A ketogenic diet is primarily used today for people wanting to lose weight. However, the concept is nothing new and has in fact been used for more than a century to help treat patients with epilepsy that proves resistant to drug therapy, particularly in children.
Essentially, a ketogenic diet, or keto, causes ketones to be released by the body into the blood stream. Cutting out carbohydrates on a temporary basis makes the body start generating energy from ketone molecules, which are created through breaking down stored fat. Even small steps can make a huge difference for weight loss; a Keto diet can be entered into gradually and still have an effect.
Dr. Carolyn Dean recommends using RnA ReSet, or the Total Body ReSet bundle, as a supplement that provides all the key nutrients and minerals that the body needs to be able to maintain a Keto diet, achieve weight loss goals and thrive. The infographic attachment gives a general overview of how a Keto diet works. As with any lifestyle change, there are simple steps that can be taken to introduce the changes in a sustainable way.
Motivation and Goal-Setting
Motivation and will-power are key aspects of maintaining healthy lifestyle changes, including introducing a Keto diet. People who know what their motivation is tend to be able to adapt to lifestyle changes better. Motivation typically comes from a combination of working out what feels good and what we need to avoid if we don’t want to feel bad.
In terms of a Keto diet, we avoid the pain of being overweight, while moving towards the pleasure of being healthy and having a body to be proud of. Setting achievable goals can also help with motivation and inspiration. Having vague, long-term goals can leave people feeling like they are not achieving anything, or not reaching their goals fast enough. Setting short-term goals that can be achieved and ticked off can help maintain motivation even through hard times. An example of an achievable weight loss goal would be aiming to fit into a certain item of clothing by a specific date, such as a summer holiday.
Some more tips for healthy ways to lose weight can be viewed in the infographic attachment to this post.
Love and Happiness
Our emotional state has an effect on our mental and physical health and can play a huge role in whether we are able to stay motivated or not. Before embarking on a Keto diet, Dr. Carolyn Dean recommends making other lifestyle changes that are designed to help us feel happier and less stressed, so that these are already in place beforehand and have become habits. Activities that balance emotions and lower stress levels can help maintain the motivation to stick to the diet.
Another recommendation is to have some non-food-based treats in mind that can be used as rewards, so that the diet becomes associated less with sacrifice and more with pleasure. Dr. Dean also suggests that we need to diet out of love for ourselves and our bodies, rather than seeing it as some form of punishment.
Role Models
Having a role model can help with inspiration and motivation when undertaking any challenge, and a Keto diet is no exception. Hearing other people’s success stories can be a key motivator, but role models can also help by pointing out areas that didn’t work for them as well as areas where they succeeded.