JORGE RODRIGUES SIMAO

A keto diet for beginners

THE KETOGENIC DIET

The ketogenic diet is a special diet that helps the body to burn off fat rapidly. The ketogenic diet helps the body achieve full performance, good health, mental health and weight loss. It is a diet with much-reduced carbohydrates which turns the body into a mechanism that burns off fat. The ketogenic diet, which is also called a keto diet is planned strategically to result in ketosis. Ketosis occurs naturally in the body to aid survival when the intake of food is short. Ketones, which are little bodily fuel molecules are produced in the process of ketosis, as a substitute for the low supply of glucose (blood sugar). Ketones are created from the fat breakdown, in the liver.

The objective of a well-sustained ketogenic diet is to compel your body into a carbohydrate-starved condition and NOT a calorie-starved condition. In a simpler explanation, our bodies become accustomed to whatever we feed it with.

So the idea is to substitute the carbohydrates with more fats, which in turn releases ketones as the principal source of energy. The ketogenic diet is a much-reduced carb diet strategically designed to lower the body's insulin levels, hereby turning the body into a fat burning machine. The Ketogenic diet was initially aimed at controlling and treating epileptic patients in the early 1900s by some medical researchers. The Ketogenic diet (keto diet) induces an alternative source of energy and fuel for the body, getting from ketones in the blood and not from glucose; the process of burning this alternative energy source from ketones as bodily fuel instead of glucose is known as ketosis.

When you are on a ketogenic diet plan, you are intentionally increasing your blood ketone levels until a definite peak is reached in your body which translates to a state of ketosis. This body condition causes very quick and steady weight loss until body weight becomes stable and healthy. Ketosis happens when fat is broken down by the liver into glycerol and fatty acids, a process is known as beta-oxidation.

Invariably, following a strict ketogenic diet routine ensures and compels your body into becoming a fat burning machine running on high fat generated energy known as ketones instead of glucose.

Understanding The Ketogenic Diet

The regular ketogenic diet strategy emphasizes eating 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs. For some people, a modified ketogenic diet strategy still helps to induce rapid weight loss in a safe and less drastic way. Few people may not be able to handle the drastic reduction of their carbs calorie intake to 5%, and that should not make them rule out the ketogenic diet completely. A revised ketogenic diet option can be followed. Ketogenic diet specialists advise that children on a strict keto diet should be strongly supervised, including persons with existing diabetes or high blood pressure conditions or those who are on medical prescriptions. An adult who is physically fit and healthy can follow a strict ketogenic diet plan without much supervision; hence they are sensitive to strange warning signals of harmful side effects resulting from the diet, like brain fog and so much tiredness that exceeds 5-7 days. Basically, the ketogenic diet helps to rid the body of sugar and carbohydrate saturated foods, and in turn enhancing the body's ability to burn fat rapidly.

The Keto diet eliminates glucose gotten from high carbohydrate diets that we eat. Naturally, the body runs on glucose is also known as sugar as a source of energy, and since glucose can't be produced in the body (it is accumulated in the liver and muscle tissue for a 24 hour period, after being gotten from food sources), the body starts to run on accumulated body fat instead. The ketogenic diet eliminates the presence of glucose, resulting in the switch of energy sources by the body, hence the fat burning miracle!

Advantages of the Ketogenic Diet

The advantages of keto diets are plentiful, from therapeutic medical use, heightened energy to rapid weight loss. The keto diet drops your insulin levels, burns your body fat as a source of energy, which causes drastic loss of weight. The kind of foods eaten on the keto diet reduces your blood sugar level naturally, thereby proving to be a more efficient way to controlling and avoiding diabetes when judged against diets that have reduced-calorie. Concentration and focus can be improved upon. Reduced-carbohydrate eating results in the lowering of blood sugar; ketones are produced in the body which supplies brain fuel. Jointly, this results in a better mental focus.  For an improved energy & sustained satisfaction. The body burns fat molecules as fuel for energy, when on the keto diet. This energy is effective, reliable and sustained; leaving you feeling more energized and satisfied each day.

The ketogenic diet can also be used for the treatment of epileptic patients. It is used to control epileptic seizures in children and adults. Research shows noteworthy outcomes in epileptic patients treated with the keto diet. The keto diet improves your skin texture and health. Acne is controlled and prevented by the keto diet.

The ketogenic diet changes your metabolism translates your body into ketosis and makes you into a fat burning machine from a sugar burning one. This spells a major and important change for your body's system, which means you are most likely bound to experience some indications, known as the keto flu. The symptoms of the keto flu may include some or all of the following.

1) Temporary bad breath

2) Temporary loss of libido

3) Mood swings

4) Workout weakness

5) Digestive conditions, such as constipation

6) Sleeplessness, and

7) Tiredness.

Luckily, not everyone is susceptible to these indications or side effects and most times, the side effects don't last beyond 7-14 days. Naturally, the indications, side effects and symptoms fade away as your body adapts to the new ketosis state.

Keto Diet Meal Guide

The stricter you become on the keto diet, the faster the results (entering into ketosis) will be. Your intake of carbohydrates on a daily basis should be lesser than 15g. Your intake of carbohydrates should come mainly from dairy, nuts and veggies. The more you become a keto diet devout, the quicker your transformation into ketosis. Make sure you don't eat beyond 15g of carbohydrates every day. Your carbs should come from dairy, nuts and veggies.

The entire ketogenic diet plan is hinged on how well you can dutifully eat right (ketogenically).

Meals You Can Eat

Seeds & Nuts: Walnuts, sunflower seeds, macadamias, etc.

Vegetables (above the ground): cauliflower, broccoli, etc.

Berries & Avocado: blackberries, raspberries, etc

Fats: saturated fats, high-fat salad dressing, coconut oil, etc.

Sweeteners: monk fruit, erythritol, stevia, etc.

Leafy Greens: kale, spinach, etc.

High Fat Dairy: butter, high fat cream, hard cheese, etc.

Meats: eggs, poultry, lamb, beef, pork, fish, etc.

Meals You Cannot Eat

Grains: cereals, rice, corn, wheat, etc.

Fruit: oranges, banana, apples, etc.

Sugar: maple syrup, agave, honey, etc.

Refined Carbs: wheat, cereals, pasta, bread, etc.

Tubers: yams, potato, etc.

Starch: legumes, beans, potatoes, etc.

The ketogenic diet is a diet that has very reduced carbohydrates, restrained protein and high fat. Your diet on a daily basis should be like this 5 percent carbs, 25 percent proteins and 70 percent fats.