What is the Keto Diet

Keto Diet Lifestyle

Disclosure ~ This post contains affiliate links.

 

I am sure you have seen all over the internet people talking about the Keto Diet. So, that leaves many people sitting and wondering, what is the keto diet? Maybe this can help you understand more on what the keto diet is. Keep up with Living Smart Girl over the next 30 days as I give you all the in’s and out’s of how you can live a keto lifestyle.

The Keto Diet (ketogenic diet) is a low-carb, high-fat diet. As a diet plan, it shares many of the same foods and drinks as the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets. More people have heard about the Atkins diet as it’s been around for a lot of years. I remember my husband first trying his go at the Atkins diet back in 2000 and he did very well with it. What man doesn’t love meat.

What makes a Keto diet different is that it focuses on drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing those carbohydrates with fat. This drastic reduction in carbohydrates puts your body into a metabolic state that is called ketosis. This means giving up many things though, so keep your eyes on Living Smart Girl so you learn all the in’s and out’s.

The point of going into ketosis is to help your body become efficient at burning fat for energy. While this is happening, your body turns the fat into ketones in the liver, supplying energy to the brain. A cautionary note: ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. So while this can be a good thing for some people, it can cause problems for other people.

Why Go Keto?

There are a number of reasons why people go on a ketogenic diet. In most cases, it is to lose weight. In some cases, they are medically supervised and use the ketogenic diet as part of a treatment plan.  I am sure you have seen good and bad reviews on the keto diet, but as with every lifestyle change, it’s a to each their own type of thing. What works for one, might not work for another. The keto diet (way of eating), can work for everyone. You might need some tweaks here and there, but when a person cuts carbs and sugars, the weight will come off. Check out what studies show for those who are living a low carb / keto lifestyle.

1. Fat Loss. Due to lowered insulin levels and the body’s ability to burn stored fat, those who adhere to the diet find that they lose weight more quickly than with conventional diets.

2. Cancer Prevention. There are medical studies, such as those conducted by the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa, and the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, that are showing good results with the ketogenic diet being an effective treatment for cancer. Everyone knows sugar in excess causes all sorts of issues. So, cutting sugar in important to everyone.

3. Cholesterol Levels – Lower Cholesterol. A modified ketogenic diet, what might be called a moderately low-carb diet, is beneficial for healthy adults who are at risk for metabolic syndrome, those struggling with losing weight or controlling levels of blood sugar.

4. Improve Cognitive Function. Ketogenic diets are being used to help treat Alzheimer’s symptoms and those on the diet have shown a reduction in those symptoms and improved cognitive function.

5. Reduced Seizures in Epileptics. The Epilepsy Foundation endorses the ketogenic diet because it has been shown to help control seizures in some people with epilepsy. Doctors usually recommend the ketogenic diet for children whose seizures have not responded to several different seizure medicines.

As you can see, the ketogenic diet is more than just a low-carb/high-fat diet to lose weight. It is being studied and used now as a part of the treatment of many different diseases.

One of my favorite books and resources is from Healthful Pursuit. I ordered her book when I started my keto journey and it was the best thing I did.

Fuel with Fat Keto Bundle

 

I have a wonderful section called My Keto Panty where you will find recipes, supplement, keto and low carb foods, meal plans and info on many keto friendly things.  I also have many posts on Keto.  See below for a quick list of my posts.

The main 4 things I love and recommend on a keto lifestyle are these —> 

Meats from ButcherBox 

 

Keto Essentials from KissmyKeto

Kiss-My-Keto

 

Bone Broth from Kettle & Fire

Kettle-and-Fire

 

Keto Cookies from EatNui 

Eat-Nui

 

 

You can also check out these top picks on Amazon.


Check out all these posts —- >

What is the Keto Diet?

The Health Benefits of Going Keto

How do I know I’m in Ketosis?

How the Keto Diet Works

What Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?

Is Ketosis Dangerous?

Tracking Your Macros to Stay in Ketosis

Why You Lose Weight on the Keto Diet

The Keto Flu Explained

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