HOW TO KNOW WHEN KETOSIS STARTS - 12 Signs & Symptoms

Before you start to experience all of the weight loss, and other therapeutic benefits that a keto lifestyle has to offer, it may feel confusing to even know if you’re in ketosis in the first place. Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when you restrict carbohydrates, and your body switches from using those carbs (glycogen) to using ketones as it’s primary source of fuel.

Depending on a person’s previous dietary patterns, activity levels, and metabolic state it can take anywhere from a few days to a week or two to enter a state of ketosis. It can feel overwhelming to change your eating habits to lose weight, and not even know for sure if it’s working or not. One of the primary goals for a ketogenic diet is to get yourself into a state of ketosis, then sustain those ketone levels to achieve incredible results. 

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Being in a state of ketosis can provide so many amazing benefits such as weight loss, increased energy, mental clarity, and suppressed appetite just to name a few. That being said, to experience these benefits requires a major transition for your body. Some of the initial signs or symptoms you may experience as your body changes may be a little unpleasant, but they are only temporary, and they can at least provide you with clues that you’re entering ketosis.

As a general rule, if you restrict your carb intake to around 20-25g net carbs per day, for a sustained period of time, you will enter a state of ketosis. (Net carbs = Total carbs - Fiber). If you experience any of the symptoms below, just think of them as indicators that this is working, and your body is transitioning into a new way of functioning. If you’re serious about losing weight and improving your health, don’t let any minor symptom deter you from adopting a keto lifestyle. They are only temporary! Just trust the process, and keep going - I promise it will all be worth it!

12 Signs or Symptoms to look out for to know if you’re in ketosis:

DRY MOUTH & EXCESSIVE THIRST

Restricting carbohydrates and producing ketones causes the body to lose water quickly, which can lead to feeling extra thirsty or having a dry mouth. Be sure to stay hydrated daily by drinking 1 gallon or 3 liters of water per day.

BAD BREATH

As your body begins to produce ketones, and starts to switch over to using them as your primary source of fuel, acetone may form. This acetone is released through urine and our breath. It doesn’t happen to everyone, and only lasts the first initial weeks of being on a keto diet. Be sure to drink lots of water, brush your teeth more regularly, or use Sugar-Free Gum if you’re experiencing “keto breath”.

INCREASED URINATION

You may experience more frequent trips to the restroom as you transition onto a keto diet. This is because both carb restriction and ketone production are natural diuretics. As your body’s insulin levels decrease, you release more water and sodium through urination. This is why many people lose a lot of “initial water weight” when they first start a keto diet. It is essential to stay hydrated as a result by drinking 1 gallon or 3 liters of water daily.

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APPETITE SUPPRESSION OR REDUCED HUNGER

Since a keto diet allows for more fat intake, many people notice they feel full for much longer. Consuming whole foods such as meats, cheese, fish, eggs, avocados and low carb vegetables are full of healthy fats and are highly satiating. This means that you can usually go longer before true hunger sets in again. As a general rule for beginners, only eat when you are truly hungry, regardless of any of your past eating schedules. 

DIGESTIVE ISSUES

Whether or not you experience any digestive upsets as you transition into a keto diet is completely dependent on your current eating habits and lifestyle. You may experience constipation, diarrhea, or no change at all. Some people may neglect fiber rich low-carb vegetables which help bowels move, and feed healthy bacteria in the gut. Or, your body may not be accustomed to consuming foods that are higher in fat and you may experience loose stools. Dehydration is the most common side effect of a keto diet, and can also cause digestive issues as you transition. Be sure to stay hydrated, and incorporate some fiber rich foods as you get into ketosis.

SHORT TERM FATIGUE

As your body transitions from using carbs as its main source of energy, it is common to experience symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, or just feeling generally wiped out. Your body just gets a little confused at first without it’s main fuel source, but tends to only last up to a week until you experience...

INCREASED ENERGY & FOCUS

Once your body understands it will be just fine without using carbs for energy, it starts to learn how to burn fat and ketones for fuel. When you enter a state of ketosis after a week or two, a large part of your brain starts burning ketones which are a highly potent source of fuel. This may provide mental clarity, focus, and improved brain function. In addition, reducing your carb intake can control blood sugar levels, so you no longer experience that 3pm energy crash.

SHORT TERM DECREASE IN PERFORMANCE

As mentioned above, when you initially decrease carbs from your diet you may feel low energy at the start. When your body burns through the stored glycogen from the muscles, it may feel difficult to perform any exercises with high intensity. This can cause a decrease in exercise performance, but it generally only lasts a few weeks. Once you are fat adapted, performance levels tend to return to a normal range.

INSOMNIA

When you first transition to a keto diet, there may be a chance it could have an impact on your sleeping patterns. You  may experience issues falling asleep, or staying asleep throughout the night. Sugar and simple carbohydrates are physiologically addictive substances, and when removed from the body we can experience withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia. Your body hasn’t become fully fat adapted yet, but it’s aware it isn’t getting a carb fix either which causes our cortisol levels to spike in the middle of the night. It is totally normal, and will resolve itself within a few weeks. You may want to try using a low dose of melatonin (a naturally occurring sleep supplement) if you’re experiencing issues with sleeping.

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KETO FLU

This is when the body experiences flu-like symptoms as it’s switching from using carbs to ketones for fuel. During the first week your body is going through a lot. Your kidneys are expelling more water and with that goes important electrolytes - this can also lead to dehydration. In addition, you are going through a withdrawal from carbs and sugar which can be a bit like cutting caffeine. “Keto flu” can almost entirely be avoided with proper supplementation of electrolytes. The 3 most important factors are sodium, potassium and magnesium. Be sure to salt your foods regularly, eat foods high in potassium and magnesium such as avocados and leafy greens, or you can find an electrolyte supplement to avoid keto flu symptoms.

WEIGHT LOSS

It is common for people to lose a significant amount of weight when they first start a keto diet. This is super encouraging and will help keep you motivated as you transition to your new ketogenic lifestyle. The initial weight loss is almost entirely water weight, as the body burns through glycogen stores. Glycogen is made up of 3 water molecules for every one glycogen molecule. So while you’re not necessarily burning fat just yet, you may experience water weight loss when you enter ketosis.

SUSTAINED FAT LOSS

Once you’ve been following a ketogenic diet for a few weeks, your body will have burned through all of its glycogen stores, and this is when true fat loss can begin. Don’t be discouraged if after a few weeks you are not losing weight at the same rate as when you first started keto. The initial loss is mostly from water, and next comes fat loss which is more gradual.

When you first start a ketogenic diet it can feel like you’re constantly questioning if you’re in a state of ketosis or not. You can purchase different measures such as a blood ketone meter, urine analysis strips, or a keto breath analyzer if you want to know for sure. These measures however can be costly, and aren’t totally necessary. If you limit your carb intake to 20-25g net carbs daily, and sustain that over a long period of time you will get into ketosis and start seeing results! If you want any help along your journey, click here to learn how I can help you get the keto weight loss results you deserve, and maintain them long term. Just remember to focus on how you feel, trust the process, and be proud of yourself for taking action to improve your health and wellbeing.

KETO vs LOW CARB

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

WHICH ONE’S RIGHT FOR YOU?

Both a ketogenic diet and a low carb diet involve limiting the amount of carbohydrates you intake on a daily basis. Both diets have become extremely popular over the last few years as countless people have found great success with losing weight, while improving their overall health. There is conflicting information on which diet is “the best” so it’s important to follow a plan that feels best for you. Let’s look at the differences between the two diets, and assess some pro’s and con’s, to help you figure which diet may best suit your health and weight loss goals.

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WHAT’S A LOW CARB DIET?

There are many different forms, but typically a low carb diet restricts carbohydrates from bread, rice, grains, pastas, and processed foods, and sugary food or drinks. Despite having no specific set limitations, as a general rule carbohydrates on a low carb diet are limited to 50-150g net carbs per day. (Net carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber)

A typical low carb diet tends to be lower in carbs, and higher in protein than the Standard American Diet. By restricting carbs, you may also eliminate calories that come from highly processed foods, and these things working together may promote weight loss.

Examples of popular low carb diets include Atkins, Paleo, and a Mediterranean diet. Low carb diets have been linked to many health benefits such as weight loss, managing diabetes, improved blood sugar regulation, and decreasing cardiovascular risks. 

LOW CARB DIET PRO’S & CON’S

Pros

• may promote weight loss

• eliminates many processed carbohydrate and sugary foods & drinks

• good for more explosive exercise like sprinting or weight lifting

• can be sustained long term

• less restrictive than keto
  
  
  

Cons

• limits food options

• may cause you to feel weak

• may experience constipation

• may experience slower weight loss results

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WHAT’S A KETO DIET? 

The ketogenic diet is designed to keep carbs so low that you enter a state known as ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when the carb intake is very low, insulin levels drop, fatty acids are released and transferred to the liver, where they become ketones. In a Standard American Diet, our body mostly runs on glycogen from eating carbs. When we lower our carb intake over a period of time to a level of ketosis, our body runs on ketones for fuel instead.

A keto diet focuses on high fat, moderate or high protein, and very limited carbohydrates. The typical range of daily intake for carbs for keto is below 20-50g net carbs. While a keto diet allows for a high fat intake, it is important to know that calories still count. You are simply using fats instead of carbs to help you feel full and satisfied.

Ketogenic diets have been linked to many incredible benefits such as treating epilepsy, controlling insulin levels, managing diabetes, and even impairing growth of certain types of cancer. It has also helped many people with mental clarity, increased energy, and decreasing inflammation in the body.

KETO PRO’S & CON’S

Pro’s

• may promote weight loss

• has therapeutic benefits

• may reduce appetite

• stable energy and blood sugars

• good for more endurance type exercise such as jogging
  
  

Con’s

• limits food options

• may experience constipation

• long term data is limited

• may be too restrictive to maintain long term
  
  

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WHICH DIET IS BEST FOR YOU?

The “best diet” is entirely a personal thing. It depends on your biology, lifestyle, pre-existing medical issues, your goals, and a variety of other factors. Some people feel their best on a keto diet, other people feel their best doing low carb. The most important thing is to find a way of eating that makes you feel your best, that you can do long term. It is important to consider what you feel is more manageable, that you can make into a true lifestyle change - not just a “quick fix diet”. 

There may be some trial and error until you decide which lifestyle is right for you. If you want to start a keto diet - it is HIGHLY recommended to transition to a low carb diet for a week or two first. This will allow your body to adjust more easily, and will make it easier to decrease your carb intake further to get into ketosis. It will also allow you to get accustomed to eating more whole foods, and eliminating high-carb and high-sugar processed foods from your kitchen.

The bottom line is that both diets restrict carbohydrates, and can help you lose weight. There is no right or wrong answer. Keto has additional therapeutic benefits, but is a bit more restrictive with your carb intake. Low carb allows for a bit more carbs, but may not burn body fat as quickly. The key is deciding which is more sustainable for you, and allows you to eat foods you’ll enjoy long term. If you want any help starting a keto diet, or you feel like keto is too restrictive for you and you’re interested in adding carbs back into your diet without ruining your weight loss progress, click here to learn more about how I can help! You can also join the free Keto Weight Loss For Women Facebook community full of supportive keto women on their own keto journeys!

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR KETO WEIGHT LOSS

So you’ve been following a keto diet for some time now, you’ve put in the work, and reached your ideal weight - congratulations! But, now what happens? Anyone who has successfully followed any weight loss program can agree that losing weight is easier than maintaining your new weight! When we’re in “weight loss mode” we know exactly what to do. We’ve established what works for us, and we have a routine that has gotten us results. But it can be scary, confusing and intimidating to stray from what has been successful, and venture into the unknown world of keto maintenance. Do you increase carbs? Do you increase calories? How do I navigate keto maintenance without ruining my weight loss results?!

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First and foremost, there are no guarantees that you will absolutely maintain your new weight once you sway from your keto lifestyle. There may be some trial and error to figure it out, and that’s ok!

The most important factor is to find what works best for you, and what you can truly maintain long term. Obviously, you can’t go back to your old pre-keto eating habits and foods with the expectations that you’ll maintain your results. If you fall right back into unhealthy eating habits and patterns, you will gain weight back.

But there are ways to transition into maintenance, or slowly off a ketogenic diet without negatively impacting your weight loss journey. There are multiple approaches that you can try individually or in combination to find what works for you.

GRADUALLY INCREASE CARBS

On a ketogenic diet, most people limit their daily intake of carbs to 20-50 net carbs per day, depending on the person. The majority of people use 20 net carbs as the standard starting point for their weight loss journey. Once you’ve reached your goals and if you want to start incorporating more carbs into your diet, be sure to do it gradually. Start by increasing your daily carb intake by 10g every other week. This will give your body time to adjust, and give you a chance to observe any changes that may occur. 

Example: 

• Week 1 maintenance: 30 net carbs

• Week 3 maintenance: 40 net carbs

• Week 5 maintenance: 50 net carbs

• Week 7 maintenance: 60 net carbs, etc

FIND YOUR DESIRED CARB RANGE

Once you have gradually increased your carbs over a period of time, you can find a carb range that specifically suits your body and your goals. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to this, and it can vary greatly depending on your body, metabolism and activity levels. This will allow you to eat a greater variety of foods so that you don’t feel as restricted but still maintain your new weight and feeling good. Just like at the start of keto, it will require you to track and adjust your macros based on how you feel and your weight maintenance goals.

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GRADUALLY INCREASE CALORIES

If you want to remain in ketosis, but are ready to maintain your weight and not lose any more you can try gradually increasing your calories. This approach allows you to continue focusing mainly on eating keto foods, while increasing the amount of calories you consume. It allows you to enjoy all of the other benefits ketosis has to offer, while maintaining your new weight. Start by increasing your daily calories by 100g per week until you reach a new calorie range to maintain your new weight.

ADD MORE PROTEIN

The keto diet in theory is a high fat, moderate protein, very low carb diet. One way to maintain your new weight loss results is to lower your fat intake slightly, while increasing more lean proteins on your plate. This will help you stay full, but keep your metabolism high. Increasing lean proteins takes advantage of the thermic effects of food. The thermic effect refers to the amount of energy it takes to digest certain foods. It takes 20-30 percent of the calories in protein to digest, compared to 5-10 percent in carbohydrates. This can help boost your metabolism, and help you maintain your weight.

SWITCH FROM FAT LOSS TO MUSCLE GAIN

This isn’t necessarily for “weight loss” maintenance, but more accurately - “fat loss” maintenance. The goal is to maintain a lower body fat percentage, while increasing muscle mass. The scale will go up, but it will be a result of an increase in muscle. A higher muscle mass improves metabolic flexibility, decreases risk of diabetes 2, strengthens bones, and makes it harder to regain body fat. In this approach you will need to incorporate resistance training such as weight lifting or body weight training that feels challenging to you. 

As your muscles grow it is important to fuel them properly by either:

• Adding more protein and calories, but keeping carbs low

• Adding in carbohydrates around your workouts only

Realistically, you can only gain 1-2lbs of muscle mass per week. The timeline is not the same for everyone, but if you’re going over 2lbs of gain per week it may be partly fat. 

TRANSITION TO LOW CARB PALEO

You may not need to remain in ketosis to maintain your new healthy weight. Transitioning to a more paleo style diet will allow for a great range in foods you can eat, while putting an emphasis on nutrient dense, whole foods. Keep in mind that you will likely gain a few pounds of water weight when you add more carbohydrates to your plate. If you want to try adding more carbs to your diet, but are worried about spiraling right back into high carb junk-food, sticking with paleo friendly foods will give you specific limits and guidelines so you don’t go right off the rails.

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TRY OR CONTINUE INTERMITTENT FASTING

Intermittent fasting involves abstaining from food for a certain amount of time during the day, and only eating in a specific “window” of time. This is an easy way to keep your new weight on cruise control, especially if you already used this technique during your keto weight loss. For some people this is psychologically easier to do as it inherently limits the amount of food you will eat by limiting the amount of time during the day you can eat.

As with keto weight loss, the most important thing to maintaining your new, healthy weight is to find what works best for you. As a way to continually commit to your health be sure to make a plan in advance when you’re nearing your ideal weight.

Don’t suddenly start considering what you’ll do once you see your target weight on the scale. You don’t have to keep eating the same way as you did during keto weight loss mode, but you do need to consider a plan of approach that feels right for you to maintain it.

Remember that everyone is different, and you may need to experiment a little bit until you find a new lifestyle that works best for you. If you want any additional help in navigating keto maintenance click here to learn how I can support you during this exciting transition! 

Can Keto Cause Hair Loss? And What To Do About It...

When I was 3 months into my keto weight loss journey, I started to notice my hair shedding more. After a shower, my brush seemed more full, my hair seemed to be all over my clothes, and according to my vacuum cleaner - it was all over the house too! I was totally shocked, surprised, and started to panic. Sure, I was losing weight and that was amazing, but I didn’t want to be totally bald as a result! I contemplated quitting keto completely because I was questioning if it was even worth it. But after an intense amount of research, I started to understand what was really going on with my keto hair loss and what I could do about it.

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If you’re new to keto and experiencing hair loss first and foremost - STAY CALM! If you’ve already lost a significant amount of weight just remember that you are improving SO many other areas of your health, so you don’t need to abandon keto for the sake of preserving your hair. 

Hair loss can feel extremely scary. Suddenly you’re measuring every strand in your brush trying to remember if there are more or less in there than last time. You’re totally stressed out, and constantly asking “When will it ever stop?!”. Trust me, I know how it feels - I’ve been there, and I get that it can really knock your self esteem in a negative way. But please trust me when I say - it’s going to be ok, keep going with keto, it’s just a phase, and I promise that IT GROWS BACK. *breathe a sigh of relief*

It is extremely common for some people to experience hair loss around 3-5 months into their keto weight loss journey. The formal name for it is telogen effluvium - which involves an abrupt, rapid, generalized (meaning all over, not a specific patch), shedding of the hair that can be thought of as stress-induced hair loss.

Oftentimes, we don’t really think of a diet as being “stressful”. But if you’ve been successful on keto and have been losing weight quickly, your body on a cellular level may perceive that change as a stressor. When this occurs, our body will redirect it’s resources to the most important functions of survival like our heart, lungs, or cell growth. Unfortunately, our hair doesn’t top the list, and some shedding or hair loss may be the result.

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WHAT TO DO ABOUT KETO HAIR LOSS

The good news is - your hair will regrow over time. :)

The bad news is - your hair will regrow over time. :(

New hairs tend to start to regrow 2-4 months after the initial loss period. Hair loss experienced by people on a keto diet is only temporary, and there really is nothing to worry about. Simply give your body time to readjust, and healthier hair will replace what was lost.

When I was experiencing keto hair loss I knew that time would heal my hair loss, and all would be well. But I couldn’t help but still feel anxious and unsure about it. So I decided I would still try a variety of things, even if it was just a placebo effect, so that I felt like I was being proactive in helping my hair along. So if you want to at least try SOMETHING because that feels better for you than doing “nothing” aside from waiting around for regrowth - here’s what I focused on:

• PROTEIN - hair is made almost entirely out of protein (keratin). Ensure you’re eating adequate protein by tracking your macros, and hitting your protein macro every single day
  
  

• BIOTIN - may help improve your body’s keratin infrastructure. Dosage: 30mcg per day.
  
  

• COLLAGEN - contains amino acids that are the building blocks of keratin, promotes healthy hair roots, high in antioxidants. Dosage: 1 scoop Hydrolyzed Collagen per day.
  
  

Eating adequate protein is an extremely important aspect to many areas of your overall health, including for hair growth and hair loss prevention. That being said it is IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that incorporating these supplements will not magically make your hair grow back overnight. In fact, they take a few months of daily use before you may notice any difference. The SAME amount of time it takes for natural hair regrowth to occur anyway.

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The moral of the story is - the only thing you can really do after experiencing keto hair loss is wait for regrowth to happen. If you choose to add supplements or not, it will still take time. So try not to panic, it is totally normal, and it will grow back - I promise! If you want any additional help in reaching your keto weight loss goals click here to learn how I can support you. Feel free to join the Keto Weight Loss for Women Facebook group full of supportive women on their own keto journeys.