November 2021 - #096 - What is the Keto Diet?

Happy November Everyone and Welcome Back

Nowadays a ton of people are on the keto diet or keto boost pills or anything to do with keto. This diet has worked successfully for many people. Let’s check out all the facts for this diet trend and then you can decide if it is right for you or a loved one.

First of all:

What exactly is the keto diet?

The keto diet is a diet that is very low in carbohydrates, has adequate protein but is high in fat. It’s weird to hear of any weight loss plan that would encourage you to eat more fat, but there is a reason for this madness.

It basically wants you to minimize your carb intake to an extreme low and literally replace it with foods of high fat content because when you do this you put your body into what they call a metabolic state called ketosis.

This diet is extremely similar to the Atkins diet which has been around for many years.

So, what is ketosis?

When your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn to give you your daily energy then it turns to your body’s fat reserves and burns fat instead to give us energy. That process is called ketosis.

This diet is a great weight loss tool but it is also used in some medical situations such as treating epilepsy in children.

The Breakdown in Numbers is:

The Break down of the keto diet is for your diet to be comprised of approximately 5% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 75% fats.

So this means you will be eating less than 50 grams of carbs a day, which is your fuel source and as stated above your body will now turn to a fat source for energy.

This process will usually take about 3 – 4 days. Then your body will start breaking down fat and protein for energy which will result in weight loss. Again this is called Ketosis.

We will give you an idea of what you can and cannot eat and drink on the Keto Diet but this is just so you get a good idea of what is involved.

If you want to go full steam ahead with this diet there is a plethora of information on the internet and an amazing amount of books including many recipes for this diet.

What to Eat on the Keto?

Meat – all meat, even sausage, bacon, red meat, chicken, turkey, etc.

Fatty fish – salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, etc.

Eggs, butter and cream

Cheese – Almost all cheese, but the higher the fat content the better. Avoid cheeses that are low in fat such as cottage cheese

Nuts and Seeds – cashews, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, etc.

Healthy Oils – extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter, some animal fats such as duck fat, etc.

Avocados – one of the healthiest veggies you can eat which has a high fat content

Low Carb Vegetables – tomatoes, onions, peppers, green vegetables, etc.

Condiments – salt, pepper, herbs and spices

Foods to Avoid:

Any foods high in carbs should be limited.

Sugary foods – cake, pastries, candy, soda/pop, fruit juice, etc.

Starches and Grains – rice, pasta, cereal, etc.

Beans and Legumes – chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, peas, etc.

Fruit – all fruit with the exception of small amounts of berries

Root vegetables – potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.

Low fat products – low fat mayonnaise, low fat dressings, etc.

Unhealthy Oils – processed vegetable oils including grape seed, canola, corn, etc.

Alcohol – beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks

Sugar free diet foods – sweeteners, all sugar free foods such as desserts, candy and syrups

What to drink on the Keto Diet:

Water

Flavored water

Sparkling water

Coffee/tea

Almond milk

Coconut milk

Homemade juiced vegetables (with no sugar added) such as tomato, spinach, celery, kale, cucumber, leafy greens, etc.

Regarding Diet Sodas – These sodas do contain artificial sweeteners so a better choice while on the keto diet is sodas that are made with natural sweeteners like stevia or erythritol. You can shop for keto-friendly sodas online.

How Much Weight Can You Lose?

Most people can lose 10 pounds or more in the first month on the keto diet.

Does this Diet Work?

This diet has been extremely successful for many people world wide.

Pros:

You can eat a lot of food and still achieve weight loss

Has been proven successful for many dieters

Includes heavier foods which satisfies your hunger for longer periods of time

Diverts you from drinking alcohol and eating poor quality carbohydrates that may be full of sugar, white flour or otherwise known as junk food carbs.

Cons:

This type of diet is high in fats which could increase the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels

Counting and tracking carbohydrates is required

Not suitable for vegetarians because it omits foods such as beans, legumes, grains and certain vegetables

Lacks in vitamins, minerals and nutrients

Some people have experienced bad breath, weakness, dizziness, insomnia and constipation

This type of diet is not suitable for pregnant women and nursing mothers

This type of diet is not recommended for a long period of time due to the lack of vitamins, minerals and nutrients

Caution Regarding Online Keto Boost Pill Ads:

There are a couple of scams on the internet right now regarding a product called “Keto Boost” which is a pill(capsule) to help enhance results on the keto diet.

The ads basically say that the TV show Shark Tank has endorsed this product. This is not true. Some ads also say that Dr. Oz has endorsed these products. This too is also not true.

So please be aware of certain online keto products and do lots of due diligence before making any purchases.

If you feel this diet is for you or a loved one we wish you the best.

Good Luck

Take care of yourselves and each other

Until next time.

If you have an opinion or would like to share a story with us we would love to hear from you.

Use our Contact Us page - or our Weight Loss News page (Your Story Counts).