So you want to start with Keto? Great, but be prepared because this is not some diet you follow for a couple of weeks. No, it’s a lifestyle that works really well for a lot of people around the world. It’s a way of eating, and you need to follow through to get the best results. That’s why I’m sharing my basic tips to start Keto the right way. These tips helped me to get started in a relaxed and healthy way. That’s why I want to share them with you. There are a lot of people looking for good advice and I hope I can help you out today, let’s go!
Do your research
Like you are doing now, because like I said before, Keto is not some diet you follow for a few weeks. You have to be prepared not to just eat different, but also live different. Mostly because Keto asks for daily meal prepping. You can’t just buy food on the road anymore. Grabbing a sandwich or a burger isn’t an option in most cases. No, you will cook a lot more and bring your own food to work and maybe even to friends and family. That’s why I recommend researching Keto since it takes a lot more effort than a regular diet. The ketogenic diet can also take up to at least three weeks for your body to adjust to this new way of eating.
It’s different for everyone, so it’s best not to focus on other people’s results too much. It’s good to understand that Keto has a lot of benefits, but it will also make you feel some physical changes in your body. You might get the Keto flu, which means your body isn’t actually sick. It’s just adjusting to a new diet and you might feel a little ill. This scares a lot of people and that’s why I recommend doing your research, so you know what you’re getting into. The Keto flu is pretty much harmless, but it might not feel that way. Reading about these effects, too make sure you don’t stress out about the physical changes, is a good idea.
Start slow
When I started the Keto diet in May 2017, I started of slow. I can recommend tracking your normal diet with the My fitness pall app for a week first. This way you can find out how many carbs per day you’d normally eat. Because Keto is all about the carbs and staying under 20, or between 20 and 50 grams of carbs per day. When you know how many carbs you’re eating per day under normal circumstances, you can start with eating half of that amount the week after. This will help you adjust to eating less than 20 grams of carbs per day.
At first, I was eating about 300 to 400 grams of carbs per day. Which means I was eating about 150 to 200 grams in week two. And when I got that down, I went straight to 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day in week three. This helped me adjust to this new way of eating much easier without too may Keto flu symptoms. I also started noticing results in week two and three, because I started losing water weight. By week four I started to lose fat and I was loving it! So, my advice is to start slow so you can adjust to this way of eating. Steady wins the race!
You need this in your house
The keto diet will help you lose weight by eating less carbs. Your body will start to use stored fat on your body for energy, which is why you will lose water weight and fat. Simply said, it’s because your body can’t get enough energy out of carbs through the food you eat. This will force your body to use stored energy (the fat on your body created by eating too many carbs), which makes you lose weight, yay! Since you’re eating a much lower amount of carbs then you are used to on the Keto diet, you will probably feel really hungry or a little shaky in the beginning. Make sure you have enough water in your house. You will need to drink a lot of it to prevent headaches. It will also help you lose water weight and keep you hydrated.
Start upping your protein game too. Get yourself chicken, beef (sticks) and eggs. You can also get yourself some mackerel and (smoked) salmon. Anything with a lot of protein will help you stop cravings and you also need more protein on the Keto diet. I often have cheese cubes, smoked salmon, boiled eggs and beef sticks lying around. Also get yourself some dark low carb chocolate for your potential sweet tooth. Maybe even have a brownie around for when you really can’t resist, hihi! I recently got into making snack platters for myself, so I have something to munch on while getting into ketosis. Need some more grocery ideas? Read this article for a full basic Keto grocery list.
The mental battle
One of my basic tips to start Keto is to be relaxed about it. The keto diet is a lifestyle and a way of eating. Don’t stress yourself out when you have a craving and give in. I eat something tasty and high carb every other weekend. I buy myself a good hamburger, go out to dinner with friends or eat a brownie or two. Why you ask? Well, I think no way of eating should control your life and take the fun out of food. In my opinion you can have a higher carb day and go back to Keto the next day.
Some people worry about getting kicked out of Ketosis, but in my experience, I’ve always gotten back into it pretty fast. And no, you will not suddenly gain back all your weight by having a higher carb day. No, you will not ruin everything you worked so hard for. You see, losing weight is mainly a mental battle and it’s good to also let your brain adjust to it. So if you want to eat a snack try to resist. But if you really can’t, just eat a bit of what you’re craving.
I’m giving this advice because the human brain always wants what it can’t have. When you tell yourself you can’t have the cake, you really want that cake even more five seconds later. In order to prevent a full setback or a binge, I always recommend giving in a little bit. This helps you put a craving to rest and get back on track much easier. You see, losing weight is almost always also a mental battle. You can’t just take on a new diet, change your body and not deal with underlying issues. Take care of yourself: Mind, body and soul.
I hope these basic tips to start Keto will help you out. Want to know more? Please let me know what you want to know so I can help you.
Let’s go Keto,
Kaya-Quintana
P.S. Follow me on Bloglovin for more food tips and check out my Keto recipes.
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