When you cut down on carbs, your body starts using fats and proteins for energy. This way, your body breaks down fat to produce energy. This process is known as ketosis. Take note of these signs and symptoms of ketosis.
When in ketosis, your body shows some signs and symptoms
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ketogenic diet induces quick weight loss
- If your body has gone into ketosis, you are likely to feel less hungry
- When on ketosis, you lose water weight during the first week
Any person who has gone on a weight-loss spree has at least once come across the ketogenic diet. The keto diet is a low-carb diet which focuses on the consumption of proteins and fats and for weight loss. When you cut down on carbs, your body starts using fats and proteins for energy. This way, your body breaks down fat to produce energy. This process is known as ketosis. However, some people do not lower their carb intake as much as required. Due to this, the body does not go into ketosis. It is anyway not easy to know if your body has gone into ketosis or not. When in ketosis, your body shows some signs and symptoms, which, it may not show usually. If you have been looking for an explanation of these signs and symptoms, you just checked into the right place!
Also read: Keto Diet: These 7 Fats Must Be Included In Your Keto Diet
Here's a list of 7 important signs and symptoms of ketosis you must be aware of. Take note.
1. Bad breath
When your body falls short of carbs, it uses fats and proteins as a fuel for the body. When fats and proteins are broken down, they produce a byproduct known as a ketone. Your body has four mechanisms of removing these byproducts, through sweat, pee, poop or your breath. Majorly, these ketones are likely to give you a bad breath. It gives you an acetone-like breath which is quite unpleasant. It is a typical sign that your body has gone into ketosis.
Bad breath is an important sign of ketosis2. Reduced hunger
If your body has gone into ketosis, you are likely to feel less hungry. This happens due to increased protein and fat intake. These macronutrients suppress hunger and cut down on your overall calorie intake.
3. Weight loss
Weight loss is what you are aiming for when on a ketogenic diet and when it happens, it means that your body has in fact gone into ketosis. In the first week, you will experience drastic weight loss, which in fact is stored water and carbs being used up. So it is actually water weight loss instead of fat weight loss. This diet, through ketosis, helps you achieve both short term and long term weight loss.
Ketosis helps you achieve both short term and long term weight loss4. Insomnia
In the initial few weeks, going on a ketogenic diet can hamper your quality of sleep. You will either find it too hard to go to sleep or will wake up every now and then. This happens due to drastic shortage of carbs in the body. It is one of the important symptoms of ketosis. However, this improves in a couple of weeks. Those who continue this in the long run also say that they sleep much better after adopting the ketogenic diet.
Also read: Unable To Sleep At Night? 5 Foods That Cause Insomnia And Anxiety
5. Short term exhaustion
Carbs are the main fuel of your body. So when you give up on them all of a sudden, you are likely to feel exhausted for the initial few days. You start to feel tired most of the time and this decreases the efficiency of your workouts as well. After a couple of weeks, this gets better and you start to feel energetic again. If you are going through this phase, it means that your body has gone into ketosis. Due to this, you start burning fat at a faster rate.
In the initial few weeks, you feel tired when your body goes into ketosis6. Digestive distress
Most of the high-carb foods are a good source of fibre. So when you go low-carb, your source of fibre is lost. Therefore, in the initial few days, you may experience constipation. To make up for your fibre requirements, you can eat low-carb vegetables with good fibre content like broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.
When on a low-carb diet, you may experience constipation for the initial few daysPhoto Credit: iStock
Also read: 6 Natural Remedies For Treating Constipation
7. Improved focus and energy
When your body goes into ketosis, it provides your brain with an endless supply of fuel known as ketones. This fuel allows your brain to be focused and it keeps your body energized as well.
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.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
