The fat we’re all afraid of isn’t really that scary.Moreover, fat can be a helper for your slim figure.paradox?not at all!The carb-free keto diet is strong evidence of this.
The keto diet, or low-carb keto diet, is by no means a new trend.It was developed about a hundred years ago to treat children with epilepsy.The diet is mainly fat, supplemented by moderate amounts of protein and small amounts of carbohydrates.
The nature of diet
Carbohydrates are our body's main source of energy.That's why by giving up sweets and starchy foods, you can lose a few kilograms.The keto diet involves not only limiting carbohydrate intake, but also eliminating them entirely.In this case, you will have the opportunity to lose a few kilograms or even more.
How does this work?
When you stop receiving carbohydrates, your body rebuilds your metabolism so that fat becomes your primary source of energy.Under these conditions, fat begins to produce ketones (ketone bodies), which are a source of energy for the brain and nervous system.Hence the name “keto” for this diet.
We all love sweets, but it's hard to give them up.The body has a hard time understanding that you're voluntarily giving up carbs, so it starts burning down emergency reserves in the form of fat.We need this because that's when we start actively losing weight.
During approximately 5-7 days without carbohydrates in the diet, the body adapts to this state and initiates the mechanism of ketosis.Fat becomes the main source of energy.Even eating very small amounts of carbohydrates during the first few days can knock your body out of ketosis.Therefore, it is important not to trick yourself into not eating sweets no matter how much you crave them.
side effect
It is believed that on a ketogenic diet, you can consume between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.If this number exceeds 100 grams, then ketosis is unlikely to occur, that is, the body does not need to completely turn to fat as an energy supply.This means you will lose weight more slowly.
But on the other hand, our gastrointestinal tract needs fiber (fibrous carbohydrates) in order to function properly.Often, when vegetables (fiber) are completely eliminated from the diet, problems such as constipation may occur.Therefore, in order not to harm yourself, you should eat more vegetables.Just choose green vegetables such as cucumber or lettuce.
diet
The basis of the diet is fat and protein.Contains no carbohydrates, except green vegetables, with a daily intake of 20-50 grams.
If you're new to the ketogenic 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 percent).But starting from the second week we burn protein and increase fat, the ratio is 1/3 protein + 2/3 fat.This is done so that the body does not start using muscle protein as a source of energy that has not yet been converted to fat.
It’s a misconception that calorie intake doesn’t matter when following a ketogenic diet.As with everything, burning fat requires a negative energy balance, and you must eat fewer calories than your body uses.However, in many cases, following a ketogenic diet is much simpler than counting calories - it's enough to eliminate foods containing carbohydrates and build a meat-based diet.
Basic rules
- Don't ignore fat.If you limit your carbohydrate intake, you must provide an alternative fuel source, which is fat.Basically any fat can be eaten, such as fried chicken, fatty fish, steak, whole or scrambled eggs, cheese, etc.But it is better to try to eat good fats, which are found in oils (olive oil, sunflower, flaxseed, nuts, sesame seeds, corn), seeds, avocados, olives;
- Choose the right alcohol.One of the many benefits of the ketogenic diet is that you can drink alcohol (in moderation, of course).Choose drinks with the least amount of sugar, such as rum, whiskey, and brandy;
- Drink enough water.Rules that must be followed without question.Dehydration can have extremely negative consequences, so keep a bottle of water with you;
- be patient.At first, weight loss occurs quickly, but this is mostly due to water rather than fat.The latter burns slower, so be patient and don't give up halfway.
Menu example
- breakfast- 2 fried eggs, 30g cheese, 4 strips of bacon or brisket.Coffee with heavy cream.
- Lunch- Large salad greens (lettuce, cucumber, celery), served with 1 tbsp.Lake full-fat mayonnaise, 180 grams of fried chicken breast, 30 grams of cheese.Water or other unsweetened beverage.
- dinner— 180 g grilled or pan-fried steak, mushrooms stewed in butter, broccoli.Water or other unsweetened beverage.Coffee with heavy cream.