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The ketogenic diet is a very popular way of eating right now – that can lead to significant weight loss for some. As a result, many clients have been asking us what it’s all about and if they should try it. So we asked our resident nutritionist, Evian Rodriguez – and here’s what he had to say about keto, its benefits (and drawbacks), and whether you should try it.  WHAT IS KETO? Your body normally uses glycogen for energy (stored sugars from your diet that’s stored in your liver and muscles). When you deprive your body of carbohydrates and these sugars are not present to use as energy, your body begins producing ketones as a form of energy. To get into this state – which involves a period of often unpleasant transition – you need to consume a high-fat, moderate protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. To get and remain in ketosis, most people need to limit their carbohydrates to 50 grams per day. IS KETO RIGHT FOR ME? A ketogenic diet can be beneficial and effective for someone who needs to lose fat (if you’re trying to bulk up or put on weight, it’s definitely not recommended as carbohydrates are an essential part of healthy weight gain). Evian always recommends well-rounded eating as a first step towards fat loss – cutting out processed carbs, sweets and other extra/empty calories and replacing them with nutritionally dense whole foods in appropriate amounts. But for those having trouble losing the last few pounds – or who have reached a fat-loss plateau – it can be an effective short-term measure to reach a specific goal. THE BENEFITS OF KETO In addition to fat loss, keto can result in other positive effects including better overall health, mental clarity, improved digestion and more energy. That said, in order to feel your best you’ll want to make sure you’re eating more than bacon and salami – more on that below. A healthy approach to keto On a ketogenic diet, most people end up eating a lot of animal products for their fat content. So the first thing you want to do is make sure you’re picking yours wisely. Get the best quality meat you can afford – grass fed beef is best – and limit processed meats. Also, focus on consuming healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil and avocado to help balance all that meat. HOW WILL KETO AFFECT MY WORKOUTS? Muscles need glycogen (the source of energy provided by carbohydrates) in order to perform at a high level. So those who do high-intensity/Olympic/very heavy weight lifting will likely notice a reduction in their performance. But the average person doing in-home workouts will likely be just fine, once the transition to keto is complete… BE PREPARED FOR THE KETO FLU! Be warned that the transition into keto is not pleasant for most people. Expect three to seven days of withdrawal-like symptoms (like headache, tiredness and a foggy feeling) as your body and brain adjust to their new reality. This keto flu will take place every time you come out of and re-enter a ketogenic state (though the first one is usually the worst).
We hope you find this primer helpful! As always, if you have questions – or want to book a free first workout anywhere in Toronto – you know where to find us!
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At Nielsen Fitness, we work with a lot of busy professionals who, despite being short on time, understand the importance of fitness, and want to make it a part of their lives. Our November client of the month, Martin Gangadeen, is one of these clients. He’s been training with us for five years, and is a pro at setting mini goals for himself to stay motivated and on-track. Here’s his story:  Generally speaking, we don’t believe in one-size-fits all solutions – but there are some things that will pay off for virtually anyone when it comes to losing extra/unwanted fat:  Even if you know you should exercise and that you’ll reap major lifestyle benefits because of it, it can sometimes be hard to envision what those will look like. To help you along – and do some celebratin’ while we’re at it – we’re pleased to introduce our new ‘client success’ profiles. One client (just like you) every single month. Sharing their journey, experience with NF, and the new heights they’ve reached. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Ardith Engel. Read more about her fitness journey, wins, and plans for the future below!  
This is embarrassing to say but, even though I own a fitness company, I haven’t always been the fittest looking guy.
A decade ago, working out was my life. I dabbled in strongman training and got to a point where I could deadlift 725lbs and held a record in the 800 pound tire flip. 
Yup, this was me in 2005...
Even after my dreams of being the next Magnus ver Magnusson waned, I remained firmly committed to fitness and strength training. But, as it does for so many people, life got busy. Kids came along, my business grew and demanded more of my time and energy and, somewhere along the way, I stopped prioritizing my own fitness.
The Body Mass Index - or BMI - is an algorithm of weight and height that was created by insurance companies many decades ago to help determine a person's risk for disease or mortality.
Fast forward to the present day and it's commonly used as a measure of health - but it shouldn't be. From a fitness perspective, this simply doesn't make sense because it doesn't factor in muscle mass or bone density. A person who is lean and muscular but has big bones could have a very high BMI. And on the flip side, someone with a healthy BMI can be 'skinny fat' and unhealthy. (Here's a detailed article about its shortcomings, if you're interested in more detail.) 
So if the BMI isn't reliable, what IS a good measure?
This has been a sleepless week in the Nielsen household as our youngest, 2.5-year-old Grant, has been under the weather with croup. Normally though, we're a family that takes sleep very seriously - hitting the hay early (by 10) and waking up with the birds.
So this week, which we've spent feeling grumpy and agitated, has been a good reminder of just how important sleep is to our basic functioning. It also plays a more significant role than most people realize when it comes to fitness success, and fat loss. 
Every month, our team gets together for a professional development session where we share knowledge and increase our skills so we can better serve clients.
Recently, team member and recent graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Kamala Sivasankaran led a very informative session about stress, hormones and weight gain. This is an important topic to understand if fat loss is one of your goals. So we thought we'd share some of the key points of her talk with you here. 
I was talking to a client this week who came to us because he had a significant amount of fat to lose He's motivated and making great progress towards his goal. As is often the case, many of the people in his life are also overweight. He told me that they often make comments to the effect of "oh you're still on your diet" when they see him eating his healthy food. (Which is not at all uncommon, BTW).
 I have always had a major issue with the show Biggest Loser. This article surfaced a few weeks ago, outlining exactly the reasons why. It is well worth the read.
The obese contestants on this show need the exact opposite of what they’re getting in order to succeed long term. |
Poul Nielsen is the President and Owner of Nielsen Fitness, Toronto's leading team of in-home personal trainers. He has 20 years' experience in the fitness industry, and loves to empower people's lives through physical fitness. He's also Certified dozens of trainers through his Trainer Education Program.
In addition to exercise (obviously), he loves spending time with his family, playing the guitar, strong coffee - and dark chocolate! Archives
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1.866.393.7247 EXERCISE | info@nielsenfitness.com
Toronto | Mississauga | Scarborough | North York | Etobicoke
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