Keto Diet or Keto Lifestyle, What's the Difference?
Mar 09, 2021
When speaking of Keto or Ketogenic, the vast majority associate it directly with a diet plan, the Keto Diet . However, the Keto lifestyle includes more than just a weight loss diet. When we talk about lifestyle, we mean something that affects our whole being and the way we live.
Adopting a Keto lifestyle leads us to internalize guidelines and routines in favor of our integral well-being . Not just for a few months or simply to lose a few kilos, it becomes a way of life, by personal choice.
Why is it not the same to talk about the diet and the Keto lifestyle? Let's see the reasons.
What is the Keto diet?
As its name suggests, the Keto diet comes from the word keto or ketosis , which means to burn fat. It does it in a very particular way, by producing energy from fat or ketone, which is why it is also called a ketogenic diet .
This diet is based on the intake of foods of natural origin; it is low in carbohydrates and sugar, but high in fat and protein . With the Keto diet you lose weight by consuming fat, but how is that possible? Everything is thanks to the processes that occur in our wonderful body.
How does the Keto diet work?
When you consume, for example, bread and sugar (carbohydrates), the body releases insulin; This is the hormone in charge of helping to transport glucose in the blood and that cells use that glucose, or failing that, store it when there is excess glucose and that the cell will not use at that time, glucose is stored as adipose, that is say and colloquially, the fat in the body.
By decreasing the levels of insulin release (by not eating almost carbohydrates) and increasing the consumption of healthy fats and proteins, the burning of fat accelerates and becomes a "fat burner" , and it happens because your body makes a " switch ”and begins to produce ketones , this is the other source of energy that our body can use for its functions.
This source of energy, ketones, make us enter a state of ketosis or Keto (from Ketosis in English), and it is when your body, your neurons, cells, feed on ketones and no longer glucose.
And so it is the most efficient way to release the body fat that we have stored naturally.
Important: There are many supplements with BHB ketones, unnatural ketones, in pills, sachets, liquids, etc. We DO NOT recommend its use, without a doubt the best way to be in ketosis is naturally, with ketones produced in your own body.
This is how the Keto diet works, it will make you feel satiated, less hungry, and it manages to remove after a few weeks that strong addiction to sugar, bread or carbohydrates, since the brain has its source of energy (ketones) now constant.
In addition, your metabolism speeds up, so you will expend more energy, even without exercising. We can summarize how the Keto Diet works like this:
- Decreased insulin levels
- Higher consumption of healthy fats
- Fat burning or use of fat accumulated in the body
What does the Keto lifestyle involve?
The first thing we must be clear about is that the Keto lifestyle is healthy as long as it is followed correctly, and it meets the basic requirements for it: it is balanced, adaptable and accessible . Its main purpose is not weight loss, but rather to improve overall health. This is the big difference between the Keto diet and lifestyle.
Achieving a radical change in the metabolic processes of our body is possible by embracing the Keto lifestyle. In this sense, we are not talking about adopting a ketogenic diet for a few days or a few months; but to make it a lifestyle, where healthy foods are consumed in a balanced way.
The Keto diet is effective and beneficial, but for many it is only temporary and they quit soon.
The Keto lifestyle, on the other hand, is about internalizing healthy and consistent eating habits , not just thinking about losing weight and counting calories.
It is possible to choose this lifestyle based on the knowledge that one has about the diet, and the professional guidance that one has.
The Keto lifestyle beyond weight loss
The Keto diet is healthy and for many it is synonymous with effective weight loss. However, if you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you must go beyond calorie counting. A balanced consumption of nutritious and balanced foods according to your daily macros is the best ally to gain health and stay in shape.
The Keto lifestyle involves in-depth knowledge of your body and the different types of foods. Unfortunately some associate Keto only with fats, but this is not the case. In addition to healthy fats, it includes: vegetables, fish, meat, nuts and seeds; everything in perfect balance.
So this professionally guided lifestyle can help you maintain a stable weight and a healthier life; You can even keep it when the dreaded cravings arise.
Adopting the Keto lifestyle
Today there are many lifestyles based on healthy diets. As we have found over the years, the Keto diet is effective and has improved the health of many people. Not only does it improve metabolism and physical performance, it also protects against certain degenerative diseases according to various studies.
Making the Keto lifestyle our own implies a change in habits, at all levels. Food should be prioritized, give it the place it deserves and not leave it to chance. Knowing our body is vital to adopt it, its functioning and how each food affects our entire being.
You cannot ignore the importance of physical exercise in this way of life, ideally guided by a professional, since more strength exercise is recommended than cardio. Remember that our body was made to move, this is a fundamental pillar to be healthy and feel well-being!
And, of course, it's important to fill your mind with positive thoughts, get plenty of rest, and reduce stress ; This will help you get the most out of this lifestyle.
Keto benefits as a lifestyle
As you make Keto a way of life, you will see the damage caused by dietary imbalances revert to your body. Little by little you will notice improvement in your immune system, quite possibly thus reducing infections and other diseases.
The Keto lifestyle respects the individualities of each person, which is why we say that it is adaptable . It is not a short-term race, here you go little by little at your own pace, without obsessions, listening and respecting your own body.
This is not a strict military regimen that you must adhere to in order to achieve your immediate goal of losing weight. Rather, it is about seeing how your body, your mind and your whole being feel happy with this new lifestyle.
It takes patience to adapt to new habits and changes with the Keto lifestyle; but it is well worth doing, your health is the best reward!