Whether you’ve just started your keto journey, or you’ve been on keto for a while now, one of the most important aspects for sustainable weight loss is adopting keto as a true lifestyle change, not just thinking of it as a “quick fix diet”. The MOST important aspect of creating a healthy keto lifestyle is developing daily habits. These habits need to be automatic, no-brainers, and second nature. They need to become so ingrained that they simply become part of your daily routine to not only achieve your keto weight loss goals, but sustain them for a lifetime!
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Here is a list of the top 5 keto habits that you can start implementing daily to get some seriously, sustainable results!!
1) STAY UNDER 20g NET CARBS
“Net carbs” refer to the amount of carbohydrates left after you’ve subtracted fiber and sugar alcohols since they are not digested or absorbed by the body.
While everybody is different and may be able to consume a different amount of net carbs, it is generally accepted that for a ketogenic diet restricting your carb intake to below 20 net carbs is the standard. Limiting your carbs to 20g per day will achieve nutritional ketosis which has the greatest impact on weight loss, and blood sugar levels in the body. If you’re new to keto you may want to slowly reduce your carb intake to 50-100g for the first week or two, before transitioning down to 20g net carbs.
2) TRACKING YOUR MACROS
Macros = macronutrients and consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The only way to ensure you are consuming the proper ratio of macronutrients to achieve nutritional ketosis is by tracking. It is important when starting a keto diet to track your macros so that you learn about hiding carbs in foods, as well as proper portion sizes.
Do you have to track forever? Nope! You’re the boss of your keto journey! But it is recommended to track for the first 3-6 months so you can really learn what foods to eat, what foods work best for your body, and to be 100% certain you are remaining under 20g net carbs.
GRAB YOUR FREE DAILY KETO HABIT CHECKLIST BELOW!
3) DRINK 1 GALLON/ 3 LITERS OF WATER
Everyone knows that water is essential no matter what diet you follow, but for keto weight loss it is a total non-negotiable. Dehydration is the number one side effect of a ketogenic diet.
Carbohydrates are responsible for holding water and sodium in the body. So naturally, if you restrict your carbs, more water and sodium are excreted, and you retain less water. This is great news for keto beginners as it gives you some quick results at the start as you lose the water weight. However, it ALSO means you need to replenish water more consistently compared to other diets.
The recommended water intake on a keto diet is 1 gallon or 3 liters of water per day. So basically, drink lots and lots of water….then drink some more!
4) SUPPLEMENTING ELECTROLYTES
Supplementing electrolytes on a ketogenic diet is a non-negotiable. The dreaded “keto flu” is completely avoidable as long as you supplement your electrolytes properly! Symptoms of the “keto flu” include: fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, headaches, heart palpitations, and more.
As previously mentioned, when we carbs are restricted, sodium is excreted from the body rapidly. Sodium is delicately balanced with other electrolytes potassium and magnesium in the body, so when we excrete more sodium we get out of balance and may not feel our best as a result.
You can simply ensure you salt your foods, and eat foods rich in potassium and magnesium. Or you can choose to supplement potassium and magnesium daily instead.
5) PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Ok so technically this isn’t 100% necessary to lose weight on keto. Yup! It’s true, you can easily lose weight on a keto diet without ANY exercise! BUT hear me out - we are on a quest for a truly healthy keto lifestyle change. As humans, we are not designed to sit all day long and be sedentary. Sedentary lifestyles have been directly associated with increased chances of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, colon cancer, anxiety and depression, just to name a few.
You can make a physical activity mean whatever you want that suits YOU. Your schedule, your abilities, your interests, whatever you enjoy! Whether it’s stretching, yoga, weight lifting, running, or even just taking the dog for a walk. The goal is daily physical movement - so there are no excuses if you’re a beginner. Just make sure you move your body daily.
GRAB YOUR FREE DAILY KETO HABIT CHECKLIST BELOW!
These 5 daily keto habits will keep you on the right path for sustainable keto weight loss success! Habits form when we stop making a choice every day, and the behaviour just becomes automatic. This is what leads to a true, healthy lifestyle change. Download a free copy of the Daily Keto Habit Checklist to keep you moving towards your goals! Learn more at theketolisticcoach.com about how I can help you achieve the results you truly desire by easily integrating these habits into your daily routine!
