Unlike many fad diets, the keto or ketogenic diet is more of a lifestyle. The diet does not set rules to starve yourself, just eat a cup of vegetables or drink some juice in order to lose weight.
It is not a taxing diet that will ask you to exert immense control and cut off all the food you like in exchange for fruits and vegetables. The keto diet does not require you to starve yourself for days at a time, either.
Instead, the diet will help you understand how your food habits have turned bad over the years and what you can do to regain optimal health. You will learn that all your excess weight exists not only due to overeating and not exercising.
The Keyword: Ketosis
In the ketogenic diet, ketosis is the keyword. It is a metabolic process where your body uses stored fat instead of glucose for energy. With this diet, you can easily lose weight by burning off stored fat.
Ketosis is a natural state in the body that you induce by consuming more fats than carbohydrates. Your body will always try to adapt to how you feed and treat it. When you consume more fats, it will automatically start using them for energy in the ketosis state.
Your liver will produce more ketones, and now, instead of glucose, fat will be the main energy source. As the body requires more energy, it will start utilizing the fat stored all around the body. At this point, you will see a difference in the appearance of your body.
Basics of Keto
When you start the keto diet, there are important points to keep in mind so that you can effectively push your system into ketosis.
To begin, you have to ensure to restrict your carbohydrate intake to around 20g or less per day. The diet is strictly low carb or it won’t work. You don’t need to cut out fiber since it is required for your body, but reducing carbs in your diet will make a huge difference and help you lose weight through ketosis.
You also have to control your protein intake and keep it moderate but higher than your carbohydrate intake. Usually, you should eat at least 0.5-1g of protein per pound of your body weight every day. Keep the amount moderate since protein can also be converted to glucose by the body and this will hinder the process of ketosis.
The most important part of the keto diet is to include a lot of fat in it, as it will help you eat a full meal and stay satisfied until the next one. A carb-loaded diet gets burned off easily and leads to hunger and binge eating. Eating more fats will be a more sustainable way to check your eating habits and force your body to go into ketosis. This will help you lose a lot of weight.
Don’t develop a habit of snacking too often. There are many keto snacks that are available to suit your diet but it is better to stick to the main meals and only snack once a day at most. Eating unnecessarily and untimely is a bad habit that will slow down ketosis and also make you gain weight. Snacking is one of the worst habits of the modern-day diet and is caused due to the thousands of products easily available around us. Don’t buy a ton of snacks when you visit the supermarket because this will just make it harder to resist at home.
Whether you are on a diet or not, it is important to stay hydrated all day. When you first start the keto diet, drink a little more water than usual.
To burn off fat faster, add exercise to your daily routine. Physical activity has many benefits to the body; it promotes longevity, helps prevent many diseases and helps you stay fit.
After a while, try adding intermittent fasting to your routine. This is effective in increasing ketones in the body and accelerating the process of weight loss during ketosis.
Also, make sure you get sufficient sleep. A good night’s sleep is crucial for the body to maintain good health. Poor sleeping habits can lead to issues such as blood sugar imbalance, increased stress hormone secretion, etc. Also, lack of sleep will leave you feeling tired and unwell the following day. Bad sleeping patterns also slow down ketosis and promote bad eating habits. Midnight snacks might sound fun, but they are not a healthy choice, especially if you want to lose weight.
If you are not an athlete or do not take part in extremely demanding sports, you generally do not need any supplements during the ketogenic diet, as it is not recommended unless necessary. It’s better not to waste a ton of money on any products that claim to increase the rate of your weight loss either. Just stick to the diet and it will work for you.
Remember to consult your doctor to see if there may be any underlying medical conditions that make the keto diet unsuitable for you. Don’t rush into any diet at the risk of your health. Different things might work for different people. As long as they give you the green light, you can get started with the keto diet and start losing weight as soon as possible.
7-Day Keto Diet Meal Plan
Monday
- Breakfast – Fruity Crème Fraiche
- Lunch – Beef Patties with Creamy Mustard Sauce
- Dinner – Sticky Sesame Beef
- Snack – Salted Almond and Coconut Bark
- Snack – Chocolate Cheesecake with Coconut
Tuesday
- Breakfast – Beef and Pumpkin Hash
- Lunch – Cheddar Pancakes
- Dinner – Southwest Steak Sizzler
- Snack – Kale Chips
- Snack – Protein Shake
Wednesday
- Breakfast – Spiced Pumpkin Waffles
- Lunch – Chicken and Mushroom Soup
- Dinner – Wagon Wheel Sausage Pie
- Snack – Baked Parsnip Chips
- Snack – Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Thursday
- Breakfast – All day Breakfast
- Lunch – Cucumber with Tuna Boats
- Dinner – Steak and Eggs with Seared Tomatoes
- Snack – Snickerdoodles
- Snack – Vanilla Ice Cream
Friday
- Breakfast – Whipped Coconut Cream with Fresh Berries
- Lunch – Sausage Frittata
- Dinner – Omelet with Pesto and Feta Cheese
- Snack – Microwave Brownies
- Snack – Peanut Butter Cookies
Saturday
- Breakfast – Chai Spice Mug Cake
- Lunch – Zucchini Hash Browns
- Dinner – Ham and Asparagus Bake
- Snack – Corndog Muffins
- Snack – Buckeye Cookies
Sunday
- Breakfast – Creamy Coffee Shake
- Lunch – Spicy Bacon and Brussels
- Dinner – Sweet & Spicy Chicken with Shrimp
- Snack – Jalapeno Popper Balls
- Snack – Maple Pecan Bars
