What is the keto diet and how to follow it correctly?

With long-term abstinence from sweets and other sweets, weight begins to decrease.Therefore, by removing these foods from the diet, it is safe to say that we are using a lighter version of the keto diet.Nowadays, this nutrition program is becoming more and more popular.

Operating principle

This can be explained by the fact that during fat burning, calorie intake is not lost, as a result of which muscle mass and a good metabolic rate are preserved.

The principle of this dietary nutrition is as follows: so-called ketone bodies appear in the body during the process of lipolysis (the entry of excess fat into the blood).In the future, the body uses these fats as energy.

Ketone bodies appear in the liver with limited glucose intake.This phenomenon is the reason for reduced carbohydrate consumption (no more than 100 grams per day is allowed).

If we do not consider the fact that proteins and fats do not play a big role in the formation of ketone bodies, they can generally increase the calorie content of the menu.It's important to remember that all diets are in a calorie deficit, so when on a keto diet, you need to maintain your levels of carbohydrates and other nutritional components.

By creating the conditions for a calorie deficit (mainly due to carbohydrates), the fat burning process takes place.

The principles of the keto diet are simple:

1. A few days in advance, you need to calculate the energy value of the regular menu using a calorie calculator.Thanks to the calculation, you can find out the average daily calorie intake.From the beginning of following the diet, you need to reduce the calculated number of calories by 500-700.
2. It is important to remove alcoholic beverages from the diet as they are of no use.
3. Foods containing carbohydrates should be removed.Vegetables are a source of carbohydrates because the fiber in these products is a complex carbohydrate.That's why vegetables are forbidden.A maximum of 200 g of green vegetables per day is allowed.It can be greens or salad.
4. Protein foods should be the main source of nutrition.
5. Consumption of vegetable fats is allowed.
6. The menu may include eggs, butter, nuts, fish and meat.Controlling your calorie intake is very important.

Diet and exercise should be combined.Since the keto diet is one of those diets that does not reduce the amount of muscle tissue, but only fat, it becomes immediately obvious that after a while the body will become more and more prominent.To make it more attractive, it is important to train on sports equipment, which speeds up the fat processing process.

People who have not done vigorous exercise before can eat up to 40 grams of pure carbohydrates on a ketogenic diet.

Efficiency

Taking into account that the daily calorie intake is reduced by about 15%, switching to this diet allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of accumulated fat.After a week of dieting, you can lose up to 3 kg without feeling hungry.

The nutritional program does not slow down metabolic processes, as it does not have a burdensome effect on the body.Therefore, the weight lost does not return even if one switches to the same diet, including carbohydrates.

Based on the experience of many people, it can be said that in 3 weeks following the keto diet you can achieve some size reduction and lasting results.If in the future a person adheres to proper nutrition and consumes carbohydrates in normal amounts, weight loss will continue as usual.

The difference between the keto diet and simple low-carb diets is its long-term and systematic nature.In the first week, the body gets used to the changes and eats from reserves.In the second week, the process of burning subcutaneous fat begins.

The body prepares for ketosis in 4 stages:

1. Absolute glucose consumption.During the first half of the day after the last meal, the body uses up the glucose that came from carbohydrates.
2. A complete waste of glycogen.Within 12 hours, the body processes the entire amount of glucose, and then the body takes glycogen from the muscle and liver reserves.This stage lasts about 1-2 days.
3. Waste of protein and fat.This stage is the most difficult, because after using up all carbohydrate reserves, the body switches to processing fatty acids and producing the necessary amount of protein and glucose.During this stage, the body uses protein as an energy source.
4. Fat consumption.This process is observed around day 7 of the keto diet.The body gets used to the lack of carbohydrates and ketosis begins.The process of breaking down your own and food proteins slows down, and fat becomes the main source.

Menu for the week

Next, it is important to familiarize yourself with the weekly menu.

For breakfast, you can eat the following dishes:

• scrambled eggs from 3 eggs (180 g - 264 kcal);
• a serving of protein shake (30 g – 121 kcal);
• toast with cheese (50 g - 197 kcal);

The following foods are allowed for lunch:

• cooked dark rice (88 kcal / 30 g);
• boiled or fried chicken breast in olive oil (170 g - 276 kcal);
• hard cheese (30 g - 109 kcal);

For afternoon tea you can eat:

• almonds (30 g - 121 kcal);
• protein shake (per portion – 134 kcal);

Allowed for dinner:

• salmon (130 g - 256 kcal);
• dark rice (30 g – 88 kcal);
• salad (30 g);

For the second dinner:

• cottage cheese (100 g);
• casein (30 g);

Such a nutrition program allows you to eat 1938 kcal per day.With such products, the body receives 211 grams of protein, 90 grams of fat and 81 grams of carbohydrates.This menu should not be considered a strict diet that cannot be disturbed or modified.This is a sample menu that shows how much protein, fat and calories you should include in your daily diet.

List of permitted and prohibited products

The following foods are allowed on the keto diet:

• fish (including fatty types);
• any meat;
• cheese;
• cottage cheese (it is advisable to give preference to low-fat);
• nuts;
• egg;
• vegetables (not all);
• dairy products.

It is worth clarifying about vegetables.They contain some carbohydrates, so it is important to control the total amount of calories (the amount consumed at one time should not exceed 40 grams).

Regarding meat and dairy products, it is important to say that these products can be consumed in any quantity.Among the meats, it is optimal to give preference to chicken or turkey.Among dairy products, the most useful are low-fat milk, kefir and yogurt without additives.Among the fish, it is better to eat herring and salmon.

When following the keto diet, the following prohibited foods:

• baked goods and sweets;
• bananas and sweet grapes;
• sugar beet;
• carrot;
• potato;
• cereals;
• pasta;
• sugar.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits of the diet:

1. The most significant advantage of this diet is rapid fat burning.This is especially important for athletes, as with other diets, muscle mass is lost along with fat.If the level of muscle mass decreases, your metabolism also slows down.
2. This diet can also be followed by those who do not exercise.With this diet, the feeling of hunger does not appear, and the calories do not disappear either.We can say that the reduced amount of carbohydrates is replaced by fats.But it is worth noting that the calorie content should not exceed the limits.In this regard, the consumption of fats and proteins should be controlled.
3. Another benefit of the diet is appetite control.With this diet, the feeling of hunger disappears, since protein and fatty foods prevent hunger and weight loss at the same time.The bottom line is that the weight doesn't come back after the diet is over.

Disadvantages of the diet:

1. Since only protein-containing foods are consumed on the menu, negative effects such as bloating, constipation, and heartburn can be observed.This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that the foods allowed during the diet do not contain fiber (this can be found in bread, vegetables, potatoes, fruits).Cabbage, apples and sour grapes should be eaten in very small quantities to avoid digestive disturbances.
2. It is difficult to define what a lack of glucose means.Each person's body reacts differently to the lack of this element.Therefore, weakness and malaise may occur in the first week.For the results to be visible, it should last for at least 3 weeks.

Contraindications

You cannot follow the diet in the following cases:

1. Diabetes, pathologies of the kidneys, digestive system and intestines.
2. Work related to mental stress (lack of glucose affects the quality of work).
3. Vigorous physical activity.

Reviews

• Review 1: "For me, the diet turned out to be simple and very effective. I ate almost only vegetables and fruits. In the first days, it was difficult to switch to a different diet; I felt weak and wanted to sleep. However, over time, my body adapted and it was easy to eat differently. I do sports, so I lost 5 kg in about a month, even after the diet.
• No. 2review: "You can't stay on such a diet for long, because the lack of glucose causes stress. But I took vitamins that support the immune system and drank herbal tea to calm down. I managed to lose weight and get in shape in a short time. I think I'll switch to the keto diet from time to time."
• No. 3review: "I followed this diet for fun. Almost without changing my diet, I managed to lose weight and kick-start my metabolism. By reducing the amount of carbohydrates I ate, I entered a state of ketosis. The body was full, there was no feeling of hunger, and I lost 7 kg in a month. I think this is an excellent result, and to this day I control the entry of carbohydrates into the body."