Have you been struggling to find the best foods to eat on a ketogenic diet? Truth be told, sometimes it can be hard to figure out if a specific food will fit into your keto lifestyle.
As you know, the keto diet emphasizes higher intakes of fats and lower intakes of carbohydrates. This is in an effort to teach the body to better utilize a fat-fuel source known as ketones.
Ketones are only available to be drawn on when muscle and liver glycogen (from carbohydrates) are at a very low amount. This is why the keto diet will work best when you consume lower amounts of carbohydrates, especially if you can continue this for multiple days.
So, what are the best foods to consume on a keto diet?
We know that a keto diet will work best when you can consume higher amounts of fat, but it’s also important to keep your caloric allowance in check when you want to lose weight.
Remember: fat is more than twice as calorically dense as carbohydrates and protein.
Those who want to succeed on a keto diet for more effective weight management should look to sources of fat that are moderately low in saturated fats. Saturated fats have also been shown to be detrimental to your health and can even cause some chronic diseases to arise.
So, you’re left with foods that are mostly high in unsaturated fats, lean protein sources, and low-carbohydrate vegetables.
1. Avocados. Not only are avocados rich in fat, but they also contain many essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth. In general, they can be a little expensive, but they cost less than getting your fats from nuts and seeds.
There’s no need to feel like your keto lifestyle limits you. Even though you want to pay attention to the keto guidelines, you still have a lot of choices and variety. You can eat these foods on a keto diet without having to worry about going over your carb allowance or getting tired of the same boring food each day. Enjoy!
]]>A high-fat diet has always been synonymous with weight gain, and in some cases, people will do their very best to avoid all sources of fat.
Recent research has brought rise to a different style of dieting that claims it can help you lose weight, burn fat, and provide more energy throughout the day. This diet is called the ketogenic or “keto” diet.
The ketogenic diet is a diet that urges the opposite to many other traditional
diets. Rather than shunning fatty foods, a low-carb diet utilizes a high amount of unsaturated fats and moderate intakes of saturated fats as a staple.
In addition to high intakes of fat, the keto diet also requires that you remove much of the carbohydrates in your diet and replace them with lean protein sources.
A low-carb, keto diet contains approximately 60% of calories from fat, 25% from protein, and 15% from carbohydrates (sometimes even lower).
Many of us have been struggling for years to lose weight and effectively live a healthy life with the current foods we’re eating. A low-carb diet may just be the best change you can make to start losing weight and feeling great.
This state is called ketosis and will occur when the body has a higher supply of fat and the frequency of meals decreases.
Your body will enter a mild starvation, or fasting phase. At this time your body can start to utilize stored fat as fuel, effectively burning calories and fat you may have had stored for years.
The keto diet works best when you’re in a moderate fasted state, with high amounts of fat as your primary source of calories.
The main idea on a keto diet is to eat as few carbs as possible. Of course, you’ll need some carbohydrates in your diet, but avoiding high carbohydrate foods will help you to enter ketosis much more effectively.
1. Natural The staple nutrients on a low-carb diet are natural fats, including oils, butter, and some whole milks.
2. Meats and Seafood Both meat and seafood contain high amounts of fat and are great sources of protein. Beef, chicken, cod, Basa fish, and other meats are also staples in a ketogenic diet.
3. Eggs and CheeseWe start to run into small amounts of carbohydrates when we eat eggs and cheese, although it’s highly recommended that you consume 1-2 servings of eggs and cheese daily.
4. Dark, leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, avocado, asparagus, cabbage, and peppers are the perfect vegetables to consume on a daily basis.
5. Sugar free, low carb, gluten-free snacks like those from Keto Queen Kreations (shameless plug). All of our mixes are nut free, gluten free, sugar free and most importantly, absolutely delicious.
You’ll want to avoid all foods that contain moderate to high concentrations of carbohydrates. This means everything from fruit to pasta - and even candy (yep, candy has very high carbohydrates).
Is Keto Right for You?
The ketogenic diet isn’t right for everyone. While many people may benefit, others could struggle with the specific dietary requirements needed to succeed.
Chances are, if you’ve been struggling to lose those pesky pounds, you could use a suitable change to your diet.
Above all the specific dietary requirements on a ketogenic diet, the change to a keto diet will help you to become more conscious of what you’re eating.
With the keto diet and the astounding benefits of achieving a state of ketosis, weight is sure to drop off faster than you can say “I miss bread.” (If you do miss bread, check out these mixes.)
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The ketogenic diet has come to a massive increase in popularity over the past couple years - but why?
A keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that many experts claim can assist in weight loss, fat loss, and general improvements to health.
From bodybuilders to soccer moms - the keto diet is changing the face of weight loss and the fat industry. For years, we’ve been told that fat is the enemy - and that the more you eat the more you have.
Research has shown the opposite. In many cases, when the keto diet is performed correctly, fat will actually start to decrease.
Learn more about the keto diet and discover five ways it can benefit you.
We’re all looking for an effective way to promote weight loss and fat loss - especially if it lets us eat the food we like. Calorie-restricting diets can be very effective, but many people struggle with the decreased calories.
The most popular reason why anyone will engage in a dietary change is to lose weight and burn fat. Research has not only shown that a low-carb diet can be effective in promoting weight loss, but also very effective in burning more fat throughout the day.
Much of the internal systems utilize blood glucose as energy to run - but when carbohydrates are not ingested, how would they function?
Our bodies are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. When carbohydrates are not present, the internal system will look to other sources of fuel – namely ketones (from stored fats). Eating a diet high in fat will provide your body with a great source of dietary ketones to help fuel to brain.
Many experts believe that ketosis’ main purpose is to ensure that we always have a reserved source of fuel, especially when carbohydrates aren’t immediately present.
Some studies have even shown that a keto diet can promote concentration and alertness.
For many people, diabetes is an everyday challenge of monitoring blood glucose levels. When glucose falls too low, you ingest rapid forms of carbs. When glucose is too high, you may need to take insulin.
This everyday challenge may lead users to look for an alternative. A high-fat keto diet has not only been shown to assist with the management of type 2 diabetes but has also been shown to lower blood glucose levels.
This can be very beneficial for the management of diabetes, but it’s important to pay close attention to your medication doses and talk to your doctor prior to major dietary changes.
Acne accumulation is largely the result of a poor diet. If your diet includes a lot of processed, sugary foods, they negatively affect your beneficial gut bacteria and also cause your blood sugar to go up.
In contrast, a low-carb keto diet has been shown to be very beneficial in promoting healthy skin, nails, and even hair due to its higher intakes of B-Vitamins and lack of processed sugars.
The leading causes of mortality in North America are heart disease and cancer, both of which are highly correlated to poor diets with high intakes of processed foods. This is why researchers are constantly looking for ways to promote a healthy diet.
A low-carb diet has stood the test of time and has now been shown to be a very effective tool in assisting in cancer treatment - so much so that researchers are now looking into it as an effective addition to chemotherapy.
There are a host of benefits to the keto diet. It’s important to understand, however, that everything should be consumed in moderation. Just because you’re allowed a high amount of fat doesn’t mean that you should start eating out at your favorite rib spot every night.
Eat clean, whole foods and watch the weight shed off and health implications slide away.
]]>The ketogenic diet is a revolutionary diet that promises stronger health and optimal performance by eating a high fat, low carbohydrate diet.
Before you give this one a try, there are some important things to keep in mind:
Achieving a state of ketosis can take time. When a keto diet is followed properly, it will likely take close to a week for your body to enter a state of ketosis. Be diligent and patient with your progress. Look for your tongue to start turning white when you’re about to enter ketosis.
The main switch will occur when you pass the keto flu, which is a state of feeling sick and nauseous as your body and brain switches from using glycogen or blood glucose to ketones as fuel. This process is normal and will pass.
Just because you’re on a high-fat diet doesn’t mean that you should eat a bunch of high-fat fast food options. Keep your intake of fats to healthy and natural fats like fish and plant sources.
Mistakenly, some keto users toss away carbs altogether. Instead, consume vegetables that contain a high amount of fiber, as this will lower your net carb intake and strengthen your health.
This is the biggest component. The moment you go back onto sugar you’ll experience yo-yo diet symptoms. If you’re committed to a keto diet, you need to stay off sugar (as most people should anyway).
On a keto diet, the more natural the cut the better. Find a good butcher and get the nice cuts of meat that have a good source of dietary fat and aren’t combined into a burger or sausage with salt and other chemicals.
]]>Allowing for effective meal and workout timing will help ensure you’re maintaining a high rate of ketosis during the day.
You can use the chart below to record your daily meals, your exercise, and the specific time you eat each meal.
By recording your intake and workout, you can find which meals your body responds best to. It may also be beneficial to have a small blurb about how the meal made you feel - energized, sluggish, motivated, headache - anything you feel.
Meal timing is crucially important during your time on the ketogenic diet.
WORKOUT ROUTINE 7:30 AM |
* To optimally achieve ketosis, your workout routine should include both cardio and light resistance training. |
MEAL 1 |
High Fat, High Protein: Eggs and bacon are perfect. |
MEAL 2 |
Fat dominant lunch: Salad with walnuts and cheese |
SNACK |
Light snack: Berry Bowl (blueberry and raspberry) with pistachios |
MEAL 3 |
Hefty portions: Cod fillet, lettuce wraps, green and red pepper, avocado |
SNACK |
Protein dominant: Hard boiled or deviled eggs |
Your turn. Fill out the chart daily to keep track of what works best for you.
Example meal times have been provided based on promoting the greatest states of fat oxidation and energy for a morning workout session.
WORKOUT ROUTINE 7:30 AM |
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MEAL 1 |
|
MEAL 2 |
|
SNACK |
|
MEAL 3 |
|
SNACK |
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You may have heard of things like raspberry ketones being good for fat loss, but berries do so much more than assist in weight loss or fat loss! These little babies have some pretty unique benefits that go a long way in supporting your health.
If you’re on the keto diet, the three best berries to eat are:
The carbohydrate content of blueberries is greater and not as recommended.
When you have a hankering for something sweet, berries can fill the bill without taking you out of ketosis. As always, though, berries should be eaten in moderation.
Reduce Muscle Soreness
Not only are berries super tasty and full of vitamins and minerals, but they also contain a very good source of complex carbohydrates and provide antioxidant capabilities. This means that you’ll have the energy to train with pain-free muscles and still feel refreshed!
Reduce Oxidative Stress
Most chronic diseases are the result of oxidative stress on your body. Berries, especially blackberries, have been shown to reduce the effects of oxidative stress better than any other food.
Improve Memory and Mood
Want to feel happier and more vibrant? Berries can help with that too. In fact, berries are a very effective tool for increasing memory and cognition while also having a positive effect on your overall mood.
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