Have you recently found yourself wondering whether to switch from your current whey to a Keto Protein? Both Keto protein and whey both have their places in most diets, so long as they’re optimally incorporated.

In this article, I’ll breakdown why gluconeogenesis-fearing ketoers might wanna reconsider their (ungrounded) stance on protein.

Keto-Diet Recap

The ketogenic diet is, at face value, pretty straightforward: utilize your body’s fat for fuel. And, obviously, there’s a moderate amount more to ketogenesis that makes it, well, less straightforward. Because the minutiae of biology can be impressively boring, I’ll keep the ketogenic breakdown mostly simple.

The body’s preferred source of fuel is actually glycogen. With the exception of gluconeogenesis, glycogen comes from glucose that’s been broken down from ingested carbohydrates.

For daily activities, we pull from liver glycogen. For more strenuous activities (e.g. lifting heavy things again and again until your insecurities stop screaming at you from the opposite side of the mirror) the body requires muscle glycogen. Bust common keto myths.

To go ketogenic, you gotta run on the unleaded glycogen until the tank’s empty. Then your body sputters along miserably for a while, begging you to stop driving around without fuel in the tank. And then, because humans are freaking rad and we’re all basically, biologically speaking, Neo, our bodies do something cool…

They produce their own fuel. Granted, unless taking the accelerated adaptation route by fasting, you will still ingest food, but that’s besides the point and doesn’t work with the metaphor. So, our bodies are really cool, and ketogenesis means you’ve successfully found the power within to burn fat—get shredded. And, if you wanna speed up the process of kicking into keto, then read this article!

Keto & Demonized Macros

That’s all nice and whatever, but… the body can’t use ketones for every practice. Some processes require glycogen. Others require protein.

You can’t actually exist optimally (i.e. aesthetically) while eating nothing but such recipes as: buttered bacon, layered over avocado, then sandwiched between four slices of aged cheddar, with a dollop of sour cream on top. That would just be ridiculous.

Keto dieters love their fats. Man do they love their fats. I get it. I really do. There are some serious benefits to going keto (which I go into here). I would actually consider myself keto-ish —mostly—year round. Emphasis on the ish though. Because most hardcore keto dieters do this thing where they demonize other macros.

Carbohydrate intake is ideal when cycled—between zero, low, and moderate. And seeing as how protein’s absolutely vital for muscle and tissue repair, it might be wise to eat a steak every once in a while. Or at least incorporate keto-friendly protein shakes.

Protein on Keto

Many individuals on keto worry about intaking protein powder as many believe anything low in fat (even if it’s low carbs) will automatically kick them out of ketosis…I’ll leave ranting about gluconeogenesis fear mongering to another article (find it here).

The likelihood that intaking moderate to high amounts of protein will kick you out of ketosis is less than slim. And the whole idea that (some of you out there still astonishingly cling to) protein will hinder fat loss is…

Let me put it this way: If you were to tell me that my protein intake’s too high for ketogenesis I would…actually, I’d bite my tongue, because I’m polite. But in my head, I’d be thinking, Your ignorance is showing, and it’s not a good color on you—noob.

Protein is imperative for literally anyone who wants any semblance of aesthetic prowess. I don’t care whether you’re: a chicken and broccoli zealot still stuck in the nutritional dark ages, the dorian gray of carb-indulgences, or the bulletproof fat-head bathing in buckets of butter, you need protein. If you want to look good naked, at least.

Protein is responsible for (and beneficial in):

Fat loss: Protein has a high thermic effect, meaning every time you ingest the right amount and kinds of protein, that ingested protein naturally elevates your body’s ability to burn fat via thermogenesis.*
Muscle growth: Here’s a PSA that shouldn’t be required but apparently is. Even if you work down to shredded body fat percentage levels through keto and cardio, you will still look sloppy, unless you’ve built appropriate amounts of muscle. “Tone” and “definition” only happen when there’s muscle present. Aesthetics require both fat loss and muscle growth. And, as stated earlier, protein is required for muscle growth.*
Muscle recovery/repair: Even if you don’t wanna build any muscle (because you’re morally opposed to sex appeal, are better than us vain “meat heads”, and are a masochist) protein is still required for recovering from intense sweat sessions. Otherwise you will return to your next workout weaker. As a result, you might not be able to burn as many of those evil, evil calories…*
Healthy metabolic function: Fun fact, protein’s thermic effect is actually where “nutritionists” got the idea to market six meals a day as a way to speed up metabolism (totally leaving out the part that it’s not the quantity of meals that increases metabolism, but protein itself)*

Those benefits don’t just suddenly stop existing once you’re keto adapted. And if you live an active lifestyle, your need for protein increases. By a lot.

I get it. You’re still afraid of incorporating protein. After all, fear has no logic. But don’t worry. Even if the idea of drinking a keto-friendly protein shake like Buck Feed is too terrifying (due to its 25g of high-quality, grass-fed whey, low-carbs, and low fats) then there’s still another whey for you to increase protein intake without dropping fats.

Difference between a keto-friendly protein and a keto protein

This is where a keto protein powder like Bucked Up Keto Protein can save your gainz. Because there’s a slight difference between keto-friendly and keto-specific protein.

Keto-Friendly: We want our liver glycogen stores empty, so in order for a protein supplement to be keto-friendly, the net carbs need to be either zero or minimal. The quantity of fats isn’t actually important, and reasonable protein content is acceptable.
Keto-Specific: Needs to have the appropriate ratio of healthy fats to protein. Net carbs must still be very low; there can be a couple more net carbs in a keto-friendly protein due to the higher fat, but must remain low.

In other words, a keto-specific protein will always be keto-friendly, whereas a keto-friendly protein won’t always be keto-specific.

The Perfect Keto-Friendly Ratio

Any keto protein powder worth its MCTs is formulated with a keto-specific macro profile. Ideally, that ratio would look something like:

Fat: sixty to seventy percent
Protein: twenty to thirty percent
Carbohydrates: zero to ten percent

It is also — perhaps even more —important to make sure that the ingredients making up the macros are optimized.

For fats, we want high quality healthy fats; ingredients like MCT Oil and Coconut Oil are ideal, but butter, ghee, etc work too.
For protein, same thing. Most plant based protein sources are out because of their carb content (and the fact that plant based proteins simply suck in comparison due to their lower bioavailability). We want our protein sources like Collagen, Whey Isolate, or Whey Concentrate.
And with carbs, we want there to be minimal carbs in any form. But if there are carbs, just make sure to avoid anything with dextrose, maltodextrin— or really any of the dexes.

The Perfect Keto Protein Doesn’t Exist…

Hold my beer…

Or, more accuratley, hold my delicious mix of cold brew coffee and Bucked Keto Protein.

As the poster child for picture perfect keto protein powders, this splendid supplement (or pseudo-food) provides everything we could possible need from a keto-specific product. For example…

Fat (68%): twenty-two grams of healthy fats for deepened ketosis, long-lasting energy, brain gainz, and fat loss when combined with exercise. The healthy fats complex helps you enhance ketogenic benefits. C8 MCT oil for fast digesting energy and focus. Coconut oil for satiation. Combined to increase endogenous ketones production, encouraging your body’s ability to use fat for fuel. Fat used for fuel is fat that gets burned — so you can unveil your true aesthetic greatness.*
Protein (25%): for muscle growth, recovery, thermic effects, and repair, seventeen grams of protein from whey protein isolate and concentrate.*
Carbohydrate (7%): an impressive seven grams, and a more impressive 2g net carbs.

Check those stats again. Beautiful, right?! Glad you agree.

Additionally, Bucked Up Keto Protein tastes delicious. It’s so creamy you might wonder if you’re cheating (you’re not). Using clean ingredients and a precise enzyme blend, keto protein has no chalky aftertaste. It mixes smoothly, and is gentle on the stomach — no bloat, easy digestion.

Delicious Bucked Up Keto Protein Recipe—from someone who has a coffee problem and doesn’t do recipes well

The moment you’ve waited for….

I previously mentioned mixing Bucked Up Keto Protein with cold brew coffee. If you’ve never tried it, and you have an addiction anywhere close to as problematic as mine, then please, allow me to be a bad influence (for your adrenals). The ingredients needed for this recipe are, surprise, not remotely complicated.

One serving Bucked Up Keto Protein (chocolate flavor)
8-24 ounces black coffee (iced, cold brew, or on nitro)

Then simply shake.

And, you’re welcome. Adding keto protein into cold brew coffee is basically the —abdominally concerned —athlete’s version of bulletproof coffee. Except better. Because, well, how else are you going to enjoy an iced mocha latte without a massive dollop of whipped shame on top? Hint: you can’t. This is the only whey.

Feeling thirsty?

Head on over to the site and grab some Keto Protein. Just remember, for my epic recipe to work, you really should go with chocolate.

Actually. You should go with chocolate either way. Vanilla is for serial killers. And the only violent crime we in the buck and doe fam condone is the murdering of weights and slaughtering of obstacles.

Kidding. Vanilla is actually pretty tasty. Stock up on whichever flavor you want. They’ll both help you on your fitness quest. Check out keto fat loss.