Keto Diet: A Guide To Getting Started And Staying Motivated

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been shown to be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. The diet involves reducing your carbohydrate intake, which puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. While the keto diet is generally safe, some people may experience side effects such as nausea, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and sugar cravings, commonly known as the keto flu. To avoid or alleviate these symptoms, it is recommended to increase water and salt intake, consume more fat, transition to the diet slowly, and take it easy with physical activity.

Reduce your carbohydrate intake

Reducing your carbohydrate intake is the most important factor in entering ketosis. The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

• Gradually reduce your carb intake: Start by cutting back on sugar and carbs for the first few days, and then gradually reduce them until you reach your desired amount. This will help your body adjust to the new diet and may prevent the "keto flu," a collection of symptoms that some people experience when they first start the keto diet.
• Choose the right foods: Focus on eating meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils like olive oil and avocado oil. These foods are high in healthy fats and low in carbs.
• Read food labels: Familiarize yourself with food labels and check the grams of carbohydrates, fats, and fiber to determine how different foods fit into your keto diet.
• Plan your meals: Planning your meals in advance can help you stick to your keto diet and ensure you're getting enough nutrients.
• Increase your physical activity: Being more physically active can help you get into and stay in ketosis. It may also be beneficial for athletic performance.
• Drink plenty of water: A keto diet can cause you to lose water stores, so it's important to stay hydrated. Aim to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid per day, including water, coffee, and tea.
• Replace electrolytes: A keto diet can lead to a loss of electrolytes, so it's important to replace them. Include salty foods, such as bone broth or salted butter, and potassium-rich foods like leafy greens and avocados.
• Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can negatively impact your mood and make keto-flu symptoms worse. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Avoid strenuous exercise: In the initial stages of the keto diet, avoid strenuous exercise as it may worsen keto-flu symptoms. Opt for light activities like walking or yoga instead.

Eat more fat

Eating more fat is a central principle of the keto diet. The keto diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, with fat supplying up to 90% of daily calories. The diet aims to force the body to use a different type of fuel, breaking down fat instead of sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates. This metabolic state is called ketosis.

• Fat-spike your hot drinks: Add a tablespoon of grass-fed butter, heavy cream, coconut cream, coconut oil, or MCT oil to your coffee or tea.
• Add fat to your smoothie: Try avocado, avocado oil, or unsweetened almond or macadamia nut butter in your smoothie.
• Fat-ify your veggies: Whether roasted, steamed, sauteed, or raw, vegetables can handle extra fat from sources like grass-fed butter and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Avocados, everywhere: Avocados are packed with healthy unsaturated fats and are incredibly versatile. Eat them plain, make guacamole, add them to salads, or mash them in the shell with cilantro, lime juice, and salt for a quick handheld snack.
• Stock up on nuts and seeds: Eat them as a snack or add them to a smoothie or salad. Try cashews, almonds, walnuts, macadamias, Brazil nuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.
• Put an egg on it: Enjoy eggs in all forms—hard-boiled, soft-boiled, over easy, poached, fried, coddled, or scrambled—or add them to salads and soups.
• Add a dollop of sour cream: Opt for full-fat sour cream—low-fat versions tend to have more sugar and sodium. Try adding some to roasted veggies, slip it into your smoothies, or stir it into soups.
• Choose full-fat cheese: Avoid low-fat and highly processed cheeses like American cheese. Go for Brie, Parmesan, feta, and Gruyère instead.
• Bring on the mayo: Make your own or buy a brand without hidden sugars and preservatives. Add it to salad dressings or use it as a dip for veggies.
• Try tahini: Made from sesame seeds, this Middle Eastern paste can be added to smoothies or salad dressings or used to make keto bombs.
• Make coconut fairy dust: Combine and finely chop unsweetened coconut flakes, almonds or macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and lime zest. Sprinkle on grilled or roasted meat or veggies.
• Make an olive sprinkle: Chop pitted olives, fresh herbs, lemon zest, olive oil, and a pinch of crushed red pepper in a small food processor. Refrigerate and sprinkle on meat or veggies.
• Choose fattier cuts of meat: Eat organic chicken thighs and legs with the skin on, well-marbled grass-fed beef, and 70/30 grass-fed ground beef.
• Eat fatty fish: Look for sustainable salmon, mackerel, and sardines, which are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• Eat fat bombs: Fat bombs are snacks that are high in fat and low in carbohydrates, such as the Black and White Keto Fat Bombs.

Drink more water

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. It is considered safe for most people, but it is associated with some unpleasant side effects. One of these is the "keto flu," a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they first start the keto diet. These symptoms, which can feel similar to the flu, are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

To combat the keto flu, it is important to drink plenty of water. A keto diet can cause a rapid loss of water stores, increasing the risk of dehydration. This is because glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrates, binds to water in the body, and when dietary carbohydrates are reduced, glycogen levels plummet and water is excreted. Staying hydrated can help with symptoms like fatigue and muscle cramping. It is recommended to drink a minimum of 2.5 liters of fluid every day during the first week of keto.

In addition to drinking enough water, it is also important to replace lost electrolytes. When following a ketogenic diet, levels of insulin decrease, which can lead to the kidneys releasing excess sodium from the body. The keto diet also restricts many foods that are high in potassium, such as fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables. Getting adequate amounts of these important nutrients can help power through the adaptation period of the diet. Salting food to taste and including potassium-rich, keto-friendly foods like leafy greens and avocados are excellent ways to maintain a healthy balance of electrolytes.

Drinking plenty of water and replacing lost electrolytes are crucial steps in combating the keto flu. By staying hydrated and maintaining adequate electrolyte levels, individuals can reduce symptoms such as fatigue, muscle cramping, and headaches. These simple measures can make a significant difference in easing the transition to a ketogenic diet.

Take electrolyte supplements

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they first start the keto diet. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary from person to person. They are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

The keto flu is not contagious or dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. Symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Sugar cravings

The keto flu is usually temporary and will last only a few days to a few weeks. However, for some people, it may last up to a month.

One of the main causes of the keto flu is the loss of salt and water. Therefore, increasing your intake of salt and water can help reduce symptoms significantly and even eliminate them altogether. Drinking a glass of water with half a teaspoon of salt stirred into it may alleviate your keto flu symptoms within 15 to 30 minutes. You can also drink bone broth or beef stock, which are high in sodium.

In addition to increasing your salt and water intake, there are a few other things you can do to help alleviate keto flu symptoms:

• Eat more fat: A well-balanced keto diet includes enough fat to ensure you're not hungry after a meal and have ample energy.
• Slower transition: If increasing your fat and fluid intake doesn't help, you can try slowing down the transition to a ketogenic diet by consuming more carbs (20-50 grams per day). This may slow down weight loss and health improvements, but it can still lead to better health.
• Take it easy with physical activity: Trying to do too much in the early stages of the keto diet can worsen keto flu symptoms. Light activities like walking or yoga may help improve symptoms.
• Don't restrict your food intake: It's important to eat enough food and fat to ensure you're not hungry and have enough energy.

By following these tips, you can help reduce the symptoms of the keto flu and make the transition to a ketogenic diet more comfortable.

Eat more salt

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be used to help reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures and aid weight loss. It involves cutting back on carbohydrates, which are easy to digest (such as sugar, soda, pastries, and white bread), and getting more calories from protein and fat.

When following a ketogenic diet, it is important to increase salt consumption. This is because, as the body transitions from burning carbohydrates to burning fat, it reduces the amount of sodium stored in the body, thus requiring more salt in the diet.

Preventing Keto Flu

The "keto flu" is a common side effect of the ketogenic diet, which can include symptoms such as lethargy, irritability, and constipation. It is caused by dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, which can be avoided by increasing salt intake, staying hydrated, and balancing electrolytes.

Avoiding Tummy Troubles

An electrolyte imbalance can lead to digestive issues as the body needs sodium for the muscles in the digestive tract to function properly. Increasing salt intake can help alleviate constipation and nausea, which are common side effects of the keto diet.

Reducing the Risk of Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps, especially at night, can be an indication of mild dehydration or low electrolyte levels. Increasing salt intake, staying hydrated, and consuming potassium-rich foods can help alleviate this issue.

It is important to note that pink Himalayan salt and sea salt are good choices for the keto diet as they are less processed and contain added minerals. Additionally, bone broth is a good way to increase sodium intake while on the keto diet.

Frequently asked questions