A person can’t reach ketosis if he/she does not do a ketogenic diet. I will not delve more about this particular diet. Instead, I will talk about its most recognized effect in our body–the ketosis.
Specifically, ketosis is a biological process where your body will generate ketone. The latter is a type of organic compound that is created through the break down of fats, especially if the source has low carbohydrate content. Once this happens, your body will gradually switch from sugar burning to fat burning.
Several of my friends are into ketogenic diet already. You can see already the dynamic change that happened in their body. However, how does one know if this lifestyle is taking place? Well, here are the signs and symptoms of ketosis.
Weight Loss
Of course, ketosis didn’t happen if there are no visible changes in your weight? Remember my set of friends who are doing the ketogenic diet? Their bodies now are very voluptuous. I was quite awed considering that in the past two years, their pounds are still beating the weighing scale.
However, not all weight loss can be attributed to ketosis. As I said, you can’t undergo this process if you are not into a ketogenic diet. There are a variety of causes for weight loss. However, generally, if you have shed much of your weight gradually after engaging on keto, you’re on the right way.
A strict low-carb diet can always bring significant changes to your body. In fact, the first weeks can cause a person to lose a considerable number of pounds. Since the water stored in the fatty cells are being released, getting back in shape would be a lot easier.
Stinking Breath
Not all effects of ketosis can be positive. Sometimes, it can cause repulsive manifestations. Many people who undergo full-time ketosis have told that they breath became terrible.
However, one should not fret about this. After all, various diets, even Paleo and Atkins, can cause unusual changes in the smell of your breath. In respect to keto, the increased levels of ketone cause the pungent odour. Take into account that ketone can come in the form of acetone. The latter usually exits on your mouth and urinary tracts.
You may take this sign as a bad thing. However, if your objective to get the maximum benefits of keto, you should somehow be happy about it. Fortunately, the smell can go away by brushing your teeth multiple times in a day. A friend of mine who is in this diet is always taking mouth fresheners.
Loss of Appetite
Aside from weight loss, people who went full ketosis are supposed to experience low levels of appetite. I am not really sure if it is just a placebo effect. However, I have read various testimonials that agree to this context
Right now, the medical world is still finding the link between the increase in the ketone level and weight loss. Some suggest that this is due to the heightened presence of protein in the body. After all, a ketogenic diet is focused on protein-based nourishments such as meat and veggies.
A study also claims that ketone can affect the brain’s process of suggesting hunger. Either way, it has been widely accepted that one of the evident symptoms of ketosis is appetite loss. It is good news for people who are trying to be fit. On the other hand, if you want to track your dietary mileage while on this diet, use a keto macronutrient calculator.
Uneasy Stomach
Once you commit to a particular diet, it is inevitable that there will be changes in your dietary routine. In layman’s term, this means that the things you eat right now are different from the usual ones you had in the past.
In some rare cases, such a sudden shift in the diet doesn’t cause drastic repercussions. However, a majority would succumb on issues like diarrhoea and constipation. These are side-effects that should dissipate once your body gets used to your new eating lifestyle.
Sleeping Difficulties
Those who are into the ketogenic diet are always victims of sleep issues, especially on the first week. There are several reports of insomnia and sleep disturbances among those who have drastically reduced their carbohydrate intake.
Fortunately, this issue dissipates after a couple of weeks. In fact, long-time keto eaters have told that their sleeping quality has further elevated. To lessen sleeping struggles, I do recommend that you get a comfortable and supportive mattress.
Wrapping it Up
The signs and symptoms of ketosis are easy to spot. Their manifestation is pretty apparent because you can feel or see them. Although some of these are not really appealing, they are still necessary for your body to adjust to a new healthy lifestyle. It will be better for you soon.
Did you learn from this article? If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below!