How to Get into Ketosis (and Stay There)

In recent years, an exciting development has been made in the world of dieting. It has been discovered that a natural metabolic state called ketosis is more than useful in dropping significant weight. Essentially, the state of ketosis is one where the body produces ketone bodies out of fat. It uses them for energy instead of carbs.

Ketosis occurs when there is limited access to glucose in the body. Glucose, blood sugar, is the preferred source of fuel for many of the body’s cells. Ketosis occurs when you go on a highly carb-restricted diet. It also happens during a state of starvation.

To achieve the state of ketosis, you typically need to restrict your diet to less than 50 grams of carbs daily. Sometimes, you may need to consume as little as 20 grams daily. This condition necessitates that you restrict certain types of food from your diet.

It will mean that you must severely restrict simple carbs, like refined sugar, from your diet. Also on the list would be foods like grains and potatoes.

If you consume few carbs, then your insulin levels go down. Body fat stores are released in large quantities. A lot of this fat is transferred to the liver. There it is oxidized and converted into ketones. The ketones can be used by the body for fuel. For further information on ketosis, consult this article.

What all of this means for dieters is that, through the state of ketosis, a person can force their body into a condition where it will burn its fat stores. Obviously, this will help them lose body fat. The question becomes, though, how does a person achieve the state of ketosis?