Obesity is a big problem that the world is facing these days. In Pakistan only, around 50% people are living at a stage which is known as pre-obesity. In simple terms, these people are over-weight and are also not doing anything about it. Obesity is not only an asthetic issue, it is a big health issue and is known to shorten the lifespan of people.
Since obesity has become so common, the effforts to stay fit and lose weight have also gained momentum in educated circles. Weight loss has grown into a full blown industry with doctors, gym instructors, nutritionists and dietitians are working around the clock to help people. The weight loss industry is also very competitive and continuous research is being carried out by professionals to provide better solutions for weight loss.
Keeping up with the same spirit, the keto diet was re-introduced to the public as the only diet which let’s you eat and still produces effective results with long term health benefits. Since it’s re-introduction, the keto diet has gained momentum and people all around the globe are trying this diet.
The ketogenic diet or keto diet for short is a high-fat, low-carb diet with many proven health benefits. It is beneficial to counter diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and diabetes and can also help you lose weight and improve overall health.
Even though everyone’s requirements are different, you should be getting nearly 60 to 75 percent of your calories from fat, 15 to 30 percent of your calories from protein, and 5 to 10 per of your calories from carbs while you are on the keto diet.
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What’s with the name?
The diet gets its name from ketones, which are small fuel molecules that the body uses when glucose is short in supply. Ketones are made when you limit your carb intake and are converted into blood sugar. The liver makes ketones using fat. They are subsequently used to fuel the body. When the body makes ketones, it is said to be in the state of ketosis.
What does keto do?
When you adopt the ketogenic diet, fat becomes the primary fuel for your body. Insulin levels reduce and fat burning intensifies. Your body finds it easier to access fat stores and burn them off. That’s why, the ketogenic diet is great for people who are trying to lose weight but is also offer other benefits like providing a steady supply of energy to help you keep alert, and keeping hunger in check.
Different types of Keto diet:
There are several versions of the keto diet. The standard ketogenic diet contains 75 percent fat, 20 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs. The cyclical ketogenic diet alternates between ketogenic days and high-carb days. The targeted ketogenic diet lets you have carbs when you are working out. The high-protein keto diet is a lot like the standard ketogenic diet, but allows more protein, with the ration typically being 60 percent fat, 35 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs.
The only keto diets that have been researched extensively are the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets. Targeted and cyclical ketogenic diets are typically used by athletes or bodybuilders.
It should be kept in mind that these athletes and body builders have high intensity workouts which let’s their body burn all the fat that they consume over the day.
It is highly unlikely that a normal person will have such an intense workout routine and can thus end up feeling bloated and worse instead of feeling better.
What foods can I take during a keto diet?
You can enjoy olive oil, butter, seafood, cheese, meat, eggs, almond butter, coconut, and vegetables that grow above ground while you are on the ketogenic diet. You should restrict your carbs intake to 20 grams a day. Avoid starchy and sugary foods such as fruits, pasta, bread, rice, chocolate, potato, and donuts. Basically, the food you eat should be high in fat and moderately high in protein.
It takes four to five days for your body to enter ketosis because it has to make do with the body’s stores of glucose first. Some people can also experience tiredness and IBS-like symptoms at the beginning of the diet. These issues don’t last too long as the body gets used to the diet.
In conclusion, it seems fair to say that the keto diet gives great results when it comes to weight loss but it’s side effects are still being discovered especially for people who have medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, uric acid problems and digestive issues. The keto diet thus can only be followed under medical supervision.
If you are interested in trying the ketogenic diet, you should consult with a nutritionist and get a diet plan. However, if you breastfeed, or take medicines for diabetes or high blood pressure, you should consult your doctor first.
You can find and book an appointment with top Nutritionist in Rawalpindi, Karachi, and Multan through oladoc.com. You can also call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for your health concerns.
