Keto Weight Loss: Maximizing Results With Smart Strategies

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss. To maximise weight loss on keto, it is important to adhere to the following:

- Minimise carb consumption: Carbohydrate intake should be drastically reduced to reach and maintain ketosis, with only 5-10% of total calories coming from carbs.

- Increase physical activity: Being more active can help deplete glycogen stores, leading to increased ketone production and fat burning.

- Consume more healthy fats: Ketogenic diets typically call for 55-60% of calories from fat, with healthy sources including fatty fish, olive oil, and avocado oil.

- Maintain adequate protein intake: Protein intake should be sufficient to supply the liver with amino acids for gluconeogenesis and preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

- Optimise sleep and reduce stress: Chronic stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss by disrupting hormones that regulate hunger and metabolism.

- Eat nutritious, whole foods: Prioritise unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods such as full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, pastured meats, poultry, and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.

- Create a calorie deficit: Monitor calorie intake and ensure it is less than what the body requires to create a deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.

- Intermittent fasting: Short-term fasting can help deplete glucose reserves, leading to increased fat burning and ketosis.

Eat the right foods

To maximise weight loss on a keto diet, it is important to eat the right foods. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be challenging to adjust to. Here are some tips on what to eat to maximise weight loss:

• Consume High-Fat Foods: The keto diet is characterised by a high intake of healthy fats. This includes fatty fish like salmon, olive oil, avocado oil, and avocados. Coconut oil, in particular, is beneficial due to its medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) content, which can be converted into ketones more rapidly.
• Increase Protein Intake: While keto is not a high-protein diet, ensuring adequate protein intake is crucial. Complete proteins, such as meat, fish, and eggs, provide all the essential amino acids. Additionally, collagen peptides support healthy skin, bones, and joints.
• Choose Low-Carb Options: Carbohydrates should be limited on a keto diet. Focus on low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, cucumbers, asparagus, and zucchini. Be mindful of higher-carb options like broccoli and cauliflower. Berries are a good choice for an occasional dessert.
• Prioritise Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods: Opt for unprocessed, nutrient-dense whole foods. This includes full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, pastured meats, and poultry, as well as avocado and olive oil. Add non-starchy vegetables like greens, broccoli, peppers, and mushrooms for extra nutrients and fibre.
• Manage Calorie Intake: While keto emphasises fat and protein, it's still important to monitor overall calorie intake. Avoid overeating, as it can hinder weight loss. Use a food tracker app to ensure you're consuming an appropriate number of calories for your goals.
• Consider Food Intolerances: Food intolerances can contribute to inflammation and affect weight. If you experience bloating or other issues after consuming certain foods, consult a healthcare professional to identify any intolerances and make necessary dietary adjustments.
• Optimise Sleep and Stress Management: Adequate sleep and stress management are crucial for weight loss. Lack of sleep can disrupt hunger-regulating hormones, leading to increased appetite. Chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, encouraging fat storage, especially in the belly area. Prioritise sleep hygiene and stress-reduction techniques like meditation or yoga.

Exercise more

Exercise is an important part of maximising weight loss on a keto diet. While the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, it is still important to ensure you are not consuming too many calories overall. Exercise can help to create a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.

It is recommended that you incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine when following a keto diet. This could include activities such as walking, jogging, yoga, weightlifting, or cardio exercises. Exercise will help to stimulate fat loss, as well as provide numerous other health benefits. For example, exercise can lower your risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. It can also help to improve your metabolic health by building muscle, which will increase the number of calories you burn at rest.

However, it is important to note that when first starting a keto diet, you may feel more tired and sluggish during exercise. This is because your body is adjusting to using fat instead of glucose as its main source of energy, which can take some time. As a result, you may need to reduce the intensity of your workouts during the first few weeks of the keto diet. For example, if you usually lift 100kg, you might want to start with 50kg.

To maximise weight loss on keto, it is recommended that you aim for at least three to four days of exercise per week. Creating a workout schedule and sticking to it can help to build a healthy exercise habit. You can also try exercising in a fasted state, as this has been shown to increase ketone levels. Additionally, consuming coconut oil or other sources of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) may help to increase ketone levels and provide a quick source of energy for your body during exercise.

In summary, exercise is an important component of maximising weight loss on a keto diet. By incorporating regular physical activity into your routine, you can create a calorie deficit, stimulate fat loss, and improve your overall health. However, it is important to listen to your body and adjust the intensity of your workouts as needed, especially when first starting the keto diet.

Consume fewer calories

Consuming fewer calories is an important aspect of maximising weight loss on a keto diet. Here are some detailed tips to help you reduce your calorie intake:

Understand the Basics of Calorie Deficit

The key to losing weight is creating a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than you burn. This can be achieved by reducing your calorie intake, increasing physical activity, or a combination of both. Eating fewer calories doesn't mean starving yourself; it's about making mindful choices and ensuring your body gets the right amount of nutrients.

Determine Your Calorie Needs

Everyone's calorie needs are different and depend on factors such as age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. Use online calculators or consult a dietitian to estimate your daily calorie maintenance level, which is the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. From there, you can create a calorie deficit by subtracting 500-1000 calories from your maintenance level.

Track Your Calorie Intake

Start tracking your calorie intake using food journals or mobile applications. This awareness will help you make better food choices and ensure you don't exceed your daily calorie goals. Be mindful of portion sizes, as it's easy to underestimate the amount of food you're consuming.

Choose Filling, Nutrient-Dense Foods

Prioritise nutrient-dense foods that are high in protein and fibre, as they increase satiety and reduce hunger cravings. Examples include leafy greens, nuts, eggs, lean meats, and high-fat dairy products. These foods provide essential nutrients and keep you feeling fuller for longer, making it easier to stick to your calorie goals.

Be Mindful of High-Calorie Keto Foods

Although the keto diet includes many healthy fats, some keto-friendly foods are high in calories. For example, nuts, nut butter, cheese, and avocado can be calorie-dense. Enjoy these foods in moderation and be mindful of portion sizes to avoid exceeding your calorie goals.

Avoid Unnecessary Snacking

Snacking can quickly add extra calories to your daily intake. If you feel hungry between meals, opt for low-calorie, nutrient-dense snacks like non-starchy vegetables or a hard-boiled egg. Avoid constant snacking on high-calorie keto treats, as this can hinder your weight loss efforts.

Manage stress and sleep

Stress and sleep are important factors in weight loss. If you're new to the keto diet, you may experience keto insomnia, which is a temporary condition that occurs as your body transitions from burning carbohydrates to burning fat. This can cause difficulty falling or staying asleep, fatigue, low energy, and increased stress and irritability. Here are some tips to manage stress and improve sleep while on the keto diet:

• Gradually reduce carbohydrates: Instead of cutting out carbs completely, try eliminating one type of high-carb food at a time, such as grains, sugary desserts, starchy vegetables, or most fruits. This can help reduce feelings of discomfort and deprivation.
• Consume your carbs later in the day: Eating carbs in the evening can improve sleep since they increase brain tryptophan, which is metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, promoting sleepiness.
• Get enough electrolytes: Electrolyte imbalances can occur due to low insulin levels on a keto diet. Include electrolyte-rich foods like broccoli, watermelon, chicken, canned tuna, and strawberries in your diet, and consider a keto-friendly electrolyte drink.
• Eat nutrients that promote better sleep: Include foods rich in magnesium, tryptophan, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Examples are almonds, spinach, chia seeds, dark chocolate, beef, poultry, cheese, eggs, chicken, tuna, pumpkin seeds, beef liver, sardines, egg yolk, and salmon.
• Follow a consistent sleep schedule: Choose a specific bedtime and wake-up time, and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Stick to this schedule to improve your sleep quality.
• Exercise regularly but avoid close to bedtime: Exercise can help relieve insomnia and speed up ketosis and weight loss. However, avoid intense workouts close to bedtime, as it may interfere with sleep.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Wind down before bed with a relaxing routine such as reading a book or listening to soft music.
• Avoid caffeine close to bedtime: Caffeine increases wakefulness, so avoid consuming coffee or other caffeinated beverages 6 hours before bed if you're experiencing insomnia.
• Limit the use of electronics at night: The blue light emitted by electronic devices can suppress melatonin, disrupting sleep. Turn off all electronic devices at least 2 hours before bed or use blue light-blocking glasses.
• Keep intermittent fasting periods short: While intermittent fasting is often used with the keto diet, extended fasting periods can stress the body and interfere with sleep. Stick to shorter fasting periods, such as 12-16 hours instead of 24 hours.

Test ketone levels

Testing your ketone levels is a way to determine whether your body has entered a state of ketosis, which is the goal of a keto diet. Ketosis is when your body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. Typically, your body will enter ketosis after reducing carbs to 50 grams or lower in a matter of days.

There are three ways to test ketone levels: blood, breath, and urine. Blood ketone testing is considered the most accurate way to measure ketone levels, as it directly checks beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the most abundant ketone. To test your blood ketone levels, you will need a ketone blood meter and blood test strips. Here are the steps to test your blood ketone levels:

• Prepare the test kit.
• Wash your hands and dry them, or cleanse your finger using an alcohol swab.
• Insert a test strip into the ketone meter.
• Prick the side of your finger using the lancing device that comes with the blood ketone kit.
• Place a drop of blood on the test strip and wait about 10 seconds for the final reading.

Common blood ketone readings include:

• Light to moderate ketosis
• Transient increase due to exercise
• Due to fasting for several days, not sustainable long-term

Breath testing is a newer way to measure ketone levels. It measures acetone, the least abundant ketone, which is exhaled through your breath. As a general rule, the more acetone in your breath, the deeper you are in ketosis. Breath testing is convenient and non-invasive. Common breath ketone readings include:

• Ketosis resulting from following a keto diet
• Due to fasting, but also check for signs of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) if you have diabetes
• Possible DKA, call your healthcare provider immediately

Urine strips are a convenient and affordable way to test ketone levels. They are typically colour-coded and will change colour based on the presence of the ketone acetoacetate. The darkness of the strip indicates the extent to which you are in ketosis. Urine testing may be done in the early morning or a few hours after dinner. Here are the steps to test your urine ketone levels:

• Prepare the materials (the test strip and a clean or sterile specimen container).
• Collect a fresh urine sample in the container.
• Dip the end of the strip (with the reactive pad) into the urine specimen.
• Wait for about 40 seconds.
• Check and match the colour of the reactive pad with the colour chart on the bottle container or test kit wrapper.

Common urine ketone level colour charts include:

• Trace ketones (0.5 mmol/L)
• Small ketones (1.5 mmol/L)
• Moderate ketones (4.0 mmol/L)
• Large ketones (8.0 mmol/L)
• Larger ketones (16 mmol/L)

It is important to note that testing ketone levels is optional for those on a keto diet, but it can be useful when starting out. However, for those with diabetes, especially type 1, ketone testing is crucial to prevent DKA and receive timely intervention from a healthcare provider.

Frequently asked questions