How to Start a Keto Diet
If you want to lose a few pounds and you’re ready to give keto a try, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Keto may be one of the most intriguing and effective diets out there, but it’s not the easiest to understand. Calculating your fat and carb intake can be a challenge in itself, never mind equipping yourself with new recipes and ingredients, and learning how to cook.
I’m a huge fan of meal delivery services. They’re particularly great for anyone who has a busy or unconventional work schedule, a family to take care of, or who just hates meal prep. But with keto, cooking your own meals is sort of a must-do – so, even if you’re not ready to commit to a meal delivery service, here are some pointers to help you on your keto journey…
What is the Keto Diet?
Essentially, the keto diet involves cutting down on carbohydrates and replacing them with fats. Most of the time, our bodies get energy from glucose. But when our glucose levels run low, our bodies go into ketosis and start burning fat molecules instead. When the body reaches this state, fats are turned to ketones in the liver, which also supplies energy to the brain.
The idea of eating fat to lose fat seems strange, but several studies have shown the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, boosting energy, and aiding in a range of health problems.
How to Start the Keto Diet
As a fellow keto dieter, I can testify that I felt healthier and less tempted to carb-binge once I became acclimated to low-carb, high-fat eating. But I can also attest to the carb cravings that you will almost certainly have at the start of your diet (those warm, Italian bread rolls were my downfall).
Here are some tips based on my own experience of the keto diet. Please note that this is not medical advice and you should check with a specialist before starting any diet plan, especially if you have or think you may have an eating disorder.
1. Choose Healthy Fats
On the keto diet you’re expected to get around 70% to 80% of your caloric intake from fats. A high-fat diet certainly leaves you feeling more full than a low-fat diet, which increases your chances of sticking with the program. This may seem counterintuitive if you’re used to low-fat diets, but in ketosis your body uses fat for fuel.
Some healthy fat sources include:
Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
Unsalted nuts such as peanuts, almonds, and walnuts
Seeds including pumpkin, flax, and chia seeds
Eggs – preferably Omega-3 enriched
Olive oil and olives
Cheese – the unprocessed varieties
Milk fats including butter and heavy cream
On our list of best keto meal delivery services, Green Chef took first place for its dedicated Keto + Paleo menu. If you’re not sure how to incorporate healthy fats into your diet, Green Chef will provide you with tasty recipes for your keto meal prep.
2. Eat More Vegetables
You’ll want to avoid starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, but you absolutely must eat plenty of green veggies and fiber – the roughage is important for a healthy gut! Skip the vegetables while on keto and pounds won’t be the only thing you’re struggling to drop…
Green vegetables also keep you feeling full for longer. They take longer to digest, which slows down your body’s snack-seeking instinct. The more veggies you include in your diet, the less room there is for junk food.
Plant-based diets can sometimes be higher in carbs and lower in fat than keto diets. But has both a dedicated Keto menu and a Low-Carb Vegan plan. The prepared meals are ready to heat and eat, too, so it really couldn’t be easier!
3. Throw Out Sugary Snacks
Cookies, ice cream, soda, and other sugar-laden foods spike your blood glucose levels and keep your body from achieving ketosis. Replacing these snacks with healthier treats will get you in the habit of eating better and will limit those sugar crashes that leave you craving more carbs.
Throwing away your sweets blocks your immediate access – after all, it’s easier to resist the urge for ice cream when you have to drive to the store for it. And it’s even easier when you have tasty alternatives to hand. Snap Kitchen, a company I’ve written about previously, has a marvelous range of keto-friendly snacks, including the Vanilla Bean + Apple Bowl.
4. Don’t Be Discouraged After a Setback
We’ve all had moments when one bite turns into several helpings. Sooner or later most dieters slip up – but we shouldn’t beat ourselves up over it.
Find healthier ways to satisfy your cravings. For example, keto does limit your intake of sweet fruits, but fresh blueberries are a better dessert choice than blueberry pie. You don’t have to be the perfect dieter to benefit from keto. Be firm with yourself, but be fair and forgiving, too.
Even if you’re falling off the diet train every few days, you’re still eating more healthy than unhealthy meals during the week. As you continue with your diet, you’ll find unhealthy foods less tempting and your slip-ups will become less frequent. Healthy eating is an ongoing process.
The Bottom Line on Starting a Keto Diet
Starting a new diet is hard and there’s always a reason to put it off – but there will never be a better time than now to start eating healthier meals. Many people find the keto diet a safe and effective weight loss program that leaves them less hungry than low-fat diets.
If you were seeing some results with your keto diet but couldn’t tolerate the restrictions, why not expand those boundaries? A keto meal delivery service can show you the way to carb-conscious culinary bliss. And if you’re worried about budget, our list of the best keto meal delivery services has some sweet discounts.
The bottom line (from somebody who’s been there): resisting temptation isn’t always easy, and sometimes a keto diet can feel restrictive. But if you want a healthy way to lose weight and help control your blood sugar levels, starting a keto diet is definitely worth it!
