keto diet keto diet

The Beginner’s Guide to Keto Diet

Fast-paced life and unhealthy eating habits have made many in our generation obese and overweight. In fact, worldwide obesity has almost tripled since 1975. Over 1.9 billion adults were overweight in 2016, while 650 million out of them were obese. 

Obesity and being overweight is linked to various diseases and disorders. Along with increasing BMI, obesity can also lead to cardiovascular diseases1, causing death. Obesity is also linked with strokes, musculoskeletal disorders2, and even some forms of cancer, such as colon cancer. 

Almost all of us know how unhealthy and dangerous being overweight and obese can be. And most overweight and obese people are looking forward to losing weight and becoming healthy. In the USA, 49.1% of adults made an effort to lose in the last 12 months between 2013 and 2016. However, very few of them actually ended up losing weight due to a combination of many factors. 

Are you one of them who always finds it difficult to tone down your waist and belly?

Worry not, as you are not the only one! Many people are frustrated after spending thousands of dollars on ineffective diets, meal plans, and gym memberships. No matter what you try to do, nothing seems to work, and you always end up being overweight. 

So is there a way around it?

If you go by science, diets have been one of the most useful tools to facilitate weight loss. But just choosing a diet or blindly following menus laid down by health gurus will not help you! You need to take matters into your own hands, understand what you need to do, and then proceed accordingly. 

Common Diets for Weight Loss

You will find a plethora of diets that claim to lower your weight. Some diets limit your intake of calories, carbs, or fat, while others try to reduce your appetite. Here are some common diets people use for weight loss-

The Paleo Diet

The theory of the paleo diet3 considers most modern diseases to be linked with the Western diet. That means eating processed foods, grains and dairy can have negative effects on your health. For this reason, the paleo diet promotes the consumption of foods eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Under the paleo diet, you are encouraged to consume more vegetables, whole foods, nuts, fruits, and lean protein. In the same way, you should avoid grains, sugary foods, processed foods, and dairy. Under some paleo diets, you may be allowed to consume potatoes and cheese, and butter.

The Paleo diet forces you to eat fewer carbs and calories while your protein intake increases. Many studies have shown paleo to be effective in weight loss and the prevention of heart diseases. 

Under paleo, you can’t eat nutritious foods like whole grains, dairy, and legumes. 

The Vegan Diet

The vegan diet emphasizes eliminating the consumption of meat and all animal-derived products like dairy and gelatin. You are only allowed to eat plant-based foods, which are effective in helping you lose weight. 

The diet works by restricting your fat intake and increasing fiber consumption which keeps you fuller for a longer time. The diet is also associated with lower BMI and body weight

Despite the benefits, vegan diets eliminate animal food which can be a source of multiple nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Low-Carb Diets

Low-carb diets have been recommended for a long time to obese and overweight people. By limiting the intake of carbs, fatty acids find a way into your blood and travel to your liver to be converted to energy. As a result, you can lose weight, especially around your belly and organs. 

Low-carb diets don’t suit everyone and can also increase “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Low-Fat Diets

These diets aim to lower your weight by restricting your fat consumption. You generally intake 30% calories in the form of fat. But many studies show that this type of diet is not effective for long-term weight loss. Lower intake of fat may also lead to other health concerns and compromise the functioning of your body. 

Recently, another form of diet has emerged as the most preferred tool to lose weight, stay healthy, and increase energy. We are talking about the ketogenic4 or the keto diet plan

The King of All Weight-Loss Diets: The Ketogenic Diet

Unless you are leaving under a stone, you must have heard about the ketogenic or the keto diet. It seems to be the rage among health and weight loss aficionados for good reasons, and many health experts have also started recommending the diet. 

A keto diet is a form of low-carb diet where you are encouraged to eat high-fat foods. You don’t need to avoid your favorite foods and even have a honey-glazed beef steak or fatty pork ribs! That means you don’t have to compromise on your taste buds and can also lose weight effectively. 

In fact, there are over 50 studies that prove the health benefits of keto diet results, including weight loss and improved performance, without you having to feel hunger. 

How Does The Keto Diet Work?

As we already said, the keto diet plan concentrates on very low amounts of carbs and high amounts of fat. 

By limiting the amount of carb intake, you are putting your body in a state called “ketosis.” During ketosis, the body doesn’t use sugar or glucose to produce energy as the intake of carbs is limited. So the body turns to generate energy from stored fat and creates small fuel molecules called “ketones.” The ketones are generated in your liver and serve as a fuel source for your body and the brain.

The brain, in turn, draws a lot of energy or ketones, forcing your body to burn more stored fat. Your insulin levels also decrease, and your body becomes efficient in accessing all stored fat locations to produce energy. In fact, your body transforms into a fat-burning machine that works 24/7 without a break. 

So if you want to convert your body into a fat-burning machine, a keto diet is the way to go!

vegetable salad with beetroot on the white plate
By Shebeko/ Shutterstock

Keto Diet and Weight Loss: How Effective Is It?

Researchers have found the keto diet effective in losing weight and lowering risk factors for various diseases. Many studies show that the keto diet is far more effective than other low-fat diets 5when it comes to weight loss. 

Moreover, you can lose weight without hassles, as you don’t need to track your food intake or count calories!

In a study, researchers found that people on the keto diet lost 2.2 times more weight than calorie-limited low-fat diets. Another study showed that a keto diet helped people lose 3 times more weight than diets recommended by Diabetes UK.

Here are some of the ways a ketogenic diet helps you lose weight and attain other health benefits-

Burns your body fat: When you are on a keto diet plan, your body efficiently burns fat to produce energy. As a result, you lose weight rapidly compared to other diets. 

Control appetite: Many diets keep you feeling hungry and encourage binging on unhealthy foods. But ketones generated during ketosis are known to suppress ghrelin, which is your hunger-creating hormone. Additionally, a keto diet also increases cholecystokinin (CCK) and keeps you feeling satiated. 

When you can go long periods without eating, your body burns more fat to help you lose weight. 

Power your brain and body: Ketones are a powerful source of energy. They can satisfy 20% of your brain’s energy needs, which is more effective than creating energy from glucose. Ketones also supply the energy to your body to perform your daily tasks while burning fat simultaneously without any interruptions!

Boosts energy: Other diets can leave you feeling deprived of energy, such as high-carb diets. But when you are on keto, your body can depend on a ready supply of fat to produce energy. As a result, you don’t feel any energy slumps or brain fog. 

Ketosis also enhances the production of mitochondria6, which powers your cells. 

Reduce cravings: You increase your fat intake under the keto diet, which is a highly satiating macronutrient. So you can effectively reduce your cravings as you feel fuller for a longer period. 

Helps fight inflammation: Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to foreign invaders, which your body considers harmful. Increased incidents of inflammation are not good news as they can lead to serious chronic diseases. Keto diets help in reducing inflammation by deactivating inflammatory pathways and creating far fewer free radicals than glucose. 

Most of the world has accepted that a ketogenic diet is really superior compared to other diets if weight loss is your goal. Now, we will see how you can get yourself on a keto diet. 

How to Go About The Keto Diet

You will find endless resources on the internet to help you get started on a keto diet plan. But just choosing a random diet may not be the best way to start losing weight. In fact, there is no one-size-fits-all diet, even in the case of ketogenic diets. Your body is unique, and you need to consider many personal factors before zeroing in on the perfect keto diet

It would be best if you had a plan to start with and eat and avoid foods that match your body’s needs. We will explore two keto diet programs and then help you choose the best one for your needs. 

  1. CustomKetoDiet

CustomKetDiet is an eight-week meal plan based on ketogenic principles. You can gain full control over your weight and health by adopting personalized meal plans that consider your food habits, body needs, and other preferences. 

Here’s what you can get under the CustomKetoDiet package-

Eight-week meal plan: You will get an eight-week meal plan to follow based on the experience of top health experts and industry leaders. So your meal plan is developed by drawing insights and tips from leading chefs, personal trainers, and nutritionists. 

Diet plan considering your calorie and macro intake: Your meal plan will be developed based on scientific methods factoring in your calorie and macro intake. As a result, you will be able to attain your weight loss goals easily. 

No compromise on taste: You can enjoy delicious and lip-smacking recipes from top keto chefs. Naturally, that will make you more than happy to follow the diet without diverting from it.

Customize your meals: You can customize your meals to match your food habits and preferences. For example, if you don’t like beef, you may replace it with bacon. You can also enjoy a wide variety of food items to take advantage of a wide range of nutrients.

Step-by-step instructions: You don’t need to be an expert cook to prepare your meals. The step-by-step instructions will help you become a pro even if you don’t have any cooking experience. 

Grocery list: You can get a grocery list for making the meals listed in the plan. No more guesswork is needed!

As the site claims, you can rapidly lose weight and get back in shape following their eight-week keto diet plan. 

  1. The 28-Day Keto Challenge

The 28-Day Keto Challenge is one of the leading and most successful programs to go on a keto diet and use it successfully to realize your health and weight loss goals. Instead of an eight-week-long plan, as in the case of CustomKetoDiet, you get a 28-day meal plan to kickstart your ketosis. Not only that, but you also get several helpful guides to raise your awareness and inspiration. 

Here’s what you get by signing up for the 28-Day Keto Challenge-

Keto Diet Basics: This module helps you learn the basics of a keto diet and how it works. You also have 13 helpful tips to follow the diet successfully and enjoy your favorite foods. 

Eating Well On Keto: The guide introduces you to several breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes to try out. A 28-Day Meal Plan calendar is also included for your convenience. 

Staying In Ketosis: Getting into and staying in ketosis is easier when you have this guide to help you. Learn how to activate ketosis in just 3 days!

Beating Keto Flu: If you feel the pangs of the keto flu, follow the instructions in the guide to overcome the symptoms. 

Intermittent Fasting: If you want to accelerate fat loss, you can take the help of 5 different styles of intermittent fasting described in this guide. 

Social Situations: Stay away from peer pressure and handle social situations like eating out effectively with the help of the tips in this module. You also get some helpful tips for drinking alcohol. 

Guilt-Free Desserts: Craving for some sugar rush? You can choose from 36 delicious recipes in this guide to have a guilt-free dessert while in ketosis. 

Yummy Avocado Recipes: Learn to cook like a pro using avocados using the recipes in this guide. 

Keto Supplements Guide: If you want to use keto supplements, take the help of this guide. You can learn about the 12 best keto supplements to transit into ketosis and make your diet successful. 

You will not only lose weight by following the guides but also get other fantastic keto diet results-

  • Become thinner and lighter- you can drop 4+ jeans sizes
  • Be full of energy and vitality
  • Have a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed
  • Witness improvement of hair and skin
  • Get a feeling of accomplishment

CustomKetoDiet Vs. The 28-Day Keto Challenge: Which One to Choose

 CustomKetoDiet and The 28-Day Keto Challenge are both based on keto diets but have a lot of differences. 

The first thing you will notice is the number of guides and resources you get. In the case of CustomKetoDiet, you get only an eight-week meal plan and nothing else! But The 28-Day Keto Challenge provides you with 10 helpful guides, including delicious recipes to stay motivated and follow a keto diet. 

You get help with meal plans and everything you need to induce ketosis and stay in it successfully. Once you get the hang of things, you can become a keto pro and customize the recipes and methods to meet your needs and preferences. 

It’s no wonder that The 28-Day Keto Challenge has helped over 416,387 people to lose weight. It’s a tried and tested program that guides you through every step of the process, leaving nothing to guesswork or chance. 

So if you want to lose weight and stay healthy, try out The 28-Day Keto Challenge. 

  1. Gaziano, Thomas, et al. “Cardiovascular disease.” Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition (2006). ↩︎
  2. National Research Council, et al. “Musculoskeletal disorders and the workplace: low back and upper extremities.” (2001). ↩︎
  3. Schwarcz, Henry P. “Some theoretical aspects of isotope paleodiet studies.” Journal of archaeological science 18.3 (1991): 261-275. ↩︎
  4. Wheless, James W. “History of the ketogenic diet.” Epilepsia 49 (2008): 3-5. ↩︎
  5. Lichtenstein, Alice H., and Linda Van Horn. “Very low fat diets.” Circulation 98.9 (1998): 935-939. ↩︎
  6. Lambert, Adrian J., and Martin D. Brand. “Reactive oxygen species production by mitochondria.” Mitochondrial DNA: Methods and Protocols (2009): 165-181. ↩︎

Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology

Author

Icy Health Editorial Team

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