What Is A Keto Diet?

At its core a ketogenic diet is based on a low carb, high fat approach to eating. On a keto diet your body's main fuel source stems from ketones produced in the liver which are then used as energy. In a traditional diet, which is concentrated around heavy carbohydrate consumption, glucose is produced at a higher rate and is used as the body's primary source of energy. As a result, making your fats nonessential for energy consumption and therefore increasing the amount of fat being retained by the body. By minimizing your carb intake, your body is induced into a state known as ketosis, which is the body's natural response to being food deficient. To go into ketosis, people normally have to consume lower than 50 carbs per day which means the removal of most grains, potatoes, and even fruit from your diet. As an added bonus to burning fat, ketosis makes you feel less hungry which makes sticking to that grueling diet even easier.

Why Try Keto?

While keto isn't for everyone, experts say that there are many positive, therapeutic effects by going keto. By reducing the amount of carbs consumed by your body ketosis can help improve ones risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even help Metabolic syndrome by reducing elevated body fat and high blood pressure. A few other positives achieved by a keto diet are increased mental focus and increased energy. It is a known fact that ketones are a great fuel source for the brain, and when you combine your lowered carb intake with the intake of more fatty acids this results in higher brain function and concentration.

Keto Dieting Mistakes

Because of the term "diet" many people assume that by reducing certain foods and by keeping their carbs low that they are sticking to a ketogenic diet, which is true, but also false at the same time. One of the most common mistakes that people make while on a keto diet is actually not being on keto diet at all. Another popular diet, the Atkins diet, is a diet based on very similar principals such as carb counting, and carb reduction but it requires you to increase your daily protein intake, eat 3 daily servings, and incorporates phases into your diet. With many people being new and unaware of the different dieting techniques they actually practice Atkin's based dieting techniques instead. That being said, the Atkins diet is a nice alternative but can result in leaving you tired, cranky, energy deficient. Another mistake people make while dieting is consuming the wrong type of food. When dieting you want to keep your carbs limited, and your diet consisting mostly of vegetables and protein. You want to avoid all grains, most fruits, and all potatoes, while keeping your diet filled with meats, vegetables, and Avocado of course.

The Wrap Up

That being said, the ketogenic diet is perfect for anyone wanting to lose weight, and increase mental focus while looking to make an active lifestyle change while improving your overall health. My advice to anyone wanting to go on the keto diet is to just start. Starting is the hardest part, and trust me, after you start seeing results your going to be addicted to the journey. Trust the process and best of luck on your keto journey!