Getting started on any new diet can be challenging in the first couple of weeks. While the keto diet isn’t as harsh as other diets, it does have rules that you need to abide by and there will be a short transition period where your body adapts to the diet.
Follow the keto success tips below to get off to a rockin' start!
Generally, the first 4 days will be the hardest for most people. For some, it may take about 7 days before you are truly comfortable with the keto diet and in ketosis.
You can speed your way to ketosis if you follow these tips.
In this article, you’ll learn a few success tips that will help you adapt better to the keto diet and give you the edge you need to make keto a part of your lifestyle.
Understand the diet
Before starting on the diet, you must do your research. You must know the macros, how much fat you’ll eat, what foods you can eat, and what recipes you can make.
You may need to invest in keto recipe books to help you whip up tasty meals. It will also be a good idea to scout around your neighborhood or usual eating places to see if they sell keto meals or if the chef is willing to make a dish according to your requirements.
This will make eating out much easier on days when you just don’t wish to cook. Being well-informed will make it much easier to comply with the diet.
Track your carbs
Initially, you may be a little confused and overwhelmed when starting the diet.
This is normal.
The most important thing you want to focus on will be your carbohydrate intake.
It should not exceed 50 grams a day.
Ideally, you should keep it to 20 grams until you reach ketosis.
Severely limiting your carb intake will help you reach ketosis faster and break your addiction to carbs. It will also make it easier on the body to switch from glucose to ketones as a fuel source, thereby eliminating the “keto flu” that so many people suffer from at first.
Reduce all temptations
Clear out your kitchen and refrigerator of all foods that are not in alignment with the keto diet. This will prevent you from giving in to temptations because there aren’t any around the house.
You can't eat it if it isn't around!
The first few days of the keto diet will be challenging, to say the least, especially if you love pizza, bread, rice, pasta, alcohol, and juice (like most of us).
You may feel lethargic. This is normal.
You won't have much energy for anything, much less have any willpower to be disciplined. So, by not tempting yourself, it will be easier on you mentally and emotionally.
Get a food scale
Having a food scale will allow you to weigh and measure your food.
You’ll be more accurate with your macros and portion sizes.
Food scales are inexpensive and you can get one from Amazon quickly.
It will also help you when the recipe books give you specific quantities to use in the cooking. You’ll be able to measure the weight of the food perfectly.
Seek motivation
The best way to succeed with the keto diet is to stick with it until your body adapts and it becomes a habit.
To do that, you’ll need to find motivation.
The downside of motivation is that it wanes over time. While you may have started out enthusiastic, as time passes, you’ll lose interest when the daily drag of maintaining the diet sets in.
It happens and this is normal, too!
Find motivation by watching videos on YouTube of people who have used keto to lose weight and get healthy.
Just search for “keto weight loss” and you’ll have all the inspiration and motivation you need.
Here is a playlist I put together of inspirational keto videos.
You may join Facebook groups dedicated to the keto diet. Keto Lifestyle has a group just for you.
By speaking with others who are passionate about it, you’ll not only find motivation and maybe an accountability partner, but you’ll be more passionate about it because everyone else in the group is.
Follow these tips and you’ll be much more successful with the keto diet.
While you won’t see changes overnight, this diet gives you some of the fastest results possible.
So, stick with it and in a couple of weeks, you’ll be glad you did.
And, seriously, after two weeks, the keto lifestyle will be easy to achieve!