When I first start telling people about how I lost all of my weight, they immediately ask me if I am doing the Keto diet?
What is Keto?
If you haven’t heard about the Keto diet, let me give you a little insight. The name “Keto” comes from a process within the body called ketosis. Ketosis is when the liver produces ketones which become the energy source for the body, rather than sugars and carbohydrates.
The process of getting your body to enter a ketosis state is accomplished by reducing your carbohydrate intake to very low levels and increase your fat intake. When your body doesn’t get enough sugars and carbohydrates, it has to find it’s energy source from somewhere, so it starts to break down the fat in your body to produce energy.
Keto and Diabetes
Eating low carbohydrate foods and foods that have low glycemic indexes which produce very little glucose, seems like an excellent idea, especially for a person with diabetes. By eating low carbohydrate foods, you give your pancreas a rest from producing insulin to break down the glucose for energy and shifts the workload to your liver. Without the need to create more insulin, the glucose levels in your blood system will drop.
All of this seems like a great idea, right?
To Keto or Not?
Based on my research (I am not a doctor, and you should always consult a doctor before doing anything that pertains to your health) it is a challenge to eat Keto. The amount varies, but most Keto diets have you eating less than 30 carbohydrates for an ENTIRE DAY! If you have ever tried to control the number of carbohydrates you are eating, you know how difficult it is to find food that would allow you to eat that few carbs in a day. I could never see myself sticking to this eating challenge.
I have never experienced this myself, but I have heard that when your body transitions to ketosis, that you will get a “ketosis flu,” you get sick and fell horrible for a few days while your body transitions from burning glucose to fat. I have no idea how bad this “flu” gets but be prepared; it will happen if you are doing the Keto diet correctly.
Almost Keto
When people as me the questions about the Keto diet, I tell them that what I do is “almost” keto, but just easier while still being healthy. If you have ever read my articles about What Does Eat Like a Diabetic Mean? You will know that I have three principals that I abide by:
- Portion Control
- Monitoring Your Glucose Curve
- Balanced Meals
The Keto diet violates principle #3 for me. Reducing my carbohydrates to such low levels and increasing my fat levels, doesn’t give my body the right balance of nutrition to regulate my glucose curve.
I have found that I get results by keeping my carbohydrates to 30 carbohydrates PER MEAL. If I am terrible, I will let that number go up to 60 carbs for ONE MEAL, but I try to keep that to one meal if I can. I do this by mixing simple/complex carbohydrates, with fats and simple sugars. The body will naturally go through a glucose burning process, work with that process and your body will work as designed.
What has been your experience? Are you or did you doing the Keto diet as a person with diabetes? Please let me how it went for you in the comments below.
