Fitness and weight loss dominate modern healthy living debates. There is a lot of information on which diets to take, which exercises to do and how to live a healthy life in the 21st century. The ketogenic diet is one of the most discussed diets today. It helps in weight loss, the control of blood sugar, and the treatment of epilepsy, among other functions. In this article, I will give you a few guidelines on how to start a ketogenic diet the right way.
Understand the Diet
A ketogenic diet is one that is mainly composed of fats with little proteins and carbohydrates. Since the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet is lower than the one required for energy production, the liver converts fats into ketone bodies and fatty acids. That is where the diet gets its name. Therefore, this diet aims at forcing the body to use fats as a source of energy rather than carbohydrates. When this happens, the fats stored under the skin are used up, leading to weight loss.
Plan your meals
Once you understand the diet in properly, you need to plan your meals accordingly. Decide how fast you want to get into the ketosis state. Make a list of the foods to eat and the foods to avoid. For instance, you can eat nuts and seeds, meats and leafy greens. Cereals are on the list of the foods to avoid. You have always been told to avoid high-fat dairy products in your diet, but this is the time to make them the dominant components of your meals. Overall, you can decide what you want to eat, as long as the ratio of fats to proteins to carbohydrates is 7:2:1.
Eat what you have planned to eat at the right time
You will have cravings for cereals, sugar and carbohydrate-laden fruits. This does not mean that you can forget your meal plans. Stick to what you have planned to eat. Avoid snacks as much as you can. However, if you cannot resist the urge to take a snack, take keto snacks. They include seeds, cheese, peanut butter, and nuts.
Fast whenever you can
Fasting is going without food for as long as you can for religious or health reasons. Whenever you fast, there are no carbohydrates for energy production. Since the body needs energy, it will have to convert stored fats into energy. While you are fasting, you can take a lot of water to reduce hunger pangs.
Monitor your progress regularly
You are forcing your body into the ketosis state because you want to lose weight and enjoy other physical and mental benefits. You are not just starving your body of carbohydrates for fun. Therefore, you need to evaluate your progress at certain intervals to ensure that you are on the right track. In particular, check your frequency of urination. If you are urinating more frequently than before, then you are already in ketosis. Other signs that you are on the right path are bad breath, dry mouth, and increased energy.