The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto, The ketogenic, or “keto” diet, is no new term, but in recent years, this diet has become highly popular as people look for alternative plans for weight loss, improved mental clarity, and increased energy.
Nonetheless, starting keto can be kind of intimidating, especially for those not familiar with how it works. Here’s a beginner’s guide to understanding the ketogenic diet, its benefits, and how to follow it properly.
Table Of Contents:
What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet is very simple; it is just an eating plan that boasts providing a high intake of fats, moderate levels of protein, and very low carbohydrate intake. Traditionally, diets have focused on calorie or fat intake reduction, unlike keto diets, where the aspect is to encourage you to make fats your energy source. This diet tries to put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, whereby it burns fats to produce energy instead of carbs.
Typically, your body runs on carbs or glucose. If you are eating a lot of carbs, then they get broken down into sugar, which is your top fuel. However, when carbs are low, the body starts tapping into the fat that’s stored in the body and produces ketones in the liver that can be used as energy as well. And so, your body burns so much fat and is incredibly efficient with both the fat coming from your food and that stored in your body when you are in ketosis.
Basic Concept of Keto
The basic concept behind keto is getting into and staying in ketosis. This refers to the amount of carbohydrate intake, which must be less than 50 grams per day and sometimes less depending on the individual. During this period, carb levels are restricted, and the liver will start breaking down fats into ketones which provide the brain and body with energy.
Some people use urine strips, blood tests, or breath analyzers to measure whether they’re in ketosis or not, but you can usually get a better read from how you feel. Common signs of ketosis include increased energy, reduced appetite, and mental acuity.
Macros on the Ketogenic Diet: One of the most critical aspects of keto is getting those macros right. So, here’s a general breakdown for keto macros:
- Fat: 70-80% of your daily calories
- Protein: 15-20%
- Carbohydrates: 5-10%
- This can be quite a dramatic change, especially if you are accustomed to a diet richer in carbohydrates. Your body needs a little time to adjust to this new system, and most people call this the “keto flu,” during which you may feel tired or craving. Do not worry—this is only your body adjusting to burning fat for fuel.
What are the 4 pillars of keto?
The four pillars of the ketogenic (keto) diet are fundamental principles that guide its effectiveness for weight loss and health benefits. These pillars help ensure that the body enters and stays in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Here they are:
1. Low Carbohydrate Intake
The cornerstone of the keto diet is drastically reducing carbohydrate intake. Typically, carbs are limited to about 5-10% of daily caloric intake, which translates to around 20-50 grams per day. This reduction forces the body to use fat as its primary energy source.
2. High Fat Consumption
Since carbs are limited, fat becomes the primary source of energy. Healthy fats should make up about 70-80% of daily caloric intake. Examples of sources are avocados, various nuts, seeds, olive oil, and rich cuts of meat. The goal is to provide the body with enough fat to fuel its energy needs while promoting ketosis.
3. Moderate Protein Intake
Protein should make up around 20-25% of your diet. Too much protein can interfere with ketosis, as the body may convert excess protein into glucose (a process called gluconeogenesis). Lean meats, fish, and eggs are great sources of protein on keto.
4. Ketosis Maintenance
The aim of the keto diet is to enter and maintain a state of ketosis. This is achieved by consistently following the low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein guidelines. Ketosis can be measured through blood, breath, or urine tests to ensure the body is burning fat for fuel.
These four pillars form the foundation of the keto diet, enabling effective fat burning and various health benefits.
Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet
The keto diet is not only a weight loss diet (although this is often the desired end for many). It has a vast number of benefits that call attention to it:
1. Weight Loss
Losing the main body fuel from glucose to fat allows you to lose weight more efficiently. In most people, there is an immediate loss of extra water weight in the onset and then steady fat-burning reduction.
2. Enhanced Energy and Concentration
Since fat is a more efficient fuel source than carbohydrates, most individuals experiencing this diet will reveal that they are more mentally alert and have longer periods of sustaining their energy levels.
3. Reduced Appetite
The ketones will suppress your appetite; therefore, you feel fuller for a longer period of time. This will allow you to easily adhere to your diet program and avoid the temptation or at least not eat too much from the snack.
For those who suffer from insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, keto can be a great management tool to keep blood sugars in check, cutting glucose significantly while making more insulin sensitive.
4. Healthy Heart
It may seem counterintuitive that you’re going to be consuming more fat. Research suggests that this low-carb, ketogenic diet can increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels and lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels both of which might improve your heart health.
What are the 9 rules of keto?
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan designed to put the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. Here are the 9 key rules to follow on a keto diet:
- Limit Carbohydrates: Keep your carb intake to around 5-10% of your total daily calories. This typically means consuming fewer than 50 grams of net carbs per day.
- Increase Healthy Fats: About 70-80% of your daily calories should come from healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.
- Moderate Protein Intake: Protein should make up 20-25% of your daily calories. Too much protein can interfere with ketosis, so it’s important to consume it in moderation.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and help avoid dehydration, a common issue when starting keto due to water loss from carb reduction.
- Electrolyte Balance: Maintain proper levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) to avoid side effects like headaches and fatigue, often referred to as the “keto flu.”
- Eat Whole, Unprocessed Foods: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods. Avoid processed foods, sugar, and refined grains.
- Monitor Your Ketones: Regularly check your ketone levels, either through urine, blood, or breath tests, to ensure you’re staying in ketosis.
- Practice Intermittent Fasting (Optional): Many people on keto combine it with intermittent fasting to enhance fat burning and ketosis.
- Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks: Eliminate sugar and high-carb snacks, including soda, sweets, bread, pasta, and grains.
Following these rules can help you maintain ketosis and maximize the benefits of the keto diet.
What’s Eats on a Keto Diet?
When following a ketogenic diet, it becomes a meal-based diet. Here are the basic ideas of what you can eat and what you cannot:
Foods To Eat
- Meat and Poultry
- Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb Fish and Seafood
- Salmon, mackerel, sardines, shellfish Eggs
- Make whole eggs your new best friend Dairy
- Cheese, butter, cream (full fat)
Vegetables - Leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus Fats and Oils
- Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, butter, ghee
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds
- Berries: Small portions of strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries
Foods to Avoid:
- Sugary foods: Sodas, candy, cakes, ice cream
- Grains: Bread, pasta, rice, oats, quinoa
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas
- Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas
- Fruits: Most fruits are too high in carbs, except for small portions of berries
- Unhealthy fats: Processed vegetable oils, margarine, trans fats
New Keto Dieters Mistakes
While very effective, there are a few common mistakes which slow your Progress or make it impossible to achieve ketosis.
1. Having Too Much Carbs
Even very small portions of carbs can knock you out of ketosis. Hidden carbs such as in sauces, dressings, and drinks catch people off guard, so you have to be on the lookout.
2. Not Enough Fat
Keto has you using fat as your first energy source, but if you’re not eating enough, you might feel tired or hungry. Good enough, add more healthy Fats: avocado, nuts, or olive oil to your meals.
3. Not Having Enough Water
Keto has a diuretic effect, meaning you’re losing water and electrolytes. Staying hydrated is so important and never hurts to supplement with electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and magnesium).
4. Not Creating a Meal Plan
A keto meal plan is greatly important to make sure you are not loading up on convenience carb intake. You can prep with keto-friendly snacks when you want something such as nuts, cheese, or hard-boiled eggs.
Possible Side Effects and Warnings
Keto isn’t for everyone like any diet. While most people thrive on keto, side effects exist, so when deciding if this diet is right for you, it’s important to consider some of these. See your healthcare provider before starting a Keto Diet.
Keto Flu
Other people may develop what is sometimes referred to as the “keto flu,” manifested by symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea, and irritability. Again, this is usually temporary and lasts less than a week as the body gets used to it.
Digestive Problems
Since the level of fiber will also change with the diet, some people may have problems with constipation or other digestive complaints. Since vegetables are naturally low in carbs but very high in fiber, the inclusion of these in the diet can prevent most of the problems.
Nutrient Deficiency
Cutting out whole food groups sometimes leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. To keep this from happenin’, one eats a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods and considers ‘ a multivitamin.
Is Keto Right for You?
The ketogenic diet is a very great tool in the direction of losing weight and enhancing general health. But by any means, it’s certainly not one-size-fits-all. Some may find it too restrictive, or impossible, for long-term adaptation. Others thrive off of the structure it provides and just enjoy the benefits it brings.
It is important to listen and adjust the levels as you may become aware of using them. If you start experiencing difficulty or other side effects from using the supplement, then you should not wait and consult the appropriate healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
Conclusion
It is the most dramatic and effective change for the body, where one shifts from burning carbs to burning fat. Though based on some rather complex science, preparation and understanding of how ketosis works will lead you to various benefits such as weight loss, improved energy, and better mental clarity, and that is with high-quality fats, moderate Protein, and low carbs.
Are you looking to shed those extra pounds, gain mental acuity, or perhaps an alternative supportive measure for your condition? Well, look no further than a ketogenic diet.
1 thought on “The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto”