Ketogenic diets force the body into a state called ketosis. The body generally uses carbohydrates as its main source of energy. This is due to the fact that carbohydrates are the easiest for the body to absorb.
However, if the body runs out of carbohydrates, it reverts to using fat and protein for energy production. Essentially, the body has a kind of energetic hierarchy that it follows.
First, the body is programmed to use carbohydrates for energy fuel when it is available. Secondly, fats will be used again as an alternative in the absence of an adequate supply of carbohydrates.
Finally, the body turns to protein for its energy supply when its carbohydrate and fat stores are extremely depleted. However, breaking down protein for energy leads to an overall loss of lean muscle mass.
The ketogenic diet is not completely dependent on the pattern of calories in and calories out. This is because the composition of those calories is important due to the body’s hormonal response to different macronutrients.
However, there are two schools of thought in the keto community. While one believes that calorie and fat intake don’t matter, the other holds that calories and fat do matter.
When you’re on a ketogenic diet, you’re trying to find a balance point. While calories matter, the composition of those calories counts, too. On a ketogenic diet, the most important factor in the composition of those calories is the balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrates and how each affects insulin levels.
This balance is very important because any increase in insulin will stop lipolysis. Therefore, you should eat foods that cause the least increase in insulin. This will help keep your body in the state of burning stored body fat for fuel – lipolysis.
The body can normally enter a state of ketosis on its own. This is usually the case when you are fasting, such as when you are sleeping. In this state, the body tends to burn fat for energy while the body repairs and grows while you sleep.
Carbohydrates generally make up the bulk of the calories in a regular meal. Also, the body tends to use carbohydrates as energy, since it is easier to absorb. Therefore, dietary protein and fat are more likely to be stored.
However, on a ketogenic diet, most of the calories come from fat and not carbohydrates. Since ketogenic diets are low in carbohydrates, they run out immediately. The low level of carbohydrates causes an apparent shortage of energy fuel for the body.
As a result of this apparent scarcity, the body draws on its stored fat content. Makes a switch from a carb eater to a fat burner. However, the body does not use the fats in the recently eaten food, but instead stores them for the next round of ketosis.
As the body becomes more familiar with burning fat for energy, the fat from a meal eaten is depleted with little left to store.
This is why the ketogenic diet uses a large amount of fat so that the body can have enough for energy production and can also store some fat. The body needs to be able to store some fat; otherwise, you will start to break down your protein stores in the muscles during the ketosis period.
During periods of fasting, such as during ketosis, between meals, and during sleep, the body still needs a constant supply of energy. You have these periods in your normal day and therefore need to consume sufficient amounts of fat for your body to use for energy.
If there are not adequate amounts of fat stored, the proteins contained in the muscle become the next option for the body to use for energy. Therefore, it is important to eat enough to prevent this scenario from occurring.
The main goal of a ketogenic diet is to mimic the state of starvation in the body. Ketogenic diets deprive the body of its immediate and readily convertible preferred carbohydrates by severely restricting and reducing carbohydrate intake. This situation forces you into a fat burning mode for energy production.