The keto diet is quite similar to the Atkins diet, which has been known for decades. However the keto diet has one distinct edge over its more popular competitor and that is its ability to give quick weight loss results. The Ketosis diet can be extremely hazardous if not done correctly. Even though the Atkins diet has long since been a main line of weight loss for dieters, it still has some followers who have made bad dieting mistakes that have nearly crippled their chances of losing weight permanently. I will share with you two simple steps that you can follow to lose weight on the keto diet.
The first thing that you should do is cut out as many carbohydrates as possible from your diet week one. Carbohydrates are what gives you that initial glucose spike after you eat them. They also make you feel fuller longer. By cutting them out you will give your metabolism a free reign to do what it does best which is to convert the food that you are eating into fat. This sudden switch will cause your body to enter into a ketosis state known as ketosis.
To see results from cutting out carbohydrates you should use a Ketostix or some other type of carb counting calculator to measure your daily consumption. By using one form of calculation you will be able to see at a glance how many carbohydrates you are eating and therefore how many calories you are burning up. Many people have the belief that by cutting out carbohydrates completely they will immediately begin to lose weight. This however is just not true, even if you cut out all carbohydrates you will not be losing weight.
The next thing that you should do when going on the Ketostix is to calculate the number of Net carbs that you are consuming. Net carbs are basically anything that comes from foods other than the carbohydrate. For example, if you are having a candy bar you are consuming zero net carbs but this does not mean that you should not eat any snack like this at all. If you are using the Ketostix then you will see the number of Net carbs you are consuming in ounces. You will then know exactly how many snacks you should be eating per day and you will be able to tell if you are entering into ketosis or not.
There is no one size fits all answer when it comes to the true benefits of the ketones. The only way to figure this out is through trial and error by keeping a food journal of the foods that you consume for a week. Write down what you ate each night and when you think you ate it. You can also write down if it is a late night snack or if you had a big lunch. You might find that what you thought was a good meal plan has bad ingredients. You need to experiment and keep track of what you are eating and how it affects your health.
It is also very important to remember that you should eliminate all the foods from your diet that contain sugar, yeast, and starches. Even the low carb sweeteners like Splenda and Equal are very unhealthy and should be taken out of your keto diet menu. Once you have eliminated these foods all you need to do is replace them with good healthy carbohydrates. Foods that are higher in fiber include oatmeal, beans, bran muffins, and fresh fruit. These types of foods are great for filling you up and you will feel full longer because they take longer for your body to break down.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make is replacing healthy carbohydrates with processed sugar. This will definitely trick your body into thinking that you are still hungry all of the time and you will get cravings for the unhealthy sweeteners. Instead of replacing these foods with oatmeal, beans, bran muffins, and fresh fruit you should try to replace them with foods like rice, barley, and nuts. Other foods that are high in fiber include oatmeal, beans, and bran muffins. These types of carbohydrates will fill you up and won’t trick your body into thinking you are starving yourself.
Another way to trick your body into thinking you are fine when you are on a ketone diet is to cut out foods like alcohol and cigarettes. These are the two biggest factors that cause increased insulin levels. When your insulin levels are increased, it causes fat to be deposited in your belly and liver. The more fat in your liver and belly stores the more likely it is you are going to be insulin resistant and develop type 2 diabetes. By getting rid of alcohol and cigarettes all you are doing is creating an environment for your pancreas to release insulin to break down and create ketones.