What is a Keto Lifestyle?
The keto lifestyle (also known as the ketogenic diet) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that focuses on eating unprocessed, nutrient-rich whole foods. It has become increasingly popular in recent years as people enjoy eating real food, losing weight and seeing their energy levels spike.
Following a true keto diet means limiting your daily carbohydrate intake to 20 grams of net carbohydrates (total grams of carbohydrates minus fiber).
In addition to the efficient weight loss offered by the keto diet, many people follow a keto diet to gain numerous health advantages, including improved blood sugar control, improved cholesterol status, lowered hypertension, increased insulin sensitivity, and the ability to ultimately control their appetite and reach their weight loss goals.
These can be achieved by being in a state of “ketosis” (a process in which your body transitions from using carbohydrates as fuel to burning fat as fuel).
How to Start Keto fast?
The easiest way to start keto treatment is to take a hard, honest look at your eating habits. You don’t have to go cold turkey. Instead, start with a simple swap:
- Reduce sugar – particularly refined and processed sources
- Add more protein – unprocessed meat, fish and other quality sources of protein
- Choose healthy fat – swap refined processed oils for healthy fats like olive oil
- Choose non-starchy vegetables over the starchy variety – instead of sweet potatoes, grab leafy greens!
- Remove all high carb side dishes – (yes, even whole grains such as bread, pasta and rice). Banish the beige!
Can You be on a Keto Diet for Life?
There are many advantages to a low-carb diet. Almost every day, studies are published that support the use of a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle for a number of health conditions.
Cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease are just a few of the chronic conditions that the keto diet is thought to improve.
While there is still much debate about the keto diet, there have been two recent studies on mice. They were fed a keto diet and concluded that a keto diet and intermittent fasting may increase lifespan.
Longevity in humans still awaits definitive answers. However, at least for now, many low-carb practitioners agree that there is nothing wrong with following a ketogenic diet over the long term as long as you stay within a healthy weight range and have proper blood test levels.
The ketogenic diet is indeed an appropriate lifestyle choice for those seeking to lose weight, keep it off, and improve and maintain overall metabolic health.
Unfortunately, people often deviate due to lack of planning or lack of support from friends and family. They are at risk of “slipping” in weight, which gives any diet a bad name.
To set yourself up for long-term success, here are 5 simple ways to maintain a keto lifestyle this year.
Summary
The key to sticking with any life change and reaping the long-term health benefits is to make whatever you are doing a permanent lifestyle.
After you understand how the metabolic state of ketosis works and what the health benefits are, you’ll be more likely to embrace your keto lifestyle.
By making simple swaps in your daily food choices, finding an accountability group or person to support you, and creating a meal plan (and also doing some meal prep), you’ll find it much easier to stay on track.
