Fat burning diet. The words everyone looking to lose weight wants to hear and the ketogenic diet is exactly that. Whether this is a diet fad or here to stay, the science behind this high fat diet is proven.
Keto is a word used to describe the state in which the body releases ketones from the liver. These ketones are used when blood sugar (glucose) is not readily available to use as a source of energy.
The idea of the ketogenic diet is to eat very few carbs, a form of sugar, and moderate amounts of protein so the body will convert from using sugar as a fuel source, to using body fat. After the correct controlled diet, the body goes into a state called ketosis where it can access fat stores easier and burn them off.
Ketosis turn the body into a fat burning machine and there two ways to get the body into this state.
One way of getting into a ketogenic state is by fasting. Not eating will turn the body into survival mode where it does not have any fuel source in the blood to run off and therefore starts metabolising the fat stored in the body, essentially eating away at itself.
Although fasting is the quickest way of getting into a state of ketosis, it is not recommended to do it this way because the reality is nobody can fast forever. It can also be dangerous to starve the body of vital nutrients and it can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes.
It may seem simple but without medical supervision on a fast, the body may begin to shut down. It also slows the metabolism down so that when someone does begin to eat again, they can end up gaining more fat in a shorter time frame.
The second way of getting the body into the ketogenic state is to eat a diet of restricted carbohydrates and avoid forms of glucose. Generally try to keep an intake of under 50 grams of carbs and no glucose per day but if possible, keep it below this.
Instead of eating high carbs food like bread, pasta and potatoes, eat meat, fish and eggs with natural fats like butter and oils. Along with the meats, its important to eat green vegetables like spinach and asparagus to get all the nutrients the body needs.
Avocados are a great source of fat, they are one of the few plants that has a high fat content and can help fuel the body while in ketosis.
Adding natural fats like oil and butter is incredibly important in the process. The more fat and less sugar that is put into the body, the more the body see’s it as fuel source. Switching the body’s fuel source during development is exactly what needs to happen for ketosis to work.
Its not an easy process by any means to turn the body into the fat burner that everyone wants.
A lot of people entering into ketosis report symptoms of what is known as the keto flu, its symptoms include stomach aches, nausea and diarrhoea, but don’t worry its only temporary and there are remedies.
The keto flu happens when the body is finally starting to turn to ketosis, the last of the glucose in the bloodstream is getting used up and the body starts to panic a little. The severity and length of this flu varies per person and usually occurs in the first few days of starting the diet.
There are several ways to lessen the symptoms and get fat-adapted quicker. Staying hydrated will get rid of any headaches or fatigue. Replenishing electrolytes by taking mineral supplements like potassium and magnesium will help adjust quicker. Exercise will boost the metabolic rate and speed up shaking off the keto flu.
Taking an exogenous ketones supplement is recommended to help the body adjust to the new fuel source faster.
Do not fear the keto flu or be tempted to start eating carbs again when experiencing it. Its normal and its natural to feel different after a massive change in diet. Pull through the far side and people that have done it report increased focus and energy along with healthy amounts of weight-loss.
This diet isn’t for everyone but it can fit some peoples lifestyle very well and can massively help with weight loss. The key thing to remember when starting a diet is that everybody is different. Everyone doing it experiences it differently, the time taken to switch into ketosis, the symptoms of the keto flu, if there are any symptoms at all, and the weight loss rate.
Mikey Walsh
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