Keto Weight Loss: Where To Start Your Journey

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been proven to help with weight loss and fight metabolic disease. The diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, which puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. During ketosis, the body uses fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to a reduction in body fat, especially unhealthy abdominal fat, which is one of the criteria for metabolic disease.

The keto diet can also help to improve insulin sensitivity, which is beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Additionally, the diet can lead to a reduction in calorie intake and increased feelings of fullness, making it an effective tool for weight loss. However, it's important to note that the keto diet may not be suitable for everyone and should be done under medical supervision.

What to eat on keto

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. The diet is especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. On keto, you cut back significantly on carbohydrates, also known as carbs, in order to burn fat for fuel.

• Meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey
• Fish: salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, and other fatty fish
• Eggs: pastured or omega-3 whole eggs
• Dairy: butter, cream, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and macadamia nuts
• Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
• Avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole
• Low-carb veggies: green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, kale, and salad greens
• Sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, and candy
• Grains or starches: wheat-based products, rice, pasta, and cereal
• Fruit: all fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries
• Beans or legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas
• Root vegetables and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots
• Alcohol: beer, wine, and liquor

What not to eat on keto

A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. It involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.

• Refined carbs: White bread, pasta, rice, pastries, tortillas, etc.
• Beer and mixed drinks: Beer, liqueurs, and mixed drinks have a high carb and low nutrient count.
• Honey and syrups: Honey, agave syrup, and maple syrup are concentrated sugar and can easily increase your daily carb count.
• Fruit juice: Juice is high in naturally occurring sugar and lacks dietary fiber.
• Soda: Soda is essentially sugary water with zero nutritional value and a high carb count.
• Condiments: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, and sweet chili sauce are examples of sugar-packed condiments.
• Glazed or honey-baked ham: The sugar baked onto or infused into these hams can keep you from reaching or maintaining ketosis.
• Light or low-fat margarine: While low in carbs, light or low-fat margarine is low in fat – your main source of fuel on the keto diet.
• Dried fruit or trail mix: When fruit is dried, its sugar is concentrated into smaller serving sizes.
• Low-fat diet foods: Foods marketed as low-fat tend to be higher in sugar to compensate for the lack of fat.
• Potatoes and other starchy vegetables: White and sweet potatoes, peas, corn, beets, and carrots should be limited due to their high carb content.
• Sweetened yogurt or dairy: Avoid flavored or sweetened yogurt and cottage cheese, which will add to your carb count.
• Certain fresh fruits: Fruits like mangoes, bananas, and grapes are naturally higher in carbs and could keep you from reaching or maintaining ketosis.
• Beans and other legumes: Legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas are challenging to incorporate into a keto diet due to their carb content.
• Quinoa and other grains: Grains like quinoa and millet are too high in carbs to be included in a keto diet.
• Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate with a cacao content of 70% or more can be part of a keto diet in small amounts.
• Milk: Whole milk has 11 grams of carbs per cup. Almond milk or soy milk are better alternatives.
• Croutons: Just 2 tablespoons of croutons contain almost 3 grams of net carbs.
• Peas: Peas are a starchy vegetable with a higher amount of carbs than non-starchy veggies.
• Low-calorie snacks: Snacks like pretzels or 100-calorie packs of crackers are often high in carbs.
• Potato chips: A 1-ounce serving of potato chips has about 14 grams of net carbs.
• Honey-baked ham: One serving of honey-baked ham contains 7.3 grams of net carbs.
• Margarine: Margarine is higher in trans fat, which has been linked to detrimental effects on the heart.

How to get into ketosis

To enter ketosis, your body needs to be in a metabolic state where it uses fat and ketones, instead of glucose, as its main fuel source. Here are some ways to get into ketosis:

Reduce Carb Intake

Cutting down on carbohydrates is essential to achieving ketosis. Aim for less than 20 to 50 grams of net carbs per day. This may vary depending on your body size, but generally staying under 50 grams will lead to ketosis. The fewer carbs you consume, the more effective it will be for reaching and maintaining ketosis.

Avoid Frequent Eating

If you're not feeling hungry, skip the meal. Intermittent fasting or reducing the frequency of your meals can help you get into ketosis faster. This doesn't necessarily mean reducing your overall calorie intake but rather spacing out your meals to allow your body to use up its glucose stores.

Measure Ketones

You can confirm that you're in ketosis by testing for ketones in your blood, breath, or urine. These tests can be done at home and will indicate whether your body has entered ketosis. Keep in mind that each testing method has its pros and cons, so choose the one that best suits your needs.

Eat More Fat and Moderate Protein

While reducing carbs, increase your consumption of healthy fats and make sure your protein intake is moderate. Too much protein can be converted into glucose, slowing down your transition into ketosis. Focus on high-fat meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining ketosis. Stick to your keto meal plan and avoid cheating with carb-rich foods. It usually takes a few days to reach ketosis, and it's important to be patient and persistent during this transition period.

Monitor Your Progress

Keep track of your progress by taking photos, measurements, and weighing yourself regularly. If your progress stalls, re-evaluate your diet and make sure you're staying within the recommended carb range. Remember that getting into ketosis takes time, and individual results may vary.

How keto helps weight loss

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. Here's how keto helps with weight loss:

Ketosis and Fat Burning

When you significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake on a keto diet, your body enters a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. The breakdown of fats in the liver produces ketones, which can be used as an alternative energy source for the brain and other organs. This shift in fuel utilization promotes weight loss by accessing and utilizing stored body fat.

Reduced Hunger and Calorie Intake

The keto diet is known for its ability to reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness. The high-fat content of the diet helps with satiety, and the reduction in carbohydrate intake lowers insulin levels, allowing for better access to body fat stores. This combination often leads to a spontaneous reduction in calorie intake, making it easier to create a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.

Appetite Suppression

Ketogenic diets have been shown to suppress appetite and reduce food intake. This effect is supported by positive changes in hunger hormones, including leptin and ghrelin. The high-fat, moderate-protein nature of the keto diet helps you feel fuller for longer, making it easier to stick to a calorie deficit and promoting weight loss.

Improved Insulin Sensitivity

The keto diet can drastically improve insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for weight loss, especially for individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. By reducing carbohydrate intake, blood sugar levels stabilize, and the body becomes more sensitive to insulin. This improved insulin sensitivity enhances the body's ability to utilize glucose effectively, reducing the risk of weight gain associated with insulin resistance.

Decreased Fat Storage

The keto diet may reduce lipogenesis, the process of converting sugar into fat. By minimizing carbohydrate intake, the body has a reduced capacity to store excess glucose as fat. Instead, fat becomes the primary fuel source, and weight loss is encouraged as the body taps into its fat stores for energy.

Increased Fat Burning

Several studies have found that ketogenic diets may slightly increase the amount of fat burned during rest, daily activity, and exercise. This increased fat burning, coupled with reduced fat storage, promotes weight loss and can help individuals achieve their weight management goals.

Keto weight loss expectations

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that encourages the body to enter a state of ketosis, where fat is burned for fuel instead of glucose, which can lead to rapid weight loss. Here are some things to expect and consider when using keto for weight loss:

Weight Loss Expectations

Weight loss on keto varies from person to person and is dependent on several factors, including size, metabolism, diet adherence, and water retention. Generally, if a daily caloric deficit of around 500-700 calories is maintained, noticeable weight loss can be expected after 10 to 21 days. People have reported losing between 1 pound to over 10 pounds within the first week, but these numbers may not be accurate for everyone. Larger individuals tend to lose more water weight when starting the keto diet, so it is unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is due to fat loss. After the first week or two, the weight loss rate typically slows down as the body adapts to the diet.

Non-Scale Victories

In addition to weight loss, the keto diet can lead to non-scale victories (NSVs), which are health improvements that are not necessarily related to weight loss but can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being. These include increased energy levels, better sleep quality, enhanced mental clarity, reduced inflammation, and better skin health.

Initial Weight Loss

The initial weight loss on the keto diet is often water weight. As you enter ketosis, you may burn more fat, but the early weight loss is mostly due to water losses. This is because the body rapidly burns through glycogen, the stored carbs in the liver and muscles, and releases the water that was bound to those carbs.

Long-Term Weight Loss

After the initial rapid weight loss, weight loss on keto typically slows down. To continue losing weight, it is important to stick with the diet and maintain a caloric deficit. After about a month, the body becomes more efficient at burning fat as fuel, which can lead to further weight loss.

Potential Drawbacks

While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. The diet may be challenging to stick to in the long term, and there is a risk of losing muscle mass on any diet, including keto. Additionally, there may be some initial side effects, such as the "keto flu," which can include symptoms like fatigue, mental fogginess, and irritability.

Health Considerations

The keto diet may not be suitable for everyone. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting the keto diet, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions or are taking medication. The keto diet may also not be recommended for those with certain medical conditions, such as disorders of fat metabolism, carnitine deficiency, or pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Sample Keto Meal Plan

• Breakfast: Veggie and egg muffins with tomatoes
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives, and a side salad
• Dinner: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter
• Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil, and spinach omelet
• Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, spinach, cocoa powder, and stevia milkshake with a side of sliced strawberries
• Dinner: Cheese-shell tacos with salsa
• Breakfast: Nut milk chia pudding topped with coconut and blackberries
• Lunch: Avocado shrimp salad
• Dinner: Pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli, and salad

Frequently asked questions