Going Very Low Keto
Rapid fat-burning gives low carbers metabolic advantages the sugar-burners don’t have. And going very low carb or keto burns even more fat: stored fat in particular.
- Burn more calories and target stored belly fat
- Using keto to suppress your appetite
- Leo’s Infographic: 12 Health Benefits of Low Carb & Keto
What is Very Low Carb / Keto?
Low carb diets change your metabolism so your weight loss is fat loss.
When net carbs are low, we rely almost exclusively on fat for energy. This special fat-burning state is called ketosis (or “keto” for short.)
Ketosis happens when net carb levels are very low, typically while eating 20 grams of net carbs (or less) per day. Ketosis is a coveted state for low carbers. Ketosis is where the magic happens.
Many low carbers find they feel better when carbs are very low – 10 net grams or less (on average.) Everyone is different and discovers their own sweet spot.
Why Low Carbers Love Ketosis
During ketosis, our body uses fat as its primary source of fuel because there isn’t very much glucose (sugar; carbs) available.
Even though most of our daily calories come from high fat foods, we must burn the fat for energy instead of storing it. So, low carbers eat liberal amounts of fatty foods, yet continue to lose weight.
Very low carb / keto meals can be savory or sweet, but they are always high in healthy fats, energizing and extremely filling.
Going very low carb (and entering ketosis) curbs appetite even more. Ketosis places the body in a disease-fighting, anti-inflammatory state – which we love.
Keto Burns the Most Fat
Eating low carb increases our ability to burn fats for fuel by lowering insulin levels in the body. Being in ketosis actually improves your body’s ability to do this more efficiently.
When too many carbs are present, insulin encourages fat to be stored. Insulin has a lipolysis blocking effect, which inhibits our use of fatty acids for energy.
On a very low carb diet, insulin is lowered and fat-burning abilities increase even more.
Keto Burns Stored Fat, Better
On low fat diets (eating high amounts of carbs), our bodies use carbs for energy first, then the fats. Unused, extra fats are stored.
Unfortunately, unless our body is forced to utilize fat stores first, it won’t. Why?
Our bodies choose the easiest method, but not always the best method for energy: sugar. Sugar is inflammatory and not a healthy choice.
It really is this simple:
If we feed our body carbs, it uses carbs for energy.
If we feed our bodies fat, it uses fat for energy.
However, as long as sugary / starchy carbs are low, you’ll rapidly burn stored fat for energy.
On a keto diet (in the absence of carbs) our body must become more efficient at burning fats. There is little or no sugar around, so the fat we eat (and store) is used for energy.
Keto Burns More Belly Fat
Ketosis burns a greater amount of fat in the midsection (unhealthy, visceral fat).
Burning belly fat is a favorite health benefit of most low carbers! Keto diets target this trouble spot beautifully, especially the “middle-aged middle,” as Dr. Eades points out on his blog.
Keto Burns More Calories
It actually takes more energy to burn fat: nine calories per gram versus the four calories per gram for carbs. In ketosis, your body is burning more calories by using fat for energy.
Even the smallest daily caloric deficit will open access for stored fat to be used as energy.
Leo’s Personal Experience
Leo Tat of AuthorityDiet.com reveals the secret of using low carb for appetite control. And his infographic below beautifully illustrates the health benefits of ketosis.
Leo Tat, AuthorityDiet.com
Although now a seasoned low carber, Leo Tat remembers vividly what happened when he went low carb.
“I started low carb back in 2013. After a few weeks of adjustment, I noticed a significant change in my energy levels.
Before, I used to struggle to keep my eyes open after lunch. Eating low carb, my energy and focus now remain stable throughout the day.
After four months on a low carb diet, blood tests revealed my triglycerides and cholesterol were at optimum levels.
There is solid evidence supporting the health benefits of low carb, but I have experienced them firsthand. It’s made a significant positive impact on my lifestyle. No one wants to be tired all the time!
Our dietary health boils down to two pillars, what to eat and when to eat.
What to eat is about the nutritional benefits/dangers of food and when to eat refer primarily to fasting. I write evidence-based nutrition articles (using scientific journal citations) to cover these two pillars.
As for the macronutrient ratio to follow on what we eat, I always recommend low carb since the benefits go far beyond weight loss.”
Leo’s Infographic:
“Thank you, Leo!” for sharing your keto infographic with us! Leo’s infographic highlights the best health rewards of going very low carb or keto.
12 Health Benefits of Low Carb & Keto Diets
Click the image below to view, or get all the details in his feature article. (Of all the benefits, No. 9 is Leo’s favorite!)
Suppress Your Appetite Without Trying
We talk about weight loss, fat loss and getting healthier, but we rarely hear others mention addictive foods.
What if the food you’re eating is causing you to be hungry more often? (Hint: If you’re eating a Standard American Diet, it is.)
Very low carb and keto diets remove addictive foods, suppress appetite and prevent overeating from cravings.
The Old Way
The Standard American Diet focuses on addictive, sugary / starchy food groups.
Eating these inflammatory foods causes additional hunger during the day, and unnecessary snacking or binging.
The New Way
Formerly “medical” low carb and keto diets enter the mainstream picture, freeing us from the snack-binge cycle. We can enjoy rich, filling (guilt-free) meals when our bodies need energy.
We aren’t nagged by carb-induced hunger. We eat less overall, and stay full for longer periods of time.
Leo Tat, of AuthorityDiet.com explains what’s happening:
How Keto Suppresses Appetite
One way low carb diets help with weight loss is by suppressing our appetite. A common reason why it’s hard to diet is hunger, particularly when you reduce your proteins and fats.
It’s no surprise most diets fail. No one enjoys being persistently hungry.
Can you imagine being on a diet without the hunger, yet still lose weight? Well, that what happens on low carb!
Low carb and keto dieters avoid the pitfalls of sugar addiction and over-eating / excessive snacking. They naturally consume fewer calories than those eating a low fat diet – without even trying.
Special Fat-Burning Macros
There are several reasons why you are less hungry in ketosis, but at its root, going on a low carb diet changes your macronutrient ratio.
The ratio above is for a typical low carb diet. As you can see, with the carbohydrate content reduced, you consume more fats and protein. In turn, protein increases satiety.
By eating low carb, your protein is moderate (15-30%) and your fat intake is higher (60% or more). The premise is to get your body into a fat burning state (ketosis), which allows you access to body fat as an energy source.
Low Fat vs Low Carb
Those on low fat diets need to restrict their calories because of hunger.
One of the reasons low fat dieters need to snack on high carb food is because their body is telling them to top up the glucose for energy. By contrast, low carbers eat fat. We have an alternative fuel source, so this no longer happens. (source)
On low carb and keto diets, you’ll be so satisfied after and between meals that you can keep on track without counting calories.
Sugar Addiction
Sugar is highly addictive! Studies demonstrate sugar triggers the same chemical and behavioral changes in our bodies as addictive drugs (like cocaine).
The addiction causes you to snack on more foods high in sugar. With a low carb diet, fewer carbs are consumed and thus, less sugar.
By eating less sugar, addiction isn’t present to tempt you to snack.
Prevent Metabolic Syndrome
If you’ve stalled or reached plateau on other diets, metabolic syndrome may be to blame.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess abdomen fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels) that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Going very low keto by making subtle changes on your plate places the control back in your hands.
Change Your Cholesterol Levels
Despite popular myths, very low carb keto diets boost HDL cholesterol levels and reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Reduce Diabetes Medications
Very low keto diets manage and control insulin levels with low sugar whole foods.
Many diabetics (like Steve Cooksey of Diabetes-Warrior.net) successfully reduce or stop their former “Band-Aid for symptoms” medication, opting for natural healing with keto foods instead.
Find Motivation
In ketosis, low carb dieters lose fat and do not retain excess water weight. The body appears thinner very rapidly: a great reason low carbers stay on their diets.
Build Your Future Self
Perhaps the best health benefit of going very low keto is protecting our future health and quality of life.
Low carb and keto diets fight Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and are commonly used to effectively treat Epilepsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and particular types of cancer.
Fast with Ease and Add Energy
Simply being in ketosis is a powerful appetite suppressant, but dropping net carbs even more makes fasting easier.
You’ll be healthier, experience a sparkling mood and clear mind, and have boundless amounts of energy. You’ll be concentrating on life – not your next snack.
Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan
Enter deep ketosis, break your stall, recover from your cheat day, or reset your diet in three days using this aggressive technique, first made famous by Dr. Robert Atkins over 40 years ago.
Science-Backed and Powerful
The Almost Zero Carb Meal Plan is a powerful tool, allowing metabolically-resistant dieters to reach deep nutritional ketosis quickly.
What happens when you follow the plan? Incredibly rapid fat loss.
Ditch the Nervous Carb Counting
Choose from 150+ easy recipes and food combos (with special macros and almost no carbs), plus a special Holiday Recipe section!
- Break your toughest diet stall.
- Lose fat quickly for a special event.
- Recover from an accidental cheat.
- Avoid plateau completely: Use once a month.
- Reach a deeper state of ketosis over the weekend.
- Finally access and burn stubborn, stored fat.
- Restart or reset your low carb or keto diet.
- Add healthy fats effortlessly.
- Decrease hunger naturally.
- Sharpen your sense of portion control.
If You’re Doing Everything (but Nothing’s Working)…
Take three days off. Create a personalized plan that works, with a decadent variety of workhorse recipes you’ll keep eating long after reaching your goal.
Go Almost Zero and start burning fat with your next meal. Fit in those jeans again. In three days.
Category: Keto
