How Keto Works?

How does a ketogenic diet work for weight loss? Carbohydrates are our body’s typical and preferred source of energy. Our muscles burn carbohydrates (from our diet or stored as glycogen) to meet the demands of activity and exercise

When we severely limit our carbohydrate intake, as with the ketogenic diet, our body is forced to find other sources of energy.2 When we limit carbohydrate intake, our metabolism may switch to burning fat to get energy – a metabolic state called “ketosis”.

Summary: Because the ketogenic diet is carb-restrictive, it encourages your body to burn fat for energy instead of carbs.

Health Benefits of Ketosis

In addition to the benefits of keto diets for treating seizures (which should always be done under the supervision of a doctor), many recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of these diets:

• weight loss
• blood sugar control

When you consume carbohydrates, your body must produce insulin to absorb and store this sugar.1

When you’re not constantly eating carbs, your body doesn’t have as much of a demand for insulin production, which keeps blood sugar more stable.

Summary: The keto diet can help with weight loss and blood sugar control, among other things.

things to consider

1. Elimination of food groups
   Although the ketogenic diet sounds promising — eating satisfying, high-fat foods — any diet that eliminates entire food groups (like carbs) can be difficult to sustain in the long term.
2. Difficult to maintain
   If you see rapid success with osteoporosis, but then adopt unhealthy eating habits, you’ll likely regain the weight just as quickly.

The keto diet is particularly difficult to maintain because even a single day of “cheating” or slipping up will knock your body out of ketosis and cause extra fat to be stored, instead of burned for energy.

3. Missing Key Nutrients
   You may also be missing out on essential vitamins and minerals by eliminating so many foods, which can lead to other side effects.
4. Ketogenic Flu
   It can also be difficult to start keto. Many people who start on this diet experience different first weeks as their body adapts to burning fat for energy instead of the carbs it is used to.

You will likely feel tired, irritable, with low mental and physical energy (especially for exercise). You’ll also likely feel hungry, crave carbs, and may have trouble sleeping and digesting. The ketogenic flu includes decreased energy and mental function, increased hunger, sleep problems, nausea, digestive discomfort, and decreased exercise performance. However, once the first few weeks have passed, these symptoms should go away.