The diet consists mainly of vegetables, eggs, and fish

An effective diet

The Ketogenic diet - or keto for short, is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fats. Keto is based on the principle of burning fat (instead of burning carbohydrates converted to glucose) in the body.

There are 4 keto diets: cyclical, targeted, standard, and high-protein keto. The standard and high-protein diets are the two most widely used and studied. 

The cyclical and targeted keto diets are more specialized in eating methods, that are usually for bodybuilders or athletes. In addition, there is also a special diet for cancer, epilepsy patients or vegetarians ...

According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Huy, Head of Nutrition Department, Hue Central Hospital, every day, we will generate energy through eating. A typical meal will consist of 50% carbohydrates, 20% fat and 30% protein. The amount of carbohydrates entering the body will form glucose. If a person is sedentary, the excess glucose would be transferred to the liver and is stored as glycogen. The liver only stores from 100 to 120 grams of glycogen, the unsaved glucose will be converted to lipid, in the form of excess fat.

Meals applying KETO method

Losing weight with Ketogenic diet method is considered "going against" the regular diet. When following a diet according to this method, each person will only need to eat 1/10 of the amount of carbohydrates, which is equivalent to only 5% of carbohydrates, along with 25% of protein and 70% of fat.

Ms. Ho Thi Thuy Ngan (24 years old, Hue City) shared: “I have tried many different methods to get my slim body back such as using supplements for weight loss, slimming belts, exercising, … By chances, I was introduced to the Ketogenic method and consulted by many groups on Facebook and the internet, I have researched and followed the correct procedure. As a result, I lost my weight, from 53kg to 48kg. Not only that, this method also helped to solve sleep problems effectively".

In addition to weight loss, this method also has many advantages such as: treating acne, good for the cardiovascular system, polycystic ovarian syndrome, reducing risk of epilepsy in children, improving sleep, preventing diabetes ...

Combining with exercise, light work-out

According to recommendation, each person should only have keto diet from 2 weeks to 2 months for the body to adapt to this method. In order for this diet to be highly effective, it is necessary to comply with the requirements, following the right menu, and combining with exercise, light work-out and good rest.

According to Mr. Tran Quoc Nguyen, a fitness trainer at Hue Starfirst Center: The Keto method is often suitable for people with the need of rapid weight loss. In addition to the advantages of burning excess fat to help lose weight quickly, this method also shows some disadvantages such as dehydration, reducing muscle growth (for people who do gym), stress. It would depend on the goals of each person to follow their diet in the right direction.

The menu for a keto meal includes: Vegetables, meat, seafood, eggs. There is no limitation on oil and grease. In addition, the foods that should be limited when following this diet are those that contain large amounts of carbohydrates such as: whole grains or starches, legumes, sugar, and alcoholic beverages.

In addition, we should not have keto diet for a long time to prevent unwanted side effects such as: neurological disorders, frequently hungry, sleep problems, nausea, discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract and reduced ability to do heavy exercise.

Ms. Phan Thi Hong Tam (48 years old, Hue city) said: “When doing Keto diet, persistence and discipline are two important factors to achieve better health and target weight. It is advisable to divide the time of the diet into several stages to avoid side effects and having significant effect”.

 “Depending on different purposes, people can apply the Keto method according to their individual needs. However, we should not overuse this method, exercise regularly and have a proper resting schedule to maintain a perfect health,” Dr. Nguyen Trung Huy, Head of Nutrition Department, Hue Central Hospital emphasized.

Story and photos: Bach Chau