Curious whether this popular keto meal planning tool is working for you? Read on for a list of ways to know that you are in keto and on track.
The Keto Custom Plan is a customized, digital meal planning tool for people looking to lose weight, feel mentally sharper, and get healthier.
It’s a great way to change your health for the better.
And the Keto Custom Plan is backed by a metric ton of satisfied users (including me and my wife).
But one of the most common issues people have when using this product is knowing if it is working properly or not.
Especially at first, when you aren’t feeling too great (aka the “keto flu”).
In this quick guide, we will look at the research behind ketogenic diets and draw out a list of ways that you will know that the Keto Custom Plan is working as advertised.
By the end, you will have a list of concrete and specific markers to know that your hard work is paying off and that you are on track.
Let’s jump right in.
How do I know if Keto Custom Plan is working?
Keto Custom Plan is my go-to (and my wife’s) meal planning tool and FAQ for keto, a popular low-carb diet plan that helps people lose weight, gain mental clarity, and light pounds of fat on fire.
But for anyone who has tried this kind of thing before knows, the ketogenic diet is tricky as it requires that you are hitting the right level of ketones in your blood in order to make it effective.
This isn’t always obvious (ketone test strips are one option and are the most accurate) but there are a few “I’m in ketosis!” symptoms you can look out for when starting off with Keto Custom Plan.
They include:
Your breath gets stinky.
Seriously. One of the most common symptoms of ketogenesis is an increase of ketones leading to foul breath and to a limited extent, also in your urine.
Bad or fruity breath, which happens when acetone levels in your body increase [1] is a perhaps unsettling but accurate indicator that you’ve reached full ketosis.
Gum that has no artificial sweeteners can be one solution. And while the smell doesn’t ever quite go away, it might be the excuse you need to brush your teeth more often
Reduced hunger.
One of the most common signs that things are working is if you are experiencing a decrease in appetite.
Which, in a lot of ways, is a great thing. The alternative would be fairly unpleasant… diets are hard enough without getting a boost in ravenous hunger.
While researchers aren’t exactly sure why this is, there are suggestions that this might be caused by ketones regulating hormones that control hunger [2].
The Keto Flu.
Low-carb diets like keto can leave people feeling tired and haggard when starting out.
This is due to the body getting used to using fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Essentially, it’s a form of carb and sugar withdrawal as your body adjusts.
The keto flu is temporary, generally passing in several days to a week and symptoms can include headaches, irritability, and of course, sugar cravings. [3]
Increased focus.
Although the keto flu is a sucky phase, it is transitory, taking a few days or up to a couple of weeks.
And once you get over the hump, the increase in ketones in the blood can lead to improved brain function and enhanced clarity [4, 5].
Ketones are like that super expensive, high-octane fuel at the gas station.
In a few different medical settings, ketones have even been used to help treat diseases of the brain, including loss of memory and brain trauma like concussions. [6, 7]
You are losing weight!
And of course, you are shedding weight! This is the symptom most of us want the most.
Keto diets are effective at both short-term and long-term weight loss [8, 9].
The first week or so will be especially productive in weight loss. Starting out, you will lose a fair amount of weight via a reduction in water weight.
At this stage, it’s important to be realistic about future weight loss and not hold that first week as a standard for the weeks to come to avoid distorting progress and falling off the wagon [10].
But as long as you stick to the meal plan weight will continue to shed.
Short term decrease in athletic performance.
Keto is one of the most popular diets with a lot of athletes, and with good reason.
But according to the research, it depends on what kind of athlete you are, with the evidence showing that elite endurance and recreational athletes/gymgoers standing to benefit the most.
A well-circulated study with distance runners and Ironman athletes found that the low-carb group was significantly more effective at oxidizing fat (59% more!) than a traditional carbohydrate-rich diet.
Another study, this time with a diet period of only a few days (that’s a big caveat!), found that athletes on a low-carb diet got tired faster when engaging in short-duration, highly anaerobic exercises and workouts (i.e. short sprints followed by significant rest).
When starting a ketogenic meal plan, like the one put together by Keto Custom Plan, there is often an initial decrease in performance in the gym and on the running track, whether you are an elite athlete or weekend warrior.
Our body relies primarily on glycogen to fuel during exercise. Taking this away through a low-carb diet requires an adjustment period for the body to adjust.
For recreational athletes, this kind of diet can be especially beneficial as keto increases the body’s ability to torch fat while exercising.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, following through with the Keto Custom Plan may leave you feeling a little icky when starting out.
The tiredness, possible gut issues, and even insomnia are obviously not what anyone has in mind when starting a diet plan. Especially one that is designed to help them lose weight and feel better.
But stick with it, and the results—including better physical and mental health—await you.
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