Keto Water Weight Loss: How Fast Can You Shed Pounds?

The keto diet is a popular weight-loss strategy that involves eating high-fat and low-carb foods. While on the keto diet, the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, where it uses ketones derived from dietary or stored body fat as its primary energy source instead of glucose. During the initial transition into ketosis, the body burns through its glycogen reserves, leading to a rapid loss of water weight. This water weight loss can result in a noticeable drop on the scale, with people reporting losses of up to ten pounds in the first week. However, it's important to distinguish this from fat loss, which occurs at a slower pace once the body fully enters ketosis.

Weight loss in the first week

In the first week of the keto diet, you can expect to see a very quick drop in weight—anywhere from a few pounds to as much as 10. This is because when you lower your carb intake, your body releases a lot of water weight (not fat).

Carbs need water to stay in your body. When your body doesn't use glucose immediately, it stores it as glycogen in your muscles, and glycogen binds to water. Each gram of glycogen is stored with 2 to 3 grams of water. When you switch to keto, your body will burn all the glycogen reserves before using fat. Once it runs out of glycogen, the water that was needed to store it gets eliminated.

While this isn't fat loss, it's a sign that your body is working its way into ketosis: fat-burning mode. This rapid water loss may also lead to dehydration and constipation, so it's important to drink more water than usual each day to keep things moving.

The larger you are, the more water weight you're likely to lose after starting keto. People with a higher overall weight initially tend to lose the most water weight in the first week or so of starting the keto lifestyle. As the body transitions from burning carbs, it may flush out about ten pounds of water weight.

That being said, the amount of water weight lost during the early days of ketosis is subjective and will vary based on your previous carb intake, your overall weight, and even how much water you drink daily. Most people talk about losing 6-10 pounds of water weight in the first week or two of ketosis or after an extended water fast.

It's important to note that weight loss varies depending on how long you're on the keto diet, how much weight you have to lose, and your health condition.

Why it's mostly water weight

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that was originally designed to treat epilepsy. However, it has gained popularity as a weight-loss method. During the first week of the keto diet, people often experience a rapid drop in weight, which is mostly attributed to the loss of water weight. This can range from a few pounds to as much as 10 pounds.

The body typically uses carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. When you limit your carb intake on the keto diet, your body turns to burning the stored carbs (glycogen) in your muscles and liver, which is bound to water. This leads to a release of water, resulting in dehydration and constipation. Therefore, it is important to increase water intake during this time.

The amount of water weight lost during the early stages of the keto diet depends on various factors, including your previous carb intake, overall weight, and daily water consumption. People with a higher body weight tend to lose more water weight initially, with some reporting losses of up to 10 pounds in the first week. On the other hand, those with a lower body weight may lose as little as a single pound in the first week or two.

While the initial weight loss on the keto diet is mostly water weight, it is still an important step in the weight-loss process. Once the body enters ketosis and depletes its glycogen stores, it starts burning fat for energy, leading to more sustained and lasting weight loss. This is the stage that many people aim for, as it results in the loss of fat rather than water.

How to speed up weight loss

Understand the Basics of Ketosis

Before starting the keto diet, it's important to understand the basics of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body uses ketones, which are derived from breaking down dietary or stored body fat, as its primary source of fuel. This shift from burning carbs to burning fat usually occurs within a week but can take longer for some people. During this transition, your body will rapidly burn through glycogen, the stored carbs in your liver and muscles, and you'll notice significant weight loss, mostly due to water loss.

Focus on Quality Keto Foods

The quality of your food matters. While you can stay in ketosis by consuming processed foods, it's important to focus on quality keto-friendly options like avocado oil, leafy greens, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed beef. These foods will provide better nourishment and support your weight loss journey.

Increase Your Daily Physical Activity

You don't have to engage in intense workouts every day, but increasing your daily physical activity can boost weight loss. Simple activities like taking short walking breaks, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or standing during phone calls can make a difference. These small calorie-burning movements add up over time.

Calculate Your Macros and Calories

Use a keto calculator to determine your personal keto macros, including your ideal ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats. Additionally, consider tracking your calories to ensure you're eating at a deficit. While it's harder to overeat on keto, it's still possible to consume more calories than you need.

Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting can help boost weight loss and reduce overeating. By restricting your eating window, you'll find it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.

Be Mindful of Dairy and Nuts

While dairy and nuts are keto-friendly, they can impact your weight loss. Dairy products like yogurt and whey protein may elevate insulin levels and hinder ketosis. Nuts, while nutritious, are easy to overeat and can be high in calories and carbs. Monitor your intake of these foods to ensure they don't slow your progress.

Be Consistent and Patient

Finally, remember that consistency and patience are key. The keto diet is a lifestyle and metabolic shift, and it may take time for your body to adjust. Give yourself time to see results and don't be discouraged by plateaus or slower weight loss periods.

How to calculate your macros

When starting a keto diet, people often experience rapid weight loss in the first week, which is mainly due to water weight loss. After this initial period, weight loss usually occurs at a slower, steadier pace as the body enters ketosis and starts burning fat for energy.

Calculating your macros is an important step in the keto diet. Macros, or macronutrients, include carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and they provide all of your calories. The typical macro ratio for keto is 5% of calories from carbs, 25% from protein, and 70% from fat. This range promotes ketosis and encourages the body to burn more fat for energy instead of sugars.

Step 1: Determine Your Calorie Needs

First, consider your fitness goal: are you trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your current weight? This will determine the number of calories you need each day. For weight loss, you need to be in a calorie deficit, while weight gain requires a calorie surplus.

Step 2: Estimate Your Carb Needs

Estimating your carb needs is crucial for keto. Research suggests that a carb intake of less than 20 to 50 grams per day is sufficient to promote ketosis. A good starting point is 20-25 grams per day, but you can start at 50 grams if that's easier for you.

Use the following guidelines based on your calorie range:

• Calorie range <2,000 calories/day: 20 grams of carbs or less
• Calorie range 2,000 to 2,500 calories/day: 25 to 30 grams of carbs
• Calorie range >2,500 to 3,000 calories/day: 30 to 35 grams of carbs
• Calorie range >3,000 calories/day: 35 to 50 grams of carbs

You can also calculate your net carbs by tracking your fiber intake. Fiber is a type of carb that is not easily absorbed by the body and can be excluded from your daily intake. Subtract your fiber intake from your total carbs to get your net carb amount.

Step 3: Determine Your Protein Needs

Protein intake is important as it supports your lean body mass and other essential bodily functions. Some argue that protein should be kept low on keto because it can be converted into glucose. However, research suggests that higher protein intake may improve appetite control and lower body fat percentage without affecting ketosis.

Choose your activity level: little to no exercise, moderate exercise 2+ days/week, or hard exercise 3+ days/week. Then, based on your activity level and fitness goal, use the following recommendations:

• Maintain/sedentary: 0.6g/pound of body weight per day
• Fat loss/moderately active: 0.9g/pound of body weight per day
• Gain muscle/very active: 1.1g/pound of body weight per day

For example, a 150-pound individual with moderate activity trying to lose weight would need 135 grams of protein per day (150 x 0.9 = 135). To get the amount in calories, multiply by four (protein provides four calories per gram): 135 x 4 = 540 calories from protein.

Step 4: Calculate Your Fat Needs

Your keto fat needs can be calculated based on your remaining calories after accounting for carbs and protein. Each gram of fat contains about nine calories.

Here's the math:

• Multiply your carb grams by 4 to get calories from carbs (e.g., 20g x 4 = 80 calories)
• Multiply your protein grams by 4 to get calories from protein (e.g., 150g x 4 = 600 calories)
• Subtract the calories from carbs and protein from your total daily calorie needs (e.g., 1800 - (600 + 80) = 1120 calories)
• Divide your remaining calories by 9 to get your fat grams per day (e.g., 1120/9 = 124 grams of fat)

Step 5: Calculate Your Macros Percentage

To get the percentage of each macro, divide the calories from each by your total daily calorie needs and multiply by 100. For example:

• (80/1800) x 100% = 5% of calories from carbs
• (600/1800) x 100% = 33% of calories from protein
• (1120/1800) x 100% = 62% of calories from fat

The total of these percentages should equal 100.

Using a Keto Calculator

You can also use a keto calculator to determine your personalized calorie and macronutrient recommendations. These calculators use your individual information, such as body fat percentage, current weight, goal weight, activity level, and gender, to provide precise macro calculations. They can help you stay in ketosis and become more aware of the macronutrient contents of the food you're eating.

How to maintain weight loss

Congratulations on your weight loss! Now, let's look at how to maintain it.

Understand the challenges

It is common for people who lose weight to gain it back. In fact, most people who lose a lot of weight regain it within 2 to 3 years. This is often because their body's rate of burning calories decreases, making it harder to lose weight and easier to gain it back. Extremely low-calorie diets and rapid weight loss are not recommended because of this.

Set realistic goals

A healthy goal is to lose no more than 0.5 to 2 pounds per week. This slower rate increases your chances of successful long-term weight loss.

Make sustainable lifestyle changes

Weight loss is achieved through a combination of changes in diet, eating habits, and exercise. To maintain weight loss, you need to stick with these changes long-term. Avoid restrictive diets that are not sustainable. Instead, opt for a balanced meal plan that includes the foods you love, with nutritious foods making up 80% of your diet and comfort foods making up the remaining 20%.

Stay physically active

Physical activity is vital for maintaining weight loss. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, and 2 days of strength training. You can also incorporate small movements into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Monitor your progress

Weigh yourself regularly and keep track of your food intake and exercise. This will help you stay aware of your progress and make any necessary adjustments.

Manage stress

High stress levels can contribute to weight gain by increasing cortisol levels and stimulating your appetite. Find ways to manage your stress, such as through exercise, yoga, or meditation.

Be mindful of your eating habits

Eat slowly and without distractions. This will help you recognize when you are full and prevent overeating. Avoid restrictive diets that can lead to binging and cravings. Instead, focus on eating nutritious foods that make you feel full and satisfied.

Seek support

It can be challenging to maintain weight loss on your own. Find a support system, such as a partner or spouse, who can help hold you accountable and motivate you to stay on track.

Frequently asked questions