The primary goal of being on the keto diet is to get your body into ketosis, otherwise known as a metabolic state. During this time your body will begin to produce ketones and thus provide it with energy your body needs to survive. When this happens your body has successfully begun to burn fat as opposed to burning sugar.
When this takes place the fat on your body will begin to disappear and you begin to enjoy the benefits of ketosis! It varies per person how long it'll take a body to get into ketosis, especially if you're slowly tapering down on your carb intake. But besides using an instrument or test strips to see if you're truly in ketosis, there are some signs to look out for as well from your body.
Weight Loss
One of the obvious signs of ketosis is weight loss but this can also be pretty deceptive because many people don’t experience the kind of weight loss that they expect.This can happen for a variety of reasons but when you get close to entering ketosis or do enter ketosis you’ll find that you lose a healthy amount of weight quickly.
After the initial rapid drop in water weight, you should continue to lose body fat consistently if you are able to stick with the low-carb aspects of the diet and keep your body in a caloric deficit.
Loss of Appetite
Something strange happens when you leave the world of carbs behind.You don’t get as hungry.
You still get hungry but your stomach won’t do earth shattering rumblings that make you think you need to clear out the buffet.
Instead, you will find that you eat only what is necessary and continue on with your day.
The reason for this is because your body does a better job of regulating the hormones that trigger your brain to let you know that you need to eat.
When you overeat enough with carbs your brain starts to ignore the hormone. This is why you can sometimes eat so much you feel like you are going to explode.
Toilet Issues
No, your toilet won’t be broken but you might find that your normal toilet routine isn’t the same.Your body can go one of three ways here:
Constipation. Some people go days without using the bathroom. In these cases, you might need to add more fiber or magnesium to your diet.
Diarrhea. When you’re adding more fat than your body is used to it’s a huge shift to your body. Eventually, it will get used to it but if you want to make the transition quicker then take a fiber supplement.
Nothing. Some people don’t experience any change. Things just continue on as normal. They are the lucky ones.Increased Focus and Energy
A personal favorite when it comes to ketosis.If you are the type of person that is used to your body crashing in the afternoon then ketosis might seem like a miracle diet.
When people talk about no longer being tired in the afternoon it’s just a small difference that produces huge results.
In ketosis, your body does a great job of producing ketones (it’s good at what it does) so you almost have an endless supply of fuel for your brain.
When your brain has the fuel it allows you to stay focused instead of wandering off envisioning the cupcakes in the break room.
All of the signs mentioned above are excellent signs that your body is now experiencing ketosis. It's exciting to know that your body has switched over from burning sugars to burning fat, and that's a very good thing. Your energy should increase and you should begin to lose weight.
Now, keep in mind that getting into ketosis takes time and you shouldn't get frustrated if you don't recognize these signs right away. Some people need to take more time tapering their body off of carbohydrates and that's okay, it's important not to rush the process.
These signs from Thrive/Strive should help you recognize when you are experiencing ketosis and also assist you going forward if you slip and get off of the diet and want to start it back up again.
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