The keto diet is well known as a low carb diet where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy.But switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet at the same time on your own can be challenging.
No doubt about it - this is a limited eating plan.In addition to eliminating all refined carbohydrates, you should avoid starchy vegetables, grains, sauces, juices, and limit your fruit intake.
Before you begin, determine your fitness goal
Before you commit to any diet, your "why" or main goal should always be.This will determine your nutritional needs and give you further guidance.There are four main reasons a person might consider changing their diet, not all of which are keto-friendly:
Weight loss
Losing weight or fat is the most common reason people decide to try keto.If this is your goal, your main idea is to maintain a calorie deficit.Progress itself can be measured by seeing a number on a reduction scale or by changing your body composition, which can be assessed using any body fat analysis tool.
Increase in muscle mass
Gaining muscle mass is basically gaining weight, and it is not always suitable for everyone.Additionally, the ketogenic diet may not be the best diet for building muscle mass, given the beneficial role of carbohydrates in muscle training and recovery.But that doesn't stop everyone, and some people are seeing results.To build muscle, you will need to focus on extra calories, training, and macronutrient balance.And to accurately measure your progress, you need a body composition test.
Improved performance
Fat can be an abundant and valuable source of energy used by many athletes.This is why the keto diet is ideal for increasing performance in endurance athletes and those who do not require frequent high-intensity training.The timing of nutrient intake and adequate nutrition is the main focus of this goal, and performance progress can be measured by assessing metabolic efficiency.
Improved health
Improved health is not always the primary goal of those following the keto diet, unless weight loss results in improved health.This is because the keto diet is quite restrictive and it can be challenging to get enough vitamins and minerals (micronutrients).
If you want to improve your keto diet, the first thing you need 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:
- Increase physical activity.
- Significant reduction in carbohydrate intake.
- Checking your ketone levels
- Eat protein.
How to switch to the keto diet on your own
Once you have determined your main 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 will ask 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 very low carbohydrate intake.
For most people the requirements look like this:
- 70% calories from fat
- 25% calories from protein
- 5% calories from carbohydrates
However, the right macronutrient ratio could be ideal for you depending on your individual fitness level, metabolic efficiency, and other factors.Now you are ready to start planning the keto menu of your dreams.But before you start eating bacon and cheese, there are some things to consider.The nutrition and quality of the foods you eat are still important to your overall health and well-being.Additionally, choosing more nutritious foods can help with energy levels and mood, encouraging you to stick with the ketogenic diet longer.Some of the foods should contain healthy carbohydrate substitutes.Products that are great for this include: cauliflower, rice, portobello mushroom buns, spaghetti squash.
How to go on a keto diet properly
Planning your keto menu is only half the battle;your progress is the result of consistency.This means that you have to stick to your diet plan for more than a few weeks.But after a diet it is based not only on willpower, but also on the development of healthy habits and daily routines that will allow you to achieve success.Also you don't need to be perfect on the keto diet for it to be effective.It's possible to get off track and still see progress, as long as you stick to your calorie goals and keep working towards them.To follow the keto diet, use the following strategies:
- Read labels carefully.
Anything that comes in a package, including any high-calorie drinks and common medications like cough medicine, can be filled with hidden carbohydrates.Make sure the label does not contain ingredients such as maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar, cane syrup, or starch.Because these substances can increase blood sugar levels and impair ketone production.
- Use sweeteners and flour substitutes.
It is difficult to completely eliminate sugar and flour from your diet, but it is possible if you know what to replace them with.Whatever dietary approach you choose, make sure it allows you to maintain your health, fitness and positive results.