If you’ve been observing the internet for the past five years, you must have noticed that many famous people are enthusiastic supporters of the keto diet. But, what exactly is it? What is the reason behind its immense popularity, especially in the US? Plenty of celebrities have jumped on the low-carb, high-fat dietary bandwagon, ranging from Halle Berry to Kourtney Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow.
What Is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet involves eliminating all carbohydrates, something that most nutritionists would not recommend without seeking expert advice.
Registered nutritionist Jennie Gough advises that prior to participating in a ketogenic diet, people should speak to a doctor or nutritionist. It is not recommended to pursue this diet due to the potential health risks and the fact that it eliminates many sources of dietary fiber which are essential for weight maintenance and digestive wellness.
Things Know About the Keto Eating Plan
Given the large number of people interested in learning more about the keto diet plan, we wanted to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages explicitly – to demonstrate that while it can support with weight reduction and a lessening of sugar cravings, it is not necessarily a feasible or uncomplicated approach for everyone to take.
Keto is short for ketogenic
Okay, but what does ketogenic mean? Eating a diet that is very low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in fat puts the body into a state of ketosis, which is associated with a ketogenic diet.
Gough states that carbs are broken down into glucose when digested and that the body and brain use it as the major source of energy.
But these benefits won’t happen overnight. In regards to shedding pounds, staying persistent is necessary when following the ketogenic diet. Gough states that it usually takes between two and seven days to achieve ketosis, depending on the types of foods consumed and physical activity levels.
How to tell if you’re there yet? Gough has asserted that it is possible to determine ketone levels by using urine, breath, and blood tests completed in the privacy of one’s residence.
The Keto diet plan involves eating *very* low carbs
And when we say low, we mean low. According to Gough, the Standard Keto Diet (SKD) is the traditionally studied eating plan that comprises of 5% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 75% fat.
Which means? Consider limiting your carb consumption to a maximum of 35g per day, which is significantly lower than the suggested daily amount of 260g. This quantity of carbohydrates is about the same as one large banana or two pieces of bread.
The keto diet can be adapted in a variety of ways, such as the cyclical ketogenic diet (which involves five days on the keto diet, followed by two higher-carb days); the targeted ketogenic diet (allowing you to incorporate carbs near your workouts); and the high-protein ketogenic diet (with a ratio of 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs). If you are still interested after reading this article, it is up to you to decide which option available is the best for you.
You can expect to lose weight on the keto diet (without counting calories)
Dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine believes that the keto diet can be successful because it reduces the amount of calories consumed while controlling appetite.
Studies conducted in the United States suggest that individuals following a ketogenic plan could anticipate losing an estimated 2.2 times more weight in comparison to individuals observing a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet. Simples…?
Cheat days are a no-go on the keto diet plan
Has the keto diet plan seemed too good to be true up to this point? The downside is that the process of Ketosis only works if you limit your carb consumption and significantly increase your fat consumption, which means if you give in to the temptation of having pizza your hard work could be rendered useless.
Gough states that it is difficult to follow the keto diet plan over an extended period of time. There are a wide variety of dishes which attempt to imitate staples like bread, pizza, and brownies that are part of the ketogenic diet, so you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out.
Keto food prep is key
As carbs are simple to prepare, finding ketogenic diet-compliant foods is a little tougher. Becoming accustomed to regular food preparation will be a great friend to you, as you boil eggs, divide up sections of cheese, and steam vegetables. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
You may experience “keto-flu” and other unwanted side effects
Fatigue, brain fog, nausea – sounds fun, right? Or not. Regretfully, experiencing the “keto-flu” is a widespread consequence of following the ketogenic diet.
‘This is normally due to dehydration,’ says Gough. Increasing water consumption and introducing electrolytes may help alleviate the symptoms associated with the keto flu. Furthermore, the excitement does not stop there.
Gough points out that bad breath is a frequent side effect of following the ketogenic diet. There is the risk of regularly consuming processed meats or foods which are high in salt, saturated fats and trans fats, which are not beneficial for your long-term health. This can lead to problems with your digestion, such as constipation or diarrhea, due to the absence of fiber in a ketogenic diet.
Ketogenic eating could give you clearer skin
Apart from shedding pounds, a diet with a diminished number of sugars – one that could help decrease insulin concentrations – can possibly produce good effects in people with skin and chin acne, however further investigation is warranted according to the University of Padova.
It can potentially reduce your risk of certain health conditions
Research from the Temple University School of Medicine has discovered that the keto diet plan can reduce insulin sensitivity by three-quarters. Additionally, it was found to diminish insulin levels. So, why is this good?
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes will be reduced. For individuals that have been identified with type 2 diabetes, the results of a US trial showed that one-third of those individuals could completely stop taking their medication with the implementation of a keto diet program.
Studies have indicated that a ketogenic regimen can be beneficial in reducing the rate of tumor growth, lessening the chance of developing heart disease and Alzheimer’s, curtailing epileptic seizures, and, through its effect on insulin, enhancing symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Main Types of Keto
The four varieties of the ketogenic diet have been studied extensively and have been found to offer beneficial outcomes such as weight reduction, increased energy, improved exercise performance, and augmented muscle development.
- Standard
- Cyclical
- High-protein
- Targeted
If Want to Lose Weight, Go With Standard
It is alright to keep the traditional, plain style.
Sometimes it’s best to adhere to the basic keto diet plan that most keto dieters stick to, particularly since studies have shown its advantages in terms of controlling blood sugar (particularly beneficial for diabetics) as well as weight loss.
How To Do It
For the Standard version, fat should make up the majority of your caloric intake (80%), while carbs should be kept to a minimum, at less than 25g of net carbs.
What the heck is a net carb? Here are some keto basics to get you started.
What You Get To Eat
Fats can originate from beneficial sources, like grass-fed butter and meat, as well as nuts, avocados, fish with a high oil content, and seeds. Stay away from sugar, any sugar that’s been added, and carbohydrate-rich items such as beans, pulses, whole grains, and obviously, junk food.
Instead of regular sugar, you’ll be consuming sugar alcohols, which won’t cause your blood sugar to raise or lead to any cravings.
Benefits of Standard Keto
By making these lifestyle changes, you can anticipate advantages such as weight reduction, a decrease in bloating, increased alertness, improved energy, more peaceful sleep, and an overall feeling of contentment.
This rendition is ideal for individuals who require fundamental support, and that have reliable, documented substantiation for their deeds, as seen above.
If You’re Looking to Bulk Up, Go For High Protein or Cyclical
For those wishing to slim down by following a keto diet and build muscle by exercising with weights 4-6 times per week, these two variations may be the most helpful.
High-Protein Keto
Staying aligned with its title, an individual on the high-protein keto diet should eat an increased amount of protein, particularly following physical activity to help mend muscle damage and cultivate strength. Rather than protein comprising about 20 percent of daily caloric intake, the amount will be increased to 30 percent, while fat will account for 65 percent and only 5 percent will be made up of carbs.
Studies have shown that even a small increase in your workout routine can be incredibly advantageous for your body and muscles! It makes it simpler to gain muscle mass in exercise routines.
In this particular version, roughly 10-15% of the typical amount of fat intake on a ketogenic diet would be used for the proteins consumed instead. A sensible approach is to include 2 or 3 ounces of protein, such as fish, steak, or chicken, on your plate. Alternatively, rather than settling for consuming just 3 ounces of chicken, you can opt for a larger serving such as 5 or 6 ounces for your meal.
What You Get To Eat
As far as what you would consume, the diet is the same as a regular keto diet, only bigger portions of proteins are eaten, with proteins spread out among snacks and meals throughout the day to help build more muscle.
For someone who is not active, they should aim to consume a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein for each pound of their lean body mass. If you are physically active, consume 1-1.2 grams of protein for every pound of your body weight. You should include the extra grams you have included, however don’t surpass the limit as it can provide too much protein when in ketosis.
Benefits of High-Protein Keto
The same fat portion is included in Low Carb Keto diets as in the Classic Keto diet, so you will be able to achieve weight loss along with the same advantages when it comes to power and proficiency. You could alter the ratio of protein and carbohydrates you’re consuming to give yourself better energy and support a quicker recovery time after your workouts.
Potential Drawbacks
One of the negatives to being in a ketogenic state is that you have to keep track of your protein levels to ensure that you have enough but not too much to maintain ketosis. This version necessitates deeper contemplation regarding the proportion of macronutrients.
Cyclical Keto
An alternative to protein scheduling that can provide the same outcomes is employing a cyclic ketogenic plan.
How It Works
On training days, you are incorporating more carbohydrates into your diet, either using them before and after your workout, or just prior to the workout, to supply energy.
One simple strategy is to increase your carbs intake by 10 grams both before and after exercise in order to fuel activity and help build muscle. That is an additional 20 gross grams of carbohydrates daily.
You could opt to eat 10 additional grams of net carbs right before your workout so that you have more energy during your workout session. Once you’re done, it’s best to eat more fats and proteins to help your muscles recover.
What You Get To Eat
This means having a protein bar, crackers with some nut butter, either prior to exercising or afterwards. It may be as easy as adding an additional snack with some carbohydrates. Your diet would stay the same as usual for a ketogenic diet – just with a few extra carbohydrates per day.
Consider a protein bar before or after. There could be around 200 calories in that bar, as well as 11-15 grams of protein to help promote muscle growth and give energy. Examples of protein bars include Perfect Keto, Atlas, and Love Good Fats. These are my three favorites. You can have an extra helping of low-carb crackers combined with 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter before your exercise session.
Potential Drawbacks
An issue you may encounter with this system is that the addition of more carbohydrates and cycling can lead to an excessive caloric intake, making it difficult to remain in ketosis. It is wise to not exceed the suggested 10-20 grams of net carbohydrates daily. Consume only 10 grams of the supplement at pre- and post-workout as opposed to 20 grams all at the same time, as such an amount might be too heavy for the body.
If you realize that cyclical keto is preventing you from achieving your desired outcomes, you should switch to a regular form of keto or try out targeted keto instead.
