KETO

Is low fat a typo? I think by definition keto is high fat, isn't it?

I don't do keto, but that might be why there are no replies.

Low fat and low carb is a recipe for disaster.

Keto is a high fat, medium protein, low carb diet.

I'm not sure how anyone is defining "keto" in their heads. "Keto" refers to being in a state of ketosis which can actually happen in a number of ways, regardless of macro composition. All ketone bodies are a byproduct of fat being burned/oxidized. Full stop.

This can be done by:

1) Eating nothing. Starvation uses all available and stored glycogen, which leads to the breakdown of fat, which produces ketones.

2) Eating a very low calorie diet. Low incoming energy uses all available and stored glycogen, which leads to the breakdown of fat, which produces ketones.

3) Eating whatever you want and expending an even higher insane amount of calories. The high volume of exercise uses all available and stored glycogen, which leads to the breakdown of fat, which produces ketones.

4) Eating low fat, low carbs, and high protein AKA protein sparing modified fast (PSMF). There is little to no incoming glucose which uses all available and stored glycogen, which leads to the breakdown of fat, which produces ketones.

Be aware that none of the mentioned methods are sustainable long term, but it's proof that you don't need to eat a high fat diet to be ketotic. (Credit to Ted Naiman)

If you're doing the diet for fat loss, then ketone levels are also completely irrelevant. The ONLY time they carry any significance is if you have a derangement that requires higher levels of ketones; i.e. epilepsy, alzheimer's, parkinson's, certain cancers (debatable), psych/mood disorders (debatable), etc.

The original diet was formulated to keep epileptic children from seizing and they truly did require minimal amounts of carbs, barely enough protein to keep from wasting away, and high amounts of fat to keep ketone levels high, but not necessarily producing ketones from body fat.

You want to be burning STORED BODY FAT, not the circulating addition of incoming dietary fat, so there's no need to increase your fat beyond what is necessary for hormone regulation. You also want to keep protein adequate to prevent muscle wasting and do strength training to ensure that muscle mass stays as long as possible. Pure cardio will completely waste muscle. It's a catabolic exercise and if that's your goal because you're planning to marathon professionally, then by all means go ham. But if you want that #flexfriday booty poppin' for the #gram likes and shares, then do resistance training.

And for the love of nutrition, don't follow useless macro percentage charts for "keto." Measure and weigh your food and track according to grams, not percentages. I can eat 1g of carbs and nothing else and be 100% carbs which by definition would be absolutely anti-ketogenic as a diet, but that would be burned off and I'd be producing ketones shortly thereafter.