The keto diet is not a popular diet. However, it is similar to many other more hyped nutrition systems: Atkins, Dukan and others. All of these diets are low in carbs. They imply the almost complete rejection of carbohydrates in the daily diet. It is very effective in losing weight and burning subcutaneous fat. Those extra pounds are melting away before our eyes! Additionally, the keto diet is a favorite among athletes because it allows weight loss without sacrificing muscle mass.
The principle of the diet
Today, our diet is oversaturated with carbohydrates, especially fast carbohydrates. Buns, crisps, snacks, bars - these products for on-the-go snacking are real carbohydrate time bombs. This style of nutrition not only provides overweight, but also contributes to the development of diabetes, atherosclerosis. An excess of fast carbohydrates slows down the metabolism, causes lethargy, drowsiness.
However, useful slow carbohydrates contained in cereals contribute to weight gain. The fact is that all carbohydrates, when ingested, are converted into glucose, which is needed for energy.
How does the keto diet work? With a significant restriction of carbohydrate intake, the body's mode of functioning is rebuilt. Nature has designed reserve mechanisms to obtain energy for vital processes. If the amount of glucose obtained from carbohydrates in the diet approaches zero, the body begins to produce it, breaking down fat stores. This process is called ketosis, hence the name of the diet: ketonic or ketogenic.
Instructions for the correct preparation of the menu
In order to correctly compose a menu for a keto diet, you will have to work a little. First, you need to calculate the daily calorie intake. This can be done online using special programs.
After determining your daily calorie intake, it is important to choose a keto diet goal. To lose weight, you need to subtract 500 kcal from the resulting figure, to gain muscle mass, add 500 kcal.
Next, we calculate the required daily amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates should not exceed 10%, you need to try to get the missing calories not at the expense of fat, but at the expense of protein. It sounds quite complicated, but again, with the help of an online food diary, anyone can monitor the ratio of KBJU in the diet.
Let us give an example of calculation. A woman weighing 60 kg, the percentage of fat is 20 (you can determine the percentage of fat visually or using a special analyzer). The daily caloric intake was 2000. For weight loss, subtract 500, we get 1500 kcal per day. We calculate BJU. For 1 kg of muscle mass, 2. 2 g of protein (4 kcal) are needed, 0. 4 g of carbohydrates (4 kcal), the remaining kilocalories are left for fat at the rate of 9 kcal per 1 g of fat. So 60 kg - 20% = 48 kg of muscle mass.
Protein 2, 2 * 48 \u003d 106 g (424 Kcal)
Carbohydrates 0. 3 * 48 \u003d 19 g (76 Kcal)
1500-424-76 \u003d 1000 kcal, which is about 110 g of fat per day.
Simplified instruction
Adherence to the menu calculation formulas is necessary for people whose life is connected with training. For people away from sports, there is an easier option to determine the diet of a ketogenic diet. There are two lists - these are the recommended and prohibited products.
Recommended products:
- Meat
- Bird
- Fish
- Dairy
- nuts
- Cheese
- Vegetables (except potatoes, beets and legumes)
Prohibited:
- All sweets, incl. sugar
- Baked goods
- Pasta
- Fruit, incl. dried fruits
- cereals
On a keto diet, you need to watch the amount of carbohydrates in food. This information can be obtained from the product packaging (if it is a finished food product) or consult the nutritional tables. In general, preference should be given to products containing no more than 10 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. By following this rule, it is quite easy to make a list of products to buy and draw up a menu for a week.
Sample Keto Diet Menu
Option 1:
- Breakfast: cheese omelette.
- Lunch: vegetable soup with chicken broth, a piece of rye bread.
- Afternoon snack: yogurt.
- Dinner: stewed beef, fresh vegetable salad.
Option 2:
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with sour cream.
- Lunch: boiled chicken breasts with buckwheat.
- Afternoon snack: nuts.
- Dinner: salmon with vegetables, baked in foil.
During the day you need to drink enough water (about 2 liters per day). Unsweetened tea and coffee are allowed. In addition, it is recommended to eat fiber to normalize digestive processes.
Contraindications
Low-carb diets are dangerous because of their burden on the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. So, for people who have problems with these organs, the keto diet is contraindicated. Additionally, people with constipation and other digestive issues should not follow the ketogenic diet. Healthy people should consume additional vitamin and mineral complexes while on the keto diet.
The effect of the ketone diet
Reviews and results suggest that only the first 3-4 days are tough on a keto diet. At this time the body is restructuring on a ketogenic diet, so you may experience a feeling of weakness, dizziness. In the future, these negative effects disappear and the fat burning process begins. To get a good result, the diet should be followed for at least 3 weeks.
Those who have ever followed a ketogenic diet note that there is no feeling of hunger. In addition, at the end of the diet, sugar cravings decrease. The body gets used to being sugar-free during the diet, which helps develop healthy eating habits. If you look at photos of people before and after a diet, you can see the appearance of relief in the body. This is especially evident in those who do not forget about physical exercises. The keto diet is perfect for athletes, as well as anyone who wants to have a slim body!