Keto Basics and 5 helpful tips to stay on track
Are you overwhelmed with the amount of information out there on the Keto Diet?
Lets get back to the basics. Here you will find what the Keto diet is, the foods to avoid, foods to enjoy, and helpful tips on how I stayed consistent in my first 30 days. If you want to make a lifestyle change to attain better physical and mental health in your life, you’re in the right place!
So what is Keto?
The Ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate, adequate protein diet. This diet relies on calories from fat and protein, instead of carbohydrates, as your energy source. When your body begins to burn fat for energy, that is called Ketosis.
Generally you want to stay at or below 20 net carbs per day. To calculate net carbs, the only formula you need is:
Net carbs = Carbs – Fiber – Sugar Alcohol
If you’re just beginning to track your macros, start by using this Keto calculator to provide your customized macros that fit your goals. Simply enter your age, weight, height, gender, and activity level, and calorie goal (either deficit or maintain) to see your customized macros!
Lazy Keto
If you’d prefer the less strict route, there is “Lazy Keto” where you don’t count your macros, but stick to a low carb diet. To keep track of your daily intake, you can use Carb Manager App, which is a free (with some advanced features that costs extra) and user friendly app. You can log your meals as you go, or log in the morning for what you plan to eat that day to ensure you stay under your net carbs limit. This is especially helpful in the beginning.
Foods to Avoid- High Carb
(Protein with fillers, sweetened milk/yogurt, starchy vegetables)
- Bread – Unless it’s low carb, my favorite is Oroweat!
- Grains (rice, corn, wheat)
- Starchy vegetables (potatoes, beets, corn, beans)
- Fried food
- Sugar
- Some fruit (bananas, apples, peaches)
Foods to Enjoy- Low Carb
(Animal proteins, healthy fats, dairy, nuts, vegetables)
- Pork (yes- bacon!)
- Beef, Chicken, Seafood (grass-fed beef/ organic is recommended)
- Avocado
- Cheese
- Heavy cream
- Butter/ ghee
- Eggs, nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans)
- Nut and seed butters
- Flax & chia seeds
- Pickles
- Greek yogurt (full-fat, unsweetened)
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cauliflower
- Berries (in moderation)
- Dark chocolate
My first 31 days
Tips to Stay on Track
- Clean out your fridge/pantry- Out of sight out of mind! If you don’t have candy or potato chips laying around the house, you won’t need to fight the urge to not eat them.
- Keep healthy snacks available- If you’re hungry between meals it is good to have low carb snacks on standby to make it to the next meal.
- Plan your meals a week in advance- If you set a plan in advance, you’re more likely to stay on track than if you didn’t plan anything at all. You will decide what you want to eat for the days ahead instead of making the decision in the moment which is most likely the unhealthy option.
- Track your food intake daily- This will help your overall awareness of the foods you consume. I use the Carb Manager app – it’s free and easy to use.
- Deciding ahead of time – I can’t begin to tell you how much this has helped me! If you know you have a dinner party or gathering to go, decide ahead of time what you will eat and drink. Make that commitment to yourself. The more you do this, the more you build trust with yourself and eating that cupcake won’t even be a question. Check out Thought Patterns and steps to achieve healthy results for more information on this!
