The ketogenic diet isnt new. But over the past few years, it has emerged as one of the most popular and polarizing ways to lose weight.
The eating plan has many people slashing their carb intake and loading up on healthy fats in an effort to reach the holy grail of the keto diet: ketosis, or the metabolic state in which the body starts burning its own fat for fuel.
Here are the basics of how things go down when youre on keto: Your bodys cells typically get their energy from carbohydrates. But when youre on keto, what youre really doing is starving your body of carbohydrates so it needs to go to the next energy source, which is fat, explained Rabia De Latour, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Universitys Langone Health. Your body then burns that fat.
The diet doesnt restrict you in terms of calories or the amount of food you eat. Instead, its all about what you eat. Most keto plans include lots of seafood, red meat, poultry, cheese, low-carb vegetables (sorry carrot and corn fans), eggs, plain yogurt and fats (hello, avocado). Youre instructed to avoid foods with sugar and carbs, like many fruits, grains and legumes.
Because of this, people who try keto can experience a range of side effects and symptoms as their bodies adapt to the low-carb, high-fat style of eating. Here are some of them:
You feel like you have the flu
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When you first start the keto diet, your body has to go through a lot of adjustments to hit ketosis. During that time, many people report feeling as though theyve come down with the flu and experience flu-like symptoms like a headache, brain fog, nausea and lethargy, according to Priya Khorana, a doctor of nutrition education and exercise physiologist.
The key is to stay hydrated and replenish your salt intake, Khorana said. The good news is the keto flu doesnt last the entire time youre following keto, and these symptoms should clear up within a few days.
You crave carbs
If youre used to eating a ton of carbs, youre going to crave them when theyre off-limits.
Logically speaking, if someone tells you you cant have carbohydrates for a week, youre going to crave them initially, De Latour said. On top of that, your bodys cells will want what theyre accustomed to using for energy.
However, once you hit ketosis and your body gets used to the diet, your cravings for starchy, sugary foods will likely subside. (But this is also a good time to remind you that carbs are not necessarily an enemy and you do generally need some in your diet in order to function optimally. Even on keto, you will eat some carbs.)
You may feel less hungry
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Youd expect to feel hungrier on any diet, but the opposites typically true with keto. This is essentially because youre not limiting the amount of food youre eating, just the types.
De Latour said that protein and fat make you feel more satiated sooner and longer because it takes the stomach more time to digest these types of foods. Carbs, on the other hand, are broken down quickly, causing you to feel hungry again soon after eating them.
Youll likely experience fat loss
If youre following keto strictly where your diet is 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs you will likely see a loss in body fat (and a lower number on the scale).
A small decrease in fat mass in the short term has been found in research studies of individuals eating a ketogenic diet. But, in real life, it is difficult to maintain a ketogenic diet, composed of 70-75% fat, said Ania Jastreboff, an endocrinologist at Yale Medicine.
Most experts agree that its not safe to follow this plan in the long run and dont recommend trying to do so. Plus, theres little research on the long-term effects, such as if the fat loss will continue or if it will dissipate the longer you try to stick with the restrictive diet.
You pee a lot
When your bodys in ketosis, the kidneys churn out more sodium and fluids, which causes the bladder to fill up. Expect to pee a lot.
As your body burns through the stored glucose in your liver and muscles within the first day or two of starting a ketogenic diet, youll be releasing a lot of water in the process, Khorana said.
When you urinate frequently, you lose a lot of electrolytes and minerals. This can lead to dehydration and cramping, so its crucial to chug lots of water and stay hydrated.
You get backed up
Many people also become constipated on the keto diet. Whenever you lose fluids, you run the risk of becoming constipated, according to De Latour.
Your colons main job is to regulate fluid within the body, so if your body is dehydrated, the colons going to slurp up more water from stool and then you have hard [infrequent] stools, De Latour said.
To combat this, drink lots of water and try to increase your fiber intake (think avocados, chia seeds, collard greens, and nuts like pecans and almonds).
Your energy will dip and then potentially soar
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When you first start the diet, your energy levels will likely plummet.
But, like many of the other side effects, your body should bounce back and your energy should eventually climb back up. Youre still energizing your body, its just a different type of energy that takes some getting used to, De Latour said. Some keto followers claim they experience more focus and energy once their bodies adjust to ketosis.
Every body is unique and responds differently to various diets, Jastreboff pointed out. You may experience all of these symptoms or none at all.
Theres no perfect eating plan thats one-size-fits-all. Check in with a doctor before you drastically overhaul your diet. If you end up trying the keto diet and dont like the way it makes you feel, talk to your doctor as well, as theyll be able to recommend an eating plan that works best for your body.
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This Is Your Body On The Keto Diet - HuffPost
