The Ketogenic Diet: A diet for a niche group

You may have noticed an influx of people beginning to undertake a ketogenic or keto diet, the latest fad to take the world by storm. Whether or not the diet manages to become a mainstay in the nutrition world is yet to be seen, as several other promising diets or detoxes have often been set aside for failing to maintain an adequate health standard – but what exactly is a ketogenic diet?

If you believe what certain nutritionists say, the keto diet could be a revolutionary step towards a healthier lifestyle that could help ward off such ailments as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and even Alzheimer’s disease. A low-carb high-fat diet meant to stimulate your body’s metabolic state to burn fat more efficiently. It is named after the fact that the increased fat intake leads your liver to produce ketones that are known to supply energy for your brain.

There are different types of ketogenic diets but two stick out: the standard ketogenic diet (SKD) and the cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD). An SKD is a typical very low-carb and high fat diet that would break down your daily intake to 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs, whilst a CKD involves a weekly two-day high-carb intake days meant to level out your overall consumption. Other forms of the diets are tailored to specific gym workouts.

In fact, the keto diet is highly recommended for gym fanatics and athletes as their routine is more suited for a diet of this magnitude. As with any diet, you should always consult with your physician or a nutritionist to ensure that it is the right diet for you. An issue that has arisen with many fads is the amount of people who undertake it without fully understanding how it works or some of the risks involved.

Someone who spends a lot of time staying fit and watching what they eat will benefit a lot more from a ketogenic diet than your average Joe who has just started going to the gym. This is true for many of the things that are introduced to target fitness enthusiasts and can be best illustrated by the cross-fit workout. Although meant for those who were already very familiar with the gym, many beginners undertook the workout because of its reputation as a good way to get fit and lose weight. Within weeks it was reported that a range of people had seriously injured themselves whilst attempting to cross-fit.