KETO DIET FOR DUMMIES
An Ultimate Guide To Reset Your Body
Contents
Chapter4: Keto Benefits And Side Effects. 12
Chapter 5:10 Days Meal Plan. 17
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Book Description
Why are so many people interested in diets today? Probably because we’ve become more health-conscious and are looking for ways to maintain health or correct imbalances caused by unhealthy eating habits. Besides, obesity is spreading like a forest fire and is formally recognized as one of the “diseases of civilization” alongside cancer, stroke, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases.
But, on top of our generally unhealthy eating habits, there is the ever-present stress which indirectly contributes to unhealthy eating habits.
Keto is one of the “clean eating” trends. A lot has been written about Keto, and although this is not the easiest of diets, if you want to lose weight quickly, this is the diet for you. The trouble is, you have to be reasonably self-disciplined to overcome the crisis you will go through during the first few days.
Although most people struggle for the first week or so, they also very quickly see the first results of this way of eating that serves as a powerful motivation. Unfortunately, healthy foods often cost much more than ordinary foods. This is because they are more nutrient-rich, partly because producing healthy foods is sometimes a more labor-intensive process, but also because these foods usually become “in” foods, especially if some celebrities claim they’ve lost a lot of weight using them.
However, it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. You just need to be more self-disciplined when it comes to shopping and better organized when it comes to planning your meals.
Introduction
Your body is a machine. Therefore, it is intelligent. Thanks to millions of years of evolution, it knows precisely what it needs, and 99% of the time, this is energy. Without energy, the cells which make up your body would stop working correctly, meaning you would eventually die. Not to worry! To ensure that your body stays alive, it has evolved to use lots of metabolic pathways. In basic terms, these pathways convert the food you eat into energy, but not just any old energy, useable, and useful energy called carbohydrate. As you fuel your body with carbohydrates, which are made from the glucose in the foods you eat, it uses these carbs as energy. If you eat more carbs than your body burns as energy, they are converted to fat and stored around the fatty deposits all around your body. In other words, you get fat. Remember your high school science class, where you might have learned that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only converted to one form or another.
So, you might be wondering what happens in the opposite situation, that is, what happens if you deprive and starve your body of these carbs? The answer is simple and medically proven science. Your body has no choice but to use the fat stored around your body as energy. Therefore, you lose weight! Why is this important? It all comes down to your liver and the role it plays in breaking down this fat into small chunks called fatty acids, which are then broken down into even smaller things called ketones. It is these ketones which are absorbed through the walls of your small intestine and enter your bloodstream. This is called ketosis. It’s quite simple, isn’t it? Well, this is where the ketogenic diet comes into play. This diet aims to keep your body in this state of ketosis for as long as possible, for you to lose your desired amount of weight and reach your weight loss goals. This book intended to help you, the beginner, along this journey in the most affordable, quick & easy way possible!
Chapter 1: Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet, or Keto, is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet, which is based on the theory that if you get most of your calories from fat, rather than carbohydrates, your body will have to burn fat for energy.
The critical thing to be aware of with this diet is that if you eat a lot of carbs e.g., bread, pasta, sweets, etc., your body will produce high levels of glucose and insulin. Insulin is needed to carry the glucose throughout the bloodstream. However, as glucose is easily converted into energy, it will be your body’s first choice when it needs fuel.
However, once you limit the intake of carbs and proteins, you will force your body to start using alternative sources of energy, i.e., the fat stored in various parts of your body. That’s when your body starts producing ketones and goes into ketosis. This is the primary purpose of the ketogenic diet – to reach a state of ketosis.
What is the Ketogenic Diet About?
To experience most of the benefits of this diet, all you have to do is limit the carbs intake to 50 grams of carbs a day (ideally, it should be only 20 grams). Surviving on so few carbs is not easy, especially in the beginning, but keep in mind that the fewer carbs you take, the sooner
`you will reach ketosis and start losing weight.
However, don’t force this diet upon yourself at all costs, for it does not suit everyone. Be particularly careful if you are on chronic medication or suffer from a chronic condition that could be made worse with a drastic reduction of carbs. In either case, it’s best to consult your medical practitioner before deciding to try Keto. Besides, to stay healthy with so few carbs and protein, you have to work out how to compensate for the nutrients you’re deprived.
The foods you are not supposed to eat on this diet include, unfortunately, most of the foods we eat a lot of, e.g., grains, sweets, fruits, starches, beans, legumes, etc. The trick to succeeding with a keto diet is to avoid or limit these foods but stay healthy.
When you first go on a keto diet, your body will be in a shock for the first few days, and you may continuously have headaches, feel irritable, or be generally weak. Fortunately, these symptoms of keto-adaptation will go away after a week or so.
The easiest way of reaching ketosis, and starting to burn fat, is to follow the basic principles of the ketogenic lifestyle.
8 Steps to Reaching Ketosis
1) Restrict carbohydrates in your diet
You shouldn’t take more than 50 gr of carbs per day, although taking only 20 gr would be ideal.
2) Limit protein intake
If weight-loss is the main reason you follow the ketogenic diet, you shouldn’t take more than about 100 gr protein per day.
3) Increase fat intake
If you reduce carbs, you have to increase the intake of fats, so your body always has the fuel to run on. Besides, food rich in fats will make you feel full, which will help you avoid sugar cravings.
4) Drink water
Drink as much water as you can. It’s best to drink warm water because it provides better hydration than the cold one.
5) Stop snacking
Cut down even on healthy snacks, if you’re trying to lose weight.
6) Try intermittent fasting
Fasting will boost your ketone levels, and enable you to reach ketosis, which will force your body to burn fat.
7) Exercise
To lose weight quickly, you have to combine dieting with physical activity.
8) Take supplements
Supplements will help with some of the side-effects during the keto-adaptation period.
When Can You Expect To Reach Ketosis?
This depends mainly on whether you manage to stick to this diet without cheating. The easiest way to check if you’ve reached ketosis is to have your urine or blood checked with urine or blood strips. However, the urine strips are not very accurate, so rather watch out for the telltale symptoms of ketosis:
Five symptoms of ketosis:
- Increased urination
- Dry mouth
- Bad breath
- Loss of appetite
- Increased energy
How Keto Diet Works
For each activity that the body partakes in, there is a considerable amount of energy utilized. This energy comes from a wide range of sources in the body, high on the list being carbohydrates, which are quickly converted into glucose –ever-ready energy. Not only that, but the body would also be fueled by fat and protein broken down into water-soluble particles in the body. However, fat is not as easily digestible into the system as would carbohydrates. Excess fat ends up being stored within the body. For this reason, to reduce the amount of fat in your body, you have to reduce sugar and carbs in the diet systematically. When the body runs out of ready-to-make sugar, it seeks alternate sources of energy.
At this point, ketones come into play. Ketones are created from a combination of three main soluble compounds; acetoacetate, acetone, and B-hydroxybutyrate, commonly known as BHB. The liver produces these in the absence of carbs for energy. All the stored fat and protein begins to be utilized, burnt, and converted into ketones for the body to continue functioning well. Ketosis is the state you are in when this happens.
Ketosis can thus be deliberate or a result of starvation or continued fasting; this way, ketosis can have positive and negative effects on the body. The safest way to achieve a state of ketosis is the deliberate one, attained through a specially formulated diet that excludes starchy foods and increased protein. In medical scenarios, it has been known since the 1912s that a state where the body is fueled by energy proceeding from fat and protein and no carbs can be extremely beneficial for the body.
This was discovered after testing and observing patients take a controlled ketogenic diet. After a couple of weeks, patients previously suffering from epileptic episodes showed signs of improvement, experiencing fewer seizures and better control of their mental faculties. Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Russel Wilder then named the “ketogenic diet,” and to date, it has been prescribed to some patients presenting epilepsy, autism, hypertension, and many other ailments because the ketones that fuel the brain enhance brain functionality much better than the energy fueled by carbs.
Chapter 2: Food to Eat
In this chapter, you have seen the recommended food list for the ketogenic diet.
- Meats:
Keto diet recommends unprocessed meats because unprocessed meats are low in carbohydrates. Grass-fed and organic meat is the best choice for a ketogenic diet. Grass-fed meat contains a considerable amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in improving your heart health, reduce depression, and lower level of inflammation. Dark meat is also a good choice for the keto diet because it is high in fats. Avoid processed meats because it contains added carbohydrates.
Recommended: Pork chops, ground beef, steak, pork loin, ground pork, goat, lamb, steak, stew meats, roasts, etc.
- Seafood and Fish:
Seafood and fish are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and high quality of proteins. Wild-caught fish and fatty fish are one of the best choices for a ketogenic diet. Fish like salmon are rich in vitamin B, selenium, and potassium.
Recommended: Salmon, tuna, catfish, cod, mackerel, flounder, tod, crab, oyster, squid, clams, lobster, scallop, mussels, etc.
- Eggs:
Eggs are recommended during keto diet because it is low in carbohydrates and enriched with protein. It provides an adequate amount of protein to your body.
Recommended: Keto recommends Organic and pasteurizes eggs during the diet.
- Fruits and Vegetables:
Most of the vegetables are low in carbohydrates and used to add flavor and texture to your keto meal. It is enriched with various essential vitamins and nutrients. Avoid starchy vegetables like yams, carrot, potatoes, and beet because they are high in carb. Non-starchy vegetables are low in carb, but it is high in essential nutrients and minerals. Vegetables contain antioxidants, which helps to protect against free radical.
Recommended: Fruits: Raspberries, avocado, blackberries, olives, lemon, and coconut.
Vegetables: Celery, spinach, chives, broccoli, lettuce, cucumber, kale, green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, Brussels sprout, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, asparagus, cabbage, garlic, artichokes, and onion.
- Fats and oils:
Fat plays a significant role during the ketogenic diet because near about 70 to 80 percent of energy is coming from fats. Keto recommended consuming healthy fats because it contains Omega-3 fatty acids which are not produced by your body. Healthy oils contain olive oil and coconut oils. They help to lower your blood pressure and also beneficial for treating Alzheimer’s.
Recommended: Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, lard, palm kernel oil, beef fat, butter, macadamia nut oil, sesame oil, and walnut oil.
- Dairy:
Dairy products are high in fats and also provide calcium and proteins. Keto recommends high-fat dairy products and heavy cream for cooking. Avoid low-fat dairy products that are high in carb values.
Recommended: Butter, Wiping cream, Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese.
- Beverages:
Keto recommends some beverages which will help to stay you hydrated during the diet. Unsweetened CoffeeCoffee and teas are carb-free drinks, which will help to increase your metabolism and also improves your physical and mental performance.
Recommended: Tea, CoffeeCoffee, coconut water, plain water, etc.
- Condiments:
Keto recommends those condiments which contain less than 5 grams of carb in each serving. You can use these condiments for cooking or dipping.
Recommended: Soy sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, and hot sauce.
Chapter3: Foods to Avoid
In this chapter, we have seen the keto restricted food list.
- Added Sugar: Sugary foods contain carbs, and it causes to increase in your blood sugar level. Consumption sugar also causes an insulin spike, and due to this, you are out of the process of ketosis. You should altogether avoid fruit juice, sports drinks, vitamin water, and soft drinks. Avoid chocolate bars, cakes, breakfast cereals, candy, donuts. There are hidden sugars present in beverages, condiments like sauces, drinks, dressings, and packed food. Also, avoid honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, dates.
- Avoid Starchy Foods: Starchy foods are high in carb keto diet suggest to avoid these foods because it raises your blood sugar level. Keto avoids starchy food like potatoes, rice, French fries, porridge, potato chips, bread, and pasta.
- Avoid Grains: Avoid grains during keto diet will help you to reach ketosis. Here are some grains like wheat, corn, barley, buckwheat, sprouted grains, oats, rye, etc. you should avoid not only grains but also avoid products made up of grains like pasta, pizza, cookies, bread, crackers, etc.
- Avoid Tropical Fruits: Tropical fruits are high in carbs and sugar. Avoid tropical fruits like Mango, pineapple, banana, tangerine, grapes, and papaya.
- Avoid Refined oils: Refined oils contain omega-6, which can raise your blood pressure; you should avoid refined oils like sunflower, canola, soybean, safflower oil. Also, avoid trans-fat like margarine during a keto diet.
- Avoid Processed Foods: Processed foods are avoided from your keto diet plan because it contains preservatives, unhealthy ingredients, and artificial colorings. Instead of eating processed food, you should focus on eating fresh and nutritious food.
Chapter4: Keto Benefits And Side Effects
Diets are often met with criticism, and the keto diet is not immune to controversy. In particular, some have raised concerns about the high fat intake that Keto requires, as fatty foods are known to raise cholesterol and cause heart disease. However, studies had shown that when carefully planned and adhered to, low-carb regimens win out against all others. They are not only advantageous to those trying to lose weight but come with a whole host of extra health benefits that will improve your overall wellbeing.
In some cases, the keto diet can even reduce your cholesterol levels. Let’s delve deeper into the various perks of the keto diet. The main process at play with the ketogenic diet is ketosis. Entering this metabolic state has been shown to positively impact the body in several ways, even if you are only on a diet for a brief period. Ketosis itself has several benefits. It has been shown to:
improves the body’s ability to draw on fats as an energy source.
Spare your proteins, as your body starts to use ketones as fuel instead.
Lower insulin levels in the body, which influences the secretion of growth hormones.
Now let’s get to grips with some of the overall benefits of the ketogenic diet.
Suppressed appetite – Most diets require you to reduce your overall food consumption, and the consequential hunger is likely to cause you some discomfort. Hunger is a stumbling block for many, and an important reason why so many dieters fail. Low-carb diets, on the other hand, have the added benefit of reducing your appetite. Cutting carbs and substituting them with fats and proteins means you cut your caloric intake without going hungry.
Increased potential for weight loss – Compared with many other popular diets, low-carb regimens promotes a much faster rate of weight loss. Low levels of carbohydrates help reduce the excess water in the body, which often accounts for a considerable percentage of our unwanted pounds. Moreover, the keto diet diminishes insulin levels, flushing the body of the surplus sodium that retains the extra weight.
Reduction of triglycerides – The presence of triglycerides, or fat molecules, in the body correlates strongly with illnesses like heart disease. The fewer carbs you consume, the fewer triglycerides there are in your system, which is great news for your long-term health.
More good cholesterol – You may be under the impression that cholesterol is universally bad for you. Still, there is, in fact, a form of cholesterol that reduces the risk of heart disease: high-density lipoprotein or HDL. The increased consumption of fats associated with the keto diet raises levels of HDL. HDL is not only a positive addition to your system, but it helps eradicate bad cholesterol (LDL) from your bloodstream.
Reduced blood sugar and insulin levels – Carbohydrate-rich foods are broken down into simple sugars by our digestive system, which inevitably elevates blood sugar levels. Insulin is needed to combat these toxins. A high-carb diet, maintained over a long period, can interfere with the body’s ability to produce insulin, leading to type 2 diabetes. The ketogenic diet is advantageous in this regard, as it lowers blood sugar and insulin levels significantly.
Natural treatment for cancer – According to some researchers, disciplined regulation of your body’s metabolic functions can potentially reduce the risk of and even treat cancer. Low-carb diets deprive cancerous cells of fuel, as these types of cells feed off of glucose and cannot adapt to the shift in energy sources involved with ketosis. As a result, the keto diet may be able to prevent cancerous cells from spreading.
Treatment for metabolic syndrome – Metabolic syndrome is a severe medical condition that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. There are numerous symptoms, including:
Low levels of HDL
High triglyceride levels
Raised fasting blood sugar levels
Elevated blood pressure
Therapy for some brain disorders – Certain parts of our brains relies exclusively on glucose for fuel. This is why our livers need to derive glucose from protein if our carb intake is low. However, larger sections of the brain are capable of using ketones for fuel. With the keto diet, certain biochemical changes may occur in the brain, which can potentially eradicate the circuit system that is responsible for seizures. Think back to Hugh Conklin and his use of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for sufferers of epileptic seizures – 50% of his patients reported their condition was much improved.
Keto side effects
You may feel overwhelmed by the surplus of resources that are out there, many of which give conflicting advice as to how to achieve optimal ketosis. For me, there is no shortcut – the only way to figure out how best to reach ketosis is to jump straight in and make the appropriate changes to your diet. You might like to try measuring your ketone levels with urine strip tests, but this method is sometimes inaccurate and not easy on the pocket. A cheaper and more useful alternative is to learn to recognize the physical signs that you are entering a state of ketosis:
More urination – Ketones can induce a diuretic response. The keto diet increases the volume of acetoacetate in your body, which is excreted in the urine. As a result, you might find yourself making trips to the bathroom more often than normal.
Thirst and dry mouth – You can attribute these side effects to the increased urination. To fight these symptoms, it’s extra important to drink lots of water, to replenish your electrolytes.
Bad breath – Acetone, one of our three ketone bodies, is excreted into the mouth during ketosis. Some people find this makes their breath smell like ripe fruit, while others describe the scent as more akin to nail polish remover. Thankfully, this will go away with time.
Reduced hunger and increased energy – Once you’re past the keto flu, you will find your energy is higher, your state of mind clearer, and your hunger reduced.
Keto Flu – A common phenomenon experienced by many newcomers to the diet, the ‘keto flu’ may manifest as mild cramps, nausea, headaches, and fatigue. Fortunately, it is temporary, lasting just a few days. Despite the name, the keto flu (also known as the ‘low-carb flu’) is not a kind of influenza. It is so-called because many newcomers to the keto diet experience a number of flu-like symptoms in the early stages of their keto transformation.
There are two main reasons why keto flu occurs:
1 Urination – More frequent trips to the bathroom: Increased urination leads to a considerable loss of electrolytes and water. You can preemptively combat this problem by drinking a bouillon cube dissolved in water.
2 Withdrawal – Remember, your body is going through a major transition! It now has to adjust to a significant drop in carb intake and create new enzymes to process increased amounts of fat. This is hard work for your body, and you may feel lethargic as a result. To ease this, you should try decreasing your carb intake gradually, rather than quitting cold turkey.
Increasing your water consumption and replacing lost electrolytes will effectively combat or even eradicate the keto flu. At the beginning of your transition, you should try to eat less than 15 grams of carbohydrates a day, then increase this number little by little over time. Nothing worth doing is easy, but thankfully the drawbacks of the keto diet are few and, for the most part, easily alleviated. Here are some other notable side effects of the ketogenic diet, and suggestions as to how you can deal with them.
Fatigue and irritability – High ketone levels can positively impact your physical wellbeing in some ways, but they are also linked to increased tiredness and quicker exertion during exercise. Make sure you are getting enough sleep during the early days of your transition and avoid particularly strenuous exercise if necessary.
‘Brain fog’ – Your altered metabolism and hormonal state may cause decreased mental clarity or ‘brain fog.’ This is a common side effect of total carbohydrate withdrawal, which is why you should avoid going cold turkey and instead decrease your carbohydrate intake gradually and steadily.
Change in lipids – A critical tenet of the ketogenic diet is not only to up your fat intake but also to watch what kinds of fats you are consuming. Saturated fats are known to increase cholesterol levels, so make sure they do not outbalance the non-saturated fats in your diet.
Micronutrient deficiencies – Low-carb foods are often lacking in essential nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and iron. Taking supplements is an excellent way of compensating for this.
Ketoacidosis – If your diet is poorly-planned, you may be at risk of developing ketoacidosis, which is characterized by extremely high ketone levels. This is especially harmful to people with diabetes, so make sure you organize your diet to keep your ketone levels within a healthy range. Additionally, it is crucial to know how to recognize the signs.
Tips for Successful and Happy Ketogenic Lifestyle
The ketogenic lifestyle is enjoyable. You get to enjoy amazingly delicious recipes as you cut your weight. You don’t have to eat some nasty tasting foods to achieve your desired weight. Isn’t that a win-win? Definitely yes! To make the keto journey happy and more enjoyable, there are some tips that you should follow. Below are the tips that will help you make the keto journey interesting;
Clear Carbohydrates From Your Kitchen, Most people will only stick to the ketogenic diet if they had access to healthy ketogenic foods. This will help you a lot in avoiding falling prey to the carbohydrate concentrated foods in your cabinet. Clean your kitchen from high-carbohydrate foods like pastry, bread, potatoes, soda, rice, and candy. This will help a long way in achieving the ketogenic diet. I must say this helped me a lot in making my weight goal
Have Ketogenic Snacks At Hand Cooking had been a hard thing for me? However, I had chosen to lose weight, and not even having to cook at home would stand on my way. Having to prepare a lot of homemade meals is a big challenge for people as regards the ketogenic diet. There is a solution for you: why not have ketogenic snacks instead whenever you are hungry, and you are not at home?
You can buy ketogenic snacks like hard-boiled eggs, beef jerky, pre-cooked bacon, pre-made guacamole, and so on, or you can have them on the go. You can prepare a lot of them, and this will not allow you to buy carbohydrate-heavy snacks.
Buy a Food Scale. This might sound surprising, but it is quite crucial. As it has been said, “Drops of water make an ocean.” The amount of food you eat matters even to the tiniest form. Buy a food scale to measure your food and make sure you are eating the appropriate size because even the least can make a difference.
For example, 2 extra tablespoons of almond butter turn out to be an additional 200 calories and 6 grams of carbohydrates. You don’t need to use the food scale until the end of your challenge. It is just for you to get the appropriate measurement; then, you can eyeball to measure it as you continue.
Exercise Frequently. Exercising allows your body to break down the glycogen it has in store. It also helps you to get fit and healthy. It also helps you in maintaining your muscle mass and strengthens you.
Try Intermittent Fasting. This is one of the most useful tips that can get you right on track to achieving your fitness goals. It helps you get into ketosis and lose weight. This means that you do not eat anything that contains calories for a given period. When you stop taking calories for some time, your body will start breaking down the excess glucose in your body obtained from consuming carbohydrates.
Include Coconut Oil Into Your Diet. Coconut oil contains fats called medium-chain triglycerides, which help you to get into ketosis quickly. Unlike other fats, the MCTs get absorbed rapidly into the liver where they can be used for energy, or they can be converted into ketones.
Chapter 5:10 Days Meal Plan
Day 1
- Breakfast-Cheese Soufflés
- Lunch-Spicy Salmon
- Dinner-Roasted Beef
Day 2
- Breakfast-Simple Egg Loaf
- Lunch-Shrimp Cilantro Salad
- Dinner-Coconut Pork Curry
Day3
- Breakfast-Tomato Cheese Omelet
- Lunch-Tuna Salad
- Dinner-Asian Beef Stew
Day 4
- Breakfast-Banana Breakfast Bread
- Lunch-Tasty Seasoned Shrimp
- Dinner-Baked Chicken
Day 5
- Breakfast-Cheese Bacon Muffins
- Lunch-Baked Chicken
- Dinner-Herb Marinated Chicken
Day 6
- Breakfast-Mexican Breakfast Frittata
- Lunch-Herb Marinated Chicken
- Dinner-Chicken Thighs
Day 7
- Breakfast-Perfect Zucchini Muffins
- Lunch-Chicken Thighs
- Dinner-Balsamic Chicken
Day 8
- Breakfast-Easy Breakfast Omelet Waffle
- Lunch-Lemon Butter Scallops
- Dinner-Grilled Chicken
Day 9
- Breakfast-Quick & Easy Pancakes
- Lunch-Delicious Fish Stew
- Dinner-Lemon Butter Chicken Piccata
Day 10
- Breakfast-Crust-less Breakfast Quiche
- Lunch-Paprika Chicken
- Dinner-Parmesan Pork Chops
Conclusion
First, allow me to congratulate you for taking on this journey towards taking control of your life. By reading this guide, I firmly believe that you have made up your mind to live a healthy life with a good reason at the back of your mind. Indeed, change is not easy. The journey to overcoming prediabetes starts with a step in the right direction. You made the right decision by choosing to follow this guide. There is a lot that this guide has discussed, including the basics of what prediabetes is, the symptoms and the health strategies that you can adopt to ensure that you live a happy life from today henceforth.