Avoid Becoming A Keto Diet Dropout – Use An App

portrait of a happy fitness woman using smartphone in gym

Are you a ketogenic diet dropout? You are not alone. There are probably millions like you around the world who decided to try the keto diet in order to lose weight, but gave up. The question is why – and what can be done about it?

There is some scientific evidence that the ketogenic diet – a low carb, high-fat diet – works in helping overweight and obese individuals to lose weight, particularly in the short- to medium-term.

There are also studies that indicate that the there is little to differentiate keto diets with other calorie-restricted diets in terms of overall weight loss. However, what most people agree on – including avid proponents of the diet – is that a keto diet is not easy to maintain.

Here’s Why

Your body gets its energy mainly from glucose, or blood sugar. Generally, this comes from the carbohydrates. The body can’t store glucose for long, so when we stop eating glucose-producing carbs for a few days, we reach a state known as ketosis or ketogenesis. That’s when our livers start to break down fat, turning them into ketones, which are then used as our energy supply. The body thus enters a state of ketosis.

To remain in a state of ketosis requires strict attention to carbohydrate counting. It can take several weeks to reach a state of ketosis – when your body starts to burn fat. To stay that way, you can’t eat more carbs than your daily limit. And that limit is low, no more than 20g to 50g of carbs per day.

There’s no room for slip-ups. Even if you say no to that slice of birthday cake and glass of wine, it’s all too easy to inadvertently consume more carbs than you are aware of. Carbs are notoriously sneaky and hide in the most unlikely places – even in seemingly carb-free fruits and vegetables. If you believe you are sticking to the diet, but it just isn’t producing the results you expect, it’s possible that’s because you not in the fat-burning, ketogenic state you think you are.

The problem is, counting calories, carbs, fats and proteins – which have to be kept in balance for the keto diet to work optimally – is a major hassle.

The Answer – The App!

Enter technology. There are numerous apps that have been developed to help you count and track your intake of carbs and calories. These apps – several of which can be downloaded free or at very low cost to your smartphone – will help you manage your portions and help you to identify carbs in products that manufacturers don’t bother to identify on labels because there is such a tiny amount of them (but even 1g of carbs can add up quickly if you are eating a lot of them).

Some will come with different keto diet plans; some will provide carb-trackers and allow for net carb calculations; some even contain a social media component that allows you to interact with other keto dieters for advice and encouragement.

The key is to find a keto diet app that works for you.

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Heather Acott, MPH

As a health and medical freelance writer for a number of online publications, Heather has lived the life of a nomad for the past 12 years, soaking up different cultures and ways of life. A California native, Heather received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and went on to study at San Jose State University to obtain a Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis on health communication. Before embarking on her current career path, she used her excellent communication skills and in depth knowledge of the healthcare industry as a grant writer for many years. Heather is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and American Public Health Association. As part of her job she interprets outcomes of medical studies, reports on annual scientific meetings and regularly interviews physicians, patient advocates and other healthcare professionals. Her areas of expertise include low-carb diets, biotechnology, metabolic disease, diabetes and When Heather is not writing or researching for her latest article, she can be found meditating, exploring whichever city she’s in and religiously following the ketogenic diet.

Different Types of Keto Diets

What all of these types of the keto diet have in common is their goal to get your body into the natural metabolic state of ketosis so you can burn fat, instead of carbs, for energy.

Standard ketogenic diet (SKD)

Consuming a high-fat, moderate-protein and low-carb diet. The percentages of your daily diet should be about 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs.

High-protein ketogenic diet

Similar to the SKD, but with added protein. The ratio is about 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)

Involves 5-6 days of the SKD followed by 1-2 days of refeeding days where the majority of calories come from carbohydrates.

Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD)

Eating carbohydrates around the times that you exercise. Meant for people who are regularly working out at a very high-intensity or for an extended period of time.