Typically, during the first week of the keto diet, people see a very quick drop in weight — anywhere from 2 to 10 pounds. This is unrivaled by any other diet, but it is also not all coming from fat. In fact, most of this weight loss is the result of the body shedding the extra water weight it was holding on to as a consequence of carbohydrate consumption. After a week or two of keto dieting, weight loss will happen at a slower and more steady pace. This is also the period of time when the body becomes keto-adapted as it switches from burning carbs to burning fat.
The average weight loss at this point is around pounds per week — the majority of it coming from fat. As you get closer to your goal weight and your overall body weight decreases, weight loss will slow down. This happens because as your weight decreases so will your daily caloric needs.
For this reason, you may want to recalculate your calorie needs every month or so. Keep in mind that weight loss may not be consistent either. What is behind the seemingly unpredictable and unique nature of your weight loss rate? Here are some of the critical factors that determine how fast the pounds will come off:. When we take a step back and look at the bigger picture of our fat loss rate, predictable patterns began to emerge. Conversely, those who start with more muscle and decent metabolic health that are disciplined enough to stick to their diet plan, maintain a calorie deficit, and increase their physical activity levels will typically lose weight more quickly and get the results they want.
We do, however, share one thing in common: each one of us can optimize our body composition with our diets. Yes, you read that correctly — you have the potential to sculpt your body into incredible shape with keto. However, most of us will not reach our body composition goals by simple restricting carbs and being in ketosis.
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From a dietary perspective, getting the results that you desire will take discipline, consistency, and a well-formulated, healthy dietary approach. The discipline and consistency are up to you; our job is to provide you with the information that will help you reach your goals with the keto diet. To help you get started on your weight loss journey, we put together a list of the four fundamental principles that will help you formulate a healthy keto diet for your needs:. You will know that you are following a well-formulated and healthy keto diet for you if these four variables are trending in the right direction:.
For more information on how to create a keto diet that is healthy and effective for you, we recommend checking out our recent article on the topic. However, even if you follow every suggestion and strategy flawlessly, you may end up stalling at the same weight for a few weeks. In this case, you may need to make some minor adjustments to your diet to get back on track. Plateaus are an inevitable part of every diet.
Eventually, you will get to a point where you are eating what your body needs to maintain its weight. This can happen months to years after you start the keto diet. Looking for more specific info on how to bust through weight loss plateaus on the ketogenic diet? Follow this link to learn more. However, there is one caveat when it comes to weight loss.
In response to a calorie deficit, the body will typically burn some of its muscle mass for fuel by using a process called gluconeogenesis. As a result, many people will lose muscle along with the fat when they diet. Luckily, there is a way to preserve muscle mass, even in the midst of extreme caloric deficits. The most important macronutrient for preserving and building lean muscle is protein. Protein consumption is especially crucial on the ketogenic diet. Without dietary carbs to provoke an anabolic muscle building response, you will tend to lose muscle more rapidly without adequate protein intake on keto.
With that being said, research has also found that ketones have a muscle preserving effect. Because of this, it is reasonable to suggest that you should eat just enough protein to maintain muscle mass without eating so much protein that you decrease your ketone levels. Keep in mind, however, that consuming too much protein at any given meal can decrease your levels of ketosis. To mitigate this effect, you can divide your protein intake into equal amounts throughout your meals. To get a more accurate measure of your fat loss, it is essential to estimate and track your body fat percentage.
There are many methods you can use to evaluate your fat loss, but the two simplest ways are by visually estimating your body fat percentage and by plugging your waist circumference, height, and weight into a body fat calculator. To learn more about how to visually estimate your body fat percentage, follow this link to our article on the topic. Waist circumference, for example, tends to decrease as fat mass decreases, providing you with an indicator that you lost fat.
The bulk of research suggests that the ketogenic diet is more effective than conventional diets in helping you lose weight and shed body fat. One of the reasons why the ketogenic diet provides such reliable weight loss results is because it consists primarily of highly-satiating whole foods like meat, high-fat dairy, and low-carb vegetables while removing all carb-rich, sugar-laden processed foods from the diet. By eating in this way, you will feel full while eating fewer calories and losing weight.
Keto Diet for Beginners: What It Is, What to Eat and Recipes
The most important part of the ketogenic diet is consistency. Approach this diet or any other diet that you try with the mindset that you will make it into a long-term sustainable lifestyle. Take it as an opportunity to recalculate your calorie needs, adjust your goals, and implement new strategies. During the diet, the majority of calories you consume come from fat , with a little protein and very little carbohydrates. Ketosis also happens if you eat a very low-calorie diet — think doctor-supervised, medically recommended diets of to total calories per day. If you have type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor before attempting a ketogenic diet.
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While it can be motivating to see the number on the scale go down often dramatically , do keep in mind that most of this is water loss initially. Roughly 60 to 80 percent of your calories will come from fats. This is different from a traditional low-carb diet , as even fewer carbs are allowed on the keto diet.
A ketogenic diet for beginners
The remaining calories in the keto diet come from protein — about 1 gram g per kilogram of body weight, so a pound woman would need about 64 g of protein total. Total carbohydrates minus fiber equals net carbs, she explains. Meaning, if you eat something as small as a serving of blueberries , your body could revert to burning carbohydrates for fuel rather than fat.
We asked her for some guidelines. Just watch the sodium content, as it can add up quickly. One thigh is a good source of selenium, zinc, and B vitamins. Snack Macadamia nuts. Lunch Chicken tenders made with almond flour on a bed of greens with cucumbers and goat cheese. Snack A handful of walnuts with a quarter cup of berries. Dinner Baked tofu with cauliflower rice, broccoli, and peppers, topped with a homemade peanut sauce.
Fortunately, there are a few hacks you can follow to cut down on costs while following the keto diet. Buying frozen fruits and nuts in bulk are just two examples. Snacking on the keto diet can be tricky, because the usual go-tos think chips, crackers, and granola bars are off-limits.
Other good news: Many companies are getting into the business of the keto diet and are creating their own specialty products that take the guesswork out of macronutrient counting. Some even have tried to mimic favorite comfort foods typically high in carbs, like candy, potato chips, and even cookies.
Fortunately, a growing number of restaurants are offering healthy options that fit in a keto diet — and some have even hopped on the keto bandwagon officially. Take Chipotle , which now offers a Keto Salad Bowl, complete with carnitas, guacamole, tomatillo red chile salsa, and cheese. Still, you might want to do a little research before an upcoming road trip or a night out.