Tips for starting the Keto diet after hysterectomy to lose weight fast

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Many women find weight loss and exercise a real challenge after their hysterectomy. If you belong to the group of women that is convinced that the extra weight you gained after the surgery won’t budge, you may be interested in learning more about starting the Keto diet. The keto (ketogenic) diet is a smart weight-loss tool that you might want to try.

We often hear this question: When can I start a Keto diet after a hysterectomy, and is it safe?

The Ketogenic diet has gained a lot of popularity lately, and for a good reason. Many abandon a diet because they can’t handle feeling hungry all the time. For this reason, many women choose the Keto diet. It is easier to follow because the high-fat content helps to lower the appetite.

How does the Keto diet work?

The key principle of the Ketogenic diet is that you deplete your body of its primary energy source which is carbs. By doing this, you force your body to tap into your fat reserves for energy so you will start to lose weight.

In this case, the liver will break down the fat (from your food or from your body fat) into ketone bodies and use them as their new energy source. Your goal is to put your body in a metabolic state, often referred to as Ketosis.

Losing weight after hysterectomy by starting the keto diet

A ketogenic diet is not simply a low-carb diet. It includes consuming a moderate amount of proteins and high levels of fats as well. Broken down into categories, you should get around 75 percent of your daily calories from healthy fats (ideally from plant-based fats), and 20 to 25 percent of your total calories must come from proteins where the Keto diet carbs limit is 5 percent (or 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day).

Now, this may be easier said than done, but how do you track your macros when starting the Keto diet? Macros or macronutrients are the three elements of food: proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. You should be able to find them on most packaged foods. You can also use a calorie tracking app to track your daily macronutrient intake.

Starting the Keto diet without counting macros

While it requires no particular skills, it can be rather time-consuming to search for the right ingredients and prepare meals that have the correct ratio of macronutrients every time. Personalized meal plans prepared by professionals take the guesswork out of how much and what you should eat.

If you like to start the Keto diet but don’t trust yourself with all the macro counting and tracking food on a daily basis, then a custom diet meal plan may be right for you.

How soon can you start a Keto diet after hysterectomy?

Holding off with the Keto diet until after the recovery period is recommended. Due to limited mobility after surgery, reduced food and drink intake, and pain medication, many women have issues with constipation. One of the negatives of the Keto diet is that you eat fewer fiber-rich carbs, which can worsen constipation.

Another possible risk of starting a Keto diet too soon after a hysterectomy is that many Keto food recipes contain broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. These are very healthy vegetables but can also cause lots of gas. After a hysterectomy, post-operative gas and bloating are common, so you may want to avoid this.

During the recovery phase, you need foods that provide energy and nutrition to help your body heal, regain strength, and fight off infections. This is not the time to eliminate foods from your diet that can help your recovery.

Is the Keto diet dangerous?

The Keto diet is safe for most people and provides many health benefits. Some people are concerned about ketoacidosis. Ketosis from a Keto diet alone does not result in ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that can lead to coma and death. Generally, the insulin in our body ensures that the ketone levels remain normal by telling the liver to stop producing ketones.

However, when a person has diabetes, the body is not making sufficient insulin, and ketoacidosis can occur. So, if you are diabetic, speak to your doctor or registered dietician before starting the keto diet.

Equally important, the Keto diet is not for breastfeeding moms and people taking medicine for high blood pressure. Furthermore, never start a Keto diet on your own if you have a health condition that involves your thyroid, pancreas, heart, or kidneys.

Various studies show that faster weight loss is achieved when a person follows a ketogenic diet (or low-carb) compared to a person on a traditional low-fat diet. Many health experts are uncertain about the safety of the Keto diet. People can easily go overboard by eating significant amounts of saturated fats like bacon, sausages, and dairy products, increasing their risk of heart disease. Moreover, we still don’t know much about the Keto diet’s long-term effects.

Possible benefits of a Keto diet after hysterectomy

The Ketogenic diet, when done right, can reduce the risk of heart disease. But you must avoid or at least limit the bad fats (saturated fats) and consume more natural oils (olive oil, nut oils, and avocado oil). Moreover, when you choose lean meat, fish, moderate amounts of low-carb fruits, and plenty of low-carb vegetables, then the Ketogenic diet is not just a safe tool for weight loss but can have many additional health benefits.

Foods to eat on a Keto diet

Foods high in proteins

Fresh grass-fed meat (beef, pork, lamb)
Poultry (chicken, turkey)
Fish and shellfish ( salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, anchovies, trout, seabass, shrimps, and crab)
Eggs
Dairy products (Greek yogurt, butter, cream, cheeses)

Vegetables and fruits that are low in carbohydrates and sources of healthy fats.

Fruit low in sugar (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)
High-fiber non-starchy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower, avocado, cucumber, eggplant, and cabbage)
Natural fats (avocado oil, olive oil, and nut oils)
Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts)

Some Keto-friendly drinks and “sweet snacks” include:

Water
Unsweetened tea and coffee
Cocao and Dark chocolate (min 70%)
Keto-friendly snacks

What not to eat on a Keto diet?

Grains, rice, corn, oats.
Any foods with added sugar (candy, ice cream, sweetened yogurt, cereals)
Root vegetables (that grow below the ground)
Fruits high in sugar (bananas, grapes, mango, pineapple, etc..)
Legumes (chickpeas, beans, lentils)
Processed meat (hot dogs, packaged sausages, deli meat, canned meat)
Colas, beers, smoothies, cocktails
Sweeteners (corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar)

Is the keto diet sustainable long term?

Many believe the Ketogenic diet is hard to follow for a long time because it is very restrictive. This is partially true as there are quite a few things you shouldn’t eat. However, for someone motivated, there are numerous Keto recipes and cookbooks to prevent you from repeatedly eating the same things.

Studies also show that after 12 months, there is no difference in weight loss between people on a Keto diet and those following other diets. However, the Keto diet is a great Kick-start-diet for weight loss, especially for women undergoing surgical menopause who find it hard to lose weight.