Keto?

When we go online, we see these big fitness influencers talking about these various types of diets. They will say something along the lines of, “Follow this diet to lose weight” or “You want to gain muscle and be jacked? Follow this diet.”

That’s all well and good, but what’s the point of sticking to a diet, without knowing what the diet is actually doing to your body? Understand the science behind it, and you will be able to reach your goals more effectively and efficiently.

The infamous ketogenic diet has been a hot topic lately. You will hear influencers in the fitness industry such as Brandon “king keto” Carter talk about this all the time.

Keto?

The ketogenic diet is a low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. During the diet, your carbohydrate intake is drastically reduced, and is replaced by fats. When carb intake is this low, your body begins to ease into the metabolic state of ketosis. When your body is in this state, it uses stored fat as the energy supply instead of carbs.

Are You in Ketosis?

Urine and blood tests can tell you whether you are in ketosis or not. However, you do not have to go into the hassle of visiting your doctor and getting these done. Instead, you can use this list of “symptoms” to determine if you are in ketosis:

• Dry mouth
• Increased urination
• Bad breath
• Reduced appetite and hunger
• Increased energy levels

Types of Keto Diets

Basically, there are 4 major types of ketogenic diets.

1. Standard: extremely low-cab, moderate protein and high fat diet. Generally 60-75% of calories from fat, 15-30% from protein and 5-10% from carbs.

2. Cyclic: periods of high-carb intake. Could be 6 keto days, followed by a day of high-carb eating to refill.

3. Targeted: this is similar to the standard keto diet, except it allows you to eat an increased amount of carbs around workouts.

4. High-protein: again, similar to the standard keto diet, however protein intake is greater and fat intake slightly lower.

If you are just starting out, I recommend you try out the standard or high-protein keto diets. But feel free to test the others as well. Fitness is all about trial and error. That is how you gain the valuable experience and knowledge that will allow you to attain your dream physique.

Benefits of Keto

Decreased appetite: good if you are trying to lose weight.

More fat is lost from the abdominal region, rather than other areas of the body.

Increased levels of good cholesterol.

Reduced blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin.

Increased mental performance: ketones produced through ketosis are good brain fuel.

Side Effects

With most things in life, there are side effects that come with it! Here are a few of the ketogenic diet.

1. Constipation

2. Increased heart rate

3. Cramps

4. Temporary reduction in energy levels – your body is programmed to use carbs as the primary energy source. So, when you first get on a ketogenic diet, your physical performance may decrease slightly.

What to Eat

As previously mentioned, this diet has a heavy focus on the consumption of fats and proteins.

Do not eat grains, sugar or starchy fruits and vegetables. These foods are high in carbs.

Eat lots of meat (including fish), leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, high fat dairy, nuts, seeds etc.

The ketogenic diet may seem complicated and very restrictive at first. But, it is definitely something to try. Not only is this diet good for fat loss, but due to the high protein intake, it also benefits muscle growth!

Cheers for reading.

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