What is a ketogenic diet?
"Ketogenic" is a term for a low-carbohydrate diet (like the Atkins diet). The idea behind it is that you can get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates. They cut the most on easily digestible carbohydrates such as sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread.
The keto diet has many similarities with the best known Atkins diet and other low carbohydrate diets.
Ideal macros for ketogenic diets
Find your keto macros for weight loss
It emphasizes the consumption of foods that are low in carbohydrates but high in fat and protein.
When our body is deprived of carbohydrates, it enters a metabolic state called "ketosis" in which our body becomes a fat-burning machine.
The excess fat in the body is converted into ketones in the liver, which then serve as an energy source for our brain.
These ketone bodies are a much more stable and efficient source of energy compared to glucose (derived from carbohydrates).
There are many amazing health benefits such as a massive reduction in insulin, blood sugar levels, etc.
How it works
If you consume less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, your body will end up running out of fuel (blood sugar), which it can use quickly. This usually takes 3 to 4 days. Then you start to break down protein and fat for energy that you can lose weight. This is called ketosis. It is important to note that the ketogenic diet is a short-term diet that focuses on weight loss and not on seeking health benefits.
Different types of ketogenic diets
There are different versions of the keto diet. However, most people stick to either the standard ketogenic diet or a high protein version.
The other two versions are more advanced and are usually followed by athletes or bodybuilders.
Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): It is very rich in fat (75%), moderately high in protein (20%), and low in carbohydrates (5%).
Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD): You do not stick to the same routine for long. Instead, you stick to the keto diet for 5 days, followed by 2 days of a high-carbohydrate diet.
The targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): You do not stick to the same routine for long: this type of diet requires you to consume carbohydrates around training.
High protein ketogenic diet: Similar to the standard keto diet, but with slightly higher protein content. In general, it contains 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.
In this article, we will mainly focus on the standard keto diet, as it is widely used and also the best-researched version (extensive studies).
Who should not follow a ketogenic diet?
With the exception of the following three cases, it is safe for most people to follow a keto diet
Do you take medication for diabetes?
Do you take medication for high blood pressure?
Are you a nursing mother?
If you are one of these three people, you may need additional preparation and medical care.
What is ketosis?
Before you go into the detailed guide, you need to understand the metabolic phase called "ketosis", without which ketogenic nutrition does not exist.
How does ketosis work?
What does science say about ketogenic nutrition?
When you eat an extremely low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, our body produces small fuel molecules called "ketones". These are used as an alternative energy source for the body when glucose (blood sugar) is not available or in short supply.
During a ketogenic diet, our body feeds entirely on fat instead of glucose, making it a fat-burning beast.
How do you know you have ketosis?
Generally, ketosis is measured in three different ways.
Urine test strips: Cheap; but you can't tell if you've had ketosis for several weeks.
Respiratory ketone analyzers: Reusable; not always reliable and have to be hooked up to a computer to be read.
Ketone meter: Expensive, but the results are reliable.
However, there are few common symptoms for which such a meter is not required.
Dry mouth and increased thirst: If you do not drink enough water or eat salt at meals, you may have a dry mouth.
Increased urination: Acetoacetate, another ketone body, usually gets into your urine. As a result, you often go to the toilet, which is also the main cause of increased thirst. Note that acetoacetate helps when testing for ketosis with urine test strips.
Ketone Breathing: Another ketone body (acetone) escapes through our breathing and has a fruity or nail polish remover-like smell.
Reduced hunger and increased energy: As your body gets used to using energy from fat reserves, you are likely to have more energy and less appetite. This is usually achieved by following the intermittent fasting program.
How do you get ketosis quickly?
There are some effective methods to increase the level of ketosis, which are described below:
- Limit carbohydrates to only 20 grams or less per day. This is the ideal level for getting started with ketosis.
- Limit proteins to only 1 gram or less per kg per day. This means that if you weigh 80 kg (176 pounds), you should get about 80 grams or less protein per day. Keep in mind that too much protein is one of the main reasons for not achieving optimal ketosis.
- Do not go hungry, but consume enough fat, as this leads to ketosis.
- Limit or avoid snacking: Most of the time people confuse thirst with hunger and nibble on snacks, which can slow down weight loss and keep you from entering ketosis.
- Include intermittent fasting or the 16:8 routine in your keto lifestyle, as it increases ketone levels, thereby accelerating weight loss and also diabetes.
Side effects of a keto diet
The diet is 100% safe for healthy people, but there are some side effects that you may experience initially as your body adapts to the new lifestyle (eating habits).
This phase is known as "keto flu", which is temporary and disappears within a few days.
The symptoms of keto flu include
- Increased appetite
- Uncomfortable digestive disorders
- Nausea
- Sleep problems
- Diminished energy and mental function
- Reduced exercise performance
How can the side effects of a ketogenic diet be minimized?
These side effects often occur in people who are not yet familiar with this extremely low carbohydrate diet.
It is therefore recommended that you follow a normal low carbohydrate diet for a few weeks and in the meantime, your body will adapt to your new lifestyle.
Once you feel comfortable with the diet, you can completely eliminate (minimize) the carbohydrates from your diet, turning them into ketosis and turning your body into a fat-burning machine.
It should also be noted that the keto diet alters the H2O and mineral balance of your body, so it is recommended that you either add salt to your meals or take the help of mineral supplements to minimize the side effects.
Tip: Drink a glass of warm water with salt and lemon if you are thirsty. Alternatively, you can drink one cup of bouillon a day.
Dietary supplements & recommended dosage (per day):
- Whey protein: 1 or 2 scoops of whey protein in plain water or green yogurt
- Sodium: 3000 to 4000 mg
- Potassium: 1000 mg
- Magnesium: 300 mg
Foods to be avoided in a ketogenic diet
The rule of thumb for entering ketosis is to limit or avoid carbohydrate-rich food altogether. Below is a list of common foods that should be avoided during a ketosis diet.
- Fruits: With the exception of strawberries in small portions, all other fruits should be avoided.
- Root vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.
- Sugar: This is a "No Brainer". Avoid all sugary foods such as honey, maple syrup, soda, ice cream, candy, fruit juices, smoothies, etc.
- Beans: Lentils, chickpeas, peas, kidney beans, etc.
- Alcohol: rich in carbohydrates
- Grains: rice, pasta, maize, wheat-based products, cereals, etc.
- Diet or low-fat versions: High carbohydrate content and highly processed
- Sauces: Contain sugar and unhealthy fat (also includes processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.)
Example of a ketogenic meal plan for weight loss
This is just an example of a menu to help you get started.
Keto-Diet Low-Carb Recipes
A sample of a ketogenic diet meal plan for 7 days
You can use this as a reference and plan your meals according to your wishes (choose only the foods that are allowed).
You will also find the menu for the vegetarian keto diet for 7 days.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Whey protein milkshake
- Lunch: Chicken and vegetable salad with olive oil and avocado
- Dinner: Fried eggs with bacon and mushrooms
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Day 2
- Breakfast: steak and eggs with a vegetable salad
- Lunch: Beef roasted in the wok, cooked with coconut oil and avocado
- Dinner: Ham and cheese omelet with vegetables
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Day 3
- The breakfast: bacon, eggs, and tomatoes
- Lunch: slices of ham and cheese with a handful of nuts and celery sticks
- Dinner: Burger with salsa, cheese, and guacamole
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Day 4
- Breakfast: egg omelet with tomato, salsa, paprika, basil, onion, and spices
- Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and goat cheese
- Dinner: Pork chops with parmesan cheese, cauliflower/broccoli, and salad
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Day 5
- Breakfast: Almond milkshake with 1 teaspoon peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia
- Lunch: Prawn salad with olive oil and vegetables
- Dinner: Steak and eggs with avocado
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Day 6
- Breakfast: Whey protein milkshake
- Lunch: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter
- Dinner: Chicken fried in coconut oil with vegetables
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Day 7
- Breakfast: Omelette with avocado, cheese, paprika, and spices
- Lunch: A chicken burger with cheese and vegetables
- Dinner: bacon, eggs, and tomatoes
Keto diet food and advice
It is already proven that ketogenic nutrition has a massive influence on your health.
Thanks to the high fat and protein content and low carbohydrate consumption, people who follow this diet will have lower cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar, lower body weight, and higher energy levels.
Getting started with ketosis requires a little hard work, but once you get over the keto flu and are in the ketosis phase, you will experience the great benefits of the diet.
If your goal is to lose weight, then there is no other diet that promises weight loss in the long run like the keto flu.
Here are my personal tips for effective weight loss results:
Start with a low carbohydrate diet without too much carbohydrate restriction. Once your body gets used to it, you can reduce the amount of carbohydrate to 20 grams or less per day to enter ketosis.
Keto flu is common in most people, and drinking lemon water with salt will help you recover from it easily. Also, remember to drink plenty of water and supplement electrolytes if you do not want to suffer from dehydration. You can also use multivitamin supplements to meet your nutritional needs.
Keep track of what you eat with either an app (MyFitnessPal) or a traditional diary, as you can check it in the future if you don't get results and change your diet accordingly.
Follow the routine of intermittent fasting together with the keto diet to achieve maximum weight loss results in less time. Both the keto and IF diets help to lower insulin levels and get our bodies to burn more fat. So they go hand in hand.
Make sure you get your daily calories from 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbohydrates. In addition, the rule of thumb is to stay below 20g of carbohydrates per day to get into ketosis.
Do high-intensity training to build muscle, as this will burn more calories even when you are resting.
These are the tips,
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