Fixing Carb Overload: Getting Back On Track With Keto

The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb diet. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source, but on a strict ketogenic diet, only 5% to 10% of energy intake comes from carbohydrates. This reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy. While the keto diet is popular, it's easy to make mistakes. Here are some common mistakes and how to fix them:

- Not calculating keto macros correctly: The basic rule of keto is to keep carbs very low (less than 50 grams), with moderate protein and high fat. However, these ratios need to be adjusted based on individual needs, such as calorie intake and physical activity level.

- Eating too much protein: While protein is essential, excessive consumption can prevent the body from entering ketosis. Aim for 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

- Not eating enough fat: Dietary fat is crucial on the keto diet. Insufficient fat intake can lead to vitamin deficiencies, low energy levels, and hormone deficiencies.

- Eating too many carbs: To enter and maintain ketosis, it's important to limit carb intake. Hidden carbs can be found in salad dressings, sauces, and even shellfish.

- Not drinking enough water and electrolytes: The keto diet can increase hydration needs, and electrolytes like sodium and potassium are important to prevent deficiencies.

- Not getting enough micronutrients: A well-rounded keto diet should include a variety of nutrient-dense, whole, and unprocessed foods to avoid micronutrient deficiencies.

- Not paying attention to food quality: Opt for high-quality, unrefined, and whole foods instead of processed options, which can impact weight loss and increase the risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

Ensure you're getting enough vitamins and minerals

Micronutrient deficiencies can occur on the keto diet as a result of eliminating a wide range of foods that are high in carbs. Carb-rich foods such as grains, potatoes, bananas, and corn provide many nutrients. From fat-soluble vitamins to B vitamins and minerals, these micronutrients are needed for optimal health and support common keto diet goals like losing weight and building muscle.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin with many functions, including proper vision, growth and development, and immune system support. There are two types of vitamin A: preformed vitamin A, which is found in meat, liver, fish, poultry, and dairy; and provitamin A, found in plants like broccoli and cantaloupe.

B Vitamins

There are eight different types of B vitamins, which are essential for breaking down nutrients for energy, producing red blood cells, supporting healthy skin and eyes, and more. Good low-carb sources of B vitamins include dark green vegetables like broccoli, collards, and spinach.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and is required for collagen synthesis. While citrus fruits are well-known sources of vitamin C, other great food sources include broccoli and bell peppers.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is often called the "sunshine vitamin" because it is produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight. However, vitamin D can also be obtained from fatty fish like sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel, as well as egg yolks and mushrooms.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and maintaining strong bones. It can be found in leafy greens like spinach and kale, as well as hard and soft cheeses.

Calcium

Calcium is essential for maintaining bone growth and strength, regulating blood pressure, blood clotting, and nerve function. While dairy products are often associated with calcium, keto-friendly sources include sardines, salmon with bones, kale, and broccoli.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for maintaining heart rhythm, creating energy, and protecting your DNA. Good sources of magnesium include dark chocolate (70-95% cocoa), spinach, broccoli, and kale.

Iron

Iron is necessary for the proper functioning of every cell in your system. Good keto-approved sources of iron include beef, oysters, spinach, and broccoli.

Zinc

Zinc is found in almost all the cells in your body and plays a vital role in wound healing, protein synthesis, immune function, and glucose metabolism. Meat is a good source of zinc, but it can also be found in pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

To ensure you're getting enough vitamins and minerals on the keto diet, focus on including a variety of keto-friendly whole foods in your meals. If you're concerned about deficiencies, consider consulting a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian, who can help you determine if supplementation is necessary.

Don't ignore hidden sources of carbs

When you're on a keto diet, it's easy to focus on the obvious sources of carbs, like bread, pasta, and potatoes, and forget about the hidden sources. However, these hidden carbs can sneak into your diet and prevent you from reaching ketosis. Here are some tips to help you avoid hidden sources of carbs:

Read Labels Carefully

When you're grocery shopping, take the time to read the nutrition labels on packaged foods. The front label might say "Keto" or "low-carb", but this can be misleading. It's the nutrition label that really matters, as that's where you'll find the carb counts. Look for foods that have a low number of total carbs or net carbs (total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols).

Be Mindful of Condiments, Spices, and Sauces

Ketchup, garlic powder, salad dressings, and similar condiments and spices can contain significant amounts of sugar and carbs. For example, ketchup has about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, and garlic powder has 5 grams of net carbs per tablespoon. Use these sparingly, and opt for low-carb alternatives like oil and vinegar for your salads.

Watch Out for Nuts

Nuts are a popular keto-friendly snack, but they can be easy to overeat. Some nuts are higher in carbs than others. For example, pistachio nuts, cashews, and pecans are on the higher end, with 21-35 grams of net carbs per cup. Instead, opt for walnuts or macadamia nuts, which have less than 10 grams of net carbs per cup.

Be Aware of Shellfish

Shellfish, such as mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops, contain a fair amount of carbs due to their glycogen content. For example, one large oyster has about 6 grams of carbs. While shellfish are highly nutritious, be mindful of the carbs they contain and make sure to stay within your macros.

Track Your Meals

Use a food logger or macro tracker app to help you keep track of your meals and identify hidden sources of carbs. This can be a helpful tool to ensure you're not exceeding your carb limit and to make adjustments as needed.

Eat more vegetables

Eating more vegetables is a great way to fix a carbs mistake on a keto diet.

Vegetables are a large part of a keto diet, and healthful options include celery, tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. A person may wish to avoid starchy vegetables, as these contain more carbs.

• Asparagus
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Iceberg lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Cucumber
• Zucchini
• Brussels sprouts
• Kohlrabi
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Green pepper
• Olives
• Eggplant
• Red pepper
• Yellow pepper
• Cauliflower

These vegetables are rich in micronutrients and antioxidants, play a key role in supporting a thriving intestinal microbiome, and stimulate minimal insulin production.

When on a keto diet, it is recommended to limit your carb intake to no more than 50 grams each day. However, to maximize the chance of staying in ketosis, you can limit your carb intake to 30 grams per day.

• Fill your keto plate with low-carb veggies.
• Use a macro tracker to calibrate your keto meals to include enough vegetables.
• Opt for organic vegetables and low-carb fruits where possible.
• Choose grass-fed animal products, high-quality, healthy fats, nuts, and seeds.
• Make veggies more appetizing by seasoning them with butter, or sautéing/roasting them in lard, coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee.
• Dip your veggies in salad dressings or other dipping sauces, or simply add olive oil to your salad.

By eating more vegetables, you can fix a carbs mistake on a keto diet and get back on track to reaping the benefits of this way of eating.

Drink more water

Staying hydrated is crucial for any diet, but it is even more important for those on a keto diet. This is because keto diets tend to retain less water, and you will lose more fluids through urination compared to other diets. Therefore, drinking more water is one of the ways to fix a carbs mistake on a keto diet.

Why Keto Dieters are Prone to Dehydration

The keto diet helps dieters lose weight by removing sodium from their everyday eating habits. Salt helps the body retain its water intake, maintain electrolyte levels, and avoid mild dehydration. However, the keto diet encourages dieters to eat whole foods, which naturally have a lower sodium content than processed and packaged foods. This sodium and salt are vital for retaining water. Without these carbs, drinking water will not have the same effect, and the water will be expelled through sweating or urination.

Side Effects of Dehydration

If you do not drink enough water on keto, you may experience the following:

• Headaches: This is because your brain can temporarily contract away from your skull due to a lack of fluids.
• Drop in blood pressure: When you are dehydrated, your brain does not have the same access to blood levels as usual, which may cause you to experience dizzy spells or short periods of tunnel vision.
• Fainting: This is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. If your blood pressure drops too much or too quickly, your body's nervous system might not be able to cope, and you may faint.
• Lethargy: Not drinking enough water can cause tiredness and weakness as your body struggles to cope with dehydration.

There is no precise amount of water that you should drink while on keto as it depends on everyone's unique body type. However, a general formula is to choose anywhere between 50% to 100% of your body weight in pounds and drink that number of ounces of water daily. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink between 75 and 150 ounces of water per day.

Alternatively, health experts recommend drinking around 64 ounces of water daily if you are following the ketogenic diet, with men needing to drink about five glasses of water more than women per day.

Benefits of Staying Hydrated on Keto

Drinking more water while on the keto diet can help you lose weight more quickly. This is because breaking down fatty acids into ketones requires more water molecules than breaking down proteins and carbohydrates.

Drinking water can also reduce appetite and cravings. Firstly, mild dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger. Secondly, you will likely experience salt or sugar cravings on keto, and drinking water with some salt or a keto-friendly sweetener can help satisfy these cravings.

Lastly, staying hydrated lowers the stress on your kidneys. When your body's main source of energy changes from glucose to ketones, your kidneys need to adapt their filtering process as ketones are more acidic than glucose. Drinking more water will help reduce this stress.

Tips to Stay Hydrated During Keto

• Eat water-rich foods: Incorporate water-dense foods that adhere to a low-carb diet, such as dark green leafy vegetables, avocado, and bone broth.
• Drink a lot of electrolytes: Drinking water with added electrolytes will help your body respond better to increased water intake.
• Drink when you feel thirsty: Your body will do a good job of telling you when it is thirsty, so keep water handy and drink when you feel the need.

In summary, staying hydrated is crucial while on the keto diet. Drinking water will help break down fatty acids in your body and support your kidneys.

Prepare for the keto flu

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. These symptoms can include nausea, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and sugar cravings. The keto flu is caused by your body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

• Start keto slowly: Instead of making a sudden change, gradually reduce your sugar and carb intake over a few days. This will help your body adjust to the new diet.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water and consider adding a pinch of mineral salt to your water to help with cramps and nausea. You can also drink coconut water or bone broth to stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes.
• Increase electrolytes: Consume more salt and electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. Salt your food to taste or drink salted bone broth. Avocados and green leafy vegetables are also good sources of electrolytes.
• Get enough rest: The keto flu can cause fatigue, so make sure to get plenty of sleep and avoid strenuous exercise during the initial days of the keto diet. Light activities like walking or yoga may help improve symptoms.
• Eat enough fat: Fat is the primary fuel source on the keto diet, so make sure you're consuming enough. This will help reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied.
• Gradually cut carbs: If you're having a hard time adjusting, try reducing your carb intake gradually instead of all at once. Slowly cutting back on carbs while increasing fat and protein may make the transition smoother and reduce keto flu symptoms.
• Be mindful of your calorie intake: Ensure you're consuming enough calories to fuel your body. Don't go extremely low-carb and low-fat, as this can lead to hunger, irritability, and lethargy.

Frequently asked questions