Have you ever heard of the ketogenic diet? If you're confused by its name, to put it simply, it means a high-fat and low-carb dietary regime. To some of you, it may seem to be a pretty radical move.
That's especially the case for those who are used to consuming huge amounts of carbohydrates, which is what most people do which can, unfortunately, be very unhealthy. Therefore, if you want to try out a healthier alternative, then you should definitely opt for this diet.
Yes, in the beginning, you may struggle with the rules it comes with, however, as time goes by, you'll adapt, particularly once you notice how beneficial it is for your body. So if you want to give it a shot, then these are the steps you should take.
As previously stated, the ketogenic diet is not as "easy" as some other diets. If you want to be successful on this journey, then you first must understand keto, what it does to your body (referring to its benefits) and what foods are/aren’t allowed. These are the basics.
What's widely known, in terms of it, is that it drastically limits carbohydrates. For starters, you should consume up to thirty grams of carbs each day. It would be recommendable to do your homework and see what foods are packed with carbohydrates, protein, and fat, so you can make the best possible choices.
Now, when we say carbs, we do not refer to only items such as pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, ice creams, chips, and others. Keep in mind that there are a lot of fruits and veggies that are loaded with them as well. The only foods that actually do not contain carbohydrates at all are meat and pure fats, like olive oil.
As aforementioned, ketogenic foods are only the ones that are low in carbohydrates, and your “low” is going to be determined by your daily carb limit. For instance, many keto experts suggest having total carbs under thirty-five grams and net carbs under twenty-five grams.
So in order to have a small number of carbs, you must be extremely careful about the foods you'll be consuming. Oftentimes, people conclude that some of their favorite foods are going to put them close to their carb limit for the day with a single serving.
Don't forget that even the healthiest items, like bananas, apples, carrots, and many others are sadly loaded with sugar and carbohydrates, which is one of the main reasons you cannot consume them while on the ketogenic diet. But don't worry, there are a plethora of other tasty foods that you can replace them with.
If you want to be successful during this process, then it would be wise to stock your fridge with foods that are recommended in the keto diet and at the same time, get rid of the ones that are not welcome. This way you will successfully stay on track. It should include the following:
The answer is no. It's not a myth, however, this doesn't necessarily mean that you'll experience it. It's just a possibility. Namely, some people who have started the ketogenic diet reported that they experienced symptoms that could be described as keto flu.
But don't worry. That's completely normal, and it usually occurs when you're switching from a standard diet to something that's more restrictive like this one. And in these instances, you will most likely experience headaches, nausea, muscle cramping, and lethargy, but it shouldn't raise any concerns since that's just your body responding to the lack of carbs.
Just like with most diets, people are prone to giving up too early. But bear in mind that your body will fully adapt to this diet after two to four weeks. So instead of giving up, just drink lots of fluids and prepare delicious meals with foods that are permitted.
No change comes overnight, and it's completely understandable if you're a bit intimidated by the ketogenic diet. Our advice to you is to take one step at a time and be patient, and you'll quickly see great results.
