photo credit: ogimogi

Part One and Part Two

What is a Targeted Ketogenic Diet?

The only difference between a targeted ketogenic diet and a standard ketogenic diet is that a minimal amount of carbs are allowed around workouts. This diet approach is very practical for those who perform intense weight workouts. These particular individuals will benefit greatly from the extra energy provided by carbs to fuel their workouts during the week. A targeted ketogenic diet is also a viable approach for diabetics and those who are insulin resistant.

In short, depending on the duration of the workout, one should aim for about 25-50g of carbohydrates prior to working out; this amount of carb energy should be sufficient to fuel a 30-60 minute moderate volume weight training session. Another viable option would be to have a small carbohydrate meal an hour pre workout and sip on gatorade throughout the training session.

Not only is this a great approach for fat loss, a targeted ketogenic diet is a great way to maintain for those who have insulin sensitivity issues.

Weekly Targeted Ketogenic Setup

For my example, I will again use a 200lb male who maintains on about 3000 calories per day. His protein set at 300g and he is aiming for 1 pound of fat loss per week. So his daily caloric intake will be 2500 calories which gives him a 500 calorie daily deficit. The exception to this diet is that he will be now consuming a small amount of carbs on training days, and his calories on rest days will be composed of protein and fats like on a standard ketogenic diet.

Rest Days (2500 calories)

300g protein

144g fat

Training Days (2500 calories)

300g protein

50g carbs (prior to workout)

122g fat

My Thoughts

This approach is extremely beneficial for those who like to engage in intense training sessions, but who also have insulin sensitivity issues. The diet is also beneficial to those who have insulin issues as an effect of being overweight. For those particular individuals, as they lose weight, their insulin sensitivity will improve.  As they progress, they should be able to increase their carbohydrate intake significantly. And like I mentioned in my first ketogenic article, I recommend taking a fiber supplement or eating a decent amount of fibrous green veggies daily to promote regularity.

This is part two of the ketogenic diet series where I will be discussing the Cyclical Ketogenic diet.

Part One and Part Three

What is a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet?

A cyclical ketogenic diet can be simplified by breaking the “cycle” up into weekly phases. One typically will follow a ketogenic type set up (high protein, moderate fats, no carbohydrates) for five days. On the sixth and seventh day, they tend to “load” up on carbohydrate rich foods to purposely saturate their glycogen stores which will sustain their weight/cardio training throughout the following week. The weekend carb load should be deliberately set above maintenance intake to ensure the excess carbohydrates are shuttled into glycogen stores, and not used for energy. If done correctly, the carb load will not hinder ones fat loss goals. Conversely the weekend is not a time to “cheat” and eat lots of high fat, high carb junk, or your fat loss progress will most likely be halted and the previous week’s efforts reversed. [Read more...]