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The ketogenic diet involves a combination of food that allows the body to produce ketones in the liver to be used as energy. It is also referred to as a low carb diet. In order to understand what a ketogenic diet is and how it helps your body, you must first take a look at the role of carbohydrates in your body.
The most important thing to realize is that carbohydrates are not the enemy when consumed in moderation; it is excess consumption that is the enemy. If you consume too many foods that are high in carbs, it will lead to the production of glucose and insulin. Glucose is the result of the breakdown of food into a molecule that can be easily absorbed by the body and converted into energy, making it the body’s first choice of energy source. Insulin, on the other hand, is the agent required to process that glucose moving around in your blood.
Now we come to the body’s use of energy. Under normal circumstances, glucose is the primary source of energy used while deposits of fats are being depleted. A typical diet that is high in carbohydrate content means that the body will turn to glucose for its energy needs. However, if you mix things up and lower the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, your body will enter a state known as ketosis.
Ketosis is the key to weight loss. When you function on a ketogenic diet, your body will change its energy seeking dynamics. What is ketosis? Ketosis is a state in which your metabolism functions by relying on stored fats as its primary source of energy instead of stores of glucose from carbohydrates.
In order to induce ketosis, you need to reduce the supply of carbs and sugar to your body. This will result in the depletion of your glucose stores, which is stored in the form of glycogen. This will lead to a decrease in your blood sugar and insulin levels. Without easy access to glucose, the body will begin to search for alternative energy in the form of stored fat. The stored fat will burn to fuel your activities, aiding weight loss.
The increase in metabolism of fat and decline in the utility of glucose will lead to many benefits, with weight loss being just one. Ketosis has also been shown beneficial in the treatment of diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer.
The benefits of ketosis and the production of ketones goes much further than just body burning fat. It is an effective way of life because of the way it makes you feel mentally and physically. The production of ketones will lead to increased fat burning, improved cognition and mental clarity, greater physical energy, improved metabolism, and reduced appetite. Ketosis can also promote improvements in the skin with fewer acne breakouts, help regulate hormones, and reduce the severity or occurrence of PMS symptoms.
The link between ketosis and drop in weight is strong, with some individuals experiencing dramatic weight loss within the first week of a ketogenic diet. This is due to the rapid release of water weight that results from cutting down on carb intake. This is the first sign of your body being ushered into a fat burning mode.
The weight loss process will continue steadily for the next week or two as your body adapts to the new way of life and its new source of energy. During this time, you will experience the actual loss of fat. The average rate of weight loss on the keto diet will be a couple of pounds per week, but the rate may differ person to person. If you are searching for a way to finally lose that weight that has been hanging around, shift gears to a ketogenic diet and experience the difference.
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