Learn How To Start a Keto Diet or Low Carb Lifestyle For Beginners

Learn How To Start a Keto Diet or Low Carb Lifestyle For Beginners. Get all the questions answered, discover how to calculate, make a meal plan, and what to do from the first day you begin.

Thinking About Starting a Keto Diet?

Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the many ways to achieve optimal health. However, deciding which diet is best for you and where to begin can take time. In recent years, the keto diet and low-carb lifestyle have gained popularity as effective ways to lose weight, improve overall health, and increase energy levels.

Keto Book with recipes — Newsletter and Keto Free Ebook

In this article, I will explore the basics of keto and low carb and provide tips on how to start and maintain it for optimal results.

What Are a Keto Diet and Low Carb Diet?

In ketosis, the body starts to use fat for energy instead of glucose, which leads to weight loss and other health benefits.

A ketogenic diet involves high fat intake, low carb intake, and moderate protein intake to help induce a state of ketosis in the body.

On the other hand, a low-carb diet involves reducing carb intake while increasing protein and fat consumption. Both diets have similar benefits, but the macronutrient ratios differ.

Difference Between Keto and Low Carb

The main difference between a keto and a low-carb diet is the carbs allowed. A keto diet typically limits carb intake to 20-50 grams daily, while a low-carb diet can allow up to 100-150 grams daily.

Both diets reduce carb intake, but the keto diet is more restrictive.

Points to look at which are different:

Carbohydrate Intake

Both limit carbohydrate consumption, but the degree of restriction varies. In a standard low-carb lifestyle, carbohydrate intake is typically reduced but not as drastically as in the ketogenic diet. A low-carb diet may allow for moderate carbohydrates, usually around 50-150 grams daily. In contrast, the ketogenic diet is deficient in carbohydrates, typically less than 50 grams per day or even as low as 20 grams, to induce a state of ketosis.

Ketosis

Ketosis is a metabolic state where the body primarily uses ketones, produced from fat breakdown, as an energy source instead of glucose derived from carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet is specifically designed to achieve and maintain a state of ketosis. By severely restricting carbohydrate intake, the body shifts its fuel source to fat and produces ketones. Low carb lifestyle may promote some fat burning but does not necessarily aim to induce ketosis.

Fat Intake

In a ketogenic diet, a high-fat diet intake is typically needed to provide the necessary energy source for the body without carbohydrates. Healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil are often emphasized. Low-carb diets may also include a higher fat intake, but the emphasis is less pronounced than in keto. Some low-carb lifestyles focus more on protein intake instead.

Protein Intake

Protein consumption can vary between keto and low carb. Low carb may allow for higher protein intake depending on the specific plan. The ketogenic diet generally emphasizes moderate protein intake to prevent excessive gluconeogenesis, a process where the body converts protein into glucose.

Health Goals

The goals of keto and low-carb diets can differ. The ketogenic diet was initially developed as a therapeutic approach to help manage epilepsy and specific health conditions, but it has gained popularity for weight loss and metabolic health benefits. Its primary focus is achieving ketosis and utilizing fat as fuel. Low carb, on the other hand, may have a broader range of health goals, including weight management, blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, improved insulin sensitivity, or overall healthier eating.

Fresh strawberries on a brown plate. — How To Start Low Carb

Healthy Keto Diet For Beginners

To start a low carb or keto diet, it is essential to approach it with proper knowledge, planning, and attention to nutrient intake to ensure it is healthy and sustainable in the long run.

How To Start a Keto Diet or Low-Carb Lifestyle

If you are a beginner and want to start a keto or low-carb diet, there are a few things to keep in mind to help ensure success.

Those easy steps for beginners on a keto diet can help:

Make a plan: Before you start, take some time to plan out your meals and snacks for the week. This will make it easier to stay on track and ensure you get the right balance of nutrients.
Stock up on keto-friendly foods: This includes things like meats, fish, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.
A gradual transition is better than cold turkey: Gradually reducing your carb intake over the course of a week or two can make the transition easier on your body.
Consider trying Intermittent Fasting: One of the best ways to increase fat burning in the body is to give it periods when no food is consumed.
Track your progress: Keep track of your weight, measurements, and overall feeling. This will help you gauge your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your diet.

What Should I Eat on a Keto Diet?

Eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods is essential when following a keto or low-carb diet. You should consume foods high in healthy fats, moderate in protein, and low in carbs. This includes foods like meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils.

Calculating Macronutrient Intake

Calculating your macronutrient intake ensures you consume the right fats, protein, and carbs balance. You can use online calculators to determine your daily macros, typically expressed in grams daily. Tracking your food intake using apps like MyFitnessPal can also help you stay on track.

Net Carbs

Counting net carbs to ensure you stay within your daily carb limit is important. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the fiber content from the total carb count. These are the carbs that have an impact on your blood sugar levels and should be monitored.

What is the Keto Flu, and How Do I Prevent It?

It is a group of keto flu symptoms that some people may experience when starting a keto diet. It is thought to be caused by a shift in the body’s energy source from glucose to ketones. The most important is to stay hydrated, consume enough electrolytes, and gradually decrease carb intake instead of going cold turkey to prevent or treat the keto flu.

Various seeds in a measurement cups. — How To Start Keto

Creating a Keto Meal Plan and Sample Keto Food

When creating a keto diet plan, it is important to structure your meals around healthy fats, moderate protein, and low-carb foods. You should eat 3-4 meals daily and incorporate snacks if needed. Listen to your body and eat enough when hungry but stop when you’re full.

Breakfasts can be as simple as scrambled eggs or as extravagant as cauliflower rice hash browns with avocado and bacon.
Salads with various greens, topped with grilled or sautéed meats, and a healthy fat-based dressing are excellent for lunch and dinner.
Snacks can be nuts, seeds, cheese, or a small serving of berries.

To make things easier, you can also try meal prepping and cooking a big batch of food at the beginning of the week, so you always have healthy options.

There are also tons of low-carb and keto recipes available online, which is what my blog is about.

Staying Motivated When Starting the Keto Diet

Starting a low-carb and ketogenic lifestyle can be a significant change, and having moments of doubt or struggle is normal. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated:

Find support: Surround yourself with people who understand and support your goals, whether friends, family, or an online community.
Stick to your meal plan – try to maintain at least 5 ketogenic days followed by one low-carb day.
Keep track of progress: Seeing progress, whether it’s weight loss or improved blood sugar levels, can help keep you motivated.
Celebrate small victories: Recognize and celebrate small accomplishments along the way, such as sticking to your plan for a week, body fat reduction, or trying a new keto-friendly recipe.
Be flexible: Life happens, and there will be times when you slip up. Do not be too hard on yourself, and do not give up because of one setback. Get back on track and keep going.

By following these tips, you can set yourself up for success. Remember, this is a journey, and it is about making sustainable lifestyle changes that work for you. Be consistent and be patient. The results will come.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

How Do I Know If I Am in Ketosis?

You can test for ketosis using urine strips, blood tests, or breath tests. However, these tests may not be necessary, as your body will show signs of ketosis, such as weight loss and increased energy levels. Listen to your body and adjust your diet to maintain optimal health.

How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis?

It varies, but it usually takes around 2-7 days of strict adherence on a ketogenic diet to get into ketosis.

Will I Be Able To Eat Fruits?

You must be mindful of the sugar and carbs intake if you eat fruits. Berries tend to have lower sugar content, so they are a better option.

Fresh tomatoes in a paper bag. — Beginners to keto

Do I have To Ditch all Process Foods on Ketogenic Diet and Make a Diet Plan?

While minimizing processed foods for a healthier lifestyle is generally recommended, it is not necessary to eliminate all processed foods on a ketogenic diet. However, it is important to make choices and prioritize whole, unprocessed foods as the foundation of your diet.

Keto Diet Plan

If you are ready to follow a keto diet, I have made for you a Keto Meal Plan for the whole week to start with.

This 7-day meal plan makes it easy to follow a keto diet with delicious and satisfying meals that are sure to please.

Each day includes three meals and one snack; the total carb count is listed below each day’s menu.

Full recipes are included, as well as groceries for the whole week.

image with 10 sheets for keto meal plan — 7 Day Keto Meal Plan

In addition, you get Low Carb and Keto Grocery list to print for your fridge.

Community

Join our Facebook Group, where you will not be alone, and do it with some of us. Ultimately, having Pals going through the exact change helps big time.

Booklet

How to start with Low Carb Lifestyle — Booklet on How To Start Keto

CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOKLET

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Colorful natural eggs on a board. — Getting Started with Keto

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First Published: January 14, 2018

Last Updated: May 23, 2023

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