So you’ve decided that you are going to start the ketogenic diet. Maybe you’ve heard it promotes better sleep, gives you more energy, kick-starts weight loss and improves concentration levels. It does. However, with any diet there are big changes that you have to make and this guide should help you along that journey.
Let’s get started by defining what going keto means. The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carb diet that is similar to the Atkins plan and other low-carb diets. It requires drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat which in turn lowers insulin levels as well as blood sugar. It is basically designed to shift the body’s metabolism away from carbs and, instead, to fat and ketones.
The biggest change with the ketogenic diet is, of course, the almost complete removal of carbs from your daily eating routine. That means – no bread, no pasta, no rice, no sugar. This can be a huge challenge for some people.
The diet kicks the body into a natural fat-burning mode, called ketosis, by starving a person’s system of carbs and sugars, which are typically the first fuels we burn.
Like with any diet, it’s important to remember to consult your physician or dietitian before going keto.
One of the most difficult things about the keto diet is the precise counting of calories it requires.
A dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic suggests people going keto should aim to get 70-80% of their calories from fat, with less than 10% from carbs. Most keto dieters should try to keep their daily carb intake between 20 to 50 grams.
With that in mind, keto meal planning requires a lot of thought and consideration. It’s not as easy as swapping a slice of morning toast for a strip of bacon.
So what exactly can you eat on a keto diet? Meat (basically any kind, including poultry and red meat.) Fish. Leafy greens. Eggs. Monounsaturated fats like those found in avocados. Cheese. Olive Oil. Nuts and seeds. Raspberries and blackberries. Low-carb vegetables like cauliflower.
It’s very important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Both tea and coffee as well as other unsweetened beverages are fine.
If cooking is not your thing, or you just don’t have enough time in the day to do all of the prep work, there are keto meal delivery services that you can try. For instance, ketonedbodies.com allows customers to order meals online from an a la carte full menu or you can opt for a prepaid package deal for added savings. Meals come right to your doorstep fully prepared in microwave and oven safe containers. No preparation is required.
Like with any limited diet, it’s hard to get a balanced variety of all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy, so you might also have to supplement with extra calcium, potassium, or magnesium.
In any case, going Keto causes you to make big changes to your lifestyle. With a little research and some preparation, you can be successful in obtaining your personal health goals.