The Complete Beginner's Guide to the KETO Diet for Weight Loss

Ketogenic diets are becoming increasingly popular in health and wellness circles.The term "ketogenesis" describes the process of creating special organic substances that act as an energy source (fatty acids) when carbohydrate intake is reduced.

This is an ideal way to lose weight for fatty meat lovers who can do without bread and sweets.

Thus, Ketogenic DIETS initially include high levels of protein and fat and very little carbohydrate.As a result, the body must use carbohydrates as an energy source rather than glutose to fuel the brain, heart, kidneys, muscles and other tissues in the body.

The ketogenic diet is becoming a staple among health and fitness enthusiasts with many clinical studies supporting its healing properties.These benefits typically include improved mental function, more stable energy levels, faster weight loss, and resilience to stress.

Although you already know that the keto diet is a low-carb meal plan, there is still a lot to learn about how to stick to this meal plan and not fail with results.In this guide, we'll take a closer look at the physiology and benefits of this diet, the different types/options of meal plans, and how to create your own menu (along with a sample meal plan).

What is a ketogenic diet plan?

What is the Keto Diet

A ketogenic diet is an example of a low-carb diet that includes moderate protein intake and high amounts of healthy fats.Carbohydrate intake helps your body (from both your diet and your body) enter a state known as "nutritional ketosis."

So what is ketosis?Ketosis is a natural metabolic process in which your body uses fat for biological energy production during periods of nutritional deficiency (primarily carbohydrates).

When you follow a ketogenic diet, your brain, like other organs, depends on ketones for energy.Ketones begin to be produced in the body after reaching a state of nutritional ketosis.

How many kg can you lose?

All results are strictly individual.After analyzing 6 studies that focused on the ketogenic diet, participants were able to lose between 3.2 kilograms and 12 kilograms after 6 months.The approximate average value of excess weight gain is about 6 kg over six months.

What is a ketogenic diet plan?

A typical plan for this diet looks like this (however long, 10% of your total calories come from healthy carbohydrates from leafy greens, non-labeled vegetables, or a small amount of legumes or high-fiber fruits; 20% to 30% of calories from protein, such as meat and some plants; 60% to 70% of calories from healthy sources such as flaxseed oil, fish oil, avocados, nuts/seedscomes from oils.

This approximate macronutrient ratio is a general guideline for all meals for the day.The ideal micronutrient ratio for you should be adjusted slightly depending on your physical activity and personal goals.

Use the basic daily calorie requirement calculator to calculate your energy needs on a ketosis diet, then use your calorie ratio using the macronutrient ratios above.Remember that protein and carbohydrates have four calories per gram;Fats have nine calories per gram.

Basics and rules of the ketogenic diet

Basic rules

A keto diet is more like replacing one source of calories with others you consume than a complete overhaul of your diet.The biggest difference is avoiding foods that sound like carbs and high sugar foods after learning how to replace high protein and high sugar foods.

Going on this diet means that you will eat a lot of meat, dairy products and a lot of vegetables.You will consume no small amount of fruit, everything and no grains.

The role of protein in the ketogenic diet

People following a ketogenic diet support the idea of eating protein-rich and filling foods.Along with being high in fat, you need to manage your protein intake.It is important to understand how protein works on the KETO diet and how to achieve optimal results.

Since eliminating carbohydrates from your diet, some people find they need to increase their protein intake.This is not true, and in fact, too much protein can "kick" you in the butt.A common mistake is that people view the ketogenic diet as a high protein, high fat diet.This is a mistake because it is a high fat, moderate protein and limited carbohydrate diet.

Why eat too much protein when you're bad at a ketosis diet?

As explained earlier, ketosis occurs when the body uses ketones for fuel instead of carbohydrates.Humans, in the absence of carbohydrates, your body can generate energy by converting proteins into glucose.This process is called globonogenesis.If you consume more protein than your body needs, the body responds by increasing insulin levels and decreasing blood ketone levels.

The importance of protein

What does it mean?

This means that if you restrict your carbohydrates, your body may go into gluconeogenesis instead of Ketosis and you will not experience any benefits from a ketogenic diet.

How to control protein intake

Now that you have a brief understanding of why too much protein is not good for the Ketogenic diet, it's time to find out how much protein you should eat per day on the Keto diet to stay in Ketosis.

You can use the KETO Diet Calculator to enter all your details and find out how many carbs, protein and fat you need based on your body type.It also depends on your age (how active you are), but also your age, gender, etc.

Now that you have a brief understanding of why too much protein is not good for the Ketogenic diet, it's time to find out how much protein you should eat per day on the Keto diet to stay in Ketosis.

You can use the KETO Diet Calculator to enter all your details and find out how many carbs, protein and fat you need based on your body type.It also depends on your age (how active you are), but also your age, gender, etc.

How to Eat More Vegetables on a Ketogenic Diet

Most vegetables are low in carbs, meaning you can eat a fairly large serving and still consume fewer calories than a serving of other types of vegetables.Vegetables are high in fiber, which is not only great for controlling your appetite, but it's also good for your digestive system and overall health.

Vegetables

If you're not used to eating several servings of vegetables every day (let's be honest, most of us don't eat vegetables every day), it's not hard to make this positive change a part of your diet.

Safe types of vegetables

You want dark and leafy vegetables.Something that looks like spinach or kale.Grown above ground (cruciferous vegetable) is optimal.

But be careful...

Because when dieting, there are vegetables that contain a high amount of carbohydrates.These are mostly root vegetables grown in the metro.Here are some vegetables to limit:

  • Prostrate
  • garlic
  • mushroom
  • tomatoes
  • pepper
  • hairpin
  • potatoes

Table of carbohydrate content in vegetables

Title The number of carbohydrates, G
Garlic 30.96
Sweet potato 23.78
Plundered 22.36
Water chestnuts 20.94
Sweet potato 17.12
Potato 16.77
Corn 16.32
Ginger 15.77
Green peas 13.57
Pasternak 13.09
Pırka 12.35
Lotus root 12.33
Chestnut 9.69
Coolers 8.47
Prostrate 7.64
Celery 7.4
Chili pepper 7.31
Carrot 6.48
It's a beet 6.46
Onion 6.64
Rutabaga 6.32
grape leaves 6.31
pumpkin Scorpio
Danabagi 5.7
Yellow pepper 5.42
Mini carrots 5.34
Red cabbage 5.27
Kalka 5.15
Brussels sprouts 5.15
Artichokes 5.11
Enoki mushrooms 5.11
Peas 4.95
Shallow 4.74
to bang 4.63
Shiitake mushrooms 4.29
Mitaka mushrooms 4.27
Okra 4.25
Dill 4.2
Bean sprouts 4.12
Broccoli 4.04
Pharalis 3.94
Red pepper 3.93
Artichoke heart 3.88
Radikci 3.58
cucumber 3.19
White cabbage 3.07
Bamboo stalk 3rd
Green cabbage 3rd
Serrano pepper 3rd
Cauliflower 2.97
Green pepper 2.94
Eggplant 2.88
Olive 2.8
Tomato 2.69
Kohlrabi 2.6
Champagne 2.57
Porcini mushrooms 2.26
Swiss chard 2.14
Zucchini 2.11
Arugula 2.05
Chinese cabbage 2.03
Green onions 1.85
Avocado 1.84
Radish 1.8
Asparagus 1.78
Mustard greens 1.47
Spinach 1.43
Parsley 1.37
bok choy 1.18
Nopality 1.13
Zherukha 0.79
Broccoli tops 0.15

Saturated and unsaturated fats

Oil

Don't let these big words confuse you.Simply put, different types of fat behave differently in our bodies, which means that not all fats are bad for us.

Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature (butter), while unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature (olive oil).Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, milk and eggs, while unsaturated fats come from plant sources such as nuts and seeds and some vegetables (avocados and olives).

On a ketogenic diet, you will consume a certain amount of fat per day, depending on your specific parameters and dietary goals, so do your best to consume equal amounts of saturated and unsaturated fat for best results.

Foods you shouldn't eat on a diet

To increase your likelihood of weight loss success, you need to eliminate as much junk food as possible from your diet.This is important to avoid temporary weakness.

List of prohibited products:

Grain and starch products

  • Flour, pizza, pasta, bread, cookies, cereal, crackers, corn, oats, potatoes, rice and baked goods.

Something sugary

  • Any refined sugar, candy, desserts, fruit juices, milk chocolate, baked goods, soda, etc.

Reduce omega-6 fatty acids

  • A typical diet is a ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids of 20:1.In this same diet, it should not exceed 4: 1.
  • Avoid factory-farmed fish and pork because of their high Omega-6 content.
  • Avoid oils such as soy, canola, peanut, sesame, sunflower, corn and grape.

Mostly fruits

Prohibited products
  • It is recommended to avoid most fruits, but if you decide to drink fruit, you can eat small amounts of berries.
  • Avoid dried fruits

From lacquer

  • Avoid any beans, peas or lentils due to their high carbohydrate content.

Processed foods

  • Avoid packaged foods with trans fats, preservatives, added sugar, and other junk you can't even pronounce.

Alcohol

  • Avoid beer, sugary drinks and sweet wine.

Artificial sweeteners

  • Sweeteners such as sucralose or others that contain aspartame can cause excessive curdling or other problems.

Low fat and low carb foods

  • Most of these products are either high in carbohydrates or contain a lot of artificial ingredients.

Things to consider before starting a diet

As with any lifestyle change, you need to get into the right mindset and plan your journey.If you don't plan your weight loss goals, your chances of success will drop dramatically.You don't want to be the one they "say" they're going to change, you want to be the one who actually does.

6 tips to follow before committing to a keto diet:

  1. It's in your best interest to see a professional (doctor and/or nutritionist) before starting this diet, make sure you have enough information to make sure you don't have a healthy state of health, and make sure you're only eating unhealthy and very little food.
  2. Get rid of all foods that are not included in the keto diet.Search your fridge, pantry, cupboards or donate or throw out any foods that are not Keto friendly.
  3. Learn how to read food labels.Learn what macronutrients are and how to count them.Before starting a ketogenic diet, you need to learn the basics.
  4. Gradually reduce your sugar and carbohydrate intake.Your transition to ketosis will be much smoother if you gradually reduce your carb intake, rather than jumping into it.You'll be less likely to deal with the "keto flu" and feel more comfortable in the early stages of your transition to full Keto.
  5. Drink plenty of fluids to help your body adjust smoothly.
  6. Learn how to measure ketone levels.It's in your best interest to learn the Ketosis levels in your diet so you know how to avoid future problems.What are the benefits of eating this way?

What is the benefit of such nutrition?

What are the benefits of the keto diet

Clinical studies and scientific evidence show that the ketogenic diet provides many health benefits for girls, including increased energy, weight loss, improved cognitive performance, support for blood sugar balance, and improved cardiovascular health.

Improved mental function

When following a ketogenic diet plan, the brain uses ketone bodies instead of glucose as its primary fuel source.This switch helps increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which promotes increased neuronal function, increases mental alertness/clarity, and promotes improved cognition.

Improved blood sugar control

Studies have shown that low-carb diets help support the body's insulin metabolism.Reducing carbohydrates helps maintain stable blood glucose levels by reducing fat and protein (which are long-term energy sources).

Weight loss

The low-calorie ketogenic diet encourages your body to use fat for fuel, and clinical evidence supports its effectiveness for weight loss.Additionally, a ketogenic diet can help suppress your appetite and reduce food cravings because ketones increase satiety signals in your brain.

Increased energy

In ketosis, your body uses fat and ketones as fuel instead of providing the body and brain with the energy it needs to maintain physical performance.

Improved cardiovascular function

Research shows that a ketogenic diet can help maintain a healthy balance of blood lipids in women.In fact, inflammation and oxidative stress tend to be lower in people following a KETO diet than those following a high-carb diet.

KETO Diet Plan Options

KETO Diet Options

Modifications to the scheme will depend on your goals and body characteristics.

In general, it is recommended to use a standard KETO diet during the initial transition to a low-carb lifestyle and ketosis.Once your body has "adapted" to fat as an energy provider, you can experiment a bit and determine if the KETO diet will be long-term.

Standard

The Standard Keto Diet Plan is best for people who are just starting out on a low carb diet and want to adapt to ketosis quickly.This plan is also suitable for those who want to improve their health and physical endurance.

Focused

If following a standard KETO diet strictly leaves you feeling sluggish and unable to fully exercise throughout the week, this is the perfect way to combine intermittent carb loading with a targeted keto diet.To do this, consume 30-50 grams of carbohydrates before training (up to five times a week) along with moderate proteins and fats.

Cyclic

The Cyclic Keto Diet Meal Plan is a progressive type of ketogenic diet where you "re-"carb load intermittently on certain days of the week.For example, you can fill your diet with 300 grams of integrated carbohydrates (you should reduce fat intake these days).It helps your body increase muscle glycogen and can be the best choice for very active people and the best choice for those who exercise a lot.

The next section is about specific supplements to consider when following a ketogenic diet meal plan.Read on to learn all about the supplements we recommend to optimize your ketogenic lifestyle!

What supplements should I take?

What supplements to take

Exogenous ketones

Exogenous Ketones, usually Beta-Hydroxybutyrate, are the Bioavailable salts of a source of exogenous ketones that quickly induce Ketosis (usually within 30 minutes).

How does this work?

Within 15 minutes acute feeding induces ketosis.Acute ketosis occurs, the blood ketone level rises above 0.5 millimoles per liter at the same time.

Tsc oil

MCT Oil is a blend of Caprylic (C8) and Capric (C10) triglycerides, specific medium chain triglycerides.TSC may help support cognitive function, and prior studies suggest that TSC may also support mitochondrial function.TSC oil supplements temporarily increase ketone levels, which serve as an alternative energy source for the brain and muscle tissue.

How does this work?

Increases ketone production and provides energy.Medium triglyceride supplements may temporarily increase ketone production compared to regular long chain triglycerides.

Electrolyte / mineral supplements

Electrolyte levels in your body can drop when you're on a KETO diet due to cellular dehydration.In such cases, it is advisable to consider using an electrolyte/mineral supplement or taking additional minerals in tablet form.

How does this work?

Helps maintain healthy micronutrient levels in the body.

The best food choices for the keto diet

Below is a complete list of the best approved foods to choose for a ketogenic meal plan:

Protein sources

  • Egg
  • Goldfish
  • Tuna
  • Herring
  • Trout
  • Steak
  • Ground beef
  • Turkey
  • Sardine
  • To lamb
  • Pork
  • Buffalo meat
  • Chicken
  • Protein powder (Whey, Casein, etc.)
The best products

Vegetables

  • Asparagus
  • Bean sprouts
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage (Bok Choy, Green, Red)
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Green or green beans
  • Artichoke
  • Kimchi
  • Leafy greens (Arugula, dandelion, spinach, Swiss chard, radicchio, sucress)
  • Lettuce
  • Mushroom
  • Okra
  • Onions (green, brown, red, shallow)
  • Peppers (jalapeno, sweet, chili)
  • Radish
  • Karapurma
  • Algae
  • Sprout
  • Sugar snap peas, snow peas
  • Tomato
  • to bang
  • Water chestnuts

Fats and oils

  • Avocado
  • Sunflower oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Grape oil
  • Olive oil
  • Sesame oil
  • Linseed oil
  • Raw nuts / seeds
  • Nut oils
  • Coconut milk
  • Olive

Drink

  • Coffee / espresso
  • Caffeinated, muted teas (green, mint, chamomile, hibiscus, etc.)
  • Mineral water (distilled or sparkling)
  • Watering

Sweeteners

  • Luo Han Guo
  • Stevia
  • Xylitol

Spices, herbs and spices

  • Cocoa (powder)
  • bone broth
  • Aromatic extracts (almond, vanilla, etc.)
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Herbs, fresh or dried (fennel, basil, chives, cilantro, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, etc.)
  • Horseradish
  • Mustard
  • Lemon
  • Salsa (unsweetened)
  • Soy sauce
  • Spices, fresh or dried (chili powder, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, garlic powder, ginger powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, cumin, etc.)
  • Vinegar