Could Keto be right for you ?
As society steps into normalcy, perhaps you’re wondering how to lose all that weight gained during the lockdown. Hitting the gym would only prove to be part effective, if you’re not in the habit of following a diet.
The ketogenic diet, commonly known as the Keto diet is one that differs from all the others. Strangely though, it encourages one to consume more fat and minimum carbohydrates. This week, we spoke with Doctor Subash Mendis, from the Hela Keto weight loss clinic. He was the former head of the food safety promotion unit in Colombo. He gave us an insight into the benefits and the common misconceptions on this programme.
As he puts it, a typical ketogenic diet would consist of sixty to seventy percent fat, twenty percent protein and a maximum ten percent carbohydrates. The diet tends to convert your body from burning carbohydrates (glucose) for energy to predominantly burning fats for energy.
Typically, when one’s body is in ketosis, body fats are broken down into ketones which provide a considerable proportion of energy that is needed to maintain the basic functions of the body. This in turn leads to a rapid weight loss, in comparison with other dieting methods. Prior to starting the diet, Doctor Subash always asks his clients to take basic blood tests. The Keto diet he says is not advisable for a person with type- 1 diabetes, poorly controlled type- 2 diabetes, pregnant mothers, breast feeding mothers (less than six months), patients with advanced kidney disease, children under 15 years and individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 18.
One should never start the keto diet at once, since it takes time for the body to adjust to ketosis. This too would depend on age, sex, weight, activity level, commitment and a person’s metabolism. As the body gets fully accustomed to ketosis, an individual would be able to lose one to four kilograms per week, he tells us. But this would also depend on how an individual’s body responds.
Once starting the diet, the dieter should always plan their meals at least two to three days ahead. And if your metabolism is too slow or your degree of insulin resistance is too high, one should combine intermittent fasting with the Ketogenic diet for the best results.
Doctor Subash also emphasizes on the importance of home cooked meals. “If you take meals from outside frequently, you’ll have to eat whatever is available. And you won’t be able to restrict carbs strictly,” he explains adding that unfortunately there are no Keto restaurants in Sri Lanka. But, on the positive, the ketogenic diet does not need a variety. Undoubtedly one would have to give up all sweets such as ice cream, cakes, biscuits, puddings, sweetened beverages, chocolates, etc. At the same time the individual would also have to minimize the intake of high carbs such as rice, bread, hoppers, string hoppers, noodles, pasta, kottu, rotti and bakery products, etc. “When you give up these food items you don’t have to worry too much about access to different food products. Because invariably you’d have a narrow range of food choices,” he explains.
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