Keto Means
Photo by Mike Jones Pexels Logo Photo: Mike Jones

Is keto just losing water weight?

Many people use the keto diet for weight loss, and there are several reports online of dramatic weight loss shortly after starting the diet. This is likely mostly water weight because as you burn through your carb stores, your body releases the water that was bound to those carbs.

Can I keep 2 cherry shrimp?
Can I keep 2 cherry shrimp?

However, feeding them would pose a problem to the ammonia levels in the aquarium. A lot of cherry shrimp means a lot of food. You would have to...

Read More »
What sweets are keto-friendly?
What sweets are keto-friendly?

Healthline's picks of the best keto candies SmartSweets Gummy Bears. ChocZero White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. Lily's Dark Chocolate Covered...

Read More »

Though the low carb, high fat keto diet was originally devised to help treat epilepsy, many people are turning to it to lose weight. According to some research, it provides several advantages over other diets, including making it easier to burn your stored body fat, maintain your metabolic rate (the calories you burn at rest), and feel more full on fewer calories ( 1 , 2 , 3 ). That said, you may wonder how much weight you can expect to lose in your first week on keto. Many people report extreme weight loss when first starting the diet. However, much of this can be attributed to water losses. This article reviews how much weight you can expect to lose on your first week of keto. Share on Pinterest mapodile/Getty Images Entering ketosis On keto, you strictly limit your carb intake, typically to 50 grams or fewer per day of total carbs, or 25 grams or fewer of net carbs, which are total carbs minus fiber. For most people, carbs are the body’s primary source of energy. When you limit carbs, your body burns through the carb stores in your muscles and liver — called glycogen — typically within a few days ( 4 , 5 ). After this, your body switches to a metabolic state called ketosis, in which it uses ketones that are broken down from dietary fat or stored body fat, as its primary source of fuel ( 4 , 5 ). This shift, during which you burn through your glycogen stores and switch to using ketones, usually takes less than a week. However, for some people, it may take longer ( 4 , 5 ). Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition period after first starting the keto diet, but most of this is due to changes in water weight ( 6 ). Summary When you restrict carbs on keto, your body rapidly burns through glycogen, the stored carbs in your liver and muscles. After your glycogen stores are depleted, you shift to burning fat. Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition. Early weight loss is water weight The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is bound with water, typically at a ratio of 3 grams of water for each gram of glycogen ( 6 ). When you burn through these stored carbs, this water is excreted in your urine or sweat ( 6 ). As such, after starting keto, you may notice that you have to urinate more often and feel much thirstier than normal. You may also notice large weight losses, which are mostly water-weight losses ( 6 , 7 ). Depending on your size and how much water weight you’re carrying, this weight loss can vary. Anecdotally, people report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound (0.5 kg) to 10 or more pounds (5 kg). The larger you are, the more water weight you’re likely to lose after starting keto. Although, it’s unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss. However, once you enter ketosis, it’s much easier to utilize your own stored fat for energy, which is one reason why the keto diet may be advantageous for weight loss ( 3 ). Summary When you burn through glycogen, your body releases the water that was bound to it. Much of your early weight loss is probably due to these water losses. Still, you’ll burn more stored body fat once you’re fully in ketosis.

Will cucumbers kick me out of ketosis?
Will cucumbers kick me out of ketosis?

Cucumber is also suitable for the keto diet, as its carb content is just 3.63 g per 100 g. To make the carb content lower, a person can peel the...

Read More »
Can too much protein stop ketosis?
Can too much protein stop ketosis?

“Protein will not kick you out of ketosis if you have a lot, but it will definitely lower the amount of ketones in your blood.” Since slightly more...

Read More »

Which protein does not spike insulin?

As you can tell, casein does not cause the same massive spike in insulin that whey does (refer to figure 1).

Did you know that 100% whey protein can cause massive insulin spikes? Many don’t! In fact, those on ketogenic diets are told to avoid 100% whey protein drinks because they can throw you out of ketosis. There's much to learn about whey protein insulin spikes, and we are here to help! Research shows that while whey protein causes an increase in serum levels of leucine, isoleucine, and valine, it also causes an increase in the hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). The most interesting finding in this study is that not only did whey protein caused an increase in serum insulin levels, it caused an increase of insulin, GIP. GLP-1 greater than carbohydrates from white bread (1). This study found that after ingestion of whey (grey bars), white bread (the carb group, white bars), and glucose alone (reference, black bar), whey protein caused the biggest spike in insulin (figure 1). These findings of this study was backed by further research, thus confirming that simply supplementing 100% whey protein causes significant insulin spikes (2). By incorporating a slower digesting protein with your whey, like casein protein, you will lower the overall insulin response. This is exactly what milk protein isolate is; a combination of whey and casein. Milk protein isolate is also the first ingredient in Select Protein. Research shows that although casein and whey have the same rate of muscle protein synthesis overall, casein has a much lower insulin response (3-4). Once again, the whey+casein blends have taken the lead. As you can tell, casein does not cause the same massive spike in insulin that whey does (refer to figure 1). Just one more reason to Select the best.

References:

How long can you be on keto diet?
How long can you be on keto diet?

six months While some people have success staying on keto for an extended period of time, “the long-term research is limited,” says Jill Gulotta,...

Read More »
Why is mozzarella healthy?
Why is mozzarella healthy?

Like many kinds of cheese and different dairy products, mozzarella cheese is a great source of calcium which helps to support bone strength. This...

Read More »
Is Philadelphia cream cheese keto?
Is Philadelphia cream cheese keto?

Cream Cheese This is a keto favorite, thanks to its nutritional profile: Per the USDA, 1 oz contains 84 calories, 8 g of fat, 1 g of carbs, and 2 g...

Read More »
What's a good sweetener for oatmeal?
What's a good sweetener for oatmeal?

Granulated sugar is one way to add sweetness to oats, but there are so many other more interesting options! Adding fruit is a great way to sweeten...

Read More »