Ketogenic diets have recently really started to intrigue me. They’re known to have some fantastic weight-loss & health benefits & challenge people (including me) to change their way of thinking.
So what exactly is a ketogenic diet?
A ketogenic diet is when you change your lifestyle to consuming a low carbohydrate, high fat (good quality), & moderate protein type of food or eating style.
You are essentially consuming deficient amounts of carbohydrate & teaching your body to burn fat for fuel, rather than carbs. You’re making your body into a fat burning machine.
When most people think of a low carb diet, they think of a high protein diet. With the ketogenic diet that is not the case.
It’s not a high protein diet; it’s high fat (good quality), low carb, & moderate amount of protein diet. Some people who involved in building muscles while on Keto Diet should probably consume more protein due to created muscle demand.
Also, there are few supplements such as BHB salts (exogenous ketones) that can help you to get into ketosis faster.
Many supplement companies came to solve the issue of getting into ketosis faster. One of such company is Perfect Keto gained lots of attention, lately. You can get a full review here.
So, if you have some excess body fat you want to get rid of, switching to this type of diet & way of eating may help by causing you to burn your body fat as fuel, rather than sugar from carbs.
The body adapts to burning the fat when there are hardly any carbs, thus often resulting in fat-loss.
Besides possible weight-loss benefits (your body goes into ketosis – which I’ll explain below) there are also said to be many health benefits of a keto diet.
Some doctors are reportedly using ketogenic diets to help manage diabetes, eliminate some gluten allergies, & in epilepsy & some cancer treatments.
I’m not trying to convince anyone that they need to eat this way, just merely telling you about this way of eating. After all, I genuinely think we are entirely different & have different ways of eating that work best for each of us & our bodies. You need to do what’s healthy & right for you.
Ketogenic diets are noted for their ability to help people lose excess body weight & fat; it helps in building a more muscular physique, & to regain health.
I’ve seen so much literature on how this way of eating makes people feel more satiated (due to the high-fat consumption), more energetic, & just better overall. That being said, I’m sure it’s not this way for EVERYONE.
I think it’s individual, & as I said before, you need to choose the eating style that your body is healthiest & thrives on & one you can maintain.
Ok, so all that being said, ketosis is the central part of the ketogenic diet.
What exactly is ketosis?
Ketosis is when your body forms ketones when there isn’t any glycogen (fuel from carbs) stored in your liver (from eating a low carb diet). The ketones are an alternate energy source that your body will then use for fuel & energy. Ketones are small carbon fragments created from the breakdown of fat stores, which are produced in the liver, from fatty acids.
When your body is in ketosis, it switches from being a carbohydrate burner to being a fat burner. Your body’s fat stores become the primary fuel & energy source, thus often resulting in weight-loss.
To be in ketosis, you must have a low carb intake, high fat, & moderate protein for the body to burn fat rather than carbs. If you eat too many carbs, then you won’t be in ketosis & will burn the carbs for fuel instead.
Isn’t eating so much fat bad for you?
I know a lot of people are afraid of eating fat foods & I admit, when first hearing about this type of diet I was a bit skeptical on how this could be good for you.
That being said, after doing more research on the subject I am very intrigued & fascinated on how consuming fat can even be healthier for you (while on a low carb regimen).
Keep in mind though that you need to keep the carb consumption low while eating more high-quality fats since that’s what makes the body burn it, rather than store it.
Many people claim to feel better eating a good quality higher fat diet.
Some of the positives that I’ve read are that people have lowered their triglycerides, increased their good cholesterol (LDL), high blood sugar, & don’t feel as hungry.
Is a ketogenic diet right for you?
That’s something that only you & your doctor can decide. Like I said above, I think everyone has a specific eating style that works best for them & their body.
Some people claim to feel great on a vegan diet, some on a high protein, others on high fat… it’s all individual & everyone is different.
If you have medical issues, I would seriously advise talking any diet changes over with your doctor first & make sure you do something that you’ve investigated & think is reasonable for you.
To achieve overall, lasting health is a lifestyle change – not just a quick-fix fad diet.
