Keto For Beginners – What Is The Keto Diet, what to eat on a low carb ketogenic diet, how to know you’re in ketosis and tips for success.
Keto For Beginners
Over the past 3 years I have followed the Ketogenic Diet (on and off) so I have tons of Keto For Beginners tips to share with you.
What Is The Keto Diet?
Let me start by explaining the Keto Diet – which is a low carb, high fat diet that can put your body into a state of fat burning ketosis.
It’s a very low carb diet – your diet will be made up of:
- 5% Carbs
- 20% Protein
- 75% Fats
So, as you can see, fats make up the majority of your day to day meals.
What To Eat On A Low Carb Ketogenic Diet
So, how do you put together meals that fit Keto macros? Well, start with fat! Find sources of fat that are keto friendly that you enjoy and then rotate them through your meals.
Use this Keto Calculator to work out your own personal calorie and macro goals to aim for.
Here’s a brief list of foods to include and mix and match in your diet. You’ll find that you don’t have to spend a fortune to follow the keto diet. places like ALDI are great for stocking up on essentials. (Here’s my ALDI Shopping List.)
Healthy Fats – coconut oil, olive oil, MCT OIl, avocado oil – keep a selection of healthy oils to include in your meals.
Full Fat Dairy – butter, cream, sour cream, cream cheese, mascarpone, cheese or a potion of another full fat dairy can be enjoyed with keto meals.
The above pictured low carb vegetable casserole has sour cream, cream and cheese included to create a low carb, high fat keto meal.
Nuts & Seeds – a handful of cashews, almonds, macadamias or your favorite nut makes a handy snack. Nuts and seeds are high in fat, protein and fiber. Just don’t overdo it as the carbs can quickly add up and you can blog your macros without realizing it! (Here are ideas for 17 Keto Snacks.)
Meat, Chicken, Ham, Seafood, Fish – enjoy your proteins of choice, in moderation, ideally fattier cuts so that you’re getting more fat in your diet. Some of my favorite keto protein rich meals are a steak salad and cheesy chicken bake.
Avocado – full of healthy fats, fiber and a creamy vegetable to include with meals or as a snack.
Eggs – I tend to have eggs for breakfast most mornings, along with possible a vegetables and a protein too. There are also plenty of low carb breakfasts without eggs you can have too.
Other favorites are easy keto granola or bread that you can enjoy in tasty breakfast meals.
Fruit – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lemons and limes are the fruit you’re limited to on Keto. You can have a handful with whipped cream, in a smoothie or in a dessert like the above pictured strawberry mousse.
Vegetables – there’s a huge choice of low carb vegetables that you can include in your diet:
- Cauliflower (like in the above pictured Cheesy Cauliflower Rice)
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Brussels Sprouts
- Spinach
- Kale
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
For help with putting together a full meal plan I suggest Balanced Keto Weekly Meal Plans. You’ll get weekly Keto Diet Meal Plans delivered straight to your Inbox. Get 7 days of meal planning every week – all done for you! Click here to learn more.
How To Know You’re In Ketosis
I find that when I’m in ketosis, I have regular bursts of energy and my overall mood is lifted.
You can test whether you’re in ketosis by examining your breath, urine or blood for ketones.
Personally, I find that the least invasive, and most cost efficient method is by using Ketone Strips. It helps to reassure myself that I’m in Ketosis and what I’m doing is working.
Keto For Beginners – How To Avoid Keto Flu
It may be struggle if you’re moving from a standard, carb and sugar loaded diet to a keto diet. Your body may need time to become fat adapted.
I’ve found that the following helps my body adapt as quick as possible, without experiencing any of the dreaded keto flu symptoms:
- Drink Plenty Of Water
- Exercise – if you regularly work out then keep up your workouts, if you don’t work out at all then try and start with gentle exercise such as yoga or walking to get your body moving.
- Sleep – you may notice that’s you’re extra tired when starting keto, so listen to your body, skip that extra late night Netflix show and try and get more sleep!
- Electrolytes – salt, magnesium and potassium – get your Doctor to prescribe supplements to ensure you’re getting enough electrolytes
More Keto Inspiration
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Disclaimer – this post is meant for informational post only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health professional before making any dietary changes.
Disclosure – this post contains affiliate links.