Keto is taking over. It’s becoming such a popular diet that it’s common to see keto labels on food and when you search “keto” billions of responses will pop up. Whether you’re in a weight loss plateau or you’re simply looking to help shed a few pounds and feel healthier, keto could be exactly what you need. Though, it can be hard to start a new diet so we got a whole list of keto before and after transformations and facts that are guaranteed to convince you to give the keto diet a try.
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What Is Keto?
The ketogenic diet (or keto diet) was first created in the 1920s as a treatment for people with epilepsy after research demonstrated that fasting reduced seizure activity. Therapeutic usage of ketogenic eating patterns is used by medical professionals to this day, but the diet is also becoming more popular outside its clinical applications.
The ketogenic diet is an eating pattern that includes high amounts of fat, low to moderate amounts of protein, and very little carbohydrates. It’s typically rich in foods like butter, cheese, eggs, meat, nuts, oils, seafood, and seeds and does not have many fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, sweets, or other carbohydrate-rich foods.
Although there are variations to the ketogenic diet, they all share a primary objective of restricting carbohydrate intake. A typical keto eating plan aims for about five percent of calories from carbohydrates, twenty percent from protein, and seventy-five percent from dietary fats. On a 2,000-calorie-per-day ketogenic diet, this equates to about 100 calories (25 grams) of carbohydrates, 400 calories (100 grams) of protein, and 1,500 calories (167 grams) of dietary fat.
By restricting carbohydrates and monitoring protein intake, a keto diet’s main objective is to put your body in a state of nutritional ketosis, a metabolic process that increases the production of ketones, which are made by the liver and can be used as the body’s primary energy source. When we are not in ketosis, glucose (derived from carbohydrate intake) is our body’s primary energy source.
Why Go Keto, Anyway?
Studies have shown that keto can lower insulin levels because when you eat foods with carbohydrates and lesser protein, you raise your blood sugar levels. Insulin steps in to lower those blood sugar levels, delivering glucose to your cells for energy or to store for backup fuel called glycogen. However, high insulin levels (which can happen when you eat too many carbohydrates) can prevent fat loss. On a keto diet, you keep insulin levels lower. Basically, low insulin means that your body can more easily access fat stores for fuel.
There are also benefits for hormonal balance. Among hunger-regulating hormones such as leptin (a hormone that tells your brain to stop eating), ghrelin has the opposite effect. This hormone tells you to eat more. When these and other hormones stay in balance on a keto diet, you’re less likely to have hunger and cravings.
It can also lower inflammation levels which can help people with chronic inflammation. This kind of inflammation plays a role in obesity and diseases including diabetes. Sugar is an inflammatory food and on a keto diet, you keep your sugar and overall carbohydrate intake very low. When you combine that approach with whole, unprocessed foods, you lower inflammation levels which in return can help you lose weight and prevent life-threatening diseases. People on keto diets also report more energy, focus, and mental clarity during daily tasks.
5 Impressive Keto Before And After Results
Montae Kaufman
Montae’s amazing transformation with Keto had him dropping 150 lbs in only 11 months and even though he faced many difficulties like a family death and personal injuries. But even with so many hardships, he came out on top and is continuing his fitness journey by using his platform to share his progress and help inspire others as well.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdRK-Juppa/
Natasha
Natasha is a great example of what keto can do for you. 77 lbs and dropping, she’s a low-carb diet recipe creator who actually eats what she makes and has the results to show it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrKbCggNyoa/
Breanna Butts
Breanna is a keto coach, mother, and someone who has gone through multiple weight loss journeys, one with her before pregnancy when she dropped 55 lbs and another after her first child was born where she went from 170 lbs to 154 lbs just from doing keto. So not only did doing keto help her once, but she saw results twice and is helping others do the same!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrKD_iUuBMI/
Sabrina Celes
Sabrina is over 40 lbs now with her keto weight loss journey, getting closer and closer to her goal weight and mending her relationship with food.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq5v_YzuNXf/
Cassie Alana
Cassie is a huge keto diet fan and is more than happy to share the health effects of this diet on social media along with her journey of losing weight. Just see the pictures for yourself!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgUxK4yPFjT/
How much weight can you lose in a month on keto?
The average weight loss is 10-12 pounds in the first month of doing keto. The keto adaption/fat adaption can take weeks, so it’s important to really stick with it for a while to teach your body how to be a fat burner instead of a sugar (glucose) burner.
Do people look younger on keto?
Adopting any low-carb, low-sugar diet reduces glycation and helps your skin appear smoother, younger, and much more glowy. Many of the foods included in a keto diet encourage collagen production, which is the protein that forms the structure of your skin that is there to keep it firm and wrinkle-free.
Can I gain weight on keto?
This applies to most of the excess fat we eat from keto-friendly foods as well. Rather than letting it go to waste, our body will store it as fat. In fact, the most common culprit of unexpected weight gain on keto is adding excessive amounts of butter, coconut oil, and other pure fats/oils to meals.
