Ketogenic diet for weight loss: a menu for every day

One of the most optimal diets based on good science and medicine is ketogenic. Originally developed for the treatment of childhood epilepsy, this diet is characterized by a low carbohydrate composition with a high concentration of fat combined with moderate levels of protein. Such a diet leads to ketosis, in which the body's own fats are burned.

The essence of ketosis

With a diet in which carbohydrate intake is limited, external resources for glucose production are excluded. The brain is forced to order the body to compensate for its absence, and its own fats act as a compensating resource. They are converted into fatty acids and ketones. These are the ketones that replace the missing glucose. An increase in their concentration in the blood is called ketosis. In fact, it is the process of the body surviving and saving the brain with insufficient intake of carbohydrates and fats from the outside.

The keto diet for weight loss

Originally created to prevent epileptic seizures, the keto diet can be used as an effective weight loss system. Its use causes the production of ketones by the liver and a sharp drop in insulin levels. Insulin is responsible for organizing fat stores in the body. A drop in the concentration of insulin leads to weight loss: fat is not stored, but consumed for energy by the body.

Besides the main benefit of being in ketosis, this diet has additional properties:

• the hunger decreases;
• the body contains a constant source of energy;
• sticking to a keto diet can take quite a long time;
• is ​​ideal for sports requiring a lot of endurance because it preserves glycogen stores.

The principle of Low Carb High Fat ("low carbohydrates, high fat"), implemented for the first time by dietitians in Sweden, has become the confirmation of the correctness of the idea of ​​diets "fat ".

LCHF diets, which appeared in the early 2000s, have already proven their relevance and harmlessness to the body.

BUCH works in a very similar way: the abbreviation stands for the protein-carbohydrate alternation of foods. Due to this alternation, the body resorts to the emergency combustion of stored glycogen, and then of its own fat.

In the classic keto anti-epileptic diet, the ratio of fat to protein and carbohydrate is 4: 1. The keto version for weight loss is geared towards higher protein and lower carbs.

Avoiding foods high in carbohydrates is a practical step. This:

• sweet fruits and vegetables;
• bakery products;
• pasta;
• sugar;
• starchy vegetables and legumes.

A large number of foods saturated with fat are introduced into the diet: cheeses, fatty cottage cheese and butter. Since MCFAs are preferred for the keto diet, one option is a diet that includes coconut oil. In this product, the concentration of MCT (oil, consisting of medium chain elements 6 to 12 atoms long) is maximum (15%).

For a daily keto diet, 20-30 grams of carbohydrate is sufficient. It means net weight, i. e. NET.

Calculating NET carbs is easy: subtract fiber from total carb intake.

There are no major restrictions on protein. Its intake should be within 25% of all food consumed.

There are three types of keto diet:

1. Standard. This option involves an almost total rejection of carbohydrates over time.
2. Target. Allows the intake of small amounts of carbohydrates to restore glycogen after serious training or after physical activity.
Loop
3. . Assumes consumption of carbohydrates as needed, in direct relation to the degree of exhaustion of the body.

Steps of the diet

It will take a week for the body to adjust to such a diet. This process takes place in three stages. The first two stages usually last two days and include:

• 12-hour step in the production of glycogen from the carbohydrates in the food consumed;
• the body's use of glycogen stored in liver tissue and muscle.

This is followed by a three to five day stage, during which the body tries to recover the missing energy from the proteins in the daily diet and from the muscles of the body. This stage is more difficult than the previous ones, both psychologically and purely physical.

The next step is the end of the metabolism's adaptation to an extreme artificially created diet, the burning of its own triglyceride reserve and the production of ketones. With the onset of ketosis, the breakdown of body proteins slows down.

In these conditions, the weight loss is between 0, 5 and 2, 5 kg per week.

Planning for the first week is to eat 50/50 protein and fat. In order to maintain muscle mass and not to expose body proteins to breakdown, at least 4 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight should be ingested with food.

The second week assumes this ratio:

• fats - 65-75%;
• protein - 25-30%;
• carbohydrates - 5%.

Benefits of the Keto Diet

While weight loss is comparable, the keto diet has a number of beneficial differences compared to low calorie diets.

• Reduces insulin levels more markedly.
• Reduces sugar levels in the body, being an excellent prevention of diabetes and one of the methods of its treatment.
• Promotes better brain performance by helping to avoid spikes in blood sugar and increasing the amount of fatty acids that are beneficial in this regard.
• Losing weight on the keto diet leads to stabilization of blood pressure.
• The condition of the skin improves, which is especially important for women.
• There is a classic version of the diet that effectively counteracts the development of epilepsy.
• Ideal for endurance sports because it preserves insulin reserves.

Contraindications and side effects

For most healthy people, practicing a ketogenic diet is safe. Along with this, in the presence of a number of diseases, a preliminary consultation with a nutritionist is necessary.

Keto restrictions can be caused by:

• taking anti-diabetic drugs;
• high blood pressure;
• the need to breastfeed;
• the presence of liver disease, kidney disease or pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Uncommon side effects of practicing the keto diet include:

• muscle cramps;
• constipation;
• lower level of physical endurance in first-time keto users;
• hair loss;
• lack of or decline in breast milk quality during lactation;
• worsening of symptoms of gallstone disease;
• dyspepsia;
• the appearance of itchy skin;
• decreased mental alertness and prolonged ability to concentrate;
• imbalance in the diet.

The Keto Diet Menu

To quickly enter a state of ketosis, carbohydrate intake should be limited to a daily requirement of 15 grams. The diet consists of obtaining these nutrients mainly from nuts, vegetables and dairy products.

SoWhat You Can Eat On The Keto Diet, Food List:

• meat, fish and eggs in all their forms - are the main suppliers of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids;
• seafood - due to its saturation with microelements;
• high fiber leafy vegetables;
• ground vegetables;
• dairy products - contain lots of calcium, vitamins and minerals;
• low glycemic index berries - blackberries, raspberries;
• low carb sweeteners;
• coconut oil and other saturated fats;
• sour apples, cherries, pomegranates.

How to replace bread

The question is: what to eat instead of bread? It can be a thin grilled egg omelet. You can also buy almond flour, coconut flour and make your "bread" with it. Fried cheese or plain cheese will also make the basis of a sandwich with vegetables, fish or meat.

Food distribution throughout the day

• Breakfast. The approximate calorie content is between 550 and 600 kcal. Cheese, vegetables, scrambled eggs or protein shake. At breakfast, you should not consume more than 15 g of carbohydrate.
• Lunch in terms of carbohydrates is limited to the same 15 g, but the calorie content is lower: 350–400 kcal. Lunch includes meat soup or meatballs without pasta. Another option is rice and chicken breast.
• Dinner is possible with meat or fish with green vegetables. Caloric content - 300 kcal.
• Snacks in total should not provide more than 5g of carbohydrate in the body. Includes cheese, fish, nuts and cottage cheese.

Rules for entering ketosis

The following steps can help you get into ketosis optimally:

• refusal of frequent short-term snacks, leading to insulin surge;
• measured performance of physical exercises;
• a menu with a priority on fat as the main source of energy in a ketogenic diet;
• reduction of protein intake to 1. 5 g per 1 kg of body weight;
• net carbohydrate consumption in doses not exceeding 20 g per day;
• high fluid intake - up to four liters per day. In addition to water, you can drink green tea, coffee without sugar;
• Competent planning of energy consumption for the week.

The signs of ketosis are:

• natural loss of appetite;
• burst of energy and improved mood;
• the onset of acetone odor from the mouth and body;
• detecting the presence of ketones in urine.

Testimonials from doctors on the cons of the keto diet

The keto diet is categorically contraindicated in fermentopathies (conditions with a deficiency of enzymes that break down fats and proteins), in chronic adrenal insufficiency, in chronic liver and kidney failure. Such a load of proteins and fats can be quite simply unbearable for people with similar pathologies.

Diseases of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder may also worsen or appear for the first time during a keto diet.

A keto diet is also not suitable for people with high cholesterol, as it will lead to increased formation of atherosclerotic plaques and, as a result, deterioration of the vascular condition. Also, this method of weight loss is not suitable for certain endocrinological diseases (for example, hypothyroidism).

But healthy people should also be extremely careful when eating this type of food. Due to the change in diet towards protein and fat, the microbial landscape of the gut may change. Too much protein and a lack of vegetables and fruits can cause unwanted microflora to grow in the intestines, causing bloating, constipation and poor digestion. Again, due to the restriction of the diet of vegetables and fruits, one can naturally fear hypovitaminosis and a lack of certain trace elements, which, in turn, can lead to a decrease in immunity.

There is only one conclusion: Before deciding on a keto diet, you should consult a knowledgeable specialist to find out if it is safe for you, taking into account the anamnestic data. And if a decision is made in favor of adherence to a diet, current monitoring of the patient's condition will still be required in order to prescribe vitamins, trace elements and probiotics, if necessary.

Summary:

• The low carb diet is remarkable because it is scientifically based and empirically proven to be effective.
• Compared to low-calorie protein diets, the results of such a system are more human compared to the physical and mental resources of the body.
• During a diet, calculating the table layout for each day and purchasing the necessary quality products is not difficult.
• Such nutrition practically does not impose restrictions on the usual way of life.
• Suitable for both hard-working men who are used to eating a lot of meat, and women who solve their cosmetic problems.
• Other results of the diet are prevention of pressure surges, normalization of cholesterol levels and improved brain function.