Ketogenic diet options, menus, and healthy recipes

The keto diet is a low-carb diet in which the body uses ketones as an energy source. These substances are formed during the breakdown of adipose tissue. This diet allows you to lose several kilograms in a month.

About ketosis

The body can enter ketosis when there is a lack of glucose. In some regions, carbohydrate foods are seasonal, so energy comes only from fatty foods. The ketogenic diet is effective in terms of weight loss, but you need to know the principles of its action in order not to harm the body.

The essence of the diet

The main objective of the method is to change metabolism. The body changes from glycolysis to lipolysis. This requires a minimum of 2-3 weeks. There won't be much fat loss in the first 7 days as the remaining glucose will be used up. The restructuring of the body takes place in 4 stages:

1. Lasts 12 hours after the last carbohydrate intake. During this time, all glucose will be consumed.
2. Lasts 12–48 hours. Glycogen is consumed in the muscles and liver.
3. The metabolic change begins. The body takes energy from proteins and fatty acids.
4. The final stage begins on the 7th day. The body rebuilds on a ketogenic regime, giving up protein energy.

You cannot completely exclude carbohydrates from the menu, since such a regime is life-threatening.

Advantages and disadvantages

Initially, this form of nutrition was used to treat epilepsy in children. It turned out that with such a diet, external changes also occur. The menu does not use the principle of alternating products. Substances must enter the body in the following proportion:

• fats - 75%;
• proteins - 20%;
• carbohydrates - 5%.

Positive results of using the diet:

1. Weight loss due to the consumption of body fat, while muscle mass does not decrease.
2. A balanced menu does not cause hunger, so you can lose weight without discomfort.
3. The ketone diet is beneficial for cancer, epilepsy, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.
4. Lowering blood sugar levels.
5. Normalization of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
6. Improving skin condition by getting rid of acne.

Despite the obvious advantages, you should consult a specialist before using this system. The disadvantages include:

1. Possible indigestion due to lack of fiber.
2. Insufficient intake of vitamins and essential substances in the body due to restriction of carbohydrates. It is necessary to additionally take vitamin complexes.
3. At the initial stages, a deterioration in well-being is possible: weakness, decreased concentration, decreased performance, since the body does not have enough glucose. If this condition lasts for about 2 weeks, you need to see a doctor.
4. The need to take food with you, as it is difficult to find low-carb foods in stores.
5. There may be a smell of acetone from the mouth, sweat and urine.

In addition, it is not recommended to eat this way during training or active strength loads. Often, after such diets, diseases occur that were not previously diagnosed.

Diet effect

The effectiveness of such food increases when several rules are followed:

1. Choose a vitamin complex to make up for the lack of necessary substances.
2. Before starting the diet, you must undergo a medical examination. This diet is suitable for people in excellent health.
3. Analyze the list of prohibited foods. If, when refusing, for example, from bread, the body will experience stress, then it is better to find another way to lose weight.
4. In the first weeks, there will be a restructuring of metabolic processes, therefore, during this period, it is not necessary to give the body an increased mental or physical stress.
5. Cooking dietary meals takes time, but you should try not to snack on unhealthy foods.
6. For normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to include foods containing fiber in the menu.
7. Double your water intake.

This diet for weight loss affects everyone in different ways and is not suitable for everyone. Weight loss in 1 month ranges from 5 to 10 kg.

This diet is suitable for men who accumulate fat in the abdomen. Caloric content practically does not decrease, and weight loss occurs due to a reduction in the amount of carbohydrates consumed.

The doctors' comments on such nutrition are ambiguous, but all experts agree that before starting to lose weight, it is necessary to undergo an examination in a medical institution and, if severe weakness or dizziness appears, immediately consult a doctor.

Allowed and Prohibited Products

List of foods that can be consumed:

1. Meat: chicken, turkey, pork, beef.
2. Sea fish: tuna, salmon, salmon, herring.
3. Nuts.
4. Seafood: squid, mussels, crabs, shrimps.
5. Eggs: quail and chicken.
6. Milk with a fat content of up to 1. 5%.
7. Fermented milk products with minimal fat content, without chemical additives.
8. Vegetables. The rate for 1 intake is no more than 40-50 g. Lettuce leaves can be eaten in unlimited quantities.
9. Fruits: oranges and grapefruits.

Based on this list, various dietary menu options are built. The list of foods that are prohibited to use while losing weight:

• sugar;
• honey;
• cereals;
• any baked goods;
• dried fruits;
• pasta;
• low-fat foods (they contain carbohydrates);
• starchy vegetables (potatoes, carrots);
• sweets;
• sweet fruits (banana, grapes).

It's important to keep track of your calorie intake.

Basic principles

Nutrition principles:

1. The number of meals is 5–6 times a day, with breaks of 3 hours.
2. You need to eat in small portions.
3. The amount of water you drink per day should be at least 3 liters.
4. Smooth entry and exit from the diet.
5. The amount of fat consumed should be double that of protein.
6. Fat should make up 60% of the daily diet.
7. The amount of carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.
8. Control over sugar and starch intake.
9. Moderate physical activity.

The effectiveness of the method comes only with strict adherence to the listed rules.

Varieties of diet and their menu

There are several options for the dietary menu, so you can choose the most optimal one.

Standard classical constant

This option is the most affordable. Its essence lies in the minimum intake of carbohydrates. Daily calorie intake is calculated depending on the goal:

1. If you need to gain muscle mass, 600 kcal is added to the daily intake.
2. If you need to reduce weight, then 600 kcal is subtracted from the consumption rate.

Menu for the week:

1. Monday: breakfast: scrambled eggs (3 eggs), grated cheese (40 g), coffee; snack: any nuts (30 g); lunch: baked chicken breast (170 g), cucumber (1-2 pcs. ); dinner: baked hake (150 g), salad (150 g).
2. Tuesday: breakfast: boiled eggs (2 pcs. ), Cabbage salad, tea or coffee; snack: smoothies (cottage cheese, nuts and yogurt); lunch: fried chicken (200 g), boiled asparagus; dinner: tuna (150 g), salad (cucumber, tomato).
3. Wednesday: breakfast: cheesecakes (2 pcs. ), Coffee; snack: yogurt (150 ml), nuts; lunch: baked salmon (150 g); dinner: seafood salad (150 g).
4. Thursday: breakfast: scrambled eggs (3 eggs, fried bacon, spinach), tea; snack: cheese balls with yogurt; lunch: roast beef (150 g), cucumber, pasta (1 portion); dinner: salmon with tomatoes baked in the oven (150 g).
5. Friday: breakfast: scrambled eggs with vegetables, coffee; snack: any green vegetable; lunch: fried pork with stewed vegetables (150 g); dinner: smoked salmon, boiled egg, Chinese cabbage salad.
6. Saturday: breakfast: croutons with cheese, tea; snack: nuts (30 g); lunch: fried salmon with cucumber; dinner: hot salad (vegetables, seafood).
7. Sunday: breakfast: cottage cheese with nuts, tea; snack: toast with tea; lunch: pork fried with tomatoes and drenched in egg yolk; dinner: flounder baked with cheese and vegetables.

Targeted - targeted, power

This method is suitable for women with an active lifestyle. Carbohydrates are allowed before and after exercise. Glucose enhances the effect of physical activity and provides energy for exercise. For 1 kg of weight, it is allowed to consume 1 g of carbohydrates.

Cyclic

The diet involves periodic carbohydrate loads to maintain muscle glycogen levels. This nutritional option is possible no earlier than 2 weeks after the onset of ketosis. For 1 kg of weight, it is allowed to consume 5-10 g of carbohydrates, reduce the amount of fat, and leave protein products at a high level. The download can take from 9 to 36 hours. You should start at the minimum mark. Then you can gradually add 2 hours to each time, focusing on the state of the body.

Getting out of the keto diet

To consolidate the result, you need to gradually introduce new products into the menu. Porridge can be eaten once a day for 100–150 g. For the first time, fresh baked goods should be discarded. Eating fried and smoked foods is also not recommended, since the body does not benefit from such food.

Dish recipes

All recipes presented are low carb. Egg preparation methods:

1. Put the eggs in cold water and cook for either 4 minutes (soft-boiled) or 8 minutes (hard-boiled). They can be eaten with mayonnaise.
2. Fry eggs in butter on 1 or 2 sides. Add pepper and salt.
3. Add 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons to the melted butter. l. heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper and stir. Add onion and grated cheese. Can be served with fried bacon.
4. Stir 3 eggs with 3 tbsp. l. heavy cream, salt and add spices. Melt the butter and pour into the omelet. When the top hardens, you can add something tasty (grated cheese, bacon, fried mushrooms).

Bread can be replaced with non-carbohydrate crispbread. For cooking, you need the following ingredients (for 8 servings):

• eggs (3 pcs. );
• cream cheese (100 g);
• salt (pinch);
• baking powder (½ tsp);
• psyllium husk (½ tbsp. l. ).

Cooking technology:

1. Separate the whites from the yolks.
2. Beat the egg whites and salt into a lather.
3. Stir the yolks with the cream cheese. For splendor, you can add baking powder and psyllium husks.
4. Gently add the whites to the yolk mixture.
5. Place 8 small (or 6 small) loaves on a baking sheet and bake at 150 ° C for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

This bread can be used for making sandwiches. Poppy, sesame and sunflower seeds are added to the dough if desired. A large loaf can be used as a base for a roll: put a layer of whipped cream and berries.

You can make low-carb cheese pancakes. This will require:

• cottage cheese 9% (300 g);
• egg (1 pc. );
• salt (pinch);
• coconut flour (1 tbsp. l. );
• almond flour (1 tbsp. l. ).

Recipe:

1. Crack the egg, add salt and stir. It is better to take a large container, as the dough will be kneaded in it.
2. Add curd and stir.
3. If the consistency is watery, add the coconut flour and mix thoroughly. In this case, the curd cakes will keep their shape.
4. Moisten your hands in water, form balls from the dough and flatten them a little.
5. Dip in coconut flour on both sides and place in a preheated skillet with melted butter.
6. Fry cheese pancakes for 3-4 minutes on each side over medium heat.
7. Serve with sour cream.

While losing weight, you can cook vegetable stew with chicken. The following ingredients are required:

• boneless chicken breast or thighs (400 g);
• large zucchini (1 pc. );
• eggplant (2 pcs. );
• bulgarian pepper (1 pc. );
• mayonnaise (1 tbsp. l. ).

Cooking method:

1. Finely chop the chicken, add salt, pepper and spices to taste. Stir the meat and leave in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Peel the eggplants and zucchini, cut into small cubes.
3. Chop the pepper finely.
4. Put the chicken in a frying pan preheated with oil and fry for 10 minutes over high heat until half cooked.
5. Add vegetables to the pan, season with salt and simmer for another 20 minutes over low heat.

You can use other vegetables and add sour cream or cheese at the end of cooking.

Contraindications and harm

Diet affects the production of insulin, which is why it is forbidden for people with diabetes of any type. Due to the increased load on the digestive and excretory systems, it is contraindicated in diseases of the stomach, intestines, biliary tract, liver and kidneys.

Only a healthy body is able to rebuild metabolic processes without side effects, and then return to the usual metabolic patterns. People who have metabolic problems may feel unwell.

Pregnant women may experience a slowdown in the growth and development of the fetus; in nursing women, a decrease in the amount of milk or a deterioration in its quality may occur. Such a diet is contraindicated for children, as they move a lot and need a lot of carbohydrates. Large amounts of protein are not recommended for older adults. Their weekly protein intake is 100–150 g.

Reviews

Reviews of those who have lost weight about this technique are ambiguous. Each organism reacts differently to a lack of carbohydrates.

• First review, female, 36 years old: "The advantage of this diet is that there is no need to drastically reduce the calorie intake. The menu contains a lot of fatty foods: fish, meat, nuts, so I feel more comfortable with such a diet than with a balanced one ".
• Second review, female, 28 years old: "I could not sit on this diet, as there was bloating and constipation due to lack of fiber in the diet. "
• Third tip, woman, 55 years old: "I lost weight using this technology for 3 months. As a result, the weight has decreased by 10 kg. For my age, this is not a bad achievement, since metabolic reactions are slower. In addition to the external effect, I managed to get rid of food addiction: now I do not eat sweets. The daily menu is designed in such a way that the feeling of hunger is not felt ".