THE BENEFACTORY’S

KETO GUIDE

7 Lessons to Be Your Best Version on Keto

Lesson 1: Why Starve Yourself on Carbs?

Learn Why Keto Is the Best Choice for Looking and Feeling Your Best

Bulletproof Coffee is so filling that it’s all you need for breakfast and you’ll stay satiated until lunch. If your lunch is at 12 noon and your dinner is at 6 PM, and you choose keto meals, it allows you to fast effortlessly for the remaining 18 hours every day. No wonder your extra kilos will fall off, right?

What makes keto different to other weight loss methods is that it affects the body chemistry by turning off your hunger and cravings. The result is simple weight loss until reaching target weight!

How about letting go of the guilt the next time you trade the gym for eating on the sofa - as long as you’re having a keto meal.

Congratulations on having found the keto diet! On this way of eating, your dreams of a slim and healthy body can finally come true. And the best part is that you can keep your dream body after creating it, since keto can be maintained as a sustainable lifestyle. Let me tell you what makes keto different and how it works!

The advice for achieving optimal health and weight usually include counting calories, restricting meal portions, exercising more - but there are no instructions for how to keep sane in the process.

Would you like to forget about these exhausting and useless “methods,” and start eating with ease and enjoyment? How about also losing all excess weight, boosting your energy and feeling fantastic? It’s all possible - on the keto diet!

The ketogenic or "keto" diet is very low in carbs while high in healthy fats and moderate in protein. Through starving your body on carbs, the body is forced to start burning fat for fuel instead. Your body gets into the metabolic state of ketosis, which is automatic weight loss mode. That’s how you’ll get in top shape simply through eating - no sweaty gym visits required!

My keto journey started when discovering the amazing health drink Bulletproof Coffee. It's a mix of toxin-free coffee beans, grass-fed butter, and an oil called Brain Octane.

The keto diet is not a diet fad but was created a hundred years ago. It's scientifically proven for a range of health benefits including weight loss and decreased risk for chronic illness such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

Despite all of these amazing benefits of keto, there are still people flipping out over fat being dangerous! So let's look at the facts...

Fat’s danger is a fairytale made up by the sugar industry in the 1960’s to make them more money. And how they succeeded: for decades, the dominant official guidelines have been to avoid fats. Only recently have governments started to backtrack and admit that it’s the sugar and carbs, not the fats, that are the issue.

The result of a few decades of sugar industry propaganda has led us to where we are now: a worldwide obesity epidemic.

So let’s look at what the research says about keto. A study recently published showed that a keto way of eating improves cardiovascular health markers. Other studies have proven that the keto diet can improve cholesterol.

I don't have a PhD in science. But intuitively, I find it strange that nature would give us delicious fats (like avocados, coconut oil, and eggs) to punish us with heart attacks. Processed foods, sugar and carbs manufactured by food companies, on the other hand – I’m not so convinced.

I have my own medical myth story to share. Years ago when I was on a "standard" diet high in carbs and struggling with yo-yo dieting, my cholesterol levels were so high that my doctor wanted to put me on medication. I was in my early twenties, by the way!

I then discovered low carb, high-fat eating. Within weeks, my cholesterol levels were within an ideal range, and there was no more need for medication.

As a keto coach, this is the same result that I typically see in my clients. In fact, I've never worked with a person whose cholesterol levels are worse off after my keto program.

If you’re worried about how the keto diet may affect your cholesterol and other health markers, just get tested! And educate yourself. The person who is giving you advice might be stuck in 1959.

Lesson 2: Don’t Let the Myths Scare You off the Best Weight Loss Food

Learn the Facts: Keto Will Not Kill You, but Give You a Long and Healthy Life

Counting calories. It might be the oldest weight loss strategy there is – and perhaps the most useless one. If you’ve tried restricting your calorie intake without seeing any results on the scales (maybe because you ended up flipping out from starvation and cleaning out the fridge), I want to assure you: you are not a failure. It’s the method that’s failing.

How is that? Because not every calorie is equal: it has a different effect on the body depending on from what food it comes from. Imagine eating one calorie from a candy. The sugar from the candy will spike your blood sugar levels, probably causing cravings that will make you want to go on a sugar binge.

Imagine, on the other hand, eating one calorie from an avocado. The avocado is a natural, whole food with no toxic ingredients added to it. The healthy fats from the calorie consumed will give satiation so that you will last longer without the need for snacking. The result? Weight loss without restricting yourself or obsessing about calories. Let's look at the steps to take to eat for enjoyment and top shape!

What Matters More Than Calories for Weight Loss:

1. Quality. Choose grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, and organic foods.

2. Whole foods. Watch out for toxic additives. The fewer ingredients, the better.

3. Meal preparation. Skip processed foods. Steam for minimal impact.

How to Practice Eating without Counting:

1. Pay attention to how the food makes you feel. Do you feel satiated and energetic? Do you get cravings?

2. If you get hungry in between meals: think back on your last meal. Should you add more healthy fats or vegetables the next time, for satiation?

3. If you’ve got cravings: think back on your last meal. Did you eat something that doesn’t agree with you?

If you're used to yo-yo dieting, I understand that my advice is a foreign concept. But how about an experiment? Put the calorie counting aside for just a few days and try the keto diet instead. See if it makes a difference to how you feel.

As a bonus, you can hopefully focus on more exciting things during your romantic dinners.

Lesson 3: Stop Counting and Start Living!

Learn How to Let Go of Useless Diet Methods and Start Eating as Nature Intended Instead

Since you've discovered the keto diet, you now know the secret to eating yourself to a fit body. Because you might have already noticed that there is no way to outrun a bad diet?

I wish I'd known back when I was slaving at the gym six days a week with little result on my bloated tummy, since I was stuffing my face with cake and pasta in between sessions.

Exercising too often and too hard can result in inflammation, which in turn, can lead to weight gain. Yes, that's right: those dreadful sessions that you've been forcing yourself to do might be useless! So let's look at how to make the most out of your time and body instead.

Firstly, it's important to realize that if you're sitting down in front of a computer all day long, there is no way that you can make up for that by a hardcore session at the gym. The body slows down its fat burning when sitting down. That's why a standing desk to your office is an excellent investment!

And you can start your slim down project even before you get to work. Research has shown that a 20-minute walk in the morning light boosts metabolism, and is associated with weight loss. How much nicer is a relaxing morning walk than stressing out at a crowded gym?

Lesson 4: Limit Your Sweaty Action

Learn the Most Effective Exercise Regime to Maximize Your Keto Weight Loss

But OK, cardio exercise is great for health and weight - as long as it's intense, short, and allows for recovery. That's why I love a weekly High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session!

Example HIIT:

1. Run as fast as you can for 30 seconds. 3% incline if you use a treadmill.2. Recover for 90 seconds.3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, for a total of 15 min.4. Allow yourself to sleep as long as you need to the following day.5. Wait at least a week until you repeat the workout.

So limit your hardcore workouts to once a week and save your sweaty action for when it really matters.

One of the biggest fears people have about starting a diet is how it will affect their social life. But don't worry - doing keto does not require you to move into a cave! Just follow these tips.

1. Explain Why Keto Is Important to You

I don’t recommend going into long defence speeches at social events unless you have to. Hopefully, people will accept your “No, thank you” and couldn’t care less about why you don’t want to eat cake.

But it can be good to have a line prepared if people persist with their offers. “I’m on a diet for health reasons” should be enough. (Which might set off gossip about what’s going on with you, but at least you’ll be the talk of the party.)

2. Eat Yourself Full Before the Event

The fantastic thing about keto meals is that they keep you full for hours. Achieving ketosis (the metabolic state which is the goal of the keto diet) turns off cravings, improves cognitive function and gives a fantastic energy boost.

Eating a nice keto meal straight before the party will help you resist temptations. Preparation will be your secret weapon against event junk food!

3. Sprinkle Brain Octane on the Food

But maybe you don’t want to be the weirdo not eating at the event? (Especially if you’re going to a dinner.) Let’s look at what you can do to minimize the damage by non-keto foods if you choose to eat something.

Joining the event satiated, as per my previous tip, helps to make sure that you won’t go totally bananas on the food but can stick to smaller portions. There is one more thing you can do: sprinkle Brain Octane on the meal. Brain Octane is created from coconut oil and is medium-chain triglycerides, which easily convert into ketones. So this addition will help you stay in ketosis! Either bring some that you’ve poured into a small bottle or get the Brain Octane GoPacks. Easy to keep in your handbag or pocket.

Put these three steps into action and you'll have a great body and a great time.

Lesson 5: How to Not Be a Social Hermit on Keto

Learn How You Don't Have to Choose Between a Great Body and a Great Time

The goal of the keto diet is to achieve the metabolic state of ketosis. Although ketosis brings amazing health benefits, such as weight loss, it can also have unpleasant side effects while the body is adjusting to its new state. Typical reactions are low energy, sleep issues, and cravings. These typically go away after a couple of weeks but are enough reason for many to quit during this period.

Follow these tips to survive keto flu and reap the benefits on the other side!

1. Replenish Electrolytes

Ketosis will flush out electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. These are crucial for hydration, so make sure that you replenish yourself. A good way to do this in the morning is to drink a glass of water mixed with a teaspoon of Himalayan salt.

2. Counteract Bad Breath

Ketosis means that molecules called ketones are in the blood. One type of ketone is acetone, which can cause bad breath initially.

You might think that bad breath is a small price to pay to fit into your skinny outfit, but perhaps you’re after more action than admirers drooling over you from a distance. Good breath mints can easily solve the issue.

Just check the ingredients carefully and stay away from sugar and artificial sweeteners, such as the toxic aspartame. My favorite is natural peppermint beadlets, e.g., from Doterra.

3. Connect to Your Why

When it gets tough, and you want to quit, you need to remember why you started the keto diet in the first place. Was it because you want to optimize your health, to be there for your children? Did you want to stop yo-yo dieting for peace of mind? Or did you simply want to get into that sexy dress? (Any reason is a good reason!)

Remind yourself every day of why you’re choosing to change your lifestyle. A couple of ways to do this: keep a list on your phone of the benefits that you will gain, or create a vision board for your new, healthy life.

Good luck on your ketosis adventure! And when you're in keto flu hell: just remember that your skinny outfit is waiting for you.

Lesson 6: The Only Bad Breath You’ll Ever Want

Learn How to Conquer Keto Flu to Reap the Keto Benefits

Change is scary, I get it. I've lived in a constant state of change since the day after finishing high school, when I left my home country Sweden. Since then, I've lived and worked across Europe, the United States, the Caribbean, Australia, and now most recently, the Middle East.

I started from scratch in every place, without a family or a network. And since most of my moving around was before I found healing for my body and mind in the keto diet, I was more or less crazy for the majority of the time. So yes, I’m familiar with fear!

But what kept me going from place to place to try to find a solution to my health issues was my fear of what would happen if I didn’t change. That was far more scary.

I realized that my life was at danger but even if I wouldn’t die for a while, the quality of my life wasn’t worth the effort of living. I was depressed, miserable, and my life revolved around food. So knowing that, I might as well keep experimenting to try and find something that worked for me. Desperation is a gift!

If you’ve read this far in a guide about a diet for weight loss, I’m assuming that you’re pretty keen to change your lifestyle. And perhaps you’re scared too, just like I was (and still am, for a lot of things). The question is: are you ready to feel the fear and do it anyway?

Here is a writing exercise to put your fear about taking action to change your life in perspective!

1. What will my life be like 6 months from now, if I don't do anything and keep gaining weight?

2. What will my life be like 6 months from now, if I take action TODAY and start losing weight this week?

If I would have played it safe, I'd never discovered the keto diet and its life-transformative effects. I would still be a depressed insomniac misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and having acne, diarrhea, and excess weight. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway was so worth it for the happy and healthy life that I have today!

Lesson 7: Feel the Fear - and Do It Anyway!

Learn How to Overcome Fear of Change to Create Your Best Life on Keto

Thank you for reading my seven lessons for being your best version on keto! Now what? Will you automatically reach target weight and live happily ever after? To be honest: probably not... I will explain why.

Weight loss is the most common New Year's resolution every year. It's also most commonly broken by the second week of February. Because regardless of how much we may want something, we've only got so much willpower! The result: a lifetime of yo-yo dieting. Sounds familiar?

But do you want to know a secret? There is a scientifically proven method to succeed with weight loss once and for all. It's called: accountability. A study has shown that when a person has an accountability appointment (such as with a coach), their success rate to achieve their goal improves with up to 95%! But of course, it's not just about showing up - you also need to know what to do and do it. That's why I want to share how my coaching program can help you achieve your ideal weight once and for all: through a combination of keto guidance, accountability, and support.

I'm a coach on the keto diet and lifestyle in Dubai. But for many years, my life was in chaos and darkness as a result of poor eating habits. Every area of my life was affected. I wasn't comfortable with physical intimacy because of my bloatedness and acne. I had insomnia. I suffered from depressions and mood swings that made me lose jobs and resulted in an incorrect bipolar diagnosis. The meds caused hair loss and weight gain. I went broke spending a fortune on treatments trying to "fix" myself.

The turning point came when I discovered the keto diet, which healed me from the inside and out. My excess weight fell off, I could sleep again, my mood leveled out, and my doctor realized that the bipolar diagnosis was incorrect. I got off the meds; my hair grew out, my skin cleared up. My energy rocketed, and I tripled my income in the year that followed. I felt a joy that I'd never felt before. I finally wanted to live and not only that but do it to the fullest!

I quit my corporate career and trained to be a keto coach to help others also becoming their best versions on keto. Because I want everyone to experience how amazing life can be when eating the right food! I'm not unique by any means in having had my life transformed on keto: I witness it all of the time in my clients. Feel free to check out my website for success stories and see before and after pictures of clients who have achieved their dream bodies and dream lives in my keto program.

So I want to ask you: have you had enough of your excess weight holding you back in life? Are you ready to get rid of it, to start living your healthiest and happiest life? Then I want to hear from you!

I have designed a program with everything that you need to succeed on keto: firstly, the products required and the guidance on exactly what to do to enter automatic weight loss mode on keto. Secondly, I offer the emotional support and accountability to ensure that you carry on all the way until target weight. The program is eight weeks since that's the time that it takes to create a new habit according to research. So by the end of the program, you will have taken farewell to yo-yo dieting for good and can enjoy your new, healthy lifestyle!

Do you want to explore how we can work together to make also your keto goals happen? Then contact me on alexia@thebenefactory.com to book a free 20-min consultation.

Are you ready to be your best version? I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Love,Alexia Bjarkan