Ah, the Keto Diet. Halle Barry attributes her fifty-year old unbelievable body to it. (Saw it on Entertainment Tonight.)

To begin, what are the main differences between the Paleo and Keto (ketogenic) diets? Typically, a Keto Diet is even higher in fat than Paleo. While the Paleo Diet incorporates fruit and starchy vegetables, the Keto Diet doesn’t because they’re too high in carbs. A standard Keto Diet is 70-80 percent fat, 20 percent protein and about 5 percent carbs. When you eat less than 50 grams of carbs per day your body runs out of fuel it can use quickly. Then you start to break down protein and fat for energy which makes you lose weight. This is called ketosis. And here’s a fun fact about it; in the 1920s, the Keto Diet was originally designed not for weight loss, but for epilepsy. For reasons not entirely understood even today, fueling the body on primarily ketones reduced seizures. However, with the development of anti-seizure medications, few people with epilepsy rely on ketogenic diets today. Crazy, huh? 

Different Types of Ketogenic Diets

There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
• High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

However, only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.

THRIVE HCG WEIGHT LOSS DIET: THE “I FEEL GREAT DIET”

The point is, a one-size-fits-all diet approach does not work and can be problematic to most individuals, especially those prone to black and white, all-or-nothing thinking. Categorizing foods into “good” and “bad” can lead to feelings of guilt, shame and failure when the “rules” of a diet are broken. At Thrive Health Solutions, we specialize in medical weight loss solutions like the Thrive HCG Weight Loss Diet.

Our Thrive HCG Weight Loss Diet does include some of the elements of the Keto Diet, but the Thrive HCG Weight Loss Diet is a 1,200-calorie whole food nutrition plan that includes three meals and two protein snacks daily. Good-for-you food that actually tastes good. And no pre-packaged meals to purchase. And even with our allowed 1200 calories, you’ll lose weight quickly – from ½ to 1 lb. daily – without ever feeling hungry or deprived all the time. Actually, it wouldn’t be fair to just call the Thrive HCG Weight Loss Diets a diet. It’s a lifestyle. Something to stick with for the long run. Everyone loves a good success story. And this could be yours. As it is for hundreds of our happy, extremely healthy patients. Sound good? Do we have to ask?