Topics in this article
- What is a Ketogenic diet?
- Can a Ketogenic diet help me lose weight?
- How does a Ketogenic diet work?
- Ketogenic diets for diabetes and pre-diabetes
- Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet
- What foods can you eat?
- Food to avoid in Ketogenic diet
- Stay determined and never give up
- Make a weekly schedule and stick to It
- Can you eat carbs after Ketogenic diet?
If you’re new to the ketogenic diet, things can be a bit overwhelming. There’s so much information out there on how to get started with this way of eating and what all of those words mean that it can be difficult to know where to start. The good news is that we’ve got your back! In this Keto For Beginners guide, we will give you a information on keto friendly foods, as well as some tips and tricks for staying motivated during your journey.

What is a Ketogenic diet?
A ketogenic diet is a way of eating that focuses on minimizing carbohydrates and replacing them with fat. By restricting your carbohydrate intake, you begin producing ketones in the liver to be used for energy instead of glucose from carbs or protein from excess dietary intake. It’s this metabolic state called “ketosis”. That is where weight loss becomes easy. Because your body isn’t burning through glycogen (stored carbs) as it usually does before making its own fuel! The end result? You lose weight without feeling hungry all the time.
Once you arrive at ketosis, many people experience an improvement in their health markers such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels while seeing an increase in mental clarity and focus. Many also report having more stable energy levels throughout the day, all while shaving off fat. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal right? What’s even better is that this way of eating doesn’t have to be complicated! As long as you stick with real food and avoid processed items (which can become carb-ridden), you will see your body changing in due time.
Different types of Ketogenic diets
There are many different ways to approach the ketogenic diet. Four of the major types of ketogenic diets include;
- High protein ketogenic diet
- Standard ketogenic diet (SKD)
- Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD)
- Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD)
Some diets, like the Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD), focus on simply getting you into ketosis while others take things further and make an effort to maintain your body’s specific needs. It is also the form of ketogenic diet that has the most research done on it.
If you want more of a one-size-fits-all type of plan that is easy for beginners then it may be best to start with something simple first before moving onto more complicated approaches. Getting started by restricting carbs can help people get used to living without certain foods they enjoy eating several times per week or daily! When you have already tried a standard ketogenic diet and you want to move towards a more strict diet then you can move towards targeted ketogenic diet or cyclical ketogenic diet. Especially if you are looking to build your body.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state that happens when your body doesn’t have enough glucose for energy. Your body begins to break down stored fat in ketones instead. This process produces acids called “ketones”. Ketones build up within the blood stream and can be used by cells throughout the body as fuel. When you are in ketosis, any carbs or protein eaten will likely get turned into energy. Rather than being stored as fat since there isn’t much else left to do with them!
Can a Ketogenic diet help me lose weight?
A ketogenic diet is a very effective way of losing weight. It’s been proven to do so for many years. Not only does it help you lose fat, but studies have shown that following the ketogenic diet helps lower cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar!
Even though there are several benefits associated with this type of eating plan, not everyone will find success right away. However, one reason why most people fail on diets like these is because they lack proper education or knowledge in the beginning. This results in them giving up before they ever truly begin their journey out of frustration or ignorance. The two factors no one should ever give into when trying to level up their life! The key to overcoming this obstacle is to stay persistent and read on.
The only way you’re going to be able to do keto right, while making it fit into your life at the same time, is by learning everything there is about how to approach this type of diet while avoiding common pitfalls that keep you from losing weight. You’ll also get a better idea of what foods are encouraged (and which ones aren’t) when following ketogenic diets.
You’ll see exactly why carbs should remain low for most people who want lasting results rather than short-term fixes. Like many other fad diets out there promising quick solutions but never delivering long term success. The truth is that if you truly want change, then you need to adjust your lifestyle and adopt a new approach. This means making permanent changes rather than temporary ones!
How does a Ketogenic diet work?
The keto diet works by limiting the number of grams of carbohydrates that we consume each day while encouraging us to replace those with healthy fats instead. This usually means eating less than 50g net carbs per day. This type excludes fiber which has no impact on blood sugar levels. As well as restricting protein at times so your body ends up burning more fat for fuel!
When following these types of diets it’s important to remember not all proteins are created equal. Some will drive up insulin levels within our bodies faster than others! To avoid this we need to make sure we’re only eating the best sources of protein.
The type of keto diet you follow is up to you! No matter what your needs are, whether it’s weight loss or diabetes management, there’s a specific way for everyone to do this without having too many issues with nutrient deficiencies along the way. Even though carbs should be kept low, most people can still include them in their diets if they want to (just not all at once)! This means that even when following these types of plans you’ll never truly feel like you’re suffering or missing out on anything. Because there are so many options available nowadays!
Ketogenic diets for diabetes and pre-diabetes
High blood sugar levels, as well as low ones, can cause serious damage to the body. This can lead to a number of problems. When people have diabetes or pre-diabetes they usually end up spending most of their time worrying about how best to manage it with medications that often come along with nasty side effects!
This is why many doctors encourage patients to switch over from a carbohydrate rich diet (which leads to high blood sugar spikes). A diet which includes good sources of protein and fats instead – such as those found in ketogenic diets. This helps relieve strain on your pancreas. While also reducing inflammation throughout other areas within your body so you feel better all around! The question for diabetics who want great results without having any side effects is to figure out how much carbs you can eat and still remain in ketosis.
Benefits of a Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet is a low carb, moderate protein and high-fat based nutrition plan. When following this type of eating pattern your body enters into a metabolic state called ketosis – which means you’re no longer using glucose as energy but instead turning to burning fat for fuel!
Although this might sound like it’s not such a good thing (because we want our bodies to be able to run off sugar whenever possible). The truth is that there are actually many benefits associated with starting out on these types of diets. Because they can help us lose weight fast while also improving certain aspects of health!
One example would be; how medical professionals have been known to use them when treating patients who suffer from epilepsy or any other condition where seizures occur frequently.
Effective against cancer
In addition to helping you fight off cardiovascular diseases these diets have also been linked with being able to improve many other aspects of health too. Including protecting against cancer. Since they’ve allowed certain types of tumors which were once very aggressive become more manageable during treatment protocols (as well as reducing tumor size).
Prevent epilepsy and seizures
The reason for this is that it has been proven to prevent symptoms of epilepsy seizures from occurring as frequently. Which also make a big difference on the severity of attacks. For those who suffer from epilepsy, ketogenic diets can be very effective in reducing how often these episodes happen. They aren’t physically limited because of them.
Reduce symptoms of alzheimer’s disease
Another benefit of these diets is that they can also help reduce symptoms which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Although this isn’t a cure it has been shown to slow the progress of the condition. And even provide relief for some patients who have tried other medical treatments without success before trying out ketogenic eating plans!
Help women with polycystic ovary syndrome
It can also help women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome. By helping woman to lose weight rapidly while improving other aspects of health which are associated with this condition.
What foods can you eat?
There are various foods which fall under each category but generally speaking we want our bodies burning fat as fuel as much as possible. This means making smart choices about the types of foods we’re eating – especially since there’s a lot of options to choose from!
To make this easier for yourself keep your meals simple by following recipe cookbooks which incorporate only one or two ingredients at most – especially if you find it hard making choices about what foods are OK on these types of plans!
When starting out with any diet plan, regardless of whether its low carb or not, we always recommend consulting a health professional before diving in head first so they can help explain things more clearly when necessary (or even give some basic guidelines). You should definitely do this before trying out ketogenic diets. Although all signs point towards them being pretty safe to follow, most doctors will say no! Since a lot of them don’t understand just how beneficial these types of diets can be for anyone who’s being proactive about their health!
Fats
Coconut oil, butter, olive oil, lard and any other healthy fat that’s found within animal or plant-based sources are acceptable on ketogenic diets. These help our bodies absorb nutrients better while also stabilizing hunger levels so you don’t eat between meals too often without realizing it!
Protein
Meat is best but if you have dietary restrictions then try adding in some organic eggs for your breakfast each morning. You can use chicken breast or beef mince meat when cooking up dishes. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to stay in ketosis and experience the benefits of these diets.
Avocados are also a perfect source of fat while being low in carbs too. Just keep the portion sizes small since they’re extremely easy to overeat!
You can enjoy berries if you’re not intolerant. Just watch out for which ones are higher in sugar than others so that your body doesn’t start craving more! You have no reason to avoid enjoying the types of food you love on keto! It’s just about making sure that your choices are low in carbs. So they don’t impact insulin levels within our bodies.
Food to avoid in Ketogenic diet
People who are considering trying out ketogenic diets should definitely keep in mind that they will have to avoid certain types of food. Because these types of eating plans restrict the macro nutrients which can be consumed. One thing you’ll need to consider is that carbs must be kept below 50 grams per day for most people. Some professionals recommend even less than this amount, so start off small if necessary!
Another food type which needs to be limited on a ketogenic diet plan are fruits. Since many different ones contain high levels of sugars. Especially those with tart berries or tropical flavors like pineapple or mangoes. Other items which aren’t suitable include; starchy veggies, breads, pasta as well as any other processed carbohydrates where sugar levels tend to be very high.
Sugary foods are not allowed
Although these types of diets have been linked with being able to improve certain aspects of health, there are definitely some things which need to be kept in mind. First would be the fact that avoiding sugar completely is very hard when starting out on ketogenic eating plans. People should expect a period where they experience symptoms like cravings for sweet foods when their brains are used to running off glucose for fuel.
Legumes also not allowed
Another thing people should consider is that legumes like chickpeas, beans and lentils are not allowed. That is because they contain carbs which can be difficult for the body to digest.
Can I eat fruits on Keto?
Some fruits are high in sugar. Only eat low-sugar fruits like raspberries – which are allowed on keto but should still be restricted if possible.
Unhealthy fats
Another thing people should avoid when starting out on keto is unhealthy fat sources like hydrogenated oils and fats. These types of foods are also not allowed. That is because the state they’re in (solid at room temperature) can potentially inhibit weight loss efforts during a diet plan which restricts calories, carbs and sugar!
Stay determined and never give up
When you are starting your ketogenic diet, it can be really difficult to maintain it for longer periods of time. So the best thing to do is start slow and then gradually increase the time of your ketogenic diet.
People start ketogenic diet for different reasons. Some want to lose weight while others want to lower symptoms of a medical condition. For other people they want to be cautious and they want to prevent diseases.
So no matter the reason, it can sometimes be very difficult for you to maintain a new type of diet. Especially if your body is used to eating food with high sugar content or processed foods. Sugar has an addictive nature. When your body consumes large amounts of sugar every day and you suddenly stop. It becomes very difficult for you to cope with that.
So you need to be very strong willed to maintain your keto diet and avoid any temptations for unhealthy food. One important thing to remember is that people should never give up on ketogenic diets. Especially if they’re used for therapeutic purposes.
Although there are bad days and setbacks which can happen, it’s always good to try new things. Just try and stay determined during the process.
Make a weekly schedule and stick to It
Although it’s important to not get too strict with diets, people should make a weekly schedule and stick to it. If you want to become successful in your ketogenic diet, one thing that will help is making yourself accountable for everything you do. For example; if someone must go out on the weekend and enjoy themselves but they know their next day might be tough because of this. That person can decide beforehand; what he or she wants to eat before going out – which could potentially avoid risky situations where unhealthy food choices are made.
People who have been through stressful periods during their lives often turn towards binge eating. So being aware of the fact that there may be certain triggers makes sense for them as well, since having more control over what they can eat is vital for them success during their ketogenic diets.
In the end, everyone’s journey will be different. But it’s important to remember that there are no shortcuts when trying to lose weight or improve your health in general. The only way you’re going to see successful results from any diet plan, especially a keto one, is if you keep yourself committed and dedicated towards whatever goals you have set out for yourself. Whether its losing X amount of pounds per month. Or it’s simply making sure certain symptoms associated with an illness go away permanently!
Just make sure never give up on your dreams. Because life happens every day even though we often don’t realize it until years later.
Can you eat carbs after Ketogenic diet?
Just because you have followed ketogenic diet for some time does not mean that you can’t eat carbs again. It is okay to eat carbs on cheat days. Or maybe when you are taking a break from your ketogenic diet. However it is important to not disturb the progress you have already made with your ketogenic diet.
Although people may be tempted to break their diet after a long time, it’s important that they never do this. When someone has been on keto for at least two weeks, then they can consider having some carbs in the form of green veggies and salads if desired. But not too much! In addition, there are certain types of food which could trigger events where you would want to start eating carb-rich foods again. Such as high amounts of sugar from fruit juices or other sources.