The keto or ketogenic diet is a diet based on a low carb diet, increasing the protein and fatty foods in the diet. The keto diet got its name from the process that occurs in the body with such a diet - ketosis.
What is ketosis?
Ketosis is a condition of the body when cells, as a result of carbohydrate starvation, begin to break down fat to receive energy and a large number of ketone bodies are formed. This process emerged as a result of evolution and allowed our ancestors to survive in the absence of carbohydrates in their diet.
The essence of the keto diet
It consists in the fact that you completely remove from the diet containing carbohydrates. This is not only bread, sweets and alcohol, but also cereals and starchy vegetables. At the same time, you increase the amount of protein and fatty foods.
Effectiveness of the keto diet for weight loss
The keto diet has been shown to be effective in many studies and is very popular. It became popular due to its high efficiency in the fight against body fat. On average, you will be able to lose 0. 5 to 3 pounds per week, depending on how much excess fat you initially have. Such rapid weight loss is made possible by the fact that the body rebuilds itself to get energy from fats and in conditions of lack of calories in the diet, begins to deplete your subcutaneous fat reserves.
Basic principles and rules of the keto diet
For the ketone diet to have not only results, but also benefits, it is worth following the following principles:
- Eat foods that do not contain carbohydrates, with the exception of vegetables, but not starchy.
- drink at least 2 liters of water for girls and 3-4 liters for men. If you do not drink enough water, you may experience bad breath and urine odor.
- fiber should be present in the diet. The optimal amount is 30 grams, it can be added to salads or omelette. Fiber is essential for the proper functioning of the digestive system. (to avoid constipation)
- To make the weight loss process faster, add exercise. Initially it will be 20-30 minutes.
Ketosis or how to properly start a keto diet
To start a ketone diet, you need to:
- reduce your carbohydrate intake to 40-50 grams per day. You should get carbs mainly from vegetables.
- the amount of protein in the body should be 1-1, 5 grams for girls and 2-2, 5 grams for men;
- eat enough fat.
Ketosis will not start immediately, but about 3-5 days, everything is individual here. Initially, you will feel weak, for the first 1-2 days, a situation similar to the cold. Do not worry, this is how the body reacts to the lack of carbohydrates in the diet, there is nothing you can do about it, you just have to wait. Once the ketosis process begins, you will feel much better, some people on the ketone diet feel even better than before. There is an increase in energy and a decrease in hunger between meals.
How to understand when ketosis started
To find out if you have ketosis or not, you can buy test strips at your pharmacy. They are optional, you can use them more for reasons of interest, in order to understand that the process continues.
Benefits of the Keto Diet
- rapid weight loss
- reducing the annoying feeling of hunger.
- improved mood
- normalization of blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
- improving sleep quality
- fast and clear mind.
Keto diet types
There are three types of ketone diet:
- classicalWith this scheme, you consume a small amount of carbohydrates every day. Many people prefer this option as it allows you to consume a small amount of fruit every day.
- target- Take a small amount of carbohydrates in the evening before the day you have a scheduled workout, it will give you a burst of energy.
- rotary or circular- once a week leave a window of 8-10 hours in which you eat whatever you want. They must be mainly carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and prevent a slowdown in metabolism.