Want to slim down but don't want to be hungry all the time?Then pay attention to the keto diet!With this diet, you can lose weight quickly without counting calories or portions.
In the 80s and 90s, the entire Western world (especially America) was conquered by the fear of fat and greasy food.At that time, it was popular to give up the usual naturally fatty foods in favor of low-fat foods.Products with a very low fat percentage filled all the shelves of supermarkets.The reason was that fat contains more calories than carbohydrates.But what people didn't know was that if they ate less fat, they would start eating more carbohydrates to stay full.Therefore, during those periods, we started to hear talk about obesity and diabetes massively.Now it is clear to you why you should not give up natural products that contain enough natural fats, instead of dietary low-fat ones.
What is the keto (ketone) diet?
A keto diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates and is high in fat and protein.The main principle of this diet is more fat, less carbohydrates.This diet is stricter than, for example, the Atkins diet, where you can eat absolutely any type of fat.It got its name from the so-called ketones, bodies that are formed during the metabolism of fats, after which they are later used as energy, and the process itself is called ketosis.Carbohydrates are mostly used for such purposes, but if they are lacking, the body finds a solution and resorts to fats, which become the main source of energy.
Who is the Keto Diet for?
The keto diet is perfect for people who want to lose weight fast, as well as those who have gained the necessary muscle mass and want to lose weight.However, for those people who work out in the gym and want to build muscle with this diet, unfortunately this diet is not for you.The ketogenic diet is a very delicate and complex process that requires you to listen well to your body, which is why even some experienced athletes lose some muscle mass.
The basics
Following this diet requires not only reducing the proportion of total carbohydrates consumed, but also limiting the consumption of sugar and starches.When you limit starchy and sugary foods as much as possible, your body's blood sugar levels begin to stabilize and your insulin levels decrease.As a result, fat burning is activated, so you will often not feel full.When you restrict your carbohydrate intake, the body begins to switch from glycolysis (the breakdown of carbohydrates) to lipolysis (the breakdown of fats).This happens if glycogen reserves in the liver and muscles are completely depleted;usually, these processes begin after 2 days of the diet.
what can you eat
- Meat products: almost any poultry, beef and even pork.Chicken skin can also be eaten, but it is advisable that it is a domestic chicken that has not been fed feed.
- Seafood: squid, shrimp, as well as herring, salmon or any other fatty fish without bread.
- Eggs: Eggs can be used in any prepared form.
- Healthy fats: Use olive or vegetable oil for cooking.Also include omega 3-6 fatty acids in your diet.
- Vegetables: You can eat all kinds of green vegetables and herbs (cabbage, lettuce, asparagus).
- Milk: sour cream, butter, 40% cream and fatty cheeses.
- Nuts: This can often be found in diets, and the keto diet is no exception.
- Berries: Berries are very beneficial for the whole body, so they can be consumed in moderation.
Try to choose foods with a carbohydrate percentage of no more than 6%.
Also try to drink more water and green tea.
What can't you eat?
- Starch: foods containing starch (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) should be excluded as much as possible.
- Sugar: any form must be excluded (solid and liquid), it is our greatest enemy.All kinds of sweet carbonated drinks, candy, ice cream and similar popular products on store shelves should be eliminated from the diet.
- Margarine: This product is unnecessary for any diet or just a healthy diet, so forget about it.
- Beer: This drink contains a lot of fast-absorbing carbohydrates.
- Fruits: Avoid fruits that are high in sugar (grapes, mangoes, tangerines).
How much should you eat?
Fat - 65%;Proteins - 30%;green vegetables - 5
There is one very important rule in the keto diet - the weight of protein must be equal to the weight of fat.There is practically no difference in weight, but if we look at the caloric content, we have a double advantage in favor of fat (fat-9 kcal, protein-4 kcal), in fact, this is the principle of this diet.Suppose you need to eat 2000 kcal per day, we get:
1300 kcal/145 grams - fat;600 kcal/150 grams - proteins;(carbohydrates - 20/30 grams)
We got about 150 grams of protein and carbohydrates that need to be eaten throughout the day for 2000 kcal.By the way, the B/F ratio does not affect the portions in any way, it is only added up for the whole day.The percentage of protein and fat can vary slightly, but it usually favors fat.For example, a diet may consist of 20% protein foods and 75% fat.
Use the calculator to calculate the number of calories you need.Remember that to lose weight you need to create a caloric deficit, so spend 300-500 kcal.more than you eat.
How to properly follow a keto diet?
The diet itself can last from 1 week to 1-2 months (depending on your goals).But at first it is recommended to use it for 1-2 weeks.The first week should be spent with increased protein portions (up to 45%), so that the body does not experience a lot of stress, as it must gradually adapt to fat consumption.In the second week, you can reduce the protein portion to 30% and continue to follow this plan.The cessation of the keto diet should be gradual, that is, increase the amount of carbohydrates to no more than 30 grams per day.In a few weeks, you can actually lose up to 10 kilograms of weight without suffering from hunger or counting portions.
What is the difference between low carb and keto diets?
A low-carb diet can contain carbohydrates, usually more than 60 (grams), which is unacceptable on a keto diet.With this amount of carbohydrates, the body cannot switch to continuous work with fat, because the processes associated with ketosis do not take place.And following a keto diet, the body receives a small amount of carbohydrates (or none at all in the diet), and it is simply forced to work with fat.
How does it work?
When consuming a lot of carbohydrates, only a certain part of them is absorbed in the intestine and then broken down into simple sugars.Once absorbed, simple sugar increases blood glucose levels, which stimulates insulin secretion.This hormone is able to enhance not only protein but also fat synthesis, so it is directly related to fat storage.
Insulin is produced in the intrasecretory pancreas.When insulin is elevated, it can inhibit fat burning and also store excess nutrients in fat cells.After a while, this can provoke a lack of glucose in the body, which will lead to hunger.As a result of these processes, the brain sends signals and a person tries to saturate his body with food as quickly as possible.This is a continuous cycle in which fat accumulation processes occur.
A low-carb diet causes blood glucose levels to rise gradually and often stabilize without causing large insulin spikes.This method allows you to increase the release of fat from fat stores, which enhances fat burning.
Diabetics
If you have diabetes, you will need to check your blood sugar more often after starting this diet.By following this diet and limiting carbohydrates as much as possible, you reduce the need for hypoglycemic drugs.If you use the same dose of insulin as before the diet, you can cause hypoglycemia, so you also need to reduce the dose of the medication.To be on the safe side, you should consult your personal physician.If you are completely healthy, there is practically no risk of developing hypoglycemia.
Keto Diet Side Effects
When you first start this diet and stop eating sugar and starches, you may experience side effects as your body reacts to the dietary changes.On average, the duration of such a reaction disappears after a few days.
Popular side effects:
- Lethargy.
- Headaches.
- Difficulty.
- Heretism.
- Increased heart rate.
As the body adapts, the side effects disappear.To reduce them as much as possible, you need to drink more water, and also add salt to some vegetables, but only a little.
Keto diet menu
Breakfast
No more than 15 grams of carbohydrates can be eaten for breakfast, which can be obtained from non-starchy vegetables and cheese.You can also prepare an omelet with 2-4 eggs and fried tomatoes.
Lunch
Grains, starchy vegetables, sugar, fruit, as well as milk and yogurt should be avoided during lunch.It is also not recommended to abuse carbohydrates, and it is best to limit their consumption to 15 grams.For lunch, it is best to eat salad, meat or vegetable soup with meatballs without potatoes, pasta and rice.
Dinner
For dinner, you should combine green vegetables and meat.You can also add healthy fats in the form of nuts or season the salad with vegetable or olive oil.
Snacks
Your snacks should contain no more than 5 grams of carbohydrates and should consist of protein and fat.These can include hard-boiled eggs, fish, chicken wings, cucumbers, celery and cheese.