The keto diet is well known as a low-carb diet in which the body produces ketones in the liver to use for energy.But switching to a high-carb, high-fat diet on your own can be difficult.
No doubt about it - this is a limited meal plan.In addition to eliminating all refined carbohydrates, you should avoid starchy vegetables, grains, sauces, juices, and limit fruit intake.
Before you start, define your fitness goal
Before starting any diet, the first thing to do should always be your "why" or main goal.This will determine your dietary needs and guide you further.There are four main reasons someone might consider changing their diet, and not all of them are keto-friendly:
weight loss
Losing weight or fat is the most common reason people decide to try keto.If this is your goal, maintaining a calorie deficit is your main idea.Progress itself can be measured by number reduction or changes in your body composition, which can be measured using any body fat analysis tool.
Increased muscle mass
Gaining muscle mass essentially means gaining weight, and it's not always ideal for everyone.Moreover, the ketogenic diet may not be the best diet for building muscle mass, given the beneficial role of carbohydrates in exercise and muscle recovery.But that doesn't stop everyone, and some people see results.To build muscle, you'll need to focus on extra calories, exercise, and macronutrient balance.And to accurately measure your progress, a body composition test is needed.
Improved performance
Fat can be an abundant and valuable source of energy that many athletes use.This is why the keto diet is suitable for endurance athletes and those who do not require frequent high-intensity exercise.Nutrient intake timing and adequate nutrition are the main focus of this goal, and performance progress can be measured by assessing metabolic efficiency.
Improved health
Improving health is not always the main goal of keto dieters, unless health is improved as a result of weight loss.This is because the keto diet is quite restrictive and getting large amounts of vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) can be difficult.
If you want to improve your keto diet, the first thing to think about is your food choices.Progress towards this goal can be measured through biometric testing.However, new research continues to explore the potential benefits of low-carb and keto diets for people with diabetes.
How to get into ketosis
Ways to get into ketosis:
- increasing physical activity.
- A significant reduction in carbohydrate intake.
- Checking your ketone levels
- eating protein
How to switch to a keto diet on your own
Once you've determined your primary health and fitness goal, the next step is to calculate the number of calories you need to eat per day to lose, gain, or maintain weight.The easiest way to do this is to use an online calorie calculator or download a fitness app that asks for your age, height, weight, gender and fitness level to estimate your daily needs.While calorie control has the biggest impact on your weight, understanding keto macros is still fundamental to continued success.Meeting your daily carb goal is critical, especially if you're trying to achieve ketosis.The keto diet is designed with strict macronutrient requirements, including high fat intake and extremely low carbohydrate intake.
For most people, the requirements look like this:
- 70% of calories from fat
- 25% of calories from protein
- 5% of calories from carbohydrates
However, the ideal macronutrient ratio for you may depend on your individual fitness level, metabolic efficiency, and other factors.Now you're ready to start planning your dream keto menu.But before you start eating bacon and cheese, there are a few things to consider.Nutrition and the quality of the food you eat are important to your health and well-being.Plus, choosing more nutritious foods can help improve your energy levels and mood, which in turn will motivate you to stay on the ketogenic diet for longer.Some foods should include healthy carbohydrate substitutes.Great foods for this are: Cauliflower, Rice, Portobello Mushroom Buns, Spaghetti Squash.
How to follow the keto diet correctly
Planning your keto menu is only half the battle;Your progress is a result of consistency.This means that you have to stick to your diet for more than a few weeks.But dieting is not just about willpower, it's about developing healthy habits and daily routines that will allow you to succeed.You also don't have to be perfect on the keto diet for it to be effective.It is possible to get off track and see progress if you stay consistent with your calorie goals and keep working towards them.Use the following strategies to follow the keto diet:
- Read labels carefully.
Everything in the package, including any high-calorie drinks and common medicines like cough medicine, can be loaded with hidden carbohydrates.Make sure the label does not list ingredients such as maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar, cane syrup or starch.Because these substances can increase blood sugar levels and inhibit the production of ketones.
- Use sweeteners and flour substitutes.
Sugar and flour are difficult to completely eliminate from the diet, but it is possible if you know what to replace them with.No matter what dietary approach you choose, make sure it allows you to maintain your health, wellness, and positive results.