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The keto diet is one of the popular diets that offer a wide range of health benefits. The diet is based around consuming low amounts of carbohydrates and instead focusing on healthy fats and proteins. By cutting out carbs, your body enters a state of ketosis and can burn stored fat for energy.
In this comprehensive guide, we will go over all the steps you need to take to start a keto diet, including what to eat and how to plan meals.
1. Determine Your Macronutrient Ratios
The keto diet is based on managing how much of each macronutrient you are consuming each day. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This is especially important when it comes to staying in ketosis and getting the full range of health benefits.
Ideally, you should aim for:
- Protein: 20-30% of your daily calories
- Fats: 70-80% of your daily calories
- Carbs: 10% or less of your daily calories
2. Select Healthy Fats & Proteins
The next step in starting a keto diet is to stock up on healthy fats and proteins. Foods such as salmon, avocados, eggs, nuts, and fatty cuts of meat are perfect for following a keto diet. You should try to get the bulk of your fats and proteins from whole-foods sources as much as possible.
3. Limit Your Carb Intake
Since carbohydrates are the key macronutrient you are limiting on a keto diet, you need to be careful not to go overboard when it comes to carbs. Foods that are common sources of carbs such as potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta should be avoided. Instead, you should focus on low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens.
4. Add in Supplements & Meal Replacements
To make sure you are getting the full range of vitamins and minerals, you may want to consider adding in some supplements and meal replacements to your diet. This is especially important if you are cutting out whole food groups such as dairy or grains. There are plenty of keto-friendly meal replacements and supplements available on the market.
5. Track Your Macronutrients & Progress
The last step is to track your macronutrients and progress. By tracking what you eat and how much you are eating each day you will be able to ensure that you are following the diet correctly. You can also use tracking to stay motivated during weight loss and to make sure you are meeting your health goals.
Conclusion
Sticking to a keto diet can be difficult at first, but with a bit of commitment and dedication, you can use it to reach your health and weight loss goals. By incorporating healthy fats and proteins, limiting carb intake, and paying attention to your macronutrient ratios, you can start a keto diet with confidence.