Kick-Starting Your Keto Journey: A Beginner's Guide

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. It involves reducing your carbohydrate intake to a minimum and replacing it with healthy fats, which can help your body burn fat for energy.

The first step to starting a keto diet is to understand what it is and why it works. The keto diet is a metabolic state in which your body uses fat and ketones as its main fuel source instead of glucose. This shift can be challenging as it requires a massive change in your physiology and lifestyle.

The next step is to know what to eat and what to avoid. You'll be severely limiting carbs, so it's important to eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus to ensure you get all your necessary vitamins and minerals. You can also increase your intake of healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, cheese, nuts, and fish.

Finally, prepare for the keto flu, a term for the flu-like symptoms that may occur as your body adjusts to burning fat for energy. These symptoms can include fatigue, mental fogginess, constipation, or diarrhea. To mitigate these side effects, increase your intake of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and consider adding more fat to your diet.

Remember to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet, especially if you have existing medical conditions or take medications.

Eat more veggies and less carbs

A keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for 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 burns fat for energy instead of carbs.

• Choose low-carb veggies: Opt for above-ground vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and eggplant, which are lower in carbs.
• Increase your veggie intake: Make sure you're eating plenty of foundation vegetables to get all your necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Aim for a variety of nutrient-dense, non-starchy veggies.
• Swap in low-carb ingredients: Use low-carb alternatives like zucchini noodles instead of regular pasta. This helps you stick to your carb limit while still enjoying your favorite meals.
• Prioritize sleep and stress management: High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can interfere with achieving ketosis. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and practice relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.
• Choose healthy fats: When increasing your fat intake, focus on healthy fats from high-quality plant and animal sources. Include foods like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, cheese, eggs, nuts, and fish in your diet.
• Stay hydrated: Keto diets have a diuretic effect, so it's important to drink enough water and stay hydrated. Aim for a minimum of 6-8 glasses of water per day, and more if you're active or in hot weather.

Increase healthy fats

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for 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.

• Add Healthy Fats to Your Coffee or Tea: Adding a tablespoon of grass-fed butter, coconut oil, MCT oil, or heavy cream to your morning beverage is a great way to boost your fat intake.
• Choose High-Fat Proteins: Opt for proteins with a higher fat content, such as pork, 80/20 ground beef, chicken legs and thighs, duck, or turkey legs and thighs.
• Eat Whole, Full-Fat Ingredients: Say goodbye to low-fat and fat-free products. Embrace full-fat dairy, fatty cuts of meat, salmon, sardines, and whole eggs.
• Use Different Fats for Different Flavours: Fats can change the flavour of a dish. For example, try cooking your vegetables in peanut oil and drizzling them with sesame oil for an Asian-inspired dish.
• Garnish with High-Fat Foods: Top your meals with cheese, avocados, cured meats, or chopped macadamia nuts to add flavour and increase your fat intake.
• Make Fat Bombs: Fat bombs are a keto-friendly treat that can help you increase your healthy fat intake. Try making your own with ingredients like coconut butter, cacao butter, and MCT oil.
• Indulge in Mascarpone/Cream Cheese Sweet Treats: Whip up some cream cheese or mascarpone cheese with a few drops of liquid stevia. Blend in fresh or frozen berries or unsweetened cocoa powder for a mousse-like dessert.
• Snack on High-Fat Nuts and Seeds: Include pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds in your diet. These healthy fats can be added to salads or blended into shakes.
• Use Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee: Cook your eggs, vegetables, or meat in grass-fed butter or ghee. You can also add fresh herbs to your butter for extra flavour.
• Drink Bulletproof Coffee: If you're a coffee drinker, try adding healthy fats like butter, coconut oil, or MCT oil to your cup of joe.
• Drizzle Some Olive Oil: Get a good-quality olive oil and drizzle it over cooked vegetables, meats, avocado, and more to boost both flavour and fat content.
• Make Your Own Dressings and Dips: Create your own creamy salad dressings and dips using mayonnaise, sour cream, or heavy cream. Adding a couple of tablespoons to your salad is an easy way to increase your fat intake.

Maintain protein intake

Maintaining your protein intake is an important part of the keto diet. While the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet, it is also a moderate-protein diet. This is because protein can be converted into glucose, and therefore, overeating protein can take your body out of ketosis.

When following a keto diet, it is recommended that protein makes up 20-35% of your diet. This equates to around 70-110g of protein per day, depending on your body weight and activity levels. It is important to note that this is just a general guideline, and the optimal protein intake can vary depending on various factors, such as your activity levels, age, muscle mass, and health goals.

• Choose high-quality protein sources: Select protein sources that are rich in essential amino acids and nutrients. Examples include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and seeds.
• Include a variety of protein sources: Vary your protein sources to ensure you get a range of nutrients. For example, include both animal-based and plant-based proteins in your diet.
• Monitor your protein intake: Keep track of your protein consumption to ensure you are meeting your daily requirements. You can use a food journal or a calorie-tracking app to help you with this.
• Don't overdo it: While it's important to get enough protein, overeating protein can interfere with ketosis. Avoid consuming excessive amounts of protein, especially if you are not very active.
• Combine with healthy fats: When preparing your meals, combine your protein sources with healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocado oil, or nuts. This will help you stay full and satisfied while also boosting your fat intake, which is crucial on the keto diet.
• Be mindful of processed meats: While the keto diet includes meat, be cautious of consuming too many processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats, as they tend to be high in sodium and preservatives. Opt for fresh, whole food sources of protein whenever possible.

Prepare for the keto flu

The keto flu is a set of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. It is essentially your body's response to entering ketosis and can often mimic symptoms of the flu. The keto flu can last a week or less for the average person, but in extreme cases, it can last up to a month. Here are some ways to prepare for and manage the keto flu:

• Ease into the keto diet: Start with a typical low-carb diet and give your body time to adjust. Try that for a week, and then go into the full keto diet.
• Stay hydrated: Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated helps with headaches and boosts your energy levels. Set a reminder on your phone, or always keep a full glass of water within reach.
• Take an electrolyte supplement: Add plenty of electrolytes like salts, potassium, and magnesium to your diet. Drinking sports drinks or taking supplements can help.
• Increase healthy fats: Choose healthy fats from high-quality plant and animal sources, such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, cheese, eggs, nuts, and fish.
• Get plenty of rest: Try taking an Epsom salt bath to soothe and relax your muscles and improve electrolyte absorption. You can also add a keto-friendly herbal tea with herbs that calm your nervous system to promote a deeper sleep.
• Try light exercise: Light exercise will help relieve muscle pain and tension. Try a restorative yoga class to help loosen muscles and release endorphins to boost your mood and motivation.

Know what foods to eat and avoid

Knowing what foods to eat and what to avoid is crucial for achieving ketosis and reaping the benefits of the keto diet. Here are some detailed guidelines on what to include and exclude from your meals:

Foods to Eat

Meat: Fill your diet with meat, including red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey. These protein-rich foods form the foundation of a keto diet.

Fatty Fish: Include fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel in your meals. These are excellent sources of healthy fats and protein.

Eggs: Pastured or omega-3 whole eggs are a great addition to your keto meals. Enjoy them in a variety of ways, scrambled, boiled, or as omelets.

Butter and Cream: Grass-fed butter and heavy cream are welcome on the keto diet. Use them generously to add flavour and healthy fats to your dishes.

Cheese: Opt for unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella. Cheese is a tasty way to boost your fat and protein intake.

Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and other nuts and seeds are excellent keto-friendly snacks. They provide healthy fats and important nutrients.

Healthy Oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil are your best choices for cooking and salad dressings. These oils are rich in monounsaturated fats and offer numerous health benefits.

Avocados: Avocados and freshly made guacamole are delicious and nutritious keto-friendly foods. They are high in healthy fats and essential nutrients like potassium and fibre.

Low-Carb Vegetables: Green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and other low-carb veggies should be a regular part of your diet. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre.

Condiments: Season your meals with salt, pepper, herbs, and spices. These add flavour without adding carbs or sugar.

Foods to Avoid

Sugary Foods: Stay away from sugar and sugary treats like soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, and other sweets. These are high in carbs and can quickly kick you out of ketosis.

Grains and Starches: Avoid wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, bread, tortillas, muffins, bagels, and similar starchy foods. These are rich in carbohydrates and can hinder your progress.

Fruit: Most fruits are high in natural sugars and carbohydrates. Limit your fruit intake to small portions of low-glycemic berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Beans and Legumes: Beans, peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes are off the menu. They are high in both protein and carbohydrates.

Root Vegetables and Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and other root veggies are starchy and should be avoided.

Low-Fat or Diet Products: Avoid low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, and condiments. These often contain added sugars and are not keto-friendly.

Certain Condiments and Sauces: Barbecue sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, and similar condiments are usually loaded with sugar. Opt for mustard, ranch dressing, hot sauce, or butter instead.

Unhealthy Fats: Stay away from processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, and other unhealthy fats. Choose natural, high-quality fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.

Alcohol: Beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks can hinder your progress. Alcoholic beverages are often high in carbs and can disrupt ketosis.

Sugar-Free Diet Foods: Even though they are labelled "sugar-free," candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, and desserts can still contain carbs and artificial sweeteners. It's best to avoid these highly processed foods.

Frequently asked questions