Does Keto Really Work?

The Ketogenic Diet

You have probably heard about the ketogenic diet by now, as it is circling the internet and being thought of as one of the best possible diets to go on. This is a low-fat and high-carb diet that everyone is raving about, and it could be just the thing that you are looking for. 

However, you might be left wondering if it actually works, and if so, what benefits does it provide? There are lots of things to think about when you are starting a new diet, and the keto lifestyle is no exception to this.

In this article, we are going to answer all of your questions surrounding whether or not this diet actually works, so you can find out if it is worth your time and effort, or if it is just another hyped-up diet that doesn’t do anything for you. 

Does Keto Really Work?

Yes, the keto diet does really work. This is mostly due to the fact that when you restrict dietary carbs, which is your body’s main source of energy, your body works to break down stored fat and it creates ketones in order to use them for energy.

However, calories are still important, as if you overeat on protein and fat, and your total calories are higher than what your body is burning, you are not going to see any weight loss. 

High fat and high protein foods, which are the foundation of the body’s diet, will increase satiety, so typically, total calorie intake will be lower than what your body is able to burn, which often results in weight loss results.

The rapid weight loss that people experience when they are on a keto diet, in the beginning, is usually due to a loss of water weight.

Your body stores carbs with water, which means that when you use up your carb stores, you are going to lose water weight.

Most people will not burn enough calories to lose more than around 2 pounds of fat in a week, so keto diet results that are totaling more than this are usually due to a loss in water weight.

Something that is quite common when you are on a keto diet is the weight regain, and this is because the majority of people are not able to sustain this diet when it comes to the long term.

This means that when the carbs are reintroduced, people will usually see weight gain and diminished keto diet results. 

More than 20 studies have shown that a low-carb or ketogenic diet can help you to lose weight. The weight loss is usually higher with a high-carb diet, but those on a ketogenic diet have been known to lose more weight.

People that are on a ketogenic diet will also usually find it easier to stick to the diet due to the fact that they are less hungry. This suggests that a low-carb or keto diet provides a great metabolic advantage over a high-carb diet.

Added Benefits of Keto

There are also a few other additional benefits to a ketogenic diet, which we will talk about below.

Helping With High Blood Sugar

High carb diets and poor insulin function can lead to high blood sugar levels, which can lead to things like type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and premature aging.

Interestingly, a ketogenic diet can be really beneficial for people that have diabetes and high blood sugar levels. Removing carbs from your diet can significantly lower blood sugars in people that have high blood sugar already.

It Can Help to Increase Good Cholesterol

HDL cholesterol can play a big part in cholesterol metabolism by helping your body to either recycle or get rid of it. Higher levels of HDL can be linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, and one of the best ways to increase HDL is to increase our dietary fat intake on a low-carb or ketogenic diet.

Keto diets can lead to a larger increase in HDL levels.

Perceived Hunger Can Be Lowered

Another added benefit of a keto diet is that it can lower your perceived hunger. When on a diet, constant hunger can lead to things like binge-eating or falling off the wagon.

One of the main reasons why low-carb and ketogenic diets are so good for weight loss is that they can help to reduce hunger. 

How Long Should You Do Keto?

It is not recommended to remain on the keto diet indefinitely, as it can be really restrictive.

As well as this, long-term research on the keto diet is limited, and there is no way to know for certain what cutting out certain food groups and carbs will do to your body.

It is possible that nutrient deficiencies can become possible if you are on this diet for too long. 

It is recommended that you stick to the keto diet for around 3 to 6 months at the most. Some people will even choose to follow this diet intermittently for certain points throughout the year.

When you do come off this diet, it is possible for your taste preferences to have changed.

You probably won’t want as many carbs, and things will taste a lot sweeter than normal. This is actually a good thing, as you won’t go back to bad eating habits and gain back the weight that you lost.

Will Ketosis Burn Belly Fat?

Yes, a ketogenic diet is a highly effective way to lose belly fat, which is good as excess belly fat can put you at a higher risk for different metabolic diseases, like increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature death.

A ketogenic diet can help to reduce total weight, body fat, and belly fat more than a low-fat diet. These results are even more apparent in men than women.

A keto diet can also improve your metabolic flexibility and help you to burn your stored body fat for energy instead of glucose. Those that are on a ketogenic diet can burn 2.3 times more fat per minute during a workout than those on a low-fat diet

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