The keto (ketone) diet is a diet in which only low-carb foods are present, protein in moderation, and lots of fatty foods.
Losing weight by this method is optimal for people who are serious about sports, but even if a person just wants to get rid of extra pounds, it will help him to avoid weakness, listlessness and drowsiness.
Interestingly, such a diet is allowed 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 achieves a state called ketosis, the evolutionary meaning of which is to survive in conditions of carbohydrate deficiency. For those who lose weight, it is a chance to reduce body fat, dry out and regain a beautiful, relieved body.
Basic principles of diet
The diet takes its name from the ketones, 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, because too little carbohydrate enters the body with food.
The basic principle of the keto diet is to create a calorie deficit by limiting or excluding high-carb foods from the menu. Proteins and fats will partly replace the source of energy, but they will obviously not be sufficient for the normal and stable life of the whole organism, therefore fat deposits will be used up.
The difference between the keto diet and other weight loss diets is that the menu contains a lot of fats, not animal fats, but vegetable fats, which are found in foods fortified with polyunsaturated acids.
Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet
The type of dietetic food considered has the following advantages:
- weight loss occurs quickly and effectively - it is not fluid that leaves the body, but fat after separation;
- by getting rid of 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;
- no need to keep counting calories.
The keto diet is not unique and therefore has some drawbacks:
- this can not be observed for a long time, since an excessive supply of proteins and fats in the body against the background of the practically absence of carbohydrates will lead to problems in the work of internal organs and systems;
- during weight loss there is a deficiency of vitamins and fiber. What can cause disturbances in the functioning of the intestines and the immune system?
- a lack of carbohydrates negatively affects a person's mental capacities. Therefore, the keto diet is not recommended for people who, due to the nature of the profession, are forced to constantly and intensely engage in mental work.
Moreover, while following the keto diet, a person who is losing weight may experience increased drowsiness, rapid fatigue, listlessness - in this state, work activity may also "sink".
Contraindications
There are actually several:
- kidney diseases of an inflammatory, infectious nature and the presence of stones in the pelvis and calyces of this paired organ;
- problems with the functionality of the liver - for example, already progressive hepatosis (a pathological condition in which the cells of an organ are surrounded by fat cells);
- gallbladder torsion or curvature, stones in it, blocked bile ducts;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- inadequate response of the body to animal protein.
The author of The Weight Loss Method himself recommends that you get checked out by a therapist or see your family doctor before you go on the keto diet. Perhaps hidden pathologies develop in the body, which can become a contraindication for such weight loss.
White and black list products
Yes, carbohydrates should be completely excluded from the diet of those who lose weight, but in order not to search for information on the composition of a particular dish before each meal, it is worth remembering only two lists.
The whitelist allowed for use throughout the weight loss period of 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 low percentage of fat - maximum 1, 5%;
- all nuts, including hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds;
- oranges and green apples, rarely grapefruit;
- a small amount of fresh vegetables, but low in starch, that is, potatoes, corn and all legumes are excluded;
- low fat fermented dairy products with no added flavors or colors.
In principle, such a comprehensive 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 grains;
- chocolate and bananas;
- pastries (buttered and not) and raisins;
- bread and sugar.
When composing a menu for weight loss, there is one caveat to consider: you can consume carbohydrates per day, but not more than 50g.
Adaptation of men and women to a new diet
A distinctive feature of the keto diet is a fairly 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 entered into it before losing weight in order to obtain the necessary amount of energy.
The most difficult days are considered 3 to 5: there are no more carbohydrate reserves, so the transformation of protein into glucose begins. Since the body has not yet adapted, it can start to absorb protein from muscle tissue which will lead to muscle weakness and even pain for weight loss.
The whole keto diet lasts a maximum of 3 weeks, and the most difficult is to endure the first 7 days, because already on the 8th day the functionality of the body will be fully restored, the fat burning process will begin.
Sample menu for a week
Since a fairly diverse menu can be made from the permitted products, it is worth studying an example for at least a day:
- morning - an omelet of three chicken eggs with cream or scrambled eggs + 2 cheese toasts + ½ grapefruit + tea without sugar;
- lunch - boiled chicken breast with arugula or Caesar salad without croutons and sauce + coffee without sugar;
- evening - baked trout with onions or fennel fruits + mineral water.
In between-meal snacks of a keto diet, you can use nuts, cottage cheese, kefir, natural yogurt.
Keto diet recipes
You can prepare delicious and suitable salads:
- boiled shrimp + arugula + hard-boiled eggs + olive oil with a few drops of lemon;
- tomatoes + cucumbers + soft cheese (for example, Adyghe cheese) + vegetable oil;
- shrimp, mussels, octopus and squid boiled and fried in butter + sprinkle with apple cider vinegar.
If we're talking about hot food, the following are good on a keto diet:
- Baked fish in foil - this can be salmon, trout or mackerel. Only dill leaves, a few lemon slices and salt with ground pepper are added to it.
- Roast meat with onions and fennel fruit - everything is folded in a roasting pan / pan, poured with heavy cream and simmered in the oven or on the stove for an hour. Fresh cucumbers or arugula leaves should be served with this dish.
- You can make a casserole with cottage cheese and eggs, or make a soft omelet 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, bake for 20-30 minutes over medium heat. And the omelet is even easier to prepare: you have to beat the eggs and milk in equal quantities 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 "awesome"! According to the reviews of those who have already lost weight on the keto diet, in a full 3 weeks it is possible to shed 7-12 kg. In this case, the muscles do not suffer and the figure becomes tense, thin. The only thing that will be necessary to achieve such an effect is to strictly follow the rules of the intended method of losing weight and playing sports.
The keto diet is considered to be very aggressive and difficult on the body, so it cannot be done without first consulting a therapist or an attending physician in the presence of chronic conditions. Such a weight loss program is carried out only once in six months, and you need to quit the diet very carefully - adding carbohydrates at the rate of 30 g per day.
Losing weight on a no-carb (keto) diet will definitely work, but only if you take a responsible approach to preparing your body and following the menu recommendations. And playing sports will help support the muscles and prevent them from weakening, becoming flabby.