Can a ketogenic diet help you lose weight? Burn fat quickly in the short term, 5 principles to lose weight and prevent weight regain

Is a ketogenic diet necessary for weight loss? Doctors point out that obesity affects health. The ketogenic diet is mainly a "low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, high-fat" diet, which is suitable for rapid fat burning and weight loss, but it is not a panacea and still needs to be evaluated based on individual circumstances. It is recommended that during weight loss, in addition to mastering the five principles and reducing health risks, it must be carried out under professional supervision for safety.

Zhou Shuoqu, a family medicine physician at Shuanghe Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, pointed out that the ketogenic diet is also known as the "sugar-restricted weight loss diet," which means eating very few carbohydrates (starches, sugars, etc.) and replacing the energy usually obtained from carbohydrates with fats, simulating a state of hunger and forcing the body to burn fat.

Ketogenic diet is not a panacea for short-term weight loss

Since "ketone bodies" are produced after fat is broken down in the body, this diet that uses fat as the main energy source and continuously produces ketone bodies is called a ketogenic diet. But in fact, no matter which weight loss diet you use, including: low oil, low carbohydrates, or limited sugar, as long as you control calorie intake, you can achieve the effect of weight loss.

In particular, "ketogenic diet ≠ eating meat to lose weight" as long as the daily diet ratio is fixed and combined with moderate fitness exercises, it can indeed achieve significant fat reduction effects in a short period of time. However, since a diet that involves eating large amounts of fat is extremely extreme and can easily lead to malnutrition, it often leads to the risk of regaining weight due to rapid weight loss in a short period of time and should not be taken lightly.

The ketogenic diet is suitable for short-term rapid fat burning and weight loss. It is important to eat more vegetables to keep blood sugar stable.

Early effects of ketogenic diet: inhibiting epilepsy and brain tumors

Dr. Zhou Shuoqu emphasized that treating epilepsy is the earliest effect of the ketogenic diet. Since ketone bodies can provide energy to brain nerve cells and promote the stability of the neurotransmitter GABA, they are believed by the medical community to have the effect of alleviating epileptic seizures. Among many treatments for epilepsy, the ketogenic diet is listed as a very important and effective one.

In addition, the ketogenic diet is also very effective in inhibiting brain tumors. Because tumor cells can only use glucose as an energy source, but normal brain cells operate on ketone bodies. When the glucose content in the body decreases but the ketone body content increases, tumor cells can be inhibited and the normal functioning of the brain can be maintained.

Master 5 principles to lose weight and reduce risks

Dr. Zhou Shuoqu reminds us that the ketogenic diet can effectively control obesity and blood sugar, but it is not a panacea. It cannot be ignored that there is still a lack of long-term research on the ketogenic diet, and its benefits or possible side effects remain to be verified over time. At the same time, everyone's physical condition and living conditions are different, so individual differences must be taken into consideration. It is recommended that you master five principles during weight loss to reduce the risk of regaining weight.

1. Health check-up: A physical check-up should be done before execution. To avoid hidden problems such as uric acid, gout or poor metabolism such as kidney function. It is not recommended for growing children and teenagers.

2. Weight loss assessment: It is best to perform it in the short term, and it is not recommended to exceed 3 months. During this period, you should also pay close attention to your physical health. When losing weight, it is very important to control the total calories of food.

3. Choose food carefully: Carbohydrates cannot be generalized. It is recommended to eat less refined starches such as white rice and flour products, and instead eat whole grain starches such as brown rice, taro, and yam.

4. Eat more vegetables: Vegetables are important because they provide fiber and a gentle rise in sugar, which brings a sense of fullness and relatively stable blood sugar levels. The amount of sugar in 1 and a half bowls of vegetables is roughly equal to 1/4 bowl of rice.

5. Close monitoring: A sugar-restricted diet should be used to avoid ketoacidosis. For those with poor insulin function, if their bodies cannot metabolize ketone bodies properly, they may suffer from ketoacidosis, which may even lead to shock or death in severe cases.

【Intimate Reminder】：

Although the ketogenic diet is effective for short-term weight loss, the composition of the diet is very extreme. Therefore, it is recommended to discuss it with a doctor or nutritionist before implementing it, and avoid eating a ketogenic diet for a long time. If you really want to lose weight long-term, you should focus on a balanced diet and exercise to lose weight healthily.