Keto diet

For many years, fatty foods were considered the cause of extra pounds.But relatively recently, researchers revised this theory and came to a completely different conclusion.It turns out that you can eat large portions of fatty foods and... lose weight!There is even a special protein-fat diet known as a ketone diet.

What is the keto diet

The ketogenic, ketone, or keto diet is a diet based on eating foods that are low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in fat.

Following such a nutritional program triggers a process in the body known as ketosis, which, in fact, leads to the burning of fat reserves.But this was not the primary reason for the creation of the keto diet.Initially, the ketone nutrition program was used as part of a comprehensive therapy for the treatment of childhood epilepsy.But after some time it became clear that this diet is very effective for weight loss.People who have tried to lose weight through a diet at least once in their lives know that very often the lost kilograms are not necessarily the fat deposits that they managed to get rid of.Often, weight loss occurs due to the removal of excess fluid from the body or the destruction of muscle mass.But on a ketogenic diet, the kilograms lost are guaranteed to be broken down fats.To understand how the ketone diet works, you first need to understand what ketosis is, which, in fact, gave this nutrition system its name.

Any food consumed by a person is a source of three important nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.In the process of metabolizing carbohydrates, the body receives additional energy, as well as “food” for brain cells.But if a serving of consumed foods contains carbohydrates in excess, everything that the body could not process and use immediately goes to the “bins,” so to speak, for a rainy day.And these same “bins” are nothing more than subcutaneous fat deposits.And this process is repeated every time after eating a high-carbohydrate food.

And now the main question: what will happen to the body if its carbohydrate “supplies” are cut off?If you completely exclude carbohydrates from your diet, then, frankly speaking, nothing good will come from it.A prolonged carbohydrate fast can even be fatal.But this is only as a last resort, when nutrient consumption is reduced to zero and its reserves are not replenished for a long time.However, if carbohydrates are not completely excluded from the diet, but only reduced to the minimum required portions, then you can count on fairly rapid weight loss.

What is the ketone diet for?

When the body does not receive enough carbohydrates, it begins to look for reserve sources of energy.But such reserves already exist and are contained in subcutaneous fat.This means that fat cell breakdown reactions are triggered in the body, resulting in the formation of fatty acids and ketone bodies.It is ketone bodies that serve as glucose substitutes.In addition, when the body enters a state of ketosis (increased concentration of ketone bodies), people with epilepsy experience a decrease in the frequency of epileptic seizures.Scientists continue to research why this happens.

For medical purposes for the treatment of epilepsy, the ketone diet involves eating food with a minimum carbohydrate content, and the amount of protein and fat in the diet should be in a ratio of 1:4.That is, all high-carbohydrate foods are removed from the diet, and to maintain the calorie content of the diet, as much fat as possible is introduced.But not all types of lipids make the diet equally effective.In order for the body to start ketosis, it is important to consume not long-chain fatty acids, but medium-chain fatty acids, found, for example, in coconut oil.

For the first time, humanity learned about the benefits of the ketone diet for the treatment of epilepsy at the beginning of the twentieth century, but soon interest in this method in medical circles cooled down and was revived only almost a century later.But in the meantime, the keto diet has found a new use and has become part of sports nutrition.

In addition, recently there has been serious talk that the keto diet is beneficial for cancer.If you skip all the complex scientific explanations, the process looks something like this.Cancer cells require glucose to maintain viability.With a deficiency of carbohydrates, malignant tumors lose their ability to grow.Research in this area is ongoing.But an experiment conducted in 2012 in New York with the participation of 10 volunteers with malignant tumors confirmed this theory.

Keto diet: duration, stages, adaptation

Sometimes you can hear that the keto diet is a regular low-carb diet.In fact, this is not true at all.According to the principles of its effect on the body, this system is very similar to the popular Atkins diet.Ketone nutrition rebuilds the body from the usual glycolysis to lipolysis, and this takes time.Therefore, to get results, the ketogenic program should be followed for 2-3 weeks.In addition, you should not expect significant losses of body fat in the first week, since at this time the body has not yet adjusted to the new regime and continues to process the remaining reserves of carbohydrates.

The phases of body restructuring look like this:

1. First.Lasts 12 hours after the last carbohydrate meal.At this stage, the body will completely use up its existing glucose reserves.
2. Second.Lasts 24-48 hours.At this time, the body uses up glycogen reserves contained in the liver and muscles.
3. Third.The beginning of metabolic restructuring.The body looks for an alternative to carbohydrates in fatty acids and proteins, including those found in muscle mass.
4. Fourth.Starts on day 7.The body adapts to the lack of carbohydrates and switches to a ketogenic state, abandoning proteins as an energy source.

In addition to the listed stages, there is one more - the correct way out of the keto diet.You cannot immediately switch to a nutritious diet rich in carbohydrates.The body again needs to adapt, but this time it will have to switch to glycolysis.

To do this, carbohydrates should be introduced gradually, increasing their amount by a maximum of 30 g per day.

What does a keto diet consist of?

There is no clearly defined ketone menu for a week or more.The keto diet is a set of foods with minimal carbohydrate content.As a rule, to trigger ketosis in the body, it is important not to consume more than 30-50 grams of net carbohydrates per day.

The keto diet, although in small quantities, still contains carbohydrates.Nutritionists advise choosing vegetables that contain a lot of fiber as a source of this nutrient.This is necessary to maintain healthy digestive processes.You should not eat ready-made meals, semi-finished products, or store-bought sauces while on a diet.All of them tend to contain large amounts of carbohydrates in the form of starch and sugar.To prevent depletion and replenish carbohydrate reserves, preference should be given to products with so-called complex carbohydrates (porridge, cereals).

In some cases, it is allowed to consume a small amount of fast carbohydrates, but their source should in no case be sweets, but only fruits.

Although fats are not a prohibited ingredient in the keto diet, there are certain rules for selecting fat-containing foods.Ideally, saturated fats (found in butter, meats, cheeses) should make up approximately 20-30% of the total lipids consumed.It is advisable to obtain the rest from foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

The protein intake plan can be achieved through food of both animal and plant origin.

Products allowed on the diet:

• different types of meat;
• seafood;
• fish (especially sea fish);
• eggs;
• dairy and fermented milk products (preferably with a lower percentage of fat content, as they contain fewer carbohydrates);
• nuts;
• non-starchy vegetables (preferably leafy ones);
• fruits with minimal sugar content.

Prohibited products:

• sugar and other sweeteners;
• confectionery;
• baked goods;
• bread;
• pasta;
• potato;
• cereals;
• grape;
• bananas.

Based on this list, it is not difficult to create a menu for a week or for a full course of a diet.The main thing is not to go beyond the allowed amount of carbohydrates.

Use in sports

The keto diet in sports has been known for a long time.Bodybuilders use this nutrition system to burn fat and cut.But unlike the classic version of ketone nutrition, in sports the ratio of fat and protein shifts towards the latter.At the same time, the amount of carbohydrates in the diet for athletes should not exceed 10%.Otherwise, you won’t be able to lose weight effectively.

Depending on the severity of the diet, there are three options for ketone nutrition:

• standard keto diet;
• targeted, or targeted;
• cyclical.

The simplest version of the keto diet is considered to be the standard version.Following it, it is important to adhere to a constant ratio of BJU every day, traditionally focusing on proteins and fats, limiting carbohydrates.This diet option is suitable for athletes with not very intense training or who tolerate physical activity well without consuming large amounts of carbohydrates.In addition, this is the option that is followed by the majority of those who want to lose excess weight and are not related to professional sports.

A targeted ketogenic diet includes days with higher carbohydrate intake.This option is only suitable for athletes.Carbohydrate loading on a keto diet is done twice: immediately before training and immediately after it, the rest of the time you should stick to the standard ketogenic program.This option is the right solution for people who want to start fat burning, but due to a carbohydrate deficiency, they feel a lack of strength for a full workout.

The cyclical ketone diet involves periodic introduction of carbohydrate days.This cyclicality allows you to follow a diet for a long time, but at the same time protect the body from a critical carbohydrate deficiency.How often to repeat carbohydrate days depends on the athlete's goals, training intensity, and the level of carbohydrate depletion in the muscles.But before you start a cyclical keto diet, you should go through a standard and targeted diet.

Keto Diet and Muscle Building

There is a lot of evidence that the ketone diet is effective for weight loss.But is it possible to follow this nutritional system for athletes eager to gain muscle mass?Experts say that you can, most importantly, remember to count the calories you consume.An excess of calories in the diet promotes muscle growth, while a deficiency leads to weight loss.But if the main goal is to build muscle, then the choice should be made in favor of a targeted or cyclical version of the diet.They allow you to start “drying” without damaging the muscles.

Keto menu for athletes

Standard BJU proportions for athletes look something like this.For every kilogram of lean muscle mass, you should receive 0.22-0.44 g of carbohydrates, 2.2 g of protein and 1.8-1.88 g of fat.

If an athlete is following a targeted keto diet, then immediately before training they should consume an additional amount of carbohydrates at the rate of 0.5-1 g per kilogram of dry weight.This portion can be divided into two doses: before and after training.

On a cyclical keto diet, it is customary to introduce additional portions of carbohydrates no earlier than 2 weeks after starting the diet.On carbohydrate-loading days, nutrient intake should be increased by 5-10 g per kilogram of dry weight, but in return, reduce fat intake.This will allow you to maintain the correct calorie intake.

Side effects and possible dangers

The first and most obvious side effect of the ketogenic diet is general weakness.During the first 7-14 days, the body will adapt to a ketogenic state, and the lack of carbohydrates at this stage for most is accompanied by a loss of strength and weakness.But after adaptation, your health will improve, and the body will learn to perceive ketone bodies as the main source of energy.

For some people, consuming large amounts of fatty foods may increase blood cholesterol levels, which in turn is harmful to the cardiovascular system.In addition, low-carb diets are typically low in vitamins, minerals, and many other beneficial components.Regular multivitamins from the pharmacy will help prevent the development of vitamin deficiency.

Another threat to the ketone diet is intestinal dysfunction.Insufficient fiber intake (usually found in carbohydrate foods) causes constipation, intestinal dysbiosis and other unpleasant side effects.

In addition, the ketogenic diet is strictly prohibited for people with diseases of the thyroid gland, kidneys, liver or digestive tract.

But the benefits and harms of the ketone diet for diabetes have not yet found a clear opinion among researchers.Some argue that a low-carbohydrate diet is beneficial for people with diabetes.Others tend to think that a ketogenic state can make diabetic ketoacidosis even worse.

Pregnant, nursing mothers, children and adolescents should not switch to a low-carbohydrate diet.It is better to find a different diet for weight loss for people whose work requires increased mental activity, since the lack of carbohydrates significantly affects brain function and provokes fatigue and apathy.

Thanks to its non-standard approach to weight loss, the ketone diet is of interest to many people who want to lose excess weight.But in addition to the fat-burning effect, this nutritional system has many side properties.Therefore, nutritionists recommend that people with significant excess weight first simply reduce their daily calorie intake, and use the keto diet as the final stage of weight loss - for drying and creating the effect of muscle definition.