What’s the Keto Diet?

Every year we are bombarded with advertisements about the newest diet fad. Take this pill and lose 50 pounds. Buy our food and lose 20 inches. Many of us get sucked into the hype, only to lose and then gain back the few pounds, or inches, we lost. Instead of a one size fits all solution to weight loss, how about one approach fits most body types?

What is the Keto Diet?

Keto is short for Ketogenesis, has been around since the 1920s. The diet was originally used by physicians to control epilepsy in children. Fasting was the only known way to get the body into ketosis, but this proved difficult for children, thus the Keto Diet was born.

This diet utilizes a high portion (80%) of healthy fats, a moderate portion (15%) of protein, and a low portion (5%) of complex carbohydrates. It forces the body to burn fat as fuel, instead of sugars and utilizes body fat more easily.

By switching the way our body sources fuel, we can experience long-term weight loss. When the body senses a lack of fuel, it stores more fat because it believes there is a famine. The Keto Diet provides an alternative fuel source the body can use without shocking the system into a panic.

Why should I choose this one over the other diets?

Saying eat less has rarely worked for people. What does that even mean anyway? This diet is specific in its ratio of foods and the way they work together in the body. You’re already buying these foods, so it’s cost-efficient. There has also been extensive testing on the benefits of this diet for almost 100 years.

In addition to weight loss, what are the health benefits?

• Increase in insulin sensitivity
• Reduces the risk for heart disease
• Slows tumor growth in some cancer patients
• Slows the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Reduces intensity and frequency of seizures
• Improves the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

What can you expect?

There is an adjustment period for some people. You may feel a bit tired and have some minor lack of concentration. Your body is switching its fuel source. The initial phase passes quickly and yields steady, healthy weight loss. It is important to note that it is imperative to stay hydrated and you should talk to your doctor before trying it. There are some health conditions that need special monitoring.