots, beets and candies.

You want to avoid anything that will raise your blood sugar. Use the carb calculator at www.KetoZone.com if you need help figuring out how many carbs are in your food.

We have a ton of great recipes including breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks. You can find our keto-focused recipes and articles at our website page’s Dr. Colbert –  Articles, Keto Zone® – Articles, and Keto Zone® – Recipes.

At Divine Health, we’ve perfectly formulated essential and fundamental keto supplements to enhance the benefits of the Keto Zone® diet.

Chocolate Collagen Powder – As a predigested protein, Hydrolyzed Collagen will help give your skin elasticity to fight against wrinkles and sagging skin. Our Hydrolyzed Collagen will also help minimize stretch marks, as well keep you full and satiated so you don’t crave carbs!

MCT Oil Powder – MCT stands for medium chain triglyceride, which are fatty acids derived from coconut and palm oil. MCT oil fats are effortlessly converted into ketones, and are able to bypass the liver to go straight to the brain for sustained focus and energy.

Instant Ketones – BHB salts, or beta-hydroxybutrate, provide a source of exogenous ketones that can provide the benefits of ketosis even in the presence of carbs. Although not a substitute for a ketogenic diet, BHB salts are used during the transition phase and after carb consumption to maintain benefits of the Keto Zone®. They also provide valuable electrolytes which are more readily lost while in ketosis. Instant Ketones can also be used to enhance workouts and improve athletic performance.

Fat-Zyme® Digestive Enzymes – The Keto Zone® Diet is high in healthy fat and vegetables. Dr. Don Colbert’s formulated supplement has enzymes specifically chosen to help digest fat and vegetables. One of the only high lipase enzyme supplements on the market, Fat-Zyme® will make sure you are getting all of the valuable nutrients from your food without any digestive discomfort that may come from adapting a new diet.