My discipline got away from me and I was eating everything in sight.

And one day, there I was, sitting on my couch watching The Office.

I had just finished eating an entire blueberry pound cake.

I looked down at my plate hoping there was one more bite left.

Nope, just crumbs scattered everywhere and the edge of the plate tucked under my belly.

At this moment I remember thinking two things:

1. That was a damn good pound cake. And,
2. I feel really fat.

This was one of many binges I partook in the past few weeks.

To remove all doubt of my new plump condition, I walked upstairs and stepped on the scale before bed.

I gained 10 pounds in a very short timeframe. The ripped body I worked so hard for started to smooth out.

My muscle definition faded and I was tired all the time.

I had to get back on track. It was time to get my fat ass back into shape.

I’ve been wanting to try a Ketogenic diet for a long time now, but never took the leap.

It wasn’t until I tipped the scale too far, that I made up my mind to do it.

After single-handedly destroying a full-size poundcake in a matter of minutes, I decided right then and there that I’m going Keto.

And from that point forward I didn’t eat a carb for 10 days.

In those 10 days I lost 10 pounds.

Not only that, but some other amazing things happened. All of which I will explain in this post.

If you suffer from low energy, high body fat, lack of focus, trouble sleeping, or if you have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, you need to read this article.

A ketogenic diet may be the solution to those problems.

The Ketogenic diet has a has a list of cool benefits. Not the least of which is losing fat quickly.

And that is exactly why I decided to give ‘Keto’ a shot.

Little did I know, that in addition to losing weight quickly, I’d also sleep better, recover faster and become more productive.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

First, I want to be clear, there is no such thing as The Ketogenic diet.

The definition of a Keto diet is eating in a way that causes your body to enter ketosis.

Ketosis is a state where your liver glycogen gets used up, so your liver produced ketones. Ketones are a form of energy created by converting fat.

A Ketogenic diet is simple: Keep your net carbohydrate intake as low as possible so your body enters ketosis.

Lower than 20g of net carbs daily should keep you in ketosis. (Net carbs equal total carbs minus fiber.)

How do you know if you’re in ketosis?

You may feel a slight warming sensation throughout your body from time to time. This warm sensation is your body burning fat for energy. It could signal the transition into ketosis. This is something I experienced.

It takes about two days for your glycogen stores to deplete. Sometimes longer depending on your fitness and activity levels.

After your glycogen is gone, your body transitions to ketosis for energy. This is were the magic happens.

My Ketogenic Diet Results

I recently tried a ketogenic diet for 10 days.

Some pretty amazing things happened over the course of those 10 days:

I lost Belly Fat Fast

I lost 10 pounds of fat in about 10 days.

My belly fat melted away. Every day, I lost about one pound. My round belly started to flatten out and my abs came back.

I Built Muscle

I didn’t lose an ounce of muscle. How do I know?  Because I actually got stronger while eating keto. I hit a PR on deficit deadlifts.

My squat numbers continue to climb.

My chest is more full looking and so are my legs.

Because I gave up carbs, I ate a ton of protein and vitamin packed vegetables to compensate.

My muscle are noticeably bigger and harder… in 10 days, I shit you not.

Better Workout Recovery

My recovery is much better eating Keto, meaning I’m not as sore after workouts.

To be fair however, I did reduce my workout volume, BUT I kept the intensity high. I increased the weight used each set. So it’s unlikely the deducting in volume lessened my soreness since I increased the intensity.

I think my recovery was better for two reasons:

#1. I was eating a lot of protein and healthy fats. I was getting adequate nutrition.

#2. I wasn’t eating any trash calories. All my calories were premium fuel. My body spend less time getting rid of garbage and more time rebuilding muscles.

My typical workout is four exercises, four-six sets per exercise, and 6-8 reps per set.  I also worked up to a heavy single, double or triple for my big lifts. (Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift.)

My muscle pump was less extreme while eating keto. I got a pump while lifting, but the pump didn’t last long after I stopped my workout.

I Wake up Easier

While eating a ketogenic diet I woke up quick each morning.

I maybe, MAYBE, hit snooze on my alarm one time. I used to hit snooze 5 or 6 times each morning. Now I’m up and alert as soon as my eyelids open. I’m not groggy and lazy.

The internal struggle between going back to bed or starting my day is gone. Now I just get up an go.

I save money at the grocery store since I don’t spend money on carb filled snacks.

I Eat Better and Feel Better

Every calorie I eat is premium fuel. I feel strong and focused all day long.

My Anxiety Went Away

The ketogenic diet cured my anxiety.

I think most people these days suffer from anxiety to some degree.

When I eat carbs, I get brain fog. It’s hard to focus and think. As a result I’m not on my A-game so I get anxious.

Carbs cause inflammation which stresses your body. The chemical response to stress is cortisol which associates with anxiety.

Eating keto helps me stay calm, clear and focused by eliminating inflammation.

Ketogenic Diet Tips

Drink a lot of water

You may be very thirsty during a ketogenic diet because you’re not holding as much water weight. I drink 1-2 gallons of distilled water every day.

Beware of “Keto-Hacks”

There are morons out there that create shit diets and call them keto. These shit diets usually are loaded with fat. Not healthy fat, but garbage processed fat.

The ketogenic diet is not a license to eat shit food. You should still eat natural, whole foods. Don’t add slop like olive oil and coconut oil to your diet because some health guru said so.

There’s no need for extra fat calories. The fat you get from the meat, eggs, and butter you eat is plenty.

Is Keto Bullshit?

I don’t know how the ketogenic process works end-to-end at a molecular level and I don’t care.

All I know is that I got leaner, stronger, and more focused while eating Keto.

There are a lot of morons out there that insist on splitting hairs, arguing about insignificant details of the ketogenic diet.

The only way to know for sure what works is to try it for yourself. Experience it for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

If I could suggest a ketogenic guide for beginner’s, it would be this:

• Keep under 20 net carbs per day.
• Daily calories should be 40% protein and 60% fat. (30% protein and 70% fat is also acceptable.)

My personal experience with Keto has been great by just following those two guidelines.

I Quit Carbs Cold Turkey

I stopped eating carbs all together.

The only carbs I ate came from fresh vegetables and natural peanut butter (No added sugar or palm oil B.S.)

There is no such thing as eating in moderation.

There’s no such thing as just having a taste of ice cream or a bite of brownie. If I have a taste, I’m having the whole damn thing.

Quitting cold turkey makes it easy to stand firm and not give in to temptation.

Binary decisions are the only ones that actually work. Either do it all the way or don’t do it at all.

Otherwise, you will constantly struggle internally and eventually give in to temptation. Thus ruining your diet.

Remember, carbohydrates (sugars) are chemically addictive.

What happens if a recovering drug addict does just a little bit of heroin?

I know carbohydrates and other forms of sugar are addictive because when I stopped eating carbs I had a headache for two days.

I had withdrawal symptoms from sugar. Just like a drug addict gets withdrawn symptoms. (and still we feed this stuff to our kids.)

Bonus: Ketogenic Diet Recipe

Want to start the ketogenic diet but don’t know where to start?

You’re in luck, friend. You can start right here with this amazing kept recipe:

Chicken and Vegetable Keto Bake

Ingredients you will need:

• Chicken breast
• Red Onion
• Fresh garlic
• Fresh Green beans
• Brussel Sprouts
• Tomatoes
• Annie’s Balsamic Vinaigrette (Low Carb) Find a cheaper price at a grocery store.
• Seasoning (Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, and oregano)

Here’s what you do:

Cut chicken into strips and toss in a big bowl with the vinaigrette.

Pour chicken onto a tin-foiled baking sheet. Pour all the vinaigrette onto the chicken. You want the extra flavor and juiciness.

Chop the onion into chunks and spread all the vegetables and chicken evenly across the pan.

Add all the herbs and spices to the dish. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.

Pull out and dig in.

Ketogenic Diet Snacks

Sardines

Sardines are incredible. One of the single best foods you can eat. Sardines are packed with protein and contain all the essential amino acids.

Sardines also provide omega-3 fatty acids which is great for your brain.

Keto Protein Shakes

Keto protein shakes are low carb shakes. MusclePharm makes a tasty protein powder with very low carbs. I put two scoops of protein powder with almond milk and peanut butter, then blend it all up.

Nuts and Seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and mixed nuts in small amounts are all great Keto diet snacks.

Egg Whites

Get yourself a Sam’s Club or Costco membership and buy egg white cartons by the box. I drink egg whites straight from the carton. Usually I drink one carton a day.

Cheese

You need to be careful with cheese though, some cheese has too much sugar.  Make sure carbs are 0 or close to 0.

Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan

Breakfast: six whole eggs cooked in grass fed butter. Add four strips of turkey bacon if really hungry.

Lunch: Beef roast or beef patty with vegetables or salad

Dinner: Chicken or fish with roasted seasonal vegetables

Snacks: Sardines, egg whites, protein shake, seeds and nuts

Eat as much as you want in unlimited quantities.

I hope this post was helpful. Now you should have everything you need to through off the sugar shackles and get effing ripped.

You Might Also Like:

Carnivore Diet for Primal Energy and Laser Focus How to Get Ripped Fast (8-week ‘cutting’ diet) The Meathead’s Guide to Meal Prep for Building Muscle, Burning Fat and Eating Well The ‘Steak & Eggs’ Diet for Fat Loss, Increased Testosterone, and Boundless Energy