What is the Ketogenic Diet?
Nowadays the keto diet is a widely used method of weight loss. However, it was not first developed as that. In the early 1920s the keto diet was developed to treat epilepsy in children. After conducting many clinical trials, doctors learned that the diet actually caused weight loss in adults. This is when they started advising other people to follow the diet as well.
How does the diet work?
As you are probably aware, when you eat carbohydrates they are converted into glucose which is used for energy. However, if you eat an abundance of carbohydrates as most people do, the excess will be converted not into energy, but into fat. The Ketogenic Diet helps burn this fat instead of the carbohydrates. It requires you to eat foods rich in fats, moderate in protein and very low in carbs. When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat, your body will start to break down the stored fat into fatty acids and compounds called ketone bodies. As a result your body will get into the state of ketosis. This will cause your metabolism to cease using the glucose as an energy use and will use the ketone bodies instead. This not only results in a decrease of epileptic seizures as its intended function but also in a decrease in stored body fat.
There are many diet plans based on the Ketogenic Diet, the most famous being the Atkins Diet. They all require you to eat more fat, less protein and nearly no carbohydrates. However, there are differences between these modified diets and the original keto diet. The major difference is the strict amount of protein and carbohydrates that you are allotted on a daily basis. A Ketogenic Diet plan requires you to track the amount of carbohydrates you eat every day, keeping your intake between 20 and 50 grams daily. The amount of protein you can eat will be determined on your gender, weight, height and level of activity. Most of your calories will be coming from the fats you consume. These ratios are very important as they will ensure your body will enter the state of ketosis and remain in that state, which the main goal of the Ketogenic Diet is if you wish to lose weight.
How can you safely begin the Ketogenic Diet?
Before you begin the keto diet, it is important to speak to your physician to ensure you are healthy enough for the diet and it will not cause any interactions with current medications or your present health. Only after you do all your research should you begin.
- Get a carbohydrate counting guide. This can be a book, an app or anything else that will help you see how many carbohydrates you are ingesting. This is crucial as the whole diet depends on eating less than 50 grams of carbs each day.
- Sweep your home and throw out (or donate unopened goods) all carbohydrates. This also includes whole wheat and multigrain.
- Think about your meals in advance and be prepared to spend some time in your kitchen. When you’re starting the Ketogenic Diet you have to give up processed food and any other food you don’t exactly know the full contents of.
- Drink lots of water. When you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your kidneys retain more water. So when you reduce your intake, your body will start excreting more water. You need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to make up for the water lost.
- It’s important to not focus too much on your weight at first. This is key when it comes to any sort of diet. Focus more on the health benefits of your decision and the foods you are eating. Putting more emphasis on your weight will be too much pressure and very discouraging if you don’t see results right away.
What can you eat on the Ketogenic Diet?
We have already established that the Ketogenic Diet requires you to eat minimal carbohydrates, moderate protein and excess fats. But what can you really eat in your daily life?
Carbohydrates- A major part of the Ketogenic Diet is your carbohydrate intake. Usually people are allowed to eat about 50 grams of carbohydrates, unless they are very athletic at which point they can eat up to 100 grams. Some people prefer to spend their carb points on one piece of delicious bread. However, it is better to get your carbohydrates from vegetables. Most people do not know that vegetables do have very small quantities of carbs, in addition to lots of water. However, a lot of vegetables do also have a high sugar content, so don’t think just any vegetable is okay to eat. The best vegetables to eat are dark, leafy greens. This includes spinach, kale and anything that may look like them. By choosing vegetables over bread you can eat more food than if you chose bread.
Protein- When most people reduce their intake of carbohydrates, they don’t usually think the amount of protein they eat is that important. However, for your body to be in a state of ketosis, your protein content is very important later on. For example, a lot of people on the Atkins diet start eating large amounts of protein in the form of meat. However, if you’re on the Ketogenic Diet you cannot eat excess amounts of protein. This is because when you eat excess protein, your body can become better at turning protein into glucose, which will take your body out of the state of ketosis. There are many foods that you can get protein from. The best source of protein is lean meat, or if you’re a vegetarian, nuts and beans. Lean chicken, beef or pork can be cooked any way to fulfill your protein requirement.
Fats- When you’re on the Ketogenic Diet, most of your calories and energy will come from fat. The amount of fat you can eat will depend on amount of protein and carbs you can eat. Approximately 60 to 80% of your calories will come from the fats you eat. It will take a while to see which ratio will help you lose weight best. Even though you are supposed to eat lots of fats while on this diet, it is best to stay away of unsaturated omega 6 fats, which include safflower, corn, cottonseed and soy. These oils are inflammatory and can affect your health adversely, especially if you are an athlete. However, fats that are full of medium chain triglycerides like coconut oil are great to eat if you’re on the keto diet because they are easily converted into ketones. Most people find it easier to consume lots of readily available fats such as olive oil, butter, cheese and avocados, which are full of monounsaturated and saturated fats. These are also a great choice because they have a low content of polyunsaturated fats.
How can you measure your Ketones?
Not all people on the Ketogenic Diet like to measure their ketones. They find it unnecessary and tedious if they stay under their goal of approximately 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. Even many authors of low carb diets advise against it as it adds a lot of pressure. However, if you really are serious about bringing your body into a state of ketosis and losing weight, you may find it advantageous to know the ketone content in your body. The best way to measure ketones is by getting a blood test. There are many blood tests designed that you can take yourself in the comfort of your own home. However, the tests are expensive and some people think it is a hassle. An easier way to measure ketones is to take a simple urine test. Although not as reliable is the blood test, it is less expensive. As long as your ketone level is from .5 mmol/L to 5 mmol/L you’re in good shape. One thing to remember is to not get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. It does take 2 to 4 weeks to get your body into the state of ketosis.
What are the side effects of the Ketogenic Diet?
With any change you bring upon your body, there will be certain side effects. Some are great, such as the weight loss brought with the keto diet and some are less favorable. Keep reading to see if you’re willing to endure the side effects of the Ketogenic Diet for your ultimate goal.
Frequent Urination- As mentioned above, when your body has an excess of carbohydrates, it holds on to as much water as possible. As soon as you lower your intake of water, your kidneys will start to flush out the excess water which will cause frequent urination.
Constipation- This is the most commonly reported side effect of the Ketogenic Diet. As mentioned above, your body starts to remove excess water on a low carbohydrate diet. As a result, there is less water in your body as a whole and less water in your feces, which results in constipation.
Fatigue and Dizziness- This is also a result of the loss of water from your body. When your body flushes out excess water it also removes minerals that you need for energy. This often results in fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps and dizziness. This is why it is extremely important to drink lots of water while on the Ketogenic Diet. Like you’re going to track your carbohydrates, fats and proteins, you should also track the amount of water you drink.
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