Welcome to our article about these three diets! In this article, we will be doing short but informative overviews of each of these diets. Which one is right for you? This article offers you a small taste of each so you can do some more research about which one is right for you.
About Keto
On keto, you will cut the carbs and eat plenty of fats. The daily breakdown of your diet looks like this:
- 5 percent of your calories will come from carbs, such as low carb veggies like non-starchy vegetables and leafy greens in small amounts. You will not eat any carb-heavy foods like beans, fruit, starchy vegetables, or grains.
- 20 percent of your calories will be derived from proteins like cheese, eggs, and meats.
- 75 percent of your calories will come from fats, like avocado, butter, and unprocessed nuts.
The keto diet burns fat because it cuts carbs. The body turns carbs into glucose, which is how we get energy.
When we remove carbs from our diets, we burn ketones or fatty acids.
When you break down fats for energy, this is known as ketosis. It will take you about three weeks of eliminating carbs to get into ketosis.
Cool Keto Products
The best part is, the world has gotten very keto-friendly over the years. There are even keto-friendly baking mixes and snacks for sale.
Some of our team’s favourites include Perfect Keto Bars, which we love packing in our lunch boxes or throwing into backpacks for a quick snack.
And yes, this diet is definitely a bit harder than the others you may have encountered. But it just takes a little know-how and hard work to make this a lifestyle.
We highly suggest getting your hands on a good keto cookbook such as this one – Keto Cookbook for Beginners– and using that as your springboard into the keto lifestyle. No, it’s not easy, but you are going to love the creative and fun recipes.
What Is Keto Flu?
Some dieters report feeling foggy or getting the keto flu. It happens about 2-7 days after you start the lifestyle. You might feel nausea, brain fog, irritability, or have trouble sleeping, and you might even experience constipation.
Remember, you are switching from a carb-heavy, high sugar diet, so this is a sign of the changes you are making into a healthier lifestyle. Get plenty of rest and drink water.
Rest assured, this is not like the real flu. You are not going to get a fever, nor will you feel incapacitated. If you feel this way or have any doubts, please go see your doctor right away. Something else could be happening in your body.
Don’t give up- especially if you are doing this as a means of getting healthier and sticking to a plan. It’s going to be exhausting at first, but in a few days, your energy will come back, and you are likely going to feel better than you have in a while.
It’s best to ease into a keto lifestyle than jumping in cold turkey. You can slowly transition to a keto lifestyle over the course of a week or so, which may help lessen the symptoms of this keto flu.
Pros:
- Helps melt fat in a relatively short time period
- Allows you to eat healthy fats in reasonable amounts
- Weight loss happens when performed correctly
Cons:
- Tough diet to sustain
- Keto diet is very restricted, can leave you feeling foggy
- Restriction of food can lead to binge eating
About Paleo
You may hear this referred to as the caveman diet. The paleo diet is created based on what hunter-gatherers ate during the Paleolithic Era, which occurred 10,000 to 2.5 million years ago.
This diet wants you to eat whole foods like fruit, nuts, seeds, eggs, and veggies, plus wild game. You will exclude any food that has been brought about by farming, such as coffee, alcohol, cereal, grains, beans, and dairy products. Of course, processed foods like cakes, cookies, and frozen meals are also excluded.
Essentially, any food you could not have eaten during the Paleolithic era is not allowed, as they are seen to be unhealthy. Paleo diet followers argue that our bodies were not created to handle such food, and it is these foods that are leading America and other nations around the world down a path of obesity and poor health.
Followers of the paleo diet believe that if we eat just the basic food of our ancestors, we can get rid of many of the problems we’ve encountered since new foods came about after the Neolithic Era, in which farming replaced the hunter-gatherer way of doing things.
Cautions About Paleo Diet
One thing to keep in caution is that there are no portions specified when it comes to the allowed foods. Yes, it is entirely possible to overdo it on healthy foods. For example, we know avocados are good for us, but they are very caloric, and eating too many of them can result in calorie excess, which means weight gain.
Carbohydrates are secondary on this diet- it is a very protein-centric diet. This is great because protein is the building block for muscle building and maintenance, but lack of carbs means no energy with which to actually do the exercise that creates such muscle!
This diet is not without benefits. For example, dieters report feeling great as a result of eating clean. The foods they consume lack preservatives, chemicals, and additives. And, some dieters report feeling great thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties of the oils, seeds, nuts, and fruits they are eating.
The consumption of red meat, which is allowed on this diet, means you are getting lots of iron, which helps prevent anemia. And, you can lose weight thanks to the limited food choices. Just remember, you have to eat less calories than you burn in order to lose weight.
Paleo Flu?
The ” Low Carb Flu” maybe something that you encounter while on this diet. Thanks to the limited amount of carbs in this diet, you might feel foggy and fuzzy at first. Dieters report this is normal, but you always have to do what’s best for you.
Your energy levels will likely come back as the transition is complete, but again, if you feel any doubts or any worries about what is happening, please go see your doctor immediately.
Pros:
- Diet promotes healthy fats, and consumption of unsaturated fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil helps lipid profiles stay healthy.
- The protein content is high- these are necessary for the growth and development of skin, cartilage, and muscles.
- No processed foods- this diet is all about the whole foods, which results in less sugar and salt is eaten, which means better blood sugar levels and improved blood pressure.
Cons:
- Diet doesn’t let users eat legumes, which are good for our guts and contain selenium, manganese, and magnesium
- Lack of cheese, milk, and yogurt could lead you to develop a calcium deficiency.
- The elimination of entire groups of food means that you may not get the minerals and vitamins you need.
About Atkins
The Atkins diet has been around forever, and it’s gotten people some great results, to say the least. Many folks on this plan have lost weight, and you do not need to count calories while on it.
Calorie counting becomes frustrating and restrictive for dieters, but with Atkins, you simply watch your net carbs intake, and for lots of dieters, this is quite appealing.
The eating plan is also pretty hearty and satisfying. Hamburgers, for example, are part of this diet. The foods are rich in protein, and they do contain healthy fats. These types of foods are satisfying and help you feel satiated and satisfied.
As a result, it becomes easier to waylay your next snack or meal because you feel satisfied and full from your last meal. It has been reported that total calorie intake is lower on the Atkins diet plan than plans that offer high carb intake as part of their diet.
That being said, portion control is still the name of the game. For example, phase 1 of the Atkins Diet states that you can have just 2-4 tablespoons of added fat per day. So, if you are the sort who enjoys eating large amounts of fatty meat, cheese, and butter, think carefully before you start this diet- eating too much of that stuff will hinder your progress.
Guidelines Are Offered
The guidelines are clear, too. The rules are firm but not so crazy you can’t follow them. It offers a structured approach for people who would like to more or less have a hand to hold as they step into healthy eating and living.
It’s divided into phases: Phase 1 lasts for two weeks. Phase 2 goes until you are just 10 lbs. away from your goal. Phase 3 lasts until you are finally comfortably sitting at your goal weight for a total of four weeks.
There are huge lists of accepted Atkins diet food for each stage of the plan, and portion sizes are clearly laid out for dieters.
Healthy Carbs on Atkins
One great thing about Atkins is the healthy carb inclusion. You won’t eat refined carbs like white bread or cupcakes, but you will eat healthy carbs like green veg and berries rich in fiber. This helps you learn what good carbs are and which ones are to be used sparingly.
For lots of folks, the removal of these types of foods brings them results right away. Replacing sugary drinks with water and swapping starchy sides for veggies helps people enjoy greater levels of energy and satiety. Plus, carb cutbacks result in loss of water weight, which helps dieters feel good about the path they’ve chosen.
About Carbs
Carbs are also allowed on this diet.
Pros:
- Dieters reported weight loss did happen for them
- The guidelines for the diet are clear and easy to follow
- The food is satisfying and tasty
Cons:
- Dieters report that the Atkins diet is hard to maintain
- Net carbs have to be counted
- The grain and fruit intake are significantly reduced on this diet.
Conclusion
There you have it- three diets that are low in carbs but big on benefits. The best thing about these particular diets is that there are resources for these all across the Internet.
They’ve all been around for a while, so it’s easy to find support groups, recipes, and more—best of luck in whichever diet you choose to do some more research on. Just remember to work hard, listen to your body, and stay healthy. Best of luck!