Keto Weight Loss Timeline: What to Expect When You Begin Your Keto Journey

Posted on Jul 14 2022 - 8:38pm by poonam

Keto Weight Loss Timeline

What to Expect When You Begin Your Keto Journey

To lose weight, many people change their eating habits or diets. While dieting techniques offer a precise framework that can help reduce your daily calorie intake and feel simpler, the sole scientific necessity for weight loss is consuming fewer calories than you burn each day.

In keeping with this, many people discover that the ketogenic or keto diet is an excellent strategy to help them control their body weight. At its most basic, a ketogenic diet is just a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan intended to induce a metabolic condition known as ketosis. As a consequence, you may experience some positive changes throughout your journey, which include: 

  • Decreased appetite
  • Increased energy levels
  • Weight loss
  • Improved lipid profiles
  • Improved blood sugar levels
  • Lower waist circumference measurements
  • Loss of fat mass

Understanding that weight loss takes time if you’re following the ketogenic diet is crucial. No matter how you plan to lose weight, results won’t appear immediately. However, you can attain the desired level of weight loss by being consistent and committed to a calorie-controlled eating plan, as a website like PlanKetogenic explains.

It can take anywhere from a week to several weeks to start seeing benefits, depending on several circumstances, whether you are following the keto or any other diet plan that puts you in a calorie deficit. In this article, you will discover in great detail about the keto weight loss timetable, and what to expect as you begin this life-altering, uplifting adventure. 

Keto Weight Loss Timeline Day 1: 

How do you lose weight? 

The ketogenic diet is effective because it triggers a metabolic state known as ketosis, in which your body is prepared to use fat for fuel rather than glucose. As a result, your body burns fat for energy indiscriminately while in the ketosis state. This includes the fat you consume (from your meals), the fat you store (in adipose tissue), and the fat your body produces on its own (cholesterol).

Restricting carbohydrates causes us to eat more nutrient- and fat-rich foods, which increases satiety. This helps you consume fewer calories as well. Additionally, cutting back on carbs makes your diet less processed overall, resulting in a more complete, well-balanced diet. Most people will naturally consume fewer calories on this diet, resulting in fat reduction. It can also reduce appetite as you enter ketosis by utilizing ketones rather than carbohydrates for fuel.

How much weight can you lose in one week?  

Your particular aims and physical make-up will determine how much weight you end up losing on a ketogenic diet. Our bio uniqueness means that there is no such thing as “average or usual” when it comes to weight loss. Your loss rate is affected by your beginning weight, age, height, body fat percentage, degree of activity, and any underlying health issues that may slow down your metabolism. However, an average weight loss of one to three pounds per week should be considered a sustainable, healthy objective. 

Keto Weight Loss Timeline: One Week

Entering ketosis  

In a ketogenic diet, you must rigorously restrict your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or less per day or 25 grams of net carbohydrates, which are total carbohydrates less fibre.  

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source for most people. When you restrict your intake of carbohydrates, your body quickly uses up the glycogen stores of carbohydrates in your muscles and liver. After that, your body enters a metabolic state known as ketosis, which burns ketones produced by the breakdown of dietary fat or body fat as its primary fuel source. 

It typically takes less than a week to transition from utilizing glycogen to using ketones, during which time you burn through your glycogen reserves. It might take longer than usual in some cases.           

Changes in water weight 

After beginning the keto diet, many people experience dramatic weight loss. However, most of this is caused by changes in water weight.

The water coupled to the glycogen in your muscles and liver is approximately 3 grams of water for every gram of glycogen. This water is released into your urine or sweat as you use up these carbs stored in your body. 

As a result, you could discover that once you start eating keto, you must urinate more frequently and feel thirstier than usual. Hence, there is a large amount of water that is lost from your body, and you may end up discovering that you have lost a lot of weight in the earlier stages after commencing the keto diet.  

This weight loss can vary based on your size and how much water weight you’re carrying. You are more likely to lose water weight after starting a ketogenic diet if you are more obese. It’s doubtful that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss. 

Keto Weight Loss Timeline: One Month 

Most people can lose 10 pounds or more in the first month on the keto diet if they maintain a calorie deficit and stick to the plan. Although many factors affect weight reduction, the body becomes more adept at burning fat for energy after approximately a month. 

In the first month, the usual weight loss is 10 to 12 pounds. To teach your body to burn fat instead of sugar (glucose), you must persist with the ketogenic diet for a time. Fat adaptation can take weeks. 

Most people will require extra sodium, potassium, and magnesium at this time to combat any symptoms of “keto flu,” which is merely electrolyte depletion. Therefore, electrolyte management is highly crucial during this time. 

The keto flu is a set of symptoms that emerges when you begin a ketogenic diet. Some of the symptoms of this ailment, which are not recognized by medicine, include headache, fuzzy thinking, exhaustion, irritability, nausea, trouble sleeping, and constipation. As a result of this, it is extremely important to stay hydrated at all times, especially during the first month upon commencement of a ketogenic diet.  

Your body is being taught how to do something well. Consider it a workout program for your cells; you introduce fresh messengers and transporters into your body. 

It will take some time to lose weight because it took a while to gain it. If you are observing that you have not lost any weight for a month, it is best to go to your clinician or nutritionist. A few lifestyle modifications or dietary changes should sort out this issue, as your diet will be thoroughly examined. People with comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and tuberculosis should always consult their physician first before starting a ketogenic diet.  

Keto Weight Loss Timeline: 3 Months 

You can anticipate the dieter to lose one to two pounds each week if they can sustain a consistent calorie deficit. Therefore, 20 to 25 pounds after 12 weeks. This is quite patient-specific, though, and would rely on the dieterโ€™s baseline body fat percentage. The body will begin to adapt as you move closer to an ideal body fat percentage, and weight loss will begin to slow. 

Keto Weight Loss Timeline: Beyond 3 Months

How to keep losing weight while on a ketogenic diet 

Before taking a break and adding some carbs back into their diet, most people stick to the keto diet for several months. Keto cycling, also known as carb cycling, is now a choice that can aid maintenance. This entails eating more carbs on some days while maintaining ketosis on others. 

Another choice is a ketogenic diet that has been adapted. At this time, you should generally aim for a low-carb, high-fat diet while also consuming a more excellent range of plant foods high in fiber and other vital nutrients, such as beans, berries, or sweet potatoes. 

Keto Weight Loss Timeline: How To Be Efficient in Your Journey 

In order to be efficient and ensure positive results, it is best to follow these steps: 

  • Make a goal, and stick by it
  • Follow a plan 
  • Commit to eating only healthy food items, and those that will bring a change
  • Have a friend who can hold you accountable

In addition to this, it is important to carry out the relevant research by reading articles, surfing keto-focused Instagram accounts, and making sure all your questions are answered. 

Moreover, always calculate your calorie intake, and net carbohydrates and fat intake, using an online keto calculator. 

You can always get a friend on board to embark on this journey, and he/she can serve as your accountability partner. This will allow you to share all your concerns and worries with someone who can relate to you, and keep you motivated at the same time.

Conclusion 

A ketogenic diet is one of the most promising ways of losing weight, while at the same time ensuring you remain fit and healthy. However, do not try this diet without a doctor’s supervision if you have diabetes, a family history of heart disease or any other chronic conditions. 

For a healthy individual or someone who has been given the green light by the doctor, the keto diet might be the chance you’ve been seeking if you’re in good health and want to jump-start your weight reduction. 

Going keto is an excellent strategy to lose excess weight and start living a healthier life, even if everyone’s keto journey will be different. You’ll perform better in daily life, feel better about yourself, and look better. 

However, as with any diet, there will be moments when the weight quickly drops off and other times when it firmly clings to the body. The best action is to persevere and stay on course when weight reduction pauses. Nevertheless, the ketogenic diet is effective, and the health advantages of decreasing weight may completely change your life. 

References

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