Ketogenic diet for weight loss: what you can eat - example menu

The ketogenic, or ketogenic, or ketogenic diet is one of the nutritional systems well studied by scientists, the benefits of which have been proven by many experiments and clinical studies.

However, the scheme is complex.It is not suitable for everyone and has many pitfalls.

What is the keto diet

This is a type of low-carb diet with a high fat content on the menu.Similar to a regular no-carb diet or Atkins diet.

A diet that significantly reduces carbohydrates and increases fat intake puts the body into ketosis.

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which fat is the body's main source of energy.This occurs when carbohydrate intake, usually the main source of energy, is reduced to a minimum.

Ketosis occurs during fasting, pregnancy and childhood.It can be artificially induced in adults by switching to a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.

In a state of ketosis, insulin levels decrease.Fatty acids leave adipose tissue in large quantities and enter the liver, where they are oxidized and converted into ketone bodies, or ketones, which are a source of energy.

Formed:

• beta-hydroxybutyrate, the main ketone body circulating in the blood;
• acetoacetate is the main product of the liver;
• acetone is a volatile ketone responsible for the formation of a specific odor in breath.

Ketone bodies are able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and nourish brain cells in the absence of glucose.

The sustained reduction in insulin and sugar levels that occurs with a ketogenic diet has multiple beneficial effects on human health.

What is the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis?

The ketosis that develops when following a low-carb diet is fundamentally different from diabetic ketoacidosis.

In people who do not have diabetes, blood sugar levels remain within normal limits.When carbohydrate stores are depleted, the liver begins to produce glucose from other sources (pyruvate, glycerol and amino acids).

This allows maintaining normal blood glucose levels and ensuring the concentration of ketone bodies within 8 mmol/l, which is safe for health.

In type 1 diabetics, ketone levels reach 20 mmol/L.And this condition is already fatal.

What keto nutrition looks like: options

1. Standard protocol.It involves consuming large amounts of proteins and fats and minimizing carbohydrates - no more than 50 g per day.The menu includes 75% fats, 20% proteins and 5% carbohydrates.
2. The keto diet is rich in protein.Same as the standard regimen, only with more proteins.60% - fats, 35% - proteins, 5% - carbohydrates.
3. Cyclical option.With this nutrition system, 5 days follow the standard pattern and 2 days are high in carbohydrates.Reminds me of the BUTCH diet.
4. Targeted approach.They follow a ketogenic diet and consume carbohydrates before and after workouts.

All scientific research carried out evaluated only the standard version.

The cyclical and targeted approach is only used by athletes, mainly bodybuilders.These eating plans are not intended to help you lose weight or improve your health.

How does the keto diet affect weight loss?

Scientific evidence indicates that it is a highly effective weight loss method that provides more sustainable results compared to traditional low-fat weight loss systems that require severe calorie restriction.

It has been shown that those who lost weight and followed a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more pounds of excess weight than volunteers who followed a low-fat diet with strict calorie restrictions.

The weight loss mechanisms on a keto diet are as follows.

1. Significant protein intake, essential for healthy and sustainable weight loss.
2. Gluconeogenesis.Proteins and fats are converted into carbohydrates.This process can burn additional calories throughout the day.
3. Appetite suppression.Ketogenic nutrition normalizes the levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which are responsible for eating behavior.
4. Increased insulin sensitivity.Insulin resistance leads to excessive weight gain.Therefore, increasing sensitivity to the hormone speeds up metabolism and promotes the rapid breakdown of fat deposits and reduces the rate of formation of new ones.

Treatment and prevention of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes

Metabolic syndrome is a metabolic disorder that significantly increases the risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The signs that indicate that a person has metabolic syndrome are:

• high blood pressure;
• abdominal obesity (big belly);
• high blood sugar levels (even if diabetes has not yet been diagnosed);
• poor lipid profile indicators (self-deciphered rules for cholesterol analysis).

All these indicators can be improved without medication by changing your lifestyle and diet, for example, switching to a keto diet.

1. Increasing the sensitivity of the body's cells to the hormone insulin plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.On a keto diet, insulin sensitivity increases by 75%.Some people with diabetes may even stop taking their medications.
2. Lipid profile indicators improve.Positive changes affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
3. Additional support for the body is provided by the formation of ketone bodies, which have beneficial properties.

What other therapeutic effects does the keto diet have?

1. Helps in the treatment of epilepsy.A current meta-analysis of 70 clinical studies found that the keto diet reduced the number of seizures by 50% in 46-62% of cases.The exact mechanism of the anticonvulsant effect of the diet has not been established.Scientists believe that the positive effect may be due to an increase in the amount of the antioxidant glutathione in mitochondria, an increase in the influence of the inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA and adenosine, etc.
2. Therapy for Alzheimer's disease.Several small studies have shown that keto nutrition improves the condition of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.In patients with this disease, the flow of glucose to the brain is impaired.And ketone bodies allow you to feed the brain with energy without the participation of glucose, while reducing the toxic effects of glutamate.
3. Support for patients with parkinsonism.According to some studies, a low-carb diet is beneficial for people suffering from Parkinson's disease as it prevents the death of dopaminergic neurons and damage to mitochondria.
4. Help for children with autism.There are some suggestions that the keto diet improves behavior in children with autism.And it does so more effectively than the Atkins diet, the gluten-free diet, and the casein-free diet.However, data on this issue is still so scarce that it cannot be considered completely reliable.
5. Cancer treatment.Tumor cells operate exclusively on glucose.They cannot obtain energy from ketone bodies.Therefore, switching to a ketogenic diet promotes cell death in malignant tumors.However, experts emphasize that the method can only be used in conjunction with chemotherapy treatment and with the doctor's authorization.And you shouldn't put too much hope in this approach.
6. Better skin condition.In particular, eliminating acne.Low insulin levels and removing all processed foods from the diet as required by the diet eliminate chronic inflammation affecting the skin.
7. Treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.The disease is associated with impaired glucose and androgen metabolism.Keto nutrition helps restore insulin sensitivity, which occurs in women with polycystic syndrome.

What not to eat on the keto diet: list of foods

• Sugar in any form.Prohibited foods include obviously sweet foods (sweets, ice cream) and foods that do not look like sweets, but contain this ingredient in their composition.It can even be store-bought ketchup.
• Grain crops: wheat (including spelled), rye, barley, rice, corn.
• Vegetable oils that make you fat - soy, corn, sunflower, rapeseed.And also trans fats.
• Fruits.With the exception of a small number of red fruits such as strawberries.
• Vegetables.Beans, peas, lentils, etc.They can be used in green form, for example, bean pods.
• Tubers and rhizomes.Potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, etc.
• Any “dietary” food products, for example, low-fat cottage cheese (in these products, fat is replaced by sugar).
• Products with sweeteners in the form of sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol) have a negative effect on ketone bodies.
• Sauces and sauces, in the preparation of which sugar, starch and flour were used.
• Alcohol.
• All finished products produced by the food industry.

Ketogenic diet: what you can and should eat

• All types of meat: beef, pork, poultry, lamb, etc.
• Fish and seafood.
• Eggs.
• Vegetables.Preferably green.Others are also allowed (tomatoes, eggplants, onions, peppers) - the main thing is that they have a lot of fiber and practically no easily digestible carbohydrates.
• Fatty dairy products - cream, butter, cheese.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Mushrooms.
• The right vegetable oils: olive oil, coconut oil, avocado.
• Fermented foods: natural yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.
• Spices and seasonings.

Sample menu for a week for women and men on a ketogenic diet

Monday	Tuesday
Breakfast: omelet with bacon and tomatoes. Lunch: cauliflower and broccoli soup in chicken broth, boiled chicken with sautéed eggplant and peppers. Dinner: a piece of red fish baked in sour cream with vegetable salad.	Breakfast: full-fat natural yogurt without sweeteners or flavors with nuts and/or seeds. Lunch: bone broth (preferably beef) with a boiled egg, a piece of boiled meat with sauerkraut (no potatoes). Dinner: stewed chicken with zucchini.
Wednesday	Thursday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with peppers. Lunch: fish soup (without potatoes), pork chop with steamed green beans. Dinner: oven-baked chicken breast with sour cream, cucumber and tomatoes.	Breakfast: cottage cheese with normal fat content, without sugar and flavorings. Lunch: mushroom soup (without potatoes and pasta), chopped steak with egg and vegetable salad. Dinner: baked fish under a cheese crust with vegetables.
Friday	Saturday
Breakfast: boiled eggs with a piece of cheese. Lunch: sour cabbage soup (without potatoes), chicken liver stewed with sour cream and fried onions, with shirataki noodles. Dinner: salad with fish and/or seafood (without potatoes and rice), but with green vegetables, tomatoes, etc.	Breakfast: cottage cheese with herbs. Lunch: bone broth with meatballs (without flour or bread), azu beef with boiled cabbage (fresh or sour). Dinner: boiled chicken with radish and cucumber salad.
Sunday	Let's move on to next week
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cheese. Lunch: light vegetable soup with cauliflower and broccoli (without potatoes), whole oven-roasted chicken, with cucumber and tomato salad. Dinner: mushrooms stewed in sour cream, with vegetable salad.	We repeated the first week, trying to add as much variety to the menu as possible.There are a large number of recipes in the world that satisfy the keto diet.

Rules to follow

1. You can and should eat as much as possible without counting calories.
2. You can eat just the right fats.This means you can only cook with oil that can withstand heat treatment.Salads should only be topped with suitable dietary dressings.
3. There must be a lot of fat in the diet.You can't focus on proteins.
4. Tea, coffee, instant chicory and many other drinks are allowed.The main selection criterion is the absence of sugar and sweeteners in the drink.
5. You should try to put a lot of seasoning in your food.

Appropriate snacks to lose weight on the ketogenic diet

Since the ketogenic diet doesn't require calorie counting, snacking is not only allowed but encouraged.But they must be correct.

Allowed:

• boiled eggs;
• meat chips;
• cheeses;
• nuts, seeds, as well as various pastes and oils prepared from them;
• red fruits, for example, strawberries with cream (but don't get carried away with berries);
• natural yogurt and other natural fermented dairy products;
• all vegetables allowed by the diet and light salads made with them.

All dairy products, whether cheese or yogurt, must have normal fat content.

What is “keto flu”: symptoms

The first few days of switching to a low-carb diet can be difficult.Unpleasant symptoms, called “keto flu”, are often observed.

It can be observed:

• constant feeling of hunger, especially cravings for sweets;
• fatigue;
• insomnia;
• discomfort in the abdominal region, stomach pain;
• nausea and vomiting;
constipation or diarrhea;
• concentration problems;
• headache and dizziness;
• muscle pain and cramps;
• irritability, crying.

How long does the keto flu last?

From several days to several weeks.Associated with the restructuring of the body to use fat as a primary source of fuel.During adaptation, there may not be enough energy, which leads to the listed symptoms, which are unpleasant.But they do not pose any danger.

Ketone bodies are always present in the blood in small quantities.After the first 2-3 days of a strict carbohydrate-free diet, the liver begins to produce ketones and their blood level increases to 2-3 mM.

Adaptation is complete when cells placed under conditions of carbohydrate deprivation reduce the absorption of ketone bodies from the blood, increasing their concentration to 8 mM.At this point, effective transport of ketones across the blood-brain barrier begins.

Why some people adapt easily to a keto diet, while others find it difficult, has not been precisely established.It is assumed that a person's eating habits are important.The more easily digestible carbohydrates he consumes, the more difficult the transition will be.Genetic predisposition plays a certain role.

How to Quickly Get into Ketosis on a Keto Diet

1. Correct water regime.When carbohydrates are removed from the diet, glycogen reserves in the body are reduced.As glycogen accumulates water around it, when its quantity decreases, dehydration can occur, which leads to fatigue and muscle pain.
2. Only light physical activities.During the body's adaptation period, only light exercise is allowed: walking, yoga, slow cycling.All types of exhausting exercise should be abandoned.
3. Recommended mineral supplements:
   • sodium – 3-4 grams per day;
   • potassium – 1g;
   • magnesium – 0.3g.

Dietary supplements with creatine monohydrate and caffeine are also indicated.

Ketorespiration and the specific smell of urine

The transition to a low-carb, high-fat diet is often accompanied by the appearance of a specific smell in the mouth.The person himself often feels a metallic taste in his mouth.People around you often perceive it as the smell of nail polish remover.Some people think it smells like fruit.The urine smells the same.

The phenomenon is caused by the formation of the volatile ketone acetone, often found in nail polish removers.

The appearance of an odor cannot be considered a side effect.It simply indicates that the body starts to work with fats and forms ketone bodies.It is not dangerous to health.But it can be unpleasant for both the person themselves and those around them, especially when it comes to breathing.

To reduce the severity of the symptom, you need to:

• drink more fluids;
• eat less protein;
• use mint chewing gum;
• slightly increase the amount of carbohydrates (only if you eat less than 50 g per day).

After 1-2 weeks, the smell should disappear on its own.

Long-term side effects of the keto diet

In addition to the keto flu, which disappears within a few weeks, this eating regimen can cause delayed side effects.Possible:

• problems with the digestive system caused by the intake of excess fat and disruption of the functioning of the intestinal microflora;
• gradual increase in cholesterol levels;
• increased load on the kidneys, which can increase the likelihood of developing kidney failure and causing urolithiasis;
• decreased bone density.

Possible nutritional deficiencies on a long-term ketogenic diet

Since the diet cannot be called balanced, prolonged stay on this diet can lead to a deficiency of some important components.

1. Calcium.Leaves with urine.Because with excess fat, urine becomes very acidic and the body is forced to alkalize it with calcium.Furthermore, the lack of carbohydrates impairs the absorption of this microelement.
2. Magnesium.According to assumptions, the gradual development of deficiency is associated with the removal of foods rich in this microelement from the diet - cereals and fruits.
3. Iron.The abundance of fat in food impairs iron absorption.
4. Sodium and potassium.Due to the decrease in insulin levels, loss through the kidneys increases.However, unlike other microelements such as calcium or magnesium, whose deficiency becomes apparent over time, potassium and sodium disappear quickly.And its lack is largely due to keto flu symptoms, which gradually disappear.
5. Selenium.The deficiency may be a consequence of the lack of this trace element in foods rich in fat.An exception is the Brazil nut, a piece of which provides the body with 100% of the daily selenium needs.
6. Carnitine.The deficiency is associated with the compound being consumed too quickly on a fatty diet.

When maintaining a keto diet for a long time, you should regularly check the level of all these substances, a deficiency of which can develop over time.It is advisable to take supplements with nutrients located in the “risk zone”.

Who shouldn't switch to a keto diet: contraindications

1. Children, pregnant and lactating women, patients with diabetes and cancer, switching to keto nutrition is allowed only as prescribed by the attending physician and under his supervision.
2. The diet is contraindicated for people with the ApoE3 and ApoE4 genotypes, as it can lead to a life-threatening increase in cholesterol levels.
3. Patients with epilepsy who have KCNJ11 and BAD genes should not be followed.
4. Severe liver and/or kidney diseases are contraindications for following this dietary regimen.

Conclusion

The keto diet is a rather strict nutritional system that requires an almost complete rejection of carbohydrates and the introduction of a significant amount of fat into the diet.

The transition to a ketogenic diet is often difficult to bear.

A large number of serious scientific studies have been dedicated to the diet, many of which prove its benefits in weight loss, treatment of type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, normalization of the lipid profile and elimination of metabolic syndrome.

However, there are not many studies that evaluate the health effects of a long-term diet (more than a year).And, according to some assumptions, constant exposure to such a diet can be harmful to health.