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If you intend to lose weight or shift towards a healthier lifestyle, you may consider starting a keto diet plan. One of the best diets to help burn fat and lose weight is the ketogenic (keto) diet.
A keto diet is based on a low-carb and high fat intake plan. It is a globally famous method to shed some extra pounds. Besides that, the keto diet has many health benefits too.
However, if you’re struggling to decide whether or not the keto diet is for you, then you’re in the right place. Here is everything you need to know about the keto diet plan.
A Brief Look Into Keto Diet
The keto diet follows a relatively simple rule that is easy to understand. During this diet, you must keep your carbohydrates intake low so that your body does not use glucose as the primary fuel.
Besides that, you must consume a high quantity of fats each day to build up resources. This is because the primary aim of a ketogenic diet is to achieve the condition of ketosis. In this state, your body burns fats excessively and turns them into ketone bodies.
Thus, a keto diet aims to help you lose weight by using fats as the primary energy resource. Apart from that, you should also ensure to consume proteins in moderate amounts.
Another way keto diets help you lose weight is by suppressing hunger. It also results in the release of a hormone that makes you feel full. This means that on a keto diet, you will not feel hungry often. Thus, you will not find yourself eating repetitively.
How to start a Keto diet plan
Have you been thinking about how to start a keto diet plan? If so, then you longer have to. That is because we have the answer to your problem. Starting a keto diet plan is relatively simple if you are determined and willing to make some sacrifices.
The key to a successful keto diet is to prepare for it properly. Once you do that, you can start the plan with a positive attitude. However, your work is not there.
One of the many difficulties people face on a keto diet is that they cannot keep up with it. Thus, you must understand how to manage your habits while on a keto diet plan.
Luckily, you don’t have to worry about a thing because we are here to help. Here is what you need to know about starting a keto diet and maintaining it successfully.
Things to do before starting a Keto diet plan
There are many habits that you should adopt before starting with the keto diet plan. That is because it will help you overcome the struggles that beginners usually face. Here are the top tips that you should swear by before you start with your keto diet:
1. Research Thoroughly
You cannot start a keto diet if you don’t understand it properly. This is because there are certain requirements that you must fulfill. Additionally, not all foods are suitable for a keto diet plan. That is why you must research the subject thoroughly.
Typically, in a keto diet, you have to restrict your carbohydrate intake. As a general rule of thumb, a person on this diet should consume about 20 grams or fewer carbs per day.
Thus, to start your diet successfully, you must know which foods that you should avoid. Additionally, you should increase the use of items that are allowed on this diet. Below we’ve detailed some stuff to give you a clearer picture:
Foods You Can Eat On A Keto Diet
In a keto diet, eggs are an integral food item. You can opt for organic as well as the standard option. Besides that, the form in which you will have them does not matter as long as they are a part of your diet.
Additionally, you can eat chicken, turkey, bison, venison, and beef on a keto diet too. Dairy products such as butter, cream, and yogurt are also highly nutritious and suitable for helping to achieve ketosis.
These are just a few of the many food items that you can eat on a keto diet. That is why we recommend you to research more while keeping your preference in mind. Check out our detailed keto food list.
Foods You Should Avoid On A Keto Diet
One of the things that you strictly avoid on a keto diet plan is baked goods. These include bread, cakes, cookies, and much more. Besides that, you should avoid foods containing sugars. That is because they are rich in carbohydrates. As a result, you may exceed your 20-gram limit.
Apart from that, sweetened drinks should not be part of your diet plan. Pasta grain products like rice, cereal, and oats are not suitable as well. You should also avoid all citrus fruits, bananas, and grapes.
If you think you cannot manage to make a suitable diet plan keeping all these things in mind, then worry no more. By clicking this link, you can get yourself a custom meal plan effortlessly.
2. Stock Up All The Suitable Food Items
It is easy to decide to start a keto diet plan, but once you do it, you will realize that it is not as easy as it seems. You will have to commit to the diet fully and avoid some foods strictly. Besides that, you won’t be able to munch on your favorite snacks regularly.
Apart from that, ordering keto food from outside can be expensive and less filling. That is why we suggest you stock up your pantry before starting the diet plan. This is because you will be tempted at times to have junk food to fulfill your cravings.
In such cases having a full pantry with healthy foods can prevent your deviating from your diet. It will be easier for you not to resist temptation if you have healthy items to munch on.
However, being on a keto diet plan does not mean that you go cold turkey. On some occasions, you can enjoy certain food items. The key is to have it in a moderate amount. As long as you do that, you will be able to keep up with your diet plan easily.
3. Work On Your Cooking Skills
One of the essential things that are required to use a keto diet plan is cooking skills. If you cannot make food for yourself, then you will be in trouble unless, of course, you have people to do it for you.
Ordering healthy keto-friendly food from a restaurant or a meal planning service can be quite expensive. That is why you will find yourself cooking your own meals when you start the diet plan.
Thus, our best suggestion is that you sharpen your cooking skills before starting the diet. You can experiment with ingredients and get comfortable with them. Once you do that, we guarantee you that the keto diet won’t turn out to be as bad as you may have been thinking.
4. Learn About The Side Effects
Many people start their keto diet plan without weighing in all the side effects they may suffer from. This is one of the reasons why they give up on their diet sooner than expected.
The major side effect that you must get ready to face is keto flu. This term refers to the adjustment period when you start the diet. In the initial stages, your body will have to get used to using fat as a primary energy resource and burning it.
Some people breeze through this period mainly because they prepare themselves for it. Meanwhile, others become miserable due to the keto flu and regret their decision to adopt the keto diet.
During the first ten days of the keto diet, you will highly feel lethargic, especially in your limbs. Walking the stairs may be difficult, and you may find it challenging to focus on work. Besides that, some people suffer from constipation too during keto flu.
Therefore, we suggest you start your keto diet plan during a relaxing week so that you won’t be much busy. This is so that you can rest while your body adjusts to the dietary changes. You may want to avoid strenuous workouts as well. Additionally, having fluids help during the keto flu.
The weight loss journey can be difficult and can take a toll on your mental health, especially if you don’t have support. That is why before starting the keto diet, you should make a plan or get a custom meal plan. This will make sure that you know exactly what to do when you start the diet.
However, an integral part of starting the keto diet is by sharing your plan with others. For example, if you live with your family, you may want to let them know that you won’t be eating the same things as them.
Additionally, discussing things with your friends and family will help you fulfill your commitment. Moreover, it is better to know beforehand whether you will have support during the diet or not.
If your family or partner shows hesitance towards your diet plan, we suggest you let them know that you’ve done your research. Besides that, the keto diet is only temporary.
Typically, the diet lasts from three to six months only. This can help you reassure your family members if they will be the ones cooking your healthy food. It will also be great to have their support during the keto flu, as that can affect your mental health significantly.
Things to do while you are on the Keto diet
Once you begin the keto diet plan, you must maintain it. Otherwise, all your preparation would have been in vain. Here are the top things to do while you are on the keto diet:
1. Avoid Stress
We understand this is easier said than done, but you must avoid stress at all costs during the keto diet. That is because when we are stressed, a hormone called cortisol is released into our bloodstream. This results in the body’s blood sugar level to rise.
Thus, when blood sugar is high, your body will face difficulty in achieving ketosis. This means that all your efforts in the keto diet will go in vain if you cannot manage to avoid stress.
If you have a stressful job, then you may want to reconsider your diet or your working habits. Apart from that, you can adopt different techniques to reduce stress. For example, yoga and meditation are highly effective.
Besides that, maintaining a regular sleep schedule can also assist you in keeping your cortisol levels low. The key is to form a balanced routine so that you wake up refreshed. It is often that you may feel stressed about work or tasks when you sleep less.
2. Exercise
A keto diet is best for losing weight but only to a certain extent. However, it is most effective when paired with physical activity. It can help you achieve your objective in a short period.
When you exercise regularly on the keto diet, it will be easier for you to achieve the state of ketosis. Additionally, the initial transition will also be quick if you are doing physical activity.
One of the ways exercise helps in achieving ketosis is by causing you to use your glycogen stores. Once they finish up, your body will automatically go to fat for energy.
Besides that, we don’t mean that you should adopt intense workouts to lose weight through the keto diet. Instead, you should opt for low-intensity exercises. They will help you to adapt to your new lifestyle and enjoy the keto diet plan.
3. Drink More Water
If you are not a fan of drinking water, you should rethink it. This is because water will be the most readily available drink for you on the keto diet plan. You may feel sluggish and dizzy during the initial phase if you don’t maintain your fluids intake.
Apart from that, you should also make sure to get the necessary electrolytes. You can do this by adding some broth to your diet plan. Additionally, you can include more salt in your food.
Why you should use a Keto diet plan
A keto diet plan is best for losing weight as it helps the body burn fat and reduces appetite. However, there are many other benefits of following a keto diet plan. Here are the reasons why you should follow a keto diet plan:
1. High Weight Loss
One of the best ways to lose weight is by cutting down on your daily carbohydrate intake. This is exactly what the keto diet can help you do because it follows a low-carb and high-fat consumption plan. You may think that this does not make sense. That is because fats have a higher calorific value and contain more calories.
However, a keto diet is best for losing weight promptly. The low carb intake rids your body of excess water that may have caused bloating. Besides that, it also reduces insulin levels in the body.
When insulin is released, it results in the production of more fats which can start to accumulate. This is because when insulin levels are high, regularly body’s cells build up a resistance to it. As a result, fats are not broken down.
A keto diet helps to reduce insulin resistance significantly by promoting and inducing ketosis. In this state, fats are broken down in high quantities to form ketone bodies. Thus, you can lose weight promptly by following a keto diet plan.
2. Decreases Cancer Risk
Cancer is one of the prevalent diseases that many people suffer from each year. It is a mutation that can occur in your body at any time in any form. Luckily, research suggests that a keto diet plan helps minimize the risk of developing cancer. Moreover, it also has the potential to treat some forms of cancer.
A study suggests that a keto diet plan is suitable for cancer patients getting chemo or radiotherapy. This is because the diet causes cancer cells to face more oxidative stress than regular cells. This results in them dying as they cannot withstand the condition.
Another research also shows that the keto diet reduces insulin complications. This hormone is associated with the cause of the development of some cancers. That is why many researchers suggest people adopt a ketogenic diet to improve their quality of life.
While the research on this subject is still ongoing, it is no doubt that keto diet plans are highly helpful. By following a suitable meal plan, you can live a more fulfilling life.
3. Improves Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular is the term that is associated with anything that is related to our heart. When you adopt a keto diet plan, you will automatically be shifting to different foods. The best part is that the items people consume on this diet are healthier than standard food.
By making suitable dietary changes, you can live a healthier life. That is because the food items on this diet are well-known for improving cardiovascular health by decreasing bad cholesterol.
In 2017, a study was conducted to see the effect of the keto diet on heart condition risks. According to results, people experienced a drop in LDL levels after being on the keto diet plan. LDL is the bad cholesterol that causes various heart diseases.
However, keep in mind that this positive effect only comes about when the quality of your diet is good. Having a balanced meal plan is essential to meet the daily nutrient requirement. If you cannot make a keto diet plan yourself, no need to worry. You can get a custom meal plan from here.
4. Helpful For Improving Brain Health
Our brains require glucose on a daily basis due to various reasons. The most important one is that some parts of your brain can only burn this carbohydrate for energy.
However, the majority of your brain is capable of burning fat. This is one of the reasons why the keto diet is effective for weight loss. Besides that, the ketones that are produced in ketosis also improve brain health.
A review of 2019 suggests that ketones can strengthen and protect the nerve cells in our brain. This is why the keto diet can help people with Alzheimer’s manage the condition to a certain extent.
Of course, more research is necessary to determine the complete effects of the keto diet on the brain. However, so far, only positive things have been discovered. This is why using a keto diet plan can help you live a better and more fulfilling life.
5. Decreases Seizures
Ketosis is a metabolic shift that is the primary and most important result of a keto diet. Research suggests that the process helps decrease seizures in people. Particularly, the keto diet can improve the lives of people suffering from epilepsy.
One of the ways the keto diet plan can help epilepsy patients is by reducing their symptoms. The diet can help you do this through various mechanisms. A detailed study suggests the same thing too.
So if you’re suffering from this condition or are at risk of developing seizures, you must use a keto diet plan. It can help you improve your life by making the necessary dietary changes.
Luckily, you don’t have to make much effort to create yourself a keto diet plan. You can get a personalized meal plan from here by an expert. With it, you can improve your life and reduce the risk of developing seizures.
Final thoughts
That was everything you needed to know about the keto diet plan. Starting the diet and maintaining it will be relatively simple if you keep the tips in mind. Once you prepare yourself for everything, you can breeze through the tough periods.
If you’re struggling to make a keto diet plan, then you don’t need to stress out. You can get a custom meal plan from an expert from here. By following this, you can easily adapt to your new lifestyle.
Besides that, getting a custom meal plan will help you save time. You can use that time and focus on making up an exercise regime and ways to tackle keto flu when you start the diet.
Start your custom Keto Meal plan today.
