Being healthy sometimes means that people have to lose weight if they want to get the most out of their life. Most of the time this involves eating healthy foods and working out regularly to help shed the pounds, but some people want to try a diet. Over the years there have been many diet trends that have come gone, but not all of them are seen as being healthy.
The keto diet is high fat, low carb diet that has been around for a while and is used by many celebrities. It is very strict and requires the person to stick to set guidelines, with the idea that you train the body to burn ketones instead of carbohydrates for energy. The body breaks down the fat and ketones are created by the liver that is then burned instead. Like with any diet, there are pros and cons, which you can see below.
The Pros
You Can Lose Weight
As people are eating more fat and protein, they notice that their hunger levels are decreased. This is due to how much longer it takes to digest the food, which can help people to lose weight. When people aren’t hungry, they won’t snack on food mindlessly, especially the unhealthy kind. By cutting out carbohydrates and sugary food, you will automatically start to notice the effects, as those food groups can also contribute to people storing water weight.
It helps with Diabetes
The food that you eat can affect your insulin levels, so cutting out all the bad food can help with type 2 diabetes. The keto diet can help people to maintain their blood glucose level in a good range and it has even been proven in numerous studies. One took place over the span of 10 weeks with 232 overweight or obese people on a keto diet. By the end, 36% of those taking part didn’t need to take insulin therapy again and 51% had their dose lowered, proving it works.
Cut Down on Sugar
The keto diet only allows people to eat a total of 25 to 35 grams of carbohydrates during their day, which cuts out a lot of food groups. All the sugary foods that you might have once enjoyed are forbidden and that in itself is a good thing as it allows you to detox from sugar. People don’t realise how addictive sugary foods are, but once your palate is cleansed, you won’t feel the urge to eat it as much.
The Cons
It Can Be Difficult
The keto diet is comprised of 70-80% fat, 10% carb and 15% protein, which can be extremely difficult for people to follow. What you think might be healthy isn’t actually when you look at the list of food and drink you are allowed to have. This diet involves a lot of careful planning to make sure you are eating the right amounts, which is the hardest part and it isn’t always suitable for everyone.
Fatigue Sets In
When your carbohydrate levels are drastically reduced, the body can go into a state of shock and that is when the fatigue sets in. After a little while, the body eventually gets used to the changes, but it can make people regret going on the diet when they can’t do their everyday activities. For this reason, it is advised that the diet is done for only a short amount of time, or to add in a few more carbohydrates if the fatigue is too much.
Doesn’t Help with Long-Term Goals
Most people who do the keto diet know that it isn’t a long-term solution. It is something that can kick start your healthy eating by showing what are good foods to eat, but it can have implications. Some people end up having anaemia due to the restrictions that take place and that can be dangerous. Instead, it is always best to talk to a dietician before making any drastic changes to your diet.
If you want to live your healthiest life, it is important to know the pros and cons of a diet before embarking on a health journey. Only do what you can and we can guarantee you will feel great when you don’t push yourself.
