Episode 20: Best Diet For Body Recomposition, Losing Inches vs. Weight, Reasons For Elevated Blood Glucose After Following A Long-Term Keto Diet and More!

In this episode, Rachel chats about the ‘best diet’ for body recomposition, why inches are not always equal to pounds in terms of fat loss, how long it takes to lose weight on keto, her thoughts on exogenous ketones, and an explanation for elevated blood glucose levels after a prolonged low-carb, keto diet.

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Episode Top Takeaways:

• Rachel’s recommendations for diet to achieve optimal body recomposition.
• Rachel explains why losing pounds in body weight is not the same as losing inches off of body size.
• Why losing weight with a ketogenic diet (or any diet) will have varied results depending on individual start-points.
• Why exogenous ketones are not a “magic wand” for the ketogenic diet.
• Rachel discusses whether it is necessary to hit an exact ketone reading of 0.5 and if other ketone amounts can be useful.
• Rachel shares possible causes for why some people following a low-carb/keto lifestyle may experience elevated blood glucose levels.

Show Notes:

• [1:00] Rachel announces the winners of the Redmond Life Giveaway! Please send an email to [email protected] with your full name, shipping address, and email. Congrats!! More giveaways to come in future episodes :)
• Robin OS
• Holistic Learner
• Ketocarnivoremama
• [2:30] Rachel’s recommendation for the best way to nourish your body with food to rebuild. She stresses the importance of choosing a diet you can adhere to long-term, gathering sufficient information to know if the diet is a good fit, and following what she calls the Whole Food Rule (Eating 80%-90% foods that either grew from the earth or once had a face).
• [4:20] Diet is not the only crucial component when it comes to changing the general composition of your body. 
• [7:30] Rachel explains the difference between scale weight loss and body size weight loss.
• [8:00] Proper scale use consists of taking a weekly average, not daily fluctuations. Check out this blog post for how to use the scale properly.
• [9:30] There is a popular saying that ‘muscle weighs more than fat,’ which is technically incorrect (i.e. 1 lb of margarine = 1 lb of butter) but as far as health goes, fat and muscle have different effects on physiology.
• [10:10] Muscle burns carbs and assists in all areas of fitness, whereas fat does not.
• [11:00] In my opinion, measuring inches lost (or noticing changes in how your clothing fits) is actually much more of a reliable measurement of progress than the scale. Body tape measurements are a great tool for this.
• [15:30] How long should it take to lose weight on keto?
• [15:40] Everyone’s body is different, which means the rate of weight loss is going to be different. Overall health, current body composition, activity level, and diet are some of many factors.
• [17:00] Initial weight loss due to water weight can cause dehydration and keto flu symptoms, so make sure to hydrate and get electrolytes!
• [18:10] Here’s what a few studies have shown in regard to losing weight on the ketogenic diet.
• [20:00] As you get closer to your goal weight, weight loss slows down. As your weight decreases, and you become a smaller person, your total daily caloric needs also decrease. This is known as metabolic adaptation or adaptive thermogenesis. - part of fat loss. Go here: Refeed and Diet Break Episode for more on adaptive thermogenesis.
• [21:00] Appropriate rates of weight loss on the scale and body size measurements.
• [23:00] Losing fat isn’t always reflected on the scale. 
• [23:00] Rachel’s thoughts on Exogenous Ketones? See: Episode with Ryan Lowery
• [24:40] Quality matters and they are not a magic weight loss or fat loss drink
• [25:00] Even if you read 0.2-0.4 ketones is that beneficial? Is it necessary to be above 0.5 to achieve the benefits?
• [26:10] Registering any level of ketones can be beneficial. Different levels may bring in different amounts of added benefits, such as mental focus and clarity.
• [28:00] What about people who are on keto for a while and experience elevated blood glucose levels?
• [28:30 ] Adaptive Glucose Sparing (aka physiological insulin resistance), in which the muscles learn to reject sugar as a fuel source. 
• [30:00] The Dawn Phenomenon, in which blood sugar is highest in the morning.
• [32:00] HOMA-IR: the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, is your body maintaining its essential systems in balance or in equilibrium. What happens is insulin is working against glucose in an attempt to keep blood sugar levels stable, or in homeostasis.
• [33:00] Dr. Ted Naiman talks about HOMA-IR.
• [37:00] Rachel talks about the underrated effects of stress on blood glucose levels.
• [38:00] CGM and stress in this episode with Mike Mutzel
• [39:30] False reading on your glucose monitor may occur because of outside fragrances, dehydration, and environmental interference. Unexpected readings should be multiplied and averaged.

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Rachel Gregory (@rachelgregory.cns) is a Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Author of the best-selling book, 21-Day Ketogenic Diet Weight Loss Challenge. She received her Master’s Degree in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from James Madison University and Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Miami.

Rachel helps her clients transform their lives by starting with the physical (body), realizing the power of the mental (mindset), and ultimately gaining massive confidence that bleeds into every aspect of their lives (family, relationships, work, etc.).