LOSING WEIGHT WITH THE KETO DIET: EXPERT TIPS ON THE BEST SLIMMING TACTICS
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Time to read 12 min
So here’s the thing about keto. Most keto fans come to it as a weight-loss diet.
But at The Keto Collective, drawing on our nutritionist expertise, we prefer to say “Way of Eating” (WOE).
There’s a subtlety that makes it about the long-term rather than a quick short-term fix.
For those wanting to really lose weight on Keto, lets talk about macros, water weight and some simple tricks to enhance your fat-burning efforts…
The Role of Macronutrients on Keto
Keto is based on a way of eating that promotes very low-carb, moderate protein and high-fat foods – or simply put – LCHF (Low Carb High Fat).
This sounds a bit scary and counter-intuitive at first. And it goes against everything we’ve been taught about nutrition, turning the traditional food pyramid on its head. For years we have been told that fat is bad for us, and we need to seek out alternatives. So to be told that fats are good is a little dubious sounding. But the truth is, we’re huge fans of good fats, it’s the processed fats you want to ditch!
RELATED: If you want to know more, check out our article on The Facts on Fats
The purpose of the keto way of eating is to change the way your body converts certain foods into energy. Up your fats, lower your carbs, and reap the benefits!
Let's talk carbs…
Carbohydrates and Keto
As a rule, we overeat carbohydrates. There, We Said It! When sugar goes into your cells, it converts into fat. So we gain weight.
Carbohydrates are your enemy on the ketogenic diet. This is because carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy and can prevent the body from entering ketosis.
The recommended daily carb intake on a keto diet is usually around 20-50 grams of net carbs per day.
At the Keto Collective we recommend getting as close to 20g of carbs per day as possible, especially at the start of the diet.
After you have adapted to the diet, you should be able to increase yours carbs up to around 50g grams per day, but it will depend on the person.
Essentially, you want your body to burn fat and use itself as an energy source instead. This is where ketosis comes in.
By restricting your carb intake and increasing your fat intake, your body switches into the state of ketosis, hence the name ‘The Keto Diet’. This metabolic process is where your body fuels itself from its own fat stores. In ketosis, your liver converts fat into ketones which then provide your body – especially your brain – with an energy source. And burns fat 24/7.
Protein and Keto
Protein is an essential macronutrient that is necessary for building and repairing tissues in the body.
However, consuming too much protein can also prevent the body from entering ketosis. This is because excess protein can be converted into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. The recommended daily protein intake on a keto diet is usually around 0.5-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
Don't overdo it!
This is especially important for the gym-rats out there trying Keto for the first time. You DON'T need to pound protein shakes all day long.
The Keto Diet itself is Muscle Sparing, meaning that it maintains any gains that you have accumulated.
Your muscles are not going to shrink overnight (Although it will feel like that when you lose your water-weight!).
Fats and Keto
Yes, fats are needed on the Keto Diet to maintain ketosis while consuming foods. You can actually get into ketosis just by fasting, but you will eventually need to eat! That's why fats are the primary source of energy on the ketogenic diet. You can maintain ketosis while eating fats, not carbs. That's important!
Consuming healthy fats is essential for maintaining ketosis and providing the body with the energy it needs. Some healthy fats to include in your diet are olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados. It is important to consume enough fat on a keto diet, usually around 70-80% of your daily calorie intake.
RELATED: If you want to know more, you may want to read our article on the Top High-Fat Keto Foods
Calculating Your Macros to Lose Weight
This is the maths part: To get into ketosis, you need to eat no more than 50g of net carbs a day. For fat loss, aim for 20g. Let’s put this into perspective for you: a piece of bread is 25g carbs!
It can take around 3 days to get your body into ketosis, eating a (very) low-carb, high-fat diet. But you’ll see results fast. Probably faster than you have seen on any other ‘diet’. Although remember, we prefer Way of Eating!
Calculating your macros is an essential part of the ketogenic diet. It involves determining the number of grams of carbs, protein, and fat you should consume each day to achieve and maintain ketosis.
Keto Macronutrient Ratios for Men:
| Macronutrient | Percentage of Daily Calories |
|---|---|
| Fat | 70-75% |
| Protein | 20-25% |
| Carbohydrates | 5-10% |
Keto Macronutrient Ratios for Women:
| Macronutrient | Percentage of Daily Calories |
|---|---|
| Fat | 65-70% |
| Protein | 20-25% |
| Carbohydrates | 10-15% |
- Determine your daily calorie needs. This will be dependent on your sex, age, weight, and activity levels.
- Multiply your daily calories by the percentage of each macronutrient (as shown in the tables) to get the calories from each macronutrient.
- Divide the calories from each macronutrient by the calorie per gram value of that macronutrient.
Fat: 9 calories per gram
Protein: 4 calories per gram
Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
This will give you the grams of fat, protein, and carbohydrates you should aim for each day!
How much Weight can you Expect to Lose on Keto?
If you're considering a keto diet for weight loss, you might be wondering what to expect. Here's what you need to know about weight loss on keto.
As with all weight loss, it will always depend on the person but on average, in the first four weeks, you can lose up to 10 to 20 pounds, allowing for the initial water weight. Some bigger individuals may be able to lose even more weight!
For many, the challenge is getting to the end of the first month. In our experience, when people reach this major milestone, they’re already so fat-adapted and used to the keto way of eating, that they embrace the lifestyle change even more.
Keto can be a great way to address weight gain related to health issues too. Take the menopause where women are more prone to gaining weight around the middle as their metabolism slows. Because the low-carb element of ketosis helps to balance hormones, it can kickstart your metabolism to regain its efficiency, losing weight as your body runs on fat rather than sugar.
RELATED: If you want to know more, you may want to read our article on the Keto and Menopause
Initial Weight Loss - Don't be Tricked By Water Weight Loss
During the first week of a keto diet, you can expect to lose a significant amount of weight. This initial weight loss is mostly due to water weight, as your body switches from burning glucose to burning fat. As your body enters a state of ketosis, it begins to burn fat stores for energy instead of glucose. This can lead to rapid weight loss in the first week.
Your first 5 to 10 lbs of weight loss could be completely water! Don't slip up and think this is true fat loss, your body will start holding water again once you increase your carb intake!
It's important to note that the initial weight loss on keto is mostly due to water weight. As your body burns through its glucose stores, it also releases the water that was stored with it. This can lead to a rapid drop in weight, but it's not the same as losing body fat.
Don't be discouraged if your weight loss slows down after the first week. If you have ever been on a low-carb diet, you know all about water weight! Keep your carbohydrate intake low, and don't get overconfident with that early weight loss.
Long-Term Weight Loss
This is where the REAL fat-burning and body composition changes occur!
Once you have got into ketosis and lost the initial water weight, you will be ready to really make some changes to your body. You will now be fat-adapted and running on ketones, and you will have most likely gone through any ‘Keto Flu’ issues. Now it's time to get down to business with some serious weight loss and lifestyle changes!
To continue losing weight on keto, you'll need to maintain a calorie deficit. This shouldn't be an issue while on a high-fat, low-carb diet. Your cravings for sweets and carbs should have subsided by now, and eating high-fat foods while running on ketones will keep your energy levels even, and your hunger pangs at a minimum!
Exercise to Speed up Weight Loss On Keto
If you're looking to speed up your weight loss on a keto diet, adding exercise to your routine can help you reach your goals faster. Here are some types of exercise that can help you lose weight while on keto:
HIIT
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great way to burn calories and fat quickly. It involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by periods of rest. HIIT can be done with any type of exercise, such as running, cycling, or bodyweight exercises.
Keto weight loss comes quick when using this training method! You can actually burn a lot of calories in a short period of time, as long as you maintain a high level of intensity. A study published on ScienceDirect found that HIIT can be an effective way to lose weight and improve body composition in overweight adults. If you really want to enable fat-burning mode, HIIT may be the answer!
Resistance Exercise
Resistance exercise, also known as strength training, is another effective way to lose weight on keto. This type of exercise involves using weights or resistance bands to build muscle and burn fat. When you build muscle, your body burns more calories at rest, which can help you lose weight faster.
As this New York Times article discusses, resistance exercise can increase fat loss and improve body composition in overweight adults. Even shrinking fat cells!
And weight-lifting isn't just for men. More and more women are incorporating weights into their daily routines.
Sprints
Sprinting is a high-intensity exercise that can help you burn calories and fat quickly. It involves short bursts of all-out effort followed by periods of rest. You can do sprints on a track, on a treadmill, on a bike, or even outside.
Like HIIT, sprinting can improve body composition and increase fat loss in overweight adults rapidly. You can also get an amazing workout done in next to no time!
Start slowly. Sprint for 10 seconds, and rest for 90 seconds. As you get more acquainted with sprinting, increase your sprint time, and lower your rest time. Use max effort in the sprint phase of each rep. Simple!
Steady State Cardio
Ah, the old staple of exercising to lose weight, Steady State Cardio!
Steady State Cardio, also known as low-intensity cardio, is an effective way to lose weight on keto. This type of exercise involves maintaining a steady pace for an extended period of time, such as jogging or cycling. While it may not burn as many calories as HIIT or sprints, steady-state cardio can still help you lose weight and improve your overall health.
Just find an exercise you can do for 30 to 60 minutes, and stick with it. Consistency is king! For bonus fat burning, this type of cardio is best done in the morning on an empty stomach.
Incorporating these types of exercise into your routine can help you lose weight faster on a keto diet. Remember to consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any medical conditions or injuries. Take time to ease into this new lifestyle, an injury will just delay your goals being fulfilled!
Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss on Keto
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a popular technique that involves alternating between periods of fasting and eating. It can be a useful tool when following a ketogenic diet, as it can help you to achieve your weight loss goals more quickly.
When you fast, your body burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose from carbohydrates. This can help you to achieve ketosis more quickly, which is exactly where you want to be!
RELATED: If you want to find out more, you may want to check out our article on the What is Intemittent Fasting?
Fasted Cardio + Black Coffee
One way to incorporate intermittent fasting into your keto routine is to do fasted cardio in the morning. This involves doing cardiovascular exercise on an empty stomach, usually first thing.
Fasted cardio can help you burn more fat during your workout, as your body will be more likely to use stored fat for energy instead of glucose.
To help you get through your fasted cardio session, you can drink black coffee. This can give you an energy boost, making it easier to get through your workout. If you want faster weight loss, fasted cardio could have a significant impact on your waistline!
Creating a Keto Diet Plan for Weight Loss
If you’re new to keto, you may want to ease your way into the eating plan. Going from the carb inhaling Western diet to a High-fat keto diet can be a major shock to the system!
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For the first week think about getting your carbs as low as possible. If possible, start your new keto lifestyle with a 24 hour fast. This will get you into ketosis faster!
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Look at where you can add more healthy fats and high-quality animal sources, from oils (olive, avocado and coconut) to sources such as eggs, nuts, and fish. You need to up your fats to maintain ketosis.
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Try to avoid the temptation to over-complicate the keto way of eating. Fats - High, Carbs - Low, Protein - Mid. Easy!
The key is consistency. Stick with it. Before you know it, it will be second nature and you’ll never have felt better!
MCT Oils to Speed Up Ketosis
MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oils are a great addition to any keto diet plan. They are quickly absorbed by the body and converted into ketones, which can help speed up the process of getting into ketosis.
Some great sources of MCT oils include coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and MCT oil supplements. You can add these oils to your coffee, and smoothies, or use them in cooking to boost your fat intake and help you reach your weight loss goals faster. MCT Oils also provide a nice clean energy boost, and some choose to use it before working out.
Be aware of ‘tummy issues’ when first using MCT oil!
Finally... On Losing Weight With Keto
Losing weight on Keto is so effortless that once you get into ketosis, you won't even need to worry about it. Fat will literally be melting from your body! But if you want to speed things up a little, remember this advice:
Get your macros in order. Work out what you should be eating, and stick to it dilligently. Cut carbs, up fats, and don't be concerned to much about protein.
Don't be tricked by the water weight you will lose in the first 2 weeks of the diet. This is just water leaving your body as you become fat adapted. This is not REAL fat loss, that comes in the following weeks/months.
Choose an exercise or workout you enjoy and stick with it on a consistent basis. Whether it is HIIT, weight-training, sprints, or steady-state cardio, just find what works for you! Use fasted cardio + coffee & MCT oils to speed up fat loss.
Hopefully you now know a little bit more on losing weight on the keto diet. We guarantee you that it is the best diet for shifting those unwanted pounds without making you feel lethargic or craving those dirty carbs!
It may be the perfect Way of Eating for you!
RELATED: If you have tried a Low-Carb diet before, and aren't sure of the difference, why not read our article on Keto vs Low Carb
Suzie Walker
Suzie Walker is a qualified Nutritional Therapist from the College of Naturopathic Nutrition London and co-founded The Keto Collective, a company that aims to make it easier for those following the keto way of eating to find whole food, great tasting, keto alternatives to their everyday favorites.
