Ketosis Diet Explained: What is a Keto Diet?

Diet is the most important factor when trying to see results! No matter what supplements you decide to take, unless your diet is dialled in it’s unlikely that you will achieve your goals.

Whether you lose fat or gain weight is dependent upon your calorie intake. Simply put: if you eat more calories than your body needs, you will gain weight. Train and supplement, and the majority will be muscle. If you don’t, however, the excess calories will be stored as glycogen and fat.

Equally, if you eat fewer calories than your body needs, you will lose weight. Your body can use fat, protein (muscle), or carbohydrates.

The ketogenic diet, or “keto” for short, eliminates carbohydrates from the diet - meaning your body can only burn fat and muscle. We obviously don’t want to burn any muscle; not only does it look good, the more we have on our body means the more calories we are able to burn at rest (yes - even sleeping!)

Typically speaking, most diet plans limit the intake of carbohydrates to 30-50 grams a day, or approximately 5 percent of total calories. The intake of fat usually makes up between a staggering 60 to 70 percent of the total caloric intake, while protein fills the remaining 25 to 30 percent. 

The keto diet involves eating high amounts of fat and moderate amounts of protein, as well as plenty of carb-free fruits and vegetables. Your body shifts to burning fats instead of muscle. Perfect, right?

Keto Diet: What’s it Actually Like?

Well...it’s a gruelling road. However, after the first 5-7 days you will most likely feel more energetic than before. 

As with many diets, the first few days are the most difficult as your body reacts to these big changes and protests in response! You’re actually in the process of putting your body in a new mode called the “ketosis” state.

It is worth noting here that ketosis is the metabolic process of making use of body fat as the primary energy source instead of carbohydrates. The body gets fuelled by ketones when it is in the state of ketosis. Ketones are produced by the body by breaking down the fat stores, instead of making use of glucose that has its origins in carbohydrates. 

With this, your blood sugar and insulin levels are lowered. This is known to have beneficial preventative measures against conditions like diabetes. 

When you start the keto diet, you’re likely to crave carb-heavy foods once they’ve been off the menu for a few days. The good news is that these cravings quickly disappear and once your body adapts you’re even less likely to reach for the bread and chips.

What’s more, our knowledge of nutrition is growing as a society, and there are thousands of low-carb alternatives and keto recipes at our fingertips. Most likely, you’ll find an alternative for some of the foods you’re giving up.

Pairing SARMs and Keto: The Keto Diet on SARMs

If you’re currently using Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, perhaps you’re looking for a diet plan that will complement your gains and give you enough fuel for high-intensity workouts. Or maybe it’s the opposite: you’re a keen keto follower, and you’re curious about the effects SARMs might have on this. 

So, where do keto and SARMs come into play? Can you follow a keto diet on SARMs? Many people interested in SARMs report that the two complement each other, thanks to both of their fat-shedding and energy-boosting capabilities. 

Any keto diet on SARMs should be closely monitored, as it combines two huge changes in the state of your body. Keto and SARMs both drastically alter the composition of your body and the way it grows and processes fuel. If you do so safely, it is not necessarily dangerous - but both changes are a lot for your body to adapt to. 

You must always proceed with caution and ensure that any supplements taken are firstly thoroughly approved by and prescribed by a medical professional. Check the laws in your country or state as rules on SARMs differ around the world. Never use SARMs outside of the legal or medical guidelines where you live.

As stated above, long-term research into Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators is in its infancy, and so those thinking about SARMs must take full caution. Even when professionally approved, it is advised that those who are curious undertake their own research and make an informed decision. Users must always inform their doctor before stopping or altering their approved doses.

When used correctly, safely, and in adherence to medical advice, SARMs and keto can make great accompaniments to each other.  By supplementing SARMs alongside a ketogenic diet, you can expect the following: 

 

Cutting

When in a caloric deficit, we want to retain as much muscle as possible. Using SARMs on keto will ensure that, even following a huge drop in caloric intake, no muscle is lost or wasted. So, you can drop excess calories per day knowing that muscle will not disappear.

This is not to say that you should lower your caloric intake to unhealthy levels: after all, it’s the fuel your body operates on. Calories are not inherently harmful on any diet: it’s just that you need to be aware of what you’re taking in and burning off. 

The supplement Yohimbine intercepts ghrelin, the “hunger hormone”. Users often report feeling full as a result of this, and some say it helps to regulate their energy levels when eating fewer calories than usual. 

Bulking

From our bulking cycle, we want to ensure that we are putting on as much weight as possible. When I say “weight”, we want muscle, not fat - and certainly not water. The keto diet will result in initial water loss and will keep your water levels low in the muscle. Again, Yohimbine has the ability to help with this as a nutrient partitioner, if you’re considering SARMs on keto. 

Combining keto and SARMs and remaining in a calorie surplus can help to ensure excess calories are converted into muscle rather than fat. Again, this must be paired with regular, high-intensity strength training and an adequate intake of fat and protein. Users must always seek medical guidance before taking on a new fitness routine, and acquire a doctor’s prescription that adheres to their local laws. 

The ketogenic diet seems to be everywhere around us, with every man, woman, and their friends wearing the curl-in-the-squat-rack booty band and graciously talking about it. No wonder: even celebrities such as LeBron James and Kim Kardashian have been seen in the past experimenting with keto. 

Like every dieting style or buzzword doing the rounds in the bodybuilding industry, it is important first to comprehensively and completely understand the meaning and importance of the ketogenic diet before you even think of making it an integral part of your lifestyle.

Things to Keep in Mind with the Ketogenic Diet

A ketogenic diet is a convenient way to regulate appetite and control cravings. However, it should not be mistaken for a magical unicorn that can immediately undo years of sedentary lifestyle or poor dietary habits. 

One of the biggest advantages of ketogenic diets is that it is fairly easy to stick to. More and more great recipes and substitutes have emerged in recent years, thanks to thousands seeing the benefit of this diet. You won’t be limited by bland and simple meals! While the cravings can be difficult to fight at first, you’ll almost certainly find a low-carb substitute for the foods on your mind. 

It is important to note here that a keto diet puts the body into the state of ketosis because of the lack of carbohydrates and not due to a high intake of fats. This is primarily because a high intake of dietary fat does not turn a diet ketogenic or make the body produce ketones. However, a low-carb diet that contains less than 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day does. 

 

How Can the Keto Diet Help Me?

The ketogenic diet is an excellent choice for people who usually have issues with cravings, or who find it difficult to control their blood sugar. However, those with diabetes should consult their doctor before taking on the keto diet as it may encourage low “swings” and lead to hypoglycemia. 

It is also beneficial for people who are sensitive to specific types of food. 

The keto diet is also a wonderful choice for people who are prone to stomach issues. This is primarily because it minimises the consumption of fruits, grains, and other carbohydrate sources. In other words, the ketogenic diet is a great choice for people who follow a moderate- to high-carbohydrate diet.

Another noteworthy advantage of keto is its appetite control effect. Individuals on this diet can expect a significant reduction in appetite because of fat being a more satiating macronutrient in comparison to carbohydrates.

Are There Any Risks?

As with any alteration in your diet, keto must be carefully considered before you start. While largely a safe and popular way of shedding fat, it comes with some factors to consider:

• Unsaturated fat levels: Often, a keto diet is very high in saturated fat. This is because it does not differentiate between “healthy” (unsaturated) fats and saturated fats. 
• Saturated fats may be found in processed meat, fried foods, and dairy products, and excessive intake may lead to more visceral fat around the organs and increased risk of long-term health complications like heart disease and stroke. 
• The UK recommendation of saturated fat intake is no more than 30g a day for males aged 19-64 and 20g per day for women of the same age.
• Keto users should be mindful to include both kinds of fats in their diet, with emphasis on unsaturated fats. These can be found in nuts, avocados, seeds, olive and nut oils, eggs, and oily fish.

• Risk of nutrient deficiencies: People who are new to the keto diet or not fully informed may feel that they are restricting the foods they can eat. This may cause them to stick to a limited diet and omit vital nutrients in the process.
• Some fruits and vegetables are higher in carbs than others, but it is important not to cut out their benefits! When followed correctly, the keto diet should include all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients a person needs, and should be rich and varied.

• Kidney problems: Consuming excessively high amounts of protein may put strain on the kidneys. The British Heart Foundation recommends approximately 0.75 of protein per kilo of body weight per day. For the average woman, this is about 45g, or 55g for men. 
• Those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should avoid the keto diet.

• Liver problems: This refers mostly to the fat levels discussed above. With extra fat levels to metabolise, the keto diet might exacerbate any existing liver conditions.

• “Keto flu”: If you’re currently taking in a lot of carbs, switching to keto might be a shock to your body. Many people report the “keto flu” - headaches, dizziness, nausea, and constipation - for a few days or weeks at the beginning of the diet. 
• While this will likely pass quickly, it is important to listen to the body while this change takes place. Many of the symptoms are due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, so you must stay hydrated and make sure to eat foods rich in potassium and sodium.  

With the keto diet and the right and approved choice of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) on keto, you can redefine your fitness, bodybuilding, and wellness like never before. If you decide this is for you, buy from the best SARMs UK supplier!