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Feb 1, 2024 · While the human body naturally produces ketones when it breaks down fat for fuel, keto supplements claim to increase ketone levels, help you achieve ketosis faster and, ultimately, lose weight.
- Overview
- Entering ketosis
- Early weight loss is water weight
- The bottom line
People who start a keto diet may experience initial weight loss as they lose water weight. As you enter ketosis, you may burn more fat than water.
Though the low carb, high fat keto diet was originally devised to help treat epilepsy, many people are turning to it to lose weight.
According to some research, it provides several advantages over other diets, including making it easier to burn your stored body fat, maintain your metabolic rate (the calories you burn at rest), and feel more full on fewer calories (1, 2, 3).
That said, you may wonder how much weight you can expect to lose in your first week on keto. Many people report extreme weight loss when first starting the diet. However, much of this can be attributed to water losses.
On keto, you strictly limit your carb intake, typically to 50 grams or fewer per day of total carbs, or 25 grams or fewer of net carbs, which are total carbs minus fiber.
For most people, carbs are the body’s primary source of energy. When you limit carbs, your body burns through the carb stores in your muscles and liver — called glycogen — typically within a few days (4, 5).
After this, your body switches to a metabolic state called ketosis, in which it uses ketones that are broken down from dietary fat or stored body fat, as its primary source of fuel (4, 5).
This shift, during which you burn through your glycogen stores and switch to using ketones, usually takes less than a week. However, for some people, it may take longer (4, 5).
Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition period after first starting the keto diet, but most of this is due to changes in water weight (6).
Summary
The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is bound with water, typically at a ratio of 3 grams of water for each gram of glycogen (6).
When you burn through these stored carbs, this water is excreted in your urine or sweat (6).
As such, after starting keto, you may notice that you have to urinate more often and feel much thirstier than normal. You may also notice large weight losses, which are mostly water-weight losses (6, 7).
Depending on your size and how much water weight you’re carrying, this weight loss can vary. Anecdotally, people report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound (0.5 kg) to 10 or more pounds (5 kg).
The larger you are, the more water weight you’re likely to lose after starting keto. Although, it’s unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss.
However, once you enter ketosis, it’s much easier to utilize your own stored fat for energy, which is one reason why the keto diet may be advantageous for weight loss (3).
Many people use the keto diet for weight loss, and there are several reports online of dramatic weight loss shortly after starting the diet.
This is likely mostly water weight because as you burn through your carb stores, your body releases the water that was bound to those carbs.
Learn about the history, benefits and drawbacks of the keto diet, a high-fat, very-low-carbohydrate eating plan. Find out how to follow the keto diet safely and sustainably, and what foods to avoid or include.
- Mayo Clinic Diet
Nov 7, 2023 · Learn how the ketogenic diet can help you lose weight and improve your health by burning fat for energy. Find out what to eat and avoid, how to enter ketosis, and the benefits and risks of keto.
- Rudy Mawer, Msc, CISSN
- Can I ever eat carbs again?Yes. However, it's important to significantly reduce your carb intake initially. After the first 2 to 3 months, you can eat carbs on special occasi...
- Will I lose muscle?There's a risk of losing some muscle on any diet. However, protein intake and high ketone levels may help minimize muscle loss, especially if you l...
- Can I build muscle on a ketogenic diet?Yes, but it may not work as well as on a moderate carb diet.
- How much protein can I eat?Protein should be moderate, as a very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the up...
- What if I am constantly tired, weak, or fatigued?You may not be in full ketosis or be utilizing fats and ketones efficiently. To counter this, lower your carb intake and revisit the points above....
- My urine smells fruity. Why is this?Don't be alarmed. This is simply due to the excretion of by-products created during ketosis.
- My breath smells. What can I do?This is a common side effect. Try drinking naturally flavored water or chewing sugar-free gum.
- I heard ketosis was extremely dangerous. Is this true?People often confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but ketosis on a ketogenic diet is usually fine for healthy people. Spea...
- I have digestion issues and diarrhea. What can I do?This common side effect usually passes after 3 to 4 weeks. If it persists, try eating more high fiber veggies.
- What is the difference between a keto and a ketogenic diet?People often refer to the ketogenic diet colloquially as the keto diet, so these terms refer to the same thing.
Nov 12, 2019 · The keto diet is a low carb, high fat eating pattern that may help you lose weight by reducing hunger, burning calories, and losing water weight. Learn about the potential benefits and drawbacks of keto supplements, such as MCT oil and exogenous ketones, and how to sustain the diet over time.
Nov 29, 2022 · Summary. The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet. It can help the body burn more fat, reduce hunger, and reduce blood sugar levels. In this guide, you’ll learn how to eat a keto diet. Our visual guides, recipes, meal plans, and simple two-week Get Started program are everything you need to succeed on keto. The keto video course.
Jan 3, 2024 · Overview. Health & Nutrition. Recipes. Do's & Don'ts. Expert Reviews. What Is the Keto Diet? The ketogenic – or "keto" – diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that aims to accomplish weight loss...
