Ketogenic Diet: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Ketosis - 6 minutes read
A ketogenic diet is one that is high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. When you eat something that is high in carbohydrates, your body produces glucose and insulin to process it.
This triggers your body to store excess carbs as glycogen (this is why you get “peppy” after eating carbs) and produce more insulin.
Ketogenic diets have many benefits:
- They can help you lose weight and fat faster than other diets,
- Increase your intake of healthy fats,
- Improve your blood sugar control,
- Reduce risks for high cholesterol,
- Heart disease,
- Diabetes.
A ketogenic diet may seem daunting at first as it involves cutting out a lot of carbs. But once you understand the mechanics of a ketogenic diet, it’s not so scary after all!
What is a Ketogenic Diet?
A ketogenic diet is one that is high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. When you eat something that is high in carbohydrates, your body produces glucose and insulin to process it.
This triggers your body to store excess carbs as glycogen (this is why you get “peppy” after eating carbs) and produce more insulin. A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet where the body produces ketones from fat and proteins.
These ketones replace glucose (sugar) as the primary energy source. Research shows that a ketogenic diet can help promote weight loss and assist with managing certain health conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, and metabolic syndrome.
>>> Check Out 21 Free Keto Recipes Now! (Yummy)
How Does a Ketogenic Diet Work?
When you eat foods high in carbohydrates, your body will produce glucose and insulin to process and store them. A low-carb diet means that you’re restricting your intake of carbs to below 50 grams per day.
Also, when you’re eating a low-carb diet, your body produces ketones. These are the byproducts of the breakdown of fat (in a process called “ketosis”).
Ketogenic diets have many benefits: They can help you lose weight and fat faster than other diets, increase your intake of healthy fats, improve your blood sugar control, and reduce risks for high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
The Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet
Boosted Fat-Burning — Fat-burning is the main goal of a ketogenic diet. Excess body fat can be converted into energy, but only when you’re in a state of “ketosis.” One study found that people who followed a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more fat compared to those who followed a low-fat diet.
Improved blood sugar control — People with diabetes have difficulty regulating blood sugar levels. A low-carb, high-fat diet can help manage blood sugar levels and reduce the need for medication.
More energy — A ketogenic diet can help you take charge of your energy levels. You will likely experience less fatigue and have more energy because you’re not storing excess carbs as glycogen in the muscles and liver.
Greater focus — Eating foods high in carbs can make you feel unfocused and groggy. The high sugar content in most carbs can overstimulate your nervous system and cause a drop in dopamine levels in the brain, which is associated with feelings of lethargy. A ketogenic diet, however, can help keep you focused and feeling great because it curbs carb cravings, which can lead to overeating.
Reduced risk of disease — Ketogenic diets can reduce your risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancers, according to research.
>>> Check Out 21 Free Keto Recipes Now! (Yummy)
Keto-Flu: Is It Real and Should You Be Concerned?
Many people associate keto diets with feeling awful and having low energy. This is often referred to as “keto-flu.” It may seem like the worst flu you’ve ever had because it manifests itself in the form of lethargy, irritability, and brain fog.
In most cases, keto-flu is temporary and linked to the “induction phase” of a keto diet. This is the period where your body transitions from using glucose as fuel to using fat. As your body burns fat, it releases ketones.
This can cause a “flu-like” state for a few days. You may feel sluggish, have headaches, feel irritable, or experience cravings for carbs. This is expected and it is your body’s way of adapting to a ketogenic diet.
How to Confirm That You’re in Ketosis?
The best way to confirm that you’re in ketosis is by measuring your blood ketones. You can do this by using a blood ketone meter or a blood ketone monitoring strip. You’ll want to keep an eye on your ketone levels on a daily basis. Generally, you want to aim to stay between 0.5 and 3.0 mmol.
There is no set rule on how long it takes to get into ketosis, as there are a variety of factors that can affect this: Your metabolic rate, your body mass, the number of carbohydrates you’re eating, and the type of exercise you’re doing can all play a role.
>>> Check Out 21 Free Keto Recipes Now! (Yummy)
Sample Keto Day
This sample keto day is for one person and assumes that you are doing a cyclic ketogenic diet. Cyclic keto diets follow periods of keto eating with periods of “carb-loading.” This sample day is a high-protein and low-carb day.
BREAKFAST: 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon SNACK: 1 cup of berries.
LUNCH: 6 oz. lean meat (chicken, turkey, salmon, etc.), 1 cup cooked vegetables, 1/2 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup berries SNACK: 1/2 cup almonds.
DINNER: 6 oz. lean meat, 1 cup cooked vegetables.
Bottom line
A ketogenic diet is one that is high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. When you eat something that is high in carbohydrates, your body produces glucose and insulin to process it. This triggers your body to store excess carbs as glycogen and produce more insulin.
A ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet where the body produces ketones from fat and proteins. These ketones replace glucose (sugar) as the primary energy source.
Research shows that a ketogenic diet can help promote weight loss, assist with blood sugar control, and reduce risks for high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
When you eat foods high in carbohydrates, your body will produce glucose and insulin to process and store them. A low-carb diet means that you’re restricting your intake of carbs to below 50 grams per day.