How to Lose 40 Pounds on Keto: A Simple Guide

Many of you are probably familiar with the keto diet, as it’s referenced frequently as a miracle method for weight loss.

The theory surrounds a low-carb, moderate protein, high-fat diet that gets your body burning fat for fuel. When done right, it’s said to be a genius diet for fat burning.  

But is it true, or is it hype? 

This article offers answers to repeat questions on keto and weight loss, from expectations to losing 40 pounds. Read on for our simple guide to get you started with keto.

Does Keto Really Work? 

Yes, keto really works when you play your cards right. 

By that, we mean following the diet and its restrictions carefully and consistently. 

The keto diet works because it causes a metabolic switch. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your glucose stores deplete. Ordinarily, the body burns glucose for fuel from eating carbs, but it must find energy elsewhere with keto. That’s when your body becomes accustomed to fat-burning instead of sugar-burning.

The fat sources come from the fatty foods you eat and your stored body fat.

This metabolic switch is called ketosis, and it’s scientifically proven to help you lose weight.

On top of this, restricting your carbs tends to limit processed foods and refined sugar, which means you’re eating more nutritious foods. And as your diet is rich in healthy fat, you can consume fewer calories while maintaining satiety. 

Meanwhile, higher ketone levels can suppress appetite, limiting the chances of overeating.

The keto diet overall promotes fat loss. 

How Much Weight Can You Lose on Keto?

As most experts will tell you, healthy weight loss in terms of numbers is around one to two pounds per week. Anything higher than this is not considered healthy and may put unnecessary stress on your body, which, in the long run, won’t benefit you.

How much weight you lose with the keto diet depends on you because we’re all built differently, and the effects of keto differ.

Things like current body weight, body composition, health status, age, height, and physical activity level impact your fat loss journey.

There are ways to speed things up, but we don’t recommend anybody to lose weight rapidly. Gradual, steady weight loss is the most sustainable route, as it prevents health complications and stops you from putting the lost weight back on or from gaining more weight.

How Long Does It Take to Lose Weight on Keto?

With a steady weight loss of the 1–2-pound benchmark, you can expect to lose up to 10 pounds within a month. For some people, it may be even more.

In the first few days, many keto dieters report losing weight quickly. However, this isn’t fat loss but water weight. 

Water weight is lost on keto as your restricted carb intake reduces glycogen stores. Glycogen holds water, so when levels drop, you lose water. Water weight loss in the early days can be pretty significant, with participants shedding anywhere between 2–10 pounds. 

One month in is when you usually start seeing the real transformation. Your body has now had a chance to adapt and therefore becomes more efficient at burning fat. Keep in mind that it can take weeks for your body to function differently. It won’t happen overnight. 

If a month passes and you’re not witnessing weight loss or only losing a little weight, you may need to adjust your diet further. A typical keto diet should create a calorie deficit of roughly 500 calories per day. 

How to Lose 40 Pounds on Keto?

Losing weight is a frustrating business, but a special framework from diets like keto helps you manage your eating habits better.

If your goal is to lose 40 pounds on keto, you need to commit to keto and adhere to the guidelines to beat any weight loss plateaus. 

Here are our top tips for reducing weight with the keto diet:

#1 Track your carbs

Unless you’re new here, you’ll already know that restricting carbs is part of keto 101.

For success with keto, you want to stick to no more than 50 grams of carbs per day. And the only way to meet that number is to track your carb intake.

Hidden carbs are in everything from condiments to root vegetables. The way to succeed is to know exactly what you’re putting into your body. 

So, check food labels, write the numbers down, and educate yourself on high and low-carb foods. It might sound tiresome, but you’ll soon get into the swing of things. 

#2 Make your fats healthy ones

The keto diet means you’re free to eat high-fat foods to lose weight. Sounds crazy, right? 

However, it’s not as simple as that. Your fat intake should come from healthy fats rich in nutrients, such as fatty fish, lunch meat, eggs, avocados, and heavy whipping cream. 

Good fats are great for the heart and contribute to a healthy lifestyle. You won’t get the same health benefits from processed fatty foods.

#3 Count calories

Counting calories isn’t always essential on the ketogenic diet, but it can help promote a calorie deficit to lose fat.

The great thing about keto is that it’s pretty hard to binge eat, as the low-carb diet promotes appetite suppression, keeps hunger hormones in check, and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. 

You can naturally reduce your calorie intake with foods high in fat without starving yourself. 

However, overeating and binge eating are still very much possible. This is especially easy to do if you’re regularly snacking on high-calorie foods like nuts that will quickly take you over your total calories for the day.

When you eat keto, it’s beneficial to track your food groups so you know how much fat, protein, and carbs you’re consuming.

#4 Balance your protein intake

Protein intake on keto doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. It’s easy to forget about protein when focusing on fats and carbs.

Protein is essential to the keto diet. Your protein intake needs to be just enough to maintain lean muscle mass and provide you with more energy without kicking you out of ketosis. 

Be careful not to let excess protein sneak into your diet. Too much protein converts amino acids into glucose, ending ketosis and sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

You can take adequate protein from lean meat, chicken thighs, eggs, and Greek yogurt. 

The percentage for protein on keto is 10–20%.

#5 Drink water 

Drinking water regularly as part of your keto lifestyle will ensure you stay hydrated, satiated, and prevent an electrolyte imbalance. 

It’s easy to become dehydrated on keto, and it’s one of the primary triggers for keto flu. You need more water on keto to break down fatty acids and keep your kidneys in check. 

So, water and other zero-calorie liquids are essential to your weight loss journey.

#6 Move more

As with keto and other diets, ramping up your physical activity is vital if you want to lose weight faster. 

Diet alone isn’t enough to lose 40 pounds. It’s time to burn more calories with a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training to tackle stubborn fat stores. 

As well as burning more fat and boosting your energy levels, regular exercise fights the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease. 

Average Weight Loss on Keto

The average person can expect to lose 40 pounds within 4–5 months with that in mind.

We’ve already touched on average weight loss, but everyone is different regardless of the diet they follow. 

The normal range is between one and two pounds per week for safe weight loss. Many people can reach this goal by keeping up with keto. 

Conclusion

As too many variables affect how you lose body fat, there is no guarantee how quickly you will lose 40 pounds. What we do know is, losing weight with keto is entirely possible. 

Be consistent with your eating, exercise, and water intake to reach the 40-pound mark sooner rather than later. But don’t rush things. 40 pounds is a significant number that you should reach gradually.