If you’ve been looking into the benefits of eating a low-carb diet but have been a little confused about how to get started, then the best way for you to kick-start your weight-loss journey is to make some slight adjustments to your current diet. You may not be able to completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet, but the right adjustments can lead to significant changes in your overall health and lifestyle.
Be wary though, once you start to make some drastic changes to your diet, it’s best to stick with it. In order to minimize the negative effects of an overly aggressive ketogenic diet, you should make small adjustments and make sure that you are still enjoying the benefits of eating a high-fat, low-carb diet. Here are just a few tips on how to successfully reduce your carbohydrate intake while maintaining your weight loss goals.
First, get used to eating basic keto meals. The same rules apply when you’re comparing this meal to the ones you typically eat on a regular basis. This means that if you like to eat macaroni and cheese, you should eat a serving or two of pasta and cheese on your daily keto menu. Try not to eat too much cheese though, since cheese raises blood sugar levels, which can result in insulin resistance in some people.
Avoid simple carbohydrates. Any type of carbohydrate, including white bread, rice, pasta, cookies, candy, and fast food should be eliminated from your keto diet.
Second, try to eat more protein. When it comes to carbs, you want to keep your body fueled, so you will need a good source of protein. If you really do a lot of work, such as going to school or working at a job, then you may not have a lot of time to cook, so look for protein in meats, eggs, beans, and nuts. Protein is also a great source of complex carbohydrates so that you can get by without eating a lot of carbs.
Third, try to avoid sweet foods. Sweet treats such as cakes, ice cream, and other sweet pastries should be avoided. All sugar should be limited to a one per day rule, so try to do your best to get these out of your diet. There are also some foods that will trigger ketosis, so do your best to get rid of these.
Fourth, eat fat! Like protein, fats should be limited to one per day rule. Fats are an important part of a healthy diet, so eat them in moderation.
Fifth, avoid salt. You should probably be limiting sodium to around the same amount as you are a cup of coffee a day. Even low sodium levels can be bad for your health, so you want to stay away from this kind of salty snack.
Sixth, stay away from dairy products. Skim milk is fine, as is half, but you don’t want to limit your diet to only milk, either. This may be tough, but if you’re on a low-carb diet, then it is necessary.
Seventh, feel free to use fat substitutes, like olive oil, butter, and even coconut oil. If you’ve found that you can get away with eating whole-fat dairy products, then you can definitely eat them in moderation. Just don’t be tempted to eat all the fats in one serving, since this can be extremely harmful. Also, the good fats in these oils can be converted to ketones, which can also result in keto flu.
Try to combine different sources of protein and fat to ensure that you’re getting enough calories and nutrients to fuel your body and to satisfy your hunger, which is essential for people who are trying to lose weight. Once you have made these adjustments, you should find that you’ll be on your way to a healthy weight and improved health.
