It’s no secret that the keto diet is one of the most popular diets out there and has been for a while, though not without controversy! Regardless, Keto diets are quickly becoming a hot topic with people trying to lose weight. So what is this diet all about? Read on for the keto diet explained and how a high fat diet scientifically helps you burn fat and lose weight.
The Keto Diet Explained
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that was originally developed in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. It’s since been used to help with weight loss and may have other health benefits such as reducing risk of heart disease, stabilizing hormones and reversing many signs of aging.
But how does it work? The keto diet emphasizes foods like eggs, avocados, high quality meat and fish, and grass-fed butter and coconut and avocado oils which are rich in “good” fats but low in carbs so your body will enter into a state called ketosis where you use fat instead of sugar from carbohydrates for fuel. Ketosis has been shown to suppress appetite while boosting metabolism by up to 5 percent!
So what do you eat on the keto diet?
A keto diet focuses on high quality meat like chicken, fish and grass-fed beef, eggs, and non-starchy but high fiber vegetables. While social media is full of keto dishes seemingly overloaded with butter, bacon and cheese, a true — and long-term effective — ketogenic diet is about reducing starchy carbs and sugar that cause inflammation and spikes in insulin and opting for good quality meat and vegetables.
In my free Guide, I got into more detail about the science of why a ketogenic based diet works and include shopping lists and a 7-day sample meal plan to get you started! If you want to dive deeper, my book, The Ketology Kitchen, provides a detailed explanation of why the Keto diet works specifically for women as we approach and go beyond our 40s along with the best foods to eat and 50+ delicious recipes.
But isn’t a high fat diet unhealthy?
Much of the controversy surrounding ketogenic-based diets are that we have been told for ages to reduce fat, that eggs and red meat are bad for us and cause health issues. This is why I specifically have made it my mission to try to inform readers about the right kind of high fat foods! It doesn’t take much common sense to know that if you eat a lot of commercially and mass-produced bacon and processed cheeses all day, even if you enter ketosis and lose weight, you won’t be healthy.
The benefits of a ketogenic lifestyle – from fat loss, to memory improvement and anti-aging, is to make wise choices. My recipes and recommendations focus on good quality fish and meat, pure cheeses and healthy fats from avocados, coconut and avocado oil and fiber from lots of delicious salads and fibrous veggies!
I 100% and whole-heartedly believe that a keto diet not only helped me overcome years of struggling with my weight, and helped me reverse many signs of aging, from hair loss, to saggy skin and mood changes. When done correctly and healthily, you can live your best life, look your best and NEVER feel deprived!