Featured

8 things to do before you start the keto diet

Almost through 3 weeks of the keto diet, I would say it definitely helps in reducing the pounds post-celebratory binges. I am down by 2.5kgs in 2 weeks, which I don’t think I would have achieved on any other diet. However, I am set to end my diet at 3 weeks as was my goal.

Here is a checklist of to-dos before you embark on your keto journey:

1. Decide on your target weight or the number of days you wish to continue the diet.

Despite the favorable results and rave reviews, there is still ambiguity regarding long-term continuation of the keto diet.1 As this was our first restrictive diet, we decided to do the 21-day keto and kept our targets on weight open.

2. Make a list of foods you can eat and like from the approved list of keto foods.

The go-to food options for the keto diet are eggs, cheese, high-fat dairy products, butter, fatty cuts of meat, seafood, and shellfish. Among vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers, zucchini, and green leafy vegetables are the most common keto food options. Among fruits, strawberries, blackberries, and avocados are keto-friendly. You can find an exhaustive list of food options here (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-foods).

Make a list of keto-friendly foods and stock up your pantry with keto essentials.

3. Check out new recipes you can try on the keto diet.

Keto-enthusiasts have circumvented the lack of staples such as rice, noodle, and bread with very creative alternatives. I would have never tried zucchini noodles and cauliflower rice if not for this diet. Various keto-friendly recipes for bread can be found on the internet which replace the use of bread flour with coconut and almond flours. While you may be a bit skeptical about trying these keto-alternatives, do give it a shot and you might be surprised by the results.

4.Try and eliminate processed foods from your pantry and refrigerator

Chocolate bars staring from refrigerator shelves have spelled doom for many diets. The easiest way to avoid this is to clear your pantry and refrigerator of all processed, sugar-rich foods. This is a difficult task when you have kids who can’t stay away from their sugary treats. But well…at least try and keep the temptations away from your eyes.

5. Fill up your pantry and refrigerator with keto-friendly foods.

Having a good number of keto-friendly options in stock prevents you from deviating from the diet when hunger pangs begin. Keep artificial sweeteners handy in case you do decide that you cannot have your morning cuppa without the mandatory tablespoon of sugar. I ensured I stocked on avocados, cheddar cheese slices, cream cheese (for dips with veggies), frozen and fresh strawberries, almond milk, and fatty cuts of chicken (I don’t eat other meats).

Measure yourself before starting the ketogenic diet

Measure your waist, hips, arms, and thighs in addition to the weight.

Documenting your progress is a great way of motivating yourself to continue on the diet. I regret not doing this before I started the keto diet (don’t know why really). A full body picture is also a great way to admire your progress and stay motivated.

7. Be aware of keto flu.

Be prepared for the keto flu which generally strikes two to seven days after starting the diet. Some of the symptoms of this condition include headache, foggy brain, fatigue, irritability, nausea, difficulty sleeping and constipation. You might want to reschedule your keto diet plan if you have an important presentation coming up. Ensure you stay well hydrated so as to reduce your symptoms. I didn’t suffer from keto flu except for constipation after around 2 weeks of the diet. A tablespoon of chia seed in a glass of lemon water helped tide me through.

Keep hydrated. Water is your best friend on the keto diet.

8. Work out your macros.

If you are very meticulous, you can work out the exact number of carbs, fats, proteins and calories that will get you into ketosis from a keto-macros calculator like this one (https://perfectketo.com/keto-macro-calculator/). Further, you will need to track the exact number of carbs, fats and calories consumed. You can easily track these with apps such as MyFitness Pal. Sorry to say, I was not so finicky. I just ensured I had a rough idea of the carbs I was consuming, though I did not specifically eat extra fats. If you are really dedicated, you may even invest into a ketone meter and test your ketone levels using ketone strips.

All said, the most important thing is to be determined to give it a shot and see it through. Having your partner get into the ketogenic diet along with you definitely helps in keeping up the enthusiasm. Hope this helps you get started…..let me know how it goes!

Benefits of ketogenic diet beyond weight loss

Ketogenic diet is a very low carb and high fat diet which promises miraculous ‘fat-burn’ by inducing the body to burn fat instead of glucose for energy.

The parties are over and decorations packed up in the attics. Its is now time for a fresh start to the year and plans for personal revival from the sluggishness following the festivities. I usually start the year with a long list of resolutions, which somehow have not persisted beyond January in the past. This year’s resolution (like that of every other year) focussed on getting rid of the extra-fat and fitting into the skinny jeans. Research into the best diets didn’t take me long to figure that ‘ketogenic diet’ or the ‘keto’ diet was the way to go. What interested me particularly, were the numerous benefits the diet promises in keeping long term ailments at bay, in addition to the weight loss.

Ketogenic diet

Ketogenic diet focusses on drastically reducing the consumption of carbs and increasing the intake of healthy fats with adequate proteins. The diet works by initially utilising the stored carbs or glycogen for energy. When this source is exhausted, the body switches into a fat-burning mode and burns down the fat stores (aka stubborn belly fat, thunder thighs and love handles) for energy leading to weight loss. Burning of the fat stores results in production of molecules called ketones, and hence the name ketogenic diet.

Ketogenic diet vs. other diets for weight loss?

It’s a no brainer that a diet which burns fat stores will cause weight loss. Though the strict exclusion of carb, including all grains, potatoes, root vegetable and fruits from the diet does seem challenging at first, this diet promises to curtail the hunger-pangs associated with any other diet. The healthy fats cause satiety and may reduce appetite, which makes it easier to continue with the diet. Eating fat to cause fat loss did seem counterproductive to me, but studies show that people following the ketogenic diet actually lost more weight than those on a low-fat diet.

Also, unlike other diets which restrict the meat and dairy products which form an important part of our diet, the keto diet actually encourages the consumption of meats, poultry, eggs and cheese.

Benefits of ketogenic diet

Though the weight-loss benefit was encouraging, it is benefits to other ailments that bowled me over. On to a bit of history about the ketogenic diet ­­– this diet was used to treat children with seizure disorder that did not respond to treatments in the 1920s….and continues to be used for the purpose till date! This effect is possibly related to the brain being able to utilise ketones more effectively than sugars for its functioning.

The increase in consumption of healthy fats can actually reduce cholesterol and improve heart health. Various studies have shown that the keto diet caused a decrease in the total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (aka “bad cholesterol”), and increased the high-density lipoprotein (aka “good cholesterol”).

It is also suggested that the ketogenic diet has a protective effect on the brain cells. While more research is needed on the subject, researchers are postulating that the keto diet may even prevent conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The amazing benefits of this diet have also been evaluated in cancer. By reducing the carb intake, the diet causes a drastic reduction in insulin, the hormone responsible for utilizing blood sugar. As insulin has been linked to certain cancers, the ketogenic diet may play a role in preventing or controlling certain cancers.

In addition to the above, ketogenic diet has also shown positive results in acne and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition often affecting young women.

With all this research under my belt, I embarked on the keto diet from the 1st of January. Two weeks on, I am happy to report a weight loss of 2.5 kgs and a significant shrinkage of my spare tire belly (I am hoping the thunder thighs will follow soon). While the diet does involve significant planning and a lot of cooking at home (which I enjoy), at no point did I feel low on energy or deprived of food, especially as I can hog on my favourite foods like bacon and cheese. So, here’s to the ketogenic diet……hope this New Year’s Resolution persists well into the year!

What is your new year’s resolution? Have you tried the ketogenic diet yet?