The keto (ketone) diet is a diet in which only low-carb foods, moderate protein, and lots of fatty foods are present.
Losing weight with this method is optimal for those people who are seriously involved in sports, but even if a person just wants to get rid of the extra pounds, it will help him to avoid weakness, apathy and drowsiness.
It is noteworthy that such a diet is permissible even with diagnosed type 2 diabetes, although this disease is a contraindication for any other limited menu.
The essence of the keto diet: the body reaches a state called ketosis, the evolutionary meaning of which is to survive in conditions of carbohydrate deficiency. For those who are losing weight, this is an opportunity to reduce body fat, dry out and find a nice relief body.
Basic principles of the diet
The diet got its name thanks to ketone bodies, which are formed in the human body only under certain conditions. These bodies are the result of liposis, which is the process by which fat cells enter the bloodstream. There they are actively used as a source of energy, as too few carbohydrates enter the body with food.
The basic principle of the keto diet is to create a calorie deficit by limiting or excluding carbohydrates from the menu. Proteins and fats will partially replace the energy source, but obviously they will not be sufficient for the normal and stable life of the whole organism, therefore the fat deposits will be used.
The difference between the keto diet and other weight loss diets is that the menu contains a lot of fats, and not animal, but vegetable, which are present in foods enriched with polyunsaturated acids.
Advantages and disadvantages of the keto diet
The type of diet food considered has the following advantages:
- weight loss occurs quickly and efficiently: it is not the fluid that leaves the body, but the fat after splitting;
- by eliminating accumulations of fat, a person manages to maintain the elasticity and strength of muscle tissue;
- the feeling of hunger and the desire to eat something harmful are absent, which has a positive effect on the state of the psycho-emotional background;
- there is no need to keep counting calories.
The keto diet is not unique and therefore has some drawbacks:
- can not be observed for a long time, since excessive intake of proteins and fats in the body against the background of a practically absence of carbohydrates will lead to problems in the work of internal organs and systems;
- during weight loss, there is a lack of vitamins and fiber. What can provoke disturbances in the functioning of the intestine and the immune system;
- lack of carbohydrates negatively affects a person's mental abilities, therefore, the keto diet is not recommended for those people who, due to the nature of the profession, are forced to constantly and intensively engage in mental work.
In addition, while following the keto diet, a person who is losing weight may experience increased sleepiness, rapid fatigue, apathy - in this state, even work activity can "sink".
Contraindications
There are actually quite a few:
- kidney diseases of an inflammatory and infectious nature and the presence of stones in the pelvis and calyxes of this paired organ;
- problems with liver function - for example, already progressive hepatosis (a pathological condition in which the cells of an organ are surrounded by fat cells);
- twisting or bending of the gallbladder, stones in it, blocked bile ducts;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- inadequate response of the organism to animal proteins.
The author of the weight loss method himself recommends being examined by a therapist or consult with your family doctor before following the keto diet. Perhaps hidden pathologies develop in the body, which can become a contraindication to such weight loss.
White and Black List products
Yes, carbohydrates should be completely excluded from the diet of those who are losing weight, but in order not to look for information on the composition of a particular dish before each meal, it is worth remembering only two lists.
The white list allowed for use during the entire weight loss period on the keto diet:
- any meat, including pork, but low in lard / fat;
- chicken and quail eggs;
- fatty fish (salmon, tuna, salmon, herring and others) and all seafood;
- whole milk, but with a small percentage of fat - maximum 1, 5%;
- any nuts, including hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds;
- oranges and green apples, rarely grapefruits;
- a small amount of fresh vegetables, but low in starch, that is, potatoes, corn and all legumes are excluded;
- low-fat fermented milk products with no added flavorings or dyes.
In principle, such a large list of "white" products allows you to create a completely varied and satisfying menu for every day. But you need to understand which products are strictly prohibited for use:
- potatoes and absolutely all cereals;
- chocolate and bananas;
- pastry (butter or not) and grapes;
- bread and sugar.
When composing a menu for weight loss, you need to take into account one caveat: you can consume carbohydrates per day, but not more than 50 g.
Adaptation of men and women to a new diet
A distinctive feature of the keto diet is a rather long period of adaptation of the body to a new diet. And, as a rule, it lasts at least a week for men and at least 5 days for women. The easiest adaptation days are considered 1 and 2, during which the body consumes the carbohydrates it entered before losing weight to get the required amount of energy.
The most difficult days are considered 3 - 5: there are no more carbohydrate reserves, so the transformation of proteins into glucose begins. Since the body has not yet adapted, it may begin to take protein from muscle tissue, as a result of which weight loss will experience muscle weakness and even pain.
The whole keto diet lasts a maximum of 3 weeks and the most difficult thing is to endure the first 7 days, because by the 8th day the body's functionality will be fully restored, the fat burning process will begin.
Sample menu for a week
Since from the allowed products it is possible to make a fairly diverse menu, it is worth studying an example for at least a day:
- morning - an omelette of three chicken eggs with cream or scrambled eggs + 2 cheese toast + ½ grapefruit + tea without sugar;
- lunch - boiled chicken breast with rocket or Caesar salad without croutons and sauce + coffee without sugar;
- sera - baked trout with onions or fennel + mineral water.
In the snacks between the main meals on a keto diet, you can use nuts, cottage cheese, kefir, natural yogurt.
Recipes for the ketogenic diet
You can prepare delicious and suitable salads:
- boiled shrimp + rocket + hard-boiled eggs + olive oil with a few drops of lemon;
- tomatoes + cucumbers + soft cheese (for example, Adyghe cheese) + vegetable oil;
- prawns, mussels, octopus and squid boiled and fried in butter + sprinkle with apple cider vinegar.
If we are talking about hot dishes, the following are suitable for a keto diet:
- Baked fish in foil: it can be salmon, trout or mackerel. Only dill, a few slices of lemon and salt with ground pepper are added to it.
- Roast meat with onions and fennel fruits - everything is folded into a baking dish / mold, poured with cream and stewed in the oven or on the stove for an hour. With this dish it would be appropriate to serve fresh cucumbers or rocket leaves.
- You can make a casserole with cottage cheese and eggs or make a fluffy omelette in the oven. In the first case, you need to mix 1 kg of cottage cheese with 5 eggs, put in a mold and pour over everything with fatty sour cream, cook for 20 - 30 minutes on medium heat. And the omelette is even easier to prepare: you need to beat eggs and milk in equal parts by volume, salt and pour into a mold. After 15 minutes in the oven, the mixture will be ready for a hot meal for dinner or lunch.
Expected result
Losing weight will be "great"! According to the reviews of those who have already lost weight on the keto diet, in 3 full weeks it is possible to get rid of 7 - 12 kg. In this case, the muscles do not suffer, and the figure becomes tense, slender. The only thing that will be required to achieve such an effect is to strictly follow the rules of the considered method of losing weight and playing sports.
The keto diet is considered very aggressive and difficult for the body, so it cannot be carried out without first consulting a therapist or a treating doctor in the presence of chronic diseases. A course of such weight loss is carried out no more than 1 time in six months, and it is necessary to abandon the diet very carefully, adding carbohydrates to 30 g per day.
Losing weight on a carbohydrate-free (keto) diet will definitely work, but only if you take a responsible approach to preparing your body and following the recommendations on the menu. And playing sports will help support the muscles and prevent them from weakening, becoming flabby.