Keto diet – from weight loss to bad breath… how to know if you’re in ketosis
THE keto diet has been praised by celebs, athletes and nutritionists as one of the most effective ways to lose weight, achieve a better physique, and even get rid of cellulite.
It involves getting the body into a state of ketosis by ditching carbs, and eating fats and proteins instead.
Ketosis is when the body, starved of carbs for energy, and starts to burn fat reserves for energy.
For healthy people, who don't have diabetes and aren't pregnant, this state usually kicks in after three or four days of following the plan and eating less than 50g of carbs a day.
But how can you really tell when your body is in ketosis?
Here, we talk some pretty common signs and symptoms of ketosis that can be both positive or negative.
1. Reduced appetite
Many people doing the keto diet feel a lot less hungry than they may have done before.
Experts say that this hunger reduction is due the fact you're eating a lot more protein and vegetables, along with alterations to your body's hunger hormones.
The ketones themselves may also affect your brain to reduce appetite.
2. Bad breath
One common side effect of the keto diet is bad breath.
In particular, the increase of acetone, a ketone which exists in your urine and breath, makes your breath take on a fruity smell.
While this may be less than ideal if you're heading out on a Tinder date, it can be a positive sign for your diet.
Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day or use sugar-free gum to solve the issue.
3. Weight loss
The weight will start dropping off if you're fully dedicated to your keto diet.
Fast weight loss will happen during the first week as your body begins to use up stored carbs and water.
After the initial drop in water weight you will then continue to lose body fat consistently as long as you stick to the diet and remain in calorie deficit.
4. The 'keto flu'
People often feel sick, tired and a little bit "foggy" in the head during their first week of the keto diet.
This is because after several decades of running on a carb-heavy fuel system, your body is forced to adapt to a different system.
Unfortunately, this switch doesn't happen overnight and it generally takes seven to 30 days before you are in full ketosis.
5. Increased focus and energy
After the keto flu has passed, long-term keto dieters often say they have gained increased focus and energy.
This is because ketones are a key fuel source for your brain and they have even been used to treat brain conditions such as concussion and memory loss.
Ways to test for ketosis
Blood tests
Traditionally, the most effective and accurate way to test for ketosis was by taking a painful pinprick blood test.
However, blood testing comes with high consumable costs - up to £2 per strip - and requires fresh blood for each test. Ouch!
Not ideal, unless you enjoy the prospect of becoming a pin cushion.
Urine tests
Slightly more user friendly and cheaper is acetoacetic acid measurement using urine test paper.
However, there are drawbacks to this low-tech method.
Not only is it inconvenient, urine tests are inaccurate and unreliable and can only relate to your keto state six to eight hours prior to testing, meaning pinpointing exactly when or if your body is in ketosis will be tricky.
Breathalyser tests
In the last few years some breathalyser manufacturers have created breathalysers with sensors to detect the acetone that is produced during ketosis.
More recently a handheld breathalyser introduced in the UK by AlcoDigital.
The is the world’s first portable cartridge-based analyser and this measures ketones in the breath in real-time, making it one of the most effective ways to monitor ketosis.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that long-term keto slimmers often say they have increased clarity and improved brain function.
Cutting out carbs can also help control and stabilise blood sugar levels - this may further increase focus and improve brain function.
6. Insomnia
One big issue for many ketogenic dieters is sleep, especially when they first change their diet.
A lot of people get insomnia or wake up at night when they first reduce their carbs drastically.
However, this usually improves in a matter of weeks.
Many long-term ketogenic dieters claim that they sleep better than before after adapting to the diet.
7. Digestive issues
The keto diet usually involves a major change in the types of foods you eat.
Digestive issues such as constipation and diarrhoea are common side effects in the beginning.
Some of these issues should reduce after the transition period, but it may be important to be mindful of different foods that may be causing digestive issues.
Also, make sure to eat plenty of healthy low-carb veggies, which are low in carbs but still contain plenty of fibre.
8. Short-term decrease in performance
Removing carbs from your diet during keto will cause an initial decrease in exercise performance.
This is due to the reduction in your muscles' glycogen stores, which provide the most efficient fuel source for all forms of high-intensity exercise.
After several weeks, many ketogenic dieters report that their performance returns to normal.
More on diet and nutrition
In certain types of ultra-endurance sports and events, a ketogenic diet could even be beneficial.
What’s more, there are further benefits — including an increased ability to burn more fat during exercise.
In particular, found that athletes who had switched to a ketogenic diet burned as much as 230 per cent more fat when they exercised, compared to athletes who were not following this diet.
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