Surely all women noticed that for some reason it is worth forgetting about junk food for a few days and living with a dairy group or even a piece of lean meat, 1-2 kg are gone.
This is due not only to an accidental decrease in the calorie content of the menu, but also to a significant withdrawal of carbohydrates from the diet. This is the principle behind the keto diet, which is part of the protein systems group.
In a way, this way of adjusting its parameters can be compared to the "drying" that athletes resort to. But the keto diet has a more complete menu, although not the most balanced. It is sometimes referred to as a mild version of the classic no-carb regimen, since the plant-based carbohydrates are still present.
What is the essence of the technique?
The indisputable advantage of this nutritional system lies in the fact that due to the correct selection of products during the keto diet, the body begins to break down not muscle mass for energy, but stale fat stores. As a result, the weight loss is correct. If you explain the process differently, then in the case of a carbohydrate deficiency, the glucose level drops, which is directly related to energy. At this time, ketone bodies are synthesized in the liver, which are analogs of dropped glucose, and are taken in to ensure the body's efficiency. From this process, the ketogenic diet gets its name.
But despite this scheme, the ketogenic diet will not work without reducing the calorie content of the menu. Therefore, even here it will be necessary either to deal with the calculation of the individual basic metabolism or to limit oneself to general principles which speak of reducing the energy value of the diet to 1100-1200 kcal. At the same time, the proportion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is being reviewed. The number of the latter drops to 100 g per day, although in some cases it is advisable to subtract up to 50 g. And the first and second necessarily increase, in addition, in the menu of the ketogenic diet special attention is paid to fats, not proteins.
A moment should be noted right away, which is mentioned repeatedly in reviews about the keto diet: although a carbohydrate deficiency for a short period of time is not terrible for a person, there are some cases where it is unacceptable. These are particularly stressful periods. Here, the lack of carbohydrates not derived from vegetables or fruits leads to a hypoglycemic reaction. In addition, it is forbidden to test the keto diet on yourself and in people with disorders of the liver, cardiovascular system and kidneys.
Ketogenic diet foods: allowed and prohibited
As stated above that the menu for the keto diet is not composed simply by rejecting carbohydrates, but through the proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates, you will have to pay attention to the acceptable and unacceptable foods for the keto diet. And also its volume, allowed during the day.
And the first point refers to drinks. Although alcohol contains few carbohydrates, if you resort to some of its types, you will have to exclude absolutely all of them. The problem is not so much in the caloric content, but in causing the appetite. It is also advisable to eliminate the coffee and replace it with any herbal teas. Clean, mineral drinking water is a priority. Fruit and vegetable juices, judging by keto diet reviews, are not strictly prohibited, but they are a complete meal. In addition, they must be diluted at least one third with water. You cannot cook compotes with dried fruits.
Of course, you shouldn't think of any products that contain sugar - they are taboo without indulgences. But, in addition to this, cereals are also prohibited. Even buckwheat, rice and similar grains should not be consumed. You will have to forget about some of the vegetables and fruits. Specifically in the "risk group" potatoes, beets, carrots. They are especially dangerous when cooked. Among fruits, grapes and bananas are unacceptable. Also, pasta, which is derived from wheat and therefore net carbs, can't be.
The base of the menu of a ketogenic diet is chicken eggs, cheese and cottage cheese. Meat and fish are connected to them, and this group should receive special attention. Herring and salmon received a special recommendation here. They will only increase the proportion of fat in the diet, which is necessary according to the principles of the method. In addition, nuts, among which almonds and cashews are valued, also allow you to get them. Meat can also be any, pork with lamb is not prohibited, but it is better to eat them infrequently, mainly choosing poultry or beef for yourself.
The fat content of the dairy group also has no influence. The ketogenic diet is where low-fat cottage cheese is undesirable rather than necessary. However, if this does not affect the calorie content of the diet in the best way, you can go for the low-fat option.
How to design a ketogenic diet menu?
According to reviews about the keto diet, you can make the menu yourself, swapping the dishes as you like. The main thing is to follow the norms for calorie content and proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And here you should know that although vegetables are allowed in small quantities, their "dose" is only 40-50 g at a time. But the same meat in a meal can be at least 100 g and even 300 g. The same applies to the group of dairy products.
An example version of the daily menu:
- Eggs are boiled for breakfast, served with sprigs of parsley and dill. Herbal tea is made with them.
- For lunch: soft cheese and not too salty.
- Any meat is boiled for dinner. You can make steamed or baked meatballs with it by twisting the meat into minced meat, combining it with egg white, salt, and onion.
- For a snack, prepare a protein shake or have a handful of nuts.
- A piece of steamed fish and salad leaves are recommended for dinner.
As for the protein shake, there are many recipes for it. The simplest is low-fat cottage cheese with milk and cinnamon. For those who really want to try at least a little bit, keto diet reviews recommend adding some natural pineapple juice. Not packaged!
Overall, judging from the reviews, the ketogenic diet cannot be considered easy. Despite the fact that their menu is not hungry and even quietly "coexists" with sports, for many it is quite problematic to follow such a diet. But the results, which consist of the disappearance of the belly and the stretching of the muscles, are often worth it.