Keto diet is known as a low carb diet in which the body produces ketones in the liver to use as energy.But switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet alone can be challenging.
There's no doubt about it – it's a limited meal plan.In addition to eliminating all refined carbohydrates, you should avoid starchy vegetables, grains, sauces, juices, and limit your intake of fruits.
Before you start, set your fitness goals
Before committing to any diet, the first thing 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 this is your goal, maintaining a calorie deficit is your main consideration.Progress can be measured by seeing a decrease in a number on the scale or by changing your body composition, which can be evaluated using any body fat analysis tool.
increase muscle mass
Increasing muscle mass inevitably means increasing weight, and this is not always ideal for everyone.Furthermore, given the beneficial role of carbohydrates in training and muscle recovery, the ketogenic diet may not be the best diet for building muscle.But that doesn't stop everyone, and some people are seeing results.To build muscle, you'll need to focus on calorie surplus, training, and macronutrient balance.And to accurately measure your progress, you need a body composition test.
better performance
Fat can be an abundant and valuable source of energy that many athletes use.This is why the keto diet is suitable for performance enhancing endurance athletes and those who do not need frequent high-intensity training.Timing of nutrient intake and adequate nutrition are the primary focus of this goal, and progress in performance can be measured by assessing metabolic efficiency.
improve health
Improved health is not always the primary goal of those following a keto diet, unless weight loss results in improved health.This is because the keto diet is quite restrictive and getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) can be challenging.
If you want to improve your keto diet, the first thing you need to do is think about your food choices.Progress toward this goal can be measured through biometric testing.However, new research continues to explore the potential benefits of low-carb and keto diets for people with diabetes.
how to get into ketosis
Ways to get into ketosis:
- Increase in physical activity.
- Significant reduction in carbohydrate intake.
- Checking your ketone levels
- Eating protein.
How to Switch to Keto Diet Yourself
Once you've determined your primary health and fitness goal, the next step is to calculate the number of calories you need to eat per day to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your weight.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.Although calorie control has the biggest impact on your weight, understanding keto macros is fundamental to continued success.It's important to meet your daily carb target, 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% calories from protein
- 5% calories from carbohydrates
However, the exact ideal macronutrient ratio for you may depend on your personal 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 foods you eat are 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 stay on the ketogenic diet longer.Some foods should include healthy carbohydrate options.Products that are good for this include: cauliflower, rice, portobello mushroom buns, spaghetti squash.
How to go on the keto diet the right way
Planning your keto menu is only half the battle;Your progress is the result of consistency.This means you'll have to stick to your diet plan for more than a few weeks.But following the diet is based not only on willpower, but also on developing healthy habits and daily routines that will allow you to achieve success.You don't have to be perfect on the keto diet for it to be effective.As long as you stay consistent with your calorie goals and continue to work toward them, it's possible to get off track and see progress.Use the following strategies to follow the keto diet:
- Read labels carefully.
Anything that comes packaged, including any high-calorie beverages and common medications like cough syrup, can be loaded with hidden carbohydrates.Make sure the label doesn't contain ingredients like maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar, sugar cane syrup or starch.Because these substances can increase blood sugar levels and impair the production of ketones.
- Use sweeteners and flour alternatives.
It's difficult to completely eliminate sugar and flour from your diet, but it's possible if you know what to replace them with.No matter which dietary approach you choose, make sure it allows you to maintain your health, well-being, and positive results.