The fats that we are all so afraid of are actually not that scary.Furthermore, it is fats that can become your helpers on the way to a slim figure.Paradox?Not at all!The No Carbohydrate Ketone Diet is strong evidence of this.
The keto diet, or low-carb ketone diet, is by no means a new trend.It was developed nearly a hundred years ago to treat children with epilepsy.The diet is based on fats, which are supplemented with a moderate amount of protein and a small portion of carbohydrates.
The essence of the diet
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body.Therefore, by giving up sweets and starchy foods, you can lose a few kilos.The keto diet involves not only limiting your carbohydrate intake, but also eliminating them completely.In this case, you will have a chance to lose a few kilos or much more.
How does this work?
After ceasing to receive carbohydrates, the body rebuilds its metabolism, making fat the main source of energy.Under these conditions, ketones (ketone bodies) begin to be produced from fats, which are an energy source for the brain and nervous system.Hence the name of the diet - ketone.
We all love sweets, but it is very difficult to give them up.It is difficult for the body to understand that you are giving up carbohydrates of your own free will, so it starts using an emergency reserve in the form of fat.And we need that, because then we actively start losing weight.
In about 5-7 days without carbohydrates in the diet, the body adapts to this state and starts the ketosis mechanism.Fat becomes the main source of energy.Even a very small amount of carbohydrates in the first few days will take your body out of ketosis.Therefore, it is important not to cheat yourself and not to eat sweets, no matter how much you want it.
Side effects
It is believed that on a keto diet you can consume between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.If this number exceeds 100 g, ketosis will not be possible, that is, the body does not need to switch completely to fat as an energy supply.This means you will lose weight more slowly.
But on the other hand, our gastrointestinal tract needs fiber (fibrous carbohydrates) to function properly.Often, when vegetables (fiber) are completely eliminated from the diet, problems such as constipation can occur.Therefore, in order not to harm yourself, you still need to eat vegetables.Just choose green vegetables, such as cucumbers or lettuce.
Diet
The basis of the diet is fat and proteins.There are no carbohydrates, an exception can only be made for green vegetables in the amount of 20-50 g per day.
If you are new to the keto diet, know that in the beginning, while your body is learning to use fat for energy, it makes sense to use more protein and less fat (40% to 60%).But from the second week we burn protein and increase fat to a proportion of 1/3 protein + 2/3 fat.This is done so that the body, which has not yet been converted to fat, does not start using muscle proteins as an energy source.
It is a misconception that calorie intake is not important when following a keto diet.As with all things, burning fat requires a negative energy balance, and you need to eat fewer calories than your body uses.But following a keto diet is in many cases much simpler than, for example, counting calorie intake - it is enough to exclude foods that contain carbohydrates and build a diet mainly on meat.
Basic rules
- Don't neglect fats.If you limit your carbohydrate intake, you must provide an alternative source of fuel, i.e. fat.Basically, you can eat all fat, such as fried chicken, fatty fish, steaks, whole or scrambled eggs, cheese and so on.But it is better to try to eat good fats, which are found in oil (olive, sunflower, linseed, nuts, sesame, corn), seeds, avocados, olives;
- choose the right alcohol.One of the many benefits of the keto diet is that you can drink alcohol (in moderation, of course).Choose drinks that contain minimal amounts of sugar, such as rum, whiskey, brandy;
- drink enough water.A rule that must be followed without question.Dehydration of the body leads to extremely negative consequences, so always have a bottle of water with you;
- be patient.At first, the weight drops quite quickly, but this is largely due to water rather than fat.The latter burns more slowly, so have patience not to give up halfway.
Sample menu
- Breakfast- 2 eggs fried in vegetable oil, 30 g of cheese, 4 strips of bacon or breast.Coffee with heavy cream.
- Lunch- large green salad (lettuce, cucumber, celery), garnished with 1 tbsp.l. full-fat mayonnaise, 180 g fried chicken breast, 30 g cheese.Water or other unsweetened beverage.
- Dinner— 180 g steak, grilled or fried, mushrooms stewed with butter, broccoli.Water or other unsweetened beverage.Coffee with heavy cream.