
The ketogenic diet: what exactly is it?
Basics
The ketogenic diet, like the Atkins and low-carb diets, is extremely low in carbohydrates and high in fat.
A high-fat diet is substituted for a low-carbohydrate one. When you drastically lower your carbohydrate intake, your body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis.
Because of this, your body will become very effective at using fat as fuel. It also causes the liver to produce fuel molecules called ketones that the brain can use.
Blood sugar and insulin levels can be significantly lowered by following a ketogenic diet. There may be some health advantages to this in addition to the increased ketones...
4 Types of ketogenic diets
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Standard Ketogenic Diet(SKD)
A type of eating plan in which carbohydratesare severely restricted while protein and fat intake are increased. Seventypercent fat, twenty percent protein, and ten percent carbohydrates is atypical breakdown.
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Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)
A type of low-fat, high-protein diet thatalternates periods of strict ketosis with higher-carb refeeds, such as fiveketogenic days followed by two high-carb days.
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Targeted Ketogenic Diet(TKD)
You can eat more carbs around your workouts than you would on a standard ketogenic diet.
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High-protein ketogenic (HPK)
A high-protein ketogenic ery similar to a regular ketogenic diet, withthe addition of more protein. 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates is acommon ratio.iet is very similar to a regular ketogenic diet, withthe addition of more protein. 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates is acommon ratio.

Just what is this state of ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for fuel rather than carbohydrates.
It happens when you drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake, limiting your body's supply of glucose (sugar), which is the primary source of energy for the cells.
The most effective way to enter ketosis is to follow a ketogenic diet. In general, this entails
limiting carbohydrate consumption to 20 to 50 grams per day and focusing on fats such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.
It's also critical to limit your protein intake. This is due to the fact that protein can be converted into glucose in large quantities, which may slow your transition into ketosis.
Intermittent fasting may also help you enter ketosis faster. Intermittent fasting can take many forms, but the most common involves limiting food intake to around 8 hours per day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.
There are blood, urine, and breath tests that can help you determine whether you've entered ketosis by measuring the amount of ketones produced by your body.
Certain symptoms, such as increased thirst, dry mouth, frequent urination, and decreased
hunger or appetite, may also indicate that you've entered ketosis.

Weight Loss Through Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and reduce disease risk factors.
In fact, research suggests that the ketogenic diet may be just as effective as a low-fat diet for weight loss. Furthermore, the diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or keeping track of what you eat.
A meta-analysis of 13 studies found that a very low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet was slightly more effective for long-term weight loss than a low fat diet. People who followed the keto diet lost an additional 2 pounds (0.9 kg) than those who followed a low fat diet.
Furthermore, it resulted in lower diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
Another study of 34 elderly people discovered that those who followed a ketogenic diet for 8 weeks lost nearly five times as much total body fat as those who followed a low fat diet.
Increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity could all play a role.

Other health benefits of keto
The ketogenic diet was first used to treat neurological conditions like epilepsy.
Now, scientific evidence suggests the diet may help with a wide range of health issues:
1. Heart disease. Body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar are just some of the risk factors that the ketogenic diet can help improve.
2. Cancer. As a potential additional cancer treatment, the diet is currently under investigation.
3. Alzheimer's. It's possible that the ketogenic diet can alleviate Alzheimer's symptoms and even halt the disease in its tracks.
4. Epilepsy. It has been shown through studies that the ketogenic diet can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of seizures in epileptic children.
5. Parkinson's disease. One study did find that the diet helped improve Parkinson's disease symptoms, though more research is needed.
6. Trauma to the brain. Some studies have found that dietary changes improve outcomes for people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

Foods I need to avoid
-Sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
-Grains or starches: wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
-Fruit: all fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries etc.
-Beans or legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
-Root vegetables and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
-Low fat or diet products: low fat mayonnaise, salad dressings etc.
-Condiments or sauces: barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc. unhealthy fats: processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.
-Alcohol: beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks
-Sugar-free diet foods: sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts, etc.

What foods can I eat?
-Meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey, etc.
-Fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel, etc.
-Eggs: pastured or omega-3 whole eggs, etc.
-Butter and cream: grass-fed butter and heavy cream, etc.
-Cheese: unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella, etc.
-Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
-Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil, etc.
-Avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole, etc.
-Low carb veggies: green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
-Condiments: salt, pepper, herbs, and spices, etc.

Some Tips For The Keto Journey
Beginning the ketogenic diet can be difficult, but there are ways to make thetransition less trying.
1. Learn how to read food labels and use them to incorporate your favorite foods into your diet by first looking at the amount of fat, carbohydrates, and fibre they contain.
2. Organizing your meals for the week in advance can be helpful and give you more time to yourself during the week. You can find countless keto-friendly recipes and meal ideas on the internet, in cookbooks, on food blogs, in apps, and in magazines.
Alternately, you can get keto-friendly options from some meal delivery services for a fast and easy way to eat keto at home. When time is of the essence but you still want to eat healthily, consider purchasing some healthy keto frozen meals.
3.Bringing your own food to social gatherings or family gatherings can be a great help in avoiding temptation and sticking to your diet plan.

Eating Out On This Diet Possible?
It is possible to adapt many restaurant meals to fit the ketogenic diet.
Meat and fish are common choices at most restaurants. Have this instead of a meal high in carbohydrates and supplement it with a serving of greens. Meals based around eggs, like an omelet or eggs and bacon, are also delicious choices.
Another popular option is burgers served without buns. Alternately, you could substitute greens for the fries. Include more of your favorite toppings, such as avocado, cheese, bacon, or eggs.
Every conceivable cut of meat, piled high with cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream, is
available at Mexican restaurants.
Whether you're craving something sweet or savory, a cheese platter or berries and cream will do the trick.

The Adverse Effect and Mitigation
Even though the ketogenic diet is generally safe for healthy people, you might experience some discomfort as your body adjusts.
Some reports of these side effects, commonly called "the keto flu," have been collected. Some people on the diet claim that the worst of it is over in just a few days.
Diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting are some of the keto flu symptoms people have reported. Some additional, less frequent symptoms can be:
-Poor energy and mental function
-Increased hunger
-Sleep issues
-Nausea
-Digestive discomfort
-Decreased exercise performance
A low-carb diet followed consistently for the first few weeks may help reduce this. Before completely cutting out carbohydrates, this may train your body to burn fat more efficiently.
Because the ketogenic diet can alter your body's water and mineral balance, you may find that eating more salt or taking mineral supplements is beneficial. You should discuss your nutritional requirements with your doctor.
In the beginning, it's best to eat until you're completely full and not cut calories too drastically. In most cases, the ketogenic diet can lead to weight loss without any special calorie counting on the part of the dieter.

Is it risky?
Some potential side effects of maintaining a ketogenic diet over the long term:
-Decreased blood protein levels
increased liver fat
-Causes of kidney stones
a lack of essential nutrients
In order to ascertain the ketogenic diet's long-term safety, more studies are being conducted. Your doctor should be kept up-to-date on your eating habits.
The bottom line
A ketogenic diet may be beneficial to people who: obese diabetes want to improve their metabolic health. It may not be suitable for elite athletes or those looking to gain a lot of muscle or weight.
It may also be incompatible with some people's lifestyles and preferences.
Speak with your doctor about your eating habits and goals to determine whether a keto diet is right for you.

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