Read on to learn about four variations of keto macros that may help make the diet easier to sustain than usual. The keto diet focuses on a high-fat, low-carb, moderate-protein intake.

With the keto diet, people generally eat less than 50 grams of carbs daily. Your body usually gets energy from glucose sugar from carbs. The idea behind the keto diet is that your body enters ketosis if you lessen your carb intake. In ketosis, your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy.

As a result, entering and staying in ketosis may lead to weight loss. Research has found that people on the keto diet may lose weight after maintaining ketosis for 12 months. Early weight loss on the keto diet may be water weight loss.

Some evidence suggests that weight loss may be from eating fewer calories, not ketosis. Ketosis may induce weight loss from appetite suppression and hormonal changes.

The keto diet protects against increases in the hormone ghrelin, which makes you hungry. Although, the exact level of ketosis to suppress hunger is not clear. The keto diet may improve resistance to insulin and leptin, or hormones that help regulate weight.

Healthcare providers initially developed the keto diet to aid children with epilepsy, which causes seizures. The classic keto diet for epilepsy differs from the keto diet that people typically follow for weight loss.

The classic keto diet focuses on a high-fat and low-protein and carb intake, which is usually too restrictive for people to sustain. Research has found that many people use the keto diet to help them lose weight and manage other health conditions, including:.

Reach out to a healthcare provider before starting a new diet, including the keto diet. Generally, the keto diet requires you to eat a few carbs, a lot of fats, and moderate amounts of protein. On the keto diet, the breakdown of your macros may look like this:.

While no food is "bad" or "good," understanding the nutrients in your food is essential. Different types of carbs, fats, and proteins can affect your health in various ways. For example, eating foods high in saturated fat—like beef, butter, cheese, and fried foods—can affect your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.

Instead, the American Heart Association AHA advises eating unsaturated fats like:. Following a keto diet requires you to calculate your macro ratio to eat specific portions of carbs, fats, and proteins every day.

Counting macros and cutting your intake may be challenging to sustain and restrictive. A few more flexible keto variations exist. An article published in summarizes four types of modified keto diets that help your body go in and out of ketosis. Learn the macro ratios of the standard keto diet and its variations below.

On the standard keto diet SKD , your macro ratio may look like this:. The SKD is the strictest. On a 2,calorie diet, you'll eat less than 50 grams of carbs each day.

The initial phase of the SKD may require eating less than 20 grams of carbs daily. That carb intake restricts several nutrient-packed foods like fruit and whole grains. The targeted keto diet TKD allows extra carbs for active people and athletes who live a keto lifestyle but need more energy. The TKD macro ratio may look like this:.

Healthy carb sources include:. Keto cycling is a way to cycle in and out of ketosis while eating a balanced diet. For example, the cyclical keto diet CKD approach may include five "keto days" and two "off days. Your "keto days" may include the SKD macro ratio, while your "off days" look like this:.

A study published in found that the cyclical keto diet helped reduce body weight among healthy young men. In contrast, the approach did not effectively improve aerobic or strength performance.

The high-protein keto diet HPKD entails the following macro ratio:. Some people may find the HPKD easier to follow than others since it allows you to eat more protein and less fat than the SKD. Still, the approach may not result in ketosis. Your body may convert protein into glucose for fuel.

Some people develop the " keto flu " shortly after starting the keto diet. The keto flu generally involves short-term side effects, such as:. After starting the keto diet, you may have trouble sleeping or working out. For example, a study published in found that people had difficulty performing anaerobic exercise, or high-intensity, short bursts of activity, after four days on the keto diet.

The keto diet may lead to short-term weight loss, but research on its long-term health effects is lacking. The keto diet is restrictive and may be challenging to follow for long periods. For example, restricting your carb intake may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

An emphasis on foods high in saturated fat also counters recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association and may have adverse effects on blood LDL cholesterol. However, it is possible to modify the diet to emphasize foods low in saturated fat such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

A ketogenic diet may be an option for some people who have had difficulty losing weight with other methods. The exact ratio of fat, carbohydrate, and protein that is needed to achieve health benefits will vary among individuals due to their genetic makeup and body composition.

A dietitian may also provide guidance on reintroducing carbohydrates once weight loss is achieved. A modified carbohydrate diet following the Healthy Eating Plate model may produce adequate health benefits and weight reduction in the general population.

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products. Skip to content The Nutrition Source. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Home Nutrition News What Should I Eat? What is it? Excessive ketone bodies can produce a dangerously toxic level of acid in the blood, called ketoacidosis.

During ketoacidosis, the kidneys begin to excrete ketone bodies along with body water in the urine, causing some fluid-related weight loss.

Ketoacidosis most often occurs in individuals with type 1 diabetes because they do not produce insulin, a hormone that prevents the overproduction of ketones.

However in a few rare cases, ketoacidosis has been reported to occur in nondiabetic individuals following a prolonged very low carbohydrate diet.

The following is a summary of foods generally permitted on the diet: Allowed Strong emphasis on fats at each meal and snack to meet the high-fat requirement. Cocoa butter, lard, poultry fat, and most plant fats olive, palm, coconut oil are allowed, as well as foods high in fat, such as avocado, coconut meat, certain nuts macadamia, walnuts, almonds, pecans , and seeds sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp, flax.

Some dairy foods may be allowed. Although dairy can be a significant source of fat, some are high in natural lactose sugar such as cream, ice cream, and full-fat milk so they are restricted. However, butter and hard cheeses may be allowed because of the lower lactose content. Protein stays moderate.

Programs often suggest grass-fed beef not grain-fed and free-range poultry that offer slightly higher amounts of omega-3 fats, pork, bacon, wild-caught fish, organ meats, eggs, tofu, certain nuts and seeds.

Most non-starchy vegetables are included: Leafy greens kale, Swiss chard, collards, spinach, bok choy, lettuces , cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, cucumber, celery, summer squashes.

Certain fruits in small portions like berries. Not Allowed All whole and refined grains and flour products, added and natural sugars in food and beverages, starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, and winter squash. Fruits other than from the allowed list, unless factored into designated carbohydrate restriction.

All fruit juices. Legumes including beans, lentils, and peanuts. Although some programs allow small amounts of hard liquor or low carbohydrate wines and beers, most restrict full carbohydrate wines and beer, and drinks with added sweeteners cocktails, mixers with syrups and juice, flavored alcohols.

A meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials following overweight and obese participants for years on either low-fat diets or very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets found that the ketogenic diet produced a small but significantly greater reduction in weight, triglycerides, and blood pressure, and a greater increase in HDL and LDL cholesterol compared with the low-fat diet at one year.

Despite losing a significant amount of weight on both diets, participants reported less hunger and a reduced desire to eat compared with baseline measures. The authors noted the lack of increased hunger despite extreme restrictions of both diets, which they theorized were due to changes in appetite hormones such as ghrelin and leptin, ketone bodies, and increased fat and protein intakes.

The authors suggested further studies exploring a threshold of ketone levels needed to suppress appetite; in other words, can a higher amount of carbohydrate be eaten with a milder level of ketosis that might still produce a satiating effect? This could allow inclusion of healthful higher carbohydrate foods like whole grains, legumes, and fruit.

Their levels of ghrelin did not increase while they were in ketosis, which contributed to a decreased appetite. However during the 2-week period when they came off the diet, ghrelin levels and urges to eat significantly increased.

If a person is concerned about eating high-fat foods, the keto diet may not be beneficial. Although people may associate a keto diet with achieving and maintaining a healthy BMI, it may have other benefits.

These may include:. However, the keto diet can carry some health risks. A person should speak with a doctor or dietician before following a keto diet. Learn more about whether the keto diet is good for you.

Food is not the only factor that can affect ketosis. Other factors can include sleep quality and hormone levels, such as cortisol. Achieving and maintaining ketosis can be a difficult task for many people. The keto diet is strict, and it requires people to adhere to it closely to achieve results.

However, with some minor adjustments, most people can reach ketosis and start to work toward achieving and maintaining a healthy BMI. Anyone who is unable to lose weight despite following the keto diet and exercising regularly may wish to consider speaking to a doctor or dietitian.

The lazy keto diet is a simpler version of the keto diet. Learn what the lazy keto diet is, its benefits and drawbacks, and which foods to eat and…. Because the keto diet involves limiting the intake of carbohydrates, it can help reduce cholesterol levels. However, the diet is not suitable for…. A keto diet prioritizes fats and proteins over carbs.

It may help reduce body weight, acne, and the risk of cancer. Learn about the benefits and risks…. Recent research suggests that following the Atlantic diet, which is similar to the Mediterranean diet, may help prevent metabolic syndrome and other….

A new study showed that a Mediterranean or MIND diet improved women's cognitive health during midlife. The study of twins found that those…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Reasons for not losing weight on a keto diet. Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, Ph. Not achieving ketosis Too much protein Too many acceptable carbs Maltitol Not counting calories Snacking Alcohol Little to no exercise Stress Medical conditions Tips FAQ Summary Some people may find they are not losing weight on the keto diet.

Not achieving ketosis. Eating too much protein. Eating too many acceptable carbs. Eating maltitol. Not counting calories. Constant snacking. Drinking alcohol. Little to no exercise.

High stress. Underlying medical conditions.

Elizabeth Blasi. Share icon An curved arrow pointing right. Share Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting.

Twitter LinkedIn icon The word "in". LinkedIn Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link. Redeem now. I lost 40 pounds in a year on the keto diet, but then I wanted to quit.

To quit without gaining all of the weight back, I used "maintenance keto. Read preview. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.

download the app. Email address. Sign up. Maintaining weight loss after any diet can be difficult, especially one where you lose weight fast. So, we interviewed dietitians to get their take on exactly why it's so hard to maintain the weight loss and what they recommend you do to keep as much off as possible as you get back to a regular healthy diet.

Restrictive diets like keto don't work long term. The problem is, says Sleymann, "The eating habits are unsustainable and too difficult to do. This leads to [people] falling back to their old eating habits and regaining the weight.

After being deprived of energy, your body will work hard to replenish its stores. Vanika Jethwa, R. Nutritionist , agrees: "The reason why all of these diets can work is because fewer calories are being consumed than burned. Oftentimes once the restrictive diet ends, we tend to eat more of that particular food and calories consumed ends up being more than calories burned, causing weight gain.

Another danger of restrictive diets is that they can lead to a restrict-binge cycle. This is harmful because the body responds by slowing your metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight later on.

This is a definite challenge, especially if you did gain back some or all of the weight you lost—losing it the second time around can be more difficult. Not to mention, they take the pleasure out of eating and overcomplicate things, she says.

Pictured Recipe: Crispy Fish Taco Bowls. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to maintaining weight loss after keto. We here at EatingWell totally agree that working with a dietitian to create a personalized plan that accounts for calorie needs , decreasing stress and incorporating movement can help maintain weight loss.

It's important to note that we don't encourage following the keto diet, or any restrictive diet for that matter, unless recommended by a physician—for example, for the treatment of epilepsy. If you want to ditch keto and counting macros, there are other easier ways to maintain weight loss.

Jethwa's recommendation is: "Find exercise you enjoy! This could be anything from walking around the block each day to taking dance lessons or joining a local soccer club.

It's also important to make changes to your diet slowly. If you all of a sudden start eating 30 grams of fiber a day after not eating much at all, your stomach is going to go crazy and likely cause some pretty intense constipation.

Add in one or two servings of a high-fiber foods per day, like oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, beans, chia seeds or berries, and if your stomach tolerates that, bump it up a little more the next day.

And remember, whenever you add more fiber to your diet, you also need to add more water to prevent constipation. Jethwa adds, "Enjoy all foods in moderation to help avoid cravings. If cravings do come up, honor them! And moderation also means not relying on fat and animal proteins to fuel your diet.

Priscilla Blevins, M. Nutritionist and founder of What The Fat Nutrition uses the Cyclical Keto Method to help clients lose weight and keep it off. Most of her clients eat closer to the upper range while doing keto. The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is bound with water, typically at a ratio of 3 grams of water for each gram of glycogen 6.

When you burn through these stored carbs, this water is excreted in your urine or sweat 6. As such, after starting keto, you may notice that you have to urinate more often and feel much thirstier than normal.

You may also notice large weight losses, which are mostly water-weight losses 6 , 7. Anecdotally, people report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound 0. When you burn through glycogen, your body releases the water that was bound to it.

Much of your early weight loss is probably due to these water losses. Many people use the keto diet for weight loss, and there are several reports online of dramatic weight loss shortly after starting the diet. This is likely mostly water weight because as you burn through your carb stores, your body releases the water that was bound to those carbs.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. The low-carb ketogenic, or keto, diet can be an effective tool if you're trying to shed pounds, but some things may sabotage your weight loss efforts….

Lazy keto is a popular variation of the ketogenic diet that's designed to be easy to follow. This article tells you everything you need to know about…. The ketogenic diet keto is a low-carb, high-fat diet that causes weight loss and provides numerous health benefits.

This is a detailed beginner's…. The ketogenic diet is a very low carb diet with numerous health benefits. Discover 20 nutritious foods you can eat on keto. The keto diet is becoming a trend among people looking for quick, dramatic weight loss.

Ketogenic diets have many powerful health benefits, but some people have trouble getting into ketosis. Here are 7 tips for how to get into ketosis. Although the ketogentic diet is linked to weight loss and other benefits, it also carries several risks.

However, avoid taking junk food and stick to Paleo foods only. This change adds variety to meals, which is always a welcome addition to any diet. While transitioning to a low-carb diet , start by raising your carb limit by grams, and maintain it for one to two weeks before reassessing again.

However, once you begin transitioning, you might gain a pound or two. Intermittent fasting involves entirely or partially abstaining from eating for a set amount of time before regularly eating again Intermittent fasting offers a wide array of benefits, such as fat loss, lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood sugar, better health in general, and increased longevity.

There are various methods of doing intermittent fasting. You could try:. Intermittent fasting also has its downsides. For one, people on this kind of diet may not eat enough nutrients, such as fibre.

This can increase the risk of cancer and have an adverse effect on digestive and immune health. Read More: The Warrior Diet: Benefits, Side Effects, And Weight Loss. To maintain your keto diet weight loss, adopt a more active lifestyle. This will not only help keep the weight off, but it will also improve your general well-being.

Practice regular movement throughout the day by taking frequent breaks, going on walks often, and stretching or doing yoga during the day The benefits of regular movement cannot be overlooked.

In fact, maintaining regular activity throughout the day has proven to have a much more significant impact on your overall health than one heavy exercise session. In the first week, you may lose 2 to 10 pounds of water weight.

The first month could see you losing 4 to 10 pounds about 1 to 2 pounds a week. Although the results vary from person to person, you might expect to lose at least one pound of fat per week. To determine whether a diet is safe or effective, you must look at four things:.

So, does the keto diet fulfill all these requirements? To demystify this, we first have to look at how the keto diet works. The keto diet is a low-carb diet that limits carbs, such as those in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit.

The diet puts emphasis on the consumption of foods high in protein and fat. Keto restricts the type and amount of carbs you eat and focuses more on fats and proteins, such as:. It excludes and limits most grains, legumes, fruits, bread, sweets, pasta, starchy vegetables, and some nuts and seeds.

The keto carb limit for most people is 20 grams. The diet suggests that a person consume less than 20 grams of carbs a day so that you can enter ketosis. Ketosis occurs when you do not have enough glucose sugar for energy, so your body breaks down the stored fat, converting it to ketone bodies which can be used for energy.

The carb limit for keto is miles ways from what is generally recommended. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbs make up percent of your daily calorie intake. Ergo, if your daily calorie intake is calories, then carbs should make up to calories, which would be to grams.

For this reason, following the keto diet has potential side effects, such as:. Mayo Clinic states that this high-fat, very low-carb diet is thought to have brain-protecting benefits As many as half of young people with epilepsy had fewer seizures after following the diet 5.

Some early research also suggests that it may have benefits for blood sugar control among people with diabetes. However, there is very little evidence to show if the keto diet is efficient or even safe over the long-term for anything other than epilepsy.

Furthermore, the diet cuts out many healthy foods, which may make it difficult for you to meet your daily micronutrient needs. All in all, the diet may be recommended for some people with uncontrolled epilepsy. However, its high-fat content plus the limits on nutrient-rich foods may pose a concern for long-term health.

Also, eating large amounts of fat and protein from animal sources increases your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Improve your body and revamp your life with us! Very few things are as unmotivating as putting in all your effort into something and not seeing the results. As the keto diet is highly restrictive, it takes a lot of determination.

It is no shock, therefore, when one gets frustrated when their input does not give them the desired results. Have you been on the keto diet yet you have nothing to show of it?

For your body to enter ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy and not glucose, your carb intake must be drastically reduced. Unless this happens, your body will not enter ketosis, and you will not lose weight.

Anyone who is unable to lose weight despite following the keto diet and exercising regularly may wish to consider speaking to a doctor or dietitian. The lazy keto diet is a simpler version of the keto diet. Learn what the lazy keto diet is, its benefits and drawbacks, and which foods to eat and….

Because the keto diet involves limiting the intake of carbohydrates, it can help reduce cholesterol levels. However, the diet is not suitable for…. A keto diet prioritizes fats and proteins over carbs. It may help reduce body weight, acne, and the risk of cancer. Learn about the benefits and risks….

Recent research suggests that following the Atlantic diet, which is similar to the Mediterranean diet, may help prevent metabolic syndrome and other…. A new study showed that a Mediterranean or MIND diet improved women's cognitive health during midlife.

The study of twins found that those…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Reasons for not losing weight on a keto diet. Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, Ph. Not achieving ketosis Too much protein Too many acceptable carbs Maltitol Not counting calories Snacking Alcohol Little to no exercise Stress Medical conditions Tips FAQ Summary Some people may find they are not losing weight on the keto diet.

Not achieving ketosis. Eating too much protein. Eating too many acceptable carbs. Eating maltitol. Not counting calories. Constant snacking. Drinking alcohol. Little to no exercise. High stress.

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We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Most people feel more satisfied after eating ketogenic meals and snacks due to the filling effects of fat and protein. Paying attention to portion size, increasing physical activity and snacking in moderation between meals can help create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

Curbing portion sizes, limiting snacks between meals and being more active can help you drop excess pounds.

The ketogenic diet is an effective weight loss tool. Through proper management, including medication if necessary and lifestyle and dietary modifications, you can achieve and maintain healthy weight loss.

Certain medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism and depression, can make it hard to lose weight. Small, consistent change is the key to losing and maintaining weight the healthy way.

While it may be tempting to aim for lofty weight loss goals, most experts recommend that losing 1—3 pounds or about 0. Not to mention, if you adopt a new workout routine that involves weight lifting, you may gain muscle while losing fat.

Though this can lead to slower weight loss, putting on muscle mass and decreasing fat mass benefits health in many ways. It can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve bone health 10 , Instead of relying solely on the scale, take weekly measurements of your arms, thighs and midsection to track your progress.

A healthy weight loss of 1—3 pounds or about 0. Yet, consuming too many high-calorie ketogenic snacks like nuts, nut butter, fat bombs, cheese and jerky may cause your weight loss to plateau.

Flavorful snacks like celery sticks and cherry tomatoes dipped in guacamole or a hard-boiled egg with some cut up veggies are smart choices for those following ketogenic diets.

Plus, adding extra non-starchy vegetables to your diet adds a dose of fiber that can help keep your digestive system regular, which can be especially helpful for those first transitioning to a keto diet. Research shows that stress, especially chronic stress, and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss Elevated levels of cortisol, commonly known as the stress hormone, can encourage your body to store fat, especially in the belly area Additionally, those who are chronically stressed are often sleep deprived, which has also been linked to weight gain.

Studies suggest that a lack of sleep negatively impacts hunger-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, causing increased appetite You can lower stress and improve sleep by trying techniques like meditation or yoga and spending less time on electronic devices Stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss.

Do your best to reduce stress and get enough sleep. Incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle is vital when trying to lose weight on a ketogenic diet. For example, exercise lowers your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety and obesity Not only does engaging in physical activity burn calories, but it also helps build muscle, which can give your metabolism a boost by increasing the amount of energy burned at rest Though starting an exercise routine can be difficult — particularly for those new to working out — there are ways to make it easier.

Creating a workout schedule and sticking to it is the best way to bolster a healthy exercise habit.

Low carb for beginners All guides Foods Visual guides Side effects Meal plans. Keto for beginners All guides Foods Visual guides Side effects Meal plans. What are high protein diets? Foods Snacks Meal plans. Higher-satiety eating High-satiety foods Satiety per calorie Satiety score Meal plans. Weight loss.

Meal plans. My meal plans Premium. High protein. All low carb meal plans. Intermittent fasting. Quick and easy. Family friendly.

World cuisine. DD favorites. All keto meal plans. Though the low carb , high fat keto diet was originally devised to help treat epilepsy, many people are turning to it to lose weight.

According to some research, it provides several advantages over other diets, including making it easier to burn your stored body fat, maintain your metabolic rate the calories you burn at rest , and feel more full on fewer calories 1 , 2 , 3.

That said, you may wonder how much weight you can expect to lose in your first week on keto. Many people report extreme weight loss when first starting the diet. However, much of this can be attributed to water losses.

On keto, you strictly limit your carb intake, typically to 50 grams or fewer per day of total carbs, or 25 grams or fewer of net carbs , which are total carbs minus fiber.

When you limit carbs, your body burns through the carb stores in your muscles and liver — called glycogen — typically within a few days 4 , 5. After this, your body switches to a metabolic state called ketosis , in which it uses ketones that are broken down from dietary fat or stored body fat, as its primary source of fuel 4 , 5.

This shift, during which you burn through your glycogen stores and switch to using ketones, usually takes less than a week. However, for some people, it may take longer 4 , 5.

Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition period after first starting the keto diet, but most of this is due to changes in water weight 6.

When you restrict carbs on keto, your body rapidly burns through glycogen, the stored carbs in your liver and muscles. After your glycogen stores are depleted, you shift to burning fat. Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition.

The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is bound with water, typically at a ratio of 3 grams of water for each gram of glycogen 6. When you burn through these stored carbs, this water is excreted in your urine or sweat 6.

As such, after starting keto, you may notice that you have to urinate more often and feel much thirstier than normal. You may also notice large weight losses, which are mostly water-weight losses 6 , 7.

Anecdotally, people report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound 0. When you burn through glycogen, your body releases the water that was bound to it. Much of your early weight loss is probably due to these water losses.

Anticipated Weight Loss: Rapid weight loss - up to 10 pounds of water. As you start removing carbohydrates from your body, your body will begin using the glycogen stored in your liver and muscles as its primary fuel source. This is exactly what you want, because once your body gets through the glycogen, it will start burning fat instead of glucose.

During this first phase, people can expect to lose anywhere from 2 to 7 pounds of water weight. Some people may even lose up to 10 pounds! Studies indicate that each gram of glycogen in human muscle is bound to about 3 grams of water. So, as your body burns through the glycogen, it also rids your body of water.

Additionally, you may also notice flu-like symptoms -- nausea, vomiting, tiredness, and maybe even some irritability. This is what people call the keto flu and could last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

This is simply a sign that your body is getting adjusted to a new fuel source i. transitioning to fat-burning mode. Anticipated Weight Loss: Average weight loss - 1 to 2 pounds per week. After the initial drop in weight due to water loss, your body will then begin to adapt to using fat as its main energy source.

When your body starts burning fat for energy, it produces ketones also called ketone bodies. During this fat-burning stage, you can expect to lose a consistent pounds per week.

This will give your weight loss process a huge boost because you'll have an easier time eating fewer calories. Anticipated Weight Loss: Slower weight loss - potentially 1 to 2 pounds per week.

Well, almost. In this phase, you may continue to lose pounds per week, or it could slow down.