Keto diet (ketone) is a diet in which only foods low in carbohydrates, protein in moderation and high in fatty foods are present.
Losing weight with this method is optimal for those people who are serious about sports, but even if a person just wants to lose weight, it will help him avoid weakness, apathy and drowsiness.
Interestingly, such a diet is allowed even in diagnosed type 2 diabetes, although this disease is a contraindication to any other limited menu.
The essence of the keto diet: the body reaches a state called ketosis, whose evolutionary significance is survival in conditions of carbohydrate deficiency. For those who are losing, this is an opportunity to reduce body fat, dry out and find a beautiful toned body.
Basic principles of nutrition
The diet got its name thanks to ketone bodies, which are formed in the human body only under certain conditions. These bodies are the result of liposis, the process by which fat cells enter the bloodstream. There they are actively used as an energy source because too few carbohydrates enter the body with food.
The basic principle of the keto 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 enough for the normal and stable life of the whole organism, so fat deposits will be used.
The difference between the keto diet and other weight loss diets is that the menu contains a lot of fats, not animal fats, but vegetable fats, which are present in foods enriched with polyunsaturated acids.
Advantages and disadvantages of keto diet
The considered type of diet food has the following advantages:
- weight loss occurs quickly and efficiently - the body does not leave fluid, but fat after separation;
- by getting rid of fat accumulation, 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 positively affects the state of psycho-emotional background;
- there is no need to constantly count calories.
The keto diet is not unique and therefore has some drawbacks:
- can not be observed for a long time, because excessive intake of proteins and fats in the body on the background of the practical lack of carbohydrates will lead to problems in the work of internal organs and systems;
- during weight loss there is a lack of vitamins and fiber. What can cause disorders of the intestines and immune system;
- Lack of carbohydrates negatively affects a person's mental abilities, so the keto diet is not recommended for those people who, due to the nature of the profession, are forced to constantly and intensively engage in mental work.
In addition, while adhering to a keto diet, a person who loses weight may feel increased drowsiness, rapid fatigue, apathy - in this state, work activity can also "sink".
Contraindications
In fact, there are many:
- kidney diseases of inflammatory, infectious nature and the presence of stones in the pelvis and cups of this paired organ;
- problems with liver function - for example, already progressive hepatosis (a pathological condition in which organ cells are surrounded by fat cells);
- torsion or bending of the gallbladder, stones in it, clogged bile ducts;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- inadequate response of the organism to animal proteins.
The author of the weight loss method himself recommends that you see a therapist or consult a family doctor before you start using the keto diet. Perhaps hidden pathologies develop in the body, which can become a contraindication for such weight loss.
Products on white and black list
Yes, carbohydrates should be completely excluded from the diet of those who lose weight, but in order not to ask for information about the composition of a particular dish before each meal, it is worth remembering only two lists.
White list allowed for use during the entire weight loss period on the keto diet:
- any meat, including pork, but with little fat / fat;
- chicken and quail eggs;
- fatty fish (salmon, tuna, salmon, herring and others) and all seafood;
- whole milk, but with a low percentage of fat - a maximum of 1, 5%;
- any nuts, including hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds;
- oranges and green apples, rarely grapefruit;
- a small amount of fresh vegetables, but with little starch, ie potatoes, corn and all legumes are excluded;
- fermented milk products with low fat content and without added flavors or colors.
In principle, such an extensive list of "white" products allows you to create a completely diverse and satisfying menu for every day. But you need to understand which products are strictly forbidden to use:
- potatoes and absolutely all cereals;
- chocolate and bananas;
- Pastries (buttery and not) and grapes;
- bread and sugar.
When compiling a weight loss menu, you must take into account one caveat - you can consume carbohydrates per day, but not more than 50 g.
Adaptation of men and women to the new diet
The specialty of the keto diet is a fairly long period of adapting the body to the new diet. And, as a rule, it lasts at least a week for men and at least 5 days for women. The easiest days of adaptation are considered to be 1 and 2, during which the body consumes carbohydrates that entered it before losing weight in order to get the necessary amount of energy.
The most difficult days are considered 3 - 5: there are no more carbohydrate reserves, so the processing of protein into glucose begins. Since the body has not yet adapted, it can begin to take protein from muscle tissue, causing the lean to feel weakness and even muscle pain.
The whole keto diet lasts for a maximum of 3 weeks and is the most difficult to endure for the first 7 days, because on the 8th day the functionality of the organism will be fully restored, and the process of burning fat will begin.
Sample menu for a week
Since a fairly diverse menu can be made from the permitted products, it is worth studying an example for at least one day:
- morning - omelet of three chicken eggs with kajmak or kajgan + 2 toasts with cheese + ½ grapefruit + tea without sugar;
- lunch - boiled chicken breast with rocket or Caesar salad without croutons and sauce + coffee without sugar;
- evening - roasted trout with onion or fennel fruits + mineral water.
In the snack between the main meals on the keto diet, you can use nuts, cottage cheese, kefir, natural yogurt.
Recipes for the keto diet
You can prepare delicious and suitable salads:
- boiled shrimp + rocket + boiled eggs + olive oil with a few drops of lemon;
- tomato + cucumber + soft cheese (for example, Adyghe cheese) + vegetable oil;
- shrimp, mussels, octopus and squid cooked and fried in butter + sprinkle with apple cider vinegar.
If we are talking about hot dishes, then the following are suitable for the keto diet:
- Roasted fish in foil - it can be salmon, trout or mackerel. Only dill greens, a few slices of lemon and salt with ground pepper are added.
- Roast meat with onions and fennel fruits - all folded in a pan / mold, pour thick sour cream and simmer in the oven or on the stove for an hour. With this dish it would be appropriate to serve fresh cucumbers or arugula leaves.
- You can make a casserole with fresh cheese and eggs or make a fluttery omelette in the oven. In the first case, it is necessary to mix 1 kg of fresh cheese with 5 eggs, put in a mold and pour all over the fatty sour cream, bake for 20-30 minutes on medium heat. And the omelet is even easier to prepare: you need to beat eggs and milk in equal amounts by volume, add salt and pour into a mold. After 15 minutes in the oven, the mixture will be ready for a hot meal for dinner or lunch.
expected result
Losing weight will be "grandiose"! According to the reviews of those who have already lost weight on the keto diet, it is possible to lose 7-12 kg in a full 3 weeks. In this case, the muscles do not suffer, and the figure becomes taut, slender. The only thing that will be needed to achieve such an effect is strict adherence to the rules of the considered method of weight loss and sports.
Keto diet is considered very aggressive and difficult for the body, so it can not be carried out without prior consultation with a therapist or doctor in the presence of chronic pathologies. The course of such weight loss is carried out no more than 1 time in six months, and you must leave the diet very carefully - adding carbohydrates of 30 g per day.
Weight loss with a carbohydrate-free diet (keto) will certainly succeed, but only if you approach body preparation responsibly and follow the recommendations on the menu. And playing sports will help support your muscles and prevent them from weakening and becoming flabby.