What’s the Deal with Keto? Ketosis Explained

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard of the Keto diet. With the high rate of reported success, millions of people are jumping on board to lose weight and get healthy on this kind of diet. There is no calorie counting involved and it still helps you lose weight efficiently and safely. The diet centers around a process called ketosis, which naturally occurs in the body.

So, what is ketosis? How does it work? And how can you benefit from this new weight-loss trend? Read on to find out!

What is Ketosis?

To understand ketosis, you first need to know how the body gets its energy. There are three main places from which your body obtains its energy. These are food, glycogen, and your body’s fat stores. The first place your body will go for energy is to the carbohydrates from your most recent meal. If you’ve not eaten carbs, such as if you’re on a VLCD diet like the Shake That Weight shakes, your body will need to go to the next source to get energy.

The second stop on your body’s journey to find energy is glycogen. Glycogen is a type of sugar that is held in your muscles and your liver. When you’re not consuming carbs, your body can use up all the glycogen within about three days. Once that’s used up, the third and final stop is your body’s fat stores.

When your body starts using your body fat for energy, you have then entered ketosis. As long as your body stays in ketosis, it will continue to use your body fat for energy, thus making you lose weight. The process will come to a halt when you begin consuming regular food and carbs again.

What does it feel like to be in ketosis?

You will likely notice many positive changes when your body is in ketosis, especially if you are on a VLCD or very low-calorie diet. When your body goes into ketogenic state it will quickly and efficiently start burning your fat and using it for energy. It will obtain the same amount of energy from your fat stores as it would from food, so you won’t feel like you have less energy.

In reality, it’s the opposite to many people feeling as though they have more energy since you won’t have the carbs weighing you down. On top of that, many people experience increased feelings of euphoria and happiness when in ketosis. The general consensus is that you’ll feel great when you reach this state.

What is the keto diet?

So now that you know what ketosis is, it’s time to look more specifically at the keto diet. The structure of the diet is based on consuming high amounts of fat, moderate protein, and limited to no carbs. The breakdown is approximately 75% calories from fat, 20% calories from protein, and 5% calories from carbs. If you’re doing the keto diet for weight-loss, the most efficient program is a Very Low-Calorie Diet or VLCD. These specialized formulas will help you stay in ketosis for up to 12 weeks, helping you effectively and safely lose a ton of weight. VLCDs come in the form of shakes or soups, but you can also choose a plan that includes a low carb meal option as well.

What foods are keto-friendly?

Keto-friendly foods are ones that don’t contain enough carbs to bring your body out of ketosis. Some of those foods include:

  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Oils (coconut, avocado, sesame, walnut, etc.)
  • Avocado
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Leafy greens
  • Meat
  • Eggs
  • Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cucumber, asparagus, zucchini, bell peppers, and cauliflower
  • Fish
  • Heavy cream

You’ll notice that all these foods are high in fat, which will help satisfy your cravings and prevent you from over-eating. High-fat foods will also help curb your sugar cravings.

How can you lose weight on the keto diet?

Ketosis is a natural process that occurs within the body, and therefore it is a safe and effective form of weight loss. As long as you keep your body in a ketogenic state, it will continue to eat up your body fat to make energy. The longer you’re in ketosis, the more fat and weight you will lose. If you’re looking for the most effective weight loss solution, then a very low-calorie diet is the best option. Your calories are limited to 800 or below, and through the process, you can lose up to 9 kilos per month.

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