Kick-Starting Keto: Understanding Daily Carb Intake

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. On a keto diet, you cut back significantly on carbohydrates, putting your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel. To stay in ketosis, a person should consume no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day, and ideally below 20 grams. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the amount of fibre and half the amount of sugar alcohol from the total number of carbs. The keto diet is generally safe, but it is always recommended to consult a doctor before making any significant changes to your diet.

How to calculate net carbs

To calculate net carbs, you need to look at the nutritional label of the food item. The two values you need to focus on are "Total Carbohydrate" and "Dietary Fiber".

To calculate the net carb content of the food item, you will need to subtract the number of grams of "Dietary Fiber" from the number of grams of "Total Carbohydrate".

Total Carbs – Fiber = Net Carbs

For example, if a food item has 37 grams of total carbs and 4 grams of dietary fiber, you would calculate the net carbs as follows:

37 grams of total carbs – 4 grams of dietary fiber = 33 grams of net carbs per serving

It is important to note that this calculation gives you the number of net carbs per serving. The serving size will also be listed on the nutritional label.

Additionally, if you live in Europe, Australia, or Oceania, the carb content listed on the nutritional label already reflects the net carbs per serving, so you don't need to subtract the fiber content.

When following a keto diet, it is important to track your net carb intake throughout the day. This can be done using a macro-tracking app or by calculating the net carbs for each food item you consume.

How to get into ketosis

To get into ketosis, you need to enter a metabolic state where your body uses fat for energy instead of glucose. This happens when you drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake, which forces your body to burn fat for fuel.

To get into ketosis, you should aim to eat fewer than 50 grams of net carbs per day. Net carbs are those that are absorbed into your body. You can calculate the net carbs in a food by subtracting the amount of dietary fibre and half the amount of sugar alcohols from the total number of carbohydrates.

To get into ketosis, you should also avoid eating too often. If you're not hungry, don't eat. Intermittent fasting can help you get into ketosis faster.

You can confirm that you're in ketosis by testing for ketones in your blood, breath or urine.

• Focus on eating unprocessed, whole foods.
• Choose healthy, fibre-rich carb sources, such as vegetables, even if your carb intake is very low.
• Eat plenty of protein. A good range to aim for is 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound (1.5–2.0 grams per kg) of body weight.
• Don't be afraid to eat fat. This is essential to compensate for the energy source you're removing from your diet by cutting out carbs.
• Make sure you're getting enough sodium. On a low-carb diet, your body sheds excess sodium, which can lead to side effects such as lightheadedness, fatigue and headaches.

How to avoid quitting too soon

A keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. It is a restrictive diet that requires careful planning and monitoring. Here are some tips to help you avoid quitting the keto diet too soon:

• Have a plan: It is important to have a plan for what you will eat and how you will incorporate carbs back into your diet. Seek guidance from a dietitian if needed.
• Get familiar with portion sizes: After restricting carbs, it is easy to overdo it when you start eating them again. Stick to recommended serving sizes when reintroducing carbs.
• Start with unprocessed carbs: When breaking up with keto, opt for plant-based carbs like whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables instead of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Go slow: Introduce carbs slowly and gradually to avoid gastrointestinal distress. Start with adding carbs to one meal per day and gradually increase from there.
• Be prepared for physical effects: Coming off the keto diet can cause blood sugar fluctuations, weight gain, bloating, and increased energy. These effects are usually temporary, but check with your doctor if you experience any concerns.
• Monitor your progress: Keep track of your weight and how you feel as you reintroduce carbs. This will help you make adjustments and ensure you are on the right track.
• Gradually increase carbs: Start by adding 10 grams of carbohydrates per day from healthy sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Increase this number gradually, depending on your goals.
• Find your desired carb range: The ideal number of carbs varies for each individual. Work with a registered dietitian to find a carb range that allows you to eat a variety of foods while maintaining your weight and feeling good.
• Increase protein intake: Consider adding more lean proteins to your diet, such as beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat. This will help boost your metabolism and keep you feeling full.

How to eat enough fat

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. It is especially useful for losing excess body fat without hunger and for improving type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. On a keto diet, you consume about 60-70% of your calories from fat, 25-30% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates.

• Eat eggs: They are the perfect keto food, with about 65% fat, 35% protein, minimal carbs, and a high nutrient density.
• Favour fatty cuts of meat: Opt for ribeye, chuck roast, lamb leg, chicken with the skin on, and other high-fat options.
• Cook vegetables in fat: Use coconut oil or butter to cook your veggies, and dress them with olive oil.
• Take MCT oil: This is a coconut-derived fat that goes straight to your liver for ketone production. Start with small amounts, as larger amounts can have a laxative effect.
• Make fat bombs: These are treats made with high-fat ingredients like coconut oil, butter, cream cheese, or nut butter.
• Add fat to hot drinks: Try adding a tablespoon of grass-fed butter, heavy cream, coconut cream, coconut oil, or MCT oil to your coffee or tea.
• Use avocado: Avocados are packed with healthy unsaturated fats and are incredibly versatile. Eat them plain, add them to salads or dips, or make guacamole.
• Stock up on nuts and seeds: Choose from macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.
• Choose high-fat proteins: Opt for pork, 80/20 ground beef, fish, chicken legs and thighs, duck, sausage, and other fatty options.
• Whip up heavy cream treats: Whip heavy cream with mascarpone cheese and a few drops of liquid stevia, and serve with fresh berries.
• Indulge in cream cheese treats: Whip cream cheese or mascarpone cheese with a few drops of liquid stevia, and blend in fresh or frozen berries or cocoa powder.
• Use grass-fed butter or ghee: Cook your eggs, veggies, or meat in grass-fed butter or ghee, or add it on top of grilled steak or fish.
• Make your own dressings and dips: Use mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream, or other high-fat ingredients to make creamy salad dressings or dips.
• Save your bacon grease: Cook your eggs or veggies in bacon grease to add extra fat and flavour.
• Cook with grease from high-fat meats: Use grease from chorizo, Italian sausage, or duck to add flavour and fat to your veggies.
• Try coconut butter: Eat a tablespoon of homemade toasted coconut butter as a quick and easy snack.
• Buy full-fat ingredients: Opt for full-fat versions of cream, cream cheese, butter, cheese, coconut milk, and other dairy products.
• Make your own "magic coconut fairy dust": Finely chop unsweetened coconut flakes, almonds or macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and lime zest in a food processor. Sprinkle this mixture on grilled or roasted meat or veggies.

How to avoid eating too much protein

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. While it's generally safe, it's important to be mindful of potential side effects and ensure you're getting the right balance of nutrients. Here are some tips to avoid eating too much protein while on a keto diet:

• Understand the role of protein: Protein is essential for healthy brain function, skin, bone and muscle health, building muscle mass, and recovering after workouts. It's a necessary component of any diet, including keto.
• Calculate your protein needs: The amount of protein you need depends on your activity level. If you're sedentary, aim for a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're an athlete or looking to build muscle, increase your protein intake to 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
• Don't fear gluconeogenesis: Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a natural and necessary process where your body creates glucose from non-carb sources, including protein. It's crucial for preventing hypoglycemia and fuelling tissues that can't use ketones, such as red blood cells and the kidney medulla. GNG doesn't interfere with ketosis and is, in fact, vital for making it possible.
• Focus on protein quality: Choose high-quality protein sources such as fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, organ meats, eggs, and grass-fed dairy. Vegetarian sources like macadamia nuts, almonds, and nut butter are also good options.
• Prioritise protein over carbohydrates: When planning your meals, start by selecting your protein source, then add low-carb vegetables and healthy fats. This ensures you're getting enough protein while staying within your carbohydrate limit.
• Monitor your progress: Instead of focusing solely on ketone levels, pay attention to your overall body composition, lean tissue growth, and energy levels. These are better indicators of the effectiveness of your keto diet.
• Adjust your protein intake if needed: If you hit a weight loss plateau, experience low energy, or notice hormonal imbalances, consider increasing your protein intake. Use a keto macro calculator to fine-tune your macronutrient ratios and make your keto diet more effective.

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