Is the Keto diet right for you?
Is the Keto Diet Right for You?
Keto dieting has become wildly popular in recent years, with many people swearing by it as the best way to lose weight fast and feel great. But before you ditch your diet and switch over to a keto-friendly approach, you’ll want to know all about it so you can make an informed decision about your health and wellness. In this article, we’ll discuss what the keto diet is, how it works, and if it’s right for you! Let’s begin!
What is the keto diet?
A keto diet, or ketogenic diet, is a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich eating plan that may help you lose weight and lower your risk of heart disease. It’s called keto because people on it shift from using glucose (sugar) as their main fuel source to ketone bodies, which are derived from fat. In other words, people on the keto diet turn their bodies into fat burners. How does keto work?: To put it simply, when we eat carbs our body creates insulin. When insulin goes up so do our blood sugar levels. When our blood sugar levels go up we release more insulin which can prevent us from losing body fat or cause us to gain body fat if we have too much in our system already. What does a typical keto meal look like?: Foods high in carbohydrates will be replaced with foods high in healthy fats, such as avocado, eggs, nuts and seeds. What should I avoid on keto: Starchy vegetables like potatoes; food high in saturated fats like fatty cuts of meat; processed meats like bacon and sausage; foods made with white flour instead of whole grain products; sugary beverages; baked goods made with refined white flour; fruit juice.
Benefits of going on keto:
A keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat eating plan that shares many similarities with paleo, Whole30, and Atkins. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When you’re in ketosis, your body burns fat instead of carbs for energy.
Pre-keto considerations:
Some people don’t thrive on low-carb diets. If you have an autoimmune condition or metabolic disorder, it might be a good idea to consult your doctor before going keto. In addition, if you feel better eating 60–70% of your calories from carbohydrates (as is common in many cultures), that’s still fine—just be sure you allow yourself enough energy to function and exercise properly.
How to start keto:
First, you need to calculate your body fat percentage. To do that, get a tape measure and wrap it around your waist at bellybutton level. Then use a chart like The Health Calculators BMI Calculator to determine how much body fat you have based on your height.
Creating your keto plan:
If you’re starting a keto diet from scratch, then you’ll need to start by calculating your ideal caloric intake. To do that, take your current weight and multiply it by 10 percent. That will give you your base number of calories—the amount of calories (energy) you need every day to maintain your current weight. Next, consider how many calories you want to lose per week. Simply subtract that figure from your base calorie total. The remaining number is what you should aim to eat each day while following a keto diet plan in order to achieve weight loss success!