The fats we are all so afraid of are actually not that scary.Moreover, it is fats that can become your helpers on the way to a slim figure.Paradox?Not at all!The carb-free ketone diet is strong evidence of this.
The keto diet, or low-carb ketogenic diet, is by no means a new trend.It was developed almost a hundred years ago to treat children with epilepsy.The diet is based on fats, which are supplemented by 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.That is why, giving up sweets and starchy foods, you can lose a few kilograms.The ketogenic diet involves not only limiting the intake of carbohydrates, but also eliminating them completely.In this case, you will have a chance to lose a few kilograms, or much more.
How does this work?
After stopping the intake of 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 a source of energy 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 begins to spend an emergency reserve in the form of fat.And we need this, because then we begin to actively lose weight.
In about 5-7 days without carbohydrates in the diet, the body adapts to this state and starts the mechanism of ketosis.Fat becomes the main source of energy.Even a very small amount of carbs in the first few days will kick your body out of ketosis.Therefore, it is important not to deceive yourself and not to eat sweets, no matter how much you want.
Side effects
It is believed that on a keto diet you can consume between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.If this figure exceeds 100 g, then ketosis will not be possible, that is, the body will not have to completely switch to fat as an energy supply.This means you will lose weight more slowly.
But on the other hand, for proper functioning, our gastrointestinal tract needs fiber (fibrous carbohydrates).Often, when vegetables (fiber) are completely eliminated from the diet, problems such as constipation can occur.Therefore, in order not to harm yourself, you should still eat vegetables.Just choose green vegetables, such as cucumbers or lettuce.
diets
The basis of the diet are fats and proteins.There are no carbohydrates, an exception can be made only for green vegetables in the amount of 20-50 g per day.
If you're 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 proteins and increase fats in a ratio of 1/3 protein + 2/3 fat.This is done so that the body, which has not yet turned into fats, does not start using muscle proteins as an energy source.
It's a misconception that calorie intake isn't 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 expends.However, following a keto diet in many cases is much simpler than, for example, counting calorie intake - it is enough to exclude foods containing carbohydrates and build a diet mainly with meat.
Basic rules
- Don't neglect fats.If you restrict your carbohydrate intake, you must provide an alternative fuel source, ie fat.Basically, you can eat all fats, such as fried chicken, fatty fish, steaks, whole or scrambled eggs, cheese, etc.But it is better to try to eat good fats, which are found in oil (olive, sunflower, flaxseed, walnut, 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 comes off quite quickly, but this is mainly due to water and not fat.The latter burns more slowly, so be patient not to give up halfway through.
Sample menu
- BREAKFAST- 2 eggs fried in vegetable oil, 30 g of cheese, 4 strips of ham or breast.Coffee with thick cream.
- lunches- large green salad (lettuce, cucumber, celery), dressed with 1 tbsp.l.full fat mayonnaise, 180 g fried chicken breast, 30 g cheese.Water or other sugar-free drinks.
- Dinner- 180 g of steak, grilled or fried, mushrooms cooked in butter, broccoli.Water or other sugar-free drinks.Coffee with thick cream.