The keto (or ketogenic, or some also say ketone) diet involves low levels of carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and high levels of fat.That's the gist, but you probably came here for more details, so let's get to it.
People always look for a diet that gives quick results.
Can anyone be blamed for this?If you are not satisfied with your appearance and want to change something, who wants to sit and wait for the results?
This is the problem.A person wants to get a result and he wants it right now, and not receiving it, he believes that the diet does not work and abandons this harmful activity.
So maybe the problem lies in the diets themselves?
Unfortunately,Most healthy diets will not give you immediate results., and you will not lose 5 kg in a couple of days.Diets are designed to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and not "put on a dress for a corporate party."
You don't need a diet that only gives quick results.You need a diet that works for you, improves your quality of life, and that you can stick to!It's realistic to stick to it, but it's not like you've been there for a week and now you're standing in line for shawarma again.
HABITS ARE DIFFICULT TO CHANGE
You've been eating a certain way your entire life, so it's pretty difficult for your body to see the benefits of a new diet in just a couple of days.It's like asking a seasoned smoker to suddenly quit and enjoy life the next day.You will most likely suffer for some time, although it sounds like you should feel better!
You must give your body time to understand what is happening.
Yes, there are diets that promise results in a week.But they will not give a long-term effect, because after a week you will return to your usual diet.The one who brought you to the state you are in now and with whom you are so unhappy.
You need a diet that changes your life because it will become part of it.
And this is exactly the case when the ketogenic diet comes in handy.
The ketogenic diet will change your body in such a way that you will be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying life.
SUGAR ENERGY AND FAT ENERGY
Most people don't realize that their body runs on sugar.But this is very important.How important is it thathumans were not designed to work with sugar, because sugar was not readily available in most human habitats.
Our ancestors ate meat and vegetables.And while you can get carbs from some vegetables, they're still not enough that your body needs to learn to process them as its primary fuel source.
In contrast, the human body was designed to obtain energy from fat.And it was quite effective at that.
From a historical perspective, humans have only recently begun to consume such enormous amounts of carbohydrates.This change in our diet forced the human body to adapt.
When you eat carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose (sugar) and uses it for energy.That's why everyone loves to have tea and buns in the afternoon, when they start to get tired.And this is also the reason why you feel sleepy after lunch.
The body has depleted its glucose reserves and needs to restore them.
If you're running low on glucose, why not start burning fat for fuel?
Great question!
THE PROBLEM IS INSULIN
Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose move through blood vessels so the body can use it for energy.Insulin also prevents the release of fat stores, so the body cannot easily switch from glucose to fat as an energy source.
Fat is not freely available!
When you eat no or very few carbohydrates, your blood glucose (sugar) level drops, which means there is not as much need for insulin, and as a result, it is easier for your body to release fat cells.
At this point, the body enters a state of ketosis.
WHAT IS KETOSIS?
Ketosis (not to be confused with ketoacidosis) is a natural state of the body that helps us survive.When the body is in a state of ketosis, it produces ketones, which are used as fuel.
WHAT IS A KETOGENIC DIET?
The ketogenic diet is low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and fairly high in fat.Its task is to make up for the lack of carbohydrates, so that the body is in a prolonged state of ketosis and burns fat, not sugar.
On a ketogenic diet, you will eat more fat and fewer carbohydrates.
More fat?Something strange, right?Do you want to get rid of body fat, but at the same time you also need to eat it?
However, it is true, sometimes forTo get rid of fat, you need to start eating more.
The real reason people gain weight is not actually fat, butsugar.
When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, start eating moderate amounts of protein and more fat, you become a real fat burning machine.
ADVANTAGES OF THE KETO DIET
The ketogenic diet was originally developed to combat epilepsy.Did she help?Yes, but also, beyond that, people realized that she had other positive sides.
Many people turn to the ketogenic diet to lose weight, but maintain it even after reaching their ideal weight.However, when it comes to losing weight, many people start losing weight by simply giving up carbs.If you want more and to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit, this is also easier to do with the keto diet.
Blood pressure and sugar levels will also decrease.In addition to losing weight, this will obviously ease the burden on the heart.
In fact, the latest research shows that it is not fat that causes cardiovascular disease, but sugar.
There have been documented cases where the ketogenic diet has also helped cancer patients.
Cancer cells use glucose to grow.If you stop eating carbohydrates, you are depriving them of this fuel.
Because the brain is made up of 60% of its adipose tissue, recovery in this area can be faster thanks to the ketogenic diet.
There are cases where patients with traumatic brain injuries, particularly concussions, recovered faster with the help of a ketogenic diet.
WHAT SHOULD I EAT ON THE KETO DIET?
Remember that low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet?Yes, yes, it is not the first time I repeat this, but it is worth remembering.
In terms of calorie distribution, this would be 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
What does it mean?This means that if your average recommended daily calorie intake is 2000 kcal, then 75% of that amount should come from fat.Don't be afraid that now you will have to bother and calculate all this, here you will find a special keto calculator that will do all the calculations for you, you just need to enter your data and choose a goal: lose weight, gain or maintain.
While this sounds a little crazy because fats have a bad reputation, you have to remember that the research doesn't stop and now it turns out thatFat has been demonized for no reason.!
And of course, we must not forget that including fats in every meal is much tastier and more interesting than chewing lean chicken breast!
You can eat eggs until you're full (along with the yolk!).
Do you like coffee?Add cream and make it richer!
Butter?Apply a thick layer!
I'm sure you will find many ways to add fat to every meal.
WHAT FOODS TO AVOID ON THE KETO DIET
Carbohydrates are your enemy.Seriously, they will be your enemy on any diet.Any weight loss program will require you to reduce your carbohydrate intake in one way or another.
It is very important to know which foods contain carbohydrates and how to recognize them.
WHERE ARE CARBOHYDRATES HIDDEN?
The consumption of the following foods should be significantly reduced or completely eliminated from your diet:
- sweet
- Cereals and flour
- legumes
- fruit
- root vegetables
- Diet products
- bad fats
- alcohol
- Dietary products without sugar.
sweet
If you still eat sweets, don't expect to be able to switch to burning fat instead of sugar.Sugar must be eliminated completely.Products such as candy, chocolate, juices and soft drinks should already be an absolutely insignificant part of your menu, but if you use them frequently, you should abandon them completely.
Cereals and flour
Wheat-based products will prevent you from losing weight.All that pasta, rice and cereals are carbohydrates that convert to sugar in the body, which prevents the breakdown of fat.
legumes
Legumes have the same effect as flour products and are just as easily converted into sugar.
fruit
You may be surprised to see fruits on this list, they are very healthy!If you're trying to get your body on the path to burning fat, fruits won't help you.Unfortunately, in addition to beneficial antioxidants, they contain a huge amount of sugar, which is what we try to avoid.
root vegetables
Most tubers are high in starch and carbohydrates.Both of these things will be converted to blood sugar.
Diet products
Many diet products contain a lot of chemicals and go through all kinds of unnatural processes during their creation.I do not think that a person should consume this, it is better to focus on more natural products, which, ideally, consist of only one ingredient.
bad fats
Not all fats are the same.Harmful oils are often used in production and it is best to stay away from them.It is always better to read the ingredients and choose something that has olive or coconut oil in its composition than sunflower or palm oil.
alcohol
Most alcoholic beverages contain large amounts of carbohydrates.Furthermore, we are all human and under the influence of alcohol our will weakens.And especially in the initial stages of the diet, when the new lifestyle is unusual for you and you want to eat sweets, this weakening can be dangerous.
Dietary products without sugar.
I have written before about diet products in general;They are usually rich in carbohydrates and various chemicals.A separate danger is represented by those that are supposedly "sugar-free", because... This statement usually hides fructose, agave syrup or maltitol, which are comparable in their glycemic index to normal sugar.
WHAT CAN YOU EAT THEN?
Here is a list of foods you can eat regularly:
- meat
- Fish (including oily fish)
- eggs
- butter
- Cheese
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthy vegetable oils
- avocado
- Low carb vegetables
- Condiments and sauces
meat
Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, ham, bacon - they are all excellent.This is the source of protein you need.
fish
Salmon and tuna are excellent examples of oily fish.They will be a wonderful source of protein and "good" fats.This is not the fat you see in processed foods and it is not bad for your health!
eggs
Eggs are not only a good source of protein and fat in excellent proportions, but also a source of large amounts of microelements.And don't neglect the yolks!
butter
Butter is not only delicious, but it also provides you with a large amount of saturated fats that will make your diet even more effective.
Cheese
A good natural cheese is a source of fat and protein and contains essentially no carbohydrates (depending on the type of cheese).
Nuts and seeds
It is an excellent snack, rich in proteins and microelements.However, not all nuts are created equal.Choose those with lower carbohydrate content: pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, Brazil nuts.A cheaper option is peanuts, but they are higher in carbohydrates, so you need to carefully monitor your serving size.
Healthy vegetable oils
This category includes extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.They are a good source of healthy fats.
avocado
Avocados are low in carbohydrates and contain the same "good" fats as the vegetable oils mentioned above.Avocados have many other health benefits, but in the context of the ketogenic diet, let's focus on fats.
Low carb vegetables
Almost all vegetables contain some amount of carbohydrates.Therefore, it is necessary to know which ones contain them in minimal quantities.Green vegetables are your first choice, but tomatoes, onions, and peppers (in moderation) are also great additions to your diet.
Condiments and sauces
Of course, you can use salt, pepper and other spices that will allow you to diversify your menu even more.But be careful with store-bought mixes, some may contain sugar.The same goes for sauces: horseradish, mustard and many hot sauces fit perfectly, but you have to say no to ketchup or barbecue sauce.
WHAT DO I HAVE NOW, THERE IS ONLY AT HOME?
Many people forget about their diet as soon as they find themselves in a restaurant or cafe with friends.But why stand in the way of your own health, if in any catering establishment (not counting purely vegetarian ones) you can find a good selection of meat dishes and replace a high-carbohydrate side dish with roasted vegetables or salad?
SIDE EFFECTS
Yes, there will be side effects, because... your body will go through significant changes in a very short period of time.Therefore, it is natural that it will take some time to get used to and readjust.
You've been eating a certain way your entire life, so your body may resist the change at first.But this doesn't mean you'll always feel this way!
When you start a ketogenic diet, you may feel tired and sleepy.The body rebuilds itself and learns to receive energy from another source, so it is not surprising that the first days it does not do so very effectively.
Some people initially experience trouble sleeping, nausea, and digestive problems.Again, after a short period of time, these symptoms should disappear and your energy levels should return to normal.It happens that the symptoms do not go away, and this is a reason to check if you are doing everything correctly;I will consider possible reasons in a separate post.
START BURNING FAT, NOT STORING IT
For someone new to the ketogenic diet, this may all seem a little confusing.Many people don't realize that their body uses sugar for fuel.
Some may not find it so difficult to give up sweets, but carbohydrates enter our body not only in the form of sweets and baked goods, you may not realize how many carbohydrates you eat daily until you have to eliminate them.
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, the ketogenic diet is definitely the way to go.If your blood sugar level stays at about the same level throughout the day, you will find it easier to refrain from overeating and control your diet.
All you need to remember is that the ketogenic diet is not a short-term way to lose a few pounds, it's a way of life!