The fats we are all so afraid of are actually not that scary.Moreover, fats can become your helpers on the way to a slim figure.A paradox?No way!The carb-free keto diet is strong evidence of this.
The keto diet, or low-carb ketogenic diet, is by no means a new trend.It was developed almost a hundred years ago to treat children with epilepsy.The diet is based on fats, which are supplemented with a moderate amount of protein and a small amount of carbohydrates.
The essence of diet
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body.Therefore, by giving up sweets and starchy foods, you can lose a few kilos.The keto diet involves not only limiting the intake of carbohydrates, but also eliminating them completely.In this case, you will have the opportunity to lose a few kilograms, or much more.
How does this work?
After ceasing to receive carbohydrates, the body restores its metabolism, making fats the main source of energy.Under these conditions, fat starts producing ketones (ketone bodies), which are a source of energy for the brain and nervous system.Hence the name diet - ketone.
We all love sweets, but it is very difficult to give them up.It is difficult for the body to understand that you give up carbohydrates of your own free will, so it begins to use up the emergency reserve in the form of fat.And we need that, because then we start actively losing weight.
For approximately 5-7 days without carbohydrates in the diet, the body adapts to this state and starts the mechanism of ketosis.Fats become the main source of energy.Even a very small amount of carbohydrates in the first few days will pull your body out of ketosis.Therefore, it is important not to fool yourself and not eat sweets, no matter how much you want to.
Side effects
It is believed that you can consume between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day on the keto diet.If this figure exceeds 100 g, then ketosis will not be possible, that is, the body will not have to completely switch to fat as an energy source.This means you will lose weight more slowly.
But on the other hand, our gastrointestinal tract needs fiber (fibrous carbohydrates) to function properly.Often, when vegetables (fiber) are completely eliminated from the diet, problems such as constipation can occur.Therefore, in order not to harm yourself, you must still eat vegetables.Just choose green vegetables, such as cucumbers or lettuce.
Diet
The basis of nutrition are fats and proteins.There are no carbohydrates, an exception can be made only for green vegetables in the amount of 20-50 g per day.
If you are new to the keto diet, know that in the beginning, while your body is learning to use fat for energy, it makes sense to use more protein and less fat (40% to 60%).But from the second week we burn proteins and increase fats to a ratio of 1/3 protein + 2/3 fat.This is done so that the body, which has not yet turned into fat, does not start using muscle proteins as an energy source.
It's a misconception that calorie intake doesn't matter when following a keto diet.As with all things, burning fat requires a negative energy balance, and you must consume fewer calories than your body uses.However, following a keto diet in many cases is much simpler than, for example, counting calories - it is enough to exclude foods containing carbohydrates and build a diet mainly on meat.
Basic rules
- Don't ignore fats.If you limit your carbohydrate intake, you must provide an alternative fuel source, ie.fats.Basically, you can eat any fat, such as fried chicken, fatty fish, steaks, whole or scrambled eggs, cheese, and so on.But it is better to try to eat good fats, found in oil (olive, sunflower, linseed, walnuts, sesame, corn), seeds, avocado, olives;
- choose the right alcohol.One of the many benefits of the keto diet is that you can drink alcohol (in moderation, of course).Choose drinks that contain minimal amounts of sugar, such as rum, whiskey, brandy;
- drink enough water.A rule that must be followed without question.Dehydration of the body leads to extremely negative consequences, so always carry a bottle of water with you;
- be patient.At first, the weight comes off fairly quickly, but this is mostly due to water, not fat.The latter burns more slowly, so be patient so you don't give up halfway through.
Sample menu
- Breakfast- 2 eggs fried in vegetable oil, 30 g of cheese, 4 strips of bacon or brisket.Coffee with heavy cream.
- Lunch- large green salad (lettuce, cucumber, celery), seasoned with 1 tbsp.l.full-fat mayonnaise, 180 g of fried chicken breast, 30 g of cheese.Water or other unsweetened drink.
- Dinner— 180 g steak, grilled or fried, mushrooms stewed with butter, broccoli.Water or other unsweetened drink.Coffee with heavy cream.