us when we consume an ample and diverse array of fibrous
vegetables—vegetables that contain carbohydrates, even if
just a few—and thus the Genius Plan includes these foods.
(These vegetables also contain important vitamins and
minerals that we don’t want to skimp on.)
Another key difference is in the types of fat: the sheer
quantity of fat that must be consumed in the textbook
versions of the ketogenic diet may make it substantially
more difficult to make important brain-building
considerations, like ensuring proper omega-3–to– omega-6
ratio. The medical ketogenic diet makes no such stipulations
and classically relies on foods like heavy cream and cheese
to make up the bulk of calories (while the Genius Plan takes
the omega-3–and– omega-6 ratio into account and adjusts
accordingly).
Perhaps most important, exercise is a major aspect of
any optimal brain protocol, and the one you’re holding in
your hands is no different. Those in “chronic ketosis” from
long-term ketogenic diets can find their workout
performance begins to suffer, particularly when looking to
put on muscle or gain strength with high-intensity exercise.
Preserving muscle is essential as we age, and is in fact
directly correlated with higher brainpower.^25 The occasional
post-workout high-carbohydrate meal, while not typically
used for a ketogenic diet, is allowed on the Genius Plan
(only once metabolic flexibility is regained) to ensure that
training capacity, metabolism, hormones, and lipids stay in
their optimal range. I’ll provide specific details on how to
approach these meals on page.