Ketogenic diet refers to a no-carbohydrate diet. The main part of the diet is fats and proteins. Weight loss happens due to stored fat. And this is its benefit.
More than 20 studies, according to Authority Nutrition, have proven the benefit of the ketogenic diet for weight loss and health. It is being used for people with diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.
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What is a ketogenic diet?
The main emphasis of the ketogenic diet is placed on the consumption of fats and the exclusion of carbohydrates. The carbohydrates disposal transforms the body into a metabolic state called ketosis (do not confuse with ketoacidosis).In order to achieve the ketones elaboration, one should reduce carbohydrates consumption to 50 grams per day. This amount will be a critical mark, when the body will have to restructure to use the fatty flesh.
The body goes into the ketosis stage in 4 stages:
- Absolute glucose consumption. The next 12 hours after your last meal the body begins to consume glucose.
Absolute glycogen consumption. The body switches to glycogen stored in muscle fibers and liver after glucose processing. The process takes about 2 days. - Protein and fat consumption. The body has consumed all its carbohydrate stores and tries to generate energy not only out of fatty acids, but also out of muscle protein. This is the most difficult stage on the way to the ketone bodies elaboration.
- The ketosis – a fat consumption. It starts in a week. The body has gradually adapted to a carbohydrates minimum, and the consumption of proteins begins to slow down. The energy is being generated out of fatty acids.
Nutritionists recommend following the ketogenic diet for about 2-3 weeks. The thing is that the first 7 days are all about the restructuring and your stored elements consumption.
The basics of the keto diet menu:
Milk and dairy products without sweet additives and food dyes;
- Speck, bacon, brisket, ribs;
- Meat (pork, lamb, beef, veal);
- Poultry (including the skin);
- Seafood (shrimps, crabs, mussels, squids);
- Fish (tuna, herring, salmon, trout, mackerel);
- Eggs;
- Fatty cheeses;
- Avocado;
- Green vegetables;
- Mushrooms;
- Tofu;
- Butter and unrefined vegetable oils.
Allowed in minimum quantities:
- Berries and nuts (almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts);
- Chocolate (bitter one made of stevia);
- Unsweetened fruits (grapefruits, green apples, oranges);
- Not starchy vegetables and lettuce.
Completely excluded from the menu:
- Sugar, honey, bakery, generally produced drinks;
- Sauces addition of sugar and thickeners;
- Bread, cereals, pastries;
- Paste (except shirataki);
- Bananas and grapes;
- Dried fruits;
- Milk chocolate and sweets;
- Low-fat products;
- Margarine and vegetable spreads.
The key thing here is the use of pure still water, no less than 2, 5 liters per day. One can add lemon and mint to the water, giving it a pleasant taste and filling it with vitamins. Tea, chicory, coffee without sugar are allowed.
The approximate keto diet menu for 2 weeks:
Knowing the list of acceptable products, you can easily make a menu based on your personal taste preferences. I will cite one of the allowed schemes below. The main thing is that the carbohydrate mark does not exceed 50 grams per day.
# 1 week – Sunday:
Breakfast: Curd omelet, a green apple;
Lunch: “Caesar” salad with shrimps;
Snack: Adyghe cheese, bread;
Dinner: Turkey thigh in tomato paste, cherries and cucumbers;
Snack: Casein.
Monday:
Breakfast: Omelet of 3 eggs, a toast with cheese;
Lunch: 30g of brown rice, baked chicken and vegetable salad;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Fish, salad with aubergines and zucchini, cottage cheese;
Snack: Casein.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Curd and a couple spoons of honey;
Lunch: Beans with beef, cherry;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Light version of “Caesar”, cottage cheese;
Snack: Casein.
Wednesday:
Breakfast: 3 boiled eggs, grapefruit;
Lunch: Ratatouille, steamed veal;
Snack: Avocado;
Dinner: Salad with tuna and beans, egg muffin;
Snack: Curd.
Thursday:
Breakfast: Curd pudding with berries;
Snack: Avocado;
Lunch: 30 grams of buckwheat, chicken leg on the grill;
Dinner: Salad with radish, cherry and cucumber; mackerel;
Snack: Casein.
Friday:
Breakfast: Curd omelet, grapefruit;
Lunch: Salad with trout, mozzarella, cucumbers and cherries;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Ratatouille and Beef Stroganoff;
Snack: Protein.
Saturday:
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with green beans;
Lunch: Stewed beans with squids;
Snack: Avocado;
Dinner: Salad with cherries, Chinese cabbage, capers and pepper; shish kebab made of pork;
Snack: Curd.
# 2 week – Sunday:
Breakfast: fried eggs with bacon and mushrooms;
Snack: Adyghe cheese, bread;
Lunch: burger with cheese and guacamole;
Dinner: steak with eggs and salad;
Snack: Casein.
Monday:
Breakfast: Bacon, eggs and tomatoes;
Lunch: Salad with chicken, olive oil and feta cheese;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Salmon with asparagus, cooked in oil;
Snack: Casein.
Tuesday:
Breakfast: Omelet, tomato, basil and goat milk cheese;
Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder and milkshake with stevia;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Meatballs, cheddar cheese and vegetables;
Snack: Casein.
Wednesday:
Breakfast: A fat-rich milkshake;
Lunch: Salad with shrimps, olive oil and avocado;
Snack: Avocado;
Dinner: Pork chops with parmesan cheese, broccoli and salad;
Snack: Curd.
Thursday:
Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, pepper, onion and spices;
Snack: Avocado;
Lunch: Nuts with celery;
Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, vegetables;
Snack: Casein.
Friday:
Breakfast: Natural yoghurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia;
Lunch: Roast beef, cooked on coconut oil with vegetables;
Snack: Nuts;
Dinner: Burger with bacon, egg and cheese;
Snack: Protein.
Saturday:
Breakfast: Ham and cheese omelet with vegetables;
Lunch: Ham and slices of cheese with nuts;
Snack: Avocado;
Dinner: White fish, an egg with spinach, cooked on coconut oil;
Snack: Curd.
The benefits of the keto diet:
High efficiency. If one precisely follows all the rules of the keto diet and does sports regularly, it will allow one not only to lose the excess weight, but also get an alluring relief.
There is no feeling of hunger. Since all protein and fatty foods are very nutritious, it takes a lot of time to digest it. Appetite just does not have time to give you a twist.
The excess weight is not coming back. Often, after hungry diets, the cut weight comes back to their owners in a double size. These meals are frequent and very nutritious. The keto diet reviews about the effect of weight loss tell about long-term results. The diet is highly popular among women all over the world .
Contraindications:
- Pregnancy and lactation;
- Diabetes;
- Cardiovascular diseases;
- Disorders of the digestive system, liver and kidneys;
- Disorders of lipid metabolism.