There are Actually 3 Ketogenic Diets: Standard Keto, Targeted Keto, and Cyclical Keto
That’s right. You read correctly. There are actually 3 different type of keto diets! You may be brand new to keto, or just beginning to consider whether or not it’s for you. Some people just want a no-nonsense approach to the keto diet, but some people are looking to reap all the benefits while pushing their physical limits. For all of this, we will break down 3 different approaches, and the 3 different types of keto.
What are the 3 Types of Keto Diets?
The Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) – The most common form of keto, and the most widely practiced, SKD is your basic 70%-80% good healthy fats, 20%-25% protein, and the remaining daily intake of a small amount of carbs. It is to be followed on a regular schedule and repeated daily. This form of keto is the best fit for most people and will allow you the best chance at weight loss and attaining your overall health benefits.
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The Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD) – If you’re an athlete or one who builds your workouts to consist of high intensity aerobics, then TKD is more suited for you. With SKD, you cannot sustain a long-term high intensity workout without more carbohydrates. When practicing TKD, you boost your carb intake (30-60 minutes) before working out to help give you an extra energy boost to get you through your high intensity workout, without having to sustain a large intake of carbs for a long period of time.
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There is a second use case for TKD. As discussed in our article, "Working Out With Keto", your body needs time to adapt to burning fat instead of carbs. If this is the case, and you are early into keto, and still feeling fatigued or weak when working out, try TKD to see if you feel any better. You can then begin to ween yourself slowly off the carbs before working out, if that directly aligns with your goals.
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The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) – This form of keto is a mix of both. With CKD, the approach is to follow SKD for most of the week, and then refeed your body with carbohydrates once or twice a week. This approach is popular among full-time body builders and elite athletes. It is very hard to consistently perform at this high level without some additional carbs in your body. You can maintain a state of ketosis because you are assumingly burning these carbs during your higher intensity workouts.
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The bottom line, like all things keto, is that everyone is different...
Pro Tip and Cheat Sheet:
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New to keto? Start out with the SKD until you know how your body feels and reacts.
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Been following keto for some time, but want a little extra boost when working out? Try TKD to see if you feel better and able to boost your performance. Make sure you are testing your body’s levels and staying in ketosis.
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Are you a full-time professional athlete who wants to reap the benefits of keto, and limit your carb intake? Try CKD to remain at your elite athletic performance but transfer most of that energy and fat loss to burning mostly fat and not carbs.
The bottom line, like all things keto, is that everyone is different, and you will have to set your own goals, and continue to test what is working and not working. Once you have it dialed-in, no matter which approach you take to keto, you are sure to be losing weight, building muscle, and reaching your health goals.
