Have you heard of the ketogenic diet?
It is a high-fat, sufficient protein, low-carb diet that was used at first to treat epilepsy in children. Our bodies use glucose (the simplest carbohydrate) as a primary fuel source for brain and muscles. When we restrict carb intake, the liver converts fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies (which brain now uses as an energy source instead of glucose). The high level of ketone bodies in bloodstream is called state of ketosis.
So, what are the advantages of the ketogenic diet? You’ll have more energy because blood sugar and insulin levels won’t spike anymore; you will have many health benefits including healthier teeth, gums, reduced acne, and, of course, your body will become a machine for fat loss. To have these benefits, you need to reach the state of ketosis by dramatically changing your diet.
To fully reach a state of ketosis you will have to be on a ketogenic diet for approximately three weeks. It is not that easy to reach this state because there are some “traps” that you can get into; you must be aware of them and strong enough to overcome them. In that time, you will be fatigued; you’ll feel an energy drop, even a brain fog due to restricting of carbs. It is entirely possible that you will often be dehydrated because of the depletion of glycogen storage in your body and water loss by diuresis.
You don’t have to worry about this because when you get into the ketosis state, you will feel more energized than ever before. It is also crucial to drink plenty of water to replenish the lost. Because of the dehydration and the fact that your carbohydrate intake is minimal it would be best if you add sufficient amount of salt to your diet as well as a decent amount of multivitamin/multimineral complex. Sometimes, fiber supplements are also needed because there is not enough fiber in the food that you have to eat and people get constipated very often.
Now that we cleared everything that could go wrong let’s talk about what to eat and what not to eat on a ketogenic meal plan.
Ketogenic Plan For Fat Loss: Allowed food
Different kind of meats: turkey, chicken, red meat, sausages, bacon, ham.
Eggs: various types of eggs, preferably from a known supplier.
Cream and butter: made from organically, grass fed animal milk
Fish: mainly fatty fish such as tuna and salmon
Cheese: many types of cheese (unprocessed, made from a milk of grass-fed animals)
Nuts and seeds: walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc.
Low carb vegetables: green leafy veggies, peppers, tomatoes, avocados
Healthy oils: coconut oil, virgin olive oil, hemp oil, avocado oil
Ketogenic Diet For Fat Loss: Food to Avoid
Grains and starches: cereals, pasta, bread, etc.
Fruit: basically all fruit except small portions of berries such as blueberries
Sugary foods: candies, cakes, smoothies, sodas, ice creams, etc.
Legumes and Beans: lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, peas, etc.
Alcohol: alcohol is carb, and it will throw you out of ketosis
Sugar-free diet foods: these are often highly processed foods filled with sugar alcohols and can interfere with ketone levels.
Low-fat diet products: these foods are usually high in carbohydrates
All foods that contain sugars
Ketogenic diet for fat loss plan
Here is a typical daily plan for a person on a ketogenic diet. Of course, you can mix, add or remove the way you see fit as long as it follows guidelines written above.
Breakfast: bacon and eggs omelette with a vegetable on the side (pepper for instance)
Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil and avocado
Dinner: salmon with spinach cooked in butter
These are just some guidelines for you to understand the ketogenic diet. Keep in mind that the amount of food and meals are up to you based on your weight, age and whether or not you are still hungry. To be even more efficient at reducing body fat you need to have a good exercise plan and follow it accordingly.
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