Ketogenic diet options, menus, and healthy recipes

The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate diet in which the body uses ketones as a source of energy. These substances are formed when fatty tissue is broken down. With this diet, you can lose several kilograms in a month.

About ketosis

The body can enter ketosis when there is a lack of glucose. In some regions, carbohydrate foods are seasonal, so energy is only obtained from fatty foods. The ketogenic diet is effective in terms of weight loss, but you need to know the principles of its effects so as not to harm the body.

The essence of the diet

The main goal of the method is to change the metabolism. The body switches from glycolysis to lipolysis. This requires at least 2-3 weeks. There won't be much fat loss for the first 7 days as the remaining glucose is used up. The restructuring of the body takes place in 4 phases:

1. Lasts 12 hours after the last carbohydrate intake. During this time, all of the glucose is used up.
2. Takes 12–48 hours. Glycogen, which is in the muscles and liver, is used up.
3. Metabolic changes begin. The body absorbs energy from proteins and fatty acids.
4. The last stage starts on the 7th day. The body is rebuilding on a ketogenic regime and releasing protein energy.

You can not completely exclude carbohydrates from the menu, since such a regime is life threatening.

advantages and disadvantages

This type of diet was originally used to treat children with epilepsy. It turned out that with such a diet, external changes also appear. The menu does not use the principle of alternating products. Substances must get into the body in the following ratio:

• fats - 75%;
• Proteins - 20%;
• Carbohydrates - 5%.

Positive results of using the diet:

1. Weight loss by consuming body fat while not decreasing muscle mass.
2. A balanced menu does not cause hunger, so you can lose weight without any discomfort.
3. The ketone diet is beneficial for cancer, epilepsy, depression, and Alzheimer's.
4. Lowering blood sugar levels.
5. Normalization of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
6. Improving skin condition by eliminating acne.

Despite the obvious advantages, you should consult a professional before using this system. The disadvantages include:

1. Possible digestive disorders due to a lack of fiber.
2. Insufficient supply of vitamins and vital substances in the body due to restriction of carbohydrate intake. It is necessary to additionally take vitamin complexes.
3. In the initial stage, a deterioration in well-being is possible: weakness, decreased concentration, decreased performance because the body does not have enough glucose. If this condition persists for about 2 weeks, you need to see a doctor.
4. The need to take groceries as it is difficult to find low carb foods in stores.
5. Bad breath, sweat and urine can smell like acetone.

In addition, it is not recommended to eat in this way during exercise or active strength loads. Often, after such diets, diseases appear that were previously undiagnosed.

Diet effect

The effectiveness of such foods increases if several rules are followed:

1. Choose a vitamin complex to compensate for the lack of necessary substances.
2. Before starting the diet, you need to undergo a medical examination. This diet is suitable for people with excellent health.
3. Analyze the list of prohibited foods. For example, if the body experiences stress from refusing bread, it is better to find another way to lose weight.
4. In the first few weeks, there is a restructuring of the metabolic processes, so during this time there is no need to subject the body to increased mental or physical stress.
5. Preparing diet foods takes time, but you should try not to eat unhealthy foods.
6. For the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to include foods containing fiber in the diet.
7. Double your water intake.

This weight loss diet affects everyone in different ways and is not suitable for everyone. Weight loss in 1 month ranges from 5 to 10 kg.

This diet is suitable for men who have accumulated fat in their stomach. The calorie content practically does not decrease, and the weight loss occurs due to a decrease in the amount of carbohydrates consumed.

Doctors' comments on such a diet are ambiguous, but all experts agree that before losing weight it is necessary to undergo an examination in a medical institution, and if there is severe weakness or dizziness, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor.

Permitted and prohibited products

List of foods that can be consumed:

1. Meat: chicken, turkey, pork, beef.
2. Sea fish: tuna, salmon, salmon, herring.
3. Nuts.
4. Seafood: squid, clams, crabs, prawns.
5. Eggs: quail and chicken.
6. Milk with a fat content of up to 1. 5%.
7. Fermented dairy products with minimal fat content, without chemical additives.
8. Vegetables. The rate for 1 intake is no more than 40-50 g of lettuce leaves can be eaten in unlimited quantities.
9. Fruits: oranges and grapefruits.

Various dietary menu options are created based on this list. The list of foods that are prohibited when losing weight:

• Sugar;
• Honey;
• Grain;
• any baked goods;
• Dried fruit;
• Pasta;
• low-fat foods (they contain carbohydrates);
• starchy vegetables (potatoes, carrots);
• Sweets;
• sweet fruits (banana, grapes).

It is important to keep track of your calorie intake.

Basic principles

Nutritional principles:

1. The number of meals is 5–6 times a day, with breaks of 3 hours.
2. You need to eat in small portions.
3. The daily drinking amount should be at least 3 liters.
4. Smooth entry and exit from the diet.
5. The amount of fat ingested should be twice the amount of protein.
6. Fat should make up 60% of the daily diet.
7. The amount of carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.
8. Control over your sugar and starch intake.
9. Moderate physical activity.

The effectiveness of the method only comes with strict adherence to the listed rules.

Diet variations and their menu

There are several options for the diet menu so you can choose the most optimal one.

Classic standard constant

This option is the cheapest. Its essence lies in the minimal consumption of carbohydrates. The daily calorie intake is calculated depending on the goal:

1. If you need to gain muscle mass, 600 kcal is added to the daily intake.
2. If you need to reduce weight, then 600 kcal will be deducted from the consumption rate.

Menu for the week:

1. Monday: Breakfast: scrambled eggs (3 eggs), grated cheese (40 g), coffee; Snack: any nuts (30 g); Lunch: baked chicken breast (170 g), cucumber (1-2 pcs. ); Dinner: baked hake (150 g), salad (150 g).
2. Tuesday: Breakfast: boiled eggs (2 pieces), coleslaw, tea or coffee; Snack: smoothies (cottage cheese, nuts and yogurt); Lunch: roast chicken (200 g), boiled asparagus; Dinner: tuna (150 g), lettuce (cucumber, tomato).
3. Wednesday: Breakfast: cheesecake (2 pieces), coffee; Snack: yogurt (150 ml), nuts; Lunch: baked salmon (150 g); Dinner: seafood salad (150 g).
4. Thursday: Breakfast: scrambled eggs (3 eggs, fried bacon, spinach), tea; Snack: cheese balls with yogurt; Lunch: roast beef (150 g), cucumber, pasta (1 serving); Dinner: salmon with oven-baked tomatoes (150 g).
5. Friday: Breakfast: scrambled eggs with vegetables, coffee; Snack: any green vegetable; Lunch: fried pork with stewed vegetables (150 g); Dinner: smoked salmon, boiled egg, Chinese cabbage salad.
6. Saturday: Breakfast: croutons with cheese, tea; Snack: nuts (30 g); Lunch: fried salmon with cucumber; Dinner: hot salad (vegetables, seafood).
7. Sunday: Breakfast: cottage cheese with nuts, tea; Snack: toast with tea; Lunch: pork fried with tomatoes and soaked in egg yolks; Dinner: flounder baked with cheese and vegetables.

Targeted - targeted, powerful

This method is suitable for women with an active lifestyle. Carbohydrates are allowed before and after exercise. Glucose increases the effects of physical activity and provides energy for training. For 1 kg of weight, 1 g of carbohydrates can be consumed.

Cyclical

The diet includes regular amounts of carbohydrates to help maintain muscle glycogen levels. This nutritional option is possible at the earliest 2 weeks after the start of ketosis. For 1 kg of weight, 5-10 g of carbohydrates can be consumed, the amount of fat reduced and protein products kept at a high level. The download can take between 9 and 36 hours. You should start with the minimum mark. Then you can gradually add 2 hours each time and focus on the state of the body.

Get out of the keto diet

To consolidate the result, you need to gradually add new products to the menu. You can eat porridge for 100–150 g once a day; you should refuse fresh baked goods for the first time. Consumption of fried and smoked foods is also not recommended as the body does not benefit from such foods.

Dish recipes

All of the presented recipes are low in carbohydrates. Preparation methods for eggs:

1. Place the eggs in cold water and cook for either 4 minutes (soft-boiled) or 8 minutes (hard-boiled). They can be eaten with mayonnaise.
2. Fry eggs in butter on 1 or 2 sides. Add pepper and salt.
3. Add 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons to the melted butter. l. Whipped cream. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Add onion and grated cheese. Can be served with fried bacon.
4. Mix 3 eggs with 3 tbsp. l. Add the cream, salt and spices. Melt the butter and pour it into the omelette. When the top hardens, you can add something tasty (grated cheese, bacon, fried mushrooms).

Bread can be replaced with carbohydrate-free crispbread. For cooking you need the following ingredients (for 8 servings):

• Eggs (3 pcs. );
• Cream cheese (100 g);
• salt (pinch);
• Baking powder (½ tsp);
• Psyllium husks (½ tbsp left).

Cooking technique:

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
2. Beat egg whites and salt to a foam.
3. Mix the egg yolks with the cream cheese. For splendor, you can add baking soda and psyllium husks.
4. Carefully add the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture.
5. Place 8 small (or 6 small) loaves on a baking sheet and bake at 150 ° C for 25 minutes until golden brown.

This bread can be used for sandwiches. Poppy seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are added to the batter as desired. A large loaf can be used as the base for a roll: put a layer of whipped cream and berries on top.

You can make low-carb cheese pancakes. This requires:

• Cottage cheese 9% (300 g);
• Egg (1 pc. );
• salt (pinch);
• Coconut flour (1 tbsp l. );
• Almond flour (1 tablespoon).

Recipe:

1. Beat the egg, season with salt and stir. It is better to take a large container, as the dough will be kneaded in it.
2. Add the cottage cheese and stir.
3. When the consistency is watery, add the coconut flour and mix thoroughly. In this case, the curd cakes will keep their shape.
4. Moisten your hands with water, form balls out of the dough and flatten them a little.
5. Dip in coconut flour on both sides and place in a preheated pan with melted butter.
6. Fry the cheese pancakes for 3-4 minutes on each side over medium heat.
7. Serve with sour cream.

When losing weight, you can cook a vegetable stew with chicken. The following ingredients are required:

• Boneless chicken breasts or thighs (400 g);
• large zucchini (1 pc. );
• Eggplants (2 pcs. );
• Bulgarian pepper (1 pc. );
• Mayonnaise (1 tbsp. L. ).

Cooking method:

1. Finely chop the chicken and season with salt, pepper and spices. Stir the meat and let it rest in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Peel the eggplant and zucchini, cut into small cubes.
3. Finely chop the peppers.
4. Place the chicken in a pan preheated with oil and fry over high heat for 10 minutes until half cooked.
5. Put the vegetables in the pan, season with salt and simmer for another 20 minutes over low heat.

You can use other vegetables and add sour cream or cheese at the end of the cooking process.

Contraindications and harm

Diet affects insulin production, which is why it is forbidden for people with diabetes of any kind. Due to the increased load on the digestive and excretory systems, it is contraindicated in diseases of the stomach, intestines, biliary tract, liver and kidneys.

Only a healthy body is able to rebuild metabolic processes without side effects and then to return to the usual metabolic patterns. People with metabolic problems can feel uncomfortable.

Pregnant women may experience a slowdown in the growth and development of the fetus, while breastfeeding women may experience a decrease in the amount of milk or a deterioration in milk quality. Such a diet is contraindicated for children, as they exercise a lot and need a lot of carbohydrates. Large amounts of protein are not recommended for the elderly. Your weekly protein intake is 100–150 g.

reviews

Reviews from people who have lost weight about this technique are ambiguous. Every organism reacts differently to a lack of carbohydrates.

• First review, female, 36 years old: "The advantage of this diet is that the calorie intake does not have to be drastically reduced. The menu contains a lot of fatty foods: fish, meat, nuts, so I feel more comfortable with such a diet than with a balanced one.
• Second evaluation, female, 28 years old: "I could not stand this diet because the lack of fiber resulted in gas and constipation. "
• Third tip, woman, 55 years old: "I lost weight with this technology for 3 months. This has reduced the weight by 10 kg. Not a bad performance for my age as metabolic reactions are slower. In addition to the external effect, I managed to get rid of the food addiction: now I do not eat sweets. The menu of the day is designed in such a way that you don't feel hungry ".