You’ve probably heard the hype about how easy it is to lose weight on the keto diet. All you need to do is follow a few simple rules and before you know it, you’ll be looking at your old, unhealthy habits in a new light.
Many people think that once you start losing weight, your body will stop producing as much insulin – a hormone that promotes fat storage. Even though this is usually the case, it doesn’t mean that your body won’t produce more insulin to keep the weight off. In fact, if you stop following the keto diet, your body might produce more insulin than before just to keep the weight off.
This often causes people to gain back all the weight they lost, which in turn makes them feel worse than before. It’s a vicious cycle that can leave you feeling discouraged. If this sounds like you, keep reading.
Why Keto Is So Popular
If you’re reading this, I assume that you’re already somewhat familiar with the keto diet. If not, here’s a quick primer.
The diet is characterized by having a high intake of fats, moderate intake of protein, and a low intake of carbohydrates. When you follow the keto diet, your body starts producing ketones in your bloodstream. These ketones give you a natural feeling of energy while also acting as an alternative fuel source for your brain. Most people who try the diet report that it helps them feel happier and more motivated, which is why so many are opting for lifestyle changes and alternative medicine to lose weight.
When you eat high-fat foods, it feels like you’re eating food that is more suitable for the animals than for human consumption. Because of this, the keto diet has been described as ‘plant-based’ or ‘veganic’ when compared to other diets.
If someone says that they’re on a ‘plant-based diet’, what do you think they mean? A diet that consists mainly of plants vs. animals? Not really. A ‘plant-based’ diet can include anything from meat to plants to dairy.
The keto diet is so effective because it is based on sound nutritional science and a wide-ranging diet which allows you to find the foods that work best for your body. If you’re looking for a way to lose weight and improve your health, it’s hard to avoid the diet’s popularity when presented with all its advantages.
What About The Insulin Response?
When you eat carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels rise which prompts your pancreas to produce more insulin. This is a good thing; insulin allows you to utilize nutrients from food. However, too much insulin or an insulin response – as it’s commonly known – can lead to Type 2 diabetes. For this reason, people in the know avoid eating too much sugar and seek ways to lower their insulin response whenever they can.
When you eat foods that contain protein, your body automatically starts producing more insulin due to an increase in blood sugar levels. This is why the keto diet is so effective for people with Type 2 diabetes. In fact, a 2013 study found that people with Type 2 diabetes who followed a keto diet for one year had better glucose control than those who followed a traditional diet or started a weight loss program using insulin injections only.
Eating too many carbohydrates, however, can raise your insulin response even if you don’t have Type 2 diabetes. This can cause you to gain weight faster than you would on a regular diet and lead to a host of other health problems. One of the reasons why the keto diet is so effective is because it lowers your insulin response which allows you to lose weight and restore your health while also feeling satisfied.
Will I Have More Energy?
If you’re looking for an energy boost, you might consider trying the keto diet. Studies have found that as little as two weeks of following the diet can give you an improvement in energy that lasts for up to three weeks. If this sounds like you, you might also consider trying the diet’s modified form known as the ‘keto diet extension’.
It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean that you’ll definitely feel more energetic. In fact, many people who try the diet report feeling less energetic. This can be attributed to the diet’s ‘bulletproof’ nature which makes it that little bit more difficult to lose weight.
People who feel more energetic after following the keto diet have done so because it reduces their stress levels and allows them to sleep better at night. They say that their nightly sleep is so important because it clears their mind and helps them wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. If this sounds like you, the keto diet might be the ideal choice for you.
Will My Skin Appear More Perfect?
Skin is one of the main things that people notice about you, so if you’re interested in getting your skin to look perfect, you might want to try the keto diet. The diet has been known to increase collagen synthesis which is important for skin health. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also helps to improve your skin’s appearance. To increase collagen synthesis, you need to eat plenty of plants (especially vegetables) and limit your consumption of animal products, especially dairy.
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits will increase the health of your skin. This is because these foods are high in antioxidants which can protect your skin and neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause damage to your cells and DNA. While we need these free radicals for some necessary functions, too many can cause serious problems.
To limit your exposure to toxins and improve your skin’s appearance, you should avoid foods that contain gluten, dairy, and refined sugar. These foods can easily be found on the standard American diet, which many people think is the root of all evil when it comes to skin health. If you want to make your skin look and feel at its best, start following a vegan diet which excludes all these foods.
Along with increasing collagen synthesis, the keto diet has also been known to reverse sunburn and improve the overall tone and texture of your skin. This is mainly due to the fact that the diet encourages you to go au naturel with your body’s hormonal cycles which in turn helps improve the health and beauty of your skin.
What About The Mental Health Benefits?
If you’re looking to improve your mental health, you might want to consider trying the keto diet. The diet has been shown to increase levels of BDNF, a protein that is synthesized in the brain and encourages brain cells to grow and develop. Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fats has also been shown to improve the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids which is important for brain health.
If you think that the keto diet’s benefits for weight loss and improved health are enough to make it worth a try, you might also be interested in trying the diet’s modified form known as the ‘keto diet extension’. The diet extension is characterized by including more vegetables, fruits, and nuts while also cutting back on some of the more processed foods that you’ll find on the standard keto diet. While you don’t need to follow the diet extension if you’re already eating a healthy, balanced diet on a regular basis, it can help bring additional benefits to your body and mind.
The keto diet has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety which in turn helps to improve your emotional state. Many people who try the diet report having less emotional distress and a better sense of well-being compared to those who follow a typical American diet. If this sounds like you, the keto diet might be the ideal choice for you.
Eating too much sugar and refined carbohydrates has also been known to cause anxiety and depression. There’s a common saying that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” which aptly describes the keto diet. The fruit promotes healthy brain function and reduces the risk of mental illnesses and Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re looking for a way to improve your mental health and are open to alternative options, you might want to try the keto diet.
Many people who try the keto diet experience rapid and significant weight loss which in turn helps to improve their mental health and well-being. People who lose a lot of weight on the diet report feeling more relaxed and less stressed, which is why so many are choosing to switch to a gluten-free diet and use supplements to speed up weight loss.