When your body is metabolically adapted to burning sugar as its primary fuel source, your behavior is largely dictated by your blood sugar levels. Sugar is a quick energy source but it is also burned up quickly which means you need to eat more often.
This cycle of ups and downs in your blood sugar drives your eating patterns. This is what results in food cravings and the infamous hangry feeling you get when you don’t eat for a while. Rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels contribute to other health problems like hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, increased risk of developing atherosclerosis and an overall lowered sense of wellbeing. When you become keto-adapted, this all goes away as you experience stable energy levels from healthy fats.
Ketosis is the result of following the ketogenic diet, which is why it’s also sometimes called “the ketosis diet.” Ketosis takes place when glucose from carbohydrate foods is drastically reduced, which forces the body to find an alternative fuel source – fat.
Ketosis can not begin until there’s an absence of glucose in your body. Glucose is normally used by cells as a quick source of energy. Without it, the body starts to burn fat and produces ketones instead. Once ketone levels in the blood rise to a certain point, you enter a state of ketosis. This state usually results in quick and consistent weight loss until you reach a healthy, stable body weight.
Ketosis happens when the liver breaks down fat into fatty acids and glycerol. The body then further breaks down these fatty acids into an energy-rich substance called ketones that circulate through the bloodstream. The end result is staying fueled off of circulating ketones.
The goal of the ketogenic is to keep you in this fat-burning metabolic state of ketosis. You achieve this by following a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that includes only moderate amounts of protein. You should not eat foods like bread, cereal, processed snacks and sugary drinks. Consuming fattier foods like butter, grass-fed beef, fish and non-starchy vegetables are a must.
The amount of time it takes to get into ketosis depends on a few factors, including how strictly you limit your carb intake and also variables that are mostly out of your control, like genetics, medical history, body composition and energy needs. If you’re consistently eating from a keto diet food list, you should be able to see results and improvements within a couple of weeks.
Many people believe that simply being in ketosis and using fat as energy results in the burning of body fat as well. While this is true, there are actually several benefits that all have positive effects on weight loss.
No More Excess Sugars: Fat stores largely accumulate due to excess carb intake. By following a ketogenic diet, you can strategically consume carbs to fill glycogen stores while preventing the weight gain caused by an excess.
Balance Hormones: Studies are showing that fat loss has much more to do with healthy hormone balance than it does with caloric intake. Adiponectin is a critical hormone for regulating blood sugar and supporting the metabolism of fats for energy so this is definitely a desired metabolic change.
Craving Buster: The ketogenic diet balances blood sugar levels and keeps you energized for longer periods of time. You will also experience an absence of food cravings.
Lower Impulsivity: Impulsive eating behaviors are mostly related to blood sugar balance. Each time you consume sugar, your brain releases dopamine and when there becomes an imbalance, that contributes to impulsive and addictive behaviors.
Inducing ketosis requires severely limiting your carbohydrate consumption and limiting your protein consumption. Here are some steps to help you get into ketosis fast. Get 60-80 perent of your daily calories from sources of fat, 15-25 percent from from protein sources and 5-10 percent from carbohydrates. Eat between 20-30 grams of net carbs, but first start at 50-60 grams of net carbs daily and reduce. Figure out how many calories you should be eating in total for weight maintenance or loss, then split up your calorie intake into fats, proteins and carbs. Drink plenty of water and increase your intake of electrolytes, especially potassium from leafy greens and avocado. Exercise can also help you get into ketosis faster.
Keto-adaptation is the process that takes place as your body shifts its metabolism towards burning fat. A few things must occer like your blood sugar must drop and signal the body that sugar is not availble. The cells must learn to metabolize ketones and convert them into ATP.
Here are some foods that encourage ketosis.
Healthy Fats: Grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut oil/flakes/milk/cream, olives and olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds.
Clean Proteins: Pasture raised meats (beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, wild game), wild caught fish (sockeye salmon, sardines, wild trout, anchovies) and pasture-raised dairy products if tolerated (eggs, milk and cheese).
Low-Carb Vegetables: Leafy greens (spinach, kale and chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts), onions and asparagus.
Herbs & Spices: Basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, turmeric and fennel.
Low-Sugar Fruits: Berries, lemons, limes and granny smith apples.
Most people feel satisfied and energized while in ketosis and find that they can go for longer periods without the need to eat. Studies have found that ketosis is effective at lowering food intake and regulating appetite by altering levels of the hunger hormones.
People also find that excess weight quickly drops off while on the keto diet. Many also experience imrovements in terms of sustaining higher levels of energy.