Can Keto Make You Healthy and Happy?
Ketogenic diet, commonly known as Keto, has been gaining a lot of favor and traction in the health and fitness circuit. The primary reason for this being that Keto has the ability to help people shed the most stubborn of weight and actually achieve fat loss. Thousands of people around the world have adopted Keto for its health benefits and have posted transformation stories on social media, in order to induct and guide more and more people into the Keto community.
But while the world is jumping on the Keto bandwagon, does this diet also have the potential to make you happy? Or is it the same as being on another trip to self denial and zero gratification, that leaves you looking like a million but feeling like crap? Here is what happens to most of us who try the Keto way and how the diet can mean utter and sustainable happiness for some, while tons of grief for others -
Cravings Are Gone!
As you start your Keto journey, the first thing that happens is that you lose your sugar cravings. While to some, that may mean a heaven-sent, to others, it is a curse in disguise. Many people who struggle with their weight, land up gaining extra weight because they enjoy eating. They relish their cravings and achieve euphoric heights of satisfaction once their cravings are sated. So while the lack of cravings in the long run can bring you peace of mind, it may mean that your carb-laden culinary adventures would end quite unceremoniously (except for cheat meals).
Clarity and Efficiency!
This is probably the biggest and most positive side effect of Keto. As your body learns to metabolize fats for generating energy and gets access to the cleaner fuel, that is ketone bodies; you will successively start feeling more active, efficient and with better mental clarity. Daily drowsiness and the general feeling of laziness which follows after carb laden meals will simply not exist anymore.
For many, this means a better sense of self which can lead to a generally higher propensity for happiness.
Fat-loss and a Toned Body!
This is the ultimate mood booster. As you progress on Keto, your body starts slowly accessing fat reserves, created over decades. This means that you land up losing weight from body zones which you always thought were impossible to change. The Keto body transformation is drastic in the beginning but eventually becomes gradual.
For those of us who have learnt to live with poor body image and a constant lack of satisfaction with the way we look, this particular attribute of Keto leads to much happiness. You start liking yourself in the mirror and suddenly no-filter photos on your social media timeline don’t look so bad. As Keto makes you leaner and fitter, it leaves a definite positive impression on your psyche as well. Thus anytime you think of leaving keto or even do so due to utter boredom or frustration, you remember the happiness that you felt, while you were on Keto. And that makes you come back to this lifestyle choice once again.
Drastic Improvement in Health!
By healthy, I don’t just mean healthy looking. Keto brings a lot of biochemical changes to your body, if you stick with it long enough. Some of the greatest benefits of Keto include reduced symptoms of thyroid malfunction, corrected insulin resistance, alleviation of PCOD symptoms and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. Since Keto diet makes you consume a great deal of protein and fats, along with green vegetables; your mineral and vitamin intake also improve significantly.
If that is not enough to make your previously sickness riddled body happy, then Keto has something extra to offer as well. Due to increased protein and fat intake, as well as near elimination of carbs from your diet, problems like hair fall, brittle hair and acne also improve drastically. Furthermore, the removal of carbs from your diet reduces the incidence of flatulence, helping you achieve a smoother gastronomic experience too.
The Sweet Rush of a Cheat Meal!
Despite all the slowly gained happiness that you can achieve from Keto, it is still a dietary lifestyle based on abstinence. You give up a lot of your favorite foods and limit your eating options dramatically. But it all seems worth it when you start planning and scheduling your cheat meals every few weeks.
As you can eat pretty much anything that your heart desires, during a cheat meal, the excitement and satisfaction that you get from it is beyond incomparable. During a typical cheat meal, your body releases Leptin hormone to create a feeling of satiety and fulfillment. But to those of you who have experienced cheat meals, the post meal feeling is more than just what your body is experiencing chemically. It is almost cathartic!
So the final verdict has to be that Keto is a lifestyle choice that not only makes you healthier, but also happier in the long run!
