How to Start the Keto Zone Diet

1. Know the Basics

What is the Keto Zone? The Keto Zone is when your body enters into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of using glucose. It naturally allows for weight loss, balanced blood sugar, decreased inflammation, better energy, and more focus. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

To enter this state, you must be eating fat as your primary source of food with fewer carbs and adequate amounts of protein.

The breakdown looks like this:

• 70% of calories are fat
• 10-15% of calories are protein
• 10-15% of calories are carbohydrates

When you know the basics, you have a better understanding of how to go about the diet.

Dr. Colbert’s New York Times Best Selling Books The Keto Zone Diet and Quick and Healthy Keto Zone Cookbook are the perfect places to start learning about the keto diet!

2. Learn to Count Macros

What are macros? Macro is another term for macronutrient, which refers to the protein, fat, and carbohydrates found in food. (6)

To get into the Keto Zone, you must be eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. Counting your macros helps ensure you’re reaching and not going above that number. Get used to paying attention to nutrition labels, as often you’ll be surprised at how many carbohydrates are in everyday foods.

Once you get familiar with how many carbs are in what foods and make a habit of counting, it will come naturally and without much thought.

3. Become Familiar with Keto Foods

Even though you’re reducing your carb intake, you still have plenty of delicious food options to play around with. Take this Hearty Healthy Oatmeal Cookie recipe for instance! Here are some of your choices to familiarize yourself with.

• Meats: Chicken, turkey, beef, salmon
• Vegetables: Spinach, garlic, onions, squash
• Fruits: Avocados, blueberries, strawberries
• Nuts: Almonds, pecans, walnuts
• Dairy: Organic cheese, heavy cream, grass-fed butter
• Fats/Oils: Organic peanut butter, MCT Oil Powder, olive oil
• Coffee/Tea

Try to avoid high-carb foods such as legumes, grains, added sugars and sweeteners, and root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets. It’s easier than you think! A high-fat diet makes you feel full for longer, curbing your normal high-carb cravings. (7, 8)

Overall, a better understanding of what you can and can’t eat helps to make the keto diet less overwhelming.

4. Prepare for Side Effects

You may have heard of the keto flu, which is an array of flu-like symptoms caused by the keto diet. Your body goes through a “withdrawal” from carbs, as it adjusts its metabolism and enters ketosis. (9)

Headaches, fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, and irritability are all normal during the first few days of the Keto Zone. They go away with time and can easily be treated with more water intake, sleep, light exercise, and eating more fat. (10, 11, 12, 13)

For more info on how to deal with the keto flu, check out 5 Easy Remedies for Keto Side Effects.

Keep in mind that while you begin Keto Zone, you may experience these side effects, but remember that they don’t last forever.

5. Purchase Your Supplements

The last step is to purchase the supplements you need to aid your keto diet journey.

Keto Zone Instant Ketones make it easy to enter ketosis, and MCT Oil Powder provides clean energy that aids the fat-burning process. The Keto Zone Shakes bring a quality keto-friendly meal replacement, and Hydrolyzed Collagen provides essential protein, probiotics, and collagen.

You can also use the Keto Zone Fat-Zyme to help with keto digestion. All of these Keto Zone formulas are a great combination of supplements to produce the best possible results for you and your needs.

Bottom Line

Beginning the Keto Zone diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Keto comes to knowing the basics, learning about macros, becoming familiar with keto-friendly foods, preparing for side effects, and grabbing your supplements.

Are you ready? It’s time to get started. Shop Keto Zone here.

The post How to Start the Keto Zone Diet in 5 Simple Steps appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Fortunately, we’ve pulled together a Keto Zone Guide to Collagen.

There are three well-known types of collagen crucial for your health, and each type has different functions.

If you’re interested in taking collagen, you need to know the functions of each type and how it’ll benefit you.

Keto Zone Guide to Collagen

What is Collagen Powder?

Collagen powder is a supplemental powder derived from bones, hooves, skin, ligaments, and tendons of animals. Appetizing, huh?

While it may not be the most appealing of supplements, collagen contains powerful and effective nutrients that are valuable to the human body. In fact, many important amino acids found in collagen are absent in modern diets.

Basically, there are 3 ways you can get collagen on a daily basis:

1. By drinking bone broth.
2. If you eat small tiny bones in seafood (some bones are usually eaten when you eat salmon, for example).
3. You can use a gelatin, collagen powder or supplements.

For most people, supplemental powder is the easiest way to routinely add collagen to your diet.

Ease of Collagen Powder

While both bone broth and tiny bones are great for health, they aren’t always easy to come by (or cost-effective) in a daily diet.

Collagen powder, on the other hand, is easy to use. You can add powder to coffee, tea, smoothies, soups and more. Unlike gelatin, powder dissolves easily and doesn’t “gel” or harden liquids.

You only need a small amount, about 2 tablespoons per day, to get the benefits boosted in research, as long as you are taking the right type of collagen.

How to Make Sure You’re Taking the Right Type of Collagen

Again, there are over 30 types of collagen, but here’s a breakdown of the 3 most important ones. The majority of collagen powders are made from cow, chicken, fish, pig or egg sources. For example, our Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder is a combination of chicken and fish.

Use our Keto Zone Guide to Collagen, to find out which type matches your health goals.

Type I Collagen

Type I Collagen makes up 90% of our hair, skin, and nails. If you’re looking to improve your appearance, Type I is the right type for you.

In fact, Type I Collagen can help ward off the hallmarks of skin aging, like the stretching out or thinning of the skin.

How you may ask? There are a few distinct ways:

1. Improved Elasticity of Skin and Tissue

A 2014 study of 46 women, ages 35-55, showed that 8 weeks of collagen powder supplementation improved skin elasticity within just 4 weeks (1).

When skin’s elasticity is improved it can stretch and rebound better, without sagging, to create a youthful appearance.

2. Reduced Wrinkles

Another 2014 study concluded that collagen supplementation reduced wrinkles after just 8 weeks of use (2).

Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology concluded that collagen supplementation not only improved skin moisture, but also produced younger-looking, less-fragmented skin (3).

3. Improved Skin and Tissue Structure

In a 2017 lab study, researchers found that 6 months of oral consumption of collagen increased the collagen content in the skin to improve the skin structure.

This study enhanced the density of different types of collagen (Type I and Type III) and resulted in improved color and luster of skin and fur. While the study was on mice, it showed a strong promise for human skin and hair as well (4).

How do you get Type I Collagen? It’s most abundant in bovine and marine collagen. However, there’s a relatively high incidence of allergy to bovine collagen among humans, in addition to some concerns of disease in cows transferred to humans. The best source of Type I Collagen is from fish. Check your collagen sources before consuming and make sure they include fish (5).

Type II Collagen

Type II Collagen is the most important form when you’re feeling sick and under-the-weather. This is one reason why good chicken soup or broth always makes people feel better when they’re sick.

In fact, Type II Collagen is known for its immune-boosting and joint-supporting properties.

How?

Type II Collagen improves your digestion and is a major part of our gut lining. Type II acts as a barrier between the substances we consume and our bloodstream, ultimately helping both digestion and immune function.

In addition, Type II Collagen is a major building block of cartilage, which is why it’s so crucial for joint health.

So if you’re looking to improve your immune function and joints, search for Type II Collagen.

Where does Type II come from? Chicken bone broth and bovine (or cow) sources. 

Type III Collagen

Type III Collagen specifically promotes cardiovascular health and aids in the formation of arterial walls.

It’s often found alongside Type I Collagen in human and animal bodies.

Which means your gaining both cardiovascular and skin health improvements.

How is it made? Type III collagen supplements are often made from bovine (cow) and other animal sources. 

Other Types of Collagen

While 80-90% of human collagen is Types I, II, and III, there are other less-known types as well. Two other important types are V and X, which are important for cell membranes, placenta health during pregnancy, bone formation, and more. When you consume chicken or bovine sources for collagen, you are usually getting an additional small amount of V and X types.

Your Best Collagen Powder

Fortunately, the Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Chicken Collagen and Marine Powder is a great source of these collagens, especially Types I, II, and III.

The benefits are unlimited, supporting your joints, skin, ligaments, heart, and digestive health. It’s easy to add your collagen to water, coffee, smoothies, and cooking. Collagen also adds a great source of essential amino acids to your everyday diet.

Bottom Line

If you’re not adding collagen powder to your diet, you’re likely not getting these great health-benefiting aminos on a regular basis. Thankfully, adding a daily scoop of hydrolyzed collagen powder to your morning coffee or your cooking, makes your life easier. And since Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder contains both chicken and marine collagens, you can get the 3 most important types in each scoop. Utilize our guide to collagen to help choose the best option for you.

The post Keto Zone Guide to Collagen appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

If so, you may be a bit nervous about staying in the Keto Zone while traveling.

You’ve worked hard. And while you want to enjoy yourself, you don’t want to completely derail all the progress you’ve made.

Is it possible to stay in the Keto Zone while on vacation?

It is!

Here are our Top Keto Zone Vacation Tips. With a bit of planning and preparation, you can stay in the Keto Zone and still have the vacation of your dreams!

Top Keto Zone Vacation Tips

Bring Your Keto Zone Powders and Supplements

First, it can really help to bring along the Keto Zone powders and supplements you use to help you stay on track.

Our first Keto Zone Vacation Tip is to bring your Keto Zone supplements with you:

• Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder – Your go-to MCT oil powder coffee creamer can turn any coffee into a Keto Zone one. It’s delicious and will start your day off right.
• Green and Red SupremeFood – You will feel so much better if you can still supply your body with the fermented fruits and vegetables to which it’s now accustomed.  Add these to water or any Keto drink to give your body a jolt of nutrients.
• Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen – Add this powder to any drink or stirrable dish to add nourishing protein
• Keto Zone Instant Ketones – Add these to your diet throughout the day to keep your mind sharp and your body energized. Or, if you do happen to stray from Keto Zone eating, Instant Ketones can help get you back into ketosis quickly without feeling any low-energy effects.

Plan Ahead For the Travel In the Car, Airport, Plane, or Train

It’s easy to over-eat or eat the wrong things when you’re stuck in a car or airport. These tips will help:

• Don’t let your sitting in a car turn into an all-you-can-eat grazing buffet. For some reason, people tend to let go of regular eating times while driving.  Instead, stick to your normal meals and snacks. Make sure there are breaks of not eating in between them (hormone and blood sugar cycles do well with eating and not eating rather than constant grazing).
• Snacks: Generally, it’s hard to find good-quality snacks on the road unless you stop at a real grocery store. So, have a plan and bring snacks with you or options you know will be available at stores (see below).
• Hydrate well. There’s something about traveling that tends to dehydrate us. It may be the often hectic schedule required to get out the door, the lack of drinking options on planes, or the desire to not want to stop too many times while driving. Whatever the culprit, make it a point to carry fluids with you as much as possible and hydrate well.
• You can still enjoy many restaurant foods if you know the steps for Keto Zone restaurant eating (below).

Bring Keto Zone Snacks that Travel Well

With a bit of planning you can take these snacks with you (some will require a cooler):

• Keto Zone Baked goods such as Keto Zone Chocolate Almond Bars, Lemon Berry Scones, Cumin Roasted Pepitas
• Keto Zone Fat Bombs (keep in cooler)
• Vegetables such as celery sticks and cucumbers. With a cooler, take pesto, cream cheese or guacamole along with you.
• Nuts and nut butters
• Hard-boiled eggs and salt
• Single-package cheese such as string cheese, Laughing Cow, or Babybel
• Jerky, dry salami and cooked bacon
• Ham and cheese roll-ups

Keto Zone Plan for Restaurants

Keto Zone Restaurant eating is easy if you know the steps. Here are 5 Fool-Proof Steps:

Step 1: Drinks, anyone? Start with water, sparkling water, tea, coffee, or another non-sugary drink (there may be stevia-based options). Avoid soft drinks, lemonades, or sugary-alcoholic drinks.

Step 2: If choosing an appetizer, order a salad or meat and cheese plate (sans crackers). The best dressing option is olive oil and vinegar. Or, carry your own small keto zone dressing with you.

Step 3: Time for the main course.  Omit any starch, grain, or carbohydrate to start. This means no pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, tortillas, bread, etc. If they come as a side, simply ask the waiter to leave them off your plate. Ask to sub an extra side of vegetables.

Step 4: Focus on the delicious foods you can have. Choose a nourishing protein such as seafood, steak, chicken, duck, bison, or another option. Add sautéed or fresh vegetables (verify that these are sautéed in oil or butter, without extra sauces). If needed, ask for extra butter, cream, or olive oil to round out your dinner.

Watch out for high-carb sauces: Ketchup, BBQ, Sriracha, Buffalo Sauce, and most gravies contain sugars or flour.

Step 5: If staying for desserts with others, enjoy coffee or herbal tea with cream. If you really want another food, ask if the restaurant can provide berries with cream, or berries with cheese.

BONUS: Check out this Full Keto Zone Restaurant Guide including the best choices by Cuisine.

Bottom Line

You can certainly stay in the Keto Zone and have a wonderful summer vacation. Use our Keto Zone Vacation Tips to take what you need with you, stay on track while getting to your destination, and eating in the Keto Zone while there.

The post Heading out on a Trip? Top Keto Zone Vacation Tips appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Once you know the basics of how ketones and ketosis work, what to eat, and what to avoid on keto, you also need to understanding the best supplements to take when starting the keto diet. Here they are, in order of importance, as recommended by Dr. Colbert.

1. MCT Powder for Quick, Fat Burning Energy

MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fat that—unlike other fatty acids—your body can metabolize right now [1]. That means your body can more quickly convert the fat into ketones to be used as energy (instead of being stored as fat!).

In other words, with MCTs you stay in fat-burning mode longer and they’re a perfect complement to a ketogenic diet.

As supplements, MCTs come from palm oil or coconut oil and are available as MCT powder or oil. Be careful about what’s added—look for all-natural flavors and only natural, sugar-free sweeteners so carbs are kept very low.

2. Digestive Enzymes for a Happier Stomach

A ketogenic diet like the Keto Zone™ program is very high in good, fat-burning fats and rich in vegetables and proteins. While these are great for health, your body might need a little help adjusting to the changes.

Help out your digestive system by supplementing with a digestive enzyme. It’ll help your body break down the fats and vegetables better so you can receive their nutrients without uncomfortable symptoms like gas, bloating, or indigestion.

But don’t reach for just any standard digestive enzyme! The type matters.

Here’s what to look for:

Fat Digestion Enzyme: Lipase

This is the best digestive enzyme to take on the keto diet.

When you eat common healthy keto fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and keto nuts and seeds, your pancreas naturally releases lipase. But here’s the problem: your body probably won’t make enough lipase to handle keto-level fats.

So, look for a high-lipase digestive enzyme supplement to provide exactly what you need to break down these foods.

Vegetable Digestion Enzymes

A healthy keto diet like the Keto Zone™ is not only high in fats but also rich in vegetables—more than the average American eats, that’s for sure.

To account for the high veggie intake, Dr. Colbert also advises supplementing with enzymes that target cellulose, a tough-to-digest substance in most keto vegetables.

Those enzymes are cellulase and hemicellulose.

For best results on keto, seek a digestive enzyme containing at least these three enzymes.

3. Collagen Protein for Joint and Tissue Support

After MCT powder and digestion enzymes, collagen protein is highly recommended on a ketogenic diet.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and is popular as a supplements for many reasons. It contains vital amino acids for optimal health.

There are different supplemental forms of collagen protein: type I, type II, and type III.

Supplementing with all three collagen types can support healthy hair, skin, nails, connective tissue, and gut health, but type II collagen is uniquely used for medicinal purposes, joint mobility, and flexibility too.

Collagen supplements are typically made from either beef collagen or chicken collagen, which is mostly type II collagen. Hydrolyzed chicken collagen is most recommended for those on the Keto Zone™ program.

4. Exogenous Ketones for Energy and Entering Ketosis Quickly

Entering ketosis means your body has made the switch from burning carbs and sugar for fuel to burning fat. This is what we also called the “Keto Zone,” and it’s the sweet spot when you’re burning fat, gaining energy, and improving your health and mental clarity.

Exogenous ketones help you with two main things:

• Entering ketosis quickly, whether you’re just starting the keto diet or getting back into it after a period of eating higher carb.
• Boosting energy levels once you’re already in ketosis and your body is thriving on ketones for energy, clarity, and fat loss.

Look for exogenous ketones that are free of added sugars (stevia is best for sweeteners), high in the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and contain electrolyte salts—which is our next listed supplement.

5. Electrolytes for Your Nervous System

As you drastically reduce carbs and enter ketosis, your body initially drops a lot of water—taking important electrolyte minerals with it.

Your body needs electrolytes to conduct electricity throughout your nervous system and keep everything firing and working properly, such as your digestive system and heart. Replenishing electrolytes also helps prevent the symptoms of keto flu.

Those electrolytes are:

• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Potassium

A simple way to increase sodium is by adding more sea salt to your food or dissolving some in water.

For the magnesium and potassium, you might need to supplement, such as adding mineral/electrolyte drops to water—or you can look for a ketone supplement that already contains added electrolyte salts.

Also, Don’t Forget: Drink Water

Since low-carb diets tend to increase water loss, remember to drink water very often. Dehydration is a common symptom of ketosis that’s preventable with regular water intake!

Reading for Starting the Keto Diet: Keto Zone Diet Book

To jumpstart your keto success, Dr. Colbert also recommends “supplementing” with the Keto Zone Diet book for an optimal healthy living plan covering how to use these supplements and everything you also need to know when starting the keto diet (or getting back into it).

Get ready to lose weight, balance hormones and appetite, burn fat, and live a purpose-driven life with your new balanced keto diet plan.

The post Starting the Keto Diet? 5 Doctor-Recommended Supplements You Need appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.