One of the most regular aims of the ketogenic plan is to shed pounds. Are you trying to lose weight with a keto diet? You may be wondering how long it will take to see the results.
It is difficult to deliver a precise response considering everyone’s individual differences, but this piece will discuss the typical weight reduction rate amongst the majority of keto dieters, methods for efficiently slimming down while on keto, as well as how to prevent usual weight loss errors.
Does Keto Weight Loss Actually Work?
One of the most common queries from people who are considering beginning a ketogenic diet is whether it is truly effective in aiding weight reduction. It seems too good to be true that individuals can reduce pounds swiftly with keto, however luckily, it really does work.
Despite that, similar to any other diet, many people may experience different outcomes.
Weight Loss on Keto: Everyone Is Different
No two people are alike, so the speed of shedding extra pounds for each person can vary. The effects of your particular keto eating plan may vary according to four key elements.
Your Health Situation
Are you overweight? What’s your energy level? Do you have thyroid problems? Are you having difficulty properly metabolizing insulin, or do you have other issues concerning your glucose levels? What is your metabolic state?
Your overall health determines how fast you lose weight. For example, if you are having any problems involving your hormones or metabolism, the progress might take longer than anticipated. That’s OK.
Your Body Composition
How much body fat do you have to lose? What’s your muscle mass? What’s your BMI (body weight to height ratio)? If you are carrying around a lot of extra weight, it is likely that your initial period of losing weight will be more pronounced and occur more quickly.
Your Daily Habits
The success or failure of your weight loss attempts is determined by your physical activity and diet. What does your keto meal plan look like? Are you consuming healthy ketogenic items such as coconut oil, avocado, and MCT oil, or are you opting for fattening processed foods like lunch meats? Are you watching out for hidden carbs? Are you exercising? The amount of energy you expend every day, as well as your diet, determine how well your body burns fat.
Set Yourself Up for Weight Loss Success
Prior to beginning your ketogenic diet plan to shed weight, it is vital to have the fundamentals in order.
Many believe that switching from the carb-heavy American diet to either a paleo or low-carb diet will trigger ketosis. But this isn’t always the case. It is essential to ensure that your body is using ketones rather than carbohydrates as a source of energy. Unless you do something else, you won’t be able to shed pounds or reduce fat.
Average Weight Loss on the Keto Diet
It is evident that not all people lose weight at the same pace. Here is an overview of what is typically given up by people adhering to the keto diet.
First Week: Fast Water Weight Loss (2-10 pounds)
At the start of following the keto diet, many folks notice sudden weight reduction, which could be anything from a couple pounds to as much as 10. When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume, your organism gets rid of a great deal of retained water (not fat).
Why does this happen?
Carbs need water to stay in your body. When your body does not utilize glucose promptly, it keeps it as glycogen in your muscles which forms a bond with water. For every one gram of glycogen, there is 2 to 3 grams of water stored with it.
When you first start a ketogenic diet, your body will use up the stored glycogen before it begins to consume fat. When the glycogen supply is used up, the liquid it was held in is also removed. This is why your weight fluctuates so drastically during the initial days of the ketogenic diet.
This isn’t necessarily the result of fat loss, but it’s an indication that your body is shifting into ketosis, which is a state in which it burns fat. Consuming more water than usual may help avoid dehydration as well as constipation, which can be caused by a fast loss of fluids. Therefore, make sure to drink sufficient amounts of water daily in order to maintain regular movements.
Short- and Medium-Term: Steadier Weight Loss (1-2 pounds per week)
Approximately two weeks into the process, the rate of fat loss will likely decrease and continue consistently going forward. This is also the period where your body starts to become more adapted to fat, swapping from using carbohydrates for fuel to using fat, which implies you will start dropping body fat now.
On average, it is considered safe to lose about half to one kilogram each week.
Here’s what studies say about losing weight on the ketogenic diet:
- One study found obese patients lost 13.6 kg (30 pounds) after 2 months on the keto diet, and over 88% of patients lost more than 10% of their initial weight by the end of the study. Lean mass was practically unaffected. That’s 3.5 pounds of pure fat per week.
- Another study found that obese patients weighing 101 kg dropped 10 kg (22 pounds) after 8 weeks. They lost an extra 2 kg (4.4 pounds) by week 16 and 3 more kg (6.6 pounds) by week 24. In total, they lost 15 kg (33 pounds) in 5.5 months. That’s 1.3 pounds per week.
- One study of volunteers with obesity and type 2 diabetes who weighed 108 kg dropped 11.1 kg (24.5 pounds) in 24 weeks. That’s 1 pound per week.
- A fourth study found 120 overweight hyperlipidemic patients lost 9.4 kg (20.7 pounds) of fat mass in 24 weeks. That’s 0.8 pounds per week.
- A meta-analysis that took data from 13 different studies found patients consistently lost more weight on the ketogenic than on a low-fat diet.
The amount of weight lost is dependent on the length of time one spends on the ketogenic diet, how much body fat there is to shed, and the individual’s health status. It seems that the most significant amount of fat is shed in the initial two to three months of following the ketogenic diet. However, post that, weight loss can continue as long as one stays committed to the diet.
Long-Term: Slower Weight Loss
As you approach your desired weight, losing weight will become slower. As you shed weight, the amount of calories you need to consume each day will also decrease. If you persist in eating fewer calories in order to shed pounds, the effects will be less notable.
For some weeks it could appear as if you haven’t dropped any weight, yet if you step on the scale a couple weeks later, you could discover that you have shed 3-4 pounds. Perseverance is the answer, and giving up should not be an option. Ensure you remain in ketosis, and allow your body to do its work.
The results of an investigation revealed that after a year on the keto diet, individuals aged between 30-69 years old and with the weight of 90-100 kg lost an accumulative 14 kg, which is equivalent to 30.8 pounds.
However, the majority of that weight was shed during the initial part of the ketogenic diet. They:
- Lost 7 kg (15 pounds) after 4 weeks
- Lost another 5 kg (11 pounds) between weeks 4 and 12
- Didn’t experience major changes from 12 weeks to 12 months (barely 1-2 kg)
This signifies that the ketogenic diet is effective in both rapid and long-term fat reduction. If you follow the same routine for a couple of months, you will observe the most drastic results. Additionally, the results won’t reverse themselves if you stay dedicated for the long haul.
How Fast Should You Lose Weight?
1.5-2% of your body weight per week. Even a little more if you’d like.
People who are overweight or obese have an ample supply of fat, which provides enough energy without needing to break down their muscle mass. For example, if your weight is 200 pounds and you are overweight, it is alright for you to drop about 4 to 5 pounds in a week.
When it pertains to dropping weight with the keto diet, the typical individual should anticipate to shed 30 to 40 pounds in less than 3 months. Once more, this may differ based on the elements stated above.
Keto Weight Loss Plateau
No matter what type of eating plan an individual follows, they will eventually experience a plateau in terms of weight loss. This is because our bodies adjust to the amount of calories we consume and the physical activity we do. This is a typical response from our body which helps to keep us from going hungry.
Here are a few things you can do when this happens:
- Give it a couple of weeks
This is expected behavior, so don’t let it get you down when your progress in losing weight screeches to a halt. Keep to your eating plan and allow your body the opportunity to resume losing weight.
- Increase your calories
Yes, you read that right. If you have been restricting your diet for a few months and your calorie intake is very small, you might want to take a break from dieting. Continue to eat the same foods as you usually do, but up your calorie intake by 400 to 500 for the next seven days. You might start losing weight after increasing your calories.
- Decrease your calories
If you’re still consuming a substantial amount of calories, you could reduce them instead. Try cutting calories by 300.
Common Keto Weight Loss Mistakes
The following are some errors which may impede the speed of seeing results with the ketogenic diet.
1. Not Being in Ketosis
Many think they have achieved ketosis, but in reality, that may not be the case. Be mindful that the meals you consume do not contain covert carbohydrates which can forestall you from arriving at ketosis or expelling you from it.
Here’s how to avoid this mistake:
- Watch for hidden carbs
Beware of products boasting their “healthiness” or “low-carb” labels; take a second look at the nutrition facts to make sure there are no hidden carbs.
- Watch your vegetables
You need to watch your intake of veggies because they have carbohydrates in them. Consuming an excessive amount of vegetables can cause you to no longer be in a state of ketosis. Not consuming enough veggies can lead to not acquiring an adequate amount of fiber in your eating plan, which can be damaging to your digestive wellbeing.
Incorporate low-carb veggies into your diet, such as spinach, cabbage, zucchini, cucumber, asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower.
- Limit artificial sweeteners
Some sweeteners may cause an abrupt increase in insulin levels, enough to make someone exit a ketogenic state. If you require something sweet in your food, consider utilizing stevia or search for keto sweeteners such as Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener.
2. Not Paying Attention to Your Calories
Just because carbohydrates and sugar are off the menu during keto doesn’t mean overeating is an option. If you consume more calories than your body requires, you will increase in weight no matter what kind of eating plan you have adopted.
Here’s how to avoid this mistake:
- Track your calories
At the outset, it is vital to log your calorie intake in order to gain familiarity with the nutritional content and size of meals. In a few months, you’ll become accustomed to it and may even begin eating without thinking about it.
- Fats have more calories
Remember that out of the three macronutrients, fat contains the most calories, with each gram having 9 calories, while protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. It’s simple to consume too much of snacks like nuts which may appear insignificant, but are full of calories. It’s important to be aware of the fact that certain types of nuts can have a higher amount of carbohydrates than others.
- Don’t eat too little
In order to lose weight, it is important to have a calorie deficit, however if this deficit is too large your metabolism will be negatively impacted, resulting in increased hunger and cravings, and a higher risk of regaining weight.
It is essential that you do not hastily adopt extreme dieting methods and that you instead adopt a wiser and safer technique for attaining weight loss that will provide the lasting results you desire.
To Summarize
The amount of time it takes for an individual to notice the effects of the keto diet varies. Nevertheless, many individuals can observe keto-induced weight reduction from the initial week. Those following the keto diet for two months typically lose around 20-30 pounds, while those who continue for three months generally see a weight reduction of 30-40 pounds.
If shedding pounds is a challenge for you, the ketogenic diet might be an ideal choice.
