The ketogenic (ketone) diet is a diet in which only low carbohydrate foods, protein in moderation, and lots of fatty foods are present.
Losing weight with this method is optimal for those who are seriously into sports, but even if a person just wants to shed extra pounds, it will help to avoid weakness, listlessness and drowsiness.
Interestingly, such a diet is allowed even with diagnosed type 2 diabetes, although this disease is a contraindication to any other limited menu.
The essence of the ketogenic diet: the body reaches a state called ketosis, whose evolutionary meaning is to survive in conditions of carbohydrate deficiency. For those who are losing weight, this is an opportunity to reduce body fat, dry off, and find a beautiful relief body.
Basic principles of the diet.
The diet got its name from ketone bodies, 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, since very few carbohydrates enter the body with food.
The basic principle of the ketogenic diet is to create a calorie deficit by limiting or excluding carbohydrate foods from the menu. Proteins and fats will partially replace the energy source, but obviously they will not be sufficient for the normal and stable life of the whole organism, so the fat stores will be used.
The difference between the keto diet and other weight loss diets is that the menu contains a lot of fats, and not animals, but vegetables, which are present in foods enriched with polyunsaturated acids.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Keto diet
The type of dietary food considered has the following advantages:
- weight loss occurs quickly and efficiently: it is not liquid that leaves the body, but fat after splitting;
- by getting rid of fat accumulations, 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;
- there is no need to keep counting calories.
The ketogenic diet is not unique, and therefore has some disadvantages:
- it cannot be observed for a long time, since excessive intake of proteins and fats in the body against the background of a practical 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 alterations in the functioning of the intestines and the immune system;
- a lack of carbohydrates negatively affects a person's mental abilities, therefore the ketogenic diet is not recommended for those people who, due to the nature of the profession, are forced to do constant and intense mental work.
Also, while following the ketogenic diet, a person who loses weight may experience increased drowsiness, rapid fatigue, listlessness; in this state, work activity can also "sink. "
Contraindications
Actually, there are quite a few of them:
- 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);
- twisting or curvature of the gallbladder, stones in it, blocked bile ducts;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- inadequate response of the body to animal protein.
The author of the weight loss method himself recommends that you be examined by a therapist or consult your GP before following the ketogenic diet. Perhaps, hidden pathologies develop in the body, which can become a contraindication to such weight loss.
Black and White List Products
Yes, carbohydrates should be completely excluded from the diet of those who are losing weight, but in order not to look for information about the composition of a particular dish before each meal, it is worth remembering only two lists.
The white list allowed its use throughout the weight loss period on the ketogenic diet:
- Any meat, including pork, but low in butter / fat;
- chicken and quail eggs;
- fatty fish (salmon, tuna, salmon, herring and others) and all shellfish;
- whole milk, but with a small percentage of fat content - maximum 1, 5%;
- any dried fruit, including hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds;
- oranges and green apples, rarely grapefruits;
- 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 flavorings or colors.
In principle, such an extensive 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 cereals;
- chocolate and bananas;
- cakes (buttery and not) and grapes;
- bread and sugar.
When composing a menu for weight loss, you need to take into account one caveat: you can consume carbohydrates per day, but not more than 50 g.
Adaptation of men and women to a new diet
A distinctive feature of the ketogenic 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 that have been entered before losing weight to obtain the amount of energy required.
The most difficult days are considered 3 - 5: there are no longer carbohydrate stores, so the processing of proteins into glucose begins. Since the body has not yet adapted, it can begin to take protein from muscle tissue, as a result of which weight loss will experience muscle weakness and even pain.
The entire ketogenic diet has a maximum duration of 3 weeks and the most difficult thing is to endure the first 7 days, because already on the 8th day the body's functionality will be fully restored, the fat burning process will begin.
Sample menu for one week.
Since a fairly diverse menu can be made from the allowed products, it is worth studying an example for at least a day:
- morning - an omelette with three chicken eggs with cream or scrambled eggs + 2 toasts with cheese + ½ grapefruit + tea without sugar;
- lunch: boiled chicken breast with arugula or Caesar salad without croutons and sauce + coffee without sugar;
- night - baked trout with onion or fennel fruits + mineral water.
In snacks between main meals on a ketogenic diet, you can use nuts, cottage cheese, kefir, plain yogurt.
ketogenic diet recipes
You can prepare delicious and suitable salads:
- cooked shrimp + arugula + 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 talk about hot dishes, then the following are suitable for a ketogenic diet:
- Fish baked in foil: it can be salmon, trout or mackerel. Only dill leaves, a few lemon slices and salt with ground pepper are added.
- Roast Beef with Onions and Fennel Fruits - Everything is folded in a roasting pan / pan, poured with heavy cream, and baked in the oven or on the stovetop for an hour. It would be appropriate to serve fresh cucumbers or arugula leaves with this dish.
- You can make a casserole with cottage cheese and eggs, or make a fluffy omelette 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 mostly with sour cream on top, bake for 20-30 minutes over medium heat. And the omelette is even easier to prepare: you must beat the eggs and milk in equal quantities by volume, salt and pour into a mold. After 15 minutes in the oven, the mixture is ready for a hot meal for dinner or lunch.
Expected result
Losing weight will be "great"! According to reviews of those who have already lost weight on the ketogenic diet, in 3 full weeks it is possible to shed 7 to 12 kg. In this case, the muscles do not suffer, and the figure becomes tight and slim. The only thing that will be required to obtain such an effect is to strictly follow the rules of the considered method of losing weight and playing sports.
The ketogenic diet is considered very aggressive and difficult for the body, so it cannot be carried out without first consulting a therapist or treating physician in the presence of chronic pathologies. A course of such weight loss is carried out no more than 1 time in six months, and you need to leave the diet very carefully, adding carbohydrates to 30 g per day.
Losing weight on a carbohydrate-free (keto) diet will definitely work, but only if you take a responsible approach to preparing your body and follow the recommendations on the menu. And playing sports will help support your muscles and prevent them from getting weak and flabby.