7 Signs You Might Be In Ketosis When Doing The Ketogenic Diet
One of the main goals of starting the ketogenic diet is to get your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis. Note: If you don’t know what the ketogenic is all about then check out the Ketogenic Diet: Beginner’s Guide to Keto and Weight Loss. This is when your body starts to produce a lot of ketones to supply energy for your body. Why is this good? Because it means your body has converted from a sugar-burner to a fat-burner. If your body is burning fat for energy then something amazing starts to happen. The fat on your body starts to disappear. But how do you know when you’re in ketosis? Besides using test strips or an instrument there are some signs that your body will give. 7 Signs You Might Be in Ketosis These don’t 100% guarantee that your body is in ketosis but if it is in ketosis then these signs will appear. 1. Weight Loss One of the obvious signs of ketosis is weight loss but this can also be pretty deceptive because many people don’t experience the kind of weight loss that they expect. This can happen for a variety of reasons but when you get close to entering ketosis or do enter ketosis you’ll find that you lose a healthy amount of weight quickly. For example, when you switch to low carbs you usually experience significant weight loss in the first week. In fact, my wife lost 12 lbs in the first 28 days of Keto and I lost 13. This isn’t your body burning fat but finally being able to release the water that was being held by the fat cells. If your fat cells don’t release this water then they can’t flow through the bloodstream to be used as fuel so losing water weight is a good thing. After the initial rapid drop in water weight, you should continue to lose body fat consistently if you are able to stick with the low-carb aspects of the diet Continue reading >>
In Ketosis, But Not Losing Weight?
In ketosis, but not losing weight? If so, you are not the only one. Many people hit plateaus eventually… Some sooner, and some later than others. A ketogenic diet is a diet consists of high fats and high proteins, with carb intake at only 50 grams of carbs or less per day. The reason this diet has become so popular is because of the dramatic weight loss that happens in the first 4 weeks of following it. The point of a ketogenic diet is to turn the switch in your body from using carbs as energy, to using fats (lipids) as energy. The results can be pretty fast, but there are downsides. The first 3 days of starting a ketogenic diet is referred to as the keto flu because of how it affects your body and mind. The most common side effects of the keto flu are headaches, irritability, mood swings, diarrhea, and energy loss. The keto flu is the point in time when your body is switching from using carbs as energy and produces ketones that signals the body to use fat as energy. Let’s talk about a few different scenarios that can be the cause of a weight loss plateau during a keto diet. Calorie Intake The single most important part of losing weight for any kind of diet that is out there is of course your calorie intake – a lot of people on a keto diet come to the conclusion that they can eat anything as long as there are very little or no carbs. It’s only true to an extent. Sure, you can eat things like bacon, ham, hot dogs, burgers, etc, but you still have to intake the right amount of calories. Just because your body is using fat as energy, does not mean you can eat a ton of calories. You can eat absolutely no carbs, but if your calorie intake is high, you are not able to lose weight and in fact will gain weight if too many calories are taken in. Exercise The next problem Continue reading >>
I'm Gaining Weight On A Ketogenic Diet. What Am I Doing Wrong?
The weight gain could be spurred due to the following reasons: 1. You’re Eating Excess Calories: Even though you are sticking strictly to the Keto-approved food list, if you eat more calories than what you need you are bound to gain weight. Find out what your daily macro requirement is and then eat calories less than that to lose weight no matter which diet you follow. 2. You’re Not Exercising Correctly: Exercise is critical to Keto, especially to burn the excess glycogen stores in the liver. However, if you are relying on steady-state cardio to get your exercise, then you might a bump. These exercise are ineffective to long-term weight loss as they might lead to decreasing your resting metabolic rate. Instead, try to engage in high intensity interval training or heavy weight-lifting for better results. Or, mix up cardio and HIIT, by doing each 2-3 times a week. 3. You’re Exercising Too Much: Another problem with exercising is that if you do too much off it you might impede weight loss. Exercising for more than just 1 hour a day reduced the resting metabolic rate of the individual by more than 15%. So, ensure you give your body the necessary rest every now and then. Preferably, give yourself at least a day or two’s rest in a week. 4. You Take Frequent Cheat Days: It might take you a good 1-2 weeks to get into full-fledged ketosis. If you drop the ball in between, you have start from the beginning. 5. You Lost Intense Weight Recently: In some cases, it has been found that if you recently lost intense weight then your body takes a while to adjust to the new weight. So, it retains water to create extra weight before slowly accepting the new weight. However, after a short burst it lets go off the excess weight. 6. You Have Some Sort of Food Sensitivity: If you are n Continue reading >>
Can’t Lose Weight On Keto?
Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Tempted to give up on this whole low-carb high-fat lifestyle? Don’t you dare… at least not without checking out all of these helpful resources first. In this post, I’ve included LOTS of resources that are all super helpful in explaining why you might be gaining weight or stuck in a weight-loss plateau, and how to get out of it. We go over these key topics: Understanding plateauing/stalling on keto How to avoid gaining weight while on keto Why carbing up can help on a low-carb lifestyle Why counting calories is not the answer What you are doing to gain weight (not food-related!) This extensive collection of resources is awesome if you are frustrated with weight gain while on keto, you are just stuck in a “no-man’s land” even though you’re doing everything you can think of to lose weight, overwhelmed with counting all your calories every day, or simply interested in starting out on keto. Wherever you are, there is definitely something in these resources that can benefit you. So go ahead and check them out! If you find something that helps you, please let me know in the comments! LOW-CARB PLATEAUS, TUMMY WEIGHT GAIN + KETO FOR BLOOD SUGAR If you’re frustrated with your weight gain or simply lack of weight loss, then this is a great podcast to listen to. This podcast answers your questions about busting through a plateau while eating keto, the reason behind tummy weight gain, and using low-carb eating for blood sugar management. Highlights… Plateauing on low-carb Hormones and tummy weight gain Eating keto with type 1 diabetes 4 REASONS WHY YOU’RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT Click here for the transcript of this keto video What if I told you that the plateau you’re experiencing – the inability to lose weight, the ongoing struggle of doi Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet For Weight Loss
My weight loss while on a ketogenic diet[/caption] In this episode, I discuss how I used the ketogenic diet for weight loss. Ketosis is a physical phenomenon, where your body adapts to using fat for energy instead of sugar. Susan, who you met on episode 142, joined me on this conversation so she can ask questions as I went. I switched my eating to allow me to go into ketosis so I could drop some weight I'd gained over the past few months. To get into ketosis, you lower your carbohydrates (carbs) to 20 grams or less and you increase your fat to make up the calories. You'll keep your protein moderate to ensure it doesn't spike your blood sugar. In ketosis, your body burns the fat and produces ketones. These ketones can be used by the brain as fuel. In fact, most of the science on ketosis shows that the brain favors ketones. I know I feel better when I'm in ketosis. Concerns with Ketosis Ketoacidosis – This is a dangerous condition that is typically limited to type I diabetics. In this condition, your ketone level gets dangerously high and the blood sugar is also high. This is a very rare condition and not something you'll Compliance – The ketogenic diet is difficult. It is not easy to go from being a sugar burner to a fat burner. Staying at 20 grams of carbs per day is very limiting. Fortunately, once you're in ketosis, you may be able to ratchet up your carb intake. Carb withdrawal/Keto flu – During the transition, you'll likely have some fatigue, effectively feeling like you have the flu. Medications – If you're a diabetic and take meds to help manage your blood sugar, you should talk to your doctor. You'll have to monitor yourself very closely. The ketogenic diet can be an effective way to reverse diabetes. Ketogenic Diet Tools You should be able to feel that y Continue reading >>
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Putting On Weight In Ketosis?
You are NOT in ketosis. Getting into ketosis and gluconeogenesis is a process that takes a minimum of two weeks and to get into full, functional ketosis, 4-6 weeks. And if you have a"cheat" meal or carb spike day, you go back to square one. You do not resume a ketotic diet on the next day and resume being in ketosis. The coconut oil you are consuming is simply to ease you into ketosis/gluconeogenesis with the least discomfort possible. Watch and listen to this. Then watch and listen to it again. Take notes. And consider buying Phinney's book, which also comes in a Kindle edition. Watch and listen carefully. When you get the right information and really understand and assimilate it, it makes all the difference in the world. Continue reading >>
Can You Be In Ketosis And Not Lose Weight?
Are you in ketosis, but not losing weight? This phenomenon is far more common than you think. What you might not know is that insulin is not necessary to store body fat. That's a myth. The body has a back up system to store excess energy even when carbs are very low. However, the situation isn't hopeless. It just requires you to embrace your individuality. If you're stuck, and your weight won't budge, here's what you can do to get the scale moving again. In 1972, Dr. Atkins introduced the world to the concept of carbohydrate sensitivity. He talked about the damage that excessive carbohydrates can do to your metabolism, suggested that overweight and obesity was caused from a metabolic defect, and played up the necessity of being in the state of ketosis to achieve effective weight loss. Since then, many low-carb dieters have mistakenly thought that the number of ketones that have backed up in the bloodstream is what makes the diet work. It doesn't. This strong misconception -- that ketones are vital to the fat loss process -- has caused a lot of confusion. While being in ketosis is essential to initially trigger the metabolic changes needed to switch from predominantly burning glucose to predominantly burning fats for fuel, you can certainly be in ketosis but not lose weight. And here's why: [Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you decide to buy something by using one of those links, I might receive a small financial compensation, at no cost to you.] What to Do if Low Carb Doesn't Work If your metabolism is average, you lost a decent amount of weight during the first two or three weeks, but then suddenly, weight loss slowed down. For some people, weight loss completely stopped. For others, you might have gained some of that initial water loss back. The Continue reading >>
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Is The Ketogenic Diet Right For You? Nutritionists Weigh In
You may be hearing a lot about the ketogenic diet as a way to slim down while noshing on butter and heavy cream. This way of eating is suddenly hot among venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, who believe it will help them live longer and healthier, CNBC reports. Some praise the high-fat/ultra low-carb plan for helping them to lose weight and have energy all day long. Other advocates say it finally helped them to get control of their body. How does it work and could it help you? We asked Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of “Read It Before You Eat It”; and Keri Glassman, nutritionist, registered dietitian and TODAY Tastemaker. To start with, both said they would never advise the ketogenic diet for weight loss. “Cutting out carbs is usually an invitation to overeat them at another point,” Taub-Dix said. “For a diet where you’re looking to lose weight, look good and feel good… I would not recommend a diet like this.” “For safe and effective weight loss, the carb reduction is too extreme,” Glassman added. RELATED: Read inspiring stories of ordinary people slimming down in TODAY's My Weight-Loss Journey Here’s what you need to know: What is the ketogenic diet? It’s a diet fine-tuned in the 1920s to help treat epilepsy. It does help to control seizures in some children, but it’s not recommended for adults “mostly because the restricted food choices make it hard to follow,” the Epilepsy Foundation says. The diet has just recently begun to be touted as a weight loss plan, Glassman noted. She described it as eating “mostly fat with a teeny bit of protein and carbs.” How does it work? Your body normally relies on carbohydrates for energy. It breaks them down into glucose, which is your main source of fuel. If that� Continue reading >>
In Ketosis But Not Losing Weight? These Foods May Be Stalling Your Progress
Stop Stalling Volume Two: Malignant Mouthfuls Welcome back to the Stop Stalling series! Today, we’re going to take a look at some specific foods that may be causing your stall. These foods may be keeping you from getting ahead. The bad news is that a lot of them may be staples for you. Many of them seem keto-friendly: they’re low in net carbs and should be “safe.” In fact, they are “safe” for plenty of people. However, for some people, certain foods can cause stalls. If you’re in ketosis but not losing weight and have implemented everything advised in Volume 1: Operator Error, here’s a list of the most likely suspects. Dairy: Dairy is a tricky one. First of all, it’s very energy-dense (i.e. it has a lot of calories). That means that it can be really easy to overdo. Alas, keto isn’t magical, and calories still count. Secondly, it’s often a carbohydrate bomb. A glass of milk has about ten grams. It can have more or less depending on the fat content. It can be tough to tell with yogurt: while the actual carb count is probably lower than what is listed on the label (fermentation consumes some of the carbohydrates), you can’t always tell just how many there are. This is even ignoring the fact that many yogurts contain additives, including starch-based thickeners. Finally, dairy is especially prone to “rounding down”: even though many labels say that a serving of cheese contains zero carbohydrates, chances are that a serving contains as many as 0.7 grams. It seems like very little, but if you eat two servings (easy to do!), it’s going to add up over time. Many people rely on dairy, and when they drop it, they start losing again. Seeds and nuts: Seeds and nuts are horrible bastards. I love nuts, especially almonds. Especially the smoked ones or th Continue reading >>
The Beginners Guide To Ketosis: Investigating Low-carb, High-fat Eating
The only hard and fast rule of health is that health is personal and what works well for one person may not work for someone else. Aside from that rule, there are “frameworks” that seem to benefit large groups of people. One more level down from that are alternative strategies that benefit smaller groups. Ketosis is likely one of those alternative strategies that works well for certain, smaller groups of people. So, right off the bat I want you to understand that Ketosis might not be for everyone. I’m going to lay out the case for potential benefits of Ketosis. If it sounds interesting and beneficial to you, then consider trying it. (see our free cheat sheet to help you). What is Ketosis Ketosis occurs when liver glycogen gets depleted and the body burns fatty acids for fuel. The primary driver of this state is a very low carbohydrate intake. Often, it also requires a low protein, higher fat intake. You can also achieve a state of ketosis by not eating altogether. The creation of ketones is a byproduct of this metabolic state. Ketones are a source of fuel, just as glucose is a source of fuel. Ketones tend to have some added benefits, though. What role does Ketosis play in human health? Ketosis allows our bodies to function in the absence of carbohydrates, both physically and mentally. Instead of burning carbohydrates, or converting protein to glucose, the body burns ketones. This is pretty much a survival mechanism. It allows your body to function in a state of caloric deprivation. This is why ketosis often gets bad press (as it’s linked to “starvation”). Being a survival mechanism doesn’t make it invalid as a strategy, though. There can still be potential benefits to be had. Let’s cover a few of them… Ketosis and Accelerated Fat Loss Being in ketosis Continue reading >>
Why Have I Put On Weight When I'm In Ketosis And Not Cheating? Wha???
It can be frustrating to be doing everything 'right' and have the scale not cooperate. It happens to everyone. It has happened to me. Even when I first started following a ketogenic diet and the weight seemed to be falling off, the scale didn't show a loss every day. (As I wrote here, I weigh every day. It's my practice and has informed a lot of my experience). Over all, though, I saw the numbers move in my favor. So, what's the deal when things get stuck? Or worse, the scale reads that your weight is up? This just happened to me. This morning. Ugh. Maybe it's the universe sticking it to me for posting a weight loss chart on this site yesterday (see the "My Next Goal" tab at the top). Full of confidence, was I. "I have this whole ketogenic fat burning thing down pat. Let me share my brilliance with the public", Bang. Up goes the scale. 3.1 pounds. Three point one freaking pounds! Mind you, my current goal is to lose 7.9 pounds from where I was on August 7th. Cripes. I put ON nearly half of what I want to LOSE in one day!! Here's the thing, though. I have no worries. Seriously. I did measure my blood ketones just to make sure something weird wasn't going on. My Lovely Mate and I ate dinner out last night and although we're scrupulous about ordering, asking questions, eating only food we can identify (nothing breaded, blended, etc.,) one never knows. I had a Diet Pepsi. I had quizzed the wait person twice to make sure it was indeed diet. Still, mistakes can happen. But my ketones were fine (1.6 mmol/L). That's the ketosis sweet spot, you should pardon the expression. So, what gives? Very low carbs, delicious fats, moderate protein. And yet the scale is trying to mock me. Here's what I've come to learn about weight loss on the ketogenic diet: it works beautifully and consi Continue reading >>
Not Losing Weight On A Low-carb Ketogenic Diet? Don’t Give Up And Read Further
The ketogenic diet is not only known to be one of the most effective weight loss tools, but has proven to have many health benefits. Ketosis is a state at which your body produces ketones in the liver, shifting the body's metabolism away from glucose and towards fat utilization. Unless you can check your blood ketones, using Ketostix is an easy way to detect urinary ketones. It's not the most accurate method, but may be good enough to find out whether you are in ketosis. In some cases, weight loss may be difficult even on a low-carb ketogenic diet and there may be a few possible reasons for weight stalling, which I have listed in this post. If you want to know more about the ketogenic diet and how it can help you lose weight, have a look at my Practical Guide to Keto Diet which is freely available on my website also as PDF. 3 free diet plans to help you kickstart your diet, lose weight and get healthy Recipes, giveaways and exclusive deals delivered directly to your inbox A chance to win the KetoDiet app every week Top Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight on a Keto Diet 1. Carbs are Too High Your carbohydrate intake may be too high. Try to decrease your daily carbs limit. Also try to include coconut oil in your diet. Coconut oil consists of MCTs (Medium chain triglycerides), which are easily digestible, less likely to be stored by your body and are used for immediate energy. MCTs are converted in the liver into ketones, which helps you enter ketosis. If you want to know more about carbs, check out this post. For more about ketones, have a look at this post. 2. Protein is Too High or Too Low Your protein intake may be too high/ low. Protein is the most sating macronutrient and you should include high-quality animal protein in your diet. If you don't eat enough protein, you Continue reading >>
How To Use (and Not To Use) Exogenous Ketones For Weight Loss
“How do I use ketones to help me lose weight?” Great question. It’s worth the few minutes to understand how exogenous ketones can help people lose weight on a ketogenic diet, and not just jump to the conclusion that ketones = weight loss. Breaking Down Ketone Weight Loss Misconceptions The most common misconception (perhaps due to excessive marketing claims) is that taking ketone supplements will induce immediate weight loss. The purpose of this article is to explain how to use ketones as a piece of the puzzle in your weight loss lifestyle. Remember exogenous ketones are supplements. Very effective at what they do, but none the less, should be supplementary to a low carb/ketogenic style of eating that is geared towards weight loss (if weight loss is the goal). Ketones don’t cause weight loss, they help cause ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body is using fatty acids for its primary source of energy. Just because you are using fat does not necessarily mean you are going to be losing weight or have a decrease in body fat percentage over an extended period of time. I have been in deep nutritional ketosis (>3.0mmol/dL) and had an increase in body fat percentage. I’ve also been in deep nutritional ketosis and had a decrease in body fat percentage. It all depends on how much fat and protein you are eating, in addition to being below a carb threshold that will induce ketosis. Please don’t take this to mean starve yourself. It just means that the average male American has over 40,000 calories in stored body fat and can, therefore, afford to eat a lower calorie ketogenic diet, and still survive (and thrive!). Take home message: Exogenous ketones are a tool to get you into ketosis or to boost your energy levels while already in ketosis. If your motive Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet Could Help Us Live Longer, But Could Also Lead To Weight Gain
The ketogenic diet is based on the basic idea that the body will always burn glucose (which breaks down from the carbohydrates) before it burns ketones (which are the breakdown of fat). By replacing most of the carbs in our diet with fat, proponents say it can fast-track weight loss, curb appetite, treat various health ailments and increase athletic performance. The diet originated in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy, but became trendy in the fitness industry among those trying to shed and shred. Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian also tried chewing the fat. While the keto diet has been slammed as a fad and is known for its side effects including constipation and bad breath, new research suggests it can improve memory and lifespan. READ MORE: * Which diet is really best for you? Here's a dietitian's advice * Best and worst of the 10 most popular diets * Which diet is best for weight loss? In two new studies mice were fed either a ketogenic diet, a control diet, or a low-carb, high-fat diet (ketogenic is a more extreme version of low-carb and accounted for 89 to 90 per cent of total calorie intake in the studies) and put through tests of physical health, fitness and memory. In both studies the keto mice lived longer and showed memory improvements, while only one showed maintenance of physical fitness and strength as mice aged. For the benefits, however, there was a catch. Mice that stay on a keto diet eventually become obese. To avoid this the mice were cycled between regular diets and the keto diet. "This study demonstrates that energy-controlled, high-fat LCDs are not detrimental to health, but rather a KD extends lifespan and slows age-related decline in physiological function in mice," the study authors concluded. "It is most probable that th Continue reading >>
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Lipolysis And Why You Can Gain Weight Eating Too Much Fat
There are a lot of conflicting views and advice on the web about what is a well formulated ketogenic diet, especially for weight loss. Lots of people promote Bullet Proof Coffee, Fat Bombs, eating sticks of butter, adding carbs or doing carb ups, etc. In this article I want to clear up the metabolic processes that are involved with a ketogenic diet, insulin resistance and how to leverage them to heal your body and as a result, lose weight. What Causes Insulin Resistant and Weight Gain? The primary cause of weight gain is high dietary carbohydrates. This causes insulin to respond and store the excess fuel (blood glucose) that results. This is also the stem of most diseases. Check out this chart by Ivor Cummings. As you can see, impaired insulin signaling is the stem of most diseases we face. There are several other factors that contribute (not enough sunlight, poor diet, lack of exercise, poor sleep, magnesium deficiency, stress, etc), but the impairment of insulin signaling (insulin resistance) and the resulting inflammation is the core cause. So it is very important to understand how to reverse insulin resistance. Controlling our insulin levels (reducing carbohydrates) is just one part. What is the cause of insulin resistance? Some people will say high glucose levels. Others will say being obese. While some say high insulin levels. High insulin is partly true but what really causes the break down of metabolic function is when our body fat (adipose tissue) gets very large and can’t hold anymore fat. Adipose tissue is a very important signaling component in our bodies. Keeping our fat cells happy turns out to be very important to our metabolic function. The key is to reduce our fat cell size. You can have people with a lot of fat cells but the cells are small and they Continue reading >>
