When we hear the term keto-friendly diet, the first question that pops up in our heads is what exactly does it mean? Not to worry, we will thoroughly discuss the meaning of the term keto-friendly diet as well as provide you with complete guidance about what to eat and how to follow the diet chart. The Essential Guidance of living the Keto Lifestyle
The complete ketogenic diet for beginners: your essential guide to living the keto lifestyle
The complete ketogenic diet for beginners includes a very high-fat and low-carb diet which is similar to some extent to the Atkins diet. The drastic reduction of carbohydrate consumption and replacing it with high fat is the key factor of the ketogenic diet. There is a term called ketosis which means a metabolic state in your body that happens because of this massive reduction of carbs. This kind of metabolism helps your body to become incredibly efficient and energetic. In this process, fats turn into ketones in the liver which helps in supplying energy to the brain.
Some very serious long-term diseases like blood sugar can be reduced through such a diet.
Different Types of the complete ketogenic diet for beginners
The different kinds of ketogenic diets are,
- CKD a.k.a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: The reprovision of carbs is included in CKD. For example; 2 high carb days followed by 5 days of the ketogenic diet.
- SKD a.k.a Standard Ketogenic Diet: This diet involves high fat 70%, low carb 10%, and moderate protein 20% consumption.
- High Protein Ketogenic diet: Apart from the inclusion of more protein and a little lesser carbs this diet is similar to the standard ketogenic diet.
- TKD a.k.a Targeted ketogenic diet: You can add more carbs to this diet but you have to work out equally every day.
In this article, we will discuss only the standard ketogenic diet as this is the only subject that has gone through extensive research.
Before getting into the main topic, let’s find out what Ketosis is;
Ketosis refers to a metabolic state where your body fat works as the energy fuel but carb. When you significantly cut off on carbs, this state of metabolism occurs in your body. It helps reduce blood sugar levels and a lot of other diseases. You are more energetic and active if on a ketogenic diet.
How do you lose weight? The complete ketogenic diet for beginners
If you are looking for a diet that can help you lose weight, a standard ketogenic diet is the right fit for you. It also controls the risk factors in your body. The standard ketogenic diet helps in weight loss as a low-carb diet. Much research shows that it is very effective for long-term weight loss and people who opted for this diet have lost 2 pounds in some weeks.
How do you reduce the risk of diabetes and Prediabetes?
We are all quite afraid of blood sugar. This is one of the worst diseases humans can have. But a ketogenic diet can save you from catching blood sugar. Losing excess fat saves you from type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Studies have proven that following a ketogenic diet can significantly reduce blood sugar as well as control the reduced levels of hemoglobin.
Once, a survey was performed in which 349 people with type 2 diabetes participated. But people who followed the ketogenic diet lost around 26.2 pounds in a couple of years which is huge.
What are other health benefits of Keto?
Several studies have shown that a ketogenic diet can reduce lots of other health problems. Some of them are discussed below.
- Cancer: Ketogenic diet is recently being experimented with as an additional remedy for cancer as it may stop tumor growth.
- Alzheimer’s Disease: This may help show the progression of the disease and reduce the symptoms.
- Heart Disease: The ketogenic diet stops fat consumption which helps reduce heart diseases.
List of Food to avoid for the complete ketogenic diet for beginners: your essential guide to living the keto lifestyle
- Rice, cereal, pasta, or any wheat0based product.
- Sugary foods like smoothies, candy, cake, soda, and fruit juice.
- No fruits except berries.
- Salad dressings, low-fat mayonnaise.
- Teriyaki sauce, honey mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, etc.
- Peas, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, and any beans or legumes.
List of Food to Eat for the complete ketogenic diet for beginners: your essential guide to living the keto lifestyle
- Eggs
- Fatty fish
- Meat
- Cheese
- Cream and butter
- Seeds and nuts
- Avocados
- Healthy oils
Also Read: How Diet Affects Your Sleep (and Vice Versa)