Many people want to lose weight. For those who want to achieve this on a keto diet, how much weight can they lose? Is it possible to dramatically reduce your body mass on a keto diet? This article will discuss the scientific findings relating to weight loss on a keto diet and how much weight you can realistically expect to lose.
What Is Keto?
Keto is an eating style that originated in the 1920s in the United States. It is characterized by the use of fats, particularly those from animal sources, in place of carbohydrates. The diet is low in carbohydrates because those are stored as body fat, which is eliminated in the urine. This means that more oxygen is available for the bodies use, enabling those on a keto diet to perform at their best. Ketone bodies, which are produced by the liver when on a keto diet, are also used by the brain as energy sources, so those following the diet are able to maintain a steady state of cognitive function.
Can You Lose A Lot Of Weight On A Keto Diet?
The short answer is yes, you can lose a lot of weight on a keto diet. The reason being that fats are very high in calories (9 kcal/g) compared to carbohydrates (4 kcal/g). Therefore, a lot of weight can be lost if you are careful about how much you are consuming. If you are looking to undergo surgery or trying to get into shape for a specific event then a keto diet may be a suitable option for you. However, for the average person who is simply looking to lose a few pounds, the results may not be that impressive.
There are numerous celebrities who have famously followed a keto diet, including Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, and more recently, Drew Brees. The New York Jets football player Drew Brees lost 70 lbs on his keto diet and credits the diet with improving his overall wellbeing and performance.
Whether or not you are a celebrity or just want to improve your overall wellbeing and athletic performance, you can achieve great results on a keto diet. Keep reading for more information.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On A Keto Diet?
The question that you need to ask yourself is, how much weight do you want to lose? Remember, the keto diet is not a weight loss diet, it is an eating style that can be used to manage body weight. This is why you may see some keto dieters gain weight while on the diet. It is also why you will need to be careful about how much you eat if you want to lose weight. It is always advisable to consult with a physician or nutrition expert before starting any kind of weight loss regime.
On a keto diet, you will need to eliminate carbohydrates and consume fats and protein instead. One study done on 12 obese teenagers showed that those following a keto diet for three months were able to lose a mean weight of 15.45 kg (33 lbs) or 48.9% of their body weight. The participants in the study reported that after following the keto diet for a while, they felt better both mentally and physically, and had more energy. Most of the participants also noted that they were more attracted to foods that were high in fat and protein, such as chicken, beef, lamb, and fish.
What if you want to lose a certain amount of weight? There are several ways that you can do this. You can start by eating fewer calories than you burn. This is generally accomplished by consuming fewer carbohydrates and more fats and proteins. If you want to lose five pounds you can eat 3000 calories less than you burn. This is the same as eating 500 calories less per day. It is usually recommended to eat less than you burn to lose weight, as overeating causes you to accumulate more fat. As you lose weight, you need to make sure that you are staying hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day. You should also try to do some form of physical activity, such as taking a walk or riding a bike, as these help to promote muscle health and increase your energy levels.
How Is Weight Loss On A Keto Diet Kept Off?
Keeping the weight off is more difficult than losing it in the first place, especially if you return to your old ways. Once you have lost a certain amount of weight on a keto diet, you will need to continue to follow the diet to keep the weight off. Studies have shown that after three or four years, about 40% of those who had initially lost weight on a keto diet were still losing weight, despite their efforts to return to their old eating habits. Some of the issues preventing them from doing so were related to boredom, stress, and emotional eating. This is why you need to make sure that you continue to follow the diet, even after you have reached your goal weight.
To ensure this, you can either follow the diet yourself, or hire an individual or team of individuals to do the diet for you. When you do the research, you will learn that there are several companies which specialize in providing support to those who want to follow a keto diet. For a limited time, we can offer you our FREE guide to following a keto diet, which includes an overview of the diet, guidance on how to follow it, and a section on how to ensure that your weight loss is safe and sustainable.
The Dangers Of Not Maintaining A Well-Balanced Diet
For the majority of people, losing weight comes with great benefits. However, for those seeking to lose weight for a specific reason, such as to improve their athletic performance, those on a keto diet may face certain risks. For example, if you are engaged in a sport which depends on healthy hormones for your performance, such as cycling or running, then you need to make sure that you are maintaining healthy testosterone and estrogen levels if you want to continue participating in these sports. Testosterone is responsible for the development of muscle mass and helps to promote greater physical strength. It is also responsible for the sex drive which makes it appealing to both men and women.
Estrogen is responsible for the development of female fertility and the libido or sexual desire in women. For men, too much estrogen can cause erectile dysfunction and low testosterone which in turn can cause weight gain. If you are not sure whether or not the diet is right for you, then it is always advisable to consult with a physician or nutrition expert before starting any weight loss regime. They can help to determine whether or not the diet is suitable for your needs, as well as help to design a diet plan which is right for you. An informed decision is essential if you want to ensure that your weight loss is as safe and sustainable as possible.
What About Weight Gain On A Keto Diet?
Just like when you are trying to lose weight, there is also the risk of gaining weight on a keto diet. Sometimes those who follow the diet will experience some of the following symptoms:
- Elevated blood pressure
- Decreased blood circulation
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Increased appetite
- Water retention
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea
- Weight gain
These are all consequences of dieting, and while they are not dangerous in themselves, they can make you more susceptible to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In general, those who gain weight on a keto diet are more likely to continue to gain weight than dieters who maintain their weight. It is always advisable to monitor your weight closely if you are on a keto diet and understand that as you lose weight, you need to make sure that you are replacing those calories with healthier options.