Are you not sure why people lose weight on keto?
It seems like you can just eat whatever you want that isn’t a carb, and you lose weight.
In this article, I’ll discuss the science behind the keto diet, why it helps people to lose weight, how to do it, and the solutions to the most common problems that people encounter with keto.
What Is Keto?
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can help you to lose weight and feel more energized.
When you consume a lot of carbs, your body produces glucose, which is then used for energy.
But, when you cut down on carbs and thus lower your insulin, your body has to find another source of energy, and it turns to fat.
This process is called ketosis, and it can help you to lose weight, improve your mental focus, and even solve diabetes.
Why Was the Keto Diet Originally Created?
The keto diet was originally developed to treat epilepsy in children. It was found that the diet could help to reduce the number of seizures that children with epilepsy experienced.
The keto diet has also been found to be helpful for other conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer.
But, after people realized that it was helpful in weight loss and curing type 2 diabetes, many people started using the diet to lose weight. I’ve personally lost 40 pounds with the ketogenic diet, so I can attest to its value.
Why Do People Lose Weight on Keto?
There’s a lot of debate on how keto works, but the most popular theory is that it helps to train your body to burn fat for energy instead of carbs.
When you don’t eat carbs, your insulin lowers, and your body reaches a state of ketosis to get energy from its own fat stores. This can help you to burn fat throughout the day, resulting in weight loss.
In addition to that, since most “pleasurable” foods, like desserts, pizza, etc, are high in carbs, if you eliminate them from your diet, you’ll find that you have less desire to eat.
This can be especially helpful if you, like me, gained weight by eating whenever you were bored.
What Are the Benefits of Keto?
Here are some of the biggest benefits of doing a ketogenic diet:
Weight Loss
The keto diet is one of the most effective diets for weight loss.
A study found that people who did a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more weight than those who did a low-fat diet.
This is because keto lowers insulin instead of just restricting calories, so your body can use ketones instead of carbs for energy.
And because of that, your body doesn’t feel as deprived since it already has its own energy ready.
Mental Clarity
When you’re on a keto diet, your body produces ketones, which are a type of energy that your brain can use. This can lead to improved mental clarity, concentration, and focus.
In fact, the keto diet is often used for this reason to treat people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Improved Energy
If you do keto long enough for your body to adjust to using fats as the main fuel source, you’ll likely feel more energetic. This is because, on keto, your body can use its own fat for fuel throughout the whole day instead of relying on carbs for quick spikes of energy.
Personally, I find that I wake up more easily in the morning, and I have more energy throughout the day when I stick to keto.
I also don’t have nearly as many mid-days slumps as I used to have.
Reduced Inflammation
Since carbs are insulinogenic and thus inflammatory, when you cut them out of your diet, you’ll likely experience much less inflammation.
In one study, people who did a keto diet for six weeks had a reduction in C-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation.
In another study, people with arthritis had lowered their symptoms after starting a ketogenic diet.
Personally, when I go off of keto for a little while, I start to get more acne and my allergies worsen, which are both signs of inflammation.
Stabilized Blood Sugars
Many people with type 2 diabetes can stabilize their blood sugars and even get off of insulin shots by following a keto diet.
In one study, people had better fasting blood glucose levels after starting a ketogenic diet.
In another study of people with type 2 diabetes, those who followed a keto diet for 6 months improved their glycemic control and their HA1c.
This is because, on keto, your body is adjusted to using fat. So, when it doesn’t receive any carbs, it doesn’t freak out.
Instead, it just uses ketones for energy and keeps on moving as usual.
Cure Diabetes
A ketogenic diet can also cure type 2 diabetes. This is because it helps your body to become insulin sensitive again.
A ketogenic diet can help to control and even cure type 2 diabetes. This is because it helps your body to become insulin sensitive again.
In 2008, researchers conducted a 24-week study in order to understand the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on people who suffer from type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The study found that the ketogenic diet group had greater improvements in glycemic control and medication reduction than the low-glycemic diet group.
Another study from 2013 found that a ketogenic diet can lead to bigger improvements in blood sugar control, weight loss, A1c, and discontinued insulin requirements than any other diet.
A study from 2017 also found keto did better than a conventional, low-fat diet over 32 weeks in weight loss and A1c control.
Treat Cancer
The keto diet can be helpful in treating cancer. In one study, they found that cancer patients who followed a ketogenic diet had reduced tumor growth. This is because cancer cells thrive on glucose, but they can’t live on ketones.
So, when you eliminate carbs and lower your insulin, you can help to reverse cancer by depriving it of its main fuel source.
Treat Mental Conditions
The keto diet can also treat mental conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autism. In one study, they found that the keto diet helped to improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
Another study found that the keto diet can possibly improve symptoms of Parkinson’s. And a third study found that a low-carb diet can be a helpful therapy for people on the autism spectrum.
How to Do the Keto Diet
To do the keto diet, just make sure that you consume fewer than 30 grams of carbs per day.
You should also ensure that you eat plenty of healthy fats, such as avocados, olive oil, and nuts. You can also eat moderate amounts of protein, such as chicken, fish, and tofu.
But make sure you don’t eat too much protein since protein, like carbohydrates, raises insulin, which can possibly kick you out of ketosis.
To make sure that you’re getting all the nutrients that you need, you should also eat plenty of vegetables.
I recommend that you eat around 8 cups of vegetables or low-carb fruits per day to help your body get all the nutrients it needs.
But, if you can’t eat 8 cups of vegetables per day, just try to eat as much as you can handle.
How Many Carbs Can You Eat on Keto?
On a keto diet, you can eat up to 50 grams of carbs per day. However, it is best to stick to 20–30 grams of carbs per day to minimize the side effects of the keto flu and to optimize weight loss.
What Foods Can You Eat on Keto?
You can eat all types of meat, poultry, and fish on the keto diet.
You can also eat eggs, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado. You should avoid eating starchy vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and sugar.
Solutions to Common Keto Diet Problems
Here are the most common problems that people face on keto and their solutions.
The Keto Flu
The keto flu is a common side effect of the keto diet, and it can cause symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and nausea. The keto flu can happen for two reasons.
The first reason that the keto flu can happen is that you just started keto, and your body is still dependent on carbs for energy, even though it isn’t receiving any carbs.
To solve this, just keep doing keto and wait for around 6 weeks so all of the cells in your body can get adjusted to using fats for fuel instead of carbs.
But, if you waited for 6 weeks and you’re still experiencing the keto flu, then it means that you have an electrolyte deficiency.
This happens because carbs hold water, and when you don’t eat carbs, you body expels more water by urinating more often. This can result in an electrolyte deficiency.
To solve this, I recommend taking half a teaspoon of pink Himalayan sea salt per day with a shot of water so you can get enough electrolytes.
You can also take other supplements to help you avoid the keto flu, such as bone broth and magnesium.
How to Eat Your Favorite Foods on Keto
Nowadays, there are a lot of keto-friendly alternatives to your favorite foods.
For example, if you want to eat some low-carb pizza, you can just search for low-carb pizzas in the grocery store, and you can find them.
Or, if you’re cooking a dessert yourself, just replace the sugar in them with a sugar-free alternative, like stevia or monk fruit, and replace the normal flour in them with a low-carb flour alternative, like almond flour or coconut flour.
As long as you get creative and search the internet for keto-friendly alternatives to your favorite foods, you’ll find that almost every food has a low-carb alternative!
Getting Back Into Ketosis After Eating Carbs
If you want to get back into ketosis after eating carbs, all you have to do is to consume less than 30 grams of carbs per day for at least two days.
After two days, you will be back into ketosis! Keep in mind the faster you want to be in ketosis, the more severe the symptoms of the keto flu will be, so I recommend that you just take it slow and easy.
Conclusion
The keto diet can be a great way to help improve your health by helping you lose weight, improve your blood sugar control, and even help treat mental conditions.
If you want to do the keto diet, just make sure you consume fewer than 30 grams of carbs per day.
You should also make sure you consume plenty of healthy fats, moderate amounts of protein, and plenty of vegetables.