Is Keto the Holy Grail for Weight Loss?

The ketogenic diet has been making waves in the weight loss community for some time now, and for a good reason. 

This high-fat, low-carbohydrate lifestyle can help you shed pounds quickly and effectively.

Many nutrition experts consider Keto to be the holy grail of weight loss because it creates a metabolic shift by switching the body’s primary energy source from sugar to fat; ketosis. By doing so, the body begins using its fat for fuel, resulting in significant weight loss. 

We have gathered all the scientific data necessary to show why keto can be one of the most effective natural weight loss tools. We will share it with you in this post. 

So continue reading to find out!

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

A Ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate, and moderate protein meal plan which pushes the body into the state of ketosis. 

In ketosis, the body burns its own fat for energy, helping you lose weight quickly. 

In modern times, humans typically use sugar as their primary fuel source due to their high carbohydrate consumption.

However, once in ketosis, the body switches its primary fuel source from sugar to fat and begins creating ketones.

Ketones are the by-product of fat burning and are the preferred fuel source for the body and the brain. 

It takes roughly 4-6 weeks of being on a Ketogenic diet for a beginner to get into ketosis. 

Benefits of ketosis: 

• Fat loss
• Improved cognitive function
• Better focus
• Better memory
• Decrease inflammation
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower blood sugar
• Improved diabetes 

How Much Weight Can you Lose on Keto?

The amount of weight loss on keto varies based on age, gender, health, past diets, exercise routine, and whether you are following a clean, dirty, or lazy ketogenic diet. 

You can lose the most weight by following a clean ketogenic diet. 

These numbers below are rough estimates of the average weight loss an individual can experience while on keto.

One week

On average, an individual can lose between 2-7 pounds after one week of following a ketogenic diet.  

One month

On Average, an individual can lose roughly 10-15 lbs by following a clean ketogenic diet for one month. 

90 days

Following a clean ketogenic diet for more than 90 days can result in an average of 15-25 lbs weight loss. This varies based on the level of physical activity and the macros of the meal plan being followed.

Does Keto help burn Belly Fat?

Studies indicate a ketogenic diet is one of the most effective meal plans for getting rid of stubborn belly fat. 

Insulin Resistance is one of the leading causes of central abdominal fat accumulation (belly fat).

A ketogenic diet helps lower insulin levels, stabilize blood sugar, and increase insulin sensitivity over time. 

The Journal Frontiers in Physiology: conducted a study on 24 women who were placed on a ketogenic diet for four weeks. The result showed the women lost an average of 4 cm around their waist size. 

Weight-Loss Plateau on the Ketogenic diet.

It is possible to stop losing weight or plateau on a keto diet. 

Here are some of the reasons you may have stopped losing weight on keto:

• Eating too late in the day.

• Snacking 
  • Snacking too often causes an insulin spike, which can inhibit weight loss. 

• Not eating enough vegetables.
  •  Veggies create Butyrate when broken down in the body. Butyrate helps the body use ketones more efficiently. 

• Overconsumption of fats.
  • Fats are calorie-dense, and it’s easy to overdo them on a ketogenic diet. Too many calories from fat can inhibit weight loss. 

• Too many carbohydrates.
  •  Many people sail too close to the carbohydrate grey zone on the Ketogenic diet. 
  • That extra cookie you thought you could eat and get away with can cause your weight loss to stop. 

• Stress: 
  • Stress increases the hormone cortisol. Cortisol blunts ketosis and stops weight loss. 

How to break the plateau:

Losing weight is not a normal process for the body; it is anti-survival.

That’s why it’s easier to gain weight than to lose weight. The key is to stay consistent and not lose hope if you plateau. 

• Lower your daily carbohydrate intake to less than 10g.
• Track your macros to ensure you do not exceed your daily fat intake.   
• Reduce or cut out dairy. (dairy causes inflammation)
• Increase your protein intake to help keep you satiated and prevent overeating fats or dairy.
• Increase your vegetable intake. (leafy greens are best)
• Practice Intermittent fasting or alternate-day fasting with your ketogenic diet. Fasting helps increase your metabolism and gets you through the plateau. 
• Meditate: meditation can help lower cortisol levels, reduce stress, and help you lose weight quicker.  

Do Calories Matter on a Keto Diet? 

Not all calories are created equal; some calories trigger certain hormones more than others. Therefore, what matters most is the source of your calories, not the number. 

Carbohydrates spike insulin, but fats do not. 

This is why a clean keto diet high in monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.) can help you lose weight fast because fats do not trigger an insulin response. 

With lower insulin, the blood sugar is stabilized, and the body uses its fat to create energy. 

However, carbohydrates spike insulin, which stops fat loss. 

So keeping track of your macros is much more efficient for losing weight on keto than counting calories. 

How long should you stay on a Keto Diet? 

Keto is a lifestyle, and many people choose to follow the Ketogenic meal plan for life.  

Although taking a break from the ketogenic lifestyle once in a while is recommended and even healthy. 

Still, Keto is a diet you can continue for the rest of your life if you choose. 

Takeaway

If you want to lose weight effectively and fast, the ketogenic diet may be for you. This high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet has been scientifically shown to help people lose weight and improve their overall health. Have you tried the keto diet? What were your results? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading!

References

Kong Z, Sun S, Shi Q, Zhang H, Tong TK and Nie J (2020) Short-Term Ketogenic Diet Improves Abdominal Obesity in Overweight/Obese Chinese Young Females. Front. Physiol. 11:856. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00856

Yuan, X., Wang, J., Yang, S. et al. Effect of the ketogenic diet on glycemic control, insulin resistance, and lipid metabolism in patients with T2DM: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr. Diabetes 10, 38 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-020-00142-z

Xu W, Morford J, Mauvais-Jarvis F. Emerging role of testosterone in pancreatic β-cell function and insulin secretion [published online ahead of print, 2019 Jan 1]. J Endocrinol. 2019;JOE-18-0573.R1. doi:10.1530/JOE-18-0573

Shalender Bhasin, Effects of Testosterone Administration on Fat Distribution, Insulin Sensitivity, and Atherosclerosis Progression, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 37, Issue Supplement_2, September 2003, Pages S142–S149