How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis? ›

Weight loss from keto varies from person to person. Generally, if you maintain a daily caloric deficit of around 500-700 calories, you can expect noticeable weight loss after anywhere from 10 to 21 days. However, remember that weight loss is not linear and some may see results sooner.

Weight loss from keto varies from person to person. Generally, if you maintain a daily caloric deficit of around 500-700 calories, you can expect noticeable weight loss after anywhere from 10 to 21 days. However, remember that weight loss is not linear and some may see results sooner.

If you've cheated on keto, you're likely out of ketosis. Once out, you'll need to strictly follow the keto diet to reenter ketosis. This process takes several days to 1 week, depending on your carb intake, metabolism, and activity levels ( 6 , 7 , 8 ).

If a person follows the 75% fat /20% carb/5% fat keto diet, average results may look like this: Weeks 1–2: rapid weight reduction phase due to water loss – up to ten pounds. Weeks 2–4: standard weight reduction – between one and two pounds per week. After the first month – slow weight loss – around one pound per week.

It can take 2-4 days or longer to start losing weight in ketosis, although the rate of weight loss depends on various factors such as your metabolism, carb-protein-fat intake, fitness level, and how strictly you follow the diet.

#1: Not enough time

If you're doing everything right but not in ketosis, you may simply need more time. Getting into ketosis isn't like cooking a roast. You don't just set the oven at 275 degrees for 2 hours, go watch a movie, and come back to a perfect result. Your body is unlike any other body.

One of the signs of ketosis may include “keto flu,” which includes symptoms such as upset stomach, headache and fatigue. Other symptoms of ketosis may include: Bad breath (“keto” breath). Constipation.

Any color on the ketone strip, from pink to purple, indicates fat burning (ketosis). Some people get a darker ketone strip color and achieve the same weight loss results as someone with a lighter color. Your “positive” color result can vary throughout the day for many reasons.

Do you pee more in ketosis? ›

You may urinate more than normal.

Masson also said that your kidneys pump out more fluid and electrolytes when your body is in ketosis. This may affect your bladder and cause you to urinate more often, she said.

Some describe keto breath as having a metallic taste in their mouth and a smell that's sweet, fruity or similar to nail polish remover. This is caused by the chemicals your body creates during ketosis, which are released from the body by exhaling.

For healthy people who don't have diabetes and aren't pregnant, ketosis usually kicks in after 3 or 4 days of eating fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. That's about three slices of bread, a cup of low-fat fruit yogurt, or two small bananas. You can start ketosis by fasting, too.

Gulotta recommends staying on keto for six months max before reintroducing more carbs to your diet. And Scott Keatley, RDN, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy in New York City, agrees: “The science hasn't gotten to the point where I would be comfortable recommending it as a forever diet,” he says.

Eating too many calories

In order to lose weight, you should aim to eat fewer calories than you burn to keep a continuous negative energy balance. On a keto diet, this often occurs naturally, but not always. It is still possible to overeat while following a low-carb, high-fat diet.

Since your body has burned off its glucose, it enters a state of fat loss at this stage. The average weight loss journey while on keto is around one to two pounds per week.