Keto: My Weight Loss Journey And Success

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been touted as a weight-loss wonder. The diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, which puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose. While the keto diet has been associated with several health benefits, it also has some potential side effects and is not suitable for everyone. In this article, I will share my personal experience with the keto diet, the challenges I faced, and the successes I achieved.

Weight loss

How Keto Worked for Me: Weight Loss

I wanted to lose some weight, so I decided to try the keto diet. I was attracted to its simplicity, and it seemed like a good way to jump-start my weight loss journey. I set a goal of losing 10 pounds in four weeks, which didn't seem extreme, especially since the keto diet was supposed to be so effective.

Getting Started:

I spent several weeks researching the keto diet, following keto Instagram accounts, and creating a plan. I used an online keto calculator to set goals for calories, carbs, and fat. I focused mainly on reducing my carb intake, aiming for 20 grams each day, and let the other pieces fall into place. I also asked a friend to join me as an accountability partner, which helped me stay on track.

Challenges:

One of the biggest challenges I faced was the extremely low-carb allowance. Eating only 20 grams of carbs a day was difficult, and the food started to feel repetitive. I ate a lot of bacon, cheese, eggs, steak, and chicken. Planning was key to staying on track; I planned out all my meals and snacks on the weekends for the following week.

Another challenge was the "keto flu." As my body started to rely on ketones, I experienced fatigue, mental fogginess, and irritability. Luckily, this only lasted a day, and I never had those symptoms again.

Successes:

I quickly surpassed my weight loss goal. I lost 10 pounds within three weeks and ended up losing 15 pounds in total. I also had more energy and didn't experience the typical mid-afternoon energy slumps, although gym time was a bit challenging as my body adjusted to using fat for energy.

I also felt more creative in the kitchen, experimenting with new recipes that fit the keto diet. I learned to make keto-friendly versions of things like pasta, bread, muffins, and brownies.

Lifelong Takeaways:

I won't stay on the keto diet long-term, but it helped me reduce my sugar and refined carb intake. I also learned the importance of planning and accountability when it comes to dieting.

Tips:

• Planning is crucial. Plan out your meals and snacks in advance to stay on track.
• Find an accountability partner to help keep you motivated and answer your questions.
• Be creative in the kitchen and experiment with new recipes to keep things interesting.
• Be mindful of your exact carb intake to ensure you enter and stay in ketosis.
• Make sure you're getting enough sleep and physical activity, as these factors can impact your weight loss.
• Be aware of the potential side effects and long-term risks of the keto diet, and consult your healthcare provider before starting.

Increased energy

How Keto Worked for Me: Increased Energy

I had always been tired and sluggish, and my energy levels would peak and dip drastically depending on when and what I ate. I decided to try keto after learning that a high-carb diet could be detrimental to energy levels. I tapered my carbs and added healthy fats, and the results were incredible. I no longer experienced the afternoon energy slumps that made it impossible to concentrate and finish my work. I also didn't need to snack constantly to keep my energy levels up.

How It Works

The standard American diet (SAD) is high in carbohydrates, which are converted to glucose and used as the primary fuel source by the body. This can create a vicious cycle of overeating, low energy, and fat storage. On the other hand, a ketogenic diet forces your body to switch to a "fat-adapted" state, where it relies on fat stores instead of carbs for energy. This provides a constant, steady stream of energy without the dips caused by spiking blood sugar levels.

My Experience

Initially, I experienced the "keto flu," which is a common cluster of symptoms that occur during the adjustment period when your body switches from using sugar to fat for fuel. It usually lasts only a few days, but it can make you feel tired and sluggish. However, once I made it through this transition period, I noticed a drastic improvement in my energy levels. I felt more energized throughout the day, and my productivity increased significantly.

Tips for Maximizing Energy on Keto

• Stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes: Drink plenty of water and use electrolyte powders to add minerals to your drink.
• Consume mineral-rich, ketogenic foods: Include magnesium and potassium-rich foods like avocado and fish in your diet.
• Eat more healthy fats: Most of your energy on keto comes from fat, so make sure you're consuming enough healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, and nuts.
• Balance your electrolytes: Keto is a natural diuretic, so it's important to balance your body's electrolytes to avoid fatigue.
• Consume exogenous ketones: Introducing exogenous ketones when starting the keto diet can boost your energy levels and facilitate the transition to a fat-burning state.
• Prioritize sleep: Getting proper sleep is crucial for maintaining energy levels and overall wellness.

Treating chronic illness

The ketogenic diet has been used to treat chronic illnesses for almost a hundred years, with the first recorded instance being in the 1920s to treat epilepsy. The diet is high in fats, moderate in protein, and very low in carbohydrates. The body's cells usually use glucose as their main source of energy, but when there is a scarcity of glucose, the body can break down fat in the body or diet into ketones, which can also be used as energy.

Epilepsy

The ketogenic diet is now considered an evidence-based treatment for epilepsy and is safe and tolerable for children. The diet can reduce the number and intensity of seizures. Research has shown that infants on the ketogenic diet for more than one month had a reduction in epileptic attacks by up to 50%, and 33% of infants no longer had any seizures after being on the diet.

Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes

Theoretically, the ketogenic diet could help manage diabetes as it restricts carbohydrates, so the body switches from using glucose to using ketones as energy. This would result in stable blood glucose levels and reduced insulin requirements. Some studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can lead to a reduction in body weight and an improvement in glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. However, other research suggests that the diet could lead to insulin resistance and raise the risk of developing diabetes in people with healthy insulin production.

Cancer

The ketogenic diet is a controversial topic when it comes to cancer treatment. In theory, the diet could cause oxidative stress in cancer cells but not in healthy cells, and some animal experiments have shown that the diet is effective against the metastasis of cancer. However, there are risks of uncomfortable and dangerous side effects, and there is a lack of clinical evidence about the effectiveness of the diet in slowing tumor growth or preventing cancer.

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease

The success of the ketogenic diet in treating epilepsy, which originates in the brain, has led to questions about its effectiveness in treating other brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The diet is proposed to have protective effects on the brain and may even be able to reduce symptoms. Some small studies have shown a reduction in symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the diet may not be well-accepted by people with moderate to advanced neurodegenerative diseases, and there is a risk of malnutrition, especially in elderly people who are most at risk of these conditions.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a common disease where excess fat accumulates in the liver of people who drink little to no alcohol. A clinical study found that people with NAFLD who implemented the ketogenic diet with nutritional supplementation for six months saw improvements in liver health and significant weight loss. However, long-term implementation of the diet in previously healthy mice actually stimulated the development of NAFLD. More research is needed to understand the short-term and long-term effects of the diet on NAFLD treatment.

Reduced hunger

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can lead to a reduction in hunger. This is one of the reasons why the keto diet can be so great for weight loss.

When your body is devoid of sufficient carbs to burn for energy, it starts burning fat, which results in ketone formation. This process is known as ketosis. Ketosis can cause a loss of appetite, which is one of the reasons why ketogenic diets can be effective for weight loss.

There are several theories as to why ketosis reduces hunger. One theory is that fat is more calorie-dense than carbohydrates or protein (9 calories per gram vs 4 calories), which contributes to satiety. Another theory is that ketosis stabilizes blood glucose levels, which can inhibit hunger stimulation. Ketosis has also been found to suppress the weight-loss-induced rise in ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating hunger.

It's important to note that these changes in appetite may not happen right away. When starting a ketogenic diet, it is common to experience a drastic increase in hunger as your body is still adjusting to using ketones efficiently. However, as your body adapts to the diet, you may find that your hunger levels decrease and you feel fuller for longer.

In addition to reduced hunger, the keto diet can also lead to increased energy levels and improved focus. The diet delivers your body's energy needs in a way that reduces inflammation, and research suggests that the brain works more efficiently on ketones than on glucose.

Improved metabolic health

The keto diet has been proven to improve metabolic health in several ways.

Firstly, it can help to lower insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. This is particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, as it can lead to better blood sugar management and a reduced need for diabetic medication.

Secondly, the keto diet can improve metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, which includes high waist circumference, high triglycerides, blood pressure, and blood sugar, as well as low HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Thirdly, the keto diet can lead to weight loss and fat loss, especially around the abdomen, which is one of the criteria for metabolic disease.

Fourthly, the keto diet can reduce chronic inflammation, which is linked to metabolic syndrome and various diseases.

Finally, the keto diet can restore normal insulin function, which can help to fight inflammation.

It is important to note that while the keto diet has been shown to have these benefits, it may not be suitable for everyone and more research is needed to determine its long-term effects.

Frequently asked questions