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Keto Diet: Do you want to lose weight effectively? If so, then you can try out the keto diet for beginners. Nowadays, it’s quite a trend and studies show that it’s an effective way to lose weight.
It’s a high fat and low-carb diet, also known as the ketogenic diet. It comes with several benefits against epilepsy, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
When you’re following a keto diet plan, you will be cutting your carbs or carbohydrates intake, which helps burn fat. This diet can eat all the fat you want and boost your athletic performance.
However, that’s not enough information on the ketogenic diet. You might want to know what is the keto diet, its benefits, and how to perform the diet. We have covered it all for you. We will also be discussing the keto diet food list, ketogenic diet recipes, and its side effects.
Let’s move on to what’s the keto diet for beginners below.
What is the Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet refers to a high fat and low carb diet. During this diet, you will be reducing your carbs intake and replacing it with fat. When you do that, you will get into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When your body enters a ketosis phase, it will burn more fat for energy. Furthermore, it can even burn fats in your liver into ketones, which helps supply energy for the brain.
The ketogenic diet also leads to decreased insulin and blood sugar levels. This process and increased ketones can allow you to get several health benefits.
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Different Types of Keto Diets
The ketogenic diet has several types, which include:
Standard Ketogenic Diet: This diet consists of moderate protein, very low carbs, and high fat. You can typically go for 10% carbs, 20% protein, and 70% fats during this diet.
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: This diet includes periods where you can get carbs refeeds. For example, you can follow the ketogenic diet for 5 days and then have 2 carb days and repeat the cycle.
High protein Ketogenic Diet: This is similar to that of the standard keto diet, but you can eat more protein in this type of diet. The ratio can be 5% carbs, 35% protein, and 60% fat.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet: In this diet, you can also add carbs around your workouts.
Although all these diets will benefit you, the targeted and cyclical diets are more advanced and don’t have many studies. Hence, these two are preferred chiefly for athletes or bodybuilders.
What is ketosis?
The basic idea of the keto diet for beginners is driving your body into the state of ketosis, which is effective for weight loss. Your body enters a metabolic process when you don’t have enough glucose stores for energy.
When you have reduced glucose stores, your body will burn fat instead of carbs for energy. This process will produce acids in your body called ketones, which can provide energy and several health benefits.
Benefits of a Keto Diet Plan
A Ketogenic diet comes with several benefits, from weight loss to higher energy levels and more. This low carb diet can enable you to get several advantages which include:
Weight loss:
The Ketogenic diet is good for weight loss. That’s why several people go for the keto diet for weight loss. Since it uses your body fat for energy, you will notice weight loss after a few days.
Furthermore, your body’s insulin levels wil drop as well, which allows a more efficient fat-burning process in your body. Even studies prove that this diet is more beneficial for weight loss than other diets.
Blood Sugar Control:
Since it limits the type of food you eat, the ketogenic diet can naturally reduce your blood sugar levels. Studies even show that this diet is excellent for preventing diabetes compared to other low-calorie diets.
Hence, the ketogenic diet is also suitable for pre-diabetic patients or have type II diabetes. Several people have successfully controlled their blood sugar levels during the keto diet.
Mental stability
Several people go for the keto diet for better mental performance. They provide excellent fuel for the brain. Since it reduces your carbs intake, you will get reduced blood sugar. It helps in improved concentration and focus.
Increased energy:
You will feel increased energy levels in your body during this diet. Since you will be getting a reliable energy source, you will feel more energized.
Treating epilepsy:
The keto diet is perfect for treating uncontrolled epilepsy in children. It also enables you to treat epilepsy with fewer medications.
Cholesterol and blood pressure control:
A ketogenic diet controls cholesterol and blood pressure levels. It helps improve cholesterol and glyceride levels which are more associated with arterial buildup. Furthermore, this diet decreases LDL and increases HDL particle concentration compared to the other low-carb diets. Since some blood pressure issues are related to increased weight, this diet also helps prevent it.
Reduced Acne:
You can also follow the keto diet plan for beginners to reduce acne. As per a study, you can see reduced lesions and skin inflammation when you switch to a low-carb diet. Along with the reduced carb intake, following a strict skincare routine can help you with reducing acne.
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How to Start A Keto Diet?
If you want to begin the ketogenic diet and see fruitful results, follow these tips.
- Restrict carbohydrates by keeping them less than 20-25 grams per day.
- Limit your protein intake to a specific level, and don’t overdo it.
- Use fat as a way to get energy and lose fat.
- Stay hydrated by drinking more water.
- Eat only when you feel hungry as it will help to suppress hunger naturally
- Don’t go for processed food and focus on whole foods
- Exercise regularly during the keto diet plan.
Keto Diet Foods- What to Eat on Ketogenic Diet?
Your daily meal plans during the keto diet should revolve around the following keto diet food list:
Fatty fish: Trout, salmon, mackerel, and tuna
Meat: Red meat, sausage, steak, chicken, bacon, and turkey
Eggs: Pastured or omega 3 whole eggs
Cheese: Unprocessed cheese such as goat, cheddar, blue, cream, or mozzarella
Cream and butter: Grass-fed butter and heavy cream
Seeds and nuts: Walnuts, chia seeds, almonds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Low carb vegetables: Tomatoes, green vegetables, peppers, onions, tomatoes, avocados, etc.
Healthy oils: Avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil
Condiments: pepper, salt, spices, and herbs
Keto Diet Foods- What to Avoid on Ketogenic Diet?
You should avoid food items having high carbs during the ketogenic diet. The list of food items that you should reduce or avoid include:
Beans or legumes: Lentils, peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, etc.
Fruit: All fruits except for berries, for example, strawberries
Sugary food: Smoothies, cake, fruit juice, soda, candy, ice cream, etc.
Low fat or diet food: Salad dressings, low-fat mayonnaise, and condiments
Grains or starches: Rice, wheat-based products, cereal, pasta, etc.
Unhealthy fats: Mayonnaise, processed vegetable oils, etc.
Tubers or root vegetables: Sweet potatoes, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, etc.
Alcohol: Wine, beer, mixed drinks, liquor
Condiments/sauces: Honey mustard, ketchup, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc.
Sugar-free diet food: Syrups, sugar-free candies, puddings, desserts, sweeteners, etc.
Keto Diet Side Effects
Although the ketogenic diet is highly beneficial, it comes with specific side effects as well, which are as follows:
- You may get the keto flu which happens when you are adapting to the low-carb state for the keto diet plan. It may include constipation, headache, irritability, weakness, vomiting, and nausea.
- During this diet, your body will be low on fluid and electrolytes. With reduced electrolytes and increased urination, you may get prone to acute kidney injury.
- The reduced electrolyte levels may also lead to cardiac arrhythmia.
- The diet may also lead to sleep issues, irregular menstrual cycles, fatigue, bad breath, and decreased bone density.
- It may increase chronic disease risks as it is deficient in grains, vegetables, and legumes, leading to lower minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals in your body.
Conclusion
The keto diet plan is highly beneficial, especially regarding weight loss. Hence, you should try out the keto diet for beginners as it is easy to follow as well. There are different types of a ketogenic diet, but the standard one we have discussed is more beneficial. Several studies on this diet show that it’s effective. Hope this article can help you with starting your keto diet.
