The Keto Diet for Weight Loss

I first began using the keto diet for weight loss in 2012. After being diagnosed with PCOS it seemed like the only diet that would work.

For the next 10 years, I used the keto diet with thousands of women to support them to reach their weight loss goals. I would regularly see rapid results, improvements in blood markers and many patients booking in for skin removal surgery after losing 30+ kilos in a short amount of time.

Throughout this article we will discuss how the keto diet works for weight loss and the pros and cons to consider before adopting this approach.

The Keto Diet For Weight Loss: How Does it Work?

The keto diet supports weight loss through carbohydrate restriction which ultimately leads to a calorie deficit.

Protein and healthy fats are the primary macronutrients enjoyed on the keto diet followed by carbohydrates from some lower carb fruits and vegetables.

The carbohydrate restriction triggers the body to use fat and ketones as its primary source of fuel. The carbohydrate restriction can lead to to faster weight loss results than basic calorie restriction due to the positive impact it can have on insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels and inflammation. The carb restriction also leads to a rapid loss in fluid (usually 2-3 kgs within the first week) which also provides the illusion of rapid results.

Do Carbs Cause Weight Gain?

Unfortunately, many people discover that once they get to their goal weight with the keto diet, the weight quickly returns when they reintroduce carbs.

As this happens, we begin to suspect that carbohydrates are the reason why we gain weight and they must be “bad” if they have produced all this rebound weight gain.

The truth is, carbohydrates are not inherently bad and carbohydrates do not technically cause weight gain unless consumed in excess.

If you are someone who feels they cannot eat carbs without gaining weight rapidly, feeling inflamed or becoming “addicted” to carbs as soon as you reintroduce them, it is helpful to know the problem is not the carbohydrates, it’s your bodies ability to process them.

In this situation, it is ok to use the keto diet short term to shift some unwanted weight providing you work on your bodies ability to tolerate carbohydrates better. As you notice your tolerance improve, it would be wise to slowly increase your carbohydrate intake to prevent rebound weight gain when you get to your goal.

What Causes Carbohydrate Intolerance?

There are a number of factors that can impair our bodies ability to respond to carbohydrates appropriately.

A healthy functioning body will crave the right amount of carbohydrates at the right time of the day, it will easily be able to turn carbohydrates into fuel resulting in steady, abundant energy levels and clear thinking, and you will not experience energy or blood sugar crashes throughout the day.

A body that struggles to use carbohydrates effectively will:

– Crave carbs and sweets with meals and/or between meals (especially at 11am, 3pm and after dinner)
– Store stubborn, excess weight through the mid section
– Retain fluid
– Feel inflamed
– Experience energy crashes throughout the day
– Experience brain fog, low mood and low motivation
– Feel too tired or unmotivated to exercise
– Experience anxiety or a low tolerance to stress

If you resonate with these signs and symptoms, the answer is not to completely eliminate carbohydrates for the rest of your life. The answer is to improve the way your body responds to carbs.

To do this we need to:

– Regulate hormones (especially cortisol and insulin)
– Regulate blood sugar levels with specific diet changes
– Optimise gut health
– Reduce inflammation
– Address mineral deficiencies (there are always mineral deficiencies with carbohydrate intolerance)
– Reduce stress
– Increase movement (this will happen naturally as your body starts to use carbs better)
– Increase muscle mass
– Reduce exposure to blue light

Who Should NOT Do The Keto Diet?

Variations of the keto diet are generally safe for most people to follow for short periods of time however, those who are struggling with hypo thyroid, sluggish thyroid function or cellular hypo thyroid may not get the results they desire from the keto diet while also further affecting thyroid function.

Carbohydrates are required for optimal thyroid and liver health. The type of carbohydrates you choose to consume matters and cutting them out completely could cause additional challenges in these areas.

Mild carbohydrate restriction could still be utilised in these situations to trigger weight loss while improving the way that the body responds to carbohydrates.

Carbs or Additives, What Is The Real Problem?

Oftentimes when people go on a keto diet they are astounded by how good their body feels when they cut out carbs. The truth is, our bodies don’t feel amazing because we have cut out fruit, rice and potato, our bodies feel amazing because of all of the processed carbohydrates that we eliminate alongside these helpful carbohydrates.

Processed carbohydrates like chips, bread, biscuits, ice cream, cake, fast food, bakery items and lollies tend to contain a number of nasty additives that cause inflammation, digestive stress, mineral deficiencies and an impaired ability to use carbohydrates for fuel.

Many people find if they eliminate these unhelpful carbohydrates (90-95% of the time) and include portion controlled amounts of fruit, potato and rice while combining these carbohydrates with the right portion of protein and healthy fat, long lasting weight loss results can be achieved while also optimising long term health outcomes.

What About Muscle Mass?

If you are thinking about using a keto diet to lose weight, it is important important that you focus closely on retaining muscle.

One benefit of the keto diet is the amount of protein recommended, this protein intake can help to protect and preserve muscle. In addition to optimal protein intake we need optimal digestion (to digest and absorb the protein) and regular, full body resistance training to work the muscles.

Muscle loss is common on a keto diet, this loss of muscle contributes to the rapid weight loss that can be measured by scale weight but unfortunately, this muscle loss can cost you your metabolic health and ability to maintain a healthy weight once you get to your goal.

A loss of muscle mass is associated with bone density issues and insulin resistance.

Learn more about How Much Protein To Eat For Weight Loss

My Latest Thoughts On The Keto Diet For Weight Loss

As someone who felt they had to constantly restrict carbohydrates to maintain a healthy weight, I am glad I continued to further my education around nutrition and weight loss to discover a way to improve my bodies ability to use carbohydrates.

If I had my time again, I would likely introduce gentle carbohydrate restriction to get the weight moving while immediately focusing on improving my tolerance to carbohydrates to ensure I don’t get stuck in the low carb trap.

As for recommending the keto diet to others, while I did see phenomenal results with the keto diet I also saw a lot of heartbreaking rebound weight gain and weight loss resistance following a low carb or keto diet.

Since adopting and recommending a sustainable approach that focuses on optimising the way the body uses carbohydrates, I see results that may seem slower on the surface (week to week) but in the long run they are longer lasting and I am no longer having to coach clients through aggressive rebound weight gain when the reach their goal weight or simply decide to have a break from dieting.

With the keto diet you may lose 10 kilos in 5-10 weeks but if you are not careful that 10 can return in a fraction of the time it took to lose it. For some, this rebound weight gain is compounded by muscle loss and metabolic suppression caused by extreme restriction which is simply a recipe for disaster.

With a sustainable approach, it may take twice the amount of time to lose the weight but you can feel confident in knowing you have changed your behaviours and resolved the underlying cause for easy weight gain, leading to lasting results.

How Can I Help?

If you are ready to lose the weight but not sure what approach will work best for you, I am here to help.

During an initial consultation, we will work together to uncover the root cause of your weight challenges and together we will create a plan that is effective, sustainable and enjoyable.

You will be equipped with all of the knowledge and resources needed to achieve your weight loss goals.

Get Started Today

1. Work with me! Book a consultation in person (Evandale, SA) or AUS + NZ wide online via Zoom

2. Listen to the Holistic Weight Loss Podcast

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