The Keto Diet

What is the keto diet?keto diet

The ketogenic diet aka the keto diet is a low carb high fat diet that has gained popularity in recent years for its potential weight loss and health benefits. However, before starting the keto diet, there are some important things to know to ensure that you are doing it safely and effectively.

First and foremost, the keto diet involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with healthy fats. This puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it begins to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. People who are in ketosis may notice less hunger and cravings which helps to eat fewer calories and lose more fat.

The reason people lose weight while doing the keto diet is that they are reducing their caloric intake which results in a negative calorie balance. When calories are matched people who eat carbs compared to people who don’t eat carbs both lose the same amount of fat; however, usually people who do the keto diet will feel less hungry and have more energy.

How to get into ketosis?

To achieve ketosis, you typically need to limit your daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50 grams per day, depending on your individual needs and goals. This can be challenging because many common foods such as bread, pasta, and sugary snacks are high in carbs.

Instead, the keto diet focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and low-carb vegetables. Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, and coconut oil are also emphasized, while processed and high-carb foods are restricted.

Protein intake should be moderate to maintain ketosis because if too much protein is consumed the excess protein will be broken down into glucose and ketosis will not be achieved. Protein intake can vary depending on your lean body mass and exercise volume. Generally, most people will do well with about 1g per pound of lean body mass or less for someone who is not weight training.

What are the risks?

While the keto diet can lead to significant weight loss and improved health markers such as reduced blood sugar, it is important to approach it with caution and under the guidance of a professional.

One potential side effect of the keto diet is the “keto flu,” a temporary set of symptoms that can occur during the transition into ketosis. Symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, irritability, and constipation. Staying hydrated and supplementing with electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium can help alleviate these symptoms.

Additionally, the keto diet may not be suitable for everyone. Those with certain medical conditions such as liver or pancreatic disease, or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, should not follow the keto diet without consulting their healthcare provider.

It is also important to note that the keto diet is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The amount of carbs, protein, and fat you need may vary based on your individual needs and goals. Consulting with a professional can help you determine the best approach for you.

In summary, the keto diet can be a safe and effective way to achieve weight loss and improve health markers, but it should be approached with caution and under the guidance of a professional. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with healthy fats, and may lead to temporary side effects such as the “keto flu.” Consulting a professional can help ensure that you are doing the keto diet safely and effectively.

Need more help? Check out our free nutrition course or contact us to talk more about reaching your goals.

Thinking About Hiring a Personal Trainer?

With the arrival of 2019, many people will make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight; unfortunately, most of the people who make a resolution will not reach their goal. Some will try another fad diet, others will aimlessly begin working out at a gym, and some will hire a personal trainer. Hiring a personal trainer and having the right support system can be the difference between reaching your goal or becoming another gym meme on the internet.
If you are considering hiring a personal trainer as part of your New Year’s resolution make sure you are well informed. A great personal trainer can be a life changing experience which leads to improved health, strength, fat loss, and much more. An unqualified personal trainer can be a regretful decision which results in injuries, slower metabolism, joint issues, and wasted time/money.
Your health and reaching your goal depends on your personal trainer’s advice so don’t be afraid to ask questions; asking the right questions and choosing the right personal trainer can make or break your goal.
Questions to ask before hiring a personal trainer….
How long have you been personal training?
What are your qualifications?
What are your training principles & methods?
What is your training style?
How do you track progress?
Are you current on the latest exercise and nutrition research?
Do you provide nutritional coaching?
Do you provide workout routines?
How long is my training session?
How much do you charge per session?
What is your schedule like?
Do you have experience working with someone like me?
What does my training plan look like?
What do you expect from me as a client?
What kind of results can I expect from your plan?
Why did you become a personal trainer?
Why should I choose you to be my personal trainer?
After asking your potential personal trainer these questions, you should have an understanding of the plan to reach your goal and you should know if you will be a good fit for each other. Turning your health and fitness over to another person is a big decision so be sure to ask the right questions so you can make a well informed decision on hiring the right personal trainer.
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Beta Alanine – The Best Natural Body Building Supplement

What is it beta alanine?

what is beta alanine?

Beta alanine is a non essential beta amino acid which increases muscle carnosine levels and increases the amount of work you can perform at high intensities. Beta alanine is also known for causing the “tingle” you might have felt when you drink a pre workout supplement containing beta alanine.

How does beta alanine work?

A byproduct of weight training is hydrogen ions which decreases the pH in the muscle tissue and inhibits exergy production, when beta alanine is consumed it enters the body and binds with the amino acid L-histidine to form carnosine. Carnosine is responsible for buffering hydrogen ions during exercise which allows you to weight train harder and longer before fatigue.

Who should take beta alanine?

Anyone who is looking to increase high intensity exercise performance or endurance could benefit from beta alanine. Specifically, those who are following a bodybuilding style training program or those who are looking to increase HIIT performance or endurance can benefit from beta alanine. Increasing your capacity to perform exercise can help to increase lean body mass and reduce body fat.

When to take beta alanine and how much?

Beta alanine is usually consumed pre workout, but the timing is not very important because the benefits of consuming beta alanine are based on increased muscle carnosine concentrations that can take several days to increase significantly. 3-6g/day is the ideal dosage to increase muscle carnosine concentrations and performance. The dosage may be divided into smaller doses throughout the day to minimize paresthesia (the tingles). Many pre workout supplements are underdosed and may not deliver the full benefits of beta alanine make sure to read the label and check the dosage.

Are there any side effects?

Beta alanine can cause a “tingle”, “pins and needles”, itching, or flushed feeling throughout the body. This is called paresthesia. The feeling usually last 5 to 15 minutes, but the intensity depends on the dosage and current stomach contents. Beta alanine consumption on an empty stomach will increase blood concentrations faster and increase paresthesia.

In conclusion

Beta alanine is one of the most highly effective supplements in sports nutrition since creatine. We highly recommend beta alanine for anyone who is looking to build muscle, perform better at higher intensities, and increase endurance.

Order Beta Alanine

For more help with supplements and reaching your goals contact us!