Most health-conscious people in India have heard of the ketogenic (keto) diet by now, a global phenomenon that some classify as a fad diet and yet other swear by. The haters cite various difficulties with following this diet, and the fans cite the numerous benefits of ketogenic eating. The diet itself isn’t new, it has been around for nearly a century, first gaining interest as a way to control epileptic seizures. Of late, there is renewed interest in the diet as a weight loss tool, and indeed even as a healthier lifestyle.
Be warned though, despite the many benefits of ketogenic eating, this diet shouldn’t be attempted lightly. You need to do some research as to the best ways to begin and stick to the diet and what precautions to take. We do not delve into that in this article, as there is enough and more content out there on that.
Personally, I love this diet. I follow this diet for 4-6 weeks every 6-8 months, though there are people who have successfully made it a permanent lifestyle. If this diet suits you, there are numerous benefits of ketogenic eating, but here I will list only the ones I have personally experienced over the months and years. Some of these have even surprised me as they were unexpected.
Eating fresher, more wholesome and less processed foods
During my ketogenic eating phases, I tend to focus a lot on fresh vegetables, unprocessed meat, eggs and healthier fats like ghee and coconut oil. So, in general, I end up eating a higher quality of foods with less additives and preservatives. This is an outcome of choosing the ketogenic lifestyle.
No cravings, hence easier to stick to a calorie deficit, and very hard to overdo
When you’re deep into keto territory, meaning you have passed the initial week’s hurdle, your cravings vanish. There are no hunger pangs and you can easily stick to your target calorie count for the day, because you rarely want to eat more. All diets require eating fewer calories than you burn for weight loss, keto included, keto just makes it easier to stick to the goal. This is one of the biggest benefits of ketogenic eating.
Better sleep, clearer head, more energy
Post the adjustment phase, typically I sleep better, deeper and feel more rested in general. I feel I’m extremely productive, concentration is better, and my head is clearer. There is no tiredness, especially no post meal brain fog, like the kind that follows a carbohydrate laden meal.
It is extremely satisfying, every meal is a delight, unlike a regular diets
Because of the good amount of healthy fats like butter, ghee etc. in each meal, ketogenic meals are extremely satisfying, even if you do not eat large quantities of the same. In a normal diet eating less becomes tiresome and hunger pangs can strike anytime.
Always breaks my weight loss plateaus
Whenever my weight loss efforts stagnate, I find “going keto” most certainly helps break them. This could be due to increased insulin sensitivity, or maybe due to more measured eating, who knows, research here is still young. All I can say for now is that it delivers results!
I find I eat better even after I stop staying on a strictly ketogenic diets
Because the diet tends to make one eat fresh and self-prepared food (packaged food has too many carbs usually) and weans one off carbs, I find that that I tend to eat fewer carbs than I did before the diet started, even when stop the diet. Pas an example, I may eat one less roti or lesser rice and more vegetables. It changes the way you see food, with long term benefits.
Be warned that these benefits start after a week or two of being on the diet. The first week (or two, depending on your individual body makeup) can be quite the opposite. If you’re interested in the ketogenic lifestyle at least as a short-term trial, do read up using reputable sources before you decide.
