Chapter 1: Reasons to Consider Eating Keto
You’ve been thinking about it for a while now but are still unsure if the Ketogenic Diet is for you.
Maybe you've seen some great results that your friends have been having, but it seems kind of scary to make this severe of a change in your eating. Before beginning, realize that there are a lot of people who benefit from a Keto diet. Who does it help?
1. Anyone with Inflammation - Ask anyone with pain issues and they’ll likely give you a list of food triggers that make the pain worse. This generally includes things like sugars, wheat and other grains, and starches in general.
Well, the good news is, the keto diet removes all those things off the menu thereby helping those with inflammation issues.
What's also worthy of note, is that there are also many foods that HELP with inflammation – many vegetables like beets, nuts, tomatoes, broccoli, and many others – all of which are exactly what you should be eating on a keto diet. Put like that, a keto diet for those with inflammation really just makes sense, doesn’t it?
2. If you’re an endomorph (or big boned) and other body types that tend to store fat really easily. Let's face it, some people seem to convert everything they eat straight over to fat. The good news is, a keto diet helps to put a large body in balance.
3. Bacon—lovers – and others who love high-fat food. Given that the keto diet calls for eating things that are high fat – the GOOD kinds of fat – then if this is something you already love and crave, you’ve already won half the battle.
It’s always easier to stay on a diet that allows you to eat the foods that you love best.
4. People who’ve gained weight quickly – and now need to lose it quickly. Still have that baby fat even though the baby is crawling now?
Have you been through a long illness that packed on the pounds while you were recovering? Keto can be used to drop you back down to your normal weight range very quickly.
5. Anyone with acid reflux. If you're living off a steady diet of antacids, this might be the thing for you. Again, the foods you eat are those more conducive to helping you to feel better when you experience constant heartburn.
If you’re on that list, then chances are the keto diet is exactly what you’re looking for. The only cautions? If you’re diabetic, have an eating disorder, or have had your gallbladder removed, this might not be the diet for you.
As always, before beginning any diet, be sure to discuss your options with a medical health professional before you begin. Always be safe in your pursuit of becoming healthy!
Tips When Starting the Keto Diet
Starting a keto diet can be daunting. There are so many things to learn and understand. Many quit before they even begun, mostly due to the confusion of what you should and shouldn’t do.
It doesn’t have to be this complicated. A keto diet is easier than you think, especially if you keep these top tips in mind:
Especially as you start, and your body goes into ‘keto flu' you'll find you're using the bathroom a lot more often. Drinking plenty of water will help to keep you hydrated.
Too often salt gets a bad rap for other health issues, but your body requires a certain amount of salt to function properly. When your body is in ketosis, you’re going to be losing a lot more salt when you use the bathroom, so be sure to replenish it to avoid electrolyte imbalance.
Speaking of being in the bathroom, you’re going to want to measure your progress. Using keto sticks help you track where you are in ketosis. The good news? The sticks are pretty inexpensive and are certainly easy to use.
This one should go without saying just because it's good for you no matter what. But did you know the body in stress produces extra sugar? This could hurt your ability to enter ketosis. To truly succeed at this, you first need to RELAX.
Going hand in hand with stress comes sleep. Again, the body that’s not well-rested is going to have the same problems as a body that’s stressed out. A regular sleep schedule will do wonders in regard to your keto success.
It makes sense that exercise burns a variety of energy – including the glucose in your body. Exercising then gets rid of those stores quicker, putting your body into the keto state that much faster. If you want to jump-start your progress then, exercise is vital to your success.
Batch Cook – And Plan Your Menus
Trying to figure out what to eat from day to day will be the biggest challenge. But being able to go to the fridge or freezer and grab a meal to reheat, is not only a time-saver but will keep you from falling off the diet. Planning what you’re going to eat tomorrow will make tomorrow that much easier.
So, take some time to first make a plan, and then put it into practice by laying aside everything you need for the coming week. Your body will thank you!
choose those from vegetable sources. You’ll not only feel full but more satisfied when eating carbs from a healthy source.
Pay Attention To Your Supplements
MCT oil and exogenous ketones will both keep your body functioning at optimal levels – and be a little more forgiving by keeping your body in ketosis even if you screw up and eat something you shouldn’t.
Pay attention to both carbs and calories when using it to measure out portions. This will keep you from going off track, especially when you’re just starting out and not quite used to ‘eyeballing’ portion sizes.
With these quick tips, you’ll not only stay on track but find that it’s much easier to manage a Keto diet than you ever thought possible.
You really can succeed at losing weight and feeling better if you use all the tools you have at your disposal!