Nutritional ketosis is a state in which your level of so-called blood ketone bodies. It occurs when the body starts using its own fat reserves as a source of energy instead of carbohydrates (glucose) .
When you change your diet to a low-carbohydrate one , fatty acids begin to be released from your fat stores . These reach the liver, where they are converted into ketone bodies (so-called ketogenesis). And it is ketones, or ketones, that form a new source of energy for muscles and the brain. It is an exaggeration to say that the liver "eats" the body's fatty acids .
A simple equation applies here. If you reduce the amount of carbohydrates in your diet to a minimum, you will enter ketosis. What does minimum mean? Eat a maximum of 50 g of carbohydrates per day . Then your metabolism will change, on the basis of which your body will choose fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary source of energy.
An easy way to properly adjust your diet so that your body gets into ketosis in the first 2 to 4 days is the KetoDiet protein diet . From the very beginning of the diet plan, you eat special nutritionally modified foods with:
Together with protein foods, you can treat yourself to a large portion of permitted vegetables every day , which will provide you with enough fiber, and you should not forget about healthy fats, such as high-quality oils, avocados or various nuts.
How do you know you are in ketosis? Give in to your feelings. You should record:
It may happen that you do not lose a single centimeter for several days in a row. Your body loses weight in waves, so don't measure yourself every day , but regularly - for example, once a week.
However, if the feeling that you are not in ketosis does not leave you, you can try diagnostic strips for urine analysis (e.g. KetoPhan), which you can buy at any good pharmacy. Ketones are washed into the blood and urine, and that's where they can be detected. However, keep in mind that urine ketone levels fluctuate throughout the day, so the result may not be 100% accurate.
In addition, diagnostic strips do not recognize all ketone bodies , but only acetoacetate. The result may not even correspond to the amount of ketones in the blood. And the amount of ketones in the blood and urine also depends not only on the speed of their formation, but also on the speed of their degradation. If your strip does not turn pink, it does not necessarily mean that you are not in ketosis. In addition, the intensity of the color of the strip and even the amount of ketones in the blood will not affect the speed of your weight loss .
Ketosis can also have a beneficial effect on the course of some diseases , for example on lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels. People in ketosis typically have a decrease in LDL (the "bad") cholesterol and an increase in HDL (the "good") cholesterol.
If you have already come across the claim that ketosis threatens your life, then the person in question is almost certainly confusing nutritional ketosis with dangerous diabetic ketoacidosis . Ketoacidosis occurs only in people who are not able to produce insulin themselves, a hormone that, among other things, inhibits the production of ketones - that is, in diabetics (usually type I or very developed type II). The levels of ketones thus reach a critical threshold, which is very dangerous for the person in question.
You often ask whether the liver and kidneys suffer from a keto diet . It is about the so-called cleaning bodies. They help to eliminate harmful substances from the body , which are created, among other things, during the breakdown of fats. Ketosis is a completely natural state for the body. The liver and kidneys are adapted to it and if they are healthy, they can handle it easily.
Conversely, long-term overweight or obesity can cause a far greater burden on your body and possible health risks in the future. That is why it is important to get rid of excess weight once and for all and maintain an ideal stable weight thanks to new eating habits.
In a period of 12 weeks (3 × 4 weeks), which corresponds to the KetoDiet Intense diet plan , you will lose weight safely . After this period, you can start gradually increasing the carbohydrates in your diet, unless you decide to follow a low carb eating style. If you plan to stay in ketosis for longer than 12 weeks, you can also consult our nutritionists , who will take care of you individually.
Even though ketosis is a natural state for the body , it can have several side effects . What are they and how to deal with them?
In the first days of the protein diet, the body exhausts the glycogen stored in the muscles and liver, and together with the glycogen, a lot of water is also released from the body. At the same time, the body gets used to a new diet with minimal carbohydrate content. Due to these changes, you may feel weak, slightly nauseous or lethargic. If this happens, make sure you drink enough water (2 to 3 liters of water per day) and eat 500 g of permitted vegetables every day, which you can also lightly salt.
Due to the big change in diet, the opposite of constipation, diarrhea, may also occur in the short term. This occurs when you limit carbohydrates in your diet, but do not include healthy fats in it , or it is just such a significant change for your body that it reacted unpleasantly. Treat yourself to a larger amount of seeds, nuts, avocado, butter or high-quality oils on these days. If necessary, also reach for psyllium . However, diarrhea should definitely not last for a long time, and if this happens, contact our nutritionist.
Dehydration of the body is also related to the need to constantly go "on a walk". And that's good. The body gets rid of toxins produced during the breakdown of fats. However, this effect usually wears off as soon as the body uses up all stored glycogen reserves. Therefore, it is very important to drink enough unsweetened liquids (2 to 3 liters of water per day) during the entire diet.
If your diet consisted mainly of foods high in carbohydrates and sugar, the body needs some time to get used to the new way of eating. Especially at the beginning of the diet - during the period when you are getting rid of sugar addiction - as a result of the radical reduction of carbohydrates, you may be surprised by hypoglycemia, i.e. a drop in blood sugar. This means that you will be haunted by a sweet tooth, you may feel hungry, tired, or even slightly shaky. Treat yourself to high-quality coffee, stronger tea and, exceptionally, 0.2 l cola light or cola zero. You can take a mild analgesic for a persistent headache.
It is a common side effect caused by increased ketone levels . Specifically, it is acetone that is excreted from the body through breath and urine. Chewing gum without sugar or fresh herbs (for example, mint) can reliably eliminate bad taste or dryness in the mouth .
During the first weeks of the protein diet, there is a rapid loss of fat, which is hormonally active, and changes in the menstrual cycle may occur in sensitive women. Therefore, add healthy fats to your diet every day , e.g. ½ avocado, a handful of nuts (walnuts, almonds...), 2 tablespoons of olive, pumpkin or coconut oil. If your periods are unusually long or irregular and do not improve within 2 to 3 months, see your gynecologist.
If you are not used to having the recommended daily amount of fiber in your diet, you may experience constipation at the beginning of the diet. However, you can prevent it by drinking enough water, namely 2 to 3 liters of water a day. After a few days, your digestive system will get used to the regular intake of fiber and the difficulties will disappear .
In rare cases, in the initial days of the protein diet, a change in the menu can also cause muscle cramps. This can be prevented by following the drinking regime (drink 2 to 3 liters of unsweetened liquids per day) and supplementing with magnesium . Calculate your current intake of magnesium and consult the pharmacy directly about the amount you could add to your diet.
In rare cases, intolerance to protein foods, vomiting or rash may also occur. In this case, it is necessary to stop the diet immediately.
It may also happen that ketosis is not suitable for you . If you suffer from type I diabetes , have problems with internal organs , are pregnant or are directly affected by the list of contraindications , consider a different method of losing weight than a protein diet, or consult a doctor or a nutritionist before starting it.
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