The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for Weight Losers and Doctors (Keto Diet with Recipes)

The ketogenic (ketone, keto) diet is very popular in the West. A huge number of books are dedicated to her, which tell about the principles of nutrition and permitted foods. The main principle of the keto diet is to reduce the amount of protein and carbohydrates consumed, but increase the amount of fat.

Interesting! For the first time, the principle of nutrition, where carbohydrates are sharply limited and replaced with fats, appeared in the 20s of the last century. The diet was originally used to treat neurological diseases in order to reduce the amount of insulin produced

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What is the keto diet?

The keto diet involves reducing the amount of carbohydrate foods. You are allowed to consume no more than 50 grams per day. carbohydrates. If we talk about the percentage, the menu is compiled in this way (what is BZHU?):

• fats - 70%;
• proteins - 20%;
• carbohydrates - 10%.

The keto diet allows you to eat your favorite foods without restrictions. So, baked chicken with skin is allowed. The main thing is not to exceed the permissible amount of carbohydrates.

Interesting! One of the blood “relatives” of the keto diet is the Atkins diet, which also implies a strict restriction of carbohydrates consumed. This method of losing weight is very popular among world stars. Hollywood celebrities are literally obsessed with low-carb diets, which is why they take precedence among existing weight loss methods.

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Dairy

Butter and high-fat cheese are good for the keto diet, and high-fat yogurts can be consumed in moderation. Heavy cream is good for cooking. Avoid drinking milk, as it contains a lot of milk sugar (one glass of milk = 15 grams of carbohydrates), but you can add a small portion of milk to your coffee. Be sure to avoid caffe lattes (18 grams of carbohydrates). Also avoid low-fat yogurts because they often contain a lot of added sugar. Keep in mind that regularly snacking on cheese when you're not hungry is a common mistake that can slow down your weight loss process.

Advantages and disadvantages of the keto diet

The goal of the ketone diet is to create an environment where you can get your calories from fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates. This lowers blood sugar but does not affect brain activity . As a result, women and men feel great and lose weight.

But this diet is not suitable for everyone . It has advantages and disadvantages that should be considered.

Benefits of the Ketone Diet

There are many positive aspects to the ketogenic diet:

1. You can eat your favorite foods without counting calories or limiting your time. For women, this is an ideal way to lose weight, the main thing is not to indulge in cakes and sweets.
2. Helps get rid of acne. If the cause of skin rashes is high blood sugar levels, then a ketone diet will help clear the skin.
3. Reduces the risk of cancer. Studies have shown that with a ketane diet, an oxidative process occurs in cancer cells, which leads to their rapid death. Moreover, keeping your sugar levels within normal limits reduces your risk of developing diabetes and stroke, which are associated with some types of cancer.
4. Helps people with epilepsy. The keto diet leads to ketosis, an increased level of ketone bodies in the body, which reduces relapses in people with epilepsy.
5. Protects the brain. Thanks to research, scientists have learned that the ketogenic diet reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other neurological and mental diseases.

Interesting! The keto diet is often called the Meryl Streep diet. The reason is not that the famous actress became the founder of this method of losing weight. She played one of the main roles in the film “Do No Harm.” This film talks about children suffering from epilepsy and the positive results of using the ketogenic diet to treat “special” children.

Disadvantages of the Keto Diet

The ketone diet is suitable for most people if all the principles of a healthy diet are followed. In exceptional cases, side effects may occur:

• cardiopalmus;
• constipation;
• decreased endurance;
• digestive dysfunction;
• avitaminosis;
• unpleasant odor of acetone from the body and exhaled air.

These side effects usually appear is incorrectly compiled, or in the presence of strict contraindications . prevent their occurrence by increasing the amount of fluid you drink, taking multivitamin complexes and including spinach, cabbage and cucumbers in your diet.

Who is the ketogenic diet contraindicated for?

Who should not start the keto diet without consulting a doctor:

• Type 1 diabetes (type 2 as agreed with your doctor)
• gallbladder disease (or without gallbladder)
• kidney diseases
• liver diseases
• pancreatic diseases
• high blood pressure (pressure control and drug dose regulation)
• people with metabolic disorders
• people with a tendency to form kidney stones (attention to changing the balance of fluid and salt is needed)

Diet not recommended:

• People who are underweight
• children under 18 years old
• people after surgery
• for pregnant or breastfeeding women

Additional diet conditions

To enter ketosis and the diet to bring the desired results, follow these important rules :

• drink up to 4 liters of clean water daily;
• avoid snacking;
• Reduce portion size daily;
• eat 5-6 times a day until you feel full;
• do light exercise for 30 minutes every day;
• take vitamins;
• Eat greens daily, which will help cleanse the intestines and prevent the development of constipation;
• Include cold-pressed coconut oil in your daily diet.

Nutritional Supplements for the Ketogenic Diet

With a balanced diet, we get everything we need from food. But due to the fact that there are a lot of restrictions on keto and it is not always possible to eat a balanced diet, sometimes you can add supplements to your diet.

MCT Oil: Added to drinks or yogurt, MCT oil provides energy and helps boost ketone levels. You don’t have to buy it separately, but replace it with coconut oil, which consists of 60-70% MCT.

Minerals: Adding salt and other minerals may be important in the beginning due to shifts in water and mineral balance.

Caffeine: Caffeine is good for energy, weight loss, and productivity.

Creatine: Creatine has many health and performance benefits. It may help if you combine a ketogenic diet with exercise.

Protein: Use half a scoop of whey protein in smoothies or yogurt to increase your daily protein intake. This can be done if there is not enough protein in the diet. The norm is approximately 1 g. per kilogram of weight.

Diet duration

The duration of the diet depends on the goals you have set for yourself:

• 5 days is the minimum period, you can lose 3-4 kg;
• 14 days - loses from 4 to 8 kg;
• 3 months is the optimal period of the diet, it takes from 10 to 15 kg.

Experts do not recommend staying on a ketone diet for a long time. It should be followed according to the following scheme:

• first time - no longer than 7 days;
• the second time - no longer than 14 days;
• the third time - until the specified goal is achieved, but not more than 3 months.

After each course you need to take a month break. Get out of the diet gradually, including 30 grams of carbohydrates daily.

Cyclical keto diet

Taking into account nutritional characteristics and the presence of side effects, a cyclic version of the keto diet was developed. The diet of such a diet for weight loss is based on two stages:

1. Carbohydrate fasting is a low-carb nutrition system aimed at entering a state of ketosis. The proportions of BJU are 75–80% fat, 15–20% protein and 5–10% carbohydrates.
2. Carbohydrate loading on a keto diet is carbohydrate nutrition in order to replenish glycogen polysaccharide, which creates an energy reserve used by the body in case of glucose deficiency.

What do you eat on a cyclical keto diet? Your diet largely depends on what phase you are in. In ketosis, nutrition is no different from regular keto, but when loading, the diet allows for small liberties.

It is worth noting that both phases of the diet involve eating exclusively healthy and high-quality food. The diet also has strict restrictions and a clear list of foods that can or cannot be eaten both during keto fasting and when loading with carbohydrates.

Allowed and prohibited foods on the keto diet

When creating a menu, use the list of permitted products. It includes:

• any meat;
• sea ​​fish;
• nuts;
• chicken and quail eggs;
• low-fat milk;
• dairy products;
• seafood;
• grapefruits and oranges;
• vegetables, but not more than 50 grams. in one go;
• tea, coffee without sugar.

It is prohibited to consume these products:

• baked goods, sweets;
• bread;
• bananas;
• grape;
• potato;
• all cereals;
• trans fats.

Based on these lists, you can create a daily menu for a woman or a man, taking into account taste preferences.

What can and cannot be eaten?

First of all, you need to know what you can and cannot eat. Prohibited products include the following:

• starchy vegetables and some others that have a high glycemic index;
• flour, flour products, cereals;
• sugar, sugar-containing products;
• fruits;
• packaged juices, sweet carbonated drinks;
• alcohol.

Authorized products:

• poultry, meat, game;
• fish, seafood;
• sauces without added sugar;
• unrefined oils;
• sausages and other similar products;
• greenery;
• champignons and oyster mushrooms;
• citrus;
• seeds, nuts;
• cucumber, zucchini, tomato (in moderation), eggplant (in moderation and after adaptation), white cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage,
• dairy products, milk;
• eggs;
• animal fats.

Keto diet: menu for every day

When compiling a keto diet menu, we will take the average indicators for three approaches to the diet: for 5 days, a week and 14 days.

Menu for 5 days

Keto diet menu for 7 days (week)

Menu for 14 days

The essence of healthy nutrition

The idea of ​​such nutrition once arose as an approach for the rehabilitation of patients after operations and other serious conditions. Today, many nutritionists recommend this method of nutrition to all patients who are interested in good health and a beautiful body.

The regimen involves the exclusion of fast and partially complex carbohydrates. This approach causes stress in the body, it begins to draw energy from fats. The approximate ratio of BZHU should be like this:

• 75% fat,
• 20% proteins,
• 5% carbohydrates (but not more than 20 g in hard keto, 30 g in soft keto).

The keto diet is widely used by many athletes. It is truly effective, which many have already tested. A keto diet menu for men for a week is the easiest and fastest way to lose weight, create an ideal body, and wake up every morning full of strength and energy.