Keto Cheese Bread with Bacon and Sausage (Charles Gray Jr/Flickr Creative Commons)
Though it’s been around for quite some time, the Keto diet has been coming up in a lot of health discussions recently. The basic definition of the keto diet is “a low carb, high fat diet that offers many health benefits” and helps you lose weight.
When on this diet, your protein intake will be fairly moderate and your carbohydrate intake will be extremely restricted. It’s no secret that cutting out carbs will help you lose weight and probably feel better. However, health professionals have conflicting opinions on the Keto diet because restricting such foods can actually be harmful for your body.
Let’s start with the pros. The Keto diet will 100 percent help you lose fat because it is taking away the body’s main source of energy[Symbol]carbohydrates. Our body is fueled by carbs, so cutting them out will result in fast weight loss results. Studies have shown that eating foods higher in fat will reduce cravings and keep you satisfied, which will help you stay on track. This diet is best for people who don’t incorporate a lot of exercise into their daily routines because when you exercise, your body is burning more calories and therefore needs to get more fuel (from carbs, for example). It’s much easier to stay on track when your body isn’t completely tired and depleted of nutrients after a workout. The final pro of the Keto diet is that it helps insulin levels. Sometimes, our bodies don’t know what to do with all of the sugar we’re consuming, which can affect us mentally and physically. This diet plan eliminates the consumption of sugar, which may sound good, but isn’t always a long-term solution for weight loss .
Now, here are the cons. As I said before, it might sound like a good idea to cut out all carbs and sugar, but in reality, those things are really only bad if you consume too large of an amount. Everything is better in moderation. Our body needs sugar to function properly and our brain uses sugar to focus. Cutting out carbs is not a good move for people who exercise or train regularly. The Keto diet is actually recommended for people with more serious medical conditions, such as diabetes. If you’re a healthy person just trying to lose weight, it’s not the best solution. In the end, weight loss is about the number of calories you’re consuming. You have to consume less than you burn. As long as you make healthy choices and stick to a workout regiment, weight loss can happen.
All in all, the success of this diet really depends on the person. If you know you’re someone who can handle it and fit it into their lifestyle, then give it a try. If you’re someone who is looking for a long-term weight loss solution, I’d recommend the traditional, healthy route. Some people who have tried the Keto diet have reported losing a ton of weight quickly and then gaining it all back once they went back to a normal lifestyle. The diet is temporarily depleting our bodies of nutrients, so staying on it for too long can be harmful or show different results than you were hoping for.
