The ketogenic diet is well known as a low-carbohydrate diet in which the body produces ketones in the liver to use for energy.But suddenly switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet on your own can be a challenge.
There's no doubt about it: this is a limited eating plan.In addition to eliminating all refined carbohydrates, you should avoid starchy vegetables, grains, sauces, and juices, and limit your fruit intake.
Before you begin, determine your fitness goal
Before committing to any diet, the first thing you should always do is your “why” or main goal.This will determine your dietary needs and guide you further.There are four main reasons why someone might consider changing their diet, and not all of them are ketogenic:
weight loss
Losing weight or fat is the most common reason people decide to try the ketogenic diet.If this is your goal, maintaining a calorie deficit is your main idea.Progress itself can be measured by seeing a number decrease on a scale or changing body composition, which can be assessed using any body fat analysis tool.
Increase in muscle mass
Gaining muscle mass is essentially gaining weight and is not always ideal for everyone.Additionally, the ketogenic diet may not be the best diet for building muscle mass, given the beneficial role of carbohydrates in training and muscle recovery.But that doesn't stop everyone, and some people are seeing results.To build muscle, you'll 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 suitable for increasing performance in endurance athletes and those who do not require frequent high-intensity training.The primary goal of this goal is to time nutrient intake and proper nutrition, and progress in performance can be measured by assessing metabolic efficiency.
Improved health
Improving health is not always the primary goal of those following the ketogenic diet, unless health improves as a result of weight loss.This is because the ketogenic diet is quite restrictive and getting many vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) can be a challenge.
If you want to improve your keto diet, the first thing you need to think about is your food choices.Progress toward this goal can be measured through biometric testing.However, new research continues to explore the possible benefits of low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets for people with diabetes.
How to get into ketosis
Ways to get into ketosis:
- Increased 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 primary health and fitness goal, the next step is to calculate the number of calories you need to consume per day to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your 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.Although calorie control has the biggest impact on your weight, understanding keto macros is still critical for continued success.Meeting your daily carb goal is critical, especially if you're trying to achieve ketosis.The ketogenic diet is designed with strict macronutrient requirements, including a high fat intake and extremely 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 exact macronutrient ratio ideal for you may depend on your individual fitness level, metabolic efficiency, and other factors.Now you're ready to start planning the keto menu of your dreams.But before you start eating bacon and cheese, there are a few things you should consider.Nutrition and the quality of the food you eat continue to be important to your overall health and well-being.Plus, choosing more nutritious foods can help with energy levels and mood, which in turn will motivate you to follow the ketogenic diet longer.Some of the foods should include healthy carbohydrate substitutes.Products that are great for this include: cauliflower, rice, portobello mushroom muffins, and spaghetti squash.
How to do a ketogenic diet correctly
Planning your keto menu is only half the battle;Your progress is the result of perseverance.This means that you should follow your diet plan for more than a few weeks.But following a diet is based not only on willpower, but also on developing healthy habits and daily routines that will allow you to achieve success.You also don't have to be perfect on the ketogenic diet for it to be effective.It is possible to deviate and still see progress, as long as you are consistent with your calorie goals and continue working towards them.To follow the ketogenic diet, use the following strategies:
- Read labels carefully.
Anything that comes in a package, including high-calorie drinks and common medications like cough medicine, can contain 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 affect the production of ketones.
- Use sweeteners and flour substitutes.
Sugar and flour are difficult to completely eliminate 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, well-being, and positive results.