Yes.
Is it right for you? I don’t know.
People look at diets and nutritional protocols almost like they are a religions. Although it is a way of life. The problem with this approach is that people become very dogmatic as if their way is the only way. I’m more on the side of their is never only one way but just a way. Yea, that’s some zen shit right there.
First off, the ketogenic is nothing new. I first came across the diet back in 2003 in a forum on T-Nation where everyone there talked about this new diet that got your shredded.
But the way information is in abundance and a constant flow, the ketogenic diet has become the most popular topic around nutrition. Sorry Paleo, there’s a new sheriff in town.
So what is the Ketogenic Diet?
The two main sources of energy for the human body are carbohydrates and fats. Break those two down even further – carbohydrates break down into glucose while fats break down into ketones.
When you are on a ketogenic diet and restrict your carb intake and keep your protein moderate, so it’s not full Atkins, the body begins break down fats into ketones in order to use that as fuel.
The two main sources of these fat sources can come from consuming dietary fat or using up your stored body fat. So when your body switches from burning glucose as fuels and begins burning ketones as fuel instead – you are in the state of ketosis.
Simple.
The ketogenic diet is most attractive because of its ability to help people lose weight without really having to work about exercising as much if applied properly and stick within the proper calorie intake for weightloss.
Insulin Resistance is another big aspect of the Ketogenic Diet. When you are insulin resistance, your body doesn’t know how to shuttle and absorb insulin properly which in turn has an effect on your health. Over 50% of American are insulin resistant which is known to lead to diabetes, obesity, and more health problems.
By severely restricting your carb intake, you are improving your insulin sensitivity and gaining control of your blood sugar levels instead of having a constant insulin spike and your body not knowing what to do with it.
Cognitive Function
The ketogenic diet has also been found to improve your cognitive function which again increases its attractiveness for those who want to improve their overall performance. There has been studies that ketones in the brain can assist in protecting people from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Why is this? Because ketones increase the efficiency of mitochondria in the brain. Mitochondria is important because it supplies energy and supports cellular activity.
Should You Try It?
Personally, I normally eat on the lower carb side because I feel better that way. When doing any diet, in this case, the ketogenic diet – you must first have a plan on how you are going to approach this diet because you have to make sure you do it right.
It has been found that some people can get into a state of ketosis by consuming less than 50g of carbs, but have found that majority of people have to eat less than 20g of carbs to get into ketosis. So the first challenge is getting used to switching your sources of fuel and your body will take time in adapting to the new source of energy. You will not feel %100 while your body is making that change.
You also have to look at your activity level as well. If you are one who trains for power, speed, and explosiveness, then this may not be the best diet for you although there are ways around it but we won’t get into that today.
If you are a competitive athlete and playing sports, you may see a decrease in performance because the replenishment of ATP, the energy source for explosive movements like jumping and sprinting, is much slower while in ketosis than from using glucose.
Whether or not you do the Keto Diet, is totally up to you. If you are curious about it and interested, I suggest you give it a try but make sure you do the proper research and discover for yourself.
My typical diet is closer to the Keto Diet but I can’t say I follow the keto diet because that’s just not how I do things.
My diet is my diet.
Shoots. Mahalo.
