The full keto recipe is below the video. Click the video to watch it on YouTube.
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Summary of “Keto Bacon And Kimchi Deviled Eggs Keto Recipe” – Video
Deviled eggs a quintessential classic holiday recipe. These deviled eggs are perfectly suited for keto, paleo, and other low-carb diets. They are also very easy to make, just follow the directions.
This is a classic recipe, more or less, with the addition of kimchi. The kimchi brings some much-needed fiber to the keto recipe as well as a few phytonutrients. Wikipedia has a good kimchi article with nutritional values.
You can request our “Delicious Keto Recipes” eBook with 21 keto recipes written by Rachel Roberts:
Most importantly, we offer a complete 8-week Custom Keto Meal Plan made for you based on your own physical attributes, activity level, and weight goal. You can watch this video to learn more about it here.
The “Lazy Keto Diet” is the latest spin on the century-old keto diet, but is it right for you?
Both the lazy keto diet and the even more relaxed dirty keto diet have been trending upward in the dieting space. It could be the result of people being interested in losing weight, but don’t have the patience or desire to hold themselves to the strict keto diet.
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What is the lazy keto diet?
The standard keto diet demands that you pay very close attention to how much food you eat, down to the gram, in order to put your body into a state of ketosis so it will burn its fat for energy. Your caloric intake from macronutrients (macros) with the standard keto diet is roughly 70-80% from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 10% or less from carbohydrates. This means you’ll be eating a lot of meat, butter, and oils, some leafy greens, but hardly any fruit.
Your focus on lazy keto is different. The lazy keto diet focuses on just one macro – carbohydrates (carbs). The original keto diet limits your carb intake to less than 50g per day of carbs, and so does lazy keto. So long as you focus on your carb count and more protein and fat the other macros will more or less fall in place or at least be close enough for you to lose weight. One other point, eat whole foods or your lazy keto diet becomes the dirty keto diet.
The idea of a lazy keto diet isn’t all that new. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics, and author of “The Superfood Swap” tells us there are a lot of people who slide into lazy keto when they’re eating the traditional keto diet. What happens is they hear about keto from their friends. Then they get creative, stop counting all the macros and focus on eating a low-carb, high-fat diet.
Lazy keto and weight loss
You’ll lose weight with lazy keto so long as you’re eating moderate portions of protein and you include low-carb vegetables for nutrition and satiation. Losing weight with the lazy keto diet is mostly because you are giving more consideration to what you eat instead of burning fat while you’re in a state of ketosis. It’s unlikely you’ll enter ketosis without consuming the proper ratios of macros.
Going low-carb safely
In general, we’re likely to overeat simple carbohydrates. Especially refined white carbs like bread, pasta, rice, pizza, cookies, cakes, etc. A great starting point is to replace those things with whole food recipes that include vegetables and fruit, plus small amounts of whole grains like oatmeal or wild rice. It may not actually be a lazy method, but achieving anything worthwhile seldom has a lazy way of doing it.
There’s so much keto dieting information out there on the internet and in print. Here we’re going to make it easier for you. Because we’re going to do a rundown of 7 keto diet tips for optimum fat loss.
Certainly, you’ve heard about the keto diet since it is being talked about nearly everywhere on social media. The keto diet is a high-fat, low carbohydrate, moderate protein diet that causes your body to use fat for its fuel instead of glucose. That process is known as ketosis, the diet’s namesake. Keto has been around for about 100 years and has become a very popular way to lose and control weight. It also does a great job of keeping its dieters satiated where other diets can’t.
You have probably read a lot of myths online about the diet. Let’s tame some of those myths with these 7 keto diet tips for optimum fat loss.
Besides these 7 tips, you should give yourself two weeks to adjust to the keto lifestyle before you begin a new workout or make any other significant changes to your daily routine. You want to give yourself this period of time to adjust because you may feel the symptoms of the keto flu making exercising unpleasant. But not to worry, the keto flu is short-lived.
In spite of what you’ve learned, consuming fat will not cause heart disease or cause you to be overweight. Consuming fat is the bedrock of the ketogenic diet. In order to be sure you’re getting enough fat, drizzle your portions of protein and non-starchy vegetables with a cream sauce, olive oil, or something similar. You’ll also want to choose foods that are naturally fatty like dark meat or fatty fish like salmon or tuna.
2 – Be carb-conscious
It’s a nuisance, but it’s necessary. Count your carbs because it’s very difficult to stay under 50g of carbohydrates per without putting in the effort. You probably don’t know the carb count for each kind of food you eat. That’s easy to learn for packaged food because carbs are listed on the nutrition label. You’ll have to look it up for other foods.
3 – Stay clear of temptation
This is especially true when you’re just starting the keto diet. Get all of the carb-loaded foods out of your house so they’re not tempting you when you get a craving.
Say “no” to the temptation of junk food.
4 – Be salty
When your body is in a state of ketosis you lose salts and other minerals in the process. That mineral loss is a contributing factor to feeling the keto flu. Because of that, you have to be mindful of your salt, mineral, and electrolyte intake. So add salt to your food, take a multivitamin that has potassium and magnesium in it, and watch your electrolyte.
5 – Stay loose
Because the keto diet is naturally low in fiber, a lot of people will experience some degree of constipation. You can counter this by taking a dietary fiber supplement like these, and drink lots of water.
6 – Stay hydrated
The process of ketosis that’s triggered by the keto diet promotes water loss. Because of this, you need to drink plenty of water throughout the day. A rule of thumb would be to always stay in arm’s reach of some water and sip it all day long.
7 – Only eat when you’re hungry
Try to get away from the idea of having three square meals and 2-3 snacks a day. Only eat when you’re hungry. In spite of the wonders of a keto diet, you still have to have a negative caloric intake to lose weight. Fortunately, keto helps you feel satiated and reduces your cravings.
So when it’s mealtime, only eat if you’re hungry. Then eat just enough to feel satisfied.
There you have it. Our rundown of 7 keto diet tips for optimum fat loss. Here’s a bonus tip, get a custom 8-week keto diet plan prepared for you based on your height, weight, age, level of physical activity, and personal weight goals. Click the banner to learn more about your customized keto diet plan, or click here to go straight to your custom keto diet meal planner.
The keto diet works. It’s undeniable. There have been many thousands of people who have lost weight and improved their overall wellness following a keto diet. A lot of the keto dieters attest that keto is the most effective diet for losing weight.
Having said that and in spite of the effectiveness of the keto diet, it takes time for the most stubborn of your stored fat to come off. Because keto causes your body to use fat for its energy, its results are faster than diets that focus on controlling only calories or carbohydrates.
Regardless of how effective keto is, you aren’t going to lose weight overnight. In fact, you won’t begin to lose significant weight until you’re in a state of ketosis. Ketosis can take up to a full week to achieve. Therefore you must be patient with yourself. You will want to help your diet in every way possible to get the fastest results possible. In this article, we’re going to talk about the top 5 keto tips for getting rid of stubborn fat.
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1 – Don’t use exogenous ketones
In a keto diet, less is more. You need to get into ketosis on your own. There’s a number of supplements like these available that claim to induce ketosis more quickly than diet alone can.
Enter ketosis naturally. You might fall out of ketosis occasionally after you have become keto-adapted. When that happens it’s perfectly fine to have ketone supplements to get you quickly back on track. However, exogenous ketones should be used for the short term, not as a daily supplement.
2 – Avoid high-intensity interval training, at first
Avoid high-intensity interval training when you are beginning the keto diet. It’s better to take it easy in the beginning. Because as you’re adjusting to the keto diet you may well experience symptoms of the keto flu and other changes.
But after a couple of weeks when your body has adjusted to its new diet, high-intensity interval training will boost your metabolism. And a boosted metabolism will accelerate the rate your stored fat is burnt off.
High-intensity interval training is unbelievably powerful after you are keto-adapted.
Intermittent fasting effectively complements the keto diet. You can choose to eat only within an eight-hour window, fasting the remaining 16 hours of the day. Or, fast for 24 hours twice a week or alternating days.
Besides the accelerated weight loss, fasting will help get your body into ketosis. The more time you spend fasting, the better the results will be.
The keto diet is already a very low-carb diet of ~50g or less per day. Practicing zero carbs a few days a week will accelerate weight loss and lower blood sugar levels.
5 – Cardio exercise after weight training
Because your body’s glycogen will be depleted after weight training your body will have to use stored fat for fuel. So doing 15-30 minutes of cardio afterward will very effectively burn off your stubborn fat. Working out will be a process of burning your fat.
Following these 5 keto tips for getting rid of stubborn fat will help you get the most from a keto diet. In the end, all you have to do is follow the keto guidelines and have some patience to see unbelievable results in just a few weeks.
Taking supplements on the keto diet will accelerate your journey to ketosis and supplement some of the nutrition that you might be missing from eating traditional foods.
You have to understand what supplements can do for you In order to get the fastest results from your keto diet. While getting to the state of ketosis your body is changing from running on carbohydrates to converting your stored fat to ketones for its energy. A variety of supplements will help you with this transformation and continue to get the best results possible from your ketogenic diet.
A ketosis diet can provide you with all the necessary nutrients. The problem is, human nature doesn’t allow for you to follow such a strict diet flawlessly.
In this article, “What about taking supplements on the keto diet”, we’re going to discuss which supplements are the best to take and what they will do for you as well as some of the issues supplements can help you with.
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Some issues supplements will help you get over while on a keto diet
The keto flu
Transitioning from a standard American diet to a ketosis diet can give you some flu-like symptoms. We call that the keto flu. The primary reason for the keto flu occurs as your body uses the remnants of the available glucose causing an excessive loss of water and electrolytes.
Because the keto diet restricts you to certain foods like fruits that are high in carbohydrates, your body may not be getting enough nutrition that would otherwise come from starchy fruits and vegetables. Using “greens” powders and tablets can supplement this.
Health and wellness goals
Supplements can help you achieve your health and wellness goals. For example, taking a daily tablespoon of MCT oil will ensure you get the good fats you need for achieving ketosis, thereby helping you lose weight.
Supplements can only help you reach your goals if you understand what each one does for you.
The best supplements to take on a keto diet
Not all supplements are created equally, some are a perfect pairing with a ketosis diet, others are not and should be avoided.
Vitamin D
When you are deficient in vitamin D while on the keto diet you might experience a feeling of weakness, reduced bone density, and a loss of muscle mass.
Living in a sunny place and exposing yourself to the sun can be enough. But a safer thing to do would be to take a daily fatty fish oil supplement. Krill tablets will do the trick! You can have a year’s supply of krill tablets for less than $20.
Adequate amounts of vitamin D can be produced with moderate sun exposure to the face, arms and legs (for those with the least melanin), averaging 5–30 minutes twice per week, or approximately 25% of the time for minimal sunburn.
MCT oil for energy
MCT is a kind of fat that gives your body energy practically immediately. It helps your body to make ketones very quickly. It also can put your body into ketosis in a very short time.
MCT helps to keep you in ketosis and burning fat without you worrying about dropping out of ketosis.
MCT can be found in butter, cheese, coconut oil, and yogurt. A very convenient way to get your dose of MCT is to use one of these coffee creamers with your morning joe, then you also get the benefits of the caffeine too.
Electrolytes
The important electrolytes are calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. All of these electrolytes are present in the keto diet. However, it’s difficult to get enough of them from your food alone.
Calcium
Calcium is found in dairy products. But dairy is limited with a keto diet. Calcium tablets are available. The common recommendation seems to be ~1000mg/day.
Magnesium
Magnesium is found in avocados, leafy greens like spinach, and some fish like mackerel. You can buy magnesium tablets and the daily dose of ~400mg should be enough.
Potassium
Potassium works to build protein and break down carbohydrates. It’s provided by avocados, mushrooms, fish like salmon.
Sodium
Sodium can be had from Himalayan Pink Salt, bone broth, and red meats. Don’t consume too much, three-fourths of a teaspoon should be enough.
Omega-3 fatty acids
The omega-3 fatty acid supplement is very powerful. Even people who aren’t eating a keto diet can benefit from it. The standard American diet includes too many omega-6 fatty acids and an insufficient amount of omega-3.
Because there isn’t enough omega-3 in our diets inflammation and other diseases develop. The omega-3 fish oils reduce the risk of heart disease and it’s a fatty acid that goes well with a keto diet. It’s found in anchovies, salmon, and sardines.
Digestive enzymes are helpful during your transition to a keto diet, preventing diarrhea and nausea.
Exogenous ketones
Like the digestive enzymes, exogenous ketones will help you transition to ketosis quickly. They also can provide you with a quick bump in energy.
Green powder
Green powder can provide you with the nutrients you’re missing from a lack of vegetables in your diet. Greens powders are made with broccoli, chlorella, kale, and spirulina extracts.
Consuming a keto diet can provide you with all the nutrients you require to stay healthy. But as human beings, we have trouble staying on track all the time. That’s why taking the supplements we’ve talked about here is important to staying in ketosis and not sacrificing our body’s nutritional needs.
The keto diet has been proven to work time and again. Nearly everyone who stays true to the keto diet will enjoy its benefits and lose weight.
Keto isn’t as strict of a diet as Atkins or the paleo diets. Nor is it as relaxed as the Mediterranean diet. Being somewhere in the middle there are rules to follow, and following the keto rules isn’t such an ordeal.
Most of the time when a “ketoer” isn’t seeing results from the diet it’s because they’re making mistakes without knowing it. It’s much easier to blame the diet than to take ownership of your lack of progress.
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We’ll be talking about the top 4 reasons why you aren’t losing weight on a keto diet and what you can do about it.
1 – You’re not in ketosis
The primary reason for the keto diet is to put your body in a state of ketosis so it will burn fat for its energy needs. A lot of people don’t get this point. If you’re not in ketosis you’re not on the keto diet – hard stop!
In order to see the rapid weight loss the keto diet is known for, you have to be using ketones for energy. Otherwise, your body will continue to use the sugar in your bloodstream for its energy and you won’t see the results you were expecting. Or your results won’t be as significant.
It typically takes a person 4 to 7 days to be fully in ketosis. You have to be patient. The best way to know if you are in ketosis is to use urine test strips or a breathalyzer.
The basis for any diet intended for weight loss is to have a caloric deficit. Even with a ketogenic diet, if you’re using fewer calories than you’re consuming you’re not going to lose weight.
For most people, having a ~500 calories deficit translates to about one pound loss per week. Being on a keto diet, and in the state of ketosis, you’ll lose weight much faster because your body will burn stored fat instead of glucose.
3 – You’re not being keto compliant
Being compliant means you’re following the high-fat, low-carb, and medium protein rules.
Most of us are addicted to carbohydrates and we don’t even know it. Switching from a diet based on carbs to one based on fats is challenging because we are used to burning blood sugar for energy. Blood sugar comes from eating carbohydrates.
The craving for carbs at the beginning of a keto diet can be overwhelming. Eating more than the allotted 50g of carbs per day will make it very hard to enter ketosis, if not impossible. Eating carbs will get in the way of your progress.
When it comes to the consumption of macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbs), you have to be compliant to enter ketosis and start losing weight.
The keto diet requires you to be patient in the beginning for you to adapt to the diet. You’ll need to have enough sleep, avoid strenuous exercise, and just take it easy during your first week of keto dieting.
By easing into the first week you’ll be able to keep your cortisol levels reduced. This in turn will restore your leptin sensitivity. After your hormones balance out your body will correctly signal how much food it needs, the right amount of fat to burn, and when you get hungry.
The only way to overcome leptin resistance is to give yourself plenty of time to adjust. If you stay compliant with the keto dietary requirements you will enter ketosis and start to burn fat at an accelerated rate that will make up for the time lost in the first week or so.
Whenever you think you’re not getting the results keto promises, it’s probably because of one of these 4 reasons why you aren’t losing weight on a keto diet.
One of the surest ways to stay compliant with keto and remain in a healthy caloric deficit is to have a keto diet specifically customized for you by dietary professionals based on your weight goals, preferred foods, activity level, and other criteria that are unique to you. Click here to learn more about a custom keto diet plan.
In the weight loss dieting world, there are two camps that are talked about repeatedly, Weight Watchers and the keto diet.
Although their respective approaches to weight loss are very different, both methods have a very large following due to their results. A lot of dieters report successfully losing weight from both diets.
In this article we’re going to review the way each diet works, each diet’s pros and cons, and which diet is better for weight loss and you.
What is Weight Watchers?
Weight Watchers is a commercial diet program that has been popular for decades. Its core concept is moderation and portion control allowing its followers to eat any type of food they wish to eat.
With Weight Watchers you’re given a daily number of SmartPoints and, based on your weight loss goals, assigns you to 1 of 3 color-coded programs:
Green – Allotted the greatest number of daily SmartPoints, plus 100+ ZeroPoint foods (chiefly fruit and vegetables).
Blue – Allowed a moderate number of daily SmartPoints and 200+ ZeroPoint foods (adding lean proteins to the fruits and vegetables).
Purple – Allotted the fewest number of daily SmartPoints, and 300+ ZeroPoint foods (grains, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables).
Generally, the lower SmartPoint foods are lower in fats, sugars, and calories while being higher in protein and fiber. The foods with a higher SmartPoint value are usually higher in fats, sugars, and calories, think deep-fried foods, ice cream, or especially fatty meats.
So consuming high SmartPoint foods will quickly eat up your daily allocation of SmartPoints.
Additionally, Weight Watchers is a paid diet program. There are different tiers of support available for the dieter to choose from. Once bought you’ll have access to their tracking app with all its tools.
You can learn about Weight Watchers’ three plans and their one-on-one coach program on their website.
Does Weight Watchers work?
Many studies concluded that Weight Watchers helps dieters to lose weight. But you need to know that Weight Watchers funded a lot of those studies and that may have an influence on the results.
One of the studies funded by Weight Watchers found that the dieters following the Weight Watchers system lost more than twice the weight of the control group in 3 months. They also found that the people using Weight Watchers were more likely to have kept the weight off after one year had passed.
Another Weight Watchers financed study of nearly 30,000 learned the average dieter lost ~6 lbs in 3 months. About two of three dieters lost at least five percent of their weight.
Weight Watchers summary
Weight Watchers built around moderation and portion size. It is a paid program using a point system to encourage healthier food choices. Weight Watchers appears to be an effective way to lose weight based on several studies, many of which were funded by Weight Watchers. Additionally, there are a lot of products on the market in support of Weight Watchers.
What is a keto diet?
A keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that was originally developed to assist in the management of epilepsy. Now keto is used for many reasons including weight loss and managing blood sugar levels.
Keto isn’t a commercial dieting program like Weight Watchers is, it’s more of an eating lifestyle. When a person stays on the keto diet they enter a state of ketosis where their body runs on fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary energy source.
There are many metabolic advantages for people losing weight with a keto diet:
lower insulin levels and better control of blood sugar
a diminished appetite
it becomes easier to use stored body fat
better maintenance of one’s metabolic rate (fewer calories burned while at rest)
Because the keto diet is low in carbohydrates and sugars you have to avoid foods like these: grains, root vegetables, sweets, sugary drinks, and most fruit.
However, you’re free to eat: meat, fish, poultry, non-starchy vegetables, seeds, nuts, fatty dairy products, low sugar fruits like most berries.
Does a keto diet work for weight loss?
Yes, keto is known to work for short-term weight loss.
Many studies have researched how successful the keto diet is for weight loss and management.
One study of people who were obese with type 2 diabetes found that those who followed the keto diet lost much more weight than those following a standard low-carb diet after four months. Of those being studied, 90% of the group following keto lost 5% or more of weight and over 80% lost 10% of their weight.
A different group of studies comparing a keto diet to a low-fat diet discovered that those who followed the keto diet lost significantly more weight than those following the low-fat diet.
Keto diet summary
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, diet that can be used to lose weight by using your stored fat to energize your body. It seems to cause significantly more weight loss compared to either the standard low calorie or low-carb diets.
Pros & cons of keto and Weight Watchers
Both dieting methods can be said to have benefits beyond losing and controlling weight.
The Pros
Weight Watcher Pros
Weight Watchers 2021 Starter Guide
Weight Watchers has a long and proven record of success. One of Weight Watchers pros is its practice of moderation and portion control which is easier than calorie counting. They also teach you to make better food choices in the long run.
Even if you choose to leave the program you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned to continue making good food choices.
Weight Watchers includes a support network in all of their programs providing access to its member’s virtual community. There are also face-to-face meetings and one-on-one coaching available.
Keto pros
The keto diet has a number of benefits as well. One of the most touted benefits is how quickly the weight comes off when following the keto diet for many reasons:
Being in a state of ketosis appears to have a satiating effect causing the dieter to consume fewer calories.
Then there’s the way a keto diet can reduce insulin levels. Since insulin is the hormone that signals your body to store excess energy as fat, it becomes easier for your body to convert its fat stores into useful energy when the insulin levels are reduced. It’s also the regulator of blood sugar helping to curb cravings.
There have been cases where a person with type 2 diabetes has dramatically reduced their dependence on insulin and other diabetes medications because of the increased control of their blood sugar.
Summary of pros
While a keto diet may assist in improving blood sugar levels, increase your satiation, and helps you to lose weight quickly, Weight Watchers includes a support system and encourages portion control and moderation.
The Cons
Weight Watchers cons
A big con of Weight Watchers is its cost. Even though it’s not too expensive when you break it down to a cost per week, it can add up. Especially if you sign up for one of the more costly plans and you stay in the program for very long.
Being tied to the SmartPoint system you may inadvertently be discouraged from eating some foods that are healthy (i.e., avocados, healthy fats and oils, healthy dairy products, etc.) just because of the number of calories or fat.
Keto cons
There are some obstacles to a keto diet. Being a significant change away from the standard American diet it can be hard to stay with a keto diet over the long haul, especially during the holiday or on vacation.
A keto will also exclude some healthy foods too:
most fruits
legumes
grains
potatoes and other root vegetables
Summary of cons
Because it’s a paid program, the cost of Weight Watchers can add up over time. However, it may be hard to stay on a keto diet since it’s so restrictive.
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Is keto or Weight Watchers better for weight loss?
Either diet could help you lose weight in the short term. Which one is better depends on each person’s needs and goals?
You might prefer Weight Watchers if you:
want the flexibility to eat whatever you want to
like, want, or need the Weight Watchers support systems to stay on track and motivated
are ok with paying a subscription for the program
Taking the keto route could be for you if:
managing blood sugar is a priority for you
make healthier decisions with limited food choices is easier for you
you can diet without a support network, or are ok building your own network (think Facebook groups)
At the end of the day
Both keto and Weight Watchers have their own lists of pros and cons. Which one is the fit for you will depend on your weight goals, as well as your own personal needs and preferences.
Obviously, these diets are quite different from each other. Weight Watchers is a paid program that’s structured around moderation and portion control. With this program, you manage what you eat by spending SmartPoints. Weight Watchers does have a built-in support system for each of its subscription levels.
In contrast, a keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet designed to get your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis makes it easier for your body to use its stored fat for energy.
Either diet will deliver weight loss, but for a number of reasons, you may prefer one over the other.
The Keto diet is an effective and popular diet for losing weight and improving health. When you follow this high-fat, medium protein, low-carb diet correctly the ketone levels in your blood will increase. Those ketones will be your body’s new fuel source, causing most of the health benefits of the diet.
When you’re following a Keto diet your body goes through a number of biological adaptations. These include an increased breakdown of fat and lower insulin levels. After this happens the liver begins to produce large numbers of ketones. The ketones supply your brain the energy it needs.
It is difficult to know whether or not your body is in a state of ketosis. Following are 10 ways to know you are in ketosis to help you figure this out.
10 Ways To Know You Are In Ketosis
1 – Halitosis (foul breath)
After achieving full ketosis people frequently report having bad breath.
This is very common. A lot of people who follow the Keto diet, and similar diets like Atkins, say their breath starts to smell fruity. Specifically, this is caused by acetone, one of the ketones that are expelled in both your urine and by exhaling.
Although breath like this may not be ideal in a social setting, it is a positive sign that you’re following the diet correctly and you are in ketosis. One way to deal with this is to brush your teeth many times a day. Another way is to chew sugar-free gum or sip on sugar-free drinks throughout the day.
If you choose to chew gum, or sip on drinks, read the nutrition labels for carbs to avoid elevating your blood sugar and coming out of ketosis.
2 – Losing weight
Both a Keto diet and a more traditional low-carb diet are good for weight loss
There are many studies showing you probably will lose weight in the short term as well as the long term from switching to a Keto diet. Weight loss can happen very quickly in the first week of the Keto diet. This initial weight loss is mostly from stored up carbohydrates and the release of water, though many dieters wrongly think it’s fat loss.
After the first week or so of rapid weight loss, you will continue to burn your stored fat as long as you follow the Keto diet correctly and remain in a caloric deficit.
3 – Increased ketones
An indication of being in ketosis is reduced sugar and increased ketones in the blood. As you continue with the Keto diet, your body will start burning fat and ketones for fuel.
Using a specialized meter is the most accurate way to measure the ketone levels in your blood. They measure how much beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is in your bloodstream.
There is a consensus that ketosis, as it relates to the Keto diet, is defined as having 0.5 to 3.0 mmol/L of ketones in your blood. Measuring from a blood sample is the most accurate way to measure ketones. But that requires pin pricking similar to the way a diabetic person measures their blood sugar.
Should you be interested in testing your ketone levels, there is a good selection of meters offered by Amazon starting at about $30.
4 – Ketones in your breath and urine
An alternative to blood testing kits is breathalyzers, though not as accurate as blood analysis.
Breathalyzers monitor the level of acetone. Acetone is one of three major ketones produced while in ketosis. The amount of acetone is an indicator of your ketone level because more of it leaves your body during ketosis. Breathalyzers are fairly accurate but not like their blood testing counterpart.
Another method is to measure your urine daily with urinalysis test strips. This measures the level of ketones being expelled through your urine. This is the least expensive way to measure ketones, but it’s also the least accurate.
A lot of Keto dieters say they have less of an appetite following the Keto diet.
The reasons are still being investigated. But the current thinking is the reduced appetites may be due to the increase in protein and vegetable consumption, as well as changes in your body’s hunger hormones.
Possibly the ketones have an effect on the brain reducing the appetite.
6 – More energy and focus
Oftentimes a person will experience fatigue, brain fog, and feeling a little sick when they first start the Keto diet. This has been coined “Keto Flu”. But once they get past that hump, long-term dieters feel an increase in energy and focus.
Your body has to adapt to burning fat in place of carbohydrates when you start the low-carb Keto diet. Then as you move into ketosis your brain has to adjust to using ketones instead of sugar for its energy. It can take a little while for your body and brain to adjust.
Ketones are very powerful fuel for your brain. Ketones have been tested clinically for treating brain diseases, concussions, and memory loss. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that people frequently feel improved brain function and focus when they’re on a Keto diet.
Drastically reducing your carb intake will stabilize your blood sugar, further increasing brain functioning and focus.
7 – Fatigue
One of the biggest problems people have when starting the Keto diet is fatigue. This frequently makes the would-be dieter quit before they achieve full ketosis and see the benefits of the Keto diet.
Fatigue is a natural side effect of starting a ketogenic diet. It’s caused by making our body shift from a long-term carbohydrate-heavy diet to a low-carb diet very quickly. This shift in your won’t happen overnight. It will take from 5 to 30 days to get into full ketosis.
Since electrolytes are lost due to the quick reduction in your body’s water content and the reduction of salt in the diet, consuming extra electrolytes can help reduce fatigue.
8 – Performance decrease
Along with feeling tired from fatigue the Keto dieter may feel a decrease in physical performance. This is mostly due to there being less glycogen stored in the muscles that provide the primary and most efficient energy for any high-intensity activities. After a short while, many Keto dieters will see their performance become normal. In some endurance sports performance may even improve with the Keto diet. Additionally, you will increase your ability to burn more fat while exercising.
There’s one study that showed athletes on a Keto diet burned up to 230% more fat while exercising versus those who weren’t following Keto. It’s unclear if a Keto diet will maximize performance for an elite athlete, but once you are fat-adapted you shouldn’t have any trouble with general exercise and recreational activities.
For most of us, a Keto diet brings with it a major change in the kind of food we eat. Digestion problems like constipation or diarrhea are common at first. Most of these problems will cease after a transition period. But it’s important that you be aware of which foods cause you problems, and avoid them or minimize their consumption. Additionally, be certain to include lots of low-carb vegetables that have plenty of fiber, and consume a diverse range of foods. The lack of variety, in any diet, can lead to an increased risk of digestion and nutritional problems.
Even though many Keto dieters say they sleep better than before they started the diet, it’s common for some people to have trouble sleeping when they first start dieting. The sleeping issues usually go away in a couple of weeks.
This was a list of 10 ways to know you are in ketosis. Sooner than later, by following the Keto diet correctly you will enter a state of ketosis.
If you’re interested in the science and want to know exactly what your ketones are, use one of the measuring methods we talked about here (analyzing your blood, using a breathalyzer, or urinalysis strips)
But in the end, if you’re following the diet, feeling healthy, and losing weight, there really isn’t a need to be preoccupied with your ketone levels.
The first thing you might think about when you first heard of the ketogenic diet is how can it be as good as people say it is? The short answer is that there are enough benefits to change your life!
What is a Keto diet?
The Keto, or ketogenic, diet is a diet of moderate amounts of protein, high in fat, and low in carbohydrates (carbs). The goal is to dial in your nutritional intake in a way that your body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis.
Ketosis happens when your body has depleted its stores of glycogen sugar used for fueling your energy needs. After the available sugar is consumed your body has to use its stored fats for energy. Our body’s fat is converted into ketones by the liver as a source of energy. This is the reason the Keto diet is such an efficient way to lose body fat.
Top 7 Benefits Of The Keto Diet
Unlike other diets, where the only benefit is weight loss, the Keto diet offers several additional benefits.
1 – Weight loss
There’s no doubt that weight loss is the main goal of a Keto diet. The diet works because it causes your body to use its fat reserves to fuel its metabolism. Let’s go a little deeper into the process.
When a person is deprived of carbohydrates they enter a condition known as ketosis. In ketosis, blood sugar and insulin levels decrease. When our bodies convert fat cells to energy the fat cells release quite a bit of water. The combination of using fat for energy and the accompanying water loss makes for some great weight loss.
The fat is then free to enter the bloodstream and then the liver turns it into ketones to energize the body. So long as you can stay in a caloric deficit you will reap the weight loss benefit of the Keto diet.
2 – Keto curbs your appetite
When your diet isn’t loaded with carbs you won’t have the craving for as much food as you did before. A lot of people who use the Keto diet often fast for much of the day, only eating at mealtimes. They just don’t feel as hungry as they used to.
3 – Greater ability to focus
The Standard American Diet loads you up with a lot of carbs. Our brains have to deal with the resulting rise and fall of blood sugar caused by all those carbs. It’s hard for our brains to focus when we have fluctuating energy levels. But on a Keto diet, our energy levels are more constant and consistent. That makes it easier for the brain to focus and to stay focused longer.
4 – Feeling more energetic
Your body is always on the verge of running out of energy on a regular diet. You have to eat continuously to refuel it. On a Keto diet, your body is tapping into its fat reserve which is nearly an unending source of energy. Then the body can keep its energy level constant all day long. Resulting in you feeling much more energetic!
5 – It can help diabetes
A person who has Type II Diabetes experiences high levels of insulin. Because the Keto diet removes excess sugar from your diet it can help to stabilize their HbA1c counts and may even reverse Type II diabetes.
6 – Keto improves your levels of good cholesterol
HDL cholesterol helps your body get rid of bad cholesterol. After you start a Keto diet your triglyceride level decreases and the levels of HDL cholesterol increase.
7 – Improves your blood pressure
Being on a Keto diet can lower your blood pressure. Many people on a Keto diet are able to decrease their high blood pressure medicine or stop taking it entirely.
A person’s life can change dramatically, and in a positive way, on a ketogenic diet. The Keto diet isn’t hard to start either. There are plenty of Keto recipe books. All you need is a willingness to give it a shot.
Over the years many diets have come and gone promising miraculous weight loss and an overall improvement in body composition and wellness. But at what cost and how many have actually worked?
Most diets are designed to keep its practitioner in a caloric deficit. Meaning to consume fewer calories than their body needs to work normally and maintain its weight.
Generally speaking, the average person needs about 2,000 calories a day to function normally and maintain weight. The usual diet is designed to restrict our calorie intake to about 80% of normal, or 1,600 calories per day. These diets concentrate just on calories instead of considering the macronutrients that different food provides.
Obviously, this method of dieting works for many people. The challenge is when we run up against plateaus in our weight loss journey. People have been experimenting, for a number of years now, with high-fat diets and their possible benefits regarding weight and fat loss.
How can a diet high in fat help you lose weight?
It’s not very intuitive, but a high-fat diet can help you lose weight by putting your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is very effective at burning body fat.
What is ketosis?
Under everyday circumstances, our bodies can draw upon various sources of energy as needed. The primary energy source is glucose which comes from the carbohydrates that we consume. But when glucose isn’t available our bodies look for other forms of energy, these are called ketones.
So ketosis is our body’s metabolic state when there isn’t enough glucose and we’re using ketones as our energy source.
Eating a high-fat, low-carb diet can put us into the state of ketosis. While we are in ketosis our bodies convert our fat stores into ketones for energy.
Achieving ketosis
Whenever we fast for a prolonged time our bodies will enter a state of ketosis. A lot of the experts think that runners will enter ketosis during a long run, especially so when carb cycling.
Other than fasting or exercising, we can enter ketosis by consuming very few calories. By limiting the number of calories we get from carbohydrate consumption to less than 15% of our caloric intake, our bodies will start taking energy for its stored fat instead of the restricted carbohydrates.
Can ketosis help with fat loss?
There are always instances when any diet won’t work. However, the Keto diet is known for effectively stimulating fat loss and consequently weight loss.
Some recent research has shown the keto diet improves the levels of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol), blood sugar, and HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol). These effects are all beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
What are the downsides?
Nothing is perfect and diets aren’t any different. Even though we know low carb, high-fat diets are quite effective at getting rid of unwanted fat and weight they might be dangerous for people who have diabetes or a pre-existing heart condition. For that reason, you should talk to your primary health care provider before starting any diet that is a dramatic change from your normal diet.
Converting stored fat to usable energy for our bodies is much slower than readily convertible carbohydrates. So anyone on a Keto diet may find themselves lagging in high-energy activities like sports, cross fit, powerlifting, etc.
A balanced lifestyle is important
Long-term research hasn’t found any major negative health issues brought on from following a Keto diet. In fact, the opposite has been noted citing weight loss and weight control as well as internal health benefits.
Just remember, a balanced lifestyle is important no matter your diet. Don’t think just because you’re on a high fat diet you eat nothing but double bacon cheeseburgers without consequences. The Keto diet is intended to put your body in a state of ketosis by consuming whole foods, healthy oils, lean proteins, seeds, nuts, and plenty of dark leafy greens.
Undoubtedly, a healthy diet will lead to a healthy lifestyle including a healthy weight, more vitality, and deeper satisfaction with your life!
The idea of a lazy keto diet isn’t all that new. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics, and author of “
The first thing you might think about when you first heard of the ketogenic diet is how can it be as good as people say it is? The short answer is that there are enough benefits to change your life!
Most diets are designed to keep its practitioner in a caloric deficit. Meaning to consume fewer calories than their body needs to work normally and maintain its weight.