What is Ketosis Weight Loss?
Having a slim body is a dream for everyone, and now there are several ways you can do to get that slim body. One that is currently popular is a diet that takes advantage of the body’s ketosis state to reduce weight.
Have you heard of it before? If you are interested in trying the keto diet, it is better to know the complete explanation of this diet. Find out how it works and whether this diet has “side effects” for your body.
Are you new to the term ketosis?
It turns out everyone may have experienced the body in a state of ketosis. If you’ve never experienced this, you may be unaware of the fact; ketosis is a normal metabolic process in everyone’s body. Why does the body go into ketosis? This situation occurs because the body lacks carbohydrates from food to provide energy to the cells. Therefore, to overcome this deficiency or make it sufficient, the body will use fat to provide energy. Have you ever fasted? Usually, ketosis will occur when you are fasting or limiting carbohydrate intake. If you have been on a low carbohydrate diet, your body will also experience ketosis. You can also apply a ketogenic diet, where this diet aims to reach a state of ketosis in the body.
Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet
Interested in trying the ketogenic diet to lose weight? Know in advance what the benefits are. The following are the benefits of the ketogenic diet in the body:
1. Able to lose weight
In a state of ketosis, the body will burn fat into energy so that ketosis can be used to lose weight. When you apply a ketogenic diet to reach a state of ketosis, it is advisable to reduce or minimize carbohydrates’ consumption and increase your intake of healthy fats. This is intended as your body will use more fat as a source of energy. Research from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008 supports that the ketogenic diet can reduce hunger in the body and significantly reduce food intake to experience weight loss.
2. Control blood sugar levels
Do you have diabetes? Apart from losing weight, ketosis has also been shown to control your blood sugar levels. When applying the ketogenic diet, the body will get a small carbohydrate intake, which will help control blood sugar levels. The body will use carbohydrates as energy so that excess sugar levels will decrease.
3. Increase Brain Concentration
What is the relationship between brain concentration and ketosis? When the body is experiencing ketosis, it will produce ketone compounds used as a longer-lasting energy source compared to glucose. So, the brain will be much more focused and concentrated. If glucose is used as a source of brain energy, it only lasts for a short duration, about one to two days. And the work of the brain will also decrease in line with the depletion of glucose reserves in the body. It is different if the energy source comes from ketones because this will last much longer up to weeks. Therefore, the brain will work more optimally and last longer.
4. Controlling Epilepsy
Did you know that the ketogenic diet was originally used not to lose weight, but to treat epilepsy? The existence of research related to ketone compounds produced when the body is experiencing ketosis is useful as energy for the brain, which is more effective than glucose. Where ketones are also able to avoid damage and protect brain cells. Many studies have shown that applying a ketogenic diet will reduce seizures in epilepsy patients. Not only that, but there are also studies showing that this diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
So, those are the benefits you will get not only lose weight, but for the body’s health too.
Side effects of the keto diet
Applying the keto diet is one of the right ways to lose weight in a short time and is good for those with diabetes. But it turns out that this diet also has side effects, so if you want to apply the keto diet, its best to know in advance what the side effects are for your body.
What are some of them?
The following are the side effects of the keto diet, including:
1. Flu-like symptoms
As stated in some of our Keto diet for beginners’ guide, you may experience flu-like symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. And not only that, some people experience nausea, weakness, lack of concentration and difficulty sleeping. This happens as your body slowly transitions in producing ketones. These symptoms will go away after a few days.
2. Bad breath
When running on this keto diet, you will often experience bad breath. This odour is caused by acetone, a ketone-like substance which is a byproduct of fat metabolism. The smell of this ketone aroma is like nail polish remover and smells for days when you start on the keto diet.
3. Worsening kidney disease
This diet will limit carbohydrate intake so that it is replaced with fat and protein. However, a high protein diet is also not good for the kidneys, worsening kidney disease. This is also supported by several studies that confirm that the keto diet can aggravate kidney conditions.
4. Osteoporosis
The next side effect is osteoporosis, which occurs because a high protein diet makes you waste more calcium when urinating. However, this still requires more research to support its validity.
5. Indigestion
When you first apply this diet, digestive disorders are usually called constipation. This disorder occurs because the body lacks adequate absorption of fiber and water. Some people will experience diarrhea, although it rarely happens. Your body will feel frail and feel very hungry because it only consumes a few carbohydrates.
6. Muscle cramps
Sometimes, when you are on the keto diet, you may also experience muscle cramps. Why is that? This is due to mineral loss and dehydration, as well as significantly increased protein intake. If you consume foods high in protein continuously, this is at risk of increasing uric acid levels and causing joint and muscle pain.
7. Increased heart rate
One other side effect is palpitations or increased heart rate or heart palpitations. So, what caused this to happen? Dehydration and low salt intake are the main causes.
8. Ketoacidosis
Do you know what ketoacidosis is? This condition can become dangerous when the blood’s ketone levels are very high and make the blood pH drop. If not treated quickly, diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death, especially in people with diabetes. So that you can avoid these side effects, let’s know the symptoms:
- Continuous urination
- Always feel thirsty
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain or pain in the stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Your breath smells like fruit.
If you have diabetes, go to the hospital immediately if you have these symptoms.
How to Neutralise the Side Effects of the Keto Diet
The above side effect happens if you do not know the ketogenic diet well. After you know the side effects of the keto diet, it is time to find out how to minimize the side effects! What are some of them?
1. Drink lots of water
We recommend that when you intend to go on a keto diet, it is necessary to compensate by drinking lots of water up to two litres per day to avoid dehydration at the beginning of the diet.
2. Reduce carbohydrates gradually
Your body will find it difficult to accept if you reduce carbohydrates drastically. Therefore reduce carbohydrates gradually if you want to apply this keto diet so that your body will be more familiar with the metabolic changes that will occur when undergoing the keto diet.
3. Maintain mineral intake
Reduce carbohydrate intake in your diet, but keep in mind to meet mineral needs. So, don’t neglect to meet your potassium and magnesium needs by eating bananas so that you will avoid muscle cramps.
4. Consuming enough salt
When carbohydrate intake is reduced, of course, the amount of salt intake will also decrease. So, to be able to meet this deficiency, you can add salt to your diet.
5. Avoid strenuous exercise
When starting the keto diet, you will feel weak in the body. Therefore, don’t force yourself to do heavy exercise.
6. Increase fiber intake
To avoid constipation, you can eat foods low in carbohydrates and high fiber, for example, whole grains, nuts, fruits and low-carb vegetables.
What are the causes of hunger during the keto diet?
If you are on a keto diet and feel less full, causing hunger, making the keto diet difficult, especially if you can’t hold back and can afford to go beyond reasonable limits.
This is certainly one of the factors causing the failure of the keto diet for most people. Then, what are the causes of hunger during the keto diet?
Here are some reasons, among others:
1. Lack of fiber
In fact, consuming enough fiber will help keep hunger and fill longer. So, if you have been starving while on the keto diet, maybe one of them is a lack of fiber intake. Well, you can add extra fiber to the keto diet menu.
2. Lack of sleep
Why is the lack of sleep a cause of hunger?Well, when you are sleep deprived, our bodies will not produce sufficient amounts of the hormone leptin, which causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin, which can trigger hunger. It’s best if you need to interpret your sleep patterns and improve them. However, if you sleep well and still feel hungry, there may be other causes.
3. Consuming vegetable milk
There is no definite explanation about the context of milk in losing weight. Research explains that the body needs nonfat milk to get essential nutrients that can cause fullness. So, it is advisable to consume milk with a fat content of no more than two percent, almond milk, oat milk, etc.
4. Not drinking enough
Do you often get dehydrated? It turns out that dehydration can cause thirst, which is similar to hunger. You can try to drink a glass of water and feel whether it is still hungry or not, where the effects will be felt after 15-20 minutes to get to know the exact needs of your body.
5. Leptin Resistance
What is leptin? Leptin is a hormone that can regulate and change food intake for longer and develop it into energy. And not just for one food, but for the food after that, and it has an impact on your weight. While leptin resistance is a hormonal dysfunction that causes the body to start producing large amounts of leptin, tolerance builds up, causing cell resistance to leptin. So, your body always needs extra fuel and can’t receive signals of satiety. This is experienced by someone who has high body fat and always consumes a lot of sugar, which causes high leptin levels in the body.
6. Lack of eating
Even though you are on a diet, do not make yourself tortured by limiting food to small amounts. So if you feel hungry, you can eat more but with a good food menu.
Is the Keto Diet Effective for Losing Weight?
Under the conclusions already explained, it turns out that the keto diet is not only for reducing body weight but is beneficial for health, including people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Why is that? Here’s the explanation.
1. Suppress Appetite
There is an explanation from a health article published by the Obesity Review that the keto diet can reduce fat even though it consumes fewer carbohydrates. The keto diet emphasizes protein consumption to provide a feeling of fullness longer.
2. Carbohydrates
The key to success while on a keto diet is to minimize carbohydrate consumption, which is 5% a day.
3. Fat and Protein
The intake of protein consumed in a day is only 20 percent a day and comes from natural ingredients, not processed food. And the total amount of fat is 70-75 percent a day.
4. Green vegetables
To provide fiber in the body, you can get from vegetables, and a good recommendation for the keto diet is cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, asparagus, and beans.
5. Fruits
The types of fruits that can be consumed are also quite limited, including avocado, berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries), kiwi, cherries peaches.
6. Cooking spices
When on the keto diet, you also have to pay attention to the right cooking spices. And cooking spices that must be avoided are all types of sugar (white sugar, palm sugar, and palm sugar), barbecue spices, jam, sweet soy sauce, onions, soy sauce, mayonnaise, and butter are allowed, but a little yes.
7. Beverages
Of course, the types of drinks that are not allowed are drinks that contain sugar, such as soft drinks, energy drinks, milkshakes, beer and others. But you can replace it with lemon slices (infused water), which is the best type of drink for the keto diet.
That’s a complete explanation of ketosis weight loss or what is called the keto diet. Are you interested in trying this diet? As you know, Keto Diet needs to be carefully guided, and if you are new, we highly recommend ‘‘Keto Diet For Beginners” to guide you and avoid all the guessing work.
