How to Lose Weight for Good on the Keto Diet – Reviews and Results

6 November 2025

After the ketogenic diet became known to the general public, it immediately attracted attention and became a favorite among show business stars.Doctors, nutritionists, physicians and athletes do not yet agree on its influence and effectiveness, but the number of followers of this diet is growing every year.

What is the Keto Diet?

Keto diet- This is a low-carbohydrate diet characterized by a high proportion of fat in the food and a moderate proportion of protein.

The daily nutrient intake is distributed as follows:

up to 10% carbohydrates;
50-60% fat;
30-40% proteins.

Due to the low carbohydrate content in the daily diet, the body converts lipids into fatty acids and ketone bodies.The latter reach the brain and serve as an energy source instead of glucose.This process is called ketosis, hence the name of the diet.

The essence of the keto diet

The peculiarity of the diet is the absolute exclusion of quickly digestible carbohydrates and the most complex carbohydrates as well as drinks containing caffeine.The diet is based on fatty meat products and saturated fats.

This diet puts the body in a state of stress in which acetone (ketone bodies) is dynamically produced.The latter, in turn, helps suppress appetite.In ketosis, the body is forced to adapt to the burning of the subcutaneous fat layer.

Originally, this nutritional method was not intended to combat obesity.It was believed that it would be an excellent aid in the treatment of certain diseases and rehabilitation in the postoperative period.

Basic principles

It is suitable for those who want to quickly lose a few centimeters of subcutaneous fat, for athletes striving for a sculpted body, and is also used in the rehabilitation of patients with epilepsy and oncology.This method of nutrition is a rather complex and delicate process.

It is based on the following principles:

Reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed to a minimum;
strict control over the sugars and starches entering the body;
maintaining drinking balance;
moderate physical activity;
Maintaining the percentage of fat in the daily diet at 60%;
Protein-fat ratio 1:2;
smooth entry and exit from the diet.

Basic rules

Based on the above principles, the basic rules were logically formulated according to which it is necessary to change the lifestyle so that adherence to the keto diet is not a thoughtless and uncontrolled process that can significantly worsen the condition of the body.

So, the diet rules:

In the first 8-14 days there is a reduction in the amount of carbohydrates in the daily diet.
The number of main meals is at least 5 per day, but 7 is already a lot.
You need to eat every 3.5-4 hours.
Pay attention to the portion - it should be small.
It is advisable not to eat snacks between “sanctioned” meals.
The effect of the diet only occurs if it is strictly adhered to.
It is required to increase the amount of clean water consumed to 3 liters per day.
For people who wish to maintain this method of nutrition without medical indication, consultation with a specialist is necessary.
Do not worry about the amount of lipids in the daily menu - in this form of nutrition they are the main source of energy for the human body.
The intensity of physical activity should not be excessive.
To get into ketosis as quickly as possible, some people practice fasting.Such a radical method is possible, but only if there are no contraindications and the body is completely healthy and strong.

The keto diet involves eliminating some foods and increasing consumption of others.To better control and calculate your nutrient intake, you will find tables of desired and forbidden foods below.

Authorized Products

The list of nutritional products allows:

meat products, poultry;
fish, seafood;
sausages, mayonnaise;
Mushrooms;
some vegetables, herbs;
dried fruits, nuts;
milk, eggs;
oils, fats;
non-alcoholic drinks.

Prohibited products

The following are strictly prohibited on a ketogenic diet:

starchy vegetables;
pasta and baked goods, flour;
Grain;
Confectionery;
some types of fruits and juices;
carbonated and caffeinated drinks;
sweet milk and alcoholic drinks.

Diet to initiate and maintain ketosis

The essence of the ketogenic diet, as already mentioned, is that the body replaces glycolysis with lipolysis.To put it simply, it “switches” from breaking down carbohydrates to breaking down fats.This process is called ketosis.

When the amount of carbohydrate consumed per day reaches at least 50 g, the formation of ketones begins.From this moment on, the body begins to receive energy from fat cells and, accordingly, the process of losing weight begins.

Entering the state of ketosis does not occur immediately.It takes almost a week for the body to adapt to the desired lipolysis.

This happens in four steps:

Stage 1. Unconditional consumption of glucose.Within half a day after the last meal, the body uses glucose.
Stage 2. Glycogen processing.After the glucose, the body turns to the glycogen reserves of the liver and muscles.This takes almost 48 hours.
Stage 3. Processing of fats and proteins.After the body runs out of carbohydrates from which energy returns, it switches to the synthesis of muscle fibers and fatty acids.This is the most difficult step in forming ketones.
Stage 4. Fat consumption.Ketosis itself. When the body gets used to a minimum of carbohydrates and protein burning slows down, the absorption of fatty acids begins.

The diet for actively burning fat and thus maintaining ketosis is based on the principle of the absolute advantage of fats in the diet.

In percent:

Fats – from 60 to 75%;
Proteins – from 25 to 35%;
Carbohydrates – up to 10%.

This is important to noteYou shouldn't stop counting calories.The keto diet, like other eating methods, requires consideration of nutrients.Especially if the goal is to lose weight.

To calculate the required amount of nutrients per day, you can use a simple calculation: 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, and carbohydrates and fats are allocated as a percentage.

For example, if a person weighs 80 kg, 80 g of protein, 300 g of lipids and 20 g of carbohydrates are needed per day.If you feel weak during the transition period (first week), you can increase the number of grams of the last nutrient, but not more than 50 units.

There is no fundamental gender difference when it comes to creating a proper diet.Basically, if you ignore the type of keto diet, the menus for women and men differ in terms of the amount of protein consumed.In men, a larger amount of the nutrient is required to maintain muscle mass.

Try a keto diet menu for a week

For men

An approximate budget menu for men looks like this:

day	Eat
1	First: Omelet – 80g, Beef Chop – 120g, Tea – 120g Second: Chicken breast – 130 g, vegetable salad – 130 g, jelly – 230 g Third: Cottage cheese – 160 g Fourth: baked fish with herbs – 120 g, brown rice – 80 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: Protein shake – 200g
2	First: brown rice pudding – 160 g, toast, tea – 120 g Second: Meat borscht – 240 g, chicken zrazy – 80 g, cabbage salad – 80 g, jelly – 150 g Third: Protein shake – 300g Fourth: Seafood salad – 180 g, toast with cheese – 70 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: casein
3	First: Scrambled eggs with ham – 150 g, crackers – 15 g, tea – 120 g Second: Chicken soup – 180 g, beef medallions – 90 g, vegetable salad – 140 g, tea – 180 g Third: Cheese – 80g Fourth: Mushrooms baked in the oven – 120 g, vegetable salad – 150 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: unsweetened kefir – 230 g
4	First:steamed fish cutlets – 160 g, vegetable salad – 130 g, tea – 120 g Second: Borscht – 270 g, meat salad – 110 g, jelly – 100 g Third: Omelet – 120g Fourth: Red fish – 110 g, toast with cheese – 60 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: Protein shake – 250g
5	First: boiled eggs – 3 pieces, baked fillet – 120 g, vegetable salad – 110 g, tea – 120 g Second: Puree soup – 260 g, meat salad – 130 g, jelly – 200 g Third: Rosehip tincture – 250 g, crackers – 20 g Fourth: baked fish – 180 g, vegetable salad – 120 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: casein
6	First: Omelette – 120 g, cottage cheese – 110 g, tea – 120 g Second: Fish soup – 260 g, vegetable salad – 130 g, chicken schnitzel – 80 g, tea – 200 g Third: green apple puree – 70 g Fourth: Seafood salad – 160g, boiled chicken – 110g, tea – 200g Fifth: Protein shake – 200g
7	First: Mushroom casserole – 180 g, crackers – 10 g, tea – 200 g Second: Chicken soup – 160 g, beef chops – 160 g, vegetable salad – 80 g, jelly – 200 g Third: Cottage cheese – 80 g Fourth: boiled fish – 130 g, vegetable salad – 110 g, tea – 200 g Fifth: unsweetened kefir – 180 g

For women

Sample menu for women:

day	Eat
1	First:Omelette – 130 g, meat salad – 130 g, tea – 120 g Second: Meat broth – 210 g, steamed brown rice with vegetables – 180 g Third:Cheese – 60g Fourth: baked fish – 150 g, tea – 220 g Fifth: Ryashenka – 250 g
2	First:Fish cutlet – 80 g, toast with ham – 75 g, rosehip tea – 130 g Second: Borscht – 200 g, fish cutlet – 75 g, meat salad – 125 g Third: Avocado – 50g Fourth: Beef entrecôtes – 180 g, tea – 220 g Fifth: unsweetened kefir – 230 g
3	First:Scrambled eggs with ham – 80 g, salad with cucumber and eggs – 120 g, tea – 120 g Second: Poultry soup – 210 g, rabbit cutlet – 110 g, fresh vegetables – 80 g Third: Omelet – 160g Fourth: baked fish – 90 g, zucchini pancakes – 130 g, jelly – 150 g Fifth: Kefir – 230 g
4	First:boiled eggs – 3 pieces, meat salad – 160 g, nuts – 30 g Second: Fish soup – 230 g, meat medallions – 80 g, vegetable salad – 110 g Third: Cheese - 60 g Fourth: Beef pate – 60 g, cucumber salad – 120 g, tea – 220 g Fifth: Ryashenka – 250 g
5	First:Turkey fillet – 120 g, meat salad – 110 g, green tea – 120 g Second: Vegetable puree soup – 170 g, baked fish with brown rice – 170 g Third: Nuts –30 g Fourth: Mushrooms fried with ham and vegetables – 230 g, tea – 220 g Fifth: green tea – 220 g
6	First:Cottage cheese – 130 g, rosehip tea – 130 g Second: Chicken broth – 130 g, pork chop in cheese batter – 120 g Third: Avocado – 50g Fourth: Sausages, ham, tea – 220 g Fifth: Kefir – 230 g
7	First:Omelette – 120 g, vegetable salad – 100 g, green tea – 120 g Second: Mushroom soup with meat – 160 g, fried fish – 80 g, vegetable salad – 100 g Third: Cheese – 80g Fourth: Cabbage rolls – 180 g, tea – 220 g Fifth: green tea – 200 g

Recipes

This type of diet does not make you “hungry”, so choosing and combining dishes is not difficult.Here are a few recipes that are easy to make and still stay in ketosis.

Special keto bread

Ingredients:

Eggs - 3 egg whites;
Almond flour – 0.25 cups;
Water – 0.25 cups;
chopped plantains – 50 g;
baking powder – 10 g;
apple cider vinegar – 10g;
sea salt – 5g;
Sesame seeds (optional).

Preparation progress:

Mix flour, plantains, and baking powder;
Bring water to a boil, pour into a bowl with the dry ingredients;
Add egg whites and vinegar;
Mix the mass with a mixer for 2-3 minutes until suitable for modeling.
shape future breads in some form;
Place them on a greased baking sheet.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and place in the oven;
Bake at 200 degrees on the lowest rack for about an hour;
Readiness is determined by tapping the bottom of the loaf.
The finished bread makes an “empty” sound.

Salmon baked with asparagus

Ingredients:

Salmon (fillet) – 1000 g;
Asparagus – 130g;
Mushrooms – 250g;
Onion – 40g;
Garlic – 3 cloves;
soy sauce – 300 ml;
sesame oil – 10 g;
Butter – 20g;
Basil – 3g.

Preparation progress:

Mix soy sauce, basil and garlic;
Cut the fish fillet into pieces, place in a sealed bag and pour the resulting sauce with spices over it;
and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 60 minutes;
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees;
When the time is up, put the foil-lined baking sheet with the fish and asparagus pieces in the oven.
Cook for 20 minutes;
During this time, fry the mushrooms and onions in a frying pan;
Then spread this mixture over the cooking fish.
Bake for another 10 minutes.

Chicken casserole with cheese and olives

Ingredients:

Chicken (breasts) – 700 g;
Pesto sauce – 90g;
Cream (whipped) – 400 ml;
Olives (marinated) – 200 g;
Feta cheese – 250 g;
garlic - 1 clove;
frying oil;
Green;
Oil (olive oil) – 40 g;
Salt (sea) – 10 g.

Preparation progress:

wash the meat, cut into pieces, salt;
Fry until golden brown on both sides;
Mix cream and pesto sauce in a bowl;
Place chicken in baking dish;
Place finely chopped garlic, olives and cheese on top;
Pour sauce with cream;
bake in the oven at 200 degrees for half an hour;
When the edges of the dish become sandy, you can take them out - the casserole is ready.

roast beef

Ingredients:

Beef – 2 pieces boneless;
Onion – 1 piece;
Garlic – 1 clove;
Tomato – 2 pcs.;
Vinegar (apple) – 50 g;
Oil (olives) –30 g;
ground ginger – 7 g;
Salt (sea) – 2 g.

Preparation progress:

Rinse the meat and slice it flat onto the steaks.
Peel the onion and cut it into small cubes;
Cut tomatoes into cubes;
Place the steaks in a preheated frying pan greased with olive oil.
Fry on both sides over medium heat;
then add diced tomatoes, onions and crushed garlic to the meat;
fry, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes;
Put ginger in a separate bowl, add salt, add vinegar;
add the resulting sauce to the meat, stir;
Turn the fire to minimum intensity.
cook with the lid closed until the liquid has evaporated;
Sprinkle with herbs to serve.

The effectiveness of the keto diet

As already mentioned, there is no consensus about the effectiveness of this nutritional method.The keto diet is quite controversial.It has contraindications, advantages and disadvantages.Not suitable for everyone.

However, one thing is certain: provided that the appropriate nutritional rules and principles are followed, a person following a ketogenic diet is “doomed” to lose 1 to 3 kg of weight per week.It is often used by celebrities to get rid of extra centimeters, by athletes to create a sculpted body, and is also prescribed for certain diseases.

To increase the effectiveness of the diet, it is recommended to adhere to some rules:

Choose a complex of vitamins and minerals to maintain the body.
It is necessary to undergo a medical examination,to ensure that there are no contraindications to maintaining this diet.The ketogenic diet requires “iron” health, except in certain cases.
Carefully consider the possibility of eliminating certain products.If it is not possible to limit yourself to eating bread or pasta, for example, it is better to choose a different diet method so as not to put yourself under even more stress.
In the first or second week, while the metabolic process is being restructured, try not to rush your lifestyle into fanatical activityand do not plan on excessive physical and mental stress.When the body enters a ketotic state, an increase in athletic or mental performance is unlikely.
It takes some time and skill to learn proper meal preparation while sticking to the keto diet.Therefore, you should try to plan your day so that there is no opportunity for an “unauthorized” snack.
To minimize the negative effects of dieting, you need to remember to include foods rich in fiber in your diet.They improve and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid the unpleasant smell of acetone.Therefore, it is recommended to double the consumption of clean water.Proper water balance is the key to effective weight loss.
Equally important in eliminating unnecessary inches of fat is maintaining electrolyte balance.Lightly salted foods not only improve the taste of dishes, but also have a positive effect on your well-being.

Based on the set goals (be it weight loss, reduction, weight gain, etc.), the necessary diet option is selected.

Varieties

Classic (Standard or Basic)

This type is considered the most common and simplest diet.
It is characterized by a high fat content in the diet, an average protein content and an extremely low proportion of carbohydrates.
Recommended for people with no or little physical activity.

Targeted

In this variant, carbohydrates are added to the diet, but at specific times and in a specific amount.
On training days, what is known as carbohydrate loading occurs.
To increase endurance and intensity, charcoal is consumed in the hours before exercise (pre- and post-workout).
On rest days, to maintain ketosis, the amount of carbohydrates is kept to a minimum (0.5 or 1 g per kg of body weight), the fat content is slightly reduced so as not to exceed the calorie content of the daily diet.

Cyclical

This is an “advanced” option.Includes regular carbohydrate feeding.
The break between carbohydrate “sets” depends on the tasks, goals and intensity of physical activity.
At the same time, the proportion of fat in the diet is reduced, proteins are increased and 7-10 g of carbon are produced per 1 kg of body weight.
The charging time is between 8 and 36 hours.
The intervals can be increased taking into account the body condition.
Recommended for people with high physical activity who feel weak due to a lack of carbohydrates.

Notes

Diet presented:

those who want to lose weight, get slim and gain muscle mass;
against epilepsy;
for oncological diseases.

Advantages

This diet is not “hunger”.The feeling of hunger occurs extremely rarely.
Switching metabolism through ketosis promotes rapid weight loss compared to other methods.
There is no clear order to the menu;The dishes are very varied.All you have to do is follow the nutrient intake formula.
The benefits of a keto diet have been proven for cancer, epilepsy and other diseases.
Products on the ketogenic diet white list have a low glycemic index.Their consumption has a positive therapeutic effect and helps treat acne.
There is a very low chance of losing muscle mass while burning a lot of subcutaneous fat.

Disadvantages

In addition to the positive effects of the keto diet, this technique is also not without disadvantages:

Unbalanced diet.
The appearance of the smell of acetone from the mouth or skin.
When entering ketosis, you often experience nausea, fatigue, lethargy, and problems concentrating.
There are contraindications.
Frequent constipation (or other intestinal problems) due to the lack of necessary vegetables and fruits in the diet.

Ketogenic diet

In epilepsy

This nutritional method was originally invented specifically to treat epileptic seizures in adults and children.

Doctors have found that when fats are processed in the body, ketogenic substances are formed, which can reduce the frequency of seizures in children and adults with epilepsy.

Since the diet is one-sided and fatty foods can lead to liver and kidney problems, experts are rather skeptical about this diet.In medical practice there are equally positive and extremely negative results of its use.

The decision to adopt a ketogenic diet for epileptics can only be made by a specialist.Treatment with this method is carried out exclusively under medical supervision!

For oncology

Studies have shown that the combination of classical therapy and ketogenic diet in cancer patients reduces the risk of metastasis and relapse of the disease by 75%.

Unlike patients who eat a normal diet, adherents of the keto diet feel better, the body recovers faster, and the treatment has positive dynamics.The state of ketosis deprives cancer cells of energy, causing them to starve, which significantly improves the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy.

Contraindications

As mentioned above, the keto diet has a number of contraindications.

You cannot comply if:

breastfeeding and pregnancy;
increased cholesterol levels;
diabetes mellitus;
the presence of kidney, gastrointestinal and heart diseases;
porphyria;
Fat digestion disorders;
hormonal imbalances.

Results

The positive effects of this diet manifest themselves in different ways depending on the individuality of the body.Depending on the diet you choose, you can expect a weight loss of 5 to 10 kg in the first month.

To save the result, you must follow a few simple rules:

In order to maintain the result and not put the body in a state of stress after stopping the keto diet, a gradual exit from this diet is necessary.
Do not indulge in foods that are forbidden during your diet.– The risk of returning lost kilograms in double quantities is too high.
The fat content in the diet must be reduced gradually, and add 5g of carbohydrates per day.
With proper adherence to the ketogenic diet and regular medical examinationsBy eliminating excess weight, it is possible not only to improve external data, but also to radically change the quality of life in a positive direction.

Some people see results in as early as the second week, while others have to wait up to three months.Such variation in time frame does not indicate the ineffectiveness of the diet;In all likelihood, adjustments to the nutrient ratio in the diet will be necessary.