Different kinds of diets are available that you can use if you are aiming to lose weight or if you want to have a healthier lifestyle. Since there are many diets, there is a high chance that you might be confused about what to use. In my article today, I will guide you into one of the diets and is a popular one; it is the Keto Diet.
The Keto diet doesn’t only help you lose weight because it also entails many health benefits that will improve your overall wealth. We will find out everything that you need to know about Keto Diet.
So here is the beginner’s guide to Keto Diet that you need to read.
What Is A Keto Diet?
Keto is short for Ketogenic, a kind of diet that is very low-carb but a high-fat diet. It involves where you drastically reduce your carb intake and replace it with fat. In doing this, your body will get into a metabolic state called ketosis because of the reduction of carbs.
When your body goes into ketosis, your body will burn fat for your energy efficiently. It will lead to turning fat into ketones that will be able to supply energy throughout your body.
Keto Diet will help reduce blood sugar and insulin levels and give you a lot of health benefits because of the increase of ketones.
Why Use A Keto Diet?
The Keto Diet will help you lose weight drastically because it can help your body go into ketosis and produce ketones that will work hard to burn your fat into energy.
In the Keto Diet, you don’t need to starve yourself or even count your calories. You are going to be able to eat the food that you will enjoy. It is just essential to know what kind of food you should eat and avoid to be successful in losing weight.
What Are the Different Kinds of Keto Diet?
Keto Diet isn’t just composed of one type of diet. There are different kinds of Keto Diet that you should be aware of, and you could check what will be suitable for you.
Here are the different kinds of Keto Diet:
Standard ketogenic diet (SKD)
The diet should contain 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs. As you can see on the percentage, it has a high-fat diet, moderate protein, and low-carb.
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)
The type of keto diet needs a higher-carb for about two days and five days for ketogenic. Bodybuilders should get this type of Keto Diet.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)
The type of diet that works around your workouts. You need to have a small intake of fast-digesting carbs before your workout with this type of keto diet.
High-Protein Ketogenic Diet
This keto diet is the same as the standard keto diet because it needs more protein. Its ratio is 5% carbs, 35% protein and 60% fats.
Out of all the types of Keto Diet, most studies is the Standard and High Protein Keto Diet, while others like the Cyclical and Targeted Keto Diet are more suitable for athletes and bodybuilders and far more advanced compared to the first two.
How Does Keto Diet Help You Lose Weight?
According to studies, Keto Diet is very useful in helping people lose weight and lower the risk of certain diseases. It is proven effective compared to other diet methods.
You don’t need to carefully track what you eat and count calories to lose weight with the Keto Diet successfully. Also, the studies that were made found out that people who used the keto diet method lose double the weight compared to those based on calorie intake, as well as a study, also proved that keto diet could lose the amount of weight thrice compared to other diets.
Ketosis plays a crucial role in why Keto Diet is an effective way to lose weight and it can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
What Are The Benefits Of Keto Diet
If you try Keto Diet it will not only help you lose weight, but it also has a lot of health benefits.
Control Blood Sugar
The Keto Diet will help you lose fat that is linked with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The diet will help improve insulin sensitivity and could also help stop diabetes medications according to studies.
Improved Mental Focus
The Keto Diet will help increase mental performance because ketones are an excellent fuel source that gives energy to the brain. It will also improve focus and concentration.
Heart Disease
Keto Diet can help with heart disease as it can lower its risk. The diet will help with cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
Alzheimer’s Disease
The Keto Diet may help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or slow its progression.
Epilepsy
If you are going to use Keto Diet, according to research, it will reduce seizures episodes in epileptic children
Parkinson’s Disease
The Keto diet improves the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, according to studies.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
The diet will help to reduce insulin levels that play a crucial role in the polycystic ovary syndrome.
Brain injuries
It will help in the aid in reducing concussions and will help in the recovery of the brain. According to studies, the increase of intake of fatty acids will improve the brain’s function.
Acne
If you have problems with acne, the Keto Diet will help improve your skin. A low-carb diet will help with lesions and inflammation of the skin and decrease dairy intake that causes acne.
Is There A Side Effects Of Keto Diet?
The Keto Diet has a lot of benefits, but it could have some side effects too. I will tell you the common side effects that you may encounter once you go on a Keto Diet.
Keto Flu
Keto Flu is when you experience fatigue, headache, and nausea when you are new to the Keto Diet. When going to ketosis, your body usually takes three to four days, and because of this, you need to use your body’s glucose; it is why you may experience issues on your body. Some even experience tiredness and the occasional IBS-like symptoms. The Keto Flu will most likely last a week, but people will eventually go back to normal.
Keto Breath
Keto Breath is when your mouth produces a distinct odor or taste but quite different from bad breath. People who experience it describe it as having a metallic or funny taste in the mouth, and their breath has a fruity-smelling or strong odor.
Reduced Physical Performance
When you begin your Keto Diet you may observe the decrease in your energy and have limitations when it comes to your performance, mainly when you are used to working out. Your body is transitioning and adopting in using your stored fat and will eventually return to normal.
Heart Palpitations
In the transition to Keto Diet, some people experience heart palpitations that make their heart beat faster and stronger. It won’t take a long time if you experience this and if ever you don’t know what to do, and the problems persist, drink a lot of fluids and take some potassium supplement.
Constipation
Constipation is a common side effect of people who are new to Keto Diet. If you experience this, you need to stay hydrated and drink a lot of water. It will help if you take some fiber by eating non-starchy vegetables.
Cramps
Cramps in Keto Diet are pretty common, especially when you are just starting. You may experience occasional leg cramps that can occur any time of the day or even at night. What you need to do is drink a lot of fluid and eat salt on your food, which will decrease the cramping you’ve been experiencing.
Gallstones
If you have gallstones, some people may experience pain or increase of discomfort because of the effects of the Keto Diet. On the upside, this discomfort is because your gallstone problems is being cured or improved.
Indigestion
Indigestion can also be a side effect of Keto Diet. If you are experiencing this, it would be best to lower down your fat intake and gradually increase its amount, especially when you are just starting out.
Keto Rash
Keto Rash may also be experienced when you are on a Keto Diet. It is because acetone that is excreted from your body due to sweating may irritate your skin that can cause rashes.
You need to find better clothing that can absorb sweat or don’t get to physical to avoid sweating.
What To Eat In A Keto Diet?
Keto Diet isn’t as strict as other diets. However, you need to note the food you need to eat for you to control and help you lose weight.
There are different types of Keto Diet, but it doesn’t mean you cannot eat your favorite carb foods, and you won’t get hungry by doing this diet. The main point of Keto Diet is you are going to load up on healthy fats with lean protein and leafy greens.
Here is the recommended food that you can eat for Keto Diet:
Meat
Red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey
Fish (fatty)
salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
Eggs
Preferably omega-3 eggs or pastured
Butter and cream
It must be grass-fed
Cheese (unprocessed cheese)
cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella
Nuts and seeds
Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds
Healthy oils
extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil
Fruits
Whole avocados or guacamole (fresh)
Vegetables (Low-carb veggies)
green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers
Healthy Herbs And Spices
Salt, pepper etc.
Suppose you are worried that you are not allowed to eat snacks in your Keto Diet. Don’t worry about it because you can take healthy snack bars as long as they are plant-based and have ingredients from the list. You can also get your coffee boost and have some desserts and even eat pasta as long as it is a Keto Diet recipe which you can find a lot of recipes on the internet.
Keto Diet won’t deprive you of the indulges of food. It will just help you to balance it out for you to lose weight and make sure that the food you are eating has the right natural resources of fats and carbs.
What Not To Eat In A Keto Diet?
If you’ve seen the list of what you should eat while on a Keto Diet. The food you need to avoid is mostly the one that is not on the list.
Pasta, grains, and starchy vegetables aren't on the list because you need to avoid it as much as possible. There are healthier alternatives to those that you can eat if you want to without interrupting your Keto Diet. Vegetables are needed, but some vegetables are a big no such as carrots, legumes, and black beans.
Desserts with artificial ingredients are not allowed in Keto Diet such as candy, cakes, and desserts with a ton of sugars and flavorings. Some fruits aren’t allowed to such as pears, bananas and apples.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining a diet requires great discipline. It is also more about forming a healthy habit that will eventually lead you to your goal. Keto Diet, I must say, isn’t as hard to do than other diet methods.
Like many others, Keto Diet requires a lot of discipline, especially when it comes to food intake, as it only allows a specific type of food that you need to eat. However, unlike other diet methods, you won’t be deprived because it doesn’t have a strict calorie count that you need to follow.
Overall, I found that Keto Diet will help you ,naturally lose weight but it will also help you lower the risk of certain diseases, which should be your goal when it comes to living healthy. It is also a very effective way to lose weight, unlike other methods that you can’t get enough nutrients and even starve yourself just to get to your body goals.
Just always remember to start a diet you need to be motivated and be disciplined to achieve the results you want.