If you're a beginner looking to start the keto diet to lose weight, you may be wondering what the best steps are. The keto diet can be a powerful tool for weight loss, and it's not as difficult as it may seem. With the right meal planning and preparation, you can start your journey to successful weight loss with the keto diet. In this post, we'll discuss the best way to get started on the keto diet for beginners, including how it helped me lose 10 pounds in just one month.
Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional. I have just studied and successfully lived a keto diet lifestyle. Please consult a healthcare professional before starting any health or fitness protocol.
What is the Keto Diet?
The Keto Diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that can help you reach your weight loss goals. The goal of the Keto Diet is to put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which is when your body begins to burn fat for energy instead of relying on carbs and sugar.
How the Keto Diet Can Help You Lose Weight?
Studies have found that following a keto diet for at least three months can lead to an average weight loss of 10-20 pounds (4.5-9 kg). Additionally, a keto diet has been linked to reductions in waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and fasting blood sugar levels.
In addition to weight loss, the keto diet may offer other health benefits. It has been linked to improved blood sugar control, decreased insulin resistance, lower levels of bad cholesterol, and better overall cardiovascular health. It has also been associated with improved mental clarity, increased energy levels, improved mood, and improved sleep quality.
To get the most out of your keto diet, it is important to eat healthy fats and limit your carb intake. This means focusing on whole foods such as meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and non-starchy vegetables. Avoiding processed foods, added sugars and refined carbs will also help ensure you are getting the most benefits. Additionally, it is important to make sure you are eating enough calories to meet your needs. If you are cutting calories too drastically, this could lead to nutrient deficiencies and further health issues.
Tips for Getting Started on the Keto Diet
Starting the keto diet can be intimidating for beginners, but with the right tools and knowledge, it can be a simple and rewarding process. The Carb Manager app, which is the app I used, is one such tool that can be extremely beneficial. This app allows users to track their daily macronutrient intake, including protein, fat, and carbohydrates, which is critical for maintaining the proper keto diet ratio. The app can help you stay within your allotted macros by inputting your daily food intake, making it easier to achieve ketosis.
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the number of calories your body burns in a day, to determine your daily macro goals. There are several online calculators that can assist you in estimating your TDEE based on factors such as age, gender, weight, and activity level. Once you've determined your TDEE, you can use the Carb Manager app to determine your preferred macro ratios. The keto diet typically requires a high fat intake of 70-75% of your daily calories, a moderate protein intake of 20-25%, and a low carb intake of 5-10%. You can stay on track with the keto diet by entering your daily food intake into the app and monitoring your macro ratios.
Once you understand the basics of the keto diet, the next step is to start planning and preparing your meals. This includes creating a shopping list of all of the approved keto-friendly foods that you’ll need for the week.
Here’s a sample shopping list of some of the most popular keto foods:
• Meats (grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, pork)
• Fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel)
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds)
• Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil)
• Low-carb vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, spinach)
• Dairy products (Greek yogurt, cheese, heavy cream)
• Low-carb fruits (berries, lemons, limes)
In addition to having all of the right foods in your kitchen, it’s important to plan out your meals for the week. This helps to keep you on track and ensures that you’re getting enough of the essential nutrients you need on the keto diet.
Here’s a sample one-day meal plan for the keto diet:
Breakfast: Egg and bacon frittata with spinach and parmesan cheese.
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Snack: Trail mix with almonds, walnuts and dried cranberries.
Dinner: Salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and mushrooms.
It’s also important to remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated on the keto diet. You should also take a multivitamin supplement each day to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals while following the diet.
By following these tips and having a easy to follow meal plan to create great recipes and shopping list ahead of time, you’ll be able to successfully transition into the keto diet.
The Benefits of Meal Planning and Preparation
As mentioned, when starting the keto diet, meal planning and preparation are essential components of success. meal planning allows you to create balanced meals that meet all of your dietary requirements, while meal preparation ensures that you always have healthy options on hand. Here are some of the benefits of meal planning and preparation:
1. Increased Nutritional Variety: Meal planning and preparation allow you to include a wide variety of healthy foods in your diet, ensuring you get a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals.
2. Money Savings: Prepping meals ahead of time helps you save money by reducing the number of ingredients you need to buy each week and avoiding impulse purchases at the store.
3. Time Savings: Planning and preparing meals in advance can help save time during the week. Having pre-prepared meals also makes it easier to stick to the diet when you don’t have time to cook.
4. Improved Weight Loss Results: Eating balanced meals that are high in healthy fats, proteins, and vegetables helps ensure that your body is getting all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and burn fat efficiently.
5. Stress Reduction: Meal planning and preparation help reduce the stress associated with trying to figure out what to eat daily.
By having a plan in place, you can rest assured knowing that you have healthy meals ready to go. This will give you peace of mind as well as more energy throughout the day, which can help motivate you to stay focused on your health goals. Additionally, meal prep also helps keep cravings at bay since you always have nutritious food readily available. To make meal planning even easier, consider downloading this 21 day free keto recipe cookbook and start making weekly meal prep batches and freezing them for future use.If you find yourself struggling with portion control or motivation, enlisting the help of a qualified nutrition coach can be extremely beneficial in helping you reach your goals.
Finally, don't forget to be flexible and enjoy yourself while staying within the guidelines of the keto diet.
FAQs About the Keto Diet
Q: What is the keto diet?
A: The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that promotes weight loss and improved health. It’s based on a process called ketosis, which involves the body burning stored fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
Q: How do I know if the keto diet is right for me?
A: Before you decide to commit to any new dietary plan, it’s important to speak with your doctor or nutritionist to discuss if the keto diet is right for you. They will be able to assess your overall health and suggest whether the keto diet is an appropriate way for you to reach your health and weight loss goals.
Q: What are the benefits of the keto diet?
A: Some of the potential benefits of the keto diet include weight loss, improved blood sugar levels, better digestion, and increased energy levels. Additionally, some research suggests that the keto diet may help reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Q: Are there any risks associated with the keto diet?
A: While the keto diet can be an effective tool for weight loss and improved health, there are also some potential risks to consider. Some people may experience side effects such as fatigue, headaches, and dehydration. People with existing medical conditions should always check with their doctor before starting any new dietary plan.
Q: What foods can I eat on the keto diet?
A: Generally speaking, people on the keto diet should focus on eating foods that are high in healthy fats, moderate in protein, and low in carbohydrates. Examples include avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds, fatty fish, eggs, cheese, and non-starchy vegetables.
Q: Is it possible to eat out while on the keto diet?
A: Yes! Many restaurants now offer keto-friendly options on their menus. To make sure you’re sticking to your plan, be sure to double-check with the restaurant staff about any ingredients that could contain hidden carbs.
The Keto Diet has been gaining in popularity because it has helped many people lose weight and improve their overall health. After beginning the Keto Diet, I was able to lose 10 pounds in just one month! One of the best steps I took as a beginner was meal prepping and planning ahead. This allowed me to stick to my low-carb goals while still enjoying flavorful and filling meals. Meal prepping also saved me time throughout the week since I was able to just grab my meals without having to cook each day.
Another way I stayed on track was by increasing my energy intake with natural sources like keto-approved fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. This gave me enough energy to power through my workouts and stay active throughout the day. As I continued with the Keto Diet I noticed myself getting slimmer and my energy levels were much higher than before. Overall, with proper meal planning, an increase in natural energy sources, and dedication to following the Keto Diet, you also will be able to achieve your desired weight loss goals!
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Marica Janaé is a certified life & mindset coach for women and the host of the well received Bougie Boss Podcast. She has dedicated her life to helping women achieve their life, relationship, health and wellness goals.
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