Ketosis Diet Review

You have probably heard of this diet before packaged under different names, but they all fall under the term of ketosis. Any high fat/protein, and severely restricted to no carb diet falls under this umbrella.

What is ketosis?

You see, when your body is functioning under the normal diet of high carbs, and moderate fat/protein, you run on glucose sugars for energy, and produce high amounts of insulin. According to all these diets, the high insulin and glucose are keeping your body fat, and also keep your body from burning fat as all you burn during your exercise sessions is carbs.

How do we alleviate that problem?

Stop eating carbs. Many of the diets allow a small amount of carbs (such as 20 grams a day) but the emphasis of your food is now meat, nuts, and other protein staples. When you stop ingesting carbs, your body's energy will shift.

Instead of glucose, your body will feed off of ketones (byproducts of fat metabolism). Usually the first few days, to few weeks, you will feel fatigued. That is because the energy you are used to supplying yourself is gone, so it feels like you are empty. This first stage is the hardest, and many will quit.

However, after this stage, you will find yourself with heightened energy and your cravings for carbs will be much lower (as your mind doesn't recognize it as energy any more).

At this point most diets up the amount of carbs you can have (to about 40 a day) but it all depends exactly on which variation you are following. When I did this diet, I stayed around 20-30 a day and had great results.

One thing you do have to worry about is not missing meals, and your liver and kidneys. Normally when you miss a meal, glucagon is released and protects you from hunger and catabolic hormones. However, glucagon is only produced when carbs are ingested. Most diets say you should have one day a week, or one a month, to ingest a high carb meal (nothing processed, but foods like fruit and vegetables) to produce this sugar.

Missing a meal without glucagon can mean very rapid muscle degeneration (at it is the first tissue eating for energy) and you may even pass out. Always make sure you have food around.

Speaking of food, you are required to eat every 2-3 hours. Usually broken into 3 meals and 3 snacks, you should always be prepared to eat.

What is the weight loss potential? Usually these diets will claim about 2-3 pounds a week, as the weight lost is primarily fat weight and not muscle (as many other weight loss diets will make you lose).

However, when I did this diet I lost about 5 pounds a week, and it remained that way for about a month. After that time is dropped a pound here and there until I was at a good weight of 150lbs (previously I was 190).

While this diet does work, it takes a lot of concentration, preparation, and dedication. If you think you are ready for all that, then go for it. I think you will be impressed with the results.