November 8, 2021
“Keto” has been a buzzword in the world of weight loss diets in recent years, and its popularity doesn’t appear to be waning any time soon. This low-carb, high fat diet that was originally developed to help manage epileptic seizures in children has caught the attention of many who are looking to shed a few pounds, with a lot of people bragging about their fantastic results. These testimonials from satisfied keto dieters can certainly be appealing if you’re trying to lose weight yourself, but you should be warned: keto is certainly not for everyone. Want to know if the keto diet is right for you? Let’s break down the basics.
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto (short for ketogenic, by the way!) diet focuses on followers consuming foods that are high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs. On keto, then, your daily caloric intake will look something like this:- Fat: 60 – 75%
- Protein: 15 – 30%
- Carbs: 5 – 10%
How Does the Keto Diet Work?
The caloric breakdown above isn’t just full of random numbers - it has been specifically designed to put your body into a state of ketosis, which occurs when your body begins to burn fat instead of carbs for energy. Normally, the glucose that you get from carbs is used as your body’s primary energy source. So, when you begin to run out of glucose due to restricting carbs, your body eventually has to look for other ways to fuel your activities. With the keto diet, this energy is found in the form of ketones, which the liver produces from the fat stored in your body. Note that, though it depends a bit on the person, it typically takes a few days for your body to reach a state of ketosis, so don’t get discouraged if you’re not seeing immediate results. Just be confident that as long as you’re eating the right foods and staying away from the wrong ones, your body will eventually turn into a fat-burning machine.What Can You Eat on Keto?
So, you know that you’re supposed to stick to a diet high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs, but what does that even look like? Here’s a short list of keto-friendly foods:- Grass-fed butter
- Heavy cream
- Unprocessed cheese
- Fatty fish
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthy oils, like avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil
- Low carb vegetables, like greens, onions, and peppers
What Can’t You Eat on Keto?
Basically, you’re going to be looking at greatly reducing or eliminating high-carb foods, such as:- Grains and starches, like bread, cereal, and pasta
- Fruit
- Beans and legumes
- Low-fat and diet items
- Root vegetables like potatoes
- Alcohol
- Sugary foods, like soda, ice cream, and candy
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