The ketogenic diet has gotten a lot of attention as a plan for eating that leads to better health and weight loss. The ketogenic diet began as a eating strategy that was used treat epilepsy. Patients who ate fewer calories and had times of fasting had fewer seizures. These first diets were severe and could not be followed for long periods of time. Doctors began to experiment with making changes in the diet that could be sustained for the long term. In 2017, Don Colbert, MD, published a book on the keto diet that I have read. I would like to review this book, Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet: Burn Fat, Balance Appetite Hormones, and Lose Weight, to give us a primer on the keto diet.

Personal Story

Several of my family members have followed the principles in Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet with great success in weight loss and in better health. I recommend reading, and taking to heart, the Medical Disclaimer on the copyright page. It recommends the reader get expert medical advice on their own dietary needs or restrictions. I also recommend talking with a medical professional before beginning any diet.

Synopsis

Dr. Colbert lives on a ketogenic diet because he has a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. He has worked out his version of the keto zone diet as a preventative measure against the disease. The Keto Zone diet is “a combination of reduced carbs, increased healthy fats, and a moderate amount of healthy proteins.” Here is a summary of the book:

Part One: What the Keto Zone Diet Is- The goal is to reduce carbs intake till the body burns excess fats rather than sugars to provide energy. This is the “healthiest way to lose weight.”

Part Two: Why the Keto Zone Diet Works- The Keto Zone diet balances the body’s appetite hormones.

Part Three: How to Put the Keto Zone Diet to Work for You- The Keto Zone diet gives steps for getting into the fat-burning zone and provides “shopping guides, step-by-step instructions, and menu plans.”

Conclusion: Dr. Colbert recommends grabbing hold of “your new beginning.” You can choose to follow the Keto Zone diet to find an answer to excess weight or to help you manage your health. You can have “hope.”

Favorite Part

My favorite part of the book is the way it is balanced. I like how Dr. Colbert suggests transitioning to a Mediterranean diet after reaching the desired weight. At that point, a person would experiment to find the number of carbs that maintains their desired weight. He advocates choosing healthy carbs over processed ones and eating enough protein, but not going overboard. Healthy fats are encouraged, even required on the diet.

Recommendation

I recommend reading this book. With a doctor’s permission, a person could go on the Keto Zone diet until they reach a certain weight, transition for a time to the Mediterranean diet, and then make another keto goal. That way they would not sacrifice nutrients for a long time and could achieve significant weight loss.

Action

If you have an interest in the keto diet, read The Keto Zone Diet.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. Have you had results following the keto diet?

Resource:

Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet: Burn Fat, Balance Appetite Hormones, and Lose Weight, By Don Colbert, MD