Ketogenic Diet Philippines 101

Last Updated on August 7, 2022 by Paula

Suddenly, everyone is talking about Ketogenic Diet in the Philippines!

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I have been on this diet a year ago, and amazingly lost 15 pounds in a month, but did you know that the Ketogenic diet has been around for almost a century?

In fact, Ketogenic Diet, which is a very low carb, adequate protein, and very high fat diet which has been into existence for 100 years have been used as a treatment for patients with epilepsy in the early 1930s.

There are lots of diseases – from Parkinson’s disease to depression to cancer that the ketogenic diet can apparently treat which I will be talking in a future post.

But, first, let me tell you about my weight woes and how the ketogenic diet in rice-loving Philippines can actually work.

My weight has always been waayyy above normal even when I was a kid.

Actually even when I was a baby!

My baby book says I am in the 95 percentile when it comes to weight. Seriously, I had cheeks so chubby people pinch them all the time!

Which explains why I have practically been on a diet my whole life.

(It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle hehe)

And one of the diets that I have tried that made me lose all those unwanted fat is the ketogenic diet.

Word of caution: The ketogenic diet is very low carb, which is bad news for us Filipinos who eat rice with anything!  However, and ito ang masaya, did you know butter and bacon are a staple in Keto Diet? Get your Free Bacon and Butter Cookbook here!

Carbs everywhere! How can I do the Ketogenic Diet, Philippines?

  • I mean, my sister eats her Lucky Me Instant Noodles with rice…
  • My mom tries hard to eat low carb but can’t say no to biko and cassava cakes because those were her fast foods daw in grade school (I can’t imagine how her childhood life was without Jollibee…)…
  • My dad just has to eat his inihaw pork with sili and toyo with lots of rice…

You see, being Filipino without rice is practically inconceivable!

[irp posts=”2514″ name=”My Easy Keto Egg Wraps Breakfast”]

But there are things that happen with weight gain that will practically shake you up.

  • Like you wake up and realize that your blouse – that favorite blouse which shows off your flat tummy – suddenly does not fit (and nope, it’s not PMS!  You can blame it, though!).
  • And you have to jump up and down, struggle, lie down and wiggle so hard to close the button and zip up your jeans.
  • Heck, who needs belts, right?
  • And you realize you need more contouring
  • or your spinster auntie will pinch your cheek for a millionth time!
  • And everyone, I mean everyone, who has not seen you in a long while would greet you, “Uyy, gumaganda ata katawan natin a!” (That’s how Filipinos greet each other by the way – make a nasty remark about your weight. Ha!)

Enough! Di ba?!!! Buti na lang, a couple of years ago, I stumbled into the Ketogenic Diet.

So now, let’s talk about the Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic diet won’t make you miss your sugar if you have this!

Introduction to the Ketogenic Diet

A couple of weeks ago, Ketogenic Diet in the Philippines trended because of political satirist Mae Paner  who lost NEARLY 100 POUNDS and was practically transformed because of this diet.

Here she is talking about Ketogenic Diet with ANC anchor Karen Davila.

And suddenly, every one wants to try it!

When I saw Billy Crawford over at Showtime claiming he has already lost 15 pounds eating Lechon Kawali’, I swore I will go back to the diet! (making this Christmas season a perfect time to start – although Christmas won’t be the same without fruit cakes and salad and cupcakes and cookies and candies and spaghetti and pansit )

What is the Ketogenic Diet?

Ketogenic Diet is a diet that involves eating high-fat (85%) and high-protein diet (25%),  with restricted carbohydrate intake (5%). Advocates of the Ketogenic Diet swear that it is not just another fad diet, but a diet backed by science and research.

How does the Ketogenic Diet work?

The weight you will lose on the ketogenic diet is premised on a state that your body will reach – Ketosis.  Ketosis is when your body is put into a certain metabolic state, making you burn fat for energy.

How does your body go into Ketosis?

On a regular diet, carbohydrates are the Go Food.  It literally fuels your body so you can do normal things you do everyday.  When carbohydrates are limited drastically, your body can no longer use the carbs as its main source of energy.  Fat will be the next source of energy.  And hey, this includes your body fat!

The Ketogenic Diet triggers a process in the body that programs it to burn fat.

When you drastically limit your carbohydrates intake, your body can longer rely on it as its main source of energy, fat will become your new main source of energy which also includes your body fat. When using fat as energy, your body will begin to burn ketones for energy.  If you have so much ketones on your body, your body will start to burn stored fat for energy instead of carbs.

The Ketogenic Diet reduces hunger.

When your body is in a state of ketosis, you practically don’t feel like you are on a diet.  You rarely go hungry!

And here is the reason why.

The fat and proteins that you consume in your diet will make you feel fuller for a longer time than when you eat carbs.

How do I know my body is in a state of Ketosis?

If you are really serious about knowing if your body is in a state of Ketosis, you can always buy Keto Sticks. These works pretty simply.  You just have to pee on these sticks to find out the amount of ketones in your body. 

If your body is in a state of ketosis, the stick will change its color from beige to a darker color.  Deep purple is said to be indicative of higher levels of ketones.


Kinds of Ketogenic Diet:

One thing many people don’t realize about the ketogenic diet is that there are actually a few different varieties.

While most people are on the standard keto diet, there are also some others you should be aware of. Here is a short breakdown of what each keto diet includes:

  • Standard keto diet – The standard keto diet (SKD) is extremely low-carb and high-fat, while allowing for moderate protein in your diet. Only 5% of your diet should consist of carbohydrates.
  • Targeted keto diet – With the targeted keto diet (TKD), you stick to the standard keto diet, except when you are working out, you are allowed to add more carbs.
  • High protein keto diet – Some people are put on the high-protein keto diet, where your protein percent goes up to 35%, your fat is slightly lower, and your carbs are still in the 5% range.

Now, do keep  in mind that when we talk about the keto diet, we are referring to the standard version.

What You Can Eat On The Ketogenic Diet

Most low-carb diets are also high-protein, so this is where some people get it wrong. The Ketogenic Diet is not Atkins or any other low-carb diet. You are not eating unlimited amounts of meat and cheese on this diet.

Since you need a certain amount of macros – or percentage of protein, carbs, and fat – on this diet, planning is crucial.

In order to feel full, you need to eat as many no-carb and low-carb foods as you can throughout the day. This means limiting the fruits and vegetables you can consume. You probably already know the typical low-carb foods like lean meat, cheese, eggs, and some nuts.

However, there are also some vegetables that are very low in carbohydrates. They include:

  • Cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Broccoli
  • Bok choi
  • Kale
  • Collard greens
  • Cabbage
  • Green beans

(Isn’t it great that all these veggies are grown in my hometown???)

What you can’t eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Carbs are a no-no!  Yes, ditch that rice!

I know it is so hard to give up rice, but my mom who was on the hCG Diet for a while and where carbs are strictly not allowed used Miracle Rice!

This is not rice (and definitely does not taste like rice), it is made of shirataki mushroom, but it is “pwede na” , especially when you are sooo sooo incredibly craving for rice.


And sugar – oh, you just have to forget sugar! But I discovered a fantastic sugar substitute, with no weird after taste.  You might want to try it:


Here is a short list of what you DEFINITELY CANNOT EAT when you are doing the Ketogenic Diet:

 

  • Bread
  • Pizza
  • Sugar
  • Artificial sweeteners
  • Certain oils (canola, margarine, corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean)
  • sugary drinks (beer, wine, cocktails, fruit juices)
  • Certain high-sugar fruits (pinapple, mango, banana, papaya, grapes, etc.)
  • Dried fruit (raisins, dates, cranberries)
  • Rice
  • Grains (Oh, yes, not even oatmeal!)

Being on a Ketogenic Diet can apparently treat certain diseases.

Like I told you above, in the early 1930’s,  epileptic individuals, specifically epileptic children who are not responding to anti-epileptic drugs were put on the Ketogenic Diet.  The diet reportedly decreased epileptic seizures by over 50%.

 

Still not sure the keto diet is right for you?

The Ketogenic Diet certainly has a lot of health benefits.  Aside from weight loss, being on the keto diet will balance your hormones, helping with infertility and PCOS.  It may also reduce the bad cholesterol, lower your blood sugar, help with acne, and help you give more energy.

Ready to learn more about the Ketogenic Diet? Here are my recos:

 Urine Ketone Strips with FREE 14-DAY MEAL PLAN eBook – Ketosis Strips & Diabetic Test Strips. Ketosis Test with Keto Strips Kit Takes Only 15 Seconds! 100 Keto Sticks. Granular Erythritol Sweetener (1 lb / 16 oz) – FREE 10 Keto Desserts PDF – No Calorie Sweetener, Non-GMO, Natural Sugar Substitute Powdered Erythritol Sweetener (1 lb / 16 oz) – FREE 10 Keto Desserts PDF – Confectioners – No Calorie Sweetener, Non-GMO, Natural Sugar Substitute Hand Held Spiralizer Vegetable Slicer – Veggie Spiral Cutter – FREE 10 Spiralizer Recipes PDF – Make Healthy Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-free Noodles Quickly and Easily!

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Venessa,

    Nice post! Keep it up. 🙂

    Have you tried purchasing Erythritol from Amazon to Philippines? If yes, how long did it reach your place? 🙂

    1. Hi! It took around two weeks. Erythritol is good! There is another variant which I got – I also purchased the So Nourished veggie spiralizer. It is handheld and super duper handy.

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