Ketosis changes your body in various ways. It shows you how your body is affected by the thing you eat. Appetite plays a big role in your eating habits, diets, and overall weight loss. Appetite is quite different from hunger, but it has a significant effect on your feelings about food. It's the appetite that gets you to eat when you feel hungry.
If you are doing the keto diet, you might have an unnerving experience because of the changes in your hunger and appetite levels. Your keto journey should start with an imbalance, and your body will adjust slowly to the new normal. From there, your ability to get fit and lose weight will change dramatically. Here are the top six things you need to know about keto and your appetite.
1Restricted Carb Intake
Ketogenic diets restrict carbohydrates, especially the refined options, and that’s how it reduces your appetite. Your blood sugar levels spike when you eat refined carbs. As a result, your body will take those carbs and store them away for later use.
The energy sourced from refined carbs is stored and not available for use, and your body will immediately send hunger signals to the brain. When you are on the keto diet, carbs are very scarce. You will not experience any blood sugar spikes; thus, the body will not send any hunger signals because you have not eaten any carbs.
2Keto And Fatigue
Keto is known to reduce your appetite but not hunger. If you are on the keto diet, you will experience starvation symptoms but not get the urge to eat. As a result, some of the expected side effects include lightheadedness, fatigue, and other symptoms; this is often referred to as the keto flu. Once these symptoms reduce, you should get more energy to handle your day-to-day activities.
Some of the symptoms of the keto flu include nausea, dizziness, insomnia, and digestion issues. You should know that these symptoms only last for a week, and most keto dieters reveal that their bodies get back to normal. However, on some rare occasions, the symptoms may last as long as six weeks.
3When You Should Be Worried
Most people enjoy the fact that the keto diet reduces their appetite; however, it can be quite frightening for people who are used to a specific amount of food and a rigid eating schedule. Most people who have done the keto diet have described their experience like a wave as they start the weight loss journey. For instance, you are likely going to experience a huge increase in your appetite in the beginning. That’s because your body is using up the stored carbohydrate fuel, and you are running empty. The body will send hunger signals to your brain, requesting more food.
After the first few days of the diet, the hunger levels will reverse; thus, you will feel less hungry than before. Some people on the keto diet struggle to hit the target calories for the day and will feel full after only a few bites. With time, the body will get used to the new energy source and balance out the hunger levels effortlessly.
Most people will feel less hungry than normal, especially when on a full-carb diet. However, they will not have any difficulties eating or getting to their macros target for the day. If you are still experiencing some serious side effects after suppressing your appetite for six weeks, you need to consult a nutrition professional or physician.
4More Vegetables And Protein
Many foods in the ketogenic diet are high in fat but are also a good source of protein. Therefore, if you are on this diet, you are probably eating more protein than you did previously. Most researchers and scientists believe that the best low carb diet should be high in fat but should also contain moderate amounts of protein. The right amount should be 0.7-0.9 grams in protein per pound of your body weight.
Also, if you are following the keto diet, you are eating more vegetables. Protein is one of the most satiating nutrients in the body, so your appetite should reduce because you will be feeling more satiated. Vegetables should be the foundation of any healthy weight loss plan, such as the keto diet. Most vegetables are poor in calories and rich in nutrients, such as essential vitamins, fiber, phytonutrients, and minerals. However, carbohydrate choices, such as potatoes, carrots, corn, squash, and beets, should be limited when you are on the keto diet.
5The Ketosis Process
A few researchers have identified that the process of ketosis is brought about by the reduced appetite when you are on the keto diet. Scientists compared the keto diet to other weight-loss diets and discovered that there was always a decrease in appetite for all participants. Ketosis refers to the metabolic state where fat provides energy for the body. Your body will get to this state if there are reduced levels of blood sugar (glucose), the most preferable source of fuel for many cells in your body. Ketosis is a state often associated with low-carb and ketogenic diets.
The keto diet might be completely different from other low-calorie diets, but they both feature ketones. As a result, most scientists have deduced that reduced appetite happens because of the ketosis process. People on the ketogenic diet often experience appetite and hunger differently; most people report a reduced appetite and overall weight loss.
6How To Eat When You Have No Appetite
Hunger comes up when your body needs food because you haven’t been eating. It’s very uncomfortable because your stomach is empty. The feeling of hunger happens because of the chemical signal sent from the stomach to your brain, forcing you to eat. On the other hand, appetite is the desire to eat, especially after smelling, seeing, or thinking about food. You can have an appetite regardless of the last time you ate.
So why do you experience reduced or no appetite with the keto diet? There are no definitive results, but a lot of studies have proven that the keto diet makes you feel less hungry without an increased appetite, even when you are eating fewer calories and losing weight. Participating in the keto diet will have drastic effects on your appetite because it involves a tremendous change in your diet to maintain the ketosis state.
The ketogenic diet has a huge clinical benefit as well. It can also lead to increasing your appetite despite your weight loss. If this happens, you will feel less hungry or more satisfied. The ketosis state offers a plausible explanation for the appetite suppression and the overall changes in your body.
Elizabeth Ralph is a proud lifelong resident of Nashville, Tennessee, a reader with a healthy appetite and mom to three kids and three dogs. She believes the healthiest lifestyles involve the entire household and loves reading about new ways for her family to cook and play together.
