Let’s first breakdown what ketosis really is- in simple terms, when the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns fat as an alternative. This results in formation of by-product called ketones. A lot of fitness experts encourage this through a diet called the ketogenic diet, which is essentially a low carb diet. So, what changes happens during ketosis.
Ketosis is a process that happens when starvation of carbohydrates takes place in one’s body. The low supply of carbs in the body is compensated with loading of good fats.
You can book a free consultation with one of our dietitians. Click here to book a consultation with our keto expert.
What happens to your body when you’re on the keto diet (or when you’re going through ketosis)?
- You lose weight rapidly: The bulk of curiosity behind the keto diet is its ability to help you lose fat quickly. Within 1-2 weeks, you will lose water weight, followed by loss of fat and stored carbs in your body.
Many study show that a keto diet is one of the best options to lose weight while preserving muscles. Another study showed that over 12 weeks of sustained ketosis, participants lost over 12.4% of the total body fat. - Increased focus and concentration: In the previous point, we mentioned that you are likely to go through a sense of tiredness and fatigue. But if you bear that for a bit, you could feel more energetic and focused. This has been reported by long term keto-dieters.
There is a rise in ketones in your blood during ketosis, which leads to more stable blood sugar levels. Naturally, with stable energy levels, you will notice improved brain function.
- Temporary decrease in performance: Carbs are where the body is habituated to derive most of its energy from. When you remove that out of your daily food take, it’s natural for you to feel fatigued and tired. In the absence of carbs, the excess burning of fat takes place due to increased oxidation of fat and the production of ketones.
Normally, we Indians are used to consuming high carbs in our breakfast. Carbs provide energy for up to 2 hours, after which endurance and performance decrease. So keto diet has only 5% carbs, which means for a week or so, you will be low on performance initially but fats provide a great amount of energy to your body. - Bad Breath: Many keto diet followers exhibit bad breath while on the diet. This is because of the production of acetone (type of ketone body) in our body. Acetone is a waste product & body throws it out, either in the form of urine or it is exhaled.
But as you are following a keto diet because of a specific goal, you might feel happy about your bad breath as it’s a sign that your body has entered into ketosis. A sugar free mouth-freshener is all that is required at this time.
There are many other changes that occur in the body when you enter into ketosis like keto-flu, loss of salts & many others. The symptoms vary from person to person & can be taken care of easily, if the diet is followed under the guidance of an expert.