Ketogenic Diet Plan For Nursing Mothers

Ketogenic diet plan for nursing mothers in Nigeria is such an important topic among women who want to lose their pregnancy weight. Nigerian ketogenic diet has become a general discussion in the weight loss world, and whenever it appears like you are on a weight loss journey the popular question people ask in Nigeria is; are you on a ketogenic diet?

Alright,

Are you considering a ketogenic diet?

Have you ever wondered if the buzz or razzmatazz about the keto diet is even worth it?

And what does a keto diet really mean?

I can’t even recall on a daily the number of people that ask me if they should consider a ketogenic diet.

Today, I’m going to tell you everything I know about the ketogenic diet and note that I’ve been on this diet now for six years.

If you are a nursing mother and want to give the keto diet a shot, the ketogenic diet for postpartum weight loss will walk you through all you need to know to get started.

I want you to permit me to take you back to history a little so you can know the root of the ketogenic diet.

A Brief History Of The ketogenic Diet?

If you thought the keto diet was discovered a few years ago, you are wrong! Lol!

The whole concept of the keto diet was first discovered in the 20th century as a treatment for Epilepsy. Before then, the way the ancient guys managed epilepsy was by drilling holes in the patient skull a practice known as “Trepanation”.

Around 400 BC, there was a patient who was not responding to the regular treatment and had seizures for five days.

But on the 6th day, there was an interesting discovery..

Hippocrates, the ancient Greek doctor, noticed that as the patient abstained from both food and drink, there were no further seizures.

However, in 1000 AD,

Avicenna — a Persian physician famous for coining the term “epilepsy” from the Greek word epilambanein (meaning to seize or attack), speculated that “overfeeding” may be a risk factor for epilepsy.

So, by the year 1911, some Persian doctors started to try fasting as a treatment option for children with epilepsy.

Now, modern neuroscience tells us that there is a link between what we eat (or don’t) with many brain disorders including epilepsy.

Also, Bernarr McFadden (a physical culturist) was claiming anything could be cured through 3 days to 3 weeks fasting. Trust me, fasting isn’t a fun thing to do for many.

So, scientists went back to the drawing board, trying to answer the question:

Could we reap the health benefits of fasting without actually fasting?

So, In 1921, Rollin Woodyatt (an endocrinology researcher) found out that both “starvation”… and… a low-carb, very high fat-diet leads to the same chemical environment.

In the same year, Dr Russell Wilder and others at the Mayo Clinic experimented with what He called the “ketogenic diet”.

They discovered that the ketogenic diet helped children with epilepsy get better and also behaved and thought better.

As a result, in 1940 the ketogenic diet was accepted as a treatment for childhood epilepsy and was all over medical textbooks throughout the 20th century.

But, anti-epileptic drugs were later introduced and it was a more convenient alternative which led to less interest in the keto diet.

Boom! In 2016, scientists hinted that not only children’s brains may benefit from a ketogenic diet. People that might also benefit includes:

Those suffering from neurodegenerative disorders (such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s) and…

People are affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) from events such as explosions or concussions.

So far, so good, the ketogenic diet has always been about brain disorders.

I know you may be wondering what is the correlation between the ketogenic diet and weight loss?

It’s getting interesting right?

You see, sometime in the 1980s and 1990s, some set of people became curious about the ketogenic diets.

However, these guys were not interested in brain health. They were only interested in one thing and one thing only:

Getting RIPPED!

These people are bodybuilders and physique athlete. The ketogenic diet seemed like a fast solution. A way to eat fatty foods like bacon, butter and the likes and still have six-packs.

Fast forward to today, this old diet has become something popular among people trying to lose weight, perform better and live healthier and longer.

So the big question is:

Can the keto diet really help you get your dream body?

Well, let’s find out if the keto diet really lives up to all the hype.

First, let’s start with the basics:

What Is a Ketogenic Diet?

The keto diet is a way of eating that involves eating high fat, moderate protein, and low carb.

This diet approach consists of…

Mostly fat (70-80%),

Moderate Protein (20-25%), and

Extremely low carb (5-10%)

The keto diet is all about inducing the body into a state of ketosis.

The emphasis here is “Ketosis”

So,…

What is Ketosis?

Ketosis is simply a state in which your body switches to using Ketones ‘instead’ of glucose as your primary source of energy to power metabolic activities.

The major source of energy for every activity carried out in the body such as walk, sleeping, digesting foods, breathes and much more is GLUCOSE.

And where does your body get this glucose from?

It’s simply from mostly carbohydrate foods like rice, vegetables, fruit, grains, beans and so on that you consume on a daily.

So, in situations where you’re starving…or…fasting….or carb intake is low, the body releases fatty acid from stored body fat.

These fatty acids go into other cells through a series of chemical reaction, I wouldn’t want to bore you with, 3 main types of Ketones (Acetate, Acetoacetate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate) are then released into the blood by the liver.

Almost any cell that needs energy can grab from these ketone bodies circulating in the blood. The brain cells are usually the most energy-hungry.

Apparently, Ketosis occurs when ketone bodies in the blood are higher than usual.

There’re two major ways the body can get into the state of Ketosis.

Let’s quickly look at each method briefly:

Ways The Body Gets Into ketosis

Gluconeogenesis

Gluconeogenesis quite literally translates as ‘the production of new glucose’. It is a metabolic pathway that results in the generation of glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon substrates such as lactate, glycerol, and glucogenic amino acids.

Gluconeogenesis occurs beyond around 8 hours of fasting when liver glycogen stores start to deplete and an alternative source of glucose is required. It occurs mainly in the liver and the kidney.

Ketone bodies then replace glucose as a primary source of energy.

Ketogenesis

The body naturally goes into a state of ketosis if you’ve been starving for about 72 hours (or less, if you’re active) by process of ketogenesis.

Ketogenesis is like the body’s energy backup system that makes energy available through ketone bodies during starvation periods.

It is interesting to know that, how fast ketogenesis happens can also depend on your age and level of physical activity.

Ketogenic Diet

If you’re not up for starving or dry fasting for days, then a ketogenic diet is the next best option to put your body in ketosis.

However, you can get the same starvation effect by drastically cutting down or eliminating carbs intake (i.e glucose) and eating high fat and moderate protein ( AKA Keto diet)

And this sort of fools your body into going into a state of ketosis.

Also, note that the ketogenic diet is super restrictive.

Here are foods you can and can’t eat on the keto diet.

List of Keto Foods in Nigeria

Meat: Red meat, organ meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey.

Fatty fish: Such as salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, tilapia, sardines etc.

Eggs: Look for pastured or omega-3 whole eggs.

Butter and cream: Look for unsalted butter as much as possible.

Cheese: Unprocessed cheese (cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella).

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, Melon, etc.

Healthy oils: Primarily extra virgin olive oil, Red palm oil, coconut oil, fish oil, and avocado oil.

Fruits: Avocado, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, Coconut, Lemon, Lime

Low-carb veggies: Pumpkin aka ugwu, lettuce, spinach, kale, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumber, cabbage, eggplant, okra, garden egg, asparagus, cauliflower, celery, Brussel sprouts etc.

Condiments: You can use salt, pepper, and various healthy herbs and spices such as oregano. Rosemary, thyme, turmeric, vanilla essence etc.

Sweeteners: Xylitol, Erythritol. Stevia

Beverages: Coffee, Green tea, Black tea, Unsweetened Coconut milk, Unsweetened Almond milk, Plain Soda Water, Lemon/lime flavoured water, Bone broth etc

Others: Psyllium husk, Coconut flour, eggplant flour, Flaxseed flour, Almond flour, tiger nut flour, chia seed

HEALTHY SNACKS TO EAT ON A NIGERIAN KETOGENIC DIET

In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, keto-approved snacks:

Fatty meat or fish

A handful of nuts or seeds

1–2 hard-boiled eggs

90% dark chocolate

A low-carb milkshake with almond milk, cocoa powder, and nut butter

Full-fat yoghurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder

Strawberries and cream

Smaller portions of leftover meals

You should avoid the following foods on a keto diet:

 Sugary foods and drinks (sweets, cake, fruit juice, smoothies, ice cream, soft drinks, etc.);

 Starches or grains (wheat, noodles, cereal, pasta, rice, wheat-based products and so on);

All fruit (apart from avocado and coconut);

Legumes and beans;

Tubers and root vegetables (sweet potatoes, potatoes, plantain, yam);

Low-fat/diet products;

Condiments that contain sugar;

Unhealthy fats (for instance, vegetable oil);

Alcohol (there are specific ones you can consume)

How to Start/Do Keto Diet in Nigeria

Do you want to start the Keto diet in Nigeria? Do you feel like you’re struggling on the keto diet and not making any headway? I’ve got you covered!

Oh okay, I guess:

You start the keto diet and feel great till your co-workers bring in bread for breakfast.

You wake up on the third day of your keto diet, ravenous, and you eat a whole pizza all by yourself.

You’ve been on the keto diet for a month and have lost zero to one pound.

You are SO sick and tired of eggs and don’t know what to eat anymore, so you just have a meat pie.

You start or restart the keto diet every week. Lol!

If this is you (and this used to be me!), I feel you, Hun!

The keto diet can be hard and confusing with so many varied results that it can seem too hard to stick to. Because I’ve been there, I know just how hard it can be and I am here to help you!

Here are some actionable tips on how to make your keto experience successful and enjoyable! Let jump right in!

The Keto Diet Is Not A Low Calorie Or Low-Fat Diet. Load Up On Healthy Fats!

Eating a lot of healthy fats helps you feel full and you will not feel the need to snack as much and we have been taught to fear fat. Most grocery stores are bombarded with a low-fat version of almost every product.

The truth is that fat is not the enemy, processed saturated fats and trans fats are. Fats help with satiety and act as an appetite suppressant. Loading up on healthy fats will also help cut carb cravings.

If you feel you haven’t had enough fat at the end of the day, eat an avocado or a fat bomb.

Prep Your Meal Ahead

It really helps to meal prep in advance to keep you on track and to help you not give in to the temptation of eating whatever high carb meal is available. You can prepare meals and freeze or prepare and pack in meal prep containers for a few days out.

Don’t Cook Totally Separate Meals from the Rest of the Household

For instance, as a Nigerian, my family members love to eat semo with soup. I cook the soup for the household but eat mine with low carb swallow instead.

Or I make Nigerian beef stew and they eat theirs with rice, while I eat mine with cauliflower rice or shirataki noodles.

It can be exhausting to always cook totally separate dish if you have a non-keto household.

You have to be creative and try to tweak your menu to reduce cooking time.

Restock Your Pantry and Fridge, Remove the Temptation

To set yourself up for success on the keto diet, you will have to restock your pantry and fridge with healthier, low carb options.

The keto diet encourages consuming real foods and not processed foods so you will also have to fall in love with cooking your meals yourself.

Cook Highly Nutritious and Delicious Dishes You Will Actually Enjoy

There are so many delicious recipes you can make on a keto diet. You are not limited to eating the same thing. It’s also so much easier to stick to a diet if you actually enjoy what you’re eating.

Variety really is the spice of life!

So, spice up your meals the way you want to and enjoy your eating experience

Dairy Products Might Make You Stall On Your Weight Loss

A lot of keto recipes rely on heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, or butter for healthy fats. But some people completely stall when they consume dairy on the keto diet.

If you are not losing any weight at all on the keto diet, try giving up dairy for a month. If you do lose weight after that, then you know dairy was the cause and you might have to leave it out of your diet until you reach your goal weight.

Alternatively, you can eat it very sparingly, for instance, once every two weeks, to reduce the effect it has on your weight loss.

Keep Healthy Keto Snacks Within Reach

It always helps to have keto snacks on hand to satisfy your cravings.

A high fat keto dessert or fat bomb and a glass of water will usually take care of that craving.

Other snacks could be avocadoes, eggs, dark chocolate, keto cookies and so on.

Track Your Carb Intake and Watch Out For Hidden Sugars

It might be tempting to just eyeball your meals and try to guess or mentally add up all the carbs you eat in a day. But if you actually track your carbs, you will be surprised to find out that you eat way more carbs than you think you do.

This is most likely the number one reason you are not losing weight on the keto diet; you are eating way too many hidden carbs.

Hidden carbs are those carbs that are well, hidden. They are not obvious like the carbs in fruits or rice or unprocessed foods.

Hidden carbs are found in some seasonings, flavourings, and spices. If you eat store-bought mustard, mayonnaise, or peanut butter, they might contain some carbs which all add up.

Other sources of hidden carbs are canned fish, flavoured extracts or concentrates, and low carb foods that contain honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or similar.

To be safe, use an app like carb manager to track your daily carb intake so you can be sure you are not going above 20-25 net carbs a day

Keep Hydrated

Sometimes thirst is masked as hunger. When you feel like eating something, you might really just be thirsty.

Try drinking a cup of water and waiting a few minutes to see if you’re really hungry. That might really be all you need.

Green tea has been proven to help with digestion and weight loss so it is highly encouraged on a keto diet. It might take a while to get used to drinking it plain but it really grows on you.

Your Mindset is Key

Do you really want to do this and do you believe you can do it? You might be surprised to know that your mindset plays a huge role in the keto diet.

If you don’t believe you can do it, you might not succeed.

Just telling yourself “I can do this” every day will make a world of difference. Just try it and see.

If You Fall Off, Get Back Up Again

Let’s face it. We’re all humans and sometimes you’ll eat something you’re not supposed to. It might even be a party or a friend’s place and you’ve decided to just let go and enjoy whatever meal is served. That’s totally fine!

Do not waste time feeling guilty or beating yourself up about it.

Do NOT give up, bounce back!

Ketogenic Diet Nigerian Meal Plan

With the keto diet, you still need to eat these meals in the right portion, or you might end up not losing weight. Portion control is key here!

Sample of Keto Diet Menu/Timetable in Nigeria for Beginners

Do you like my piece of writing on the ketogenic diet? Tell me in the comment section what you feel about the keto meals. Have you tried it? …or… will you be trying it?

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