How to Do Keto Diet the Complete Guide

How to Do Keto Diet the Complete Guide

Keto

Ketogenic diet: An introduction

Often, the term low carb, high fat is used to describe a ketogenic diet. But in most instances, that’s it. No background context or practical information is provided to the reader which can help him adapt to this particular model of diet.

The idea behind this discussion is to familiarize complete novices with the concept of a keto diet. Not only that, laying out a complete keto diet plan which can be used by anyone is also another objective of this brief. 

Loads on offer to learn, we can promise you that much! All we want in return is a promise that you will give us your undivided attention till the very end. So close that YouTube ad and let’s go! 

A ketogenic diet puts the body into ketosis, which is a metabolic state in which your body will use fat for fulfilling its energy requirements, instead of carbohydrates. One can achieve this state by limiting their carb intake to a bare minimum and then making up for the void by consuming more fat.

Another way of entering ketosis is to practice intermittent fasting, which refers to a period of fasting for 16 hours followed by a reprieve of 8 hours. Symptoms like dry mouth decreased appetite, and frequent urination indicates the onset of ketosis. 

Why switching to keto makes sense?

The most popular reason for a switch to keto is the weight loss effect that it has. Research has shown that when it comes to weight loss, keto diets are as effective as low-fat diets.

What is more, the overall satiety value of keto diets is comparatively higher as compared to low-fat diets as well. The filling nature of ketogenic diets is an important factor to consider. However, accelerated weight loss is not the only plus that comes with a keto diet.

There are numerous other benefits as well. Take type 2 diabetes as an example, which can be better managed by shedding excess body weight. Other health benefits of a keto diet include better cardiac health, cancer regression, and an improvement in polycystic ovary syndrome. It still demands more research, but the positive influence of a keto diet on symptoms of conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease is also quite encouraging. 

A beginner’s guide to keto

We have given you plenty of reasons to switch to keto, right? Now let us switch our focus to the practical side of things, and talk about the dos’ and the don’ts’ of a keto diet.

Once you have understood the rules of the game, we will devise a complete keto diet plan as well. But first things first, what can you eat while on keto? A very generalized list of food items would include red meat, steak, sausage, chicken, fatty fishes like tuna and trout, pastured eggs, butter, nuts, avocados, and some low-carb vegetables like tomatoes for example.

This accomplishes the high-fat objective of a keto diet but what about the low carb bit? One must bid farewell to high-carb foods like rice, pasta as well as the majority of fruits. Vegetables like potatoes and carrots are also a big no-no since they are high in carbs as well. Similarly, drinking beer or wine is prohibited as well, as is using sauces like ketchup. 

Seven-day keto plan: A Prototype

Using the raw information that we have shared in the previous section, let us now devise a ketogenic diet plan that is ideal for any novice. Of course, if you feel this plan isn’t working for you, you can always tweak it a bit here and there.

However, the chances of that happening are quite thin. Now, for the sake of convenience, we have divided this plan into seven days. The days are just symbolic, you can start with any set of meals and get your body in ketosis! 

Monday 

It is the first day of the week, it makes sense to make it special! 

Breakfast 

How about starting your day with some egg muffins and tomatoes? These are perfect keto choices that will get your body burning fat faster than you think! 

Lunch 

You want something in lunch that can keep you going for the rest of day, but doesn’t hamper your keto goal either. A chicken salad with olive oil seems to be the most ideal option in this regard.

Dinner 

Winding up your day with a meal that has high satiety value is essential to the concept of ketosis. May we recommend a salmon and asparagus combination? You won’t regret it, we can promise you that much! 

Tuesday 

You have just started something great, keep up the good work by continuing with the keto diet on the second day of the week. 

Breakfast 

Go with an omelette that features all low carb, high fat veggies like tomato, basil, etc.

Lunch 

Make Tuesday the shake day! Go with a keto smoothie with some strawberries on the side.

Dinner 

How about some broccoli for dinner? 

Wednesday

Your body is slowly adapting to the new normal at this point. Imperative that you don’t give in! 

Breakfast 

Chia pudding plus some nut milk. 

Lunch 

Avocado salad. 

Dinner  

Tacos with salsa. Please note that here, we are talking cheese-shell tacos. 

Thursday

Breakfast 

Try an omelet variant that features avocado, onion, and spices. 

Lunch 

Some celery sticks sound like a nice idea for Thursday lunch, what do you say?

Dinner  

End things on a high with some pesto stuffed chicken and zucchini. 

Friday

Breakfast

Chuck some berries in whole milk yogurt and start your Friday in a fine fashion. 

Lunch 

Tacos with bell peppers are what we have in mind for your Friday lunch. 

Dinner  

Cauliflower is an excellent choice for a keto dinner since it has a high satiety value and features low carbs. 

Saturday

Saturdays mean off from work, not from keto!

Breakfast 

Start your day with some cheese pancakes. Some mushrooms won’t be a bad idea either. 

Lunch 

Ever tried the noodle salad? Well, it is about time you did.

Dinner  

The aroma of white fish cooked in coconut oil will make you crave for Saturdays even more!

Sunday

How about something rewarding for all the effort you have put in during the week? 

Breakfast 

Fry up some eggs with mushrooms.

Lunch 

The mouth-watering broccoli & chicken combination. 

Dinner 

Pork chops if you love them, otherwise go with spaghetti. 

Keto snacks to satisfy your cravings

Apart from what we have mentioned in the detailed diet plan in the previous section, there are a few other keto snack options available as well. For example, you can cram your pockets with nuts or seeds in case you have a sudden urge to snack on something healthy. Olives are another option that you can consider. 

Dark chocolate (90%) is deemed to be a healthy keto snack as well, as are bell peppers and celery. How you mix and manage things is entirely up to you. Be a little imaginative and you will actually enjoy managing your keto cravings!

Tips that can make a difference

Now, there are a few secret tricks of the trade that you are not likely to come across anywhere else on the wide world of the internet. Firstly, make a habit of reading the labels. This will help you keep updated with what you are consuming in terms of carbs, fats, and fiber.

Secondly, make sure that you have a little keto diet diary or journal which can help you keep a tab on your progress. And lastly, if you don’t have enough time for shopping around, you can opt for healthy frozen keto meals as well. However, it is just a short-term solution and not something that you can rely on in the longer run. 

Wondering what’s keto at your favorite restaurant?

If you are a frequent diner at your local restaurants, you might be wondering about this aspect of the keto diet as well. Well, you can read the menu and see if there is anything listed on it that cross matches with an item in our seven days keto plan?

If yes, then order that for yourself. Otherwise, you can go for bun-less burgers or omelettes anyways. Oh, and swapping fries for veggies isn’t a bad idea either! 

Final thoughts

 Ketogenic diets are a lifesaver for those who are a victim of obesity or diabetes. They are a great option for those who want to improve their overall health status by improving their metabolic health. However, these benefits of the healthy keto diet can be experienced only if you are doing things the right way.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to consult with your nutritionist, and see what he or she has to say about the suitability of the keto diet for you. Don’t overdo things, never ditch the element of moderation and you will be fine! 

 

Reffrence: 

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23651522/

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