Feeling tired and burnt out? Here’s how the keto diet can help...

Feeling drained and burnt out is not uncommon. Despite eating well, most of us feel tired, lethargic, exhausted, confused, non-productive and sleepy at some point in the daytime. Perhaps, it could have negative effects on our daily lives at the workplace and home.

Many of us rely on caffeine and energy drinks to boost alertness and energy, but it just can’t be a permanent solution, not a healthy way to get that much needed boost. So, is there a more healthy way of keeping energy levels up?

In this article we discuss the keto diet, as an approach that can help you find prolonged and sustainable energy levels, boosting fitness and alertness  by simply modifying your eating habits.

What is a keto diet?

A keto diet is consuming more fats while cutting down on carbs. The diet comprises of mainly fats (60-70%), moderate protein (15-20%) and least of all carbs (5-10%).

The Keto diet has caught the limelight in the diet and nutrition world as one of the most successful dietary approaches to support weight loss and helps treat various health problems.

The purpose of the keto diet is to provide you more stable and sustainable energy

Studies have shown that a keto diet supports the stabilising of blood sugar levels and long-lasting energy so that you feel active, alert and more focused on your work. Besides, it improves mental alertness and brain functions. 

When starting the keto diet you might feel more hungry, tired, and sluggish as your body adapts to using ketones as the prime fuel, but this dip in energy is temporary and shouldn't long.

How does the keto diet help improve my energy levels?

There are several ways in which following the keto diet can boost and maintain energy.

Provides two-fold and long-lasting energy:

Our bodies uses glucose (from carbs) as a prime fuel, converting it to get energy fast. When no glucose is available like in-between meals, our body burns fats (ketones) to use as a fuel, which provides longer lasting and more sustaining energy.

The keto diet adopts a similar approach but with subtle differences. It re-programmes the body to use ketones instead of glucose as the sole energy source. This is because fats (ketones) provide twice as much energy as carbs (glucose) and keep your energy levels up and for longer. 

Mimics fasting state to boost energy levels:

When we eat carbs, it causes insulin release which stimulates bodies storage cells (liver, muscle, and fats cells) to store energy (glucose). 

However, when in the the fasting state, the body drops the insulin level and signals those same storage cells to release the energy by burning fats into ketones.

The Keto diet is but on these principles, where dietary ketones signal the energy-storing cells (liver, muscle, and fats cells) to release the stored energy, boosting over all energy levels and making you more active and energetic.

Minimising the impacts of serotonin:

A study published in Nutritional health revealed that eating a high carb meal in one raises insulin levels, which triggers a boost of the relaxing hormone serotonin in the brain, making us sluggish and sleepy.

Reducing carbs and replacing them with a more fat based diet helps to hold the relaxing hormone serotonin within a productive limit, helping to keep you active and alert for longer.

Studies have shown that the keto diet improves overall sleep quality. Insomnia (difficulty falling asleep) can be a common side effect in the early weeks on a keto diet, however, most find this gets better with time. 

We all know how much we benefit form a good nights rest. 

It makes so much sense that studies have shown people worked more productively without that crash of daytime sleepiness, whilst on the keto diet. A study published in Nutrition investigated keto diet effects on various domains in people struggling with obesity and found that when following a keto diet they were more motivated and energised to exercise, additionally they slept less in the daytime.

Which foods can explicitly boost my energy levels?

The Keto diet encourages you to eat more fats, moderate proteins, and fewer carbs every day. Following are the few keto food suggestions that are an excellent source of energy and healthy at the same time.

• Eggs 

An excellent source of proteins that helps provide long term energy.

• Seeds

Flax seeds and chia seeds are actual energy banks that are also a rich source of fibre and omega-3 fatty acids that maximise the health benefits. 

• Nuts 

Almonds, walnuts and cashews are rich sources of nutrients, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids that enhance enduring energy.

• Avocado 

A rich source of fibre and fats that last longer in the tummy and provide long-lasting energy.

• Meat

It is a substantial source of proteins and fats that keeps your energy tanks loaded for a long time.

• Cheese

It is another excellent source of keeping your energy at top levels. You can eat goat cheese, blue cheese, cream cheese and parmesan cheese since they have more fat and fewer carbs.

It is too easy to high amounts of carbs when you feel that familiar crave for energy. One key to creating a sustain keto diet is to plan out your meals and keep healthy keto friendly snacks with you to refuel your body. Make sure your snack drawer is kept full up with snacks like KetoKeto that will keep you feeling fuller for longer and on the right track to burning ketones for fuel inserted of glucose. 

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References:

https://journals.sagepub.com/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/ketogenic-diet/

https://link.springer.com/article/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/