Ketosis is a metabolic phase wherein the body utilizes fat as fuel instead of carbs. Having a consistent keto diet helps your body achieve ketosis, which is the key to quicker weight loss. 

Generally, if you’re strictly following an ideal keto diet, your body can start losing weight through ketosis in 5-7 days. But this will still depend on your metabolism, health condition, fitness level, and protein-carb-fat intake.

There are also certain cases that a healthy person starts losing weight faster in the beginning. Then after 1 to 2 weeks, the weight loss state will slow down since the body has already adjusted to the keto diet.

If this happens to you, refrain from losing more than 2 pounds a week. Because rapidly losing weight can lead to fatigue, irritability, weakness, mood swings, and dehydration. If these symptoms worsen, talk to your doctor. They may give you the necessary adjustments to your diet.

How ketosis is achieved

During the keto phase, your blood undergoes an increase in the ketone levels. You need to have a healthy keto diet because if your ketone levels get too high, you may experience nausea, headache, and jitters. 

Intermittent fasting is the fastest way to get into ketosis. However, this is not ideal and will only work for a couple of days since your body may not get the sufficient amount of nutrients needed for energy, digestion, and muscle growth.

If you want a better way to achieve ketosis, a low-carb diet, high-fat diet is the best way to go. The results will take longer, but the effects are greater and healthier. This ketogenic diet restricts your carb intake to as little as 20 to 50 grams per day. Yet, once again, the required carb intake to reach ketosis varies from one person to another.

If you pair a ketogenic diet alongside regular exercise, you can lose weight faster.

How ketosis helps your body lose weight

When your body does not have enough sugar to burn energy, that’s when you’ll enter ketosis. And from there, you’ll burn fats and lose weight. 

Generally, your body utilizes glycogen (the carbohydrates stored in the liver), or carbs from the foods you eat, as a primary source of energy. When you eat lesser carbohydrates, your body won’t produce enough glycogen. So fats will be used instead for energy.

Your liver will also break down fats into substances called ketones, which came from byproducts of fat metabolism. And glucose, on the other hand, is your brain’s preferred source of energy.

That being said, if you follow a strict and consistent low-carb diet, a larger area of your brain will use ketones for energy as well.

Even though you follow a low-carb diet, the high-fat content of keto diet is enough to make you full for the day. And in the long term, a ketogenic diet will help suppress your appetite, which will also cut down your overall eating and cause you to eat fewer calories.

If you’re following a keto diet and if your body fully reaches ketosis, you may experience bad breath (known as the keto breath). This isn’t too alarming because the keto breath differs from a bad breath that occurred from cavity or tooth decay.

Other side effects include frequent urination, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. These symptoms should not be accompanied by pain, and will usually go away after a week or two. If they worsen, talk to your doctor immediately.

How quickly can you lose weight through keto

Once you fully reached ketosis through a proper ketogenic diet, you may lose weight as early as 2-4 months than some other diets. Others experience it in the first 3-6 months.

This is because your body will have an adjustment period of 2-4 weeks to reach ketosis first, before you lose weight successfully. And generally, you need to stick to a calorie deficit of around 500 calories a day for you to start seeing noticeable results in the said period.

It is also worth noting that when grams of carbs are restricted, water weight is also the first thing that your body sheds in the first week. For every 1 gram of stored carbs, there are 3 grams of stored water in it.

However, some people are unable to maintain ketosis due to various reasons. Metabolism and lifestyle are two of the biggest factors, too.

If you belong to these people, you can take keto pills that contain ketone esters or ketone salts. You will find them in wide pharmaceuticals and drug stores, and are available in forms of capsules, powder, and liquids. However, you need to ask advice from your GP or doctor first before taking keto supplements, particularly if you’re under medication. 

Bodybuilders, athletes, and physically active people benefit from keto supplements greatly because they perform mid to high-intensity exercises and activities that require more energy. But non-athletic and inactive people who take keto supplements may lead to ketoacidosis, which is a serious health condition.

Thus, if your goal is to lose weight and follow a keto diet successfully, consult a certified nutritionist first. They will guide you all throughout your weight loss and keto journey to ensure you are shedding pounds and burning carbs safely.

TAKEAWAYS

Losing weight through a keto diet takes patience, discipline, and consistency. A ketogenic diet is not your average diet. Which is why you need to create a healthy weight loss meal planning, alongside a regular exercise schedule. These two are very important in order to supply your body with the needed nutrients and energy to maintain a healthy body and to lose weight successfully.

Keto supplementation is also helpful, as long as you can maintain it daily. Body composition is a long-term commitment so make it sure you will develop a healthy, personalized lifestyle that your body can keep up with.