Episode #23: A Quick Lesson On The Controversial Ketogenic Diet

Is There A Diet More Controversial?

Well... I've been ketogenic for 7 years now, and in this episode I quickly run through a few things you probably didnt know about this diet

What is Callum Walker | Figuring It Out?

Welcome to The Figuring It Out Podcast. 

At 22, I took the plunge to go on the entrepreneurial journey and start a fitness business, 7 years later I’d been the nutritionist for 2 elite sports clubs and private coach to some of the worlds best sportsmen and women. 

Now it’s my mission to show fitness coaches how you can put yourself in a league of their own, become the go to coach, and finally eliminate the self-doubt and imposter syndrome that's holding you back from building the business of your dreams. 

This podcast will help you figure out how to thrive and conquer the fear that comes with the lonely entrepreneurial journey.

Callum Walker: 00:03

If fear is the only thing stopping us from achieving our dreams, and we only fear what we don't understand, then the antidote to fear

Callum Walker: 00:10

is knowledge. All we have to do is find out who has the knowledge that we need to conquer our fears and achieve our entrepreneurial dreams. My name is Callum Walker, and welcome to the podcast that will help you figure it out and conquer this lonely entrepreneurial journey. Hello, everybody, and welcome to the podcast. I'm down the canal today, actually.

Callum Walker: 00:35

I'm down the canal. Normally, I'm doing this walking in the field close to me, but I was like, you know what? Let me go buy some water. So I am back fully on a ketogenic diet. I made the decision about I think I'm on day five.

Callum Walker: 00:55

Yeah. No. No. Hold on. So I got back from Northern Ireland.

Callum Walker: 00:57

It's Sunday. It's Friday today. So Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. So day is today is day six. Why have I gone ketogenic again?

Callum Walker: 01:08

Well, previously, I was pretty low carb. Like, when I say pretty low carb, mean, I'd probably have some like a portion of carb maybe every other day. Yeah. Probably every other day. And then maybe maybe once every ten to fourteen days, I'd have, like, bit of shit.

Callum Walker: 01:28

You know? Like, little takeaway or something like that. Because it just, like it was just something to get excited about. But but and this it's always been this has always been my strategy for me that that, like, right now, probably about six weeks away from fully, like, launching my founder membership for my membership properly. So I've got a lot of like plates to spin.

Callum Walker: 01:55

You know, I've really gotta ramp up my social media presence. I've really gotta like, you know, ramp up the creation of my lead magnets, get my funnel all in line, really kinda ramp up my creativity, and really be operating at my highest level. And the ketogenic diet has always allowed me to do that, and I can definitely attribute to that now. Why was that not kinda serving me beforehand? Being low carb, like, with that little bit like, little bit of shit here and there, almost like a little bit of a mental block.

Callum Walker: 02:31

So the creativity was harder. I'd really have to consciously kind of think. I got past the part because I've been so, like, fat adapted for so long. I got past the part of, like, having those sort of, like, lulls between one and 02:00. That hasn't happened to me for years but but just the creativity certainly suppressed when I'm low carb.

Callum Walker: 02:57

But I mean even like three days in being ketogenic It's like ideas are flowing to me again like big time. I mean, I am wired. Big time wired. And the ketones do that like like really do. And and and even like I noticed the difference from just having a carb meal every other day to being, like, zero carb.

Callum Walker: 03:23

Say zero carb, probably at, like, what, 15 grams a day maybe with fiber. I'm also, like, backing this up with a ketone ester. So I'd mentioned on one of the episodes previously that you can actually supplement with ketones. So to almost like take your ketones to a higher level. Now why why does that kind of happen?

Callum Walker: 03:42

Well, my theory like it's it's well known in those who've been on a ketogenic diet or like, you know carnivore or do intermittent fasting anything like that. It's well known the cognitive benefits you just get this enhanced clarity but no one really talks about like why. I've got a couple of theories like the first one is just naturally when your brain's using glucose as a fuel which it does when you're eating loads of carbs and you're not fully keto adapted, there's a little bit of excess inflammation off the back of using glucose as a fuel. So I've really really like dumbed that down by the way, like really dumbed it down to the point of basically you get like enhanced production of reactive oxygen species, free radicals, all these sorts of things. Imagine it like a car.

Callum Walker: 04:34

So imagine it like a car that like it's just a little bit more of a dirty fuel and you get like exhaust fumes and all this sort of stuff. That's kind of what the brain's like when it's using glucose all the time. They're not like it's not like damaging massively unless like you really really are like hammering it. But when you go ketogenic and the brain starts to use ketones as a fuel, it's just so much more cleaner burning. But the other thing and the other and this is more of my theory that I was working on during my PhD, was this thing called BDNF.

Callum Walker: 05:08

So it's brain derived neurotropic factor. You know when, like, what is that? You know when, like, you go and do some exercise, and you get, like, you're like, god, I'm so switched on. Like, I'm so switched on. That like, part of that is that you get this enhancement in BDNF.

Callum Walker: 05:27

And I remember when I was, like, you know, I was doing my research for my PhD proposal, and I was reading some papers around BDNF and, like, naturally, when was it produced, which which enhances the cognitive performance. And it just kept coming up during exercise and fasting, exercise and fasting. And I was like, do you know what those activities both are? They're ketogenic activities. They're even like even if you had an athlete who's eating a thousand grams of carbs a day, they go for a run, they'll be in ketosis.

Callum Walker: 06:02

Like, the body will produce ketones. And then the same when you're fasting, the body produces ketones. So I put two and two together and was like, alright. I'm gonna go and, research this a little bit more. What was really interesting was that, like, that the ketones enhance the expression of BDNF, which enhances cognitive performance.

Callum Walker: 06:23

But what was even more interesting was that BDNF increased the brain's ability to use ketones. So it's kinda like a bit of a a positive cycle where you're like, more b d more ketones, more BDNF, which means more ketones, which means more BDNF, which means more ketones, which means more BDNF. So yeah. So that's that's how I'm BDNFed up right now. Again, that's my theory.

Callum Walker: 06:49

And I've got enough evidence to call it a theory, and I'm sure there's evidence to, like, go against that. But what I will say is I'm wired. Incredibly creative, incredibly motivated. I mean motivation is never really a problem for me but like things are just coming easy. Now there is also a downside to that and it's kind of the price that you pay especially in the start.

Callum Walker: 07:14

And I knew this price anyway, and I felt it during the day. Sleep. Sleep. I mean, was just so wired yesterday. And I think part of it as well is that when you get keto adapted, you don't get hungry at all.

Callum Walker: 07:32

So it's like I've had a bit of yogurt today, but I could have gone without it easily. So like that's kind of enhancing your adrenaline because the body's just in a state of like activation ready to hunt, ready to fight, ready to go out there and I'm definitely incredibly activated right now. So which is great but it's just hard to kind of like yeah it's hard to switch off yesterday. So I didn't really sleep very well but then that gets counteracted with the fact that I'm activated anyway for the day. But, where I was kind of getting out with that is that like really, again, that's like my strategy that I'm like, right, over the next six weeks specifically, I'm really, really have this focus on my physiological state.

Callum Walker: 08:19

You know, I've got my dietary way of eating to level up my performance. I know my sleep sucked a little bit, but that'll kinda like go over the next few days. So, you know, I can really, really prioritize my sleep. I'm exercising really well, but my exercise again is tied in with like kind of like how my nervous system feels. So if I'm bit activated, I'll just go for a walk if I'm overly stimulated.

Callum Walker: 08:43

But when I'm like, yeah, okay. So, yeah. One other thing I've been doing as well is I've really ramped up my meditation. And, I I was talking to my brother about this. So I was like, right, you know, just all these ideas are just like flowing to me.

Callum Walker: 09:01

And he's like, well, also, it's not just because you're in a ketogenic state, like, yeah, you've been meditating more. So you become more and more aware of thoughts in your mind. And I've really enjoyed my meditation, especially with ADHD. It's like, you know, oh, shiny. Oh, shiny.

Callum Walker: 09:17

Oh, shiny. And it's it's really hard to, like, you know, actually kinda grip an idea sometimes. And that's certainly really helping with my meditation. So, again, that's allowing me to really enhance my creativity, my ability to act on ideas, and my ability to actually, you know, really move forward from a productivity point of view. So, so yes, that's in a good place.

Callum Walker: 09:42

But yeah, a word of warning. I just feel very activated. So so yes. That's the diet side of things at the moment. I haven't really spoken about nutrition for a long time.

Callum Walker: 09:54

And I forget how much I actually do kind of enjoy talking about it. So yeah. So that's where I'm at, from a physical perspective. I also one other thing. What I really wanted to, like, discuss today is the idea of, like, what does success mean to you?

Callum Walker: 10:18

Now I know I've just like flipped straight away from ketogenic diet to what does success mean to you. But but it's important because, you know, I've certainly previously fallen into the trap of measuring my progress and my success by my finances. And don't get me wrong, it's a it's a very important metric. Very important metric. But like a question that's been running through my head both internally and also for my family, my my close friends, my partner is like, look, what is success to you?

Callum Walker: 10:53

And, and I really, really have like had that open up to me and make me really aware. Like my brother's been reading this book called Ikigai. I need to read it. He's basically saying like that your your your search in life should be to find your Ikigai which is like your flow state which I believe is exactly what like your soul should be doing. And and for me I'm like this process is my Ikigai.

Callum Walker: 11:24

This process, this business is my so just the business from a financial point of view, but this is my life's work. Like, this is success to me. That I'm literally just like my job is to just talk about what's going on in my life and talk about the lessons that I've learned and help other people succeed. And that's become so much more apparent to me just over these past three days. You know, I mentioned on the last episode that, you know, I had six six hours worth of calls back to back just with clients who were just amazing and just like, you know, you know, Sam's reversing diabetes, you know.

Callum Walker: 12:04

You know, I've got all of my other coaches who were just like, yeah, I'm really kind of moving forward on, you know, the stuff that I know that I should actually be doing. So that's just really like, you know, provided me with so much fulfillment, excitement, clarity as well. And then the the other thing, I've got this beautiful message today. Sorry. There's loads of mud down here, down the canal.

Callum Walker: 12:29

And of course, I've got my white trainers on again. Really clever. But yeah, I had this beautiful message come through today. And it was from a client who I worked with when I was fully practicing as a nutritionist just over two years ago. And and he messaged me.

Callum Walker: 12:49

He was like, Callum, I just want you to know I've maintained my weight and I had some blood tests done and there is zero risk of me being diabetic. Bear in mind when I met him, he'd just been diagnosed with diabetes and just sent me this beautiful message of like, I'm so grateful for the inspiration that you were. Was just like, oh my god. Like, you know, it's just been it's just allowed me to really appreciate the impact that I've had on people's lives. And and that's not to kinda gloat or whatever, but I wanna share that to you.

Callum Walker: 13:30

Like, appreciate what you're doing. Like, you're doing life changing work. And and and we can almost get caught up in the weeds of, like, measuring our progress and our success by how much money we're making. Like, oh, everyone else is making so much money than me. But I get it because, like, you know, that runs through my head sometimes.

Callum Walker: 13:47

But then I'm like, if I look at the impact you're having, look at the lives you're actually changing. You know? And and when you actually really see the impact you're having on people's lives, that's your Ricky guy. Because you're like, yeah. Yeah.

Callum Walker: 14:03

This is cool. That's really cool. And actually my job is to find out how to do more of that. So if my job to market and to sell, it's to just figure out more ways to help more people. And you're like, yeah.

Callum Walker: 14:16

This is cool. So, yeah, I I have a task for you. I would love you to instead of focus on everything you don't have and focus on how shit you are, I'd love you to go through all of your testimonials. Give them a watch. Go through if they're, like, written out the text messages.

Callum Walker: 14:36

Have the conversations with the clients who really are successful and whose lives you really have impacted and that are at a place where they wouldn't be if you'd have never crossed paths. Because I guarantee there's at least one at least one person, and you'll probably find out it's so much more. So, again, I think the question we have to constantly pursue is like what is success to us? And success to me is being in this flow state. Just being me.

Callum Walker: 15:09

Like, keeping my soul happy and just constantly making decisions that are good for my soul, that nourish the soul. I know I'm getting a little bit spiritual here, but the thing that I've always found is that when I've chased the outcome, it's ran away. When I focused on the process and got into that flow, money has found its way to me. So, and again, this is like a little quote that I got from Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich. She was like, see money in the same way that you would go and date someone.

Callum Walker: 15:45

What most of us do is like hunt it down like a rabid dog. So if I'm trying to like when I was single, if I was trying to like be desperate and just hunt them down, I wouldn't pop in their text message every in their in their messages every single day being like, you wanna go out with Do wanna go out with me? Do wanna go with me? You wanna go out with me? Yet, it's like so many mentors kind of put that as like, yeah, that's your strategy to get clients.

Callum Walker: 16:08

Sign up. Sign up. Sign up. Sign up. Oh, yeah.

Callum Walker: 16:10

If you don't wanna go out with me, it's because you don't want it enough. Like, oh, yeah. Come out with me and just, like, put it on a credit card. What? Like, no.

Callum Walker: 16:20

Who is actually your goal is to get them to want to work with you. Your goal is to get them to want to go out with you. So if you can actually see your business in the same way that you would see dating, then yeah. You know, then things become a lot easier. Like, if you kinda look at like your your hinge or Tinder profile.

Callum Walker: 16:39

Does your hinge and Tinder profile actually kind of warrant potentially like someone swiping right? Is it right? Yeah. It might be. Or swiping left.

Callum Walker: 16:48

That's the same as like your Instagram feed. Is my Instagram feed like something that someone would look and go, yeah, I wanna explore more. Or is it like, oh, ick. So yeah. So if you can actually see your business in the same way that you go out dating, then yeah.

Callum Walker: 17:06

And like if you kinda look at it, that when it comes to dating, if I wanna like you know, I gotta be clear on the kind of person that I would wanna attract into my life. Who is it that I would actually wanna go out with? I don't just wanna go out with everyone and anyone. That's not what I would wanna do. Yet, it's like all of these mentors just say like, right.

Callum Walker: 17:27

Okay. Basically, the secret to you having success in your love life is just going to weather spoons every single night and picking up anyone and everyone. And, yeah, you'll be successful. No. How does that end up?

Callum Walker: 17:42

If I want an incredibly like like my partner, incredibly hardworking, loyal, career driven, partner who is really, really going places in their life. Am I gonna find them in a Wetherspoons on a Tuesday at 1PM? Probably not. No. Maybe.

Callum Walker: 18:04

Maybe. But that'd be chance. So my point is, again, treat your business like you would your dating life. Get clear on who it is you would want to attract in your life. Don't hunt them down and be creepy.

Callum Walker: 18:17

Actually demonstrate, like, how amazing you are. How do you do that? By showing them that you're amazing by not pretending to be someone else. Take the mask off. Take the mask off.

Callum Walker: 18:26

Be yourself. Show them that you're genuine, that you genuinely love them. You genuinely care. Like, can't really go wrong. Do know what I mean?

Callum Walker: 18:36

And and I think I might have mentioned this in the last podcast or if not, but I really like base my business and my message and my philosophy off my mom and my dad. Two statements that each of them has actually said. My dad been in business for forty years, over forty years, incredibly successful. And he said 85% of my business comes from clients that we've had for over thirty five years. Okay?

Callum Walker: 19:05

That makes things easier. And my mom, which is just do a good job for someone. Do a good job. Do a job that is better than everyone else and show them the love. Show them the love and go above and beyond.

Callum Walker: 19:19

And I really, really do believe that if you can just operate from those two principles, like you're gonna have so much success with your business. And again, by success, I don't just mean financially. I mean, you're icky guy because if you've got clients who are with you for thirty five years, like, you wanna be working with them. You want to actually make sure you like them because otherwise you've got thirty five years. So again, my point with that is that like, if you're operating from that place and you've got clients who are staying with you for thirty five years, you must enjoy it.

Callum Walker: 19:55

You must like it. And you must be good at it. So yeah. Lots of lessons today. Lots of lessons.

Callum Walker: 20:03

And unfortunately, this is actually gonna be over twenty minutes, especially with the the new intro. How cool is that, by the way? I am just