HOW TO START A KETO DIET – 3 SIMPLE STEPS

Back in 2019, when I started my ketogenic journey, I had little to no information on where to begin. There was an information overload on the internet and YouTube videos too seemed daunting with all those fancy jargon like keto flu, ketosis, etc to a novice like me. 

I learned through a lot of trial and error and made the mistakes I wished I never did. All I hoped for at the time was to have a keto buddy who could steer me in the right direction toward this radically new lifestyle. 

So here I am with my two cents on how to start a keto diet the right way, without making the mistakes that could set you back in your progress or make it difficult to sustain the diet.

What is Keto Diet?

Let us first understand what the diet is all about. It is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. By default, our body is programmed to use glucose/glycogen as its source of energy and fats as a secondary source. 

But through the keto diet, our aim is to program our body in such a way that it starts using fats as its primary fuel source. This happens only once our body runs out of glycogen.  

Carbohydrates are the simplest source of glucose in our body. Proteins also release a certain amount of glucose. This is instantly used by our body for energy. But whatever is left unused is stored in our liver for later use as glycogen.

Through the ketogenic diet, our purpose is to put our body in a state of ketosis. Once we run out of stored glycogen deposits and a fresh supply of glucose is not provided, the body turns to fats for its energy requirements. Hence, ketosis is set in motion.

Since fats become our main source of energy, we quickly start losing fat deposits from our bodies, thus aiding weight loss at a much faster pace than a regular diet. 

Types of Keto Diet

There are several variations of the keto diet available that can be customized depending on individual needs. 

1. Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)

This is the most common form of the keto diet being followed worldwide. It comprises of 70-75% fats, 20% proteins, and 5-10% carbs. 

This kind of keto diet is most popular among people who are trying to lose weight fast and reap other health benefits like improving insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, etc.

2. Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)

In this diet, there are certain days when more carbs are eaten than the rest. For example, a ketogenic diet for 5 days followed by a high-carb diet for the next 2 days.

3. Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)

This diet allows you to add high carbs just before intense workouts.

4. High-Protein Ketogenic Diet

This is like SKD, though it includes higher amounts of protein. The ratio goes something like 60% fats, 35% proteins, and 5% carbs.

In this article, we are going to talk about the standard ketogenic diet (SKD). Although, most of the basic principles of the keto diet remain the same across all the versions.

How Does Keto Diet Work?

Once you understand the basic workings of the diet, it is a simple one to follow. Though it may be a little challenging to adapt to at first. 

Even though it comes with many health benefits, there is no denying, our body goes through some radical changes during the initial phase of adapting to this new lifestyle.

Now the question arises, Is it worth the climb? 

In most cases, the answer is yes! Besides pacing up the process of weight loss, it also comes with several health benefits, like keeping lifestyle health conditions like type-2 diabetes, heart diseases and Alzheimer’s, etc in check.

So how does it work? It works on two basic principles – 

1. Suppresses Appetite – 

SKD is not a very forgiving diet. For a keto diet to work, one must constantly stay in the state of ketosis. That brings the possibility of cheat meals to NONE! 

This by extension, means those on keto consume little to no amount of appetite-stimulating processed food. 

Consuming good fats and generous servings of vegetables keeps them full for longer and thus they don’t feel the need to eat as often.

2. Increases Ketone Production –    

Our body doesn’t produce ketones as long as it has a continuous supply of sugar to support brain function. 

Several studies have shown that when we burn ketones for fuel, they are quite beneficial in promoting brain function as well as boosting energy levels. 

It is the combination of these two factors that make the ketogenic diet stand out from the rest of the diets. All you need to do is to take that first step towards this lifestyle.

As your Keto Buddy, we are here to make that transition as easy as possible by removing all the unnecessary information available out there and breaking it down into THREE easy steps. 

How to Do a Keto Diet

Now that you are familiar with the scientific reasoning behind a keto diet, let’s get you ready on how to start a keto diet the correct way. 

Here is our 3-step approach to a healthy ketogenic diet.

1. What To eat in Keto Diet
2. What to avoid on Keto
3. Prepare for Side-effects of Keto

Step 1 – What To Eat in Keto Diet

The diet emphasizes eating very low levels of carbohydrates while also having food that is fat-rich. So, it is important to carefully plan your meals well in advance. 

In order to do that, it is absolutely critical you are familiar with your macros. 

As a general rule of thumb, a ketogenic diet comprises 70-75% fats, 20% proteins, and 5-10% carbs. 

Though it is not a One-size-fits-all kind of diet. Every person is different. You need to find your sweet spot that keeps you in ketosis. 

a) Right amount of carbs –

Some people may get into ketosis by keeping up with 50gm of carbohydrates per day. While there are others who might have to stay under 20gm/day to achieve the same target. 

b) Sufficient Fats –

Eat fats only as much as your body requires. The consumption of fats will depend on how active you are in a day.

If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you won’t need as much fat as someone who is physically quite active throughout the day. 

Also, if you are craving carbs, or fighting hunger pangs, increase your fat intake a little.

c) Manage Proteins – 

Make sure you maintain your proteins between 20-25% of your daily intake. Consuming more proteins than required can also throw you out of ketosis. 

At the same time, not eating sufficient protein will make you lose muscle weight rapidly and cause fatigue.

d) Supplements –

As you cut down on a major food group (carbohydrates), you must pay attention to keeping your micro-nutrients in check. 

In this diet, several micro-nutrients like B-Vitamins, Magnesium, Iron, etc that were otherwise covered by a regular diet, can go down and cause deficiency. 

Thus, you need to pay special attention to these nutrients while planning your meals. Especially, if you are following a vegetarian keto diet. 

Read our article on how to balance your micro-nutrients and how to follow an Indian Vegetarian diet in a healthy way.

Keto Food List

Now that you have understood how to plan your macros for the diet, let us take a look at what you can eat on Keto in each food group – 

• Healthy Fats – Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil ghee, butter, etc
• Low-carb vegetables – Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, gourd family, eggplant, okra, onion, etc
• Dairy – Hard cheeses, paneer, full-fat cream, butter, etc
• Nuts & Seeds – almonds, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc
• Sweeteners – Erythritol, monk fruit, stevia, xylitol, etc
• Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc

Step 2 – What to Avoid on Keto

Now you are familiar with what to eat, but there are certain food items that you absolutely cannot eat on this diet. Having those could almost immediately throw you out of ketosis.

• High-fructose fruits – Bananas, mangoes, pear, raisins, cherries
• Starchy vegetables – potatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroot, corn, and other underground vegetables. 
• Grains – wheat, rice, millet, quinoa, etc, and products made from them, like roti, bread, pasta, etc
• Beans and legumes – though these are rich in protein, they are also high in carbohydrates which makes them unsuitable for the keto diet. 
• Sugar – when on keto, sugar is your greatest enemy. So, avoid it at all costs! Honey, maple syrup, jaggery, date sugar, etc are all strictly avoided on this diet. 

Step 3 – Be Prepared for the Keto Flu

If this is the first time you are trying a low-carb diet, then that means your body has always only used carbs as its primary source of fuel. 

This radical dietary shift may bring about a lot of changes throughout your body. 

In order to register its protest against the sudden changes, your body might exhibit certain flu-like symptoms, while trying to resist the change.

The intensity of these symptoms may differ from person to person, depending on their current health condition. 

One might experience symptoms like headache, fatigue, muscle cramps, brain fog, etc for the first few days while your body is adapting to using ketones as the new source of energy instead of glucose. 

Once you are keto-adapted, these signs go away. This may take from a week to about 6 weeks in some people.

Though, as your Keto Buddy, we are here to tell you certain ways in which you can minimize the effects of keto flu, or sometimes avoid it completely. 

1. Stay Hydrated
2. Keep a check on your electrolytes
3. Eat healthy fats

For more details on symptoms, causes, and foolproof remedies to keep the Keto Flu in check, read this article.

Now that you have learned the basic steps to start a keto diet, what are you waiting for? Grab a bag of groceries, buy your Keto essentials, and start your journey to meet a healthier you!

For any Keto-related queries, your Keto Buddy is always here to help.