What is Ketosis?
By: Melanie Rockett
Tags: Health, Food, Cooking, Diet, Weight Loss

Image originally published on the sugar-free-zone.com

What is Ketosis?

Turn Your Body Into A Fat Burning Machine

Ketosis is a normal metabolic process. When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body. — MedicalNewsToday.com

Your body gets its fuel from protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates include starchy foods such as grains (bread, pasta, rice and beans as well as fruit, vegetables and sugars. Basically if it is not protein (meat, fish, eggs) and it is not fat (butter, oils, fat) it is a carbohydrate.

When carbohydrates enter the body, they are broken down into glucose, and used for energy. The hormone insulin removes glucose from the bloodstream and the body either immediately uses it for energy or stores it in the liver for later use.

Any glucose that is not immediately used as fuel is stored in the form of glycogen, and any excess glycogen turns into stored body fat.

High carb diet = high glucose in the blood = excess levels of glycogen (sugar) = BODY FAT

Lipolysis and Ketosis

When your intake of carbs is limited, and the glycogen stored in the liver is used up, the body enters a state called lipolysis. It starts converting its fat stores to create energy. This is the most efficient biochemical pathway to weight loss and a scientifically proven alternative to the body using or needing glucose for energy.

Lipolysis occurs as the body begins to burn the body’s own fat stores for energy instead of dietary carbohydrates. The by-products of this fat burning process are ketones and ketosis is the secondary process of lipolysis.

When you eliminate carbs, the body is forced to use its fat stores for energy, and the body is literally turned into a fat burning machine.

Ketones not only provide adequate energy for the cells within the body, they also fuel the brain and other organs just as glucose from carbs does. Instead of using sugar (glucose) for energy you are now using stored fat.

This is the reason that extremely low carb diets are so popular and have allowed thousands of people to lose weight and keep it off.

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

On a Ketogenic Diet your body uses stored fat for energy and your fat literally melts away!

Ketogenic Diets

Ketogenic Diets are at the extreme low end of low carb diets. The recommended carb intake to get into state of ketosis is anywhere from 20 to 50 NET carbs. The amount of carbs needed, varies from person to person.

Net carbs equal the carb rating for a food minus the fiber content.

For example:

There are 12 grams of carbs in one cup of fresh shredded coconut.

Minus 7.2 grams of fiber

= 4.8 grams (net) carbs.

The Ketogenic diet, the Dr. Bernstein diet and the Atkins diet are three popular strict carb intake diets.

One of the greatest benefits of ketogenic diets and using fat for fuel is that once you get into a state of ketosis, your appetite naturally reduces within a few days. There are NO sensations of out-of-control hunger, and erratic cravings become a thing of the past.

Fat and excess weight simply seems to melt off!

Carbohydrate Cravings and Hunger Fades Away

The first few days of a Ketogenic Diet can be a challenge, especially if you have been eating a carb rich diet filled with sugar and wheat products. Many people who go straight into a Keto diet experience the Keto Flu. You can avoid the Keto Flu by gradually transitioning to a low carb diet and then to the Keto Diet.

It may take 2 to 4 days to get into Ketosis, but once you are, your hunger will diminish, and so will your carb cravings. Many people report being satisfied by the variety the diet has to offer and can easily stay on the diet for months if not longer. Many people adopt a Keto lifestyle because they feel better and enjoy the health benefits of the diet.

For even faster weight loss and to get diabetes under control, and to even reverse diabetes — medical pioneers including Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Berstein use a combination of the Keto Diet and fasting.

The Keto Diet by itself and in conjunction with a fasting protocol reduce insulin resistance, reducing the need for drugs and helping normalize blood glucose levels.

If you have metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes or diabetes be sure to check out these great ground breaking books:

Dr. Bernstein’s Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugars

Dr. Janson Fung — The Obesity Code

This article was originally published on the sugar-free-zone.com

Melanie Rockett has been a freelance writer for over 40 years. About 15 years ago she was diagnosed with Diabetes — and began a long journey of discovery. Today she lives a sugar-free life and has lost 120 pounds. Her website Sugar-Free-Zone.com is all about living sugar-free and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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