KETO is probably the most talked-about diet these days and by now we can safely presume that it's not a fad and is here to stay. This high-fat, low-carb and moderate-protein diet which brings our body to a metabolic state called Ketosis has found quite a few endorsements from the research fraternity. But you know what, there are things which I wish I had known before I took the plunge. At least that could have taken out the road bumps or in the least normalized the ‘shocks’ so to say! Yes, you are in for challenges when you sign yourself up for Keto and the biggest hurdle would be yourself! Why? Because it's a drastic departure from what our tongue, mind and body are so used to eating every day. But wait, don’t drop your gun right away, Keto diet does allow eating yummy stuff like bacon, butter, avocados, asparagus and many more so it’s not complete deprivation when you are on Keto. Another thing, get it straight, Keto demands from us 75% fats, 5% carbohydrates, and 20% protein {Source: Abbott Healthy Living} so when we sit down to chalk our grocery and stock up the crisper, keep in mind that we fall in line with this.
But before you start, glance through these pointers. You can thank me later!
The struggle lies within
Bringing yourself to accept the fact that you cannot simply open the fridge and chomp on to a slice of chocolate is what the struggle is about! And the battle does not stop there, it includes almost all of our favorite carbs and protein. The battle is with our psyche, once you have convinced yourself that you are going to stick to it no matter what, the battle is half won! And after all, Keto is not a total sacrifice of all we crave for, we’ll come to what to eat and not in a bit.
Keto is not long-term
Well, before you even start, please chalk out a long-term plan because the Keto diet simply cannot go on forever. It usually runs for 2-3 months and I know people who go on Keto diet 2-3 times a year. So the focus should be on altering and improving dietary patterns and getting help in weight loss.
# Is Keto the right thing for you?
Any diet, take the Atkins, Paleo or Keto all come with a fair share of restrictions. So before you start Keto, it would be a good idea to consult your primary care doctor if you already have food limitations. Chalk out all your options if you are vegan or prefer to go gluten-free and determine if you would still get the required amount of fat, carb and protein. Another instance is that of people with diabetes. With already fewer food options in their kitty, the Keto diet would bring home newer impositions. Not good, right? Consult your physician in such scenarios.
# Do your bit on researching what should and should not eat while on Keto
Ok, so because it is a high-fat, extremely low carb and a little bit of protein diet, there are lots of can and cannot in the eating list. Low-on-carb veggies, seafood, cheese, yogurt, poultry are a few things that you could eat. Where potatoes and sugar are absolutely off-limits, milk and legumes are strictly limited. Find more details on the eating list on Eating Well.
# Get help from Keto Macro calculators
I can't thank my macro calculator enough, really! I use the Omni Calculator, I just feed in my height, weight, sex, activity level and desired weight and the calculator comes up with the required fat, carb and protein division. There many out there like the Ruled Me and Wholesum Yum, use them, it makes your keto journey easier, tracking your diet thing more sane. Pin down everything you eat in a tracker, guys!
# A period of heavyweight loss is followed by a lull, hang in there
When you start Keto, the body usually would lose the water weight rapidly and this fantastic phenomenon is linked to less carb intake. But gradually the body gets used to this changed dietary pattern and then comes the period when the pointer on the weight machine seems to have got stuck. But you need to be steadfast this time and stick to your commitment because eventually and steadily you would get to your desired weight. Want to read about the Keto weight loss plateau, click on Ruled Me.
Expect bodily changes, not always good ones
Hmm, ever heard about Keto-Flu, not a nice thing, I tell you! Body aches, cramps, flu-like symptoms, headaches, irritability, nausea and the worst of all “dragon breath’ or bad breath are all side effects of beginning and staying committed to the Keto diet. Sudden flipping from carb-burning to fat-burning brings about most of these changes but its a sign that the Keto process has actually started working. So there’s a silver lining to it as well!
Don't forget your scheduled exercises
Ok so please don’t be complacent and think that only diet would do wonders and you do not need your scheduled workouts. You definitely need it and do not skip it.
Try to stay hydrated and up the ante on the electrolytes
We were just talking about how we lose water weight while on Keto, so quite simply that warrants us to drink more water, even more than we usually do to avoid dehydration. Also, infusing more electrolytes into your body would only do good because Keto acts rogue in the initial days and make you feel fatigued, flu-like. Did you ever consider taking an electrolyte supplement like Perfect Keto? Take a glance, I believe it could be a great help. Magnesium, Potassium and Sodium in these could be your Keto best friend, trust me! Want to read more about supplements, head to Health Line.
Know the Keto terms
Did you ever hear of Net Carbs, Ketosis, Ketones, Whoosh, 16/8, BulletProof Coffee, Calorie-In-Calorie-Out, Fat Bombs, MCT Oil? Honestly, felt like Greek and Latin to me the first time I heard these. But regular Ketoers advice that these are ‘THE WORDS’ of Keto dictionary. I am sure you would want to know them before plunging in. Read in detail on Keto Logic.
You gotta give yourself time
See, this is the ground rule for all diets that we embark upon, give your body the time it needs. Are you trying to see results overnight? You must be kidding yourself!! You gotta give your body time, baby and stick to your promise!
You know what, at first I felt that Keto is just another over-hyped, paid celebrity-endorsed gig. But as is said, results need no endorsements. Right? The first few days at the gym were very sluggish, I barely managed to pull myself through the routine. But gradually I picked up. I could say I feel much lighter and healthier because of Keto. Keto is here to stay and when you make up your mind, just hover over these pointers, it would in all probability make your planning on-point!