Some Information On Keto

I tried so many diets, powders, supplements, starving myself and I always ended up in the same place, unhappy. I either felt like my heart was racing from whatever I was putting down my throat or I was shaky because I didn't eat enough that day or I was just miserable eating disgusting diet food. I am sure I will find some new diet to try, for right now I am on a Keto fix. I am not using Keto pills or Keto energy. I am cutting out foods and moving around (and not that much moving) and I am losing weight easily. 

WHAT IS KETO?

A keto or ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet, which turns the body into a fat-burning machine. It has many proven benefits for weight loss, health and performance, as millions of people have experienced already. Scientific studies now prove that compared to other diets, low carb or keto is more effective.

The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it makes the body produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”. This is an alternative fuel for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. Ketones are produced if you eat very few carbs (that are quickly broken down into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can also be converted to blood sugar).

Ketones are produced in the liver, from fat. They are then used as fuel throughout the body, including the brain. The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on fat directly. It can only run on glucose… or ketones.

On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run almost entirely on fat. Insulin levels become very low, and fat burning increases dramatically. It becomes easy to access your fat stores to burn them off. This is great if you’re trying to lose weight, but there are also other less obvious benefits, such as less hunger and a steady supply of energy, keeping you alert and focused.

When the body produces ketones, it’s said to be in ketosis. The fastest way to get there is by fasting – not eating anything – but nobody can fast forever. A keto diet, on the other hand, can be eaten indefinitely and also results in ketosis. It has many of the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to fast.

WHO SHOULD NOT DO A KETO DIET?

A keto diet is normally very safe, but there are three groups that often require special consideration:

       Do you take medication for diabetes, e.g. insulin?

       Do you take medication for high blood pressure?

       Do you breastfeed?

Always consult a physician before doing any kind of diet or workout. Anything in excess is bad, watch your body for signs of distress or pain. Please read my disclaimer. 

WHAT TO EAT ON KETO

Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. The numbers are net carbs per 100 grams.

To remain in ketosis, lower is generally better:

The most important thing for reaching ketosis is to avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll probably need to keep carb intake under 50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below 20 grams. The fewer carbs, the more effective.

Counting carbs can be helpful at first. Once you are used to the food you can eat, the sky is the limit. I keep a carb manager app on my phone

WHAT TO AVOID ON KETO

Here’s what you should avoid on keto – foods containing a lot of sugar and starch. This includes starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. These foods are very high in carbs.

The numbers are grams of net carbs per 100 grams, unless otherwise noted. This means that on keto you’ll basically need to avoid sugary foods completely, as well as starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. 

Furthermore, the food should primarily be high in fat, and only moderately high in protein (as excess protein can be converted to blood sugar in the body). A rough guideline is about 5% energy from carbohydrates (the fewer carbs, the more effective), 15-25% from protein, and around 75% from fat.

WHAT TO DRINK ON KETO 

So what do you drink on a keto diet? Water is the perfect drink, and coffee or tea are fine too. Ideally, use no sweeteners, especially not sugar. A small amount of milk or cream in your coffee or tea is OK. The occasional glass of wine is fine too. (I do not drink so no need to worry about those carbs).

I never live by a book, maybe it's because I am a Scorpio, I need to do my own thing all the time. I tried eating a strict Keto diet the first day and I couldn't believe the amount of bacon and butter they wanted me to consume. I have not eliminated high fat out of my diet, I just don't rely on it. Check out my A day in my Keto Life.