Dietary Dilemma: Should I Try Keto to Reduce Body Fat?
![]() |
| Dietary Dilemma: Should I Try Keto to Reduce Body Fat? Here's how to adopt a high fat, low carb eating plan. |
Here's how to adopt a high fat, low carb eating plan.
Many people have difficulty wrapping their head around a ketogenic diet or simply known as the keto diet. We get it, it seems contradictory on the surface .. I can eat all the fatty foods I want - even bacon - and drop body fat? It is not making any sense!
Yet for many people, "keto jaane" has lost weight rapidly. The question is, is it healthy weight loss? And is keto the right diet path for gym goers who want to lose body fat without gaining muscle and strength? Our resident nutritionists deal with these issues to help you make decisions.
- Featured Expert: Susan Lopez, RD, CSSD, LD, is a strategic performance dietitian who specializes in working with athletes from the military, firefighters, police and first responders. Lopez is a military veteran and special operations spouse whose unique experience and knowledge helps elite warriors and community heroes stay fit and healthy. He is also the team dietician of Bravo Sierra.
If I eat more fat, will I burn more fat?
I get this question in many forms, such as, "Will keto help me lose weight or will eating fat make me fat?"
The body is such a complex organism and is amazing in its ability to adapt to whatever we humans like to throw at us.
There are various metabolic pathways in the body that can be used to supply energy to our cells. Each macronutrient (protein, fat, carbs) can be used to make energy, although the body's preferred source of energy is carbohydrates. The least preferred method of energy production in the body is through the breakdown of proteins into amino acids, which are then converted to glucose through the process of gluconeogenesis. If your body is breaking down protein to produce energy, it is likely that your nutrition needs some help.
Body fat can be oxidized to produce energy, and a healthy person in a state of rest will do a fairly good job of using fat for energy production. And yes, eating more fat in the absence of sufficient carbohydrates will increase fat metabolism. But, just because you are metabolizing fat does not mean that you are still not accumulating fat. And if your fat storage rate is higher than your fat burning rate, then you will become obese.
Just as the calories taken to lose weight should be less than calories, similarly the storage of fat must be reduced by fat oxidation to reduce fat. You will also need a calorie deficit to lose fat.
In diets like keto, overeating nutrient-rich foods and reducing the intake of more processed or calorie-rich foods can result in calorie loss, even if there are more calories than fat, and this often results in fat and weight loss. it happens. There is also no conclusive evidence that a low-carbohydrate diet is more beneficial than a low-fat diet when calorie restriction is applied.
So, how do I know if my fat oxidation rate is higher than my fat storage rate (or vice versa)? Is it just a matter of tracking my weight loss and / or my body fat levels?
In a real-world setting, yes - there are actually only physical changes that can be tracked.
Do you recommend tracking calories while following keto? Most people who eat keto track only carbs regardless of calories.
Yes and no When starting with a low-carb diet for the first time, it is fine to track only one macronutrient to keep it simple. This is likely to create a natural calorie deficit, especially if that person's diet was already high in ultraprocessed foods. However, it is possible that someone who eats fairly "cleanly" may need to track calories in advance to ensure that calorie deficiencies exist for weight and / or fat loss.
https://fitnesspoint4all.blogspot.com/
Will eating too much fat spoil my health? How do I follow a low carb, high fat diet and stay healthy?
A diet high in saturated fat may have an effect on lipid levels. That said, the body needs some saturated fat to function optimally. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat in the diet, heart protective fat intake such as omega-3s and overall fiber intake is more important.
Many keto diets refer to moderate protein in order to live in ketosis. What is your recommendation for protein intake for someone trying to lose weight on a super-low-carb, high-fat diet?
In a true ketogenic diet, it is recommended to take less than 20% of calories from protein. The reason for this is that amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) can be used to make glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. When this happens, it can affect ketone production. However, protein intake is often favorable for fat-loss because it confers benefits outside of muscle protein synthesis only. It is satiating, helpful for balancing blood sugar, and is essential for many hormonal functions and overall cellular health.
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the recommended protein intake for active individuals is 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram (2.2 lb) per day of body weight, with an intake of up to 3.0 grams per kilogram per day is considered safe. (When converted to pounds, a range of 1.2 to 3.0 grams per kilogram would be about 110 to 270 grams of protein for a 200-pound person.) In calorie reduction, it may be beneficial for muscle retention to be on the high end of those recommendations. Of, especially on a low carb diet.

0 Comments