What is Keto and Ketosis?
For the internet, keto is many things – a crash diet, a diet that is BFFs with cheese and much more.
For me, it is a lifestyle.
It is an adequate protein, high fat and low carb diet, consuming which pushes your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Let’s assume that up until now your diet is made up of pizza. So your energy source – glucose, comes from the breakdown of carbohydrates in that pizza. Now, on keto, this task is done by ketones which are produced in the liver and absorbed by the body to be used as energy. Thus your body produces an alternative fuel in the absence of carbs and in this process, does what we all want – burn fats.
To label keto as a weight loss diet limits its many potentials. Of course, you can and will lose weight when your body is in ketosis but that is not its only benefit. It might surprise you that keto was discovered in 1921 as a possible treatment for epilepsy in children. Even today, keto is used for treating medical conditions like brain degeneration and improving hormonal structure.
So while you may want to try out keto as yet another way to shed those kilos, it is important to understand that it is not fatty food and bidding farewell to carbs. Keto involves changes in the metabolic markup of your body, that will take time, effort and take it from someone who has been doing it since two and a half years, will be hard (at times).
But when you make it to the other side and notice the many rewards keto has in store for you, you will definitely wonder why you stayed away from it for so long. So whether it’s about going from XL to M, tackling PCOD or whatever your reasons might be, don’t fear the unknown world of keto. I’ve lived here for quite a while and would love to accompany you on this life changing journey.