Over the years, I've dabbled in countless fad diets - none of which have yielded any long-term results and most of which were downright unfeasible. Too many diet plans demand that we relinquish our love for food in order to shed some weight - a commitment that's incredibly difficult to maintain. However, there's one diet that turns this notion on its head by promoting a high-fat intake.
In essence, all you need to do is give up carbs and let your body handle the rest. This is the ketogenic or 'keto' diet, which doesn't require people to eliminate everything they enjoy from their meals - they just need to envision their plates sans carbs. What is the keto diet? Well, it begins with understanding that our bodies typically use glucose from carbohydrates as a primary energy source.
When this source is depleted, the body resorts to using reserves from the liver and muscles. After about three to four days, when these reserves are used up, the body then starts burning stored fat, converting it into ketones in the liver - a process known as ketosis. The time it takes to reach ketosis varies depending on an individual's BMI.
To sustain ketosis, it's recommended to limit carb intake to around 20-50 grams per day. On a 2,000-calorie diet, a typical keto diet will consist of 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein, and a mere 5-10% carbs. In short, ditch the carbs and your body will burn the bad stuff due to lack of alternative energy sources.
What should you avoid on keto diet? Slashing the biggest .