Muscle Fitness Muscle & Fitness UK - April 2018 | Page 101

BAC K TO BA SIC S
weight tend to fall between 0.5g/kg
and 1.2g/kg.
Basing your intake as a percentage
of your overall calorie consumption
is often the case with typical
ranges of 15-30% coming from fat.
It is important to note however
that on a very low-calorie diet (VLCD)
the lower end (15%) could
fall below the 0.5g/kg so ensure
that your fat intake value does
exceed this.
Fat intake in some instances can
exceed 30% in particular with those
individuals who are following a
ketogenic approach which we will
look at later in the article.
Is a Ketogenic (Keto)
diet for you?
In the recommendations above,
the amount of dietary fat that was
suggested was a figure which
according to the research represents
an amount that enables you to
maintain your bodily functions,
will help with immune function and
will also provide satiety. In the case
of a ketogenic approach, the num-
bers become vastly different so let’s
take a look at what exactly this is and
determine if it’s the best approach
for you.
In order for a diet to be considered
ketogenic, it’s important to note that
it is not just a “low-carb” approach. In
fact, if we take a look below this how
the diet is likely to be set up
FAT 75-85%
PROTEIN 10-15%
CARBOHYDRATES 5%
How this may look for somebody
on a 2000kcal diet for example:
Total calories 2000 kcal
Fat (80%) 178 grams (1602 kcal)
Protein (15%) 75 grams (300 kcal)
Carbohydrates (5%) 25 grams
(100 kcal)
So, what is the purpose of a
ketogenic diet? When the diet
becomes really low in carbohy-
drates, the body looks for an alterna-
tive fuel source and in time can enter
a state known as ketosis. Ketosis
occurs when the liver produces
small molecules knows as ketone
bodies in order to provide your body
and brain with fuel to function. It is
suggested that the body can shift its
main source of fuel from primarily
carbohydrates (sugar) to fat when
the duration of this approach is
sufficient.
On the face of this information, you
could be forgiven for thinking that
this must be the holy grail therefore
of fat loss, with your body selecting
fat as fuel, stripping body fat and
getting “ripped” will be easy. How-
ever, one thing to note however
before you do jump to any conclu-
sions is that your body selecting fat
as fuel will primarily come from the
fat within the diet and unfortunately
not solely from your body fat stores.
This has been shown in research
that compared a low carbohydrate
high fat diet (similar to ketogenic
diets) to a high carbohydrate, low fat
diet when matched for total calorie
intake and the result was practically
the same in terms of fat loss suggest-
ing that the best approach would
simply come down to what the
individual prefers.
What does this mean
for you?
Ultimately it comes down to what
food sources you would prefer. In
WHAT ARE THE BEST SOURCES OF FAT?
Choosing your fat sources wisely will ensure that you are providing your body with an environment in
which it can thrive, rather than just survive. Below are examples of some high fat food items that you can look
to include in your diet. Each one provides around 15 grams of fat for the serving size listed so you may need to
make adjustments to the amount based on your requirements.
FOOD ITEM RAW WEIGHT FAT (GRAMS) CALORIES
Salmon 130 grams (1 filet) 15 250
Olive oil 15 grams (approx. 1 tbsp.) 15 135
Nuts (almonds) 30 grams (25 almonds) 15 175
Seeds (pumpkin) 35 grams 15 185
Avocado ½ 15 322
Whole eggs 3 16 222
Cheese (feta) 70 grams 15 185
Dark chocolate (85%) 30 grams (approx. 3
squares of typical bar) 14 172
Coconut oil 15 grams (approx. 1 tbsp.) 15 135
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