The ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carb, moderate protein diet. It can feel a bit overwhelming at the start because it goes against what you may already know about food and nutrition, and against how the majority of us were raised to eat.
The most important thing before starting a keto diet is to do your own research to decide if this is the right diet for you. The main goal of a keto diet is to enter a state of ketosis where your body uses ketones for fuel, and not glycogen from carbohydrates. Unlike most “diets” which are often used as a temporary, “quick fix” solution to lose weight, the ketogenic diet is the most effective when it is adopted as a true lifestyle change to maintain any weight loss results.
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So what sort of things should you know before starting the keto diet? How do you set yourself up for success, and make the transition as easy as possible? If you’re considering a keto diet to lose weight or manage any health conditions, here are some top tips to help you get started!
1) KNOW WHAT FOODS TO AVOID
For a ketogenic diet it is required to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. For most people starting a keto diet the ideal carb range is about 20-25g net carbs per day. Net carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber. This will cut out most processed carbs, but also includes natural sourced carbohydrates such as beans, rice, whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables.
Another big component for keto is eliminating sugar. This definitely means no refined and processed sugars, but also includes sugars from natural sources such as maple syrup, agave, and most fruits (berries, some citrus & avocados are acceptable).
2) KNOW WHAT FOODS TO EAT
What the keto diet lacks in carbs and sugar, it makes up for in delicious fats and protein. Foods that contain zero carbs include meats, and pure fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, and butter. Other foods that are acceptable on keto include cheese, full fat dairy, nuts and seeds, non-starchy vegetables such as mushrooms, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, and many more. Instead of sugar, sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol are allowed on keto. There are countless keto food lists online that you can print out, or save to your phone to make sure you’re eating the right foods.
3) CONSIDER YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FAT
If you’ve ever been on a diet before, there’s a good chance it involved restricting calories, and avoiding fat. It can be an adjustment and a little uncomfortable at first to fully trust the idea that eating fat will help you lose weight. But this is one of the best things about the keto diet!
Being able to enjoy foods that seem indulgent while helping you feel full and satisfied are the hallmarks of what makes keto so enjoyable. Say goodbye to boring chicken breasts with salad, or eating bland vegetable soup for days on end. If you’re uncomfortable with eating fat, then keto simply isn’t for you. Start by making adjustments like adding more fats to your meals by topping with an avocado, fatty condiments, adding butter, or using more oil when cooking.
4) CALCULATE YOUR MACROS
Macros are short for macronutrients and are the components that make up the foods we eat - carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. While you may want to simply eat keto-friendly foods for the first week or two, at some point you may want to consider tracking your macros. Tracking macros takes into account your height, weight, age, and activity level and is the only way to know with certainty that you are eating the appropriate amounts to burn fat, and fuel your body properly.
You don’t have to track your macros forever if you don’t want to, but it is recommended at the beginning of your keto journey so you can gain a better understanding of the carb count in foods and portion sizes. There are numerous free macro calculators available online.
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4) BE READY TO HONE YOUR COOKING SKILLS
The healthiest and most sustainable way to be successful on a keto diet is to focus mainly on whole foods. This will require you to cook the majority of your own meals, and will really help when it comes to tracking your macros since you will know every ingredient going into what you eat. Check out a variety of keto websites, Pinterest or keto cookbooks for inspiration, and make a list of at least 5 keto recipes with foods you know you’ll enjoy. That way you’re not standing around in your kitchen unsure of what you can eat, and turning to carbs by default.
5) BE READY TO COMMIT
If you’re thinking about starting a keto diet, just know that it requires you to fully commit. Since the goal is to enter a state of ketosis, you have to be prepared to drastically reduce carbs and sugar for an extended period of time in order to do so. In the beginning, even just 1 cheat like a slice of pizza can confuse your body and knock you out of ketosis - meaning you have to start the process all over again to get back into ketosis.
It can feel daunting and overwhelming to give up the carby foods you love, and you may be wondering before you even start - when can you have some non-keto foods again? How long until I can have a cheat meal? This is not the best mindset to have starting your keto journey. If you want to lose weight, feel better, and be healthier you need to fully commit to creating a keto lifestyle - not just a diet. It is recommended you go at least 3 months on keto to become fully fat adapted and see some incredible results before considering an “off-plan” meal. And by then - there’s a good chance you’ll be feeling so good you won’t even want to!
6) YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY...AT FIRST
If you stick with your keto diet properly in the beginning you will likely lose some of your weight fairly quickly. This is super exciting and helps keep you motivated to continue! Some people have experienced up to 10-20 lbs of weight loss within the first few weeks (depending on how much you have to lose). It is important to realize that this weight loss is mostly water weight.
When you drastically reduce carbs in your diet, your body will retain less water. This is why so many people lose weight right out of the gate on a keto diet. However, once your body has become accustomed to your new low carb, high fat way of eating the weight loss will slow down and that is totally normal.
7) BE READY TO STICK WITH IT WHEN WEIGHT LOSS SLOWS DOWN
Just like any other diet or healthy lifestyle change, there will be periods of time where your weight loss will plateau or stall. After you lose the initial water weight, your weight loss will probably slow down significantly. That’s extremely common and actually a good thing! This is when your body goes from just losing water, to actually losing body fat.
As your body gets used to being in ketosis, you will lose weight more gradually over time vs quickly overnight. This is actually ideal because it is a healthier and more sustainable way of losing weight. After the initial shedding period, expect an average of losing 1-2 lbs per week.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
8) TESTING KETONES
How will you know if you’re even in ketosis anyway? There are a few different ways that you can test your ketone levels if you need assurance that you’re on the right track. The 3 most common are ketone urine strips, a ketone breath analyzer, and a ketone blood meter. These options all vary greatly in accuracy and price.
It is not necessary to test your ketone levels at all. If you stay below 20-25g net carbs per day your body WILL enter ketosis. So if you’d rather save some money, just trust the process and stay below your carb intake every day. Check out this blog to learn 12 signs that you’re in ketosis!
9) THE CRAVINGS GET EASIER
When you first eliminate carbs and sugar from your diet, you may notice that you start craving them more for a short period of time. Our brains always seem to want what it can’t have - telling ourselves we can’t have something seems to just make us want it more. The good news is that these cravings usually subside within a week or two - and after that you’ll notice you don’t even care or want the high carb foods anymore. Seriously!
10) KNOW WHAT SIDE EFFECTS TO EXPECT
As you transition into a ketogenic diet there may be a few side effects. You are essentially adjusting how your body functions to burn fuel and create energy - that’s a pretty big task! Some common side effects include headache, increased urination, dehydration, dry mouth, lethargy, cramps and brain fog. Due to a change in fiber intake, constipation or diarrhea are also common.
The most well known side effect when starting a keto diet is called “keto flu”. This typically occurs within the first week, but can occur at any time during your keto journey. As it sounds, keto flu exhibits similar symptoms to a normal flu. The good news is that with proper supplementation of electrolytes, keto flu is completely avoidable.
11) KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTROLYTES
While a whole food based ketogenic diet contains many of the essential vitamins and minerals required for optimal health, there are a few that you may include to ensure your electrolytes are balanced to avoid keto flu and feel your best. The 3 main minerals that make up your electrolytes are sodium, potassium and magnesium. You will want to consume these daily through either your diet, or with supplementation to avoid keto flu and other symptoms such as fatigue, heart palpitations, dizziness, and muscle cramping.
12) STAY HYDRATED
We all know that drinking water is an important part of any diet, but it is absolutely essential on keto. Since you lose a drastic amount of water weight in the beginning, you must drink a ton of water to compensate. Dehydration is the number one side effect of a keto diet. Yes, increased urination and trips to the bathroom which is a good thing as your body flushes out toxins and water weight from your body. It is recommended to drink 1 gallon or 3-4 liters of water daily.
13) TALK TO YOUR FAMILY ABOUT YOUR GOALS ON KETO
Be sure to tell your family about your plans to start a keto weight loss journey. You may not be able to eat the same meals as your family while on keto, so they should be informed about what your new eating habits will look like. Having the support of your family makes it easier to stay on track, and you will be more likely to be successful on keto. Always remember that it’s your decision to live a keto lifestyle, and if your family isn’t on the same page with adopting this lifestyle change for themselves, they are entitled to that decision too.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
14) CONSULT WITH A DOCTOR/ NUTRITIONIST
If you have pre-existing medical conditions it may be best to check with your health care professional before starting a ketogenic diet. Keep in mind that most doctors are not trained on nutrition and may not know enough about a ketogenic diet to make recommendations.
It is a big commitment to start a ketogenic diet. You are drastically changing how you were likely raised to eat, and that should not be taken lightly. It’s important to do your own research to find the best way to make a keto lifestyle simple and sustainable for you.
That being said, do not let the “research” phase hold you back from starting! You won’t do keto absolutely perfectly and probably make a few mistakes along the way - but that’s the best way to truly learn and improve. If you need any support along the way - join the free Keto Weight Loss for Women facebook group! Or if you’re feeling totally overwhelmed by starting a keto diet you can click here to learn more about how coaching can not only get you started, but make keto simple and sustainable to get you results that last!
