A ketogenic diet involves minimal carbohydrates and sugars. Rather, one should be focusing on vegetables and protein. According to Perfect Keto, "ketosis is the metabolic process of using fat as the primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates." This means when your body is in ketosis, it will get its energy from breaking down stored fat. This diet is supposed to protect you from losing muscle mass, and instead of losing as much fat as possible.
The time it takes to reach ketosis varies on the individual. According to Keto Dash, the quickest way to reach ketosis is starting with a 24-hour fast, then eating the right types of food.
"The goal is to remove glycogen stores."
Pro: rapid weight loss
During the first week of a low-carb diet, most of the weight you'll lose is water weight rather than fat. According to Thrive/Strive, this is because your body is "finally able to release the water that was being held by the fat cells." After this initial water weight is gone, you'll most likely start burning off fat.
The main reason why people want to reach ketosis is because it can result in significant weight loss. People have also reported an increase in mental focus and energy levels. According to Perfect Keto, this is because your body will not have the constant ups and downs or crashes when its energy source is fat as opposed to sugar.
Physical ability is affected differently based on the type of exercise you're doing. If you're striving for ketosis and following a low-carb diet, you'll most likely experience more physical endurance. This is especially helpful if you're going to be running for a long time. However, if you're more into short bursts of high-intensity workouts, you'll have to switch up this diet a bit.
According to Keto Dash, people that prefer these types of workouts, like bodybuilders, "may consider an alternate Ketogenic Diet where they load up on carbs before a workout."
Con: restriction
There are a few things to be cautious of when trying a ketogenic diet. According to Poliquin Group, it can take up to two weeks for your body to fully adapt to this type of eating.
This can be metabolically uncomfortable while your body is going through this process.
It is a restrictive diet, so if you struggle with this or have a history of eating-related issues, this may not be the right type of diet to try.
It's natural for our bodies to react differently to this type of diet, so the results aren't always guaranteed. However, there have been a variety of studies that show how positive reaching ketosis can be.
