What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate plan that’s been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s. It’s also known as the “ketogenic” diet or “ketosis” because it forces your body into a state of ketosis, where you burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.
If you’re wondering what the Keto Diet looks like and how it works, we’ve got answers for you!
You can eat plenty of healthy fats on this plan: avocados, nuts (macadamias are great), seeds like flaxseed or chia seed…you get the idea–all good stuff!
How Does the Keto Diet Work?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan. When you follow the keto diet, your body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or protein.
The macronutrient breakdown for the ketogenic diet is 75% fats, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates (1). This means that most of your calories come from healthy fats like avocado oil and coconut oil; some protein sources include eggs and grass-fed beef; and only a small amount comes from carbs such as leafy greens or berries (2).
Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet
You’ll want to eat plenty of high-fat foods, like butter and cream. You can also enjoy fatty meats like bacon, sausage, chicken wings and steak.
The keto diet is also a good choice for people who want to lose weight without counting calories or tracking their food intake. That’s because it works by changing the way your body processes energy from carbs (or sugars) into fat – instead of burning off excess calories as heat or physical activity, which is what happens when you eat more than you need for energy purposes.
On this plan you’ll be eating lots of good fats: avocados; olives; nuts such as almonds and walnuts; seeds like pumpkin seeds; fish such as salmon; grass-fed meats like beef ribs
Keto Diet Meal Plans
The Keto Diet Meal Plans:
- Sample meal plans
- Grocery shopping tips
- Meal prepping tips
Keto Diet Supplements
There are a number of different supplements that you can take while on the keto diet. The most common types of supplements include:
- MCT oil, which is derived from coconut oil and has been shown to help with weight loss and improve brain function.
- Fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids that may help reduce inflammation in the body.
- Magnesium citrate, which can help prevent constipation by increasing water absorption in your digestive tract.
Keto Diet Results
The Keto Diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has been used for centuries to treat epilepsy. It’s also known for being a great way to lose weight and improve body composition, especially when combined with exercise.
The keto diet can help you lose weight by making you feel full on fewer calories than you’re used to eating. This is because your body burns more fat and produces ketones as a result of this process, which leads to an increase in energy levels throughout the day.
Keto Diet for Athletes
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that’s been gaining popularity in the fitness community. It’s touted as a way to lose weight and improve performance for athletes. But what does this mean? And how can you use it to your advantage?
The keto diet involves eating very few carbs and lots of fat–the idea being that when you cut out carbs from your diet, your body will begin burning fat for energy instead of using glucose (sugar) from carbohydrates or other sugars as its primary source of fuel. This shift in metabolism also means you’re likely to experience less hunger than usual while on the Keto Diet because there are fewer calories coming into your body overall.
Keto Diet and Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects your body’s ability to produce or use insulin, a hormone that helps convert sugar into energy. The keto diet can help manage diabetes by reducing the amount of carbs you eat, which lowers your blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity.
It’s important to note that the keto diet isn’t recommended for everyone with diabetes — especially those who take medications for it. If you have Type 1 diabetes, which requires daily injections of insulin or an insulin pump, there’s no reason why you should start eating low-carb foods if it means going off your medication plan and potentially experiencing dangerous side effects like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Keto Diet and Mental Health
The keto diet has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that people who followed a ketogenic diet for 12 weeks had significantly greater improvements in their depression symptoms compared with those who followed a low-fat diet.
Another study, published in Nutrition & Dietetics, found that participants who followed a ketogenic diet experienced increased energy levels and improved moods after just two weeks on the plan.
However, there are some potential risks associated with following this type of eating plan long term. For example:
Getting Started on the Keto Diet
You’ve decided to give the keto diet a try. Awesome! The first step is creating a plan, which can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. There are many resources for support and tips for success, so take advantage of them if you need help getting started with this new lifestyle change.
