Before Starting a Ketogenic Diet – Read This Article
Ketogenic diets have been a rising trend throughout the past few decades.
Many people are adopting them to shed off quick pounds. They see it as a “low effort” way to stay slim…
And it’s effective. The diet works wonders at shaving off weight.
However…
Keto Can be Dangerous…
This isn’t a diet you should start without “expert help.”
Done alone, this diet is dangerous. It involves a radical alteration of your metabolism, how your body functions, and much more…
And the results? They range from lethargy – to a hospital visit.
It’s a Topic that Warrants Discussion.
And that’s what we’ll do today.
We’ll break down the basics of the Ketogenic diet. We’ll prove an outline as to how it developed, and how it works.
Plus, we’ll outline the benefits and harms.
Use this article as a starter guide. But always note, an expert’s help is necessary before trying this diet!
First – History.
Originally, this diet was administered as “therapy” as far back as the 1920s.
It was done to treat epilepsy in children. The diet focused on minimizing carbohydrates as much as possible.
Enough protein was allowed for tissue growth and body repair.
From Therapy to Mainstream Use.
Oddly enough, focus on researching this diet collapsed for decades.
From the 1920s to the 1990s, little attention was paid to this diet.
But starting from mid-1990s, there was a resurgence. This diet was slowly popularized by Jim Abrahams, a Hollywood producer whose son was epileptic.
Seizures Aside…
Most reading this article are interested in the “weight loss” and “health benefits.”
Ketogenic diets train the body to shave off fat, while giving up carbohydrate reliance. But getting to that state takes time…
Second – Fat Burning.
The Ketogenic diet aims to deplete all sugar stores in the body. This process usually takes 1-2 days.
From there, the body is forced to break down “fat” into “ketones” for energy.
Over a long period of time, this leads to weight loss. It also leads to lower food consumption, and higher satiety.
But this leads us to the first danger, being…
Exhaustion – Low Blood Pressure.
Carbohydrates affect blood pressure. The more you consume, the higher your blood pressure.
But with Ketogenic diets, you eat less food. So your salt intake is lower. Also, you eat carbs less frequently, which means lower overall blood pressure levels (source).
And that’s not all. Ketogenic diets can cause exhaustion. This specifically applies to the first few weeks of the diet.
As a result, this diet isn’t suitable for busy people. You need to give yourself some time to adapt to it, which can disrupt your obligations.
Results to Expect.
The Ketogenic diet leads to rapid weight loss – no doubt.
The low satiation levels you experience can put you in a range of 800 to 1200 calories/day, which is extremely low.
However, this is an unhealthy caloric range. Most experts would recommend a caloric intake of 1200 to 1500 for healthy weight loss.
Why?
Research shows that your body adjusts your functioning in accordance to your energy intake (source).
Basically, if you take in less calories, your body forces you to work with what you have.
Sure, fat burning will occur. But massive drops in energy levels is what’ll also happen.
This means the following may be difficult for you…
- Exercising.
- Long work/school hours.
You’ll have to increase your energy intake to normal on Keto. That, or your weight loss phase should involve a long period of low activity.
That is, it’s something you do with moderate levels of work. It’s something you likely do on vacation.
But it’s not a diet that’s easy to balance with a busy life. However, it is still possible…
Approaching the Diet.
Beyond the previous considerations, there are two major obstacles to a successful Keto diet.
Those would be the adjustment periods. Those are…
- 2-4 weeks to get past the “Keto Flu” stage.
- 3 months for full fat adaptation.
What is Keto Flu?
Consider this the “withdrawal symptom stage” of quitting a high carb diet. This stage includes severe lethargy, headaches, irritation, and a need to rest.
What’s Fat Adaptation?
It’s when you train your body to swap fuel sources – without metabolic drawbacks.
You can even train your body to do heavy work (even athletic-level exercising), and still burn fat most of the time.
Reaching this stage takes some time. But once you do, most health drawbacks of Keto diets get alleviated.
Additional Considerations.
The menu of a Ketogenic diet is quite “restricted.”
Note that a Ketogenic diet is 60% fat minimum (for lenient versions). Normally, you want fat intake at 75%.
Plus, your carbohydrate intake should be less than 5% – with proteins at 20%.
This doesn’t leave you many food options. You’re restricted to oils, cheese, eggs – and some avocados.
In essence, a Ketogenic diet isn’t tasty. And it may be difficult to sustain it long-term, simply due to the menu type.
So I Should Avoid The Diet?
It’s useful for “special categories” of people. But it isn’t practical for modern life.
If you’re epileptic, you can try a Ketogenic diet (with your doctor’s supervision). Also, if you’re diabetic, you can try this diet.
This diet works well for diabetics, since it keeps blood sugar at low levels. And it helps you steer clear from hypoglycemic states.
But For Average Individuals…
A balanced diet works best.
You can tweak your diet for lower carbohydrate intake. This can help you stabilize your energy levels, letting you avoid energy spikes and sugar crashes.
But eliminating carbs fully (and restricting protein) isn’t healthy. Both are necessary for daily functioning.
So if you do plan on trying the diet, consult an expert. Take their recommendations, and tweak your diet!
