If you’re looking for a diet and nutrition plan to help get you lean and shredded, a ketogenic diet plan could be the answer. This nutritional plan has proven hugely effective in terms of fat loss, muscle growth and retention, and athletic performance. The ketogenic diet is a highly effective one. It’ll help you reach your weight loss goals and also leave you more energetic than ever before. Keto diets can be tough to understand at first glance. These 4 Keto Diet Tips for Beginners will help you get a better idea of what the ketogenic diet is all about.
Understanding what a keto diet is
Most of us make the mistake of thinking that keto diets are basically the same as diets such as The Atkins Diet, but they aren’t. While both diet plans are indeed low in carbs, Atkins is high in protein and moderate in fat. Keto, however, is a low carb, moderate protein and high-fat diet. The focus is on the fats that you consume. So, the majority of your macros should be coming primarily from healthy fat sources. It is also important to note that most people will find that they’ll go through a period where the body tries to adapt to the Keto diet.
To be on a keto diet means that you’re going to be eating fatty foods all the time. About 75% to 80% of your calories will come from fat. Initially, this may seem like fun. However, after a while, you’ll find it tougher to stay on the diet because most of us have been raised on a diet that was high in carbs and protein. Making the switch is challenging.
You’ll not be allowed to eat more than 50 grams of carbs per day. In fact, it’s better to stick to just 20 grams. Even protein is best consumed in an amount that makes up 20 percent of your calories a day.
Stay hydrated
Hydration during a keto diet plan is essential, which is why it’s vital that you drink plenty of water at regular intervals throughout the day. Hydration improves athletic performance. It helps your body to flush out toxins and ensures that your organs function optimally while your metabolism is firing on all cylinders. Ideally, you want to be consuming at least 32 – 48 ounces of water before midday, of which 32 oz should be consumed upon waking to help jumpstart your metabolism.
Get plenty of healthy fats
While you can be a little lenient when it comes to your fat consumption on keto, ideally you will need to ensure that the majority of your fats come in the form of healthy fats. Avoid trans-fats which are unhealthy, and instead, focus on healthy fats such as MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides). Organic coconut oil is enriched with MCTs, and other healthy sources of fat include oily fish, nuts, seeds, nut butter, whole eggs, avocados, and red meat. Your goal should be to focus on high-fat foods. Your foods should be good quality fat that is beneficial to your body.
So, what is good quality fat?
Coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil are good sources of fat. Margarine and refined vegetable oils are bad sources of fat and should be avoided. The general rule of thumb is that the source of fats needs to be as natural as possible. Margarine is man-made. Hydrogenated oils such as corn oil, canola oil, etc. are also man-made and go through a series of chemical processes that make them very unhealthy. They may look golden and clean, but they’re highly detrimental to your health.
Be careful of too much protein
Remember, protein consumption should only be moderate. Healthy fats should take priority here. People trying to build muscle on keto often make the mistake of thinking they need to be taking in heaps of protein when this is not the case at all. Too much protein can result in a physiological process known as gluconeogenesis, which causes amino acids to be converted into glucose sugars. Glucose sugars in the system can potentially knock you out of ketosis, which is the last thing you want.
Some of the best keto foods to eat are:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Cocoa butter
- Ghee
- Lard
- Butter
- Full fat cottage cheese
- Cured meats
- Salmon, sardines, and other oily fish
- Almost all types of vegetables (avoid white potatoes)
- Peas and Most meats
There are great Keto Resources are available in the market, but these are the 4 Keto Diet Tips for Beginners and basic pointers that you must be aware of when adopting a ketogenic diet. Do give it a try and you’ll be amazed at how effective and powerful it really is. If you are ready to embark on this journey, the 28-Day Keto Challenge is a wonderful way to step into this.
Disclaimer: This website is written by a regular human. I am not a Health Professional. Please get professional medical advice for your specific health needs.
