The diet helps you lose weight without feeling hungry.
Nutritionists say the keto diet can help you lose weight and get your body in shape. Nevertheless, the keto diet cannot be considered a good alternative to proper nutrition.
The diet of a person who follows a similar method of losing weight, for the most part, consists of fats and proteins. At the same time, there should be no more than 50 grams of carbohydrates daily. The main focus is on proteins. It is believed that with this approach to nutrition, the body is about spending energy by burning its own accumulated fats.
What to eat on a keto diet — a list of allowed and prohibited foods
You can independently create a menu for every day, taking into account the recommendations of nutritionists for the selection of products. What you can eat on a keto diet:
- eggs;
- poultry, beef, pork;
- fatty fish (herring, salmon, mackerel);
- fatty dairy products (yoghurts, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream);
- nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds);
- avocado;
- vegetables growing above the ground (greens, cucumbers, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.);
- oils and fats (olive oil, coconut oil, etc.).
What you shouldn't eat on a keto diet:
- bread and bakery products;
- sweet drinks;
- sugar and confectionery;
- pasta, cereals (rice, oatmeal, etc.);
- fruits (grapes, citrus fruits, kiwi);
- starchy vegetables (potatoes, pumpkin, corn);
- legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas);
- alcoholic beverages with sugar content.
Wellness nutritionist with medical education, member of the National Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists Tatyana Kikhteva:
“There is no meal plan that recommends eating just before bed. You can eat on a keto diet two hours before bedtime. «
As a snack, you can choose mozzarella cheese, vegetable salads with peanut (olive oil), avocado salad with egg, olives, coconut milk yogurt without sugar, etc.
Lightweight keto diet and more — 3 ways to eat
There are several options for the keto diet, each of which is different from each other:
- Classic — a lot of fat, but a very low percentage of carbohydrates. The ideal proportion of BJU (proteins / fats / carbohydrates) = 75/20/5 percent.
- Cyclic — alternation 5/2, that is, for 5 days you strictly follow the diet and for 2 days you live in the «cheat meal» mode, allowing yourself 400-500 grams of carbohydrates per day. This option is suitable for those who play sports, because on a cyclical keto diet you can quickly accelerate metabolism, burn fat and gain lean muscle mass.
- Targeted — the method that is recommended to professional athletes and, often, only they are used. The bottom line is that an hour before training, you can supply the body with carbohydrates. Such a fit replenishes glycogen stores and prevents a person from bringing themselves to depletion.
Doctors say that, despite the effectiveness of such a diet in order to lose weight, the body still needs carbohydrates, it is from them that it receives energy. Not finding them, he will begin to break down fats — to absorb them as fuel for the brain and body. Thus, weight loss occurs.
The keto diet — the pros and cons for a healthy person
Alas, at the moment there is no single opinion on this matter. The complexity of research lies in the fact that this method of eating is used by those who are losing weight relatively recently.
In addition, some people, in addition to healthy fats, also eat unhealthy saturated fats, which nullifies the purity of the experiment.
Benefits of the keto diet:
- there is no need to drastically change the diet and expose the body to stress;
- calorie intake is reduced naturally, not artificially;
- you can quickly lose weight;
- with this method of nutrition, the level of insulin in the blood decreases;
- used as a method of treating certain diseases.
Disadvantages of the keto diet:
- the appearance of gastrointestinal disorders and constipation is possible;
- rarely, but the development of kidney stones occurs;
- immune response, like a virus — fever, chills, headaches;
- at first, many are haunted by weakness, drowsiness, and a loss of taste for life.
Despite the fact that the keto diet seems gentle and light, nutritionists do not recommend using it for more than a few months. The fact. that it was originally invented not as a method for losing weight, but as a diet for treatment.
Who shouldn't be on the keto diet — contraindications
Wellness nutritionist Tatyana Kikhteva argues that you don't need to start a keto diet if you have:
- type 1 diabetes mellitus,
- type 2 diabetes mellitus (only under medical supervision),
- gallstones
- chronic pancreatitis,
- chronic cholecystitis,
- any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (require prior consultation with a doctor).
The same goes for pregnant and lactating girls.
Failure of the menstrual cycle, cramps or deterioration in well-being, up to dizziness or nausea, is a signal to abandon such a nutrition program.
Naturally, before losing weight with the keto diet, it is better to go to the doctor and get tested so as not to harm the body.