If you’re starting the ketogenic diet for the first time, it’s natural to have a bunch of questions. After all, your body is experiencing a significant change.
If you’re wondering how to tell if you are in ketosis, you’re in the right place. We’ll go over that and more burning questions you might have about the keto diet. First, let’s go over the basics.
What Is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. Instead of burning carbohydrates, it starts rapidly burning fat. Entering ketosis is the ultimate goal of the keto diet.
When your body enters ketosis, the fat-burning process creates ketones and leads to weight loss. In the process, your blood sugar and insulin also drop. This is to shift your metabolic focus on fat and ketones only.
Ketosis Benefits and Drawbacks
Helping your body adapt to burning fat instead of carbohydrates and glucose is healthy, but not easy. Getting used to the ketogenic diet and regularly entering ketosis comes with a few drawbacks.
One of the most common drawbacks people experience when entering ketosis for the first few times is the “keto flu.” This ailment isn’t really the flu, but a collection of symptoms most newcomers experience as their body adapts to the diet.
Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, weakness, and stomach cramps. Luckily, these symptoms only last around a week. Push through it, and you’ll see your symptoms go away eventually.
The benefits of ketosis are worth the initial pain you might go through when starting the diet. In ketosis, you’ll experience more rapid weight loss, reduced hunger, and better blood sugar levels.
The most enticing benefit is food availability. Keto diets allow you to eat delicious, healthy fat-enriched food such as avocados, seafood, and eggs.
The availability of tasty food and snack options makes this diet alluring. Even though the diet lacks carbs, there are plenty of healthy and delicious food options available to you. If you’re a keto diet newcomer, click here for some fantastic keto snack options.
How to Tell If You Are in Ketosis
Anyone on the keto diet can figure out whether they’re in ketosis with a urine test or blood test. These methods are the most accurate portrayal of ketosis. However, these tests require a visit to a doctor or home test kit purchase, which isn’t always ideal.
Thankfully, there are plenty of signs that point to active ketosis that you can spot in order to figure out if you’re experiencing this metabolic state.
Rapid Weight Loss
The most obvious and sought-after sign of ketosis is weight loss. When you’ve entered ketosis, step on the scale and see if you’ve lost weight. If you have lost weight, you’re likely experiencing ketosis.
Keto Breath
Keto breath is a phenomenon that happens when you’re body is still getting used to processing ketones.
Those who have been on the keto diet for a while won’t get this effect. Cup your palm over your mouth, exhale, and sniff. If your breath smells fruity or metallic, you’re experiencing ketosis.
No Appetite
Ketosis suppresses your appetite and makes you feel full. If you’re feeling full between meals, you’re going through ketosis.
Improved Cognition
Ketosis is known to help boost cognitive performance as you become more acquainted with the diet. Once you get past the brain fog stages, ketosis gives your mind clarity and extra focus.
Muscle Cramps
Your body produces less insulin while you’re on the keto diet. With reduced insulin, your body compensates by releasing more sodium. This can throw your body off balance and reduce the number of electrolytes, leading to muscle fatigue and cramps.
If these cramps are causing you discomfort, drink some electrolyte water to re-balance your body.
Thirst
Alongside electrolyte imbalance, increased ketones may lead to dehydration. If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re probably in ketosis. It’s vital to remedy your dehydration as soon as you notice it.
Headaches
Another temporary sign of ketosis is a headache. Head pain may be a mix of the dehydration side-effect. However, headaches might be your body’s response to a lack of carbohydrates.
Once your body gets used to handling ketosis, this sign should resolve itself. In fact, the keto diet is known to help headaches in the long run.
Fatigue
For anyone trying the keto diet for the first time, ketosis might be a tiring experience.
During the first few times you enter ketosis, you’ll feel tired and weak as your body adjusts to burning fat instead of carbohydrates. After a few weeks, the fatigue ketosis symptom should go away.
Digestion issues
Another sign of ketosis is stomach pain and digestion issues. You may experience diarrhea, stomach cramps, or constipation symptoms as your body gets used to burning fat.
To remedy this sign, drink plenty of water and eat food that encourages healthy bowel movements, such as fiber-rich vegetables.
Insomnia
Major lifestyle changes tend to impact a person’s sleep cycles negatively. Ketosis is no different. As your body becomes familiar with the keto diet, your sleep cycle should get back to normal. However, ketosis may cause insomnia and disturbed sleep for the first few times.
Frequent Urination
If you’re getting up to urinate more often, you’re probably experiencing ketosis. Increased ketones and carb restriction naturally increases the urge to urinate. Your body is trying to release more sodium, leading to an increase in bathroom trips.
Keeping up With Your Keto Diet
Now that you know how to tell if you are in ketosis, you’ll be able to understand your body’s response to the keto diet better. This diet requires patience and dedication in order to reap its benefits. Once you get used to the effects, you’ll be thriving in no time.
If you liked these insights, check out the rest of our articles!
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