In a world where beauty, fashion, and perfection are all that we ever talk about; who doesn’t want to attain that level of flawlessness? There are many ways one can get a perfect summer body that film stars and models have. However, they are so tough to continue for longer periods. How will we be able to indulge in all the yummy food that we desire if we follow those ways?
Typically, our role models go to the gym every day, eat healthy and abstain from junk food, as a whole. Easy for them! They get paid to look like that! What about a common person? Who has to go about the various daily activities and, despite that, wants to look fabulous!
Well, science and technology have provided us with a shortcut. It’s a way to jump past all those hardships and a quicker method to become flawless. It has been renowned as the KETOGENIC DIET. Let’s run-through the technicalities of this dream-like scheme.
What is a Ketogenic Diet?
Ketosis is a process by which your body converts fats into ketones, as molecules that provide you with energy. Originally, this energy is provided to our bodies by glucose (blood sugar), which is obtained from carbohydrates.
The goal is to trick our bodies into producing energy by ketosis. How do we outsmart our body cells? It sounds simple but it isn’t that easy or practical.
One has to eat as fewer carbohydrates as possible, stay low on protein (as the body can use that too as an alternative) and eat loads of fat. Sounds cool but it’s not. Although, this diet does allow the body to finally consider burning all the chubby areas we have reserved for insulation.
Just by the way, there is a faster way to start ketosis. Fasting, i.e. eating basically nothing. On the other hand, we can’t fast all our lives to attain the same result. That’s insane!
Red Flags for Beginners
1. Understand the Details
Don’t start when you don’t even know exactly what to eat and what to avoid. Do your homework before mounting on this train ride.
2. Design A Personalized Cookbook.
Don’t stand in the kitchen on the first day and wonder what to make. The hunger and struggle at that moment will weaken you and lure you back to carbohydrates. Search different recipes and diet plans. Have a couple of recipes up your sleeve before you begin.
3. Fight the Fear of Fats
There are many people, who aim to have a perfect summer body, get goosebumps by the name of so much fat. Regardless of the fact that they are okay with loading their stomachs with pizzas, lasagnas, pasta, burgers, fries, and desserts. Nevertheless, you should be able to meet terms with the concept of consuming huge amounts of fat.
4. Analyze Pros and Cons
Easy roads are tagged with some pitfalls as well. You need to understand that staying well hydrated, pumping up your salts and ensuring adequate nutrition are major components of your diet plan. The reason being, this diet will cause immense dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and decreased satiety. All these have to be handled accurately. Consult a doctor in advance, take supplements and keep the salts high.
5. Tea/Coffee Alternatives
These morning boosters are luckily not restricted in a ketogenic diet. However, they do come with modifications. Since, currently, we start our day with such a beverage; it is hard to overlook this matter. You will have to look up ways to prepare keto-approved tea or coffee beforehand and get used to the change of flavor.
6. Alert Your Circle
You will have to tell your family and friends about this change of lifestyle. Mainly, because you won’t be able to eat the same meals as them for some time. You might have to skip outings to avoid the desire to eat those indulging carbs.
Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet has multiple benefits apart from the eye-catching weight reduction factor. Even though nutritionists are not fans of this plan, they can’t deny the health benefits of the keto diet. For starters, patients with Type 2 diabetes benefit immensely through this diet. Their blood sugar levels remain low, requiring a decreased amount of medications. Another set of individuals, possessing the Metabolic Syndrome, shed loads of weight and recover from this disease, as seen in many researches.
Adults or children with epilepsy (fits, seizures), or related syndromes, who do not respond to medications, have shown to respond via keto diet. Research shows that the number of seizures actually decreased. For Type 2 Bipolar Disorder patients, keto has proven to be better than medications and can stabilize their mood.
Smaller studies have demonstrated that the keto diet has improved memory and, delayed the aging of the brain and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Hence, Parkinsonism, also affiliated with dementia (loss of memory), can also be controlled by ketosis, aiding in stabilizing cognitive functions.
Specific cancer treatments also consist of ketogenic diets, as per some oncologists. Lastly, infertile ladies with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome have been advised by clinicians to do ketogenic diets, due to their potential risks of obesity or diabetes.
Risks of a Ketogenic Diet
Every shortcut has its own set of drawbacks. People need to prepare themselves for the “Keto Flu”. Nausea, body aches, cramps, lethargy, and weakness are symptoms that you can have during the first two or three weeks of your diet. These occur due to the massive transition of eating habits. Nonetheless, these can be tackled by means of hydration, adequate salt, and supplements intake.
Other health hazards are comprised of mineral/vitamin deficiencies, reduced bone mineral density gastrointestinal disturbance, kidney or gall bladder stones, and constipation. The causes are mainly due to the elimination of major food groups, not eating enough vegetables (which are selectively advised), dehydration, and reduced fiber content. All of these can be overcome with proper planning and good research about your intended diet.
The Bottom Line is…
All of the above must have been a lot of information to digest initially. Therefore, you should think through your goals and weigh your desires against your willpower. Once you have thought things through and have explored your options, you should definitely head to achieve the epitome of perfection .
