You have probably heard about the ketogenic diet and its possible benefits. Maybe you have thought to try it? We cover the basics here about keto, trying to keep things simple. Starting a new lifestyle can feel overwhelming at first, but do not worry, everything will get sorted. The most important thing is to take the first step and try❤️
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat nutrition method. It may be an effective way to maintain health and lose weight, but it’s not a magic trick, even though some people do get great results with it. Key to the success is consistency.
Typical benefits of the ketogenic diet
- More efficient fat-burning
- High energy levels
- Less cravings for sweet
- More control over food, not the other way around
- Shields muscle mass when dropping weight
- May help with diabetes and high blood pressure
- May reduce migraines
How does the ketogenic diet work?
When restricting carbohydrates (carbs), the body starts to produce ketones from fatty acids for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis is a natural process for the human body, and it’s not the same thing as ketoacidosis, which is a dangerous complication of diabetes. Ketosis is a normal physiological reaction that shields the brain from a lack of energy, using ketones instead of glucose.
It may take 1-4 weeks for your body to start using ketones properly.
Macros on keto
It’s personal how much carbs your ketosis can handle, and how much protein and fat you need. You can start with the basic instructions and adjust if needed. The basic instruction for macros is:
- Fat 75 % of daily calories
- Protein 20 % of daily calories
- Carbs 5 % of daily calories
Carbs on keto come from vegetables, berries, and dairy, it’s recommended to keep carbs at max. 25 grams per day, and some tolerate up to 50 grams per day.
Use good quality fats like extra virgin olive oil and organic butter, you get fat also from meat and dairy.
Protein need depends on how active you are, make sure you don’t eat more protein than needed because the liver can transform extra protein into glucose. The recommendation is 1-1,5 grams of protein per kilogram (2,2 pounds) of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 180 lbs (82 kg), you should get 82-123 grams of protein per day. Also, 100g of protein is not the same thing as 100g of meat. For example, a 4 oz (112g) serving of beef stake has about 21 grams of protein.
Different types of keto
- Clean keto – the focus is on organic, whole, and nutrient-dense foods, no processed or artificial stuff
- Dirty keto – allows consuming processed and fast foods, you get to ketosis with this method too but may be missing a lot of important nutrients
- Lazy keto – easy approach to keto, tracking only carbs (5% of calorie intake or max. 50 grams carbs per day)
- High protein keto – for bodybuilders, 65% fat / 30% protein / 5% carbs to optimal muscle growing
- Targeted keto – for athletes, the main idea is to eat or drink carbs before a workout and then get back to ketosis
- Cyclical keto – you cycle in and out of keto, for example, keto for five days and two days with more carbs
How do you know, that you are doing keto right?
- You don’t no longer grave carbs
- You have good energy levels
- Your ketones are high and your blood sugar is normal, both can be measured at home
- Cholesterol and other blood markers are at the correct level
The most difficult thing about keto for most of us is to say goodbye to sugary treats, grains, potatoes, and rice. But it’s worth it if it benefits your health. There are a lot of things that you can replace bread, pasta, sweets, and so on with, but obviously, they are not the same. But it is good enough to fall in love with a new healthier lifestyle!
Many people combine keto with intermittent fasting, which is something you should consider when you have done keto for a while and feel comfortable with it.