Keto-diet (ketone, ketogenic diet): menu and metabolic adjustment rules

The ketogenic diet prescribed for children with epilepsy can significantly reduce the number of seizures, improve the condition of the body as a whole and brain activity in particular. A special nutritional system is more effective than drugs in the case of an uncontrolled course of the disease in young patients. But for adults, it is rarely used, because it has a number of contraindications and has not established itself as an effective way to combat the disease. Most dieters among athletes. Special nutrition can improve the shape, achieve a beautiful shape of the muscles.

The essence and features of the technique

Ketogenic diet belongs to the category of low-carb. The restriction of carbohydrates is strict, it is recommended to consume no more than 50 g per day, which is one ninth of the physiological norm for an adult. Sweet tooth and porridge lovers are allowed to reduce their carbohydrate intake to 100 g per day.

Strict dietary restrictions force the body to look for other sources of energy. In the standard version, they become proteins. When restricting their intake with food, their own muscles are consumed. Ketone diet involves the normal use of proteins (which provides protection for muscle mass), and increased - fats. So the body switches to the energy processing of fat, bypassing protein reserves. Lipids that come with food are converted into energy, as well as body fat reserves accumulated in the previous time.

This energy is unusual - it is represented by compounds that are radically different from the standard "fuel" for the body - glucose. Ketones become the sources of strength, the splitting of which takes more time and occurs with the release of reaction by-products. They consume mainly the brain. The condition of the body is called ketosis. It is accompanied by:

• active loss of adipose tissue;
• a general shift in the reactions of body fluids towards acidic ones;
• decreased appetite;
• preventing insulin surges;
• the smell of acetone from the body.

This is not to say that this is a normal condition. This is a protective reaction of the body in response to a change in living conditions. Ketosis often accompanies the life of diabetics, radically violating the recommendations of doctors regarding diet.

Cautions and contraindications

Ketone diet can provoke a dangerous consequence for the body - keto-acidosis. This is a poisoning of the body with ketones and their decay products, which is fraught with falling into a coma. Keto-acidosis is accompanied by the appearance of a smell of acetone from the body of a losing weight, his urine, sweat. In this case, you should drink a large amount of pure water to remove the decay products of fat from the body.

The diet is difficult for men, although it allows them to emphasize all the reliefs of the muscles.Physical labor is based on the consumption of glucose by the muscles, which is excluded with a keto diet. A man may experience severe weakness. In the early days of dieting, you should be prepared for:

• drowsiness
• difficulty concentrating;
• distraction;
• irritability.

Such symptoms make the diet unacceptable for people engaged in mental work. It will be difficult for them to concentrate even on familiar affairs.

This is triggered by a sharp drop in blood sugar while maintaining the amount of insulin. The need to replenish glucose reserves is not satisfied, the body is forced to use glycogen reserves. At the same time, the brain and muscles feel a clear lack of the main source of energy. Lethargy and apathy will pass as they adapt to an increased level of ketones and a lower level of glucose.

General principles

The goal of the ketone diet is to make the body spend fat reserves instead of carbohydrates coming from outside. For this, the body must go through several stages.

• Complete exclusion of endogenous glucose. Carbohydrate foods are completely excluded and the diet for the first few days of the diet. This causes the liver to expend its glycogen stores, as well as its deposits in the muscles.
• Transfer to fat intake. A person eats proteins and fats in equal amounts. At this time, glucose is extracted from the incoming protein, providing the basic energy needs of the body. With an increase in the level of fats in the diet, the body recognizes them as the main source of fuel and processes fatty acids with the release of ketone bodies, which are consumed by brain cells.
• Stimulation of the process of losing weight. The next stage is forcing the body to expend fat depots. This effect can be achieved by creating a calorie deficit in the daily diet.

The state of active consumption of fats is most quickly achieved during fasting. But this approach is considered too harmful to health. For a complete exhaustion of glucose and glycogen reserves, nutritionists advise to adhere to the drinking regime on the first day of the diet, and then organize a diet based on proteins and fats.

Product selection

The caloric content of food and the concentration of fats in it play a secondary role in the process of losing weight. Achievement and support of persistent ketosis are guaranteed with a ratio of BZHU 1: 4: 1. This means that per day it is allowed to consume about 50 g of carbohydrates, 50 g or with a slight excess of proteins and up to 200 g of fat. If the purpose of the diet is weight loss, it is necessary to create a calorie deficit, make sure that the diet's value does not exceed 2000 kcal.

All the time the diet will have to eat the following foods:

• pork, beef, veal of varying degrees of fat content;
• chicken, turkey, rabbit;
• dairy products, including heavy cream and sour cream;
• vegetable fats;
• butter;
• nuts
• leafy vegetables;
• green vegetables;
• chicken and quail eggs.

These foods contain a maximum of proteins, fats and a minimum of carbohydrates. The volume of food should be monitored. Since you have to eat more often, you need to make portions slightly less than usual.

To quickly achieve noticeable results, you should completely exclude from the menu:

• cereals and pasta;
• bread, pastries;
• any kinds of sweets;
• pure sugar;
• starchy vegetables;
• all sweet fruits.

Since a small amount of carbohydrates is allowed by the diet, they should be consumed from the right sources. Let it be vegetables, brown rice, buckwheat.The use of the entire norm of sugars in the form of chocolates will cause a jump in insulin, which is incompatible with ketosis.

The lack of carbohydrates in the diet causes a decrease in insulin levels, which protects fat depots from breaking down in emergency situations. This hormone provokes a feeling of hunger. A decrease in its activity means that a person will naturally absorb less food than usual. In addition, the keto diet is called an auxiliary method of diabetes prevention.

Menu example

It seems that it is not easy to make a diet without an abundance of vegetables and side dishes. After all, fats are usually not consumed in their pure form. A table with an example of a keto menu for seven days will help you navigate.

Table - Example of a weekly keto diet menu (main meals)

It is unlikely that such a menu will seem to someone similar to severe hardship in a diet. Moreover, it seems unrealistic to lose weight with a similar set of dishes in the daily menu. In fact, such nutrition not only accelerates weight loss, but also improves skin condition and hormonal levels. Moderate portions, supplemented with proper snacks, help speed up the metabolism, and the body works like a fat burning machine. As a snack you can eat:

• hard cheese of any fat content;
• low fat ham;
• crab sticks;
• olives;
• avocado;
• dairy drinks;
• small portions of nuts.

A keto diet prohibits the use of whole milk. If you really want, you can drink a low-fat store product.

Varieties

The keto diet menu can be diluted with carbohydrate meals or whole carbohydrate days needed to load the body with glycogen and ensure normal physical training. Modern nutritionists are constantly refining the nutritional technique, leaving its principles and making the regimen more convenient, gentle, universal. The most common types of keto diets.

• Standard. The usual diet, which implies the transition to a special diet and compliance with this regime until the end of the correction period of body weight.
• Cyclic. It implies long-term observance of the principles of the diet with the introduction of carbohydrate days to ensure maximum efficiency in the gym.
• Target. Allows the use of carbohydrates immediately before going to the gym or starting to perform physical labor.The main condition is to use up all the carbohydrates that enter the body during the "boot".
• Denis Borisov. It implies the correction of the ratio of nutrients to the needs of losing weight. The main role in losing weight is given to strength training and their regularity. Diet is of secondary importance, but should provide a constant calorie deficit.
• Layla MacDonald. It features a security guarantee. If most nutritionists doubt the rationality of a diet consisting of 60% fat, Lyle MacDonald advises to include a maximum of vegetable and fish oils in this percentage. This will make the diet safe for the heart, blood vessels and liver.

Reviews about the technique are diverse. For some, it was the only opportunity to put the figure in order, and for someone - a real test. Doctors advise choosing any diet with a nutritionist. And the radical restructuring of metabolism should be preceded by a comprehensive examination and consultation of a specialist.

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