The Keto Diet is all the rage around the world. The quick results, the allowance to eat cheese, and the upheaval of the long-standing notion that fats are bad for you has made it an exciting venture for most diet fanatics. Some pretty stringent rules help your body reach a state of ketosis. And once you manage to do so, it is tough to stay on the bandwagon.
Eating fat and protein all the time may look interesting as there are some heavy restrictions imposed on some fruit and vegetables, almost all sugars and carbs which include pasta. You may have been made to believe that carbs are your enemy but that’s not always the case.
Below are a few facts that no keto lover will ever tell you about. This mystified diet isn’t as good as it’s hyped up to be. It’s always good to learn beforehand what you are getting yourself into.
1. Rapid Weight Loss and Stall
What makes a keto diet so popular is the sudden weight loss that takes place. There is notoriety attached to the aggressive fat loss that is seen on anyone who starts this diet. But over time, this starts to fade into a weight loss plateau. Here you need to change your dietary approach just a little bit.
Also, point to note in the beginning you lose a lot of water weight, which then later stalls you on the scale. So don’t be discouraged and give your body some time to adapt to the low carb system.
2. The Keto Breath
A very big concern for a lot of people is the bad breadth that accompanies this diet. This happens because you are consuming a significantly less number of carbohydrates than your body is otherwise used to. Once your body reaches a state of ketosis i.e., it starts burning fat for fuel instead of carbs. In ketosis, fatty acids are turned into ketones and are released through respiration and urination. The collective chemicals called ketones are beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetone, and acetoacetate. And so your breath smells like fruits or has an odor that resembling nail polish. This is because of acetone.
To counter this, you can try drinking more water, eat less protein, practice good oral hygiene, and be patient. This breadth tends to go away as your body adapts to the diet.
3. There is a Thing Called “Too Much Protein”
Even though this diet is a paradise for meat lovers considering all the steak, bacon, pork tenderloin, and sausages that you’re allowed to eat. But it is not a high protein diet; it’s a high-fat diet. The breakdown is 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat. Having too much protein effectively puts you on the Atkins diet, which helps with weight loss but has none of the health benefits associated with keto. Getting your macronutrients and micronutrients in order is thus strictly advised.
4. The Wrong Food Dilemma
This is an area plagued with misconceptions, and this is also why people are failing miserably at keeping up with the diet. You hear keto and go fat! Well, it isn’t just about the fat. It is about a lot more than that. Beginning with balance. Your aim is to make your body shift from its favorite fuel ‘glucose’ and shift it to fat, which it stores. Sort of like moving from coal to wind.
Another misconception that exists is that it is all about animal products. Butter, cheese, bacon. This has set up a false dichotomy between vegetarians and the keto diet. It is possible to easily go on a lactose-free and vegetarian keto diet with proper research.
Just remember that there are certain restrictions on fruits and vegetables, but even those can be quickly figured out. If you’re just starting out on keto diet, have a look at some plans for beginners, lest you make the wrong choices.
5. The Keto Flu
Another symptom that is experienced by most people when they first begin with their keto diet. This isn’t something that is experienced by everyone. The symptoms vary from person to person and range from mild to severe.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, weakness, stomach pain, etc. These last for about a week, but you can ease their effect by using some simple homemade remedies. You cannot get your fever down using conventional antibiotics and medicines.
6. Tips to Make the Transition Period Manageable
Stay Hydrated
The diet can force your body to shed water and feel dehydrated. Symptoms like muscle cramping and fatigue can be counteracted with water.
Avoid Strenuous Exercise
Heavy exercise is bound to diminish your energy at a fast rate and give rise to issues like fatigue, stomach discomfort, and others. So if you want to exercise, try something light and relaxing. With a doctor’s note from My ESA Doctor, you can easily live with your pet and take them out for sunny walks instead of hitting the gym.
Increase Electrolytes
The removal of certain foods can lead to your body feeling like a funk. So have some supplements to ensure your body isn’t lethargic all the time. There are several micronutrients that our body can get deprived of when switching to keto, so make sure you take your supplements well in time everyday.
Adequate sleep
Irritability can occur if your body doesn’t get enough rest and is transitioning to ketosis. So ensure you continue on a healthy sleep cycle. Make sure you get at least 8-9 hours of sound and continuous sleep in a day.
7. The Long Term Effects
Research on the long term effects of keto is still being explored, but there are certain maybes associated with the diet. The first one being because it is so strict if you relax the rules you might gain the weight back.
A very big concern is the overconsumption of saturated fats. This might lead to the development of a common heart rhythm disorder called Atrial fibrillation.
But you need to take into account that most of this research is observational in nature. That just implies that this isn’t causing and effect, just a hypothesis.
Plan
Eating on a diet is always tricky, but with the restriction that keto places on you, it becomes even trickier. Nobody knows your body better than you. So plan in advance all snacks and meals that you want to eat. If you’re going out, either call in advance and know what they serve or check online for their menu. Most places have keto-friendly options as it is just that popular these. Use an app to track macronutrients so that it becomes easy for you to make adjustments to your diet on a day to day basis.
The keto diet is not a crash diet that can help you lose weight, and then you can just abandon it once you are done. It’s a lifestyle decision and it comes with it’s very own set of pros and cons. Nothing can replace the benefits of exercise in our life. There are several other diets like Mediterranean, intermittent fasting etc. but all of them only work if you combine it with some physical exercise. Before starting keto, make sure you are okay with giving up carbs and the consequences that come along with this lifestyle.
