The Keto (ketogenic) diet is known best for cutting out carbs and increasing fat. Keto was originally created to help prevent seizures, but has since become all the rage for weight loss thanks to hollywood buzz.
WTF is this?
The basics of the keto diet are that your body uses carbs to create glucose that fuels your body. Your body will go to glucose for energy from the carbs first. When you properly follow the Keto diet you are redirecting your body to get energy from fat because there are no carbs. The body also stores water with carbs, so by getting rid of carbs you will also lose that water weight. The energy that is created from fat is called ketones, hence the name Keto.
The Perks
Of course the major perk to the keto diet is fat loss. Keto dieting puts your body in a state of Ketosis, which encourages the body to burn fat. This is why people see such amazing results on this diet. It can also help manage diabetes by controlling insulin levels. Keto can reduce the risk of heart disease and increase good cholesterol also. If those aren’t enough for you, the Keto diet might also boost your mood. All those healthy fats you’re eating can make you feel better and improve your mental state.
The Cons
As with any diet there are some cons. There is going to be an adjustment period your body will go through for about 2 weeks. You may experience things like headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Perhaps worst of all, some people get a serious case of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
The keto diet is also only meant to be for the short term of about 12 weeks. By getting rid of carbs for a long period of time, you could begin to see muscle loss, or extremely HANGRY. Your body needs some carbs or it can enter starvation mode. Besides that, with any diet, you are limited on what you can eat and what fun is that really?
How to Go Keto
Now let’s talk food! The keto diet calls for you to cut out foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes. On the other hand, the keto diet allows consuming fats. By that we mean healthy fats, so don’t reach for that bag of oreos just yet.
When it comes to animal fat try to stick to grass fed beef, chicken, and seafood. Other healthy fats include avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, and dairy. Fruits and veggies are also important to the keto diet. You will want to avoid food labels that say “low fat” as you want to eat certain fats for this type of diet.
Just a Heads Up
So before you start your Keto journey, think about your needs. As mentioned earlier, if you suffer from seizures, this diet was created for specifically that reason. If you are pregnant or have any medical condition, you may want to talk to a doctor before starting.
If you are looking to achieve faster weight loss results in a healthy way, keto might be a great option for you. Just remember that this is a short term diet and give your body time to adjust!
