Ketogenic Diet aka ‘Keto Diet’: What is It and Does It Really Work?

A friend recently asked me about the ketogenic diet aka the keto diet and honestly, I didn’t know what to say. All I knew about keto, I had heard from friends who did some random research online and tried it out on their own. In other words, they did it the unsafe way. Please don’t follow in their footsteps. So, when I got to interview online keto coach Miguel Chanco for my list of 24 Male Fitness Instructors Who Will Make You Want to Work Out, I jumped at the chance to learn more about the diet.

What is a Keto Diet?

Contrary to popular belief, keto isn’t just an all-fat diet.

It is a high fat, moderate protein, and low carb diet, and according to coach Miguel, this is how it works: by limiting your carb intake, there will be a lack of glucose in your body that will cause it to go into ketosis, a “survival mode”. Your body will then burn your stored fat as an alternate energy source to produce fatty acids and glycerol. Once the liver processes these, sugar and ketones will be created to be used as a better substitute for glucose.

Since the body still needs enough glucose to survive, your body will convert the amino acids from the protein you
eat into sugar. Moreover, the lactate from the muscles can also create glucose. Along with the sugar derived from glycerol, your body will have enough glucose to work properly without a high amount of carbs.

What are the Benefits of a Keto Diet?

Originally, keto was a treatment for epilepsy. Scientists discovered that ketones can help manage seizures and as a side effect, the patients ended up losing weight. Additionally, controlling your sugar intake can help you avoid diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and acne.

By following a keto diet, you won’t feel like you’re limiting yourself, either, because there will still be many delicious food choices for you out there. In fact, you won’t feel hungry all the time anymore and this will, in turn, help you save money usually spent on snacks.

According to coach Miguel, a keto diet would be ideal for busy people (you can still focus without difficulty), travelers (easy to tweak in any restaurant), and overweight and obese people (kills sugar cravings and helps you make healthier choices).

What are the Side Effects of a Keto Diet?

There are some side effects of a keto diet, though, such as dizziness, irritability, cravings, stomach ache, tiredness because still adjusting to low blood sugar. Coach Miguel says this is all normal. You might also experience bad breath because of the ketones (but this can be remedied by eating more vegetables) or constipation (but this can be remedied by eating vegetables you’re familiar with).

Coach Miguel highly recommends pairing a keto diet with intermittent fasting and exercise. It turns out keto is actually super effective when done right. Many famous personalities swear by it, including Halle Berry, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, and even Lebron James. Here are some of Miguel’s clients who have lost a lot of weight in just a few months:

Hanz Magtalas

“Coach Miguel helped me create a plan (food diet program of keto and intermittent fasting with daily exercises) and stick with it. The journey was and is not easy. There were many moments I cried of pain because of the difficulty of the program. The temptations that I have to battle psychologically, physically, mentally, and sometimes even emotionally. The feeling is truyl rewarding after successfully crossing those tests and challenges, though. Thanks to coach for always being available to check and assist me in my personalized program. From Sept 17, 2018 at 133kg to November 12, 2018 at 117kg (so far).” – Fr. Hanz Magtalas

Delmer Gerald

“When I first started my fitness journey with Coach Miguel, he told me to take a selfie because that would be the last time I would see myself that way. Well, exercising is hard, eating healthy is hard, and it’s true: IT. WILL. SUCK. But you’ll just have to Embrace the Suck. Nothing will happen until you make a consistent effort to be the best version of you.” – Delmer Gerald

Ariane Madison

Online keto coach Miguel Chanco helped Ariane Madison lose 120 pounds after pregnancy. “Siya nagbigay ng program ko at meal plan ko, pati workout ko kaya biglang bumilis pagbawas ko ng weight. Results guaranteed!” – Ariane Madison

All of the information in this article was created through the help of online keto coach Miguel Chanco. For any questions or inquiries regarding the diet and/or his services, you may contact him below.

Online Keto Coach Miguel Chanco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miguelchancofitness/

Instagram: @miguelchancofitness