Keto & Intermittent Fasting Starter Guide by Corné van Zyl - HTML preview

Getting Started

How to Get Started with Keto

Consistency is the key to success, so is planning and knowing what lies ahead. Follow the steps below to help you get started with your keto journey:

1. Familiarity

Before you officially start with keto, become familiar with the diet and your own goals so you can align your expectations and plan. Become familiar with which foods to avoid, which foods you can have in abundance and those in moderation, the side effects, and benefits. If you have any medical conditions, talk with your doctor and let him help you manage your health and diet.  

Also, get some lab work done before you start; test your cholesterol panel, blood sugar, liver enzymes, C-reactive protein, and an a1c level so you have a starting point. Test these again in 3-6 months to see how your body is reacting to the ketogenic diet. 

Take measurements – waist circumference, chest, arms, and legs – so you have a baseline from which to work; weight loss doesn’t always reflect as a number on the scale – you can be losing centimetres or inches, which is just as great as smaller scale numbers. Together with this, note your weight and body fat percentage and update these every week or few weeks. 

2. Choose your start date

Consider things like upcoming holidays and special social gatherings. Ensure you have enough time to prepare before you start.

Activities you need to tick off before you start (including #1 above) are: 

• Throw out unhealthy or ketounfriendly foods.
• Make a meal plan, even if it is just for 2 weeks or 1 month. This will help you avoid panic at meal times or when you need a snack. 
• Make a grocery list according to your meal plan and use ketofriendly food lists to help you. Stock up on the staples, like avocado, berries, seeds, MTC oil, protein, and low-carb veggies.  
• Think about social situations that may pose a challenge to you following keto. Can you bring your own food? What alternatives are these? Can you eat before you go? 
• Get a support network. This can be your friends and family. Or you can join our Facebook group where there are like-minded people who are on the same journey who can offer advice, answer questions, and motivate you!

3. Start your journey!

Once you’ve planned and gotten everything ready, start day 1 of your keto journey. You may still encounter challenges along the way, but use your support network. 

If you cheat or accidentally consume something that isn’t keto friendly, move on. Don’t wallow in your mistake. Continue with your keto diet the next meal. There is bound to be ups and downs; consistency is the key to your success!