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What Is the Keto Diet?
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: August 6, 2019
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Advocates of the keto diet claim that it offers a variety of health benefits, including improved metabolism, more energy, rapid weight loss, superior concentration, better bone density, anti-inflammatory properties, lower stress levels, and even an improved ability to build lean muscle mass. Others are skeptical of anything that makes so many claims. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the truth lies in between these two extremes.
At its core, the keto diet is the consumption of a lot of fats (at least 70 percent of total caloric intake), while minimizing carbohydrates (less than five percent of caloric intake). Protein makes up the rest of the diet (roughly 25 percent of caloric intake). If you stick to a keto diet for an extended period of time, you will probably lose weight by altering your body’s biology.
The Science of Keto
Generally speaking, the human body derives energy from a process called glycolysis that burns glucose (a simple carbohydrate). Fats are stored for later, emergency use: an evolutionary survival mechanism that dates back to before food was as plentiful as it is now. This is the body’s preferred method of creating energy, but there are other options if glucose is not available in sufficient quantities.
The alternative most relevant to the keto diet is called ketosis. Under a state of ketosis, the body directly burns fat to produce energy, with no glucose involved. If your goal is to get rid of fat, forcing your body to burn it instead of glucose is a scientifically sound way to go about it.
The Problem with Keto
Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as switching to a high-fat diet and losing weight. The human body does not give up glycolysis until it absolutely has to, which generally requires following a strict keto diet for three entire months before ketosis kicks in and you start seeing results. Worse, many people experience adverse side effects, such as headaches and lethargy, while waiting for ketosis to kick in.
There are numerous dietary supplements that claim to be able to speed up this process, most of which have a formula including beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). BHB acts as a substrate that perks up the enzymes responsible for converting fat into energy. However, the research is currently lacking as to whether such supplements are safe for prolonged use or effective for weight loss.
Once you achieve ketosis, you’re still not out of woods. The body still has an evolutionary preference for glycolysis, meaning that one carb-heavy meal can switch you back to glycolysis and force you to “earn” ketosis all over again. Most diets have some sort of leeway, allowing you to make up for excess calories by exercising more or eating fewer calories for a couple of days. Keto does not offer this flexibility, making it a very rigid dietary regimen that most people find hard to stick with.
While keto has the potential to help you lose weight, it can be tough to stick with long enough to see the results you are looking for. If you want to try it anyway, it is always best to consult with a medical professional before beginning any diet program.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
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Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
