Understanding the Basics of the Keto Diet

by Allen Brown

There are so many different diets out there that it has become quite difficult to determine which one is the most suitable for you. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most popular diets doing the rounds at the moment is the keto diet.

So what exactly is a keto diet and what does it do? Keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet, that helps you burn fat by forcing the body into ketosis. Ketosis happens when your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for fuel, so start burning fat and your liver begins to produce ketones. For many people trying to lose weight, the keto diet may be a good choice as it isn’t as restrictive as some diets and delivers fast results for a number of people.

Everything You Need To Know About Keto Diet

Various Types Of Ketogenic Diets

If you think that there’s only one type of keto diet, then you’d be wrong. There are several types of keto diet including the Standard Ketogenic Diet, Cyclical Ketogenic Diet, Targeted Ketogenic Diet, and High-Protein Ketogenic Diet.

  1. Standard Ketogenic Diet –  The standard keto diet is recommended for those who are just getting started and are simply getting themselves familiar with the specifics of the keto regime. This version of the diet incorporates the fundamental guidelines of the ketogenic diet, including high-fat, moderate protein, and low-carb intake.
  2. Cyclical Ketogenic Diet – This version of the diet is recommended for individuals with an active lifestyle or are athletes. These people normally need carbs to help them out during their intense workout sessions. During CKD, you’ll be consuming higher-carb refeeds a couple of days per week. What does that mean? Typically a cyclical keto diet consists of sticking to a keto regime five days a week and then swapping to a high-carb diet for two days.
  3. Targeted Ketogenic Diet – TKD is similar to a cyclical keto diet in that It is also great for anyone who is active and who needs a lot of energy during their training sessions. Unlike the cyclical diet, the targeted keto diet is less intense. The diet generally follows the rules set down in a standard keto diet but you can have an additional 25 to 50 grams of net carbs whenever you are working out.
  4. High-Protein Ketogenic Diet – The high-protein keto diet is quite similar to the standard keto diet, but as the name suggests, it involves a lot more protein. With a standard keto diet, your meals are allowed to be around 25% protein With the high-protein diet you can have up to 35% protein in your meals.

Keto Pills

Keto pills are an aid to help your body enter ketosis so you can burn fat instead of carbs (glucose) for energy. The idea behind keto pills is similar to that of the diet in that they help your body become accustomed to burning fat for fuel. These pills are packed with an ingredient that can be beneficial in aiding weight loss called Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT). MCT is a kind of fat that can be found in coconut oil, palm oil, whole milk and butter.

Keto pills are to be used in conjunction with a keto diet so as to help the body enter and stay in ketosis. If taken with a regular diet it is unlikely there will be any effect at all. If you are interested in finding the best fat-burning pills available in Australia, you should check the Therapeutic Goods Administration to see which brands are registered, and check with your doctor to see if ketogenic pills may be right for you.

Who Shouldn’t Try Out Keto Diet?

Generally speaking, the ketogenic diet is pretty safe and fairly easy to stick to, but that doesn’t mean that it is perfect for everybody. There are some individuals that should definitely consult with their healthcare provider before trying keto, such as:

  • Those who are taking medications for diabetes, such as metformin or insulin
  • Those who take medications for high blood pressure
  • Women who breastfeed

What Do You Think Of Fat?

A lot of people think that consuming fat is unhealthy and potentially dangerous, which is understandable because the thinking on fat and its effects on the body have changed over the years. Some articles suggest that consuming fat is a great idea, while others disagree.

Many people may be hesitant to start a high-fat diet because they are not sure what they are supposed to do. The best approach to starting keto is to prepare yourself for a high-fat diet slowly, by taking small steps at first to get yourself used to a change in eating habits.

You can start by taking simple actions such as ordering a burger on lettuce leaves instead of a bun and having green vegetables instead of fries or replace rice, pasta or potatoes with non-starchy veggies, such as green beans, spinach, asparagus, corn, mushrooms, eggplant, cauliflower or a host of other tasty and healthy options.

There are so many small things that you can do to prepare. All you have to be is patient and creative. Give avocado oil or olive oil a chance and you’ll see how delicious your meals are going to be. Slowly, step by step, start eliminating carbs and incorporate more fat.

As is the case with all diets, you should consult with your doctor before you begin to make sure it is right for you and you don’t have any issues that may cause the diet to become harmful. The fastest and easiest way to search for and book healthcare appointments online is with MyHealth1st.

Photo by Jane D.

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