If you look at the LEAN Keto carb restriction levels outlined below, you will see I refer to “net carbs.” These are not the same as total carb intake. Net carbs denote the total amount of carbs you consume in grams minus the fibre. (Total carbs – fibre = net carbs.) So, if a meal contains 20g of carbs and 8g of those are fibres, the net carb content is 12g. 

There are two main reasons why we measure net rather than total carbs. First, fibres are not digested, so they do not contribute to calorie and carb intake. A note here: this statement is not entirely correct because soluble fibres provide some calories after their digestion by gut bacteria. But in the grand scheme of things, it is accurate enough. 

Second, fibre is beneficial for health. It feeds the “good” gut bacteria, reduces the blood sugar spike after a meal, improves cholesterol levels, helps with constipation, and delivers weight loss benefits. Therefore, you do not want to avoid fibre just because it would bring you to your daily carb limit faster.

For these two reasons, we focus on net carb intake rather than total carb intake. 

Let’s look at the three different LEAN Keto carb restriction levels.

VLCK – Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic (< 20g of Net Carbs)

This is the strictest LEAN keto level and will cause you to go into the most profound state of ketosis. Unless you have a solid reason to drop your net carb intake below 20g a day, I do not always recommend this approach initially. Instead, I often advise my clients to start with the low carbohydrate ketogenic level approach. This is the way I started my LEAN Keto journey.

A solid reason to adopt this style will be if you have lots of weight to lose. Due to the extremely low carb intake, you will maximise fat loss so that you can reach a healthy body weight as fast as possible. If you are obese, you may shed between five and 15 pounds during the first week of dieting, much of it due to water loss. After that, you will drop around 1.5 to 3 pounds each week. 

This approach is also excellent for those with neurological disorders and certain forms of cancer. If you are affected by one of these, however, consult your medical professional about starting such a diet. He or she can confirm whether it would be wise to follow a strict keto plan.

The main challenge of this approach is that it is quite restrictive when you move from a carb eating lifestyle to a low carb one. Therefore, it can be hard to maintain, especially for those who are new to low carb dieting. On this level of carb restriction, you have to be extremely careful of what you eat because even some vegetables may cause you to overshoot your carb target. 

Okay, now you know what carb intake is best for your situation and goals, let’s look at how to determine your ideal intake of the other macronutrients, which are protein and dietary fat. 

LCK – Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Level (20g to 50g of Net Carbs)

This approach can send you into ketosis and allow you to reap its benefits. It is fantastic for everyone who wants to enhance mental performance, improve cardiovascular and insulin health, and lose weight.

If you want to slim down and have moderate amounts of weight to lose, you can possibly drop between two and ten pounds during the first week although much of this loss will be due to water loss. After that, you can expect to shed around one to two pounds of fat a week. Please note, however, that various factors influence the exact amount, such as your starting body weight and diet adherence.

This approach is also good for those with diabetes. I do not initially recommend that people with diabetes drop their carb intake further because it is not always needed to improve insulin health.

RC – Reduced Carbohydrate Level (50g to 90g of Net Carbs)

This is the least restrictive approach. Since you can consume up to 90g of net carbs a day, it is not a true keto diet, which would generally speaking, require a daily net carb consumption below 50g. Instead, this is a low carb eating style.

Due to the slightly higher carb intake, your body will not produce much (if any) extra ketones compared to a ‘normal diet.’ That is why adopting this approach will not provide you with the benefits ketosis has to offer, such as enhanced brain function, improved insulin health, and superior weight loss. Sure, you will still experience these benefits because you reduce your carb intake, but to a lesser extent than you would if in ketosis.

The advantage of this approach is that the slightly increased carb intake allows for more flexibility. Thus, it makes dieting less restrictive. That is why the reduced carbohydrate approach is fine for those who are already in good health and do not have to lose fat or body weight. 

Other people for whom this approach is excellent are those who just want to develop a healthier eating style that reduces their carb and sugar intake.  The style is also suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as children and teenagers. It will also assist anyone wishing to curb their sugar cravings