How the Ketogenic Diet Compares to Other
Weight Loss Diets?
With so many diet choices when it comes to weight loss and weight management, it can be hard to choose the right one for you. To make this easier for you, I have compiled a list of how this diet stacks up against 3 of the most popular weight-loss diets in modern times.
Ketogenic Diet vs. Vegan Diet
The vegan diet is a subset of the vegetarian diet whereby only foods derived from plants are eaten. This means that common protein and fat sources are eliminated as no animal or animal by-products like eggs and other dairy products are consumed on this diet. While this diet can seem rather strict, it has benefits like:
(a) Enhanced weight loss and weight maintenance.
(b) Providing plant-based nutrition that is rich in probiotics,vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
(c) Protecting against certain cancers.
(d) Boosting heart health.
(e) Decreasing the global footprint.
While this diet promotes having a lower BMI, it is very restrictive and the many limitations that are placed on the practitioner can lead to more nutrition deficiencies than the ketogenic diet if the practitioner is not careful.
Ketogenic Diet vs. Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet is often referred to as the caveman diet because it is principally based on eating foods that caveman did. This diet was founded on the principle that due to the high level of processed foods in this day and age, diet is one of the main things damaging our bodies. Therefore, the aim is to reverse the diet by eating what was common in the Paleolithic time period to achieve better health via whole eating and as little food processing as possible. The foods that are primarily consumed on this diet include meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and some fats and oils. All grains legumes, most dairy sources and processed foods are eliminated.
The 2 diets do have commonality such as:
(a) Emphasizing the consumption of whole foods
(b) Avoiding the consumption of sugar
(c) Emphasizing the consumption of healthy fats
(d) Eliminating the consumption of grains and legumes
They differ in fundamental ways, though. Practicing the Paleo diet focuses on the ideology of a different time period while the ketogenic diet focuses on the consumption of macronutrients. The Paleo diet also allows for the consumption of carbohydrates in the form of unrefined sugars that are found in fruits and some vegetables. As a result, the Paleo diet while more flexible, does not promote weight loss in the same way that the ketogenic diet does.
Ketogenic Diet vs. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is not a diet per say but is rather a way of eating that promotes going without food for a set period of time, which is usually around 16 hours, then eating during a particular window each day. This way of eating does promote weight loss in addition to other health benefits like:
(a) Lowering the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes
(b) Increasing mental clarity and focus
(c) Increasing energy
(d) Aiding in the prevention of some cancers
Despite these great benefits, there are drawbacks to intermittent fasting and they include:
(a) Digestive issues
(b) Causing weight gain due to the practitioner overeating during the eating window
(c) Interfering with the social aspects of eating
(d) Being low energy and unproductive due to hunger
While both processes promote ketosis, intermittent fasting leads to more hunger, less energy and therfore, unstable results as it comes to weight loss. Therefore, you can gain the benefits associated with intermittent fasting such as autophagy and sustained weight loss without having to deal with the pain of hunger and potential nutrient deficiencies.
We have all been there. You have come in from a hard day where your commitments took a toll on your mind and body. You are hungry but you also want to savor something that excites your taste buds. However, after your long day, the last thing you want to do is cook. Now you are in a predicament. You would not be in this predicament if you had the foresight to meal prep.
Define Meal Prepping?
Meal prepping is the process of preparing meals partially or wholly in advance. Most people meal prep on a weekend so that a week's worth of meals is prepped in advance. However, the process is highly individualized so some people meal prep for only a few days while others do it for 1 month or even longer. The process is facilitated by how much storage space you have and how much time you have on your hands to prepare meals in that one session.
Meal prepping can be done in 3 ways:
The first method involves preparing ingredients in advance. Preparation methods include peeling and slicing vegetables and fruits, roasting meats and other proteins, etc. Since these processes have already been done, when it is time to eat, all you have to do is mix the ingredients together for a tasty meal.
The secong method is batch cooking. Batch cooking is the preparation of large meals then freezing them in entirety for later use.
Lastly, you can make individual portioned meals. These meals are stored in appropriate containers so that they are easy to grab and go when needed. This last method is very popular among people who live busy lives and are typically on the go.
Benefits of Meal Prepping
There are a variety of benefits to preparing your meals in advance and they include:
(a) Saving Time - Having your meals prepared in advance and ready to eat at the time that you need saves you time and you do not have to put in the daily expenditure in that department.
(b) Saving Money - A shopping list can be prepared from determining the recipes to be prepared. This prevents repeat trips to the grocery store to pick up ingredients as well as the unnecessary buying of unneeded items.
(c) Saving Energy - Meal prepping takes away the guesswork from meal preparation throughout the week so this saves mental energy. It also saves on physical energy by allows all or most meal preparation in one session rather than spread across every day.
Effective Rules of Meal Prepping
(a) Use foods that last longer such as frozen vegetables, stiff, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fresh, stiff veggies.
(b) When meal prepping for breakfast, ensure that your meal has plenty of protein and fiber.
(c) Soups and salads are great meal prep options for lunch because they are highly customizable and provide a great source of vegetables and lean protein.
(d) Meal prepping for dinner is a great way to get your daily recommend intake of vitamins and minerals from veggies.
(e) To ensure that meals last longer, ensure that you have a appropriate storage such as freezer-safe plastic bags and airtight containers.
(f) Meal prepped food typically last for between 2 and 5 days in the refrigerator and much longer when frozen. To keep track of dates, place labels on storage containers.
(g) When reheating food, ensure that the internal temperature reaches 165 degree F to kill any possible bacteria grow.
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