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10 Tips for Starting Keto
Ketosis is a metabolic process within the body that offers numerous health benefits. When your body enters ketosis, it converts fat into a compound known as ketones. This becomes the body’s main source of energy. There are several studies that claim diets promoting ketosis are great for weight loss as it can also help to suppress appetite. More studies are being done to see the impact of ketosis for Type 2 diabetes and other neurological disorders.
Whether you are trying to lose weight or simply want to live healthy, here are 10 tips you can try to get started on a keto diet.
- Identify food items you can add to your keto diet. This is the most important thing you need to know before embarking on a keto diet. To give you an idea, you must incorporate food that is low in carb, moderate in protein, and high in fat. A few examples of the items you can add to your keto diet: healthy fat (such as lard, olive oil, butter, and coconut oil), fish and seafood, meats and organ meats, berries, and non-starchy vegetables.
- Be aware of the ‘keto flu’. When you switch to a keto diet (also known as low-carb diet), your body will feel moody, tired, or nauseous as it craves for carbs. This is part of the adjustment period since your body is used to consuming carbohydrates and after removing carbs from your diet your electrolytes will be out of balance. These symptoms will last for a week or two. You can cope with these symptoms by drinking more water as well as increasing your salt intake.
- Look at fat as fuel. When you cut sugar from your diet, your body will naturally turn to fat as its source of energy. Don’t be afraid to turn to healthly sources of fat like coconut oil, olive oil and butter.
- Consume more coconut oil into your diet. Coconut oil is one of the main food components of the keto diet. It is also a good source of lauric acid that enable your body to produce sustained levels of ketosis. It is also metabolized faster than any other types of fat. Slowly build up a the amount you add to food. Adding too much before your body is used to it can cause digestive discomfort.
- Get active. Diet is not the only way you can achieve a keto lifestyle. You need to ramp up your physical activity, too. Ketosis has been known to benefit athletic performance and endurance exercises. Exercise helps to increase the rate of ketosis production.
- Try short fasting. One of the proven ways to start a keto diet is to go without eating for a few hours. A common trick used by people who follow this diet plan is to go on a fast from dinner one day until lunch the next day, about 16 hours. Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that is known to induce ketosis. An important note on fasting, though: do not go more than 5 days as excessive loss of muscle mass can be dangerous to your health.
- Get enough protein. Another element of your keto diet that you need to pay close attention to is your protein intake. Make sure you consume enough of it without being excessive. You need protein so your liver gets adequate amount of amino acids to produce new glucose. They are important for the organs in your body that does not rely on ketones as fuel. Once you have tested your ketone levels, you can make adjustments to your diet as needed.
- Use the Keto-Mojo Blood Ketone and Glucose meter. Testing both ketones and glucose can help you adjust your diet so you can stay on track and hit your goals. A new measurement used to help determine the effectiveness of your diet is the Glucose Ketone Index (GKI). Rather than just getting a snapshot of your data by testing a single test, combining the two measurements gives you a better overall picture of your health.
- Build a meal plan. To increase your success at keto diet, you need to create a meal plan for lunch and dinner. This will decrease the chances of eating non-keto food items. You can even prepare your meals ahead of time and freeze them to be consumed later.
- Personalize your diet. This is one of the great things about the keto diet is that it involves a lot of self-experimentation. It is an exciting field that has seen a lot of growth over the past few years. Therefore, it is important to take the keto blood test to ensure that your target is being met.
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Foods You Didn't Know Were Keto-Boosters
Finding the perfect keto-booster foods is often challenging, especially during the first few days, or weeks, of adjusting to a ketogenic diet. You know it is important to achieve ketosis, but it is equally important to get all the macros your body needs to thrive while losing weight.
If you're struggling to add a variety of great tasting foods that meet the 70-25-5 ratio, the following super foods will help you get there.
Chestnuts
You've probably already learned that nutrient-rich, fat-dense nuts deliver a protein boost that satisfies your cravings. The most popular varieties – pine nuts (2.7 grams), macadamia (1.5 grams) and walnuts (1.9 grams) – make it on almost everyone's shopping list.
But, don't avoid the carb heavy nuts, like chestnuts, which come in at 13.6 grams. Used sparingly as a salad topper or garnish, chestnuts provide rich, nutty flavors and textures that please the palate and drive ketosis. Instead of ¼ cup serving, sprinkle a few diced nuts on your scrambled eggs. You'll see the results on your ketone test strips, and smile every time.
Combination Power Foods
Topping a cup of diced cucumbers with 10 large Kalamata olives is a delicious way to get make sure your sodium levels don't plummet as you shed pounds. As an added balance beyond achieving ketosis, the extra salt supports healthy bowel function and guards against electrolyte imbalances.
Another combo that delivers a healthy boost of sodium is the bread-less deli sandwich, which consists of one large dill pickle wrapped in a thin slice of fresh deli meat and an ounce of Gruyere cheese.
Hummus
Many people are surprised to learn their ketosis blood test results demonstrate success after consuming hummus. After all, chickpeas are a carb-dense food. The trick to enjoying hummus on the ketogenic diet is making sure you aren't consuming unnecessary additives. The reason you can eat hummus, and not just a bowl of garbanzo beans, is that the olive oil and tahini buffer insulin spikes. Make sure you are eating your dip with veggies and not pita or bread chips. Look for hummus (or make your own) that only has these ingredients:
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Olive oil
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Tahini
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Chickpeas
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Lemon juice
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Garlic
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Sea salt
Pesto
While you can't enjoy a huge plate of pasta on the keto eating plan, you can enjoy some of the delicious flavors. Making a batch of pesto to flavor your chicken or fish dishes is a great way to be sure your ketosis blood test shows you are on track after every meal.
Start with high-quality ingredients – fresh is best. Make sure you have the following ingredients on hand. Then, blend ingredients in a food processor or immersion blender, adding the oil slowly.
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1 ½ cups fresh basil
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1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
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¾ cup grated Parmesan
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2/3 cup olive oil
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1 teaspoon minced garlic
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2 teaspoons tomato paste
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Salt and pepper to taste
The key to weight loss success and blood sugar management on a ketonic diet is keeping a close watch on ketone levels. With a ketone test strips subscription service that offers deep discounts, you'll always have a supply on hand so you can test often (and accurately) to monitor your progress.
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