Extremely popular among athletes, celebrities and bodybuilders, the keto diet is the new dieting craze. A keto diet is an extremely low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein diet. This diet can help you achieve 'ketosis' in your body. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body gets its energy from stored fat rather than carbs, which is why it helps you lose weight quickly. So, if you're new to dieting or looking to lose weight, here's everything you need to know about the keto diet and a one-week sample plan to help you shed those extra pounds.
Keto Diet For Weight Loss
The Keto diet includes the following macronutrient ratio:
Fats: 70-80 per cent
Protein content: 20-30 per cent
Carbs: 5-10 per cent
As a general rule, the lower your carb intake, the easier it will be to achieve and maintain ketosis. If you consume 2,000 kcal per day, you may be able to achieve ketosis by consuming 20 or fewer grams of net carbs per day. Eating a higher-calorie diet does not give you permission to consume more carbohydrates, especially while doing keto. Even on a 4,000-calorie diet, you must limit your carbohydrate intake to 20-30 grams.
Pro Tip
Ketosis begins in your body the moment you reduce your carb intake and increase fat-based calories. However, if you were previously eating 200 gms of carbs per day, reducing your carb intake to half, or 100 gms, would also result in a deficit. Dropping your carbs slowly would also give your body time to adjust, and then slowly, you can reduce the carbs week by week.
Also Read: Keto Diet Explained: How To Kickstart Ketogenic Lifestyle?
Foods To Eat On Keto Diet
The keto diet discourages the consumption of carbs; therefore, you should essentially hunt for lean protein sources and foods high in healthy fats.
1) For fats: Butter, cream, ghee, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, almond milk, nuts, nut butter, avocados, and full-cream dairy products
2) For protein: Chicken, eggs, bacon and fish
Tofu or paneer, greek yoghurt and whey protein are great vegetarian alternatives.
3) Low Carb Veggies: leafy green vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, and so on.
4) When it comes to snacking, black coffee, green tea, or zero-calorie drinks can be a great option.
5) Fruit selection is a little more difficult because most fruits are high in carbs. Watermelon various berries are among the fruits that can be accommodated .
Things You Should Know Before Starting Keto
1) As per the diet, ketosis occurs when you only consume 20 per cent of your calories as carbs, so make sure you are keeping your carbs less than 30 grams a day.
2) Your staples should include meat, cheese, eggs, nuts, oils, avocados, veggies, and tofu.
3) As you will be consuming a lot of protein, it's essential to consume veggies with each meal, as it will make digestion easy.
4) Low-carb foods may be difficult to find, so it's critical that you plan your diet carefully and carry snacks with you on the go.
5) Because ketosis alters fluid and mineral balance, it is critical to consume enough salt and possibly electrolytes.
6) There is something known as keto flu, which is characterised by mood swings, headaches, and fatigue. The keto flu is an indication that your body has entered the ketosis state, and it is nothing to be concerned about because the body adjusts within a few days.
A Sample Keto Diet Plan (Five days)
Monday
Breakfast: Whole egg omelette with sauteed greens
Lunch: Chicken breast
Snacks: Nuts + black coffee
Dinner: Chicken soup
Also Read: Keto Diet: Benefits And Risks
Tuesday
Breakfast: Mushroom omelette
Lunch: Tofu + veggies
Snacks: Whey protein in water or high-fat milk
Dinner: Chicken Salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: Chicken sandwich with low-carb bread and bulletproof coffee
Lunch: Sauteed veggies and paneer
Snacks: Boiled eggs and green tea
Dinner: Whey protein with two tablespoons of olive oil
Thursday
Breakfast: Full-fat yoghurt topped with rice cake
Lunch: Caesar salad with chicken
Snacks: Full-fat yoghurt with nuts
Dinner: Whole egg omelette with sauteed greens
Friday
Breakfast: Baked avocado egg toast
Lunch: Whey protein in almond milk
Snacks: Bulletproof coffee
Dinner: Tofu with veggies
Image Credit: Freepik
