Although we have been taught to be scared of fat, the truth is that fat is a friend and a better friend than we could have ever thought of. Sure we need fat to ensure we’ve got beautiful skin, hair and nails, but it goes beyond that. Fat packs a bang as it has twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein per gram. That’s why you can have coffee and butter for breakfast and rocket through the morning. You could try eating a few rolls of bread and you wouldn’t make it past that 10 AM hump. The Ketogenic Diet is designed to pull your body out of the sugar track. And when you pull out there will be no going back. You are going to be satiated and feel wonderful focus, additionally, you’re going to feel the type of energy you likely haven’t felt since you were a toddler.
So let’s do the Ketogenic Diet breakdown and answer all those burning questions you have. And soon after we will get started on your amazing transformative journey to the best you ever. Health Disclaimer: A ketogenic or keto diet has many proven benefits, but it is still controversial. Any information we provide is for your personal use and for educational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before beginning any diet or nutrition routine, especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing health conditions. Nothing contained on this website should be considered as medical advice. Wait, so body fat is not a factor? Wherever your food pleasure lies, chances are; that it is steeped in sugary carbs. According to the USDA, the average American consumes 150-170lb of sugar each year. Back in the early 1800s, the average American sugar intake was only 4-6lb per year. Man, how times have changed.
With all being said, how do carbs affect your bodyweight? The answer to that is… You can thank glycogen for this. Glycogen is a form of glucose stored in the liver and muscle tissues and the primary dietary source of glucose is carbohydrate. Medical science shows that every 1 gram of glycogen carries 3 to 4 grams of water. Research has proven that a high carb intake increases glycogen levels while low-carb intake reduces it. So, if you take into account that the average man can store up to 7 grams of glycogen per pound of body weight, that’s enough to make a huge impact on the weight scale, particularly if he consumes a copious amount of carbs. Wait, so body fat is not a factor? Yes, body fat is definitely a factor. In fact, ever since people started consuming more carbs (sugar), the U.S. The number of U.S. You see the correlation now between body fat and carbs? If not, there is one more piece of information I would like to share. In addition to being stored in the liver and muscle tissues, glycogen is stored in fat cells.
This is the same glycogen that holds 3 to 4 grams of water. By lowering carb intake, you deplete your regular stores of glycogen which shows as weight loss on a scale. This is the reason an obese person who follows a low-carb diet will always lose more weight versus a slimmer person; they carry more fat cells (each containing water-holding glycogen). So if an obese individual decided to follow the ketogenic diet, they are bound to drop a substantial amount of weight. However, it is much greater than the low carb part of the diet that makes weight loss a reality. Numerous studies have touted the weight loss benefits of a low-carb diet. The keto diet enhances this benefit. How so? The low carb intake makes your body produce ketones in the liver to be used as energy (called ketosis), a byproduct of burning body fat. Reducing carbs allows the body to use glycogen buildup within your fat stores as fuel, resulting in weight loss. This effect is doubled when you burn glycogen by exercise. Let me say this about weight loss…
When people say they want to lose weight, they typically mean they desire to lose body fat. However, you could lose weight by losing muscle mass and water weight as well. Most diets have you losing all three. In case you didn’t know, losing muscle mass is rarely a good thing. Unlike high-carb diets, keto burns body fat along with the water weight within it. When in a state of ketosis, the body begins to utilize fat for fuel. In addition, the moderate protein intake protects your muscle tissue from being used as fuel (a process called Gluconeogenesis). How sweet is that? Fat is a cleaner fuel for our body to burn and our body burns it more efficiently. In fact, it is believed the ketones produced when you are in ketosis are super amazing for our brain. It is believed they increase mitochondria cells. You may remember from grade 6 science class that mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells, they are the energy factories. Additionally, blood sugar levels become balanced, there are no nasty spikes in insulin which can lead to a host of health problems.
0 Comments