Most people have experienced ketosis at some point or another. If you’ve ever skipped out on a meal or even two, you didn’t eat many carbs in a day, or you kept your workout going over an hour, you’ve initiated ketosis.
Your body prefers to use sugar as its main source of fuel, which it gets when you get plenty of carbs. By going on the keto diet, you trick your body into increasing the ketone levels from the lack of carbs. Then your body burns the fat as fuel. Isn’t science great?
Ketosis is great for the body and it’s little wonder why the keto diet is so extensively popular in recent times. It’s an effective short-term solution to getting in shape. By going into ketosis, you stimulate mitochondrial production in your brain cells, regenerate your nervous system, get more antioxidant-like effects from the ketones, and boost your brain function. You’ll also lose weight.
We suggest if you want to go on the keto diet that you make sure it’s right for you. It can be very restrictive, but we have some tips that will help you get started successfully.
1. Take it slow
The keto diet seems complicated at first as you try to figure out the correct macro-nutrient ratios from the start. Instead on your first 3 days, try just changing your breakfast to bacon and eggs, and then eat as your normally would for lunch and dinner. Spending time establishing your new keto breakfast ways, you can reduce carbs and increase your fats in your lunches for the next 3 to 7 days. Then move on to your evening meals and do the same process. It may take up to 4 weeks, but you’ll have much more success if you take the time to get it right.
2. Plan every meal
Once you’re fully aboard the keto ship and you’ve done away with high-carb foods and bad fats, you should plan your meals every day starting a week in advance. Nothing is worse that not having what you need to cook your food and if you become hungry, you may fall off the plan. It’s good to keep keto-friendly foods ready to grab like hard-boiled eggs or some nuts so you can keep from feeling famished. You’ll feel hungry at first while your body transitions so with a little planning, you can keep from falling off the wagon.
3. Begin tracking
Once you’ve gotten the of a hang of it, it’s time to track your macro-nutrients. You’ll need to determine the carbs, proteins, and fats in your foods as a percentage of calories. Basically, your goal is 20 to 50 grams of net carbs per day and macros of 75 to 85% fat, 10 to 20% protein, and 5% carbs. Don’t forget that when reading packages, you need to subtract fiber from the carbs to get the net carbs. When you get more into keto, you won’t need to keep track so much. You’ll know exactly what to eat.
4. Put a little salt in your water
One thing that puts a lot of people off to keto is the warning that it may bring on flu-like symptoms in the first week. That’s because you are releasing excess water, sodium, and toxins. You can combat this and stay hydrated by drinking more water overall, and adding sea salt to your water. Just about half a teaspoon should do it. You can also add extra sea salt to your foods or even choose a cup of bone broth instead.
5. Make meals simple
When you find a keto-friendly meal you like, make it again each day or week. Then it takes the guesswork out of eating right. If you’re not happy with eating the same meals each day, another option is to make a large portion of your favorite keto-friendly meals and portion them out. Freeze them and when you have a crazy day, you can come home, heat it up, and eat right without thinking about it.
Foods to Eat on Keto
So what can you eat when you go on the keto diet? Lots of things as it turns out. Here’s a quick list of just some of the things that are keto-approved:
- Unprocessed meats
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Cauliflower
- Fresh or frozen veggies that grow above ground
- High-fat dairy like butter, cheese, yogurt, and heavy cream
- Nuts
- Berries
- Water
- Coffee (without sugar)
- Tea
- Bone broth
Foods You Must Avoid
While you do get to eat many foods on keto, even fats, there are foods you can’t ever have while on the keto diet. Here are the ones you must avoid:
- Sugar (check the labels for hidden sugars in sauces and condiments too).
- Soft drinks
- Fruit juice (even sports drinks and vitamin water)
- Candy, cookies, cakes, candy bars, donuts, ice cream, and other sweets
- Breakfast cereals
- Bread, pasta, and rice
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes (and any form of them like fries)
- Whole grains and legumes
- Beer
- Fruit
- Margarine
- Milk
Want to Lose Weight?
The keto diet might be right for you! Before you begin, talk to your doctor to make sure this diet is right for your health plans. You may also find that Snap Supplements has plenty to ensure you’re staying healthy on your goals to a better, fitter, and healthier you!
