Ketogenic Diet: Beginner's Guide To Keto And Weight Loss
The ketogenic diet is a low carb, moderate protein, and high fat diet which puts the body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. When you're body is in a state of ketosis, the liver produced ketones which become the main energy source for the body. The ketogenic diet is also referred to as keto (key-toe) diet, low carb diet, and low carb high fat (LCHF). So why is it so awesome and why is it taking the world by storm? Because it completely reverses how your body functions (in a good way) along with changing how you view nutrition. It's based around the premise that your body was designed to run more efficiently as a fat burner than a sugar burner. Fat Burner vs Sugar Burner When you eat something that is high in carbs (that yummy donut), your body will produce glucose and insulin. Glucose is the easiest molecule for your body to convert and use as energy so that is why it's the preferred energy source for your body. Insulin is produced to process the glucose in your bloodstream by transporting it around your body. This sounds pretty efficient, right? The problem with this is that when glucose is used as a primary energy source, fats are not needed for energy and therefore are stored. With the average person's diet, glucose is the main energy source. This initially doesn't seem like a problem until you realize that the body can't store that much glucose. This becomes an issue for you because the extra glucose gets converted into fat which is then stored. Because your body uses glucose as it's main energy source the glucose that is converted into fat doesn't get used. When your body runs out of glucose it tells your brain you need more so you end up reaching for a quick snack like a candy bar or some chips. You can begin to see how this cycle leads to building up a body Continue reading >>
Everything You Should Know About The Ketogenic Diet
Recently I had a client tell me that she and her husband were eating more than 2 pounds of bacon a week—usually three strips for breakfast and one or two with a salad for dinner. I’ve been a dietitian for almost 20 years. Few things surprise me. But I had to ask: “Why?” She told me that her husband had heard about a new diet on TV, the keto diet, and they decided to try it. Six months and countless packages of bacon later, her husband had lost 20 pounds and said he felt more energetic. I’m beginning to hear more and more people lecture me about the benefits of the ketogenic diet. “Keto burns fat fast! It turbo-charges your energy! It fights disease! You can eat all the bacon you want!” But as is so often the case with diets, underneath all the initial excitement, there’s a gut check. Here’s everything you should know about the ketogenic diet and whether or not you should try it for yourself. Ketogenesis has existed as long as humans have. If you eat a very low amount of carbohydrates, you starve your brain of glucose, its main fuel source. Your body still needs fuel to function, so your brain signals it to tap its reserve of ketones. It’s like a hybrid car that runs out of gas and reverts to pure electricity. Okay, but what are ketones? They’re compounds created by your liver from your fat stores when blood insulin is low. “Your liver produces ketones all the time, but the rate depends on carbohydrate and protein intake,” says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of human sciences at Ohio State University. Eat a normal amount of carbs and protein, and ketogenesis idles. Cut carbs and protein back, and you push to half throttle. This takes about three days to induce. A ketogenic diet requires that fat comprise 60 to 80 percent of your total calo Continue reading >>
Celebs Over 40 Are Obsessed With The Keto Diet. Here’s Everything You Need To Know Before Trying It.
There was once a time when low-fat cookies, chips, and peanut butter were considered “healthy choices.” Oh, how times have changed! Ever since studies began surfacing showing that low-carb, high-fat diets can be more effective for weight loss than low-fat plans, more and more health-conscious folks have fully embraced fat. Sales of whole-fat milk and yogurt have soared in recent years, and most nutritionists now tell their clients to incorporate fatty foods like fish, avocado, and olive oil into their diets. The reemergence of all this creamy goodness has led to a century-old diet making a major comeback: the ketogenic diet. Celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Mick Jagger are both rumored to have taken the plan for a test drive. (Got 10 minutes? Then you've got time to lose the weight for good with Prevention's new 10-minute workouts and 10-minute meals. Get Fit in 10: Slim and Strong for Life now!) Those following the keto diet plan eat a lot of fat and just a few carbohydrates. More specifically, 80% of the diet is comprised of fat, 15% is protein, and a mere 5% of calories come from carbohydrates. For someone on a 1,500-calorie diet, that translates to 19 grams of carbohydrates per day, which is less than what you find in a cup of green peas. (For some context, most people’s diets contain 55% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 15% protein.) The idea is that if you deplete yourself of carbohydrates, the brain’s preferred fuel source, your body will start breaking down fat for energy. When this occurs, the body goes into a state of ketosis. But does this really fuel weight loss or make us healthier? According to one Spanish study of 20 obese adults, the answer is yes. For the study, participants were put on a low-calorie keto diet and lost an average of 40 pound Continue reading >>
I Went On The Silicon Valley Diet Craze That Encourages Butter And Bacon For 2 Months — And It Vastly Improved My Life
Bacon became my new best friend on the ketogenic diet.Business Insider A diet that goes against conventional wisdom on healthy eating is gaining momentum among Silicon Valley tech workers. And it involves eating a lot of fat. The ketogenic, or "keto," diet — which first became popular in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy and diabetes — limits carbohydrates to no more than 50 grams a day, which is the rough equivalent of a plain bagel or a cup of white rice. By comparison, dietary guidelines laid out by the US Department of Agriculture recommend consuming between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day. On the keto diet, the body goes into starvation mode and taps its fat stores for fuel. Studies suggest the low-carb, high-fat diet may promote weight loss, dull hunger, and stave off age-related diseases. More research is needed on its long-term effects, especially in healthy people. An increasing number of health nuts — from the internet entrepreneur Kevin Rose to the podcaster Tim Ferriss — swear by the keto diet. I spent the past two months eating bacon, butter, and avocados to see why the keto movement is so popular. I am no stranger to diets. I've cut sugar, counted points on Weight Watchers, and swapped solid food for Soylent, a venture-capital-backed meal-replacement shake. Here's me eating a doughnut.Melia Robinson/Business Insider I gave up breakfast for a week and drank this caffeinated meal-replacement shake instead » But those usually don't last long. I love food. I'm a chronic snacker. Melia Robinson/Business Insider When I first learned about the keto diet, it caught my interest because dieters could eat seemingly unlimited amounts of healthy fats, like cheese, nuts, avocado, eggs, butter — foods that have high "point values" on Weight Watchers and a Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet 101: A Detailed Beginner's Guide
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. Over 20 studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve health (1). Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (2, 3, 4, 5). This article is a detailed beginner's guide to the ketogenic diet. It contains everything you need to know. The ketogenic diet (often termed keto) is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low-carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fat. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain (6, 7). Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has numerous health benefits (6, 8, 9, 10, 11). The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones. There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including: Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs (1). Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days. Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts. High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% Continue reading >>
Long-term Effects Of A Ketogenic Diet In Obese Patients
Go to: Abstract Although various studies have examined the short-term effects of a ketogenic diet in reducing weight in obese patients, its long-term effects on various physical and biochemical parameters are not known. To determine the effects of a 24-week ketogenic diet (consisting of 30 g carbohydrate, 1 g/kg body weight protein, 20% saturated fat, and 80% polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat) in obese patients. In the present study, 83 obese patients (39 men and 44 women) with a body mass index greater than 35 kg/m2, and high glucose and cholesterol levels were selected. The body weight, body mass index, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, urea and creatinine levels were determined before and after the administration of the ketogenic diet. Changes in these parameters were monitored after eight, 16 and 24 weeks of treatment. The weight and body mass index of the patients decreased significantly (P<0.0001). The level of total cholesterol decreased from week 1 to week 24. HDL cholesterol levels significantly increased, whereas LDL cholesterol levels significantly decreased after treatment. The level of triglycerides decreased significantly following 24 weeks of treatment. The level of blood glucose significantly decreased. The changes in the level of urea and creatinine were not statistically significant. The present study shows the beneficial effects of a long-term ketogenic diet. It significantly reduced the body weight and body mass index of the patients. Furthermore, it decreased the level of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose, and increased the level of HDL cholesterol. Administering a ketogenic diet for a relatively longer period of time did Continue reading >>
- Statins Related to Diabetes Progression for Obese Patients
- The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin stores in the pancreas of subjects with type-2 diabetes and their lean and obese non-diabetic controls
Ketogenic Diet Benefits For Weight Loss, Fighting Disease & More
Unlike many fad diets that come and go with very limited rates of long-term success, the ketogenic diet (or keto diet) has been practiced for more than nine decades (since the 1920s) and is based upon a solid understanding of physiology and nutrition science. Rather than relying on counting calories, limiting portion sizes, resorting to extreme exercise or requiring lots of willpower (even in the face of drastically low energy levels), the ketogenic diet takes an entirely different approach to weight loss and health improvement. It works because it changes the very “fuel source” that the body uses to stay energized — namely, from burning glucose (or sugar) for energy to dietary fat and, critically, your own body fat after the stage of “ketosis” is reached. Meanwhile, beyond its outstanding potential to help people lose weight and burn off fat stores, research shows that the ketogenic diet helps to fight serious diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s. Table of Contents 1. What Is the Keto Diet? What Is Ketosis? How to Get Into Ketosis What Are the Stages of Ketosis? Does the Keto Diet Work for Women? 2. Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet 3. What Is the Ketogenic Diet Plan? 5. Keto Side Effects and the Keto Flu What Is the Keto Diet? The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet plan that was originally designed in the 1920s for patients with epilepsy by researchers working at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. (1) Researchers found that fasting — avoiding consumption of all foods for a brief period of time, including those that provide carbohydrates — helped reduce the amount of seizures patients suffered, in addition to having other positive effects on body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol and hunger levels. (4) Unfortunately, long-term fasting is not a feasible op Continue reading >>
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- Weight Watchers Jumps Eight Spots To #3 Best Diabetes Diet And Retains Top Spot As Best Fast Weight Loss Diet In 2018 Best Diets Report
A Beginner’s Guide To The Ketogenic Diet: An Effective Way Of Optimizing Your Health
Many Americans suffer from various chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, and the main culprit is usually the food they eat. The standard American diet contains excessive amounts of protein and carbohydrates, neither of which is good for your health because it eventually causes you to develop insulin and leptin resistance. As a result, you gain excess weight, develop inflammation and become prone to cellular damage. To avoid this problem, significant changes in your diet are necessary, and the best way is inducing your body into a state of nutritional ketosis, a condition where your body burns fat as its primary fuel instead of sugar. In order to reach nutritional ketosis, you must follow a ketogenic diet. But what exactly is a ketogenic diet? This guide will tell you everything you need to know about a ketogenic diet – how you can apply it to your lifestyle and what positives you can reap from it. The Various Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet A ketogenic diet is a dietary approach that focuses on minimal carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein and high healthy fat consumption — the three keys to achieving nutritional ketosis. In fact, it’s what I recommend for most people who would like to optimize their health. There are many reasons why you should try a ketogenic diet. It can be very beneficial for people suffering from chronic conditions, or for people who would simply like to be healthier than their current state. You’ll be excited to know that a ketogenic diet can help with the following: • Weight loss If you’re trying to lose weight, then a ketogenic diet is one of the best ways to do it, because it helps access your body fat so that it can be shed. Obese people in particular can benefit from this method. In one study, obese test subjects were Continue reading >>
The Perks Of Fasting, With None Of The Work
“If there’s a downside, it is kind of crazy tasting,” said Geoff Woo, the founder of HVMN, a Silicon Valley company that makes nootropics, or performance-enhancing supplements. We were in a conference room in The Atlantic’s office building, and he was bracing me for my trial run of his latest product. It was a small, clear vial labeled “Ketone,” a new type of energy drink his company is releasing this week. Its nutrition label says it contains 120 calories, but no carbs, no fat, and no protein. Instead, it’s all ketones, the chemical that Woo and his company are calling a “fourth food group.” He hopes the drink will allow people to reap the benefits of occasional fasting—high ketone levels inside the body—without actually having to not eat. I unscrewed the top and, college-days muscle memory kicking in, chugged it like a shot of Captain Morgan. It tasted like cough syrup that had been poured into a garbage bag and left in the sun. “Augh!” I cried. “I compare it to a combination of a liquor shot with nail-polish remover,” Woo said. Woo’s coworker, Brianna Stubbs, went to fetch me a glass of water. “We’ve done a lot of work to make it better,” she said. Within an hour, the drink was supposed to help improve my athletic performance by changing how my body burned energy during exercise. Some people also say it helps them feel more energetic and focused on their work. About 25 minutes after I drank Ketone, Woo and Stubbs pricked my finger to see if it was working. My blood sugar, which had verged on diabetic levels from some pineapple I had eaten that morning, was down to near-normal levels. Meanwhile, my ketones, which had been practically nonexistent before imbibing—measuring just 0.2 millimolar—had soared to 4.9. “It would have Continue reading >>
What Is The Keto Diet? Kardashian Nutritionist, Experts Weigh In On The Celeb Food Fad
Have you noticed how high-key people are being about the ketogenic diet? The high-fat, low-carb diet has recently caught the interest of celebrities, and made its way to their social media feeds. Tim Tebow subscribes. Kourtney Kardashian wrote about how she detoxes in a state of ketosis on her app. Marie Claire UK linked the food program to Megan Fox, Adriana Lima and Mick Jagger, and Business Insider says you can also count Halle Berry as a fan. And A-listers aren't the only ones taking note. Searches for "keto" have quadrupled on Google in the last year, according to Google Trends. And Pinterest consumer PR manager Lara Levin says more than 69 million keto recipes have been saved since 2014. "It’s low carb but high fat so that your body will break down the fat as the primary fuel source," says Dr. Eric Kossoff, director of the Child Neurology Residency Program at Johns Hopkins. "If you keep carbohydrates low enough, that’s what the body has to do." Dr. Kossoff says those on a classic keto diet are "eating a lot of butter, and mayonnaise and oils and whipping cream. They’re eating lots of different fats, not just avocados and nuts and things like that." The classic keto diet has been associated with epilepsy treatment since the 1920s, according to Dr. Kossoff. "It’s a very well-established, very mainstream therapy for epilepsy in today’s society," he says. "Your body will create ketones, and either the ketones, or keeping your carbohydrates low, or probably something even more than that helps suppress seizures in people who have epilepsy." So, why the high-interest for celebs and non-epileptics? "When in a state of metabolic ketosis, the body will shed pounds rapidly," says celebrity nutritionist Philip Goglia, PhD, who calls Christian Bale, Khloé Kardashian Continue reading >>
What's A Keto Diet?
What is a ketogenic diet and how does it work? The process was initially developed in 1924 by Dr. Russell Wilder as an effective, non-pharmacological treatment for intractable childhood epilepsy. The process works when the body is put into a metabolic state called Ketosis, where ketones become the main source of energy for the brain and body to function. The ketogenic diet plan is high in fat and low in carbohydrates while supplying adequate protein to the body. This specific combination changes the manner in which your body uses energy. Additionally, while reducing epileptic seizures, this process lowers glucose levels while improving the body’s resistance to insulin. So I know a lot of you are probably wondering "what is Ketosis?" am I right? By definition, it is when your body goes through a metabolic state in which the body transforms ketones created from fat into energy, instead of energy created from converting carbohydrates. What are they exactly did you ask? Biochemically speaking, ketones are organic, carbon-based compounds that contain a central carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and two carbon-containing substituents, denoted by “R.” Ketones are considered simple compounds because they do not contain chemical groups that are readily reactive. Fatty acids in the body are oxidized by the liver for energy production. There are 3 different ketone bodies produced in mitochondria of the liver: acetone, acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid. Some of these fatty acids are oxidized by the liver for energy production while others can be partially oxidized to form the substrate acetoacetate, which is then converted to beta-hydroxybutyric acid; collective. These bodies produced in the liver are referred to as endogenous ketone bodies and are those Continue reading >>
The Ketogenic Diet Vs The Atkins Diet: Is Ketosis Better Than Atkins?
It’s not uncommon for the ketogenic diet and the famous Atkin’s Diet of the 1990’s to get lumped into the same conversation as one and the same. But are they actually different, and is one healthier than the other? Which is more impactful over the long term? There are definitely differences between the two diets, and the real comparison might surprise you! But first, let’s step back and look at them individually. The Ketogenic Diet The ketogenic diet was founded all the way back in 1924 by Dr. Russell Wilder at the famous Mayo Clinic. The diet was initially used because it was discovered to be highly effective in treating epilepsy. The principles of the ketogenic diet are based on eating a specific percentage of macronutrients: high fats (60%), adequate protein (35%), and low carbohydrates (5%), to force the body to use what are called “ketone bodies” for energy. In the absence of carbohydrates for an extended period of time, our liver converts fats into fatty acids and ketone bodies, also just simply called “ketones.” Ketones can then be processed into ATP, which is the energy currency of the cells. Now, an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood leads to a state known as nutritional ketosis. Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet There are several ways the ketogenic diet can help the health and lifestyles of those who follow it. Here are some of the biggest advantages: Blood Sugar Stabilization The ketogenic diet actively helps to lower glucose levels and improve insulin resistance. Without having frequent carbohydrate intake, blood sugar levels can stabilize more rapidly. Trigger Fat Burning Ketogenic diets can also be very effective for fat loss because they ultimately reset your body’s “enzymatic machinery” to burn fat as its primary fuel source Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis And The Ketogenic Diet?
Eating Keto 101 Ketosis is a metabolic state where your liver produces raised levels of "ketones" through healthy fats. Typically, glucose is the primary fuel source of the body and brain, but it can be replaced by these ketones. In this state of ketosis, your body optimizes fat as fuel and can lead to many health benefits. Because the fat is coming from high quality sources, it also leads to improved lipid labs (triglycerides, LDL, HDL, and more). Although fasting is the quickest way to get to ketosis - it's certainly not sustainable. Instead, followers of the keto diet find a balance of what to eat (and when) to keep their body constantly producing ketones. This lifestyle - the ketogenic diet - is a balance of losing weight and performing efficiently. A strict ketogenic diet is not for everyone. We recommend consulting with a doctor to make sure this restriction is for you. The Keto Plan Though there are various definitions of a Keto diet, the general guidelines are as follows: Very low carb intake Medium level of protein High levels of high quality fat as a major fuel source At Factor 75, we have our own Nutritional Philosophy, based on cutting edge research and feedback from our advisory board. Though we aren't strictly Keto, we do provide some excellent Keto meals options. Though we aren't strictly Keto, we do provide some excellent Keto meal options. At Factor 75, the definition of Keto that guides us in creating our Keto meals is: High Quality Fats 60 - 80% Carbs at or under 20g of carbs Protein 20 - 35% Low Glycemic Carbs 5 - 15% Less than 20 grams of net carbs per meal This ratio - and no added sugars - burns fat. Keto Benefits Research has shown that adherence to a Ketogenic diet can: A few of Factor 75's favorite Ketogenic foods: Explore Other Healthy Eating Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet Beginners Guide
Brief Overview A ketogenic diet is a way of eating that promotes a state of ketosis in the body. Generally speaking a ketogenic diet will have the following macronutrient ratios: High Fat – 60%-80% of total calories come from fat. Moderate Protein – 15%-35% of total calories come from protein. Low Carbohydrate – 5% or less of total calories come from carbohydrates. Everyone’s macronutrient breakdown will be different and depends on a variety of factors. Reference our Keto Macro Calculator to figure out what yours are! Eating in accordance with these macronutrient ratio’s will deplete your body of glucose and force it to start producing ketones. Your body will then use these ketones for energy. What is Ketosis From Wikipedia: Ketosis is a metabolic state in which some of the body’s energy supply comes from ketone bodies in the blood, in contrast to a state of glycolysis in which blood glucose (sugar) provides most of the energy. With the abundance of high carbohydrate foods available in modern times, virtually all human beings that don’t make a concerted effort to restrict carbs are always in a state of glycolysis. There are a number of reasons why ketosis is beneficial when compared to glycolysis, which we will get into later. What are Ketones? Ketones are the fuel source your body is running on when it’s in a state of ketosis. They are produced in the liver when glycogen is depleted and are characterized as a slower burning fuel source when compared to glucose. Insulin and Keto This is where the magic happens. Eating a high carb diet means you’re always producing insulin to transport the glucose around your body. The fat can just sit around and watch because insulin is doing all the work. The fat is eventually stored, which leads to weight gain. In a Continue reading >>
Understanding The Ketogenic Diet
Understanding the ketogenic diet The Ketogenic Diet is the dream diet of 2017: eat all the fat you want and lose weight. The Ketogenic Diet allows you to enjoy that extra strip of bacon. You can go to town on all the high fat foods and still lose weight. How? Eliminate carbs. "You will eliminate all carbs - that's the key. What's left is eating a moderate to high amount of fat-derived foods and protein-derived foods. A lot of eggs, meat, cheese, oils, and such," said America's Healthy Heart Doctor Joel Kahn. When your body is looking for energy from carbs and you're not eating those carbs, your body goes into ketosis, which turns your fat stores into energy. The compounds that are created are called ketones. "Eliminate processed junk foods. Get rid of added sugar, processed meats. It's a great way to get on the path to losing 100 puonds," Dr. Kahn said. Cutting out cookies and soda is always a good idea, but there's a downside. First, it's really hard to eliminate pasta, bread, many fruits, and starchy vegetables. Second, eating a high fat diet long term, might be questionable. "The concern in the medical community is doing this day after day, eating high protein eliminating carbs. There is scienc that this might not be safe long term," Dr. Kahn said. Instead, Dr. Kahn recommends a plant-based version of the keto diet and try it for just five days a month. There are a lot of vegan ketogenic diets if you look on line. Here's one resource - but you can also search online by looking for vegetarian ketogenic diet. Continue reading >>
