3 Important Tips to Make Your Ketogenic Diet Successful
The ketogenic diet is quite a challenge because of too much fat you need to consume and far fewer carbs than you usually eat.
Thinking about what to eat when you dine out or preparing your own meals - all this could drain you when you’re new in this whole low-carb high-fat diet.
Starting a diet could intimidate you but if you have the right mindset, you can make your ketogenic diet successful. All you need to keep in mind are these three important tips.
1. Very few carbs, more fat
When you’re on keto, the breakdown will most likely be 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.
Don’t stress yourself with counting these in every bite you eat. Since you need to focus on how to adjust to this restricted diet, save your energy for that and less on literally counting everything.
When you’re starting out on a new diet, the first thing you do is make a list of what’s allowed and prohibited to eat.
Eat these:
- Meats - fish, pork, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, shrimp, lobster, etc.
- Vegetables (low-carb) - bok choy, celery, spinach, asparagus, arugula, zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, tomato, etc.
- Dairy (high-fat) - butter, hard cheeses, whipped cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt
- Fruits and berries - avocado, lemon, coconut meat, peach, cantaloupe, watermelon, orange, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry,
- Nuts and seeds - sunflower seeds, macadamia, walnuts, pecan, hazelnut, peanut, almond
Not these:
- Sugar - soft drinks, candy, juice, chocolate, pastries, ice cream, cereals, cakes, honey, maple syrup
- Starch - bread, wheat, cereal, corn, rice, pasta, crackers, porridge, muesli, potatoes, potato chips, French fries, corn products, popped corn
- Fruits - apple, banana, grapes, blueberries
- Beer - according to Diet Doctor, beer is “basically bread in liquid form” as it is made from fermented grain and hops
If segregating the food you should eat more and what to avoid becomes too overwhelming, keeping recipes could be a lot easier to do.
Having keto-friendly recipes to guide your meal planning takes out the stress of checking every item on Google to see if they belong to your diet or not.
Here are five keto blogs to get tons of recipes for you to enjoy and follow:
2. Know how your body gets into ketosis
Ketosis is a natural metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel. When your body breaks down fat, it produces ketones, the alternative energy source.
This is why the keto diet is popular among people who want to lose weight. The body constantly burns fat and has very low carbs but has enough power to last throughout the day.
Signs you are in ketosis include keto breath, frequent urination, dry mouth, increased thirst, fatigue, reduced hunger, and more energy.
It’s normal for people to enter ketosis when they restrict their carbs intake. But how fast this happens and how long they can sustain ketosis may vary from one person to another.
If you’re eating keto-friendly meals but getting into ketosis seems to be at a snail’s pace, you can speed things up with exogenous ketones.
Exogenous ketones are ketones you get from supplements. These are ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which your body also produces.
Keto BHB, an exogenous ketones supplement, induces and promotes ketosis. Say you were on a cheat day and had a carbs feast, you might have a hard time entering ketosis again and that’s when this keto supplement get the job done.
It also helps support your metabolism and manage your cravings aside from the enhanced energy and focus it gives you.
3. Move your body
You should not only depend on a restricted diet if you want to shed off pounds. You need to exercise too.
Although you have increased energy when you’re in ketosis, there are workouts that don’t go well with this diet. Better avoid circuit training or HIIT workouts because these rely greatly on carbs for fuel.
Instead, do low-intensity workouts like yoga, jogging, cycling, or swimming. You can also lit weights (but go lighter).
Remember that exercise is always good for the heart and your mental health. So keep moving!
The keto diet could be daunting. But just like in any other diet, it only takes getting used to. And well, a stronger will towards your weight loss goal.
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