Just How Do You Start the Keto Diet?

Are you looking to lose weight and start the Keto diet but don't know where to begin? You're not alone! Many people want to try the Keto diet but don't understand how it works. Don't worry - we've got you covered! Here's a simple guide to get you started on your Keto journey: 

The basics of the Keto diet is: 

The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It involves reducing your carb intake and replacing it with healthy fats. This helps your body enter a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbs.  

Most people, when hearing this, become concerned about eating fats and damaging their hearts.  While you should never start any diet program without talking with your physician, the clue in the above statement is trading carbs for healthy fats.  There are good fats and there are really bad fats and this diet focuses on eating only the good fats and avoiding the bad ones.

The next thing people worry about is the term "ketosis"; thinking that is associated with diabetes and being afraid of it.  The term simply means that your body is burning fat for energy instead of glucose. That is a good thing since too much glucose in your bloodstream is what causes diabetes. This can help you lose weight and improve your overall health.

The next thing you need to know how to do to get started is to calculate your macronutrient needs. Macronutrients are proteins, carbs, and fats, and the right balance of these will help you reach your keto goals. 

Macronutrients are the main sources of energy for the body, consisting of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

When determining macronutrient needs on Keto, the general guideline is to consume 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. This ratio of macronutrients will help the body transition into a state of ketosis, which is the goal of the Keto diet.

Once you know the general ratio of macronutrients you should be consuming, the next step is to calculate the exact amounts of each macronutrient you need to reach your goals. To do this, you will need to know your:

 Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is the amount of energy your body needs to sustain its current weight.

 Activity Level: This is the amount of physical activity you engage in on a daily basis.

  Once you know this, you need to use this information to find your own personal macros that will keep your body well fed while helping you lose weight.  It sound complicated, and it does take a bit of work, but here is a link to a free macronutrient calculator for the keto diet that should help you out.

 The next step then, is to do your meal planning because cooking for Keto requires just a bit of thought and planning.  Since you won't just be eating things precooked or prepared at a fast food place, you need to have keto appropriate items available at home for you and your family when you run short on time.  Since most keto meals are fully home-prepared, you should set aside time each week for meal planning, cooking, and freezing or storing these items.  Doing this will make your life easier and you will stay on the food plan. 

Meal planning for the keto diet involves selecting meals that are high in healthy fats, low in carbohydrates, and moderate in proteins. Foods that are typically included in a keto meal plan include lean proteins such as fish, poultry, and eggs; healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and seeds; and low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, and cauliflower. Whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits should be limited or avoided due to their higher carb content. Additionally, it is important to monitor your macronutrient intake, as the keto diet is a very specific ratio of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

In order to make sure that you are getting enough healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, you may want to create a meal plan that outlines the types and amounts of foods that you will be eating each day. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you are meeting your macronutrient goals. Additionally, it can be helpful to create a grocery list for the week so that you can easily purchase the foods needed for your meal plan.

Finally, it is important to remember that the keto diet is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach more tailored to individual needs. Therefore, it is important to consult with a qualified healthcare professional to determine what works best for your individual health and lifestyle.

So now you understand how to start the keto diet, but what do you eat?  There are a myriad of keto cookbooks available, but you can find just about any kind of recipe you want to make for free on the internet.  The only thing to remember is that everyone has differing tastes, so a recipe you find on Pinterest may need to be tweaked to meet your own needs.  It may be helpful to keep your recipes in a book and make notes on each one after you make it so you know if everyone liked it, if it tasted good, if you had to make any changes to the recipe and such.  That will make your life so much easier because we all cook pretty much the same things over and over again.

Now, if you still need help or still have questions, you may be interested in checking out this link.  It will take you to the Keto Resource Guide which might be exactly what you need to get started on your way!