And that lower carb intake has the potential to increase insulin sensitivity in individuals who are managing diabetes, as research suggests. Theoretically speaking, it makes sense that keto could benefit people with diabetes, since the diet calls for moderating carbohydrate intake. Typically, that type of diet consists of 600 to 800 total calories per day and is doctor supervised and medically recommended. Nutritional ketosis can also happen if you eat another restrictive diet - specifically, a very low-calorie diet. Once you’ve adjusted your food intake to get there, your body can enter a state of ketosis in 1 to 3 days, she adds. The main way ketogenic diets differ from other popular low-carb diets is that keto diets aim to drive your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, in which the body starts burning stored fat as a source of energy, instead of carbohydrates, says Stacey Mattinson, RDN, who is based in Austin, Texas. In other words, it’s a far cry from the fad low-fat diet approaches of yesteryear - and, really, from other diets in general. Meanwhile, you’ll aim for moderate protein in your meal plan. Here’s a primer: The popular ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet.

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase before - it’s a huge diet buzzword - but aren’t sure what it means. If you’re looking to get a jump-start on your health and fitness goals, you may be thinking about trying a low-carb eating plan such as the ketogenic diet.

A ketogenic meal plan sheet