You’ve probably been asking yourself the same question. What is the keto diet, and why is everyone doing it? Whether you’re paying attention to the latest health and fitness trends or not, you’ve probably got a friend, coworker, family member, or acquaintance you know that is following a keto diet. Keto is the latest buzzword shortened for the ketogenic diet, which is a focus on eating foods high in fat and low in carbs. Let’s break down what the keto diet is and why everyone’s doing it.
What in the world is a keto diet?
The keto diet is similar to other diets such as Atkins or low-carb diets. The keto diet encourages a high fat intake and an extremely low carb intake so that your body will switch its fuel source. By depleting your body of carbs or glucose, your body won’t use carbohydrates as fuel. Instead, your body will use fat as fuel, which helps your body burn fat. This helps to maximize weight loss while staying lean and tone, which is why many athletes such as Tim Tebow follow a ketogenic lifestyle.
So, how does the keto diet work?
When your body takes in limited amounts of carbohydrates, your body begins to burn fat instead of glucose for fuel. This process is called ketosis, and it’s marked by the production of acids called ketones that your liver produces when it breaks down fat. The presence of ketones in your bloodstream means that you’re in ketosis, which is a metabolic state. These ketones are then used as fuel for your body, instead of your body using carbohydrates or glucose as fuel.
How do I follow a keto diet?
There are several different kinds of a keto diet. Each kind is distinctive based on the percentage of carbohydrates, fats, and protein you’re taking in. For instance, originally, the keto diet was used to treat patients with epilepsy, or those who have severe seizures. These patients would follow a strict keto diet which is about 90% of daily calories from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbs.
As for the standard keto diet that most people do, it requires 75% calories from fat, 20% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrates. (You can use this keto calculator to help you customize a food plan that’s right for you.) Most people follow a keto diet for weight loss and increased athletic performance.
Want more information on how to follow a keto diet? We wrote a beginner’s guide to following the keto diet or ketogenic lifestyle on our blog.
How do you know if you’re in ketosis?
If you’re serious about doing a keto diet, you want your body to be in ketosis because that means your body is burning fat as an energy source, but how do you know when you’re in ketosis? The presence of ketones can be detected in your blood, breath, or urine. You can find many ketosis test strips that are available in your local pharmacy or convenience store that can measure these.
Additionally, you might also notice some of these symptoms when you’re in ketosis. For instance, many people will notice bad breath, weight loss, suppressed appetite, and increased focus and energy.
Many people when they first start a keto diet will have what they call a “low carb flu” or “keto flu” which is a period of time when your body is adapting to burning fat instead of carbs. As a result, your body feels weak and tired for the first 7-30 days before you are in full ketosis. Some people often feel a headache, fatigue, brain fog, increased hunger, poor sleep, nausea, and decreased physical performance.
So, why is everyone doing a keto diet?
For weight loss. So many people are seeing incredible weight loss results by following the keto diet or ketogenic lifestyle.
Though originally the diet was used to treat children with epilepsy, the diet is used by many people, including athletes, to lose weight and improve performance. Because the keto diet is so focused on a diet high in fats and low in carbohydrates, the keto diet allows people to stay lean and strong while dropping excess pounds. That’s why everyone is doing it.
In some studies, the keto diet has also be proven to be effective in treating or preventing diseases such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder, obesity, dementia, alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, certain cancers, and polycystic ovary syndrome.
As with any diet, the keto diet, though beneficial for many, isn’t for everyone. It’s important to consult with your doctor before beginning any specific food diet, as every diet has risks and benefits.
Try Phyzix MD Ketoned
Are you ready to jump on the bandwagon and try the keto diet too? Thousands of people are trying it and seeing incredible results because of the keto diet. That’s why we developed Ketoned in our Phyzix MD line to make following a keto diet or ketogenic lifestyle simple and easy. With a refreshing, cucumber-lime flavored, easy to use powdered drink mix, Ketoned is a daily keto shake. Take it for breakfast and be burning fat the rest of the day, or take it before a workout and maximize your training.
To purchase Phyzix MD Ketoned, talk to your Bonvera entrepreneur today. If you don’t yet have one, contact our customer service team at support@bonvera.com or call (316) 260 -2225.