I started my journey to ketosis about 5 years ago, and while the initial attempts resulted in quite a few failures, it was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.

Once I managed to come up with a great meal plan and satisfy my cravings for treats without getting kicked out of ketosis, the benefits took over, and I never looked back.

However, like most keto dieters you come to a stage where you wonder if you can and should stick to a permanent ketogenic state. Is it safe or are there reasons to stop it on a regular basis?

These are all questions that I really struggled with, but over the years I have managed to get some great advice from other ketoers, dieticians and nutritionists.

And I thought it was well overdue that I share that information.

How Long CAN You Stay In Ketosis?

This is the big question that goes beyond working out how much weight you want to lose.

While some people only stay on the diet until they reach their optimum weight, others get so used to the food and mental energy that they decide to keep going with it.

So, what is the right answer?

There are a lot of debates if this type of diet should be a long-term plan due to the lower carb intake.

The argument is that in human history, such prolonged periods of low carb intake never really existed.

Its certainly a good argument for choosing a seasonal approach to keto where you alternate between regular and low carb diets. Its what our hunter-gatherer ancestors did when winter months meant very little carbs through plants, fruit and nuts were available.

However, studies have shown that the Inuit lived their lives in a permanent state of ketosis. There are also a few other Great Plains tribes that were at least seasonally on a ketogenic diet for their entire lives.

Children with epilepsy commonly go under keto therapy, [1] which has a profound effect on the frequency and intensity of seizures. Many of them stay with the diet for as long as 12 years to gain control over the symptoms.

So, there are indeed many examples of extremely long diet durations.

On the other hand, some health experts share that while a low-carb/keto diet (learn more) can produce short-term results, there can be various health issues related to staying on a low-carb diet.

The USDAs recommendation is that 80% of a persons food should typically be vegetables, fruits, and grains, and 20% should be protein. These non-protein foods are important for issues like micronutrients, digestion, and immune system.

So, heres what I generally recommend.

Come up with a healthy weight loss goal and stick to the diet until you get there. As long as you dont have any lasting side effects (see them here), your body will adapt.

And its just a matter of time for you to work out your food intake to get all the nutrients you need.

Once you have achieved your weight and general health goals, then its not a bad idea to take some intermittent breaks.

It adds diversity to your diet, and as long as you dont start binging on candy bars and fast food, you shouldnt see any major negative effects.

Also, if you work out a lot, especially high-intensity training, then extra carbs are necessary.

The occasional carb boost from healthy veggies is not going to be the end of the world, and can actually play a major role in boosting your immune system for the winter months.

Personally, I stuck to keto for 2 years before taking my first break. These days, I spend 9 months on keto and take 3 months off in the summer.

Its a balance that works for me, and the best thing you can do is work out what works for you.

How Long SHOULD You Stay In Ketosis?

While permanent ketosis can result in weight/fat-loss, if it isnt done correctly it can also cause some health hazards.

For example, some people can develop ketoacidosis which is a combination of very high levels of ketone and blood glucose at the same time.

In this condition, the blood becomes acidic and the person could risk experiencing major health complications.

This mainly affects people with a history of diabetes or alcoholism, but in rare instances can be triggered through excessive ketone supplement and carb intake over a prolonged period.

Generally speaking, ketosis is a state that you should continue until you hit your weight loss and health goals. This could be for several months or even years. The important thing is to stick with it as long as you dont suffer lasting negative effects.

The keto diet does require some careful monitoring and planning, but once you manage to get all your nutrients from alternate low-carb sources, theres no reason why you shouldnt continue.

How to Stay in Ketosis and Maintain It

A lot of people say that staying in ketosis is actually harder than getting there in the first place. I first heard this while trying to get through a few days of the keto-flu and really had no idea how anything could be more difficult.

But in many ways it is true.

There are obvious things like giving in to cravings for a donut or candy bar.

Or maybe you just want to enjoy a couple of beers on a hot day?

However, there are other simple mistakes you can make with your meal plan and snacks that will very quickly kick you out of ketosis.

Thats why keto is more than just switching to low-carb foods. Its a lifestyle that requires a commitment to many small changes.

Here are a few things that I recommend people do to help them achieve and stay in ketosis:

1. Moderate Your Protein Levels

This is a very common mistake for people that are trying to maintain ketosis. Eating too much of that steak will definitely get you out of the diet. Why?

Because when your protein level is too high while your carbohydrates are too low, your body will start to run gluconeogenesis.

This means that your body will start breaking down all the protein and then turn it into fuel.

To avoid this, you will need to up your intake of healthy fats (hint: the omegas andMCTs) so that your body will use it instead to make energy for your body.

2. You Need To Track Your Carbs

This might seem obvious, but when I talk to people who are struggling with getting to or maintaining ketosis, they generally cannot show me their food diary.

It was one of the first tips I ever got and is as important as coming up with a detailed meal plan. If you dont write down exactly what you eat and drink on a daily basis, then its impossible to work out your carb intake.

Get into the habit of keeping a diary and working out at the end of the day how many carbs, protein, and fat you have taken in.

If you want to get really fancy, you can chart this out in a spreadsheet (thats my inner nerd talking there).

3. Test Your Ketone Levels

Here is where it gets easier. The ketogenic diet is not like any other diet in the world, it's not something that you just keep doing blindly, you can actually measure it.

Our bodies produce ketones which burn the fat and turn it into energy, and guess what? We can measure ketones in our bodies by using simple urine test strips.

We review some of them right here if you havent got some already.

By using these strips, you can keep track of your ketone levels and see exactly how your body reacts to some changes in your meal plan.

With these, you aren't just flying blindly, and you can actually see the goal that is maintaining in ketosis. These strips are particularly helpful in the early stages when you might not know what the other signs of ketosis actually are.

I also found them highly motivating as I watched the changes appear each day.

4. Take Advantage Of Supplements

This is one of the biggest mistakes I made when I started out. I was so adamant that I would get there without any fancy supplements that I ended up struggling far longer than necessary.

Many ketone supplements (like these) are ideal for taking at different stages of your new lifestyle. In the first few days, they will give you that energy boost to clear the brain fog and constant fatigue.

At later stages, these keto supplements will help boost your ketosis, which is particularly helpful once your body fully adapts to ketosis and weight loss actually stalls (learn more here).

As long as you get high-quality supplements with 100% natural ingredients and no crap added in, then they will actually be extremely helpful with your goals.

How to Stay Motivated

If you're reading this, then you're probably looking for some keto motivation which is sometimes hard to come by especially considering how difficult it can be for some to abide by the rules of the diet.

First of all, don't stress out too much. Many people have failed to get into ketosis on their first time so it's not a big deal.

Throughout my keto years I have had my time of struggles and failures, but I did learn a couple of things that I would love to share with you all.

Here are some tips that I used to stay motivated throughout the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ketosis bad for you long term?No, ketosis is not bad for you in the long term, and in most cases it is far better than the now standard blood sugar rollercoaster.

All it means is that your body has adapted to sourcing energy from fat rather than glucose, and this is a state that can be maintained long term. It does require careful monitoring of your food intake to make sure you get all the important nutrients, but this is something you will learn with time.

How long does ketosis last?Ketosis lasts as long as you maintain a low-carb diet.

As soon as you increase your carb intake again, you will quickly be kicked out of ketosis. The body will then switch back to glucose as an energy source.

How long does it take to lose weight in ketosis?It can take anywhere from a week to a month to start losing weight in ketosis.

Its important that you dont misinterpret the initial loss of glycogen as weight loss. The reason is that glycogen binds to 3 parts water, and you can actually lose 6 pounds or more in a few days through loss of fluids.

But the actual fat loss will kick in pretty soon after your ketone levels increase.

Can you Stay in ketosis forever?Yes, technically you can stay in ketosis forever, as long as you make sure you get all the vital nutrients.

From vitamins to minerals and fibre, you can quickly become deficient with symptoms of sickness becoming a daily struggle. No diet is worth getting sick for, so make sure you plan your meals carefully.

Final Summary

At this stage, you will understand that its possible to stay in ketosis indefinitely. Some people continue with it for many years with no complaints. But this does mean they have perfected their food intake.

Staying in ketosis long term is a lifestyle choice that can work perfectly fine for you, or else you might adapt a little and take intermittent breaks.

It all depends on your personal weight and health goals, but with the right attitude and careful planning, you can achieve all your physical and mental health goals.

See more here:
How Long Can Your Body Stay in Ketosis Safely?

Diets Dont Work

Diets Don`t Work is a free 8 week weight management and nutrition programme.As a team we encourage weight loss at a steady pace and include different aspects of nutrition to enable you to choose a healthy lifestyle.

Our sessions include topics on behaviour change, goal setting, portion size, food labels and physical activity plus other areas to promote a healthier choice. The sessions are delivered in a friendly professional manner within a group setting that offers support throughout the course and afterwards (beyond).

Come along and join our course. This is the session where we provide an overview of the course. Complete a small amount of paperwork and inform everyone on the course and of the leaders contact names and telephone numbers. We also take measurements of weight and waist circumference though this is not compulsory. BMI may also be calculated at this stage. All sensitive data is recorded and stored in a confidential manner.

Here we encourage the Eatwell Guide approach to a healthy balanced eating pattern. Answer any queries and hopefully debunk any myths regarding certain food groups.

In this session we offer realistic advice on how to understand portion sizes. Including tips on how to reduce portion sizes of various foods without losing taste or flavour and increasing other food groups to achieve a healthy balanced diet.

This is our halfway stage and where we deliver knowledge, understanding and practical advice on Fats, Sugars and Salt. We discuss the practicalities with regards to fat in the diet, too much hidden sugar and salt. Visual aids are used to portray the various amounts of hidden fats, sugars and salt in a wide range of foods and offer information on the labelling of certain food items including Diet, Reduced Fat/Sugar, No Added Sugar plus others.

Physical activity is an essential part of weight management Energy In vs Energy Out. We discuss the health benefits of physical activity and offer a practical taster session free of charge on how to incorporate movement into a busy daily routine. We use visual aids to discover how much physical activity is required to burn off the calories in every day foods.

Ever stood trying to work out what all those figures and colours mean on a food label? Let us help you work them out. We will show you how to make sense of all the information displayed on a food label and help you understand how to read the traffic light system to make a healthier choice.

In this session we discuss the practicalities of eating out and alcoholic calories. We encourage you to make a healthier choice whilst dining out, visiting a coffee shop or the up and coming Baltic Triangle by showing the various healthier choices available.

We do not tell you what you can or not drink in the way of alcohol but we do advise on just how calorific some drinks may be.

The catch up and final session here we see how far the group has come over the 8 weeks. It is also an opportunity to cover any of the topics that anybody wishes to go back through. We also retake your measurements and compare them to the initial measurements in a sensitive manner. We discuss how to further and maintain your weight loss and give the opportunity for ongoing and further support.

Diets Dont Work is run across Sefton in a number of venues at varying times during the day. If your would like to book a place or need further advise on Diets dont work please call Active Lifestyles on 0151 934 2352 or email us on active.lifestyles@sefton.gov.uk

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Diets Dont Work - Active Lifestyles Sefton

Posted October 27, 2017 in Diet Management, Tips, Tags: cholesterol, healthy heart tips, heart and kidney diet, heart health, heart healthy diet, Kidney Diet, Phosphorus, Potassium, red meat, Sodium by Jackie Termont, RD.

People with kidney disease have many dietary considerations. Getting the right nutrients as well as cutting back on certain nutrients are at the top of the list.However, many patients also have heart disease and thus, need to think about heart healthy measuresin the diet that are just as important.

To assist here are six tips to help balance the kidney diet with a heart healthy diet.

In conclusion, these tips can help balance your diet between managing kidney disease and heart disease. Speaking with your doctor and dietitian to learn what your blood levels are can help you when planning your meals.

For more information to answer questions onheart healthy and kidney diets read A Good Match: Merging the Heart and Kidney Dietsfrom DaVita.com.

More here:
Heart Healthy Tips that Merge with a Kidney Diet

Keto diet for diabetics: Diet low in carbs can be helpful for people with type 2 diabetes

If you are diabetic, can you or can you not follow the very famous keto diet for weight loss? Let's find out. Type 2 diabetes is a condition which affects blood sugar levels. A healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to reverse type 2 diabetes. A type 2 diabetic is required to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, quit smoking and alcohol, sleep well and take less stress to deal with effectively. Weight loss and weight management is also required and keto diet is extremely popular for this.

A keto diet is a low-carb, high fat and moderate protein diet. While the American Diabetes Association recommends no single diet over another for people with diabetes, keto diet can help in controlling blood sugar levels as it involves extremely low carb intake.

Also read:5 Food Swaps To Satisfy Your Carb Cravings And Add Some Fun To Your Weight Loss Regime

Nutritionist Dr Rupali Dutta says that keto diet is safe for diabetics, but only when followed under strict professional guidance. "Diabetics do need a diet low in carbs. But when it comes to keto, they should not follow it for too long," says Dr Rupali.

Diabetics can also do with making better choices of carbs too keep their blood sugar levels under control and get other nutrients too from their diet, she adds.

Foods containing carbs such as pasta, bread, rice, fried food, fruits are actually the main source of energy for the body. When you are eating carbs, the body uses insulin to bring glucose from the blood into the cells for energy. But, people with diabetes either lack of insulin or have insulin that does not work properly for the body.

Also read:Restore Hormonal Balance With These 5 Keto-Friendly Foods

Eating foods that are high in carbs can lead to blood sugar spikes, this where keto diet's benefits step in. This however, is vastly going to be different for every individual. In order to prevent any side effects, it is recommended that you take expert advice before taking up keto diet in case of type 2 diabetes.

Living a healthy lifestyle can help in controlling diabetesPhoto Credit: iStock

A 2018 study found that keto diet can help in controlling levels of HbA1c - which refers to amount of glucose travelling with haemoglobin in blood over about 3 months.

Keto diet can help in maintaining glucose levels at a low but healthy level. Lower intake of carbs in diet can reduce blood sugar spikes and reduce the need for insulin.

Also read: Missing Rotis On Keto Diet? Try These Protein-Rich Low-Carb Rotis For Quick Weight Loss

What's more is that this diet aids weight loss, which further supports glycemic control and improve overall well-being.

So if you are a diabetic, you can try the keto diet for effective results. But, don't forget to consult your doctor before going ahead with it and follow it for a limited time span only.

(Dr Rupali Dutta is consultant nutritionist at Fortis Escorts)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Keto Diet For Quick Weight Loss: Is Keto Diet Safe For ...