Simply put, keto helps you burn stored fat more efficiently than weight loss methods like calorie counting. It changes the fuel your body uses from carbs and sugars to fat, burning stored fat more frequently in the process.
When you eat very little sugar, which is the main goal of following a keto diet, your body must begin to create energy with whatever else is available.
Your liver accomplishes this by turning dietary and stored fat into ketones, which enter your bloodstream and provide fuel for your muscles and other cells. When your body does this for long enough, it enters a state known as ketosis.
Ketosis
Ketosis is a process triggered by having a very low carb intake for an extended period of time. It refers to “the metabolic state in which the body converts fat stores into energy, releasing ketones in the process” (McIntosh, 2020, Para. 10).
Most people who live by the keto diet do so to get themselves into ketosis. It typically takes between two to four days of low-carb eating to reach ketosis, though this can vary depending on how many carbs you consume and your age, body type, and typical metabolism.
Some symptoms of ketosis are a fruity smell to your breath caused by increased acetone production, a lower appetite, increased focus, and of course weight loss.
If you are really serious about tracking your ketosis progress, you can use ketone test strips, which darken to indicate high levels of ketones. Though many followers of keto swear by ketosis, it is still possible to lose weight on keto without remaining in ketosis for an extended period of time.
Simply cutting down the number of carbs you eat can promote weight loss on its own.
Ketosis is not a requirement for losing weight on keto, but it is a good way to know you are on the right track and that what you are doing is making a difference.
How can you benefit from keto?
Keto’s main benefit is weight maintenance. When your body metabolizes stored fat, it helps get rid of fatty deposits so you can look and feel your best. No more will you close your eyes when you step on the scale! Keto helps underweight people return to a healthy weight as well.
A high fat and medium protein diet is nutrient dense, which helps ensure your body is getting all of the resources it needs to function properly. Though it is the most common reason for starting the diet, the benefits of keto are not just limited to weight loss.
Many diet followers report better energy levels, helping them to do more of what they love, whether that means more exercise or more binge watching TV. Improved focus for work or school is another positive effect.
When you eat better, you will feel better. Perhaps the most important benefit of all is what keto can do for your self-confidence. When you feel amazing and you know you look good, when you can watch the pounds melt off every week, you can feel happier about your eating choices and your body.
The desire to look good is backed by more than simple vanity. Loving your body and doing what you can to take care of it is an important step in loving yourself.