Wholesomealive is independent and reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide to Keto

A ketogenic diet is better known as a low carb diet, and this plan focuses on the human body producing ketones in the liver so that they can be used for energy. When we take in high carb food, our body harvests glucose and insulin. Glucose is one of the top sources of energy for the human body.

However, the fats which are not required by the body get stored. Thus, in a high carb diet, your primary energy resource is glucose.

Therefore, when you lower the rate of carbs that you take in, the body goes into ketosis. Ketosis is a procedure through which the human body survives when it has a lower food intake. When the body is in the state of ketosis, it produces ketones, which are created through the breakdown of fats that are present in the liver.

The basic aim of a ketogenic diet is to make the human body get used to this metabolic state. However, this is not done through the process of starvation. You don’t starve your body from food, but you starve it from the high carbohydrates. You have to make your body adapt to this metabolic state. The human body gets used to what you put in it.

Thus, if you start taking in low carb foods, then it will burn ketones as the primary energy source.

BENEFITS OF KETOGENIC DIET

A ketogenic diet is all the rage these days as it is one of the best diets for fitness, weight loss, and healthy living. Here are some of the benefits that this diet has to offer:

Weight Loss:

Through the ketogenic diet, your body uses the stored fat to produce energy, which helps in losing weight. Also, your insulin rate decreases through the keto diet which is basically storing hormones. Again, it helps in turning your body system into a perfect weight loss machine.

Controls Blood Sugar Level:

A ketogenic diet helps in lowering the blood sugar. This is because of the right food that you start eating when on keto. Studies show that this pattern of eating has helped people in lowering diabetes and controlling it too.

If you are pre-diabetic, then you should certainly choose this style of diet, and you will see a significant change in your overall health and blood sugar situation too.

Helps you achieve focus:

A ketogenic diet has shown to improve mental performance amazingly. It boosts it in the best ways, and this is one of the topmost reasons as to why people opt for it. Ketones are one of the best sources of energy for the brain.

As this pattern of diet reduces the high carbs in your diet, your sugar doesn’t spike up which lets your brain run fit and fine. Thus, this aids wonderfully in bringing great mental focus and boost productivity too.

Enhances Energy Levels:

As the ketogenic diet infuses amazing foods in your diet, they all help in boosting the energy level of your body. You tend to feel happier and more energized than usual.

Through this diet, you feel fuller, and your tummy stays feeling satisfied for a longer time which doesn’t let your energy die.

Helps in beating Acne:

Your skin improves and starts glowing and looking fresh when you switch to a ketogenic diet. This is because your body is getting all the right foods that make your skin healthier and better.

Thus, it is quite normal to see a positive and radiant change in your skin when you start a keto diet.

WHAT DO I EAT ON A KETOGENIC DIET?

The best way to start a keto diet is by creating an entire schedule for it. The eating style and what you eat is the basic thing that will affect the speed of a ketogenic diet and staying in that phase.

The more you limit the intake of carbs, the faster your body will enter the state of ketosis which is all you need to get the eating pattern working. Your ultimate focus should be the number of carbohydrates that you take in; you have to create a boundary for them.

Thus, knowing which veggies and other food items are high in carbs will help you eliminate unwanted foods. Here is a list of healthy foods that you can eat and what you cannot eat during ketogenic.

WHAT NOT TO EAT:

Here is what you must not eat, to enter the phase of ketosis:

Sugar: foods like honey and maple syrup etc.

Grains

Fruits: bananas, oranges, etc

Tubers

WHAT TO EAT:

People assume that the ketogenic diet limits almost everything but that is not the situation. Here are the healthy foods that you need to take while on a keto diet:

Leafy Greens: spinach and kale etc.

Meats for protein intake

Above ground veggies

Avocado and berries

High-fat dairy

Nuts and seeds

Other fats including saturated fats

WHAT TO DRINK?

The best liquid you can get during a ketogenic diet is water. Staying hydrated is very important. Other than that, it is safe to drink your caffeinated drinks too. Tea and coffee are not to be eliminated. However, sweetened drinks are not allowed and avoid soda drinks as well.

Also drinking wine occasionally is okay too but don’t drink it regularly.

HOW TO ENTER KETOSIS?

There are some things that help you enter the phase of ketosis and push your body towards it.

You have to limit the number of carbs you take. 20 grams of carbs per day is best as keto has to be a low carb diet.

Make sure that you take protein at reasonable levels. Keto is not a high protein diet, and you must not assume it to be one either. Take protein as you will require energy but make sure that it is moderate.

You have to eat fat so that you can feel satisfied. A low carb keto diet is always high in fat. However, you need to make sure that you consume healthy fats.

Snacking is not allowed in a keto diet. If you are hungry; try to avoid the temptation to snack. Sometimes, eating only satisfies the mind, not the stomach.

Intermittent fasting is another fantastic way to enter ketosis. The best and easiest way to enter keto is to have an 8-hour eating lapse. Fast for 16 hours and then take a meal. After that, you fast for another 8 hours and then take your second meal. A whole day fast for two times per week can also help you fast in an intermittent style.

Sleeping is an essential part of the human body and no matter what; you need to pay attention to taking a 7-hour sleep. Your sleeping pattern has huge impacts on your body and whether it enters ketosis or not. Thus, maintaining a good sleeping pattern is also essential.

Adding a workout to your routine will boost ketosis. Being a low carb diet means that your body will use the stored fat and carbs and will burn the extra calories. Thus, when you exercise with a low carb diet, you burn the unwanted fat.

PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NOT TRY KETOGENIC DIET

There are a lot of controversies about the keto diet and that it is not safe for many people. However, that is not the scenario. In most cases, the keto diet is pretty safe, and you can attempt it. But there are still some people who should avoid indulging themselves in the ketogenic diet pattern:

If you are under medication for blood pressure and diabetes; it is best to avoid the keto diet

If you are breastfeeding, do not try keto.

CONCLUSION

If you think for a moment now, you might understand that the ketogenic diet is all about healthy living. Intake of the high amount of fat, moderate proteins, and low carbohydrates is going to help you stay healthy in surprising ways.

Your body weight will remain optimal, your cholesterol level will be managed, you will see a spike in your energy, and you will find your focus and concentrating too. Bad foods do a lot of negativity to our body and mind, and it tends to affect our entire life.

This is where keto diet becomes the stress reliever and keeps your body and mind on track.

In the end, living a keto diet is quite simple and easy. To cut whatever we have learned above short, here is what you need to follow to live a keto diet: