Weight loss is an obsession that has gripped people the world over for decades. Some head to the gym, some take up a favorite sport, others resort to art forms like dancing whereas yet others turn their attention to diet-plans that would best help them lose weight and stay in shape. From the latter, the keto-diet seems to have taken people’s interest by storm, and almost anyone who wishes to lose weight easily opts for this particular diet plan. What sets apart the Keto Diet from other diet plans is that it totally appeals to a foodie! In other words, this diet is one of those rare ones that encourage people to eat fatty food but lose weight in the process. It is also commonly known that since the keto diet calls for the intake of a high-fatty diet with a very low intake of carbs it is comparatively a more expensive diet regime to follow or so one may think! Let us take a look at how one can follow the keto diet effectively yet render it pocket-friendly.
What Is A Keto Diet
Keto diet or ketogenic diet is a diet plan which calls for people to consume a low-carb, high-fat diet which would help them lose weight. This basically means a considerable reduction in the intake of carbohydrates which needs to be replaced with fats thereby putting the body in a metabolic state termed ketosis. What the body does is that instead of burning carbohydrates for energy, when it goes into ketosis the body burns fat to serve the purpose. It directs the body’s natural metabolism towards ketones and fats. Keto diet is said to have various health benefits and particularly is beneficial to those having Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, certain types of cancers, and diabetes as it helps to reduce blood sugar levels. The keto diet can be classified into 4 categories namely:
- The standard ketogenic diet includes very low carb, high-fat, and moderate protein intake.
- The cyclical ketogenic diet which includes days when carbs are eaten much more in quantity than when one consumes a standard keto diet.
- Targeted Keto Diet which includes carb consumption along with regular exercising.
- High-protein Keto Diet which calls for increased consumption of protein as compared to the standard keto diet.
How Effective Is Keto Diet In Weight Loss
Keto diet is an effective diet regime that helps people lose weight in a short span of time. Not only does it help people lose weight but it also lowers the risks associated with diseases. In an independent study conducted on the efficiency of the keto diet, it was found out that those that followed this diet lost weight 3 times faster as compared to their counterparts following other calorie-deficit diet plans. The increased intake of proteins could be one factor why people lose weight faster in a keto diet. Other factors that could play a key role in this process could be an improved sensitivity to insulin, lower sugar levels in the blood, and increased ketones. All of this not only contributes to weight loss but also improves the overall health of the person. People following the keto diet are often found indulging in meat guiltlessly saving them the hassle of tracking calorie intake as opposed to other diet plans. Red meat, cheese, fatty fish, healthy oils, avocados, eggs, lots of butter, cream and nuts are all major parts of a keto diet whereas fruits except berries, legumes, sugary food, root vegetables, etc should be reduced considerably or best avoided
Ways To Make Keto Diet Budget Friendly
People often tend to think that in order for the keto diet to work effectively one needs to go heavy on their pockets. But in reality, this need not be the case. Let us take a look at how one can indulge in their high-fat, increased-protein diet but not compromising on their monthly budget:
- Make wise choices when purchasing meat – cross-check between your regular meat store and various supermarkets to compare the prices of meat. Most supermarkets run weekend offers so make it a habit to stock up on preferably roast-cut chunks to suffice through the week. Add both white and red meat to the diet and not red alone since the latter is comparatively higher priced.
- Compromise on going all organic – it is a known fact that organic vegetables and dairy costs higher as compared to the regular ones. So if one wants to enjoy their greens as part of their keto diet go for the veggies from your regular grocer’s. Just make sure to soak them thoroughly in warm, saltwater for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the chemicals to some extent.
- Increase the intake of eggs – Since eggs are a totally acceptable component of the keto diet, add more of it to suffice the macro goals. They are not only cost-effective but when added to salads and greens they enhance the taste 10 folds and can be had for both breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
- Opt for plant-based, cost-effective cooking oils – monosaturated fats are essential in the keto diet to remain in ketosis so to provide the body with the same cook your food in heart-healthy oils like avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, and the likes. Check prices at various food stores, compare prices, and then make a bulk purchase. Storing them in cool, dark places helps to increase their shelf life too.
- Habituate a routine where food wastage is reduced – Throughout the world, regardless of the diet regime that is followed, a lot of food gets wasted due to lack of meal-planning. Plan ahead every meal of the day throughout the week. Before venturing grocery shopping raid the fridge and buy only that which isn’t already present. Proper storage also plays a key role in reducing wastage. Habituate storing uncooked veggies, meat as well as cooked food invisible and easily retainable containers. Make leftovers a part of the next meal eaten/served. Shop only the essentials.
- Bulk-store keto-friendly dry food – an easy way to go pocket-friendly when opting for a keto diet is to bulk-buy and store dry food items like nuts. Bulk buying almonds, walnuts, etc during the discount season would be a great idea. Just ensure proper storage by labeling the containers as to what is stored in which container and one is good to go. For someone with a poor memory keeping calendar reminders to consume their keto-friendly nuts on time would help reduce wastage.
- Go frozen when it comes to fruits – berries are among the few fruit variety that is considered acceptable in a keto diet and everyone knows berries are expensive. However, switching fresh berries with frozen ones will considerably reduce the bill amount for the month. In this way, one can enjoy a mixed-berry fruit parfait on a keto-friendly budget guiltlessly!
Conclusion
Opting for keto diet is a sure shot way to reduce the unwanted kilos on a person’s bulky self but doing so on a tight budget may seem like a task initially. But once people get a hang of the keto-essential routine it would become easier to make smart decisions when it comes to purchasing the ingredients to suffice a keto-friendly meal. Some key factors to look into would be checking for cost-effective buying options, advance meal planning, bulk-buying, and proper storage and once all of this falls into place every keto-friendly meal can be budgeted, prepared, and relished whilst the person loses weight happily.