10 Health Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

Losing weight is often at the top of the agenda at this time of the year.

There’s more flesh to bare and with sunny skies, the beach beckons!

Let’s not forget long, hot days lounging around the swimming pool wearing shorts and bikinis and of course, sizzling BBQ’s in the sinking sunshine as the daytime fades into evening.

All sounds great but when you don’t feel you’re looking your best, you start to wonder what diet is best?

Millions of people across the globe swear by the Keto method, a very low carb, high “healthy” fat diet that forces the body into a state of “Ketosis” to burn fat.

This diet has been in existence since the 1920’s and works by switching its fuel so it uses dietary fat as fuel rather than sugar.

So, you eat healthy fat (e.g. avocados, nuts and seeds, meat, cheese etc.) so you feel full.

The body uses these fats as fuel and when burning them off, produces “ketones” instead.

Once the levels of ketones in the blood rise to a particular point, your body reaches ketosis.

This is when you start to lose weight.

If you’ve never tried a Ketogenic diet before, this could well be the answer you’re looking for.

Here’s why…

1. It’s Great for Diabetics

If you’re diabetic and want to lose weight, a ketogenic diet is ideal because it helps to bring down blood sugar and insulin levels.

Cutting out the carbs lowers these levels quickly and by embarking on a ketogenic diet, you might even be able to reduce your insulin dosage (speak to a medical professional to discuss further).

There are studies that show that people with type 2 diabetes actually managed to completely eliminate their insulin medication in less than six months.

2. There’s No “Time Limit”

The Keto diet is also a way of life, so once you adopt the eating regime, you can continue to eat a low-carb, high-fat diet indefinitely.

It’s healthy, helps your body to burn fat effectively and is excellent as a weight-maintaining diet.

3. You Are Far Less Likely to Feel Hungry

Using the Keto method you are far less likely to experience hunger and one of the biggest fears of going on a diet is those unpleasant hunger pangs!

Don’t worry, the Keto diet actually sends messages to your brain to engage the hormones that signal hunger.

The hormones stop signaling so you feel satisfied far quicker than low-calorie or portion control dieting.

4. There are So Many Foods You Can Eat on Keto

When you choose a ketogenic diet, there’s plenty of fantastic food to select from, no more wondering whether you can or can’t eat it, how many points something contains or whether it’s too high in fat.

Keto is high fat (in good fat)! To name some of the foods you can eat on Keto: seafood, low-carb vegetables, cheese, meat, poultry and avocado.

You can also eat nuts, seeds, berries, coconut oil, Greek yoghurt, eggs, butter, cream, coffee, tea, milk and even dark chocolate!

5. No More Calorie Counting!

One of the best reasons why Keto dieting is so beneficial is it’s really easy to follow and there’s no more calorie counting!

You just don’t need to track your calories and let’s be honest, many people fail in dieting because of strict calorie regimes, that’s simply not the case with the Keto diet.

6. A Keto Diet Can Reduce Cholesterol

One of the biggest culprits in heart disease, cholesterol impacts millions and is often high in overweight people.

An advantage of the Keto diet is that while you lose weight, you also can reduce your cholesterol levels.

Along with bringing down body fat levels and controlling blood sugar, it’s excellent at fighting against heart disease.

7. You Can Shift Unwanted Pounds Fast!

Everyone is different but the first week on Keto normally sees a significant amount of weight “drop off.”

Expect to lose anything from two pounds to up to 10 pounds!

The first weight that goes is mainly water and that’s down to a lower intake of carbs.

In very basic terms, carbs need water to store them in the body, when there’s fewer carbs to store, there’s less need to keep the water inside.

8. You Will Tone Up

As long as you combine your Ketogenic diet with weight training, you’ll be able to convert some fat to muscle gain so you’ll tone up any flabbiness too.

Bear in mind that when you stand on the scales, while you might not see a change in weight the actual appearance of your muscle gain on your body will show you just how Keto helps you tone.

9. Your Body Will Reap Other Benefits Too

Keto is excellent for managing weight loss but it has so many other health benefits too.

You might notice that your hair, skin and nails improve.

Your hair should shine and grow better than ever before, your skin should clear and your nails should get stronger.

As well as feeling less food cravings than before you’ll enjoy more energy, it’s a good idea to use it to exercise so you increase your weight loss and toning!

Keto also helps your brain to stay sharper, so you might find you can focus far better on tasks.

10. You Can Still Eat Out!

As lots of diets rely on calorie counting or focus on restricted portion sizes, many people feel they are limited when going out to eat, so they miss out on occasions as they are governed by kitchen scales instead!

The real beauty of the Keto diet is that you can still go out and enjoy yourself because there is so much you can eat!

A juicy steak with spinach is definitely on the menu and if you crave seafood, head down to your favorite restaurant and indulge yourself without feeling guilty.

Summing Things Up

So if you want to get in shape for summer and need a diet that works around your lifestyle, the Keto diet should tick all your boxes, it’s entirely healthy, it provides a fantastic kick-start to weight loss and helps you to keep losing the pounds steadily over time.