After trying several different diets, we decided to try a ketogenic diet. Low carb high-fat diet seems most convenient for us. We don’t have to starve; we can eat in moderation. It’s only you need to limit the intake of carbohydrates in your body. We studied this diet very carefully and also tried to gather as much as possible the recipe. From our experience, the challenge of the diet is the limitation of the menu of the food that we can eat, and then become bored, and end up stopping the diet.
Ketogenic offers many health benefits. Besides it can help you lose weight, also it improves your health. The principle is almost similar to low-carb diets, also Paleo and Atkins diets. Limitation in intake of carbohydrates, no sugar, and high fat. Fat will replace carbohydrates as a source of energy. When the body uses fat as a source of energy, it will release ketone, and the condition of the body becomes ketosis.
Ketosis is a condition in which the human liver produces ketone to be used as fuel or energy used throughout the body, especially the brain. Ketosis occurs when the body no longer has carbohydrate (glucose) intake as a food source to be processed into energy. The ketogenic diet is high in fat, medium protein, low carbohydrate diet, with a target of 75 percent of daily calories from fat, 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates, and the rest from protein. Generally limiting carbohydrates to a maximum of 50 grams, or sometimes, in the beginning, only 30 grams!
The target ketogenic diet is to make the body become ketosis, as a fat burner as energy. Many who consider ketogenic tend to be stricter in their diet, compared to other low carbs. For dieters to lose weight more motivated because the beginning of this diet is run definitely weight loss will be significant. Carbohydrates will use a lot of water in metabolism, so when stopping the carbo force, of course, the water content in the body decreases.
This results in drastic weight loss. Some people who are accustomed to using glucose as an energy source will certainly experience challenging adaptations. Feeling hungry, exhausted, or sometimes emotional. Some people are able to face a 'critical period' well and get extraordinary results, especially in loose significant body weight when the body is in ketosis.
From our experience, in the first 4 weeks, we lost our weight very significantly. Of course, because in that time, our body lost the water. My husband measured his weight and the size of his body. He measured his waistline, arm line, and thigh line. We also do some sports, to help the body burn fat. Some people just leave this activity, but for us that having a goal to be healthier, not only losing weight but doing sport, is a must. After 4 weeks, the losing weight becomes slower. It is still continuing but not drastic as before.
The ketogenic diet actually is not only a diet, but it is a lifestyle since you need to keep and maintain your diet not only for a while but forever if possible. Maybe you can just take a break, have a cheat day, and the next day, go back to this lifestyle.
Usually, when we have a lunch invitation, we will bring a very simple food, that is small and easy to prepare, a boiled egg! For me two and also for my husband. If at a party or meeting we can’t find something to eat, boiled eggs can save our hunger.
We have a funny story about that. We were traveling to Berlin, and we had a river cruise tour along the canal. We were so hungry after walking around Potsdamer Platz, in the center of Berlin. Our children had their lunch at the Indian restaurant near the Madame Tussaud Museum. We had also, actually, but we only eat butter chicken and palak paneer. The portion is so small. We were still hungry, but if we order again, it would take time. We didn’t want to spend the time waiting for the food. The children besides having their chicken biryani, also had their favorites naan, with some daals and butter chicken. Although the aroma of the cheese naan was very tempting, we tried not to touch the rice from biryani, or naan. We were just like a warrior, that try to stay on the path and had to defend ourselves from so many food temptations.
When we left the restaurant, we succeeded and didn’t touch any carbohydrates, but later in our next tour, cruising Berlin’s canal, we felt so hungry. Finally, my husband took out the eggs from the Tupper that we brought, and keep inside the bag. He offered me two boiled eggs, and he too two eggs for himself.
Inside the river cruise that was covered with glasses, suddenly full with the smell of egg that was strong enough to smell from a two or three-meter distance, and oops, it was a little bit annoying. The children were upset because of the aroma, and they started to complain. They said that it was embarrassing. We only hoped that it didn’t bother other passengers. Finally, the boiled eggs saved us from cheating!