Keto Diet Basics: How It Works And Who It's For

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been around since the 1920s. It was originally used to help with conditions like epilepsy and diabetes, but today it is also used as a weight-loss method.

The keto diet involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.

There are several types of keto diets, including the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD), targeted ketogenic diet (TKD), and high-protein ketogenic diet.

The keto diet can be challenging to get started on, but it has been shown to be effective for weight loss and improving health conditions like type 2 diabetes, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease.

It's important to speak to your doctor before starting the keto diet, as it may not be suitable for everyone.

What to Eat and What to Avoid on the Keto Diet

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy.

What to Eat

• Meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey
• Fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
• Eggs: pastured or omega-3 whole eggs
• Butter and cream: grass-fed butter and heavy cream
• Cheese: unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc
• Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil
• Avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole
• Low-carb veggies: green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc
• Condiments: salt, pepper, herbs, and spices
• Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
• Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese

What to Avoid

• Sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc
• Grains or starches: wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc
• Fruit: all fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries
• Beans or legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc
• Root vegetables and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc
• Low-fat or diet products: low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, and condiments
• Some condiments or sauces: barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc
• Unhealthy fats: processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc
• Alcohol: beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks
• Sugar-free diet foods: sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, desserts, etc

How to Transition to a High-Fat Diet

Transitioning to a High-Fat Diet

Transitioning to the keto diet can be challenging, but with the right information and strategies, you can make the process much smoother. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Understand the Basics of Keto

Know the difference between keto-friendly foods and high-carb foods that can disrupt ketosis. Keto is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. Avoid grains, sugar, fruit, and tubers, which are high in net carbs. Focus on meat, eggs, low-carb vegetables, high-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, avocado, berries, and healthy fats and oils.

Calculate Your Net Carbs

Learn how to calculate net carbs by subtracting dietary fiber from total carbohydrates on food labels. This is crucial for staying within your carb limits and achieving ketosis. Use apps like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer to track your net carbs and overall intake.

Transform Your Kitchen

Make your kitchen keto-friendly by removing high-carb foods. Restock with low-carb alternatives like kale chips, macadamia nuts, high-fat cheese, pepperoni, and keto-friendly snacks and recipes. Put snacks in less accessible places to avoid overeating.

Plan for On-the-Go and Dining Out

Prepare keto-friendly snacks like celery with peanut butter, nuts, and cheese sticks to take with you when you're on the go. When dining out, opt for eggs, meat, and low-carb vegetables. Avoid high-carb sides and ask for extra butter or bacon.

Be Mindful of Portion Sizes

Even on keto, calories matter. Use a keto calculator and track your intake to ensure you're eating the right amount of fat, protein, and carbs to meet your goals. This is especially important if you hit a weight loss plateau.

Prepare for Keto Flu

You may experience flu-like symptoms during the initial days of keto. Stay hydrated and ensure adequate intake of sodium, potassium, and magnesium to alleviate these symptoms.

Remember, transitioning to keto takes time and adjustment. Be patient with yourself and use these tips to make the process more manageable.

How to Eat Enough Fat Without Overindulging

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been proven to help with weight loss and certain health conditions. It involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy.

While it might seem easy and enjoyable to eat 70% of your calories from fat, it can be surprisingly difficult to get enough fat on a keto diet, especially when you’re first starting. Here are some tips to help you eat enough fat on keto without overindulging:

Understand the Different Types of Fat

Not all fats are created equal, and it’s important to know which types to include in your diet and which to avoid.

• Saturated Fat: For years, public health experts warned against saturated fat, believing it directly correlated with heart disease risk. However, recent research suggests that this type of fat may not be as harmful as previously supposed, especially when kept within limits. Sources of saturated fat include coconut products, dairy, and red meats.
• Monounsaturated Fat: This type of fat is often touted for its health benefits and is found in foods like avocados and olive oil. Eating monounsaturated fat may improve your "good" HDL cholesterol and blood vessel function and could help with blood sugar control.
• Polyunsaturated Fat: Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for your body and can be found in fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines, and mackerel. Adequate levels of polyunsaturated fats are associated with better brain and heart health.
• Trans Fat: Trans fat is a definite no-no on keto or any other diet. It is typically found in processed foods and has been associated with cancer and heart disease.

Focus on Healthy Fat Sources

A keto diet can include fats from the saturated and unsaturated categories, but because the benefits of unsaturated fats are more well-established, it’s best to focus on a balance that favors unsaturated fats, with saturated fats sprinkled in.

Some healthy fat sources to include in your diet are:

• Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies
• Avocados and avocado products
• Plant-based oils like olive oil, avocado oil, and walnut oil
• Nuts and seeds (as well as nut and seed butters)
• Beef, pork, and lamb

Get Creative with Your Meals

To eat enough fat on keto, you may need to get a little creative with your meals. Try adding multiple fat sources to each meal. For example, you can make a basic avocado toast even more keto-friendly by adding a fried egg and a sprinkle of melted cheese.

• Enjoy creamy soups and sauces made with full-fat dairy.
• Dunk veggies in high-fat dips like creamy onion dip, ranch, or blue cheese dressing.
• Roast vegetables in oil, such as olive or avocado oil.
• Sprinkle nuts and seeds on your salads, soups, or granola.
• Whip up a full-fat dairy smoothie with ingredients like heavy cream, full-fat yogurt, and nut butters.
• Load up on avocados, which are technically fruits and are surprisingly versatile.

Be Mindful of Your Fat Target

Each person’s fat needs on keto are unique and depend on factors like age, activity level, and gender. For most people, a diet consisting of about 70% of calories from fat is a good target for maintaining ketosis. On a 2,000-calorie diet, this would look like 156 grams of fat per day.

You can use a keto calculator to determine your ideal fat, protein, and carb intake based on your goals and body composition.

Avoid Overindulging by Planning Your Meals

One of the best ways to avoid overindulging on keto is to plan your meals in advance. This will help you stay on track and ensure you're getting enough fat without overeating.

You can also try intermittent fasting, which involves eating all your meals within a specific time window, such as an 8-hour window during the day. This can help you manage your calorie intake and increase weight loss.

In conclusion, while it may take some time to adjust to eating enough fat on keto, these tips can help you make the transition and ensure you're getting the most out of your keto diet.

How to Get Into Ketosis and Stay There

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses stored fat as its main fuel source instead of glucose (sugar). It is characterised by elevated levels of ketones in the blood, which are produced when the liver breaks down fat into molecules that can be used for fuel.

How to Get Into Ketosis

• Restrict Carbohydrates: The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carb, high-fat diet. By limiting your intake of carbs, your insulin and blood sugar levels are kept low. This signals the liver to start breaking down fat into ketones, which are used as a source of energy by the body.
• Take Exogenous Ketone Supplements: Another way to induce ketosis.

How to Stay in Ketosis

• Follow a Keto Diet: On a keto diet, the bulk of your calories comes from fat, which acts as your energy source. If you consume over 10% of your calories from carbs, you will likely have trouble staying in nutritional ketosis.
• Up Your Healthy Fats: Make sure you are eating enough fat (60-75% of your daily calories). If you don't, you will be tempted to turn to carbs for energy, which would likely kick you out of ketosis.
• Plan Meals in Advance: Plan out your weekly meals, make a grocery list, and stick to it. This will help you avoid impulsive, high-carb food choices that will boot you out of ketosis.
• Keep Keto-Friendly Snacks on Hand: Keep snacks like cheese sticks, hard-boiled eggs, and keto bars ready to go in your fridge, and stock up on shelf-stable keto snacks.
• Watch Out for Hidden Carbs: Some foods, such as condiments, sauces, salad dressings, and marinades, often contain sneaky carbs (usually refined sugar) that can sabotage ketosis. Read food labels carefully and choose low-carb options to avoid these hidden carbs.
• Exercise Regularly: When you exercise, your body is forced to use fat stores as a fuel source, which helps deplete glycogen stores and increase ketone production. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day.
• Practice Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting involves limiting food intake to a specific time window each day. One of the most widely adopted forms is the 16/8 method, which involves eating all of your daily calories within an 8-hour window (and fasting for the other 16 hours).
• Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger, leading to overeating carbs. Drink electrolyte water to thirst. This will ensure you drink enough water and have the necessary electrolytes to support hydration and other critical bodily functions.

How to Manage the Keto Flu

The keto flu is a term used to describe the side effects of transitioning into a state of ketosis, where your body uses fat and ketones instead of glucose as its main fuel source. While it is not an actual flu, the symptoms can be similar, including fatigue, restlessness, brain fog, muscle pain, and stomach issues. The good news is that the keto flu is preventable and treatable, and usually goes away within a few weeks. Here are some tips to help you manage and prevent the keto flu:

• Drink more water: The keto diet can lead to increased urine output, so it is important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids. This will also help you feel more full and reduce hunger.
• Get enough sleep: The transition to ketosis can cause a temporary decrease in energy levels, so make sure to prioritize sleep and rest during this time. Getting adequate sleep can also help reduce cravings and improve weight loss.
• Eat keto-friendly foods: Focus on eating healthy fats, such as coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter, and fattier cuts of meat. Also, include plenty of low-carb vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini.
• Increase your salt intake: The keto diet can lead to increased sodium loss, so adding more salt to your food or drinking bone broth can help replenish electrolytes and reduce keto flu symptoms. However, be cautious and consult your doctor before increasing your salt intake, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart issues.
• Drink electrolyte-rich beverages: Electrolyte imbalances can contribute to keto flu symptoms, so drink beverages like bone broth or sugar-free sports drinks, or take magnesium supplements to replenish electrolytes.
• Meditate: Meditation has been shown to have benefits for mental and physical health, including reducing anxiety, improving mood, and boosting heart health. It can also help with binge eating and weight loss maintenance.
• Eat more fat: It is important to eat enough fat on the keto diet, as it is your primary fuel source. Aim for fat to make up 60-70% of your total calories. Include healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and fatty cuts of meat in your diet.
• Gradually reduce carbs: Instead of going cold turkey, try easing into the keto diet gradually. Start by cutting out refined sugar, then starches, then progress to a low-carb diet before fully transitioning to keto. This can help your body adjust and reduce the severity of keto flu symptoms.

Frequently asked questions