7 Tips And Tricks To Kickstart Your New Keto Diet
There are no two ways about it - if you’re a beginner to more restrictive dieting, getting started with Keto can be hard. But if you stick with it, the benefits of Keto make it totally worth it.
People are taking up Keto all over the world, not just for weight loss, but for a host of other health-related benefits. Ketogenic diets can:
- Improve heart health
- Boost energy levels
- Regulate your appetite
- Reduce the risk of long term health conditions
- Improve brain function
- Boost your immune system
The basic components of a Keto diet are low-carb and high fat intake. When it comes to your macronutrient intake, the general rule of thumb is 5% carb intake, 25% protein intake, and the highest focus on your fat intake at 70%. This low carb, high fat combination is the cornerstone of an effective Keto diet. It’s about changing the way your body burns food to produce energy. To learn more about other things to expect as a novice, check out this infographic about how to get started with the Keto Diet by Total Shape.
If you’re a beginner to ketogenic nutrition plans and want to know how to get started, here are seven tips and tricks to kickstart your new Keto diet:
Drink plenty of water
When following a Keto diet, your carbohydrate intake will be massively reduced. Carbs are part of the reason your body holds onto water and sodium, and those are the two things that keep you hydrated. So when you quickly reduce your carb intake, it’s common to experience dehydration at the start of your Keto diet.
Lots of people give up when they start to experience Keto side effects without realizing that these effects are easy to alleviate. So drink plenty of water, salt your food, and you’ll quickly be on the road to success with your new Keto regime.
Eat the Right “Keto” Foods
The goal of Keto is to shift your body into a state known as “ketosis.” Usually, your body burns sugars produced from carb intake for energy. On the Keto diet, the goal is to make your body burn fat reserves for energy instead by lowering carb intake. Protein intake remains moderate, but fat intake is high.
However, this is not an excuse to live off bacon, steaks, and other high-fat foods. When people begin Keto and their weight loss stalls fairly soon after, this is usually the reason.
The best way to take in the “right” types of fats is to eat fat that naturally occurs in foods to avoid trans fats such as hydrogenated oil. Instead, source your fat from foods such as:
- Avocados
- Coconut oils
- Natural yogurt (full fat)
- Olive oil
- Salmon
- Cheese
Buy Snacks from Keto Companies
On a low carb diet such as Keto, your usual snacks might not be a viable option anymore if you want to maintain ketosis. Luckily there are lots of brands out there in regular supermarkets that are specifically made for ketogenic diets.
The next time you’re grocery shopping, keep an eye out for brands such as Highkey, think!, Eating Evolved, and FBomb. If you can’t spot any in your local grocery store, lots of them are available to order on Amazon, too.
Keto takes a bit more commitment than your average diet, but having some pre-packaged snacks in your pantry will help you stay on track when you’re getting started.
Avoid Hidden Carbs
We’re all aware of the most obvious sources of carbs. So most beginners to Keto will take into account things like bread, pasta, and rice when limiting themselves to 20g of carbohydrates per day.
However, plenty of foods contain carbs. Failing to avoid these “hidden carbs” can really sabotage ketosis and stop you from seeing results.
To help kickstart your Keto results, make sure you’re taking all carbs into account. Be wary of vegetables and fruits that contain carbs such as:
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Brazil nuts
- Broccoli
- Hazelnut
- Kale
- Berries
- Kiwi
- Peach
- Walnut
- Almonds
Make a Detailed Meal Plan
It’s easy to give in to temptation and give up when you’re not organized. Here are a few things you should do to create a detailed meal plan and ensure success on your ketogenic diet:
- Remove all non-Keto foods
Clear out the refrigerator and the pantry of all non-Keto foods so you can avoid temptation.
- Create a meal plan
There are tons of Keto-based recipe books and diet blogs where you can source inspiration for a healthy and varied ketogenic diet. Gather up your favourite recipes and make a detailed meal plan for the week.
- Go shopping
Get out to the store and buy all the ingredients you’ll need for at least one week. Having everything you need to hand will help keep you motivated and remove any excuses for not making Keto meals.
Get Enough Micronutrients
Your body needs more than just carbs, proteins, and fats. It also needs minerals and vitamins to remain healthy and operate properly. Getting enough of these micronutrients can also help you to keep any potential side effects of Keto at bay.
Make sure your ketogenic diet is varied enough to provide you with enough:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- B Vitamins
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Iodine
- Iron
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Zinc
Avoid Cheat Meals
It takes days to achieve ketosis and, in some cases, only one cheat meal to reverse it. Maintaining ketosis for optimum Keto results completely depends on eating the correct foods.
So, if you really want to kickstart your Keto diet, cheat meals are, unfortunately, out of the question. Instead, try lots of tasty Keto treats. Build up a Keto recipe book full of sweet treats and tasty snacks. That way, if you’re tempted by a cheat meal, you can simply snack on your favourite Keto treat instead.
Don’t be disheartened if you struggle a little with Keto in the beginning. Stick with these tips and your Keto diet will be kickstarted in no time!
