By: XUBI STAFF
Chances are, unless you’ve been living on
Mars, you have most likely heard of someone, somewhere talking about the ketogenic
or KETO diet. And unless you’ve eagerly
jumped aboard the KETO Train, perhaps you are like so many others that think it’s
just another fad diet. Rest assured, the
KETO diet is not a fad diet. As a matter
of fact, it has been around for nearly a century, but only in recent years has
the KETO diet garnered significant popularity.
Better understanding the KETO diet will help you
decide if this is the right approach to meet your dietary needs. It should be
noted that the KETO diet is not a “weight loss” diet designed to help you lose weight
for a special event before going back to your normal eating habits. Instead, KETO is a diet that you can follow
for the rest of your life because it permits you to consume the macronutrients;
Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates, but in a slightly different manner than most
people are commonly accustomed to.
What is the KETO Diet?
The science behind the ketogenic diet is
based on the approach of putting the human body into a state of KETOSIS. According
to research, ketosis
is a metabolic state characterized by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the
blood or urine. Physiologic ketosis is a normal response to low glucose
availability, such as low-carbohydrate diets or fasting, that provides an additional
energy source for the brain in the form of ketones.
In Lehman’s terms, you put your body
into a state of ketosis by eating a high fat, low-carb diet and in turn, your
body begins burning fat at a faster rate to provide it with energy. This means that your body no longer relies on
the carbohydrates which you consume from breads, pasta, sugars, etc. for
glucose to provide your body with the energy it needs for survival.
NOTE: ALL macronutrients increase
insulin! While it is true that carbs are
notorious for increasing insulin, from which body fat is stored, so too does
protein and fat. It’s just that protein
and fat do not raise insulin levels as much as carbohydrates.
It may seem counter-intuitive to eat fat
in order to lose fat, however, by switching to healthy fats along with
proteins and lower carbs, your body is forced to tap the fat reserves to
provide you with enough energy for the day. This process begins when the liver turns the
body fat along with the fat that you consume into ketones. Ketones are an
alternative source of energy that burns away the excess weight. This means that
you start burning body fat at a higher rate, a rate that can be accelerated
further with the right amount of exercise.
Benefits:
There are several benefits to the KETO
diet, starting with the fact that unlike glucose, which can be stored as fat in
the body, ketones cannot. Because ketones are digested differently compared to
sources of glucose, they are removed from the body. There are other notable
benefits to the KETO diet beyond those of fat loss.
·
Reduces
risk of Chronic Disease
·
Reduces
appetite
·
Reduces
cravings for food
·
Mental
clarity and sharpness
·
Reduces
inflammation
·
Provides
abundant energy
·
Improves
fat burning
How Do I Get Started on
the KETO Diet?
To start the KETO diet, the first step
is to look at EVERYTHING you eat and drink on a daily basis --- yes, that also
means the things you put into your coffee. This is an important step to identifying
all the macronutrients you consume daily. More specifically, the sources from which you receive
your carbohydrates --- read every label so there are no surprises. Understanding what you are currently consuming
will help you tremendously when you begin designing your KETO diet plan.
NOTE: While it may appear that you are rapidly
losing weight at the onset of the KETO diet, much of this weight is most likely
the result of drastically lowering your carb intake; carbs hold water*, fewer
carbs – less water, better scale reading.
However, your body will adapt, and the rapid weight loss will eventually
slow to a crawl. This does not mean that
KETO is not working for you.
* 1 gram of carbs
holds approx. 3 g of water, so, if you were to consume 50 grams of carbs (1
average-sized muffin), then your body would hold onto about 150 grams or .11
pounds of water.
Healthy Fats:
The keywords here are “healthy fats”.
This means that you’ll want to steer clear of highly processed fats; refined vegetable
oils, processed meats and foods, especially snack foods that are are generally
high in disease-causing, artery-clogging trans fats. Focus on ingredients and foods that
contain unsaturated fat such as avocados, butter (real), coconut oil, extra virgin olive
oil, nuts & seeds and fatty fish.
These types of fats will help provide you with the energy needed along
with satisfying your hunger.
Proteins:
While protein is a major component of
every cell in your body; responsible for muscle repair and growth, healthy
hair, skin and nails as well as the creator of hormones and enzymes, too much
of a good thing can prevent your body from going into a state of ketosis. This happens when excess amounts of proteins
get turned into glucose which is not something you want to happen. If you are
exercising, particularly if you are engaged in weight training or resistance
workouts, then you’ll want enough proteins to rebuild the muscle tissues.
Otherwise, you’ll want to keep the protein amount in check.
Carbohydrates:
It is not recommended that you totally
eliminate carbs, but you will certainly need to reduce them to a manageable
amount. NOTE: dietary fiber is often
counted as a carb, but they are not the type of carbs that you should be
concerned with because dietary fiber is not digested, so it does not count
towards the carbs that are consumed.
KETO Approach:
When perusing the Internet for
information on the KETO diet you will find many different variations. The following are four main types of KETO; in
no particular order.
Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)
Macronutrient Ratio: 75% FAT,15-20% PROTEIN,
5-10% CARBS
The standard ketogenic diet is perhaps the most common
version of the four KETO diets discussed herein. Many consider it the best for
choice those beginning a KETO regimen, those desiring to reduce body fat, and
those with insulin resistance.
Macronutrient
Ratio: 65-70% FAT, 20% PROTEIN, 10-15% CARBS
The targeted ketogenic diet essentially targets your carbohydrate
consumption. More specifically, the
consumption of carbs is targeted around intense exercise. The reason this is so
beneficial for persons who enjoy an exercise regimen as well as a KETO diet is
because the addition of carbs is beneficial for fueling muscles with enhanced
by glucose availability during exercise thereby maintaining exercise
performance.
Macronutrient
Ratio: ‘Cycle In’ 75% FAT, 15-20% PROTEIN, 5-10% CARBS
Macronutrient
Ratio: ‘Cycle Out’ 25% FAT, 25% PROTEIN and 50% CARBS
Keto cycling is a manner
in which you could ‘cycle in’ and ‘cycle out’ of ketosis. While less common
then other methods, it does allow you to enjoy a more traditional diet when you
cycle out of KETO. This is particularly
helpful for those celebrating special occasions such as holidays and birthdays,
or when on vacation. One approach is to cycle in for five days and two-cycle
off for two days per week.
Macronutrient
Ratio: 60-65% FAT, 30% PROTEIN, 5-10% CARB
This is a popular method amongst
bodybuilders, weightlifters, or those who need more protein in their diet. There is a
misconception about the keto diet that eating too much protein can put you out
of ketosis because of gluconeogenesis (GNG) and for that reason many
people in need of additional protein will not choose the HPKD method. While it is true that through the process of
gluconeogenesis glucose is manufactured via protein (and fat), gluconeogenesis
does not work at the same rate as carbohydrate metabolism (making glucose from
carbs).
Supplements:
A
good supplement aids with filling in nutritional gaps, and the same holds true
for KETO supplements because they tend to provide a smoother transition when
you’re moving from a traditional diet to a low-carb, high-fat KETO lifestyle.
KETO supplements such as exogenous
ketones will help put you in a state of ketosis. Here are other areas supplements may help.
·
Avoiding symptoms like fatigue, brain fog,
headaches and constipation.
·
Accelerate the process of how
quickly you cycle into ketosis and begin making ketones.
·
Decrease the chances you’ll experience
nutrient deficiencies, such as an electrolyte imbalance, or dehydration.
Tracking Macronutrients
(Macros):
Unlike the common, tedious dieting
practice of ‘calorie counting’, tracking your macros is considerably easier
since you already know precisely what percentage of Fats, Proteins and
Carbohydrates you will consuming daily.
For example, if you are on the SKD and you are to consume no more than
30 grams of net carbs per day, then you can predetermine exactly what item or
items you will eat in a given day to equal 30 grams.
Potential Issues:
Keep in mind that while the KETO diet has
been shown to work effectively for many people, that does not mean that the
KETO diet is an eating plan for everyone.
There are a couple of side effects to the diet that you should be aware
of when starting this eating pattern.
Fatigue:
Carbohydrates provide energy and when you cut the carbs to a great degree,
going into ketosis may still not provide what you need to get through the day.
This is a common side effect for those who jump into the KETO diet right away.
While your body may enter a state of ketosis, the fat may not be enough to
properly fuel your body’s needs. It is
recommended that you start the KETO diet by identifying and slowly switching
away from the carbs. This means that you should cut down and cut out “fast”
carbs first.
Here’s a brief list of some items considered fast carbs.
§ Sugar-sweetened beverages including fruit juices
§ Candy
§ Short-grain white rice
§ White bread
§ Breakfast cereals
§ Potatoes
§ Dried fruits
To help avoid fatigue when you start the
KETO diet, consider adding some slow-burning carbs to provide the energy your
body needs while reducing the number of fast carbs. Slow-burning carbs such as
oatmeal, for example, provide plenty of energy while being slow to turn into
fat. Once you have been on the diet for a while, you can begin cutting down on
the slow carbs as your body adjusts.
Digestive Issues: Eating a lot of the
wrong foods (i.e. meats) may clog up your digestive tract. This is why you
should maintain a healthy intake of fiber in the diet. You can add fiber from
natural sources or use supplements to ensure that your digestive system stays
sound. Fruits and vegetables have plenty
of fiber along with beans and legumes which are excellent sources of protein.
Be sure to do your research before adding fiber to your diet, as too much may
become just as big a problem as too few.
In Conclusion:
The KETO diet is most certainly a
lifestyle change and that should be understood before beginning. Carbohydrates are part of everyday life for
most individuals. From breakfast cereals,
muffins and sweetened beverages and throughout the entire day, carbs are
seemingly a necessity for survival. That
is simply not so. Research shows that
people who make the transformation to a low-carb, high-fat diet can unquestionably
enjoy a better quality of life.
So, if you are looking for a proven diet program that
does not leave you hungry and wanting more food, then the KETO diet may be for
you. It is based on solid science and nutrition, offering what your body needs
while limiting the carbs and sugars that it does not. For those who have tried
other diets and failed, the KETO diet may be just perfect for your needs.
Learn the steps that transformed an out-of-shape, 49-year old heart attack sufferer into a Body-for-LIFE National Transformation Champion
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