The keto diet is known as a low-carb diet in which the body produces ketones in the liver to be used for energy.But switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet all at once can be challenging.
There's no doubt about it – this is a limited eating plan.In addition to eliminating all refined carbohydrates, you should avoid starchy vegetables, grains, sauces, juices, and limit your fruit intake.
Before you start, determine your fitness goal
Before committing to any diet, the first thing to do should always be your “why” or main goal.This will determine your dietary needs and guide you further.There are four main reasons why someone might consider changing their diet, and not all of them are keto-friendly:
Weight loss
Losing weight or fat is the most common reason people decide to try keto.If that's your goal, staying in a calorie deficit is your main idea.Progress itself can be measured by observing the decrease of a number on a scale or by changing body composition, which can be assessed using any body fat analysis tool.
Increased muscle mass
Gaining muscle mass is essentially gaining weight and is not always ideal for everyone.Additionally, the ketogenic diet may not be the best diet for building muscle mass, given the beneficial role of carbohydrates in training and muscle recovery.But that doesn't stop everyone, and some people are seeing results.To build muscle, you need to focus on extra calories, training, and macronutrient balance.And to accurately measure your progress, you need a body composition test.
Improved performance
Fat can be an abundant and valuable source of energy that many athletes use.This is why the ketogenic diet is suitable for increasing the performance of endurance athletes and those who do not require frequent high-intensity training.Timing nutrient intake and adequate nutrition is the main focus of this goal, and progress in performance can be measured by assessing metabolic efficiency.
Improved health
Improved health is not always the main goal of those following the keto diet, unless health improves as a result of weight loss.This is because the keto diet is quite restrictive and getting plenty of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) can be a challenge.
If you want to improve your keto diet, the first thing you need to think about is your food choices.Progress towards this goal can be measured through biometric testing.However, new research continues to explore the potential benefits of low-carb and ketogenic diets for people with diabetes.
How to get into ketosis
Ways to get into ketosis:
- Increase physical activity.
- Significant reduction in carbohydrate intake.
- Checking your ketone levels
- Eat protein.
How to Switch to the Keto Diet on Your Own
Once you've determined your primary health and fitness goal, the next step is to calculate the number of calories you need to eat each day to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain it.The easiest way to do this is to use an online calorie calculator or download a fitness app that will ask your age, height, weight, gender, and fitness level to estimate your daily needs.While calorie control has the biggest impact on your weight, understanding keto macros is still critical to continued success.Meeting your daily carb goal is key, especially if you're trying to achieve ketosis.The keto diet is designed with strict macronutrient requirements, including high fat intake and extremely low carbohydrate intake.
For most people, the requirements look something like this:
- 70% calories from fat
- 25% of calories from protein
- 5% of calories from carbohydrates
However, the exact macronutrient ratio that's ideal for you may depend on your individual fitness level, metabolic efficiency, and other factors.Now you're ready to start planning the keto menu of your dreams.But before you start eating bacon and cheese, there are a few things to consider.Nutrition and the quality of the food you eat remain important to your overall health and well-being.Additionally, choosing more nutritious foods can help with energy levels and mood, which in turn will motivate you to stick to the ketogenic diet for longer.Some of the foods should include healthy carbohydrate substitutes.Products that are great for this include: cauliflower, rice, portobello mushroom rolls, spaghetti squash.
How to do a keto diet correctly
Planning your keto menu is only half the battle;Your progress is the result of consistency.This means that you must follow your diet plan for more than a few weeks.But following a diet is not just based on willpower, but also on developing healthy habits and daily routines that will allow you to achieve success.You also don't have to be perfect on the keto diet for it to be effective.It's possible to get off track and still see progress as long as you stay consistent with your calorie goals and keep working toward them.To follow the keto diet, use the following strategies:
- Read labels carefully.
Anything that comes in a package, including high-calorie drinks and common medications like cough medicine, can be filled with hidden carbohydrates.Make sure the label does not contain ingredients such as maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar, cane syrup, or starch.Because these substances can increase blood sugar levels and impair the production of ketones.
- Use sweeteners and flour substitutes.
Sugar and flour are difficult to completely eliminate from your diet, but it is possible if you know how to replace them.No matter what dietary approach you choose, make sure it allows you to maintain your health, well-being, and positive results.