Keto Preparation: What You Need To Know And Do

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been around since the 1920s. It was originally used to help with conditions like epilepsy and diabetes, but today it is often 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.

Before starting the keto diet, it's important to do your research and consult a healthcare professional. You may need to make some changes to your pantry and meal plans, and it's crucial to be aware of the potential side effects and challenges.

Understand the basics of keto

Understanding the basics of keto is essential before starting the diet. Here are some key points to help you get started:

The keto diet, short for the ketogenic diet, is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, typically achieving a ratio of 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs. This diet has been around since the 1920s and was initially used to help manage conditions like epilepsy and diabetes. Today, it is popular for weight loss.

The keto diet works by putting your body into a metabolic state called "ketosis." This state is achieved when you eat too few carbs to support your body's energy needs, causing your body to burn stored body fat for fuel instead. During ketosis, your body produces ketones, substances made in your liver, and uses fat for energy rather than carbohydrates.

Types of Keto Diet

There are several types of keto diets, each with slight variations in the proportion of fat, protein, and carbs:

• Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is the most common and well-researched type, with a ratio of 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbs.
• Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): This involves periods of higher-carb "refeeds," such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
• Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): This diet allows for more carbs around intense workouts.
• High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD): Similar to SKD but with more protein, typically 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

Benefits of the Keto Diet

The keto diet has been found to be effective for weight loss, especially within the first 3 to 6 months. It has also been used to manage various health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cognitive and memory improvement, cancer, and psychiatric disorders. One study showed that the keto diet reversed diabetes in about 60% of participants and reduced the need for prescription insulin drugs.

Starting the Keto Diet

Before starting the keto diet, it is important to consult with your doctor or a nutritionist, especially if you have dietary restrictions or health conditions. You may need to make changes to your pantry, adding high-fat food sources and removing high-carb options. It is crucial to understand what foods you can and cannot eat on the keto diet.

Keto-Friendly Foods

Keto-friendly foods include full-fat dairy products and non-starchy, fibrous vegetables. For the 20 to 50 grams of carbs allowed per day, choose non-starchy veggies like kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, and peppers.

Foods to Avoid

Foods to avoid or limit on the keto diet include starchy and high-carb options such as starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes), fruits high in sugar, beer, and sugary foods like cake, ice cream, and candy.

Keto Snacks

Keto-friendly snacks are a balance of healthy fats and moderate protein with low-carb content. Examples include jicama (a low-carb root vegetable), hard-boiled eggs, keto-friendly snack bars, and full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder.

Risks and Side Effects

While the keto diet has helped many people lose weight and manage health conditions, it may not be suitable for everyone. It can be harmful if done incorrectly or without proper supervision. Side effects may include "keto flu," which includes symptoms like stomach aches, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, and poor focus. The keto diet may also affect gut health and cholesterol levels, so regular check-ins with your doctor are important.

Supplements and Tips

Although not required, certain supplements can be beneficial on the keto diet, such as MCT oil, minerals, caffeine, exogenous ketones, and creatine. Additionally, staying hydrated, managing stress, and getting enough sleep can help support your keto journey.

Know what foods to eat and avoid

Knowing what foods to eat and what to avoid is crucial when starting a keto diet. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, so you'll need to cut back on carbohydrates and increase your fat intake. Here are some detailed guidelines on what to eat and what to avoid:

Foods 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.
• Dairy: Butter, cream, and full-fat dairy products like cheese, cream cheese, and Greek yogurt.
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.
• Healthy oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.
• Avocados: Whole avocados or freshly made guacamole.
• Low-carb vegetables: Green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, and leafy greens.

Foods to Avoid:

• Sugary foods: Soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, and candy.
• Grains and starches: Wheat-based products, rice, pasta, and cereal.
• Fruit: All fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries.
• Beans and legumes: Peas, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
• Root vegetables and tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips.
• Low-fat or diet products: Low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, and condiments.
• Unhealthy fats: Processed vegetable oils and mayonnaise.
• Alcohol: Beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks.
• Sugar-free diet foods: Sugar-free candies, syrups, puddings, sweeteners, and desserts.

Remember that the key to the keto diet is drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with healthy fats. Make sure to read food labels and plan your meals ahead of time to ensure you're making the right food choices.

Be aware of potential side effects

The keto diet can cause a range of side effects, and it is important to be aware of these before starting the diet.

One of the most well-known side effects of the keto diet is the "keto flu". This is a result of your body adjusting to burning fat for energy, and can leave you feeling extremely lethargic, with mental fog, and even cause tummy troubles such as constipation or diarrhoea. This usually passes within the first week or so, but it is recommended that you pick a quiet week to start the diet, so you can rest as needed.

The keto diet can also cause an increase in LDL cholesterol, and an elevation in LDL-cholesterol with a carbohydrate-restricted diet. This may increase the risk of heart disease.

The keto diet can also affect your gut health, as it often involves cutting out nutrient-dense and fibre-rich foods like legumes, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits.

Other potential side effects include:

• Poor energy and mental function
• Digestive discomfort
• Decreased exercise performance
• Low bone density and bone fractures
• Slower growth than typical

Plan meals and snacks

Planning meals and snacks is a crucial part of the keto diet, as it is a very specific and restrictive diet. Here are some tips to help you prepare:

Know your food groups

Firstly, it is important to know which food groups you will be eating and avoiding. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet, so you will be eating lots of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, oils, avocados, and low-carb vegetables. You will be avoiding sugary foods, grains, starches, legumes, root vegetables, low-fat products, alcohol, and diet foods.

Plan your meals

Once you know which foods you will be eating, you can start planning your meals. A typical meal could consist of meat, fish, or eggs, with cheese, healthy oils, and low-carb vegetables. For example, you could have chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, and olives, or salmon with asparagus cooked in butter.

Prepare snacks

It is also important to prepare snacks to help you manage your hunger between meals. Keto-friendly snacks include nuts, hard-boiled eggs, keto-friendly snack bars, Greek yoghurt with nut butter and cocoa powder, bell peppers with guacamole, strawberries with cottage cheese, and celery with salsa and guacamole.

Find keto-friendly alternatives

You can also find keto-friendly alternatives to your favourite meals. For example, you could use zucchini noodles instead of regular noodles in pasta dishes.

Consult keto-friendly resources

There are many keto-friendly resources available online, including websites, food blogs, apps, and cookbooks, which offer recipes and meal ideas. You can also find keto-friendly meal delivery services and frozen meals for when you are short on time.

Consult a healthcare professional

Consulting a healthcare professional is an important step before starting the keto diet. This is especially true if you have other dietary restrictions, such as being a vegan, vegetarian, or having certain food allergies. Experts can help you find alternatives or substitutes and come up with a meal plan that best suits your needs.

• Will the keto diet help manage certain health conditions?
• Do I need to lose weight?
• What are some of the side effects?
• Should I take or continue vitamins or supplements during the diet?
• How long should I stay on the keto diet?
• Should I exercise? If so, how much?

It is also important to get your cholesterol checked regularly, as the keto diet may decrease cholesterol for some people but increase it for others. The keto diet may also affect your gut health, so it is important to discuss this potential side effect with your healthcare provider.

Additionally, the keto diet can be restrictive and may require close medical supervision, especially if you take medication for diabetes or high blood pressure. It is crucial to speak with your doctor about adjusting your medications before starting the keto diet.

Breastfeeding women and people with rare metabolic conditions are advised to avoid the keto diet. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional to determine if the keto diet is safe and suitable for your individual needs and health status.

Frequently asked questions