With the pandemic looming for over a year now, everyone has taken necessary steps and precaution to ensure that we keep our health and physique in tip-top condition. Wait a second! Today’s topic will discuss the Comprehensive Keto Diet for Beginners in Malaysia.
One method that has been used extensively is the Keto diet regime. Today, we will be addressing everything you need to know about the Keto diet. From its benefits, to its risks and how it can help you improve your lifestyle.
What is a Keto Diet?
The keto or ketogenic diet is a diet that implements a low carb diet with moderate protein and high fat consumption. The goal is to reach a stage of “Ketosis”, where your body begins to convert energy from fat rather than carbs.
The keto diet induces your body to create molecules called “Ketones”. These will command your body to seek an alternative fuel source when the body’s blood sugar level is low. This will in turn reduce body fat percentage.
The liver organ secretes these molecules only when there is a deficit in carbs. This energy is most commonly used to fuel our brain as it runs on either glucose which comes in the form of carbs or ketones.
Now there are four types of ketogenic diet for beginners:
Standard ketogenic diet (SKD)
This is the simplest form of ketogenic diet where it is low carb and high protein and fat. In quantitative figures, one’s diet would be 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbs.
High ketogenic diet (HKD)
This would be a more drastic version of SKD due to increase in protein intake. This suits individuals with a more active lifestyle. In quantitative figures, one’s diet would be 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.
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Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)
This type of keto is an easier alternative to the above, because it splits the routine to different segments, think of it as “Cheat days”. Example, implementation of keto diet for 5 days a week and a regular diet for 2 days a week for one month.
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Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD)
This type of keto diet will be more relevant to bodybuilders or gym-goers. This is where carbs are introduced into pre-workout meals. The goal would be to increase the energy production by the body to sustain a workout.
The first two types have been researched the most and showcases large beneficial effects when it comes to weight loss. This can also be seen as an easier alternative compared to fasting.
What are the benefits of a Keto Diet for beginners?
Let’s look at the benefits that a ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) brings. Fun fact, a healthy male would need approximately 2,500 calories per day. While, a female would need approximately 2,000 calories.
With that said, let’s break the benefits down to three categories. The three categories are improved health markers, weight loss and improved overall mental and physical performance.
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Improved health markers
First off, what are health markers? They are indicators that determine our body’s physical condition. This includes cholesterol level, blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Through a keto diet, you will see improvements to all the above. This is because your body will experience a metabolic syndrome state that converts fat cells into energy.
This diet is also particularly effective against type 2 diabetes, it is able to reverse and prevent the negative impacts of it. Although, this can only be achieved from lifestyle changes that the keto diet brings, so if you revert back to your initial lifestyle, similar complications may re-arise.
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Weight loss
The second benefit would be weight loss. With the keto diet, our body insulin levels drop dramatically. Insulin is a fat-storing hormone, so when it drops, so does your body fat percentage. Although, it’s not just weight loss that you will experience. Two other benefits are stronger control of your appetite and a calmer stomach.
You will find yourself to be more satiated and less hungry. This could help in your journey to lose weight and save your wallet. Studies have shown that individuals only feel the need to eat twice a day or even just once. With the reduce urge to snack, a healthier body and wallet are on its way.
Additionally, if you suffer from cramps or pains in your stomach. This diet could help with relieving some of that pain. Its effect can even be seen in just the first or second day of the diet.
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Improved mental and physical performance
The third category of benefit would be improved mental and physical performance. Due to a constant stream of ketones fuelling our brains, it allows us to properly focus without large blood sugar swings. This allows for improve mental clarity and reduced brain fog. Besides mental performance, your physical performance will also dramatically increase. This is because converting energy from fat storages can last you for weeks. While as, from carb storage could only last for a couple hours. If you are in to endurance sports such as HIIT and marathons. This could be the diet that brings you to the next level.
How to start a keto diet?
To start a keto diet can be a very challenging task. The key to success with any form of diet plans includes persistence, patience and discipline. It is tough to expect results within a week. However, here are some tips and tricks that could help you with your ketogenic diet. Five simple tools to a healthier you.
Knowledge is key.
Familiarize yourself with food labels in the supermarkets. It is important that you know exactly what you put in your body at all times. This may take an extra 30 minutes but trust us when we say it is definitely worth it. Do not just believe what they claim on the front label.
Take time to look at the ingredient list and make sure to always look at the top three ingredients. The top 3 ingredients are the most used in the product. A friendly tip, if any product has more than two to three lines, then this shows that the product is highly processed.
Plan out your meals in advance.
As a wise man once said, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It can sometimes be daunting to figure out what is the best meal to eat and during what time. This is especially true when your diet requires a specific amount of nutrient from a specific source. That’s why, try to spend some time during the weekend to identify what you should be consuming.
Don’t worry, if you think that this is going to be a challenge to sustain in the long run, it won’t. Humans are creatures of habit and this will eventually become second nature to you. Once this is incorporated to your daily routine, you will have better control of what you are eating.
It’s always best to self-prep.
Yes, prepare your own meals. The reason this tip is suggested in many diet plans is because of accuracy and awareness. You would know exactly how much of what ingredient that you are placing into your meals. This way, it is easier to calculate your macros throughout your entire diet phase.
This could be challenging to a few since not all of us have the luxury of time to self-prep our meals. However, we do strongly advice that whenever you can, do practice cooking your own meals. The results are night and day.
Convenience.
Contrary to the above tip, if you really don’t have the time. An alternative method would be to look for restaurants or stores that sell keto friendly products. Some restaurants even have options where the products sold are keto friendly. A good example would be with Keto Bento. This is an urban café that prepares bento style meals that are tailored to keto diets.
Additionally, if you happen to be looking for ready-to-eat keto friendly snacks for your diet plan, head on over the carblessglobal.com. They sell keto friendly pizza and pastries that are designed specifically to fit seamlessly into your diet.
Control in social gatherings.
If you are a party animal or social butterfly, maintaining any diet plan can be gruelling and tedious. You do not want to stand out amongst your friends when they order restaurant quality dishes and you are stuck with your own self-prep meal.
However, we do recommend moderation in these circumstances such as choosing the appropriate time and setting to bring your own meal to a restaurant. Check whether or not the restaurant allows outside food prior to the visit.
What are the risks, myths and Do Not’s of keto diet?
After hearing all the wonderful things about the ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short). You surely must have heard news that this form of diet doesn’t work. There are a lot of negative side effects.
We agree that there are some risks if you overdo the keto diet, this goes for all form of diets. We will highlight to you the risks of overchallenging your keto diet. All while busting myths that come with it.
Risk of Keto Diet
Let’s starts with the risks of keto diet, there are typically three keto side effects that one may experience.
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Keto Flu
- Some common symptoms you may experience are diarrhoea, constipation and poor energy. This is commonly seen in the first few days of your keto diet. The reason is because your body is currently adapting to the new diet. Thus, may have an adverse reaction towards it.
- We recommend that if this is the case, try to take it slow. Regulate the amount of carbs you take in instead of dramatic drop. A good way would be to perhaps eliminate carbs from your breakfast meal, then slowly progress to breakfast and lunch, lastly more thereafter.
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Micronutrient’s deficiencies
- This is another common keto diet side effect. This occurs when we regulate our bodies pass the stage of ketosis where we maintain a keto diet for above the recommended duration.
- Prolong use of the keto diet will cause the body harm as it is consistently not receiving nutrients that it typically receives from carbs.
- The recommended duration for one to implement the keto diet is within the time period of one to one and a half month.
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Heart Palpitations
- This is where you will experience slightly elevated heart rate. This is common and usually occurs during the first few weeks. Although, do make sure that there aren’t any other severe symptoms, such as feeling faint or chest pain.
- This is common reaction when your body faces dehydration. A lack of salt could also play a part in this.
- The remedy would be to ensure you drink sufficient amounts of water. We recommend 3.7 litres of water for a male. While, 2.7 litres of water for a female.
Ketogenic Diet Myths
Now that the risks are out of the way, let’s look at some Ketogenic Diet myths to bust.
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You can eat as much fatty food as you want! Bring on the fried chicken
- Reality: Although, a keto diet typically recommends that you get approximately 75% of your daily calorie needs from fats. It does not mean you eat all the saturated fats that you can find
- Unsaturated fats such as eggs, turkey meat, fish are still the best choice for you to get what the industry calls as “healthy fats”
- Eating every fatty food that you can find may even cause the opposite to happen where you will not only reduce body fat but also feel extremely sluggish after meals. The reason is because you are able to accurately identify how much fats is being used in the cooking process of your food
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No alcohol! If you drink, you fail!
- Reality: Not exactly, as with all diet regime. Alcohol consumption should be reduced and only reserved for special occasions but that does not mean that mean you cannot have that occasional glass.
- It is wise to select the type of alcohol that you will be consuming. The types of alcohol that you stray away from are beer and wine while the does that you could have in moderation are alcohol that are in its purest form such as whiskey, gin and tequila.
- Here is also a huge tip for everyone, no matter what form of diet that you are on. Be wary that your alcohol tolerance during this time will likely be lower, so drink carefully.
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No more working out! You can only eat keto
- Reality: No, absolutely not. You do not have to give up your workout routines at all. You can still keep your exercise routine but you may have to adjust the intensity level.
- The reason is because going keto induces a large and dramatic change to one’s body. You will likely feel below par or lethargic during first few days or weeks when performing your regular workout routine.
- Don’t be surprise as well if you are losing some muscle mass as well, as during ketosis your body is burning two to three times more fat than regular times.
Do Not’s of Keto Diet
With all the above information, we also want to highlight some situations where it is best not to start a keto diet. As the saying goes, “better safe than sorry”
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Situation 1: Starting a keto diet under diabetes medication
- Yes! Starting a keto diet can potentially reverse the negative effects of diabetes but if you are under medication. It is recommended that you do not start this form of diet yet.
- There is a possibility where you reduce your blood sugar level below the minimum level. If you do practice the keto diet while under diabetes medication, it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor beforehand and regular check your blood sugar level.
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Situation 2: Starting a keto diet under high blood pressure medication
- There is a risk during this phase that your diet will work too well. This bears the risk of experiencing low blood pressure. If you feel symptoms of low blood pressure such as weak or dizziness, immediately contact your doctor for consultation or advice.
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Situation 3: Breastfeeding while on a keto diet
- We do not recommend going on a keto diet if you are planning to breastfeed. The reason is because you may experience ketoacidosis. This is a dangerous medical emergency. Whereas ketones level in your body are dangerously high, which may cause your blood’s acid balance
- Even though the risk is quite low, it could still affect the quality of breast milk.
- During the breastfeeding phase, you would require higher number of nutritional calories. This is to ensure that you recover from your post-partum stage. While, being able to generate quality milk for your child.
These go to show that we should practice everything in moderation and not hastily jump into something that we may not be prepared for. The keto diet does come with many benefits but it also comes with risk and side effects if practiced for prolong periods of time.
Celebrities who have tried the Keto Diet?
Through all the trials, tribulations and benefits of the ketogenic diet. You are now prepared to take on the diet yourself. However, below are three prime examples of people you may know that have taken up the keto diet and experienced their effects first hand.
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Lebron James
- Lebron James decided to take up the keto diet as a mental challenge for himself.
- He practiced it for 67 days and lose a considerable amount of weight by cutting carbs and dairy products.
- Don’t believe us? Just Google, “Skinny Lebron”.
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Kourtney Kardashian
- Yes! The Kardashians, it’s no surprise that at least one of them have jumped onto this trendy diet.
- Kourtney revealed that going keto was a really positive experience for her.
- She lost a total of 60 pounds after giving birth to her son following the diet.
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Vanessa Hudgens
- Our dear High School Musical sweetheart. Vanessa revealed that she took on the keto diet while preparing for her Women’s Health cover.
- She lost a total of 10 pounds in a month with the diet.
- She even admitted that with this diet, she is able to have a constant output of energy throughout the day.
Seeing is believing and we are here as living proof and advocates that diet regime is one that works and can be tailored to your personal diet plan.
Conclusion
Now that we have given you all the low down on comprehensive keto diet for beginners in Malaysia. We would say that the pros of the diet outweigh the cons. The weight loss and increase mental sharpness will improve your daily workflow if nothing else. My personal experience with the keto diet would be implement it in phases.
This is where you practice the keto diet for one month, then allow your body to recover for at least a week. This will allow your body to re-regulate to a normal state and recoup for the next keto diet session. Besides, not experiencing the side effects of Ketosis, there is also a likelihood that your body will experience a plateau. This situation will occur when your body will no longer lose weight as it has reached a maximum stage. This is what I find to be personally beneficial to myself.
So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself into better shape with the keto diet. Practice with care, stay healthy, stay focus.