Dr. Ahmed Mostaque
If you are thinking about losing weight you probably already know about the ketogenic diet also known as the keto diet. Over the years as people are getting more conscious about health and becoming more fashionable. The zero figure has become an obsession in the fashion industry. And runway models have become an example of beauty. Everyone wants to look camera-ready these days. So people are looking for different ways to lose weight and get back in shape.
It is actually not that difficult to lose weight. There are so many diet plans out there to help you lose weight. One of the most effective and preferred ways of losing weight is the Ketogenic diet or also known as the keto diet. People all over the internet are gushing over the amazing result of the keto diet. Also, it is very simple to follow compared to other diet plans and gives quick results.
The ketogenic diet or commonly known as keto diet for short is a low-carb, high-fat diet that helps you lose bodyweight. Not only it will help you get back in shape but it also offers many health benefits.
This diet plan can is really easy to follow and will help you lose weight very quickly along with improving your eating habit and overall health.
Some researchers also suggest it might have health benefits that will help fight against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
What Is a Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet is a very simple diet plan that involves a low-carb, high-fat diet. This diet plan is quite similar to Atkins and low-carb diets.
It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. This metabolic state makes your body more efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
Due to less intake of sugar Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. It is really helpful for people with diabetes. This, along with the increased ketones, has numerous health benefits
What Are The Types of Ketogenic Diet?
There are different ketogenic diet plans suitable for individuals. These several keto diet plans include:
- Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs. Most people prefer the standard keto diet when they are trying to lose overall body weight.
- Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days. You might prefer the cyclical ketogenic diet when you want to lose weight without losing muscle.
- Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts. The targeted keto diet will help you keep your gain muscle while losing weight.
- High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. Mostly preferred for people who don’t want an empty stomach and lightheadedness. Eating protein helps you feel full, which can lead to eating fewer calories overall.
The Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and are mostly used by bodybuilders or athletes who want to lose weight without losing their body build structure. Switching over to a ketogenic diet can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.
Your focus should be on reducing carbs while increasing the fat and protein content of meals and snacks. This will help you reach the state of ketosis.
Can Keto Diet Help Lose Weight?
It definitely can! Keto diet is the most preferred and effective way to lose weight. Most physicians and dietitians suggest keto diet over other diet plans and surgery that help you lose weight. Not only it is easy to follow but the process is much quicker than other diets.
Researcher suggests that the ketogenic diet is much more improved when compared to low-fat diet. Not only it helps you lose weight but there are a lot of health benefits to it. Research has demonstrated that adopting this low-carb, high-fat diet can promote fat loss and even improve certain conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline.
Some researcher says it is the best way to shed weight. This is the reason health experts support the keto diet. Although there are a lot of health benefits of the keto diet, some also argue that there are severe side effects of it. But the health benefits outweigh the side effect and most of the side effects are not clinically proven.
The best part of keto diet is it will help you lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake. It won’t leave you with a feeling of an empty stomach.
Recherches found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more weight than those on a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. Their Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels also improved.
Health Benefits of Keto Diet.
There are numerous benefits of the ketogenic diet. Not only it will help you lose weight but also improve your health and reduce your appetite. Here are some of the many benefits of the keto diet:
- Keto Diet Reduces Your Appetite
- Help You Lose Weight Without Being Hungry
- Reduces harmful abdominal fat
- Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
- Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- Triglycerides Drop Drastically
- Increases Good Cholesterol (HDL)
- Reduces Blood Sugar and Insulin Level
- Lowers Blood Pressure
- Treats Cancer & Slow Tumor Growth
- May Reduce Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Improves Skin Condition
Foods to Avoid During Keto Diet
Any food that is high in carbs should be limited.
Here is a list of foods that need to be reduced or eliminated on a ketogenic diet:
- Sugary foods: Soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
- Grains or starches: Wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
- Fruit: All fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries.
- Beans or legumes: Peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
- Root vegetables and tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
- Low-fat or diet products: These are highly processed and often high in carbs.
- Some condiments or sauces: These often contain sugar and unhealthy fat.
- Unhealthy fats: Limit your intake of processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
- Alcohol: Due to their carb content, many alcoholic beverages can throw you out of ketosis.
- Sugar-free diet foods: These are often high in sugar alcohols, which can affect ketone levels in some cases. These foods also tend to be highly processed.
Foods to Eat During Keto Diet
You should base the majority of your meals around these foods:
- Meat: Red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey.
- Fatty fish: Such as salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel.
- Eggs: Look for pastured or omega-3 whole eggs.
- Butter and cream: Look for grass-fed when possible.
- Cheese: Unprocessed cheese (cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella).
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
- Healthy oils: Primarily extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil.
- Avocados: Whole avocados or freshly made guacamole.
- Low-carb veggies: Most green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
- Condiments: You can use salt, pepper and various healthy herbs and spices.
Healthy Keto Snacks
In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, keto-approved snacks:
- Cheese
- Fatty meat or fish
- 1–2 hard-boiled eggs
- 90% dark chocolate
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- Cheese with olives
- A low-carb milkshake with almond milk, cocoa powder and nut butter
- Celery with salsa and guacamole
- Smaller portions of leftover meals
- Full-fat yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder
- Strawberries and cream
Side Effects of Keto Diet
Just like the health benefits, there are also some side effects of the Keto diet. The ketogenic diet was originally developed for a medical purpose to aid people with epilepsy. But people all over the world are using keto diet to lose weight. Just like we said earlier the health benefits are greater than the side effects. Most of the side effects are short term and some of it is very rare to happen. There is no need for you to be concern about the side effect. But it is better if you consult a dietitian of a medical expert who can guide you through the whole process. This will help you make a better keto diet plan. Having said that, here are some common side effects of keto diet:
The Bottom Line
Not only can these diets improve your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, but they also reduce your appetite, boost weight loss, and lower your triglycerides. Here we have covered almost every essential point on keto diet. This diet plan is really very helpful in losing weight. If you intend to lose weight keto diet is probably the best and healthy option. Remember losing weight is easy but you have to be dedicated. You just have to be determined and focus on your weight loss goals. Losing weight is not a miracle and it won’t happen overnight. You need to give it time. Once you start to see the difference in your weight, you will start to feel healthier, more confident, and fresh. Maybe you will have a different approach to life. So start taking care of yourself because it’s never too late!
