What are good keto diet tips for success?

1. Start by gradually reducing your carbs.

If you’re used to eating a lot of carbs, it can be tough to make the switch to a keto diet. Start by gradually reducing your carb intake over a period of a few weeks.

2. Make sure you’re getting enough fat.

One of the main goals of a keto diet is to enter into and maintain a state of ketosis. This means your body is burning fat for energy, rather than carbs. So, make sure you’re including plenty of healthy fats in your diet, such as avocado, olive oil, and fatty fish.

3. Don’t forget about protein.

While you want to limit your carbs on a keto diet, you still need to make sure you’re getting enough protein. otherwise, you may lose muscle mass. Include protein-rich foods such as chicken, beef, and eggs in your diet.

4. Drink plenty of water.

When you cut carbs out of your diet, your body flushes out water and electrolytes. Make sure you’re drinking enough water and replenish your electrolytes with foods like bone broth or coconut water.

5. Be prepared for changes in your bathroom habits.

When you first start a keto diet, you may notice changes in your bathroom habits. This is because your body is getting rid of excess water and electrolytes.

6. Expect to feel some side effects in the beginning.

When you first change your diet, it’s not uncommon to experience some side effects, such as fatigue, headaches, and brain fog. These side effects are usually temporary and will go away as your body adjusts to the new diet.

8. Drink Plenty of Water.

Staying hydrated is important no matter what diet you’re on but you must pay extra attention when starting out on the ketogenic diet. This is because your body excretes more water from your body when carbohydrates aren’t present.

Aim to drink half of your bodyweight in ounces of water at the minimum. Be sure to drink more on days where you are sweating more often such as hot summer days or after intense workouts.

9. Consume Carbs From Vegetable Sources.

It’s important to incorporate vegetables in your diet to ensure you’re consuming all necessary nutrients, including fiber, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut.

You should aim for nutrient-dense, non-starchy vegetables like:

Kale

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Spinach

Cabbage

Brussel sprouts

Non-starchy vegetables are generally low-calorie, too. So if you’re the type of person who likes to feel physically full after a meal, it’s important to include plenty of these vegetables in your diet so you’re not eating an entire bag of macadamia nuts in one sitting.

While that would be delicious, it wouldn’t be helpful if you’re using a keto diet to lose weight.

10. Use MCT Oil Regularly.

Supplementing with MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil will help you get into ketosis even if your glycogen storages aren’t fully depleted.

MCT’s are immediately metabolized into ketone bodies and used for energy instead of having to go through your stomach for digestion.

While many people think coconut oil is the same as MCT, they are molecularly different.

MCT oil is made up of 100% medium chain triglycerides — caprylic and capric acids — while coconut oil contains 35% long chain triglycerides and 50% lauric acid. Coconut oil is only made up of 15% medium chain triglycerides. So your body has to go through its digestive tract to turn coconut oil into energy whereas MCT oil is converted directly into energy.

11. Improve Your Gut Microbiome.

Gut health is linked to just about every system in the body. Several studies have proven that your gut microbiome affects everything from your mental health to your digestive system and several other systems in the body.

When you have healthy gut flora, your body’s hormones, metabolic flexibility, and insulin sensitivity become more efficient. These processes directly affect your body’s ability to transition from carbohydrates to fats for energy.

When your metabolic flexibility is functioning optimally, your body can seamlessly adapt to a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. But when your body is metabolically inflexible, it has difficulty utilizing fats for energy, instead, it will convert into body fat. Focusing on improving your gut health will greatly impact the health of your body’s metabolic flexibility.

Eating a low carb, high fat ketogenic diet also helps with your gut health. When you eliminate carbs from your diet, you’re getting rid of processed foods, which are known to harm your gut microbiome.

Focusing on improving your gut health can greatly improve your body’s ability to become a more efficient fat burner.

12. Invest in a Food Scale.

Weighing the food you eat can be a huge difference on the ketogenic diet, especially as a beginner.

Many people like to eyeball the amount of food they’re eating but doing so can cause you to overeat and kick you out of ketosis.

The difference between burning glucose or ketones as your primary source of fuel can be that one extra tablespoon of almond butter that you eyeballed.

For comparison, just two extra tablespoons of almond butter comes out to an additional 200 calories and 6 grams of carbs.

Once you get used to what proper portions look like, then you can begin to eyeball your meals.

11. Stick with it!

A keto diet can be challenging at first, but it’s worth it to stick with it. The longer you stay on the diet, the more likely you are to see the benefits, such as weight loss, improved energy levels, and better mental clarity.

If you want to get a personalized keto plan in 45 seconds click here. All you need to do is answer 5 questions. By doing so, you’ll get a tailored plan that will help you lose weight and improve your health.