Being overweight and completely out of shape for years are two nightmares that have scared me for decades. Living with this fear – probably no one knows it better than me! I tried almost everything under the sun to lose weight, get in shape and live healthy. Like most people out there, I would pick a random diet plan and start following it against my gut. As expected, I would end up failing because I wasn’t prepared for it, mentally and physically. The journey of small victories and failures continued until I discovered the secret recipe to success three years ago – Indian Keto diet. I started at 100 kg and lost over oodles of weight during the last three years to reach a steady 62 kg, where I am today. Honestly, Keto diet came as a blessing to me. Truth be told! It wasn’t as easy as it may sound. It came with its fair share of difficulties. Before you jumpstart and switch to Keto diet, here’s a detailed guide to Indian Keto Diet for Beginners I have put together to help you hit that sweet spot quick and easy. This guide is a part of my Keto journey. It carries my personal experiences I had in process of giving myself a dramatic transformation being on Keto diet. Read it through and benefit from it like many others out there.

Read About My Journey From Going Fat to Fit

Contents:

What is Indian Keto Diet?

The Ketogenic or Keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein, no sugar diet. It has, of late, become a popular technique to lose weight. Keto diet is quite similar to the Atkins diet. The only difference lies in protein intake. The latter is about consuming low carbs and high protein.

Keto diet involves a drastic reduction in the intake of carbohydrates and high consumption of fats to get your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. Because your body is low on carbs, sugar levels in the body are reduced and the body is compelled into Ketosis, a process to burn fats for energy instead of glucose (sugar).

This dietary plan was first introduced in the 1970s. Back then, it was used to control diabetes. Later, it was used to treat epilepsy in children who were unresponsive to medication. Not only that, Keto finds its use in the treatment of diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.

How Does Keto Diet Work?

Keto diet works on the principle of body burning fats for fuel, instead of carbohydrates.

Let’s simplify it further.

Our body is designed to convert carbohydrates that we eat into glucose and use it for fuel. Glucose is then carried into the bloodstream by insulin to keep our body-powered. Simply put, the glucose level in our body is directly promotional to the amount of carb intake Keto breaks this rule of thumb, as the diet encourages extremely low carb intake to deliberately create a carb deficit in your body. When carbs are limited, your body seeks another source of energy to keep things running.

This is where fats stored in your body come into play. Due to low or no carbs, the liver starts utilizing fats stored in your body and converts them into ketones as an immediate source of energy.

This process is called Ketosis. In Ketosis, your body is completely dependent on fats for fuel. When your metabolic rate increases, your body burns more and more fat. Reaching this state is the sole purpose of the Ketogenic diet.

How to Get Into Ketosis?

Going into Ketosis is simple:

Reduce Carbs Intake: When I say recede, you need to restrict it to under 30 grams per day. It might sound a bit of herculean task to some in the beginning, but as you make small progress, you can pretty much achieve it.

Talking about numbers, most people focus only on net carbs. However, to achieve great results, you need to consider both – net and total carbs. To understand the difference between the two, let’s take a small example:

An item contains 30 grams of carbs and 10 grams of fiber. The net carbs present in the item are 20 grams. Hence,

Net carbs = Total grams of carbs per serving – Grams of fiber present per serving

If you want definite results, try to limit both. If you are struggling to get the numbers right, you can check out my 7-Day Indian Keto Diet Plan.

Reduce Protein Intake: Ensure this to avoid going into Atkins diet. Unregulated protein intake can lead to slower Ketosis.

Eat Fat: Fat is the primary source of energy in Keto diet. So, eat as much fat as you can.

Drink Water: Drink lots and lots of water to keep your body well hydrated. This will facilitate smooth vital body functions.

Refrain From Snacking: No snacking will help you go into Ketosis faster. Less you snack, lesser insulin spikes your body goes through during the day. Sudden spikes will fluctuate levels may lead to slower weight loss.

Start Fasting: Fasting is a great way to increase ketone levels. However, you need to strike a balance between fasting and eating. I would recommend seeking a Keto coach’s advice if you’re planning to exploit this technique.

Exercise More Often: Be it spots or gyming, any type of physical activity is healthy for the body. If you want effective results from your Ketogenic diet regime, consider adding exercise to your daily routine.

How Long Does it Take for Ketosis to Kick in?

2 to 7 days! The best way to find out if you are in Ketosis is to do a ketones urine test. If you see ketones in urine, you are into Ketosis.

Don’t perform the test within 2-3 days on an Indian Keto diet. Instead, check after a week for more accurate results. It may take longer if you are extremely obese since your body will first utilize the unused fat and then go into diet-induced Ketosis.

Stay away from sugar, sweets or carbohydrates while on Keto diet. I can’t emphasize this enough! If you do so, you might end up putting on more weight.

How to Start a Keto Diet?

Now that you have learned what Keto diet or low carbohydrate diet is, and how it is effective, let’s delve deeper and understand how to get started with Keto diet. The idea of getting started with a very low carb diet can be intimidating, but – getting started is as simple as it gets: Just start!

When you eat a carbohydrate-rich diet, the body produces glucose (sugar) and insulin. Glucose is converted by the body into energy, and is used to into the bloodstream. What this does is – the body gets its energy from glucose and the fats are not needed, leading to fat build-up in the body.

Starting with Keto diet, you will first ensure this cycle is broken. This will be made possible by feeding the body with less carb – more fat – and moderate protein.

A well-maintained Keto diet forces the body into a metabolic process called Ketosis – a natural process in which the body produces Ketones through the breakdown of fats in the liver.

Don’t begin to think how your body will react if you alter your diet to a low carb high-fat diet. Our body is incredibly adaptive – it will adjust to what you feed it. And when you feed it with a high amount of fats and cut down on carbohydrates, it will begin to feed on ketones as the main source of energy, steadily helping you lose weight.

If you are in doubt, read my weight loss story.

For your own incredible weight-loss story, you will have to start somewhere. Make the Keto diet your journey and turn your body into a fat-burning machine.

Things To Do:

Say No to Carbohydrates – This is most IMPORTANT! You don’t have to give it up completely, but restrict carbs to under 30g per day. By limiting the consumption of carbs, you’ve won half the battle.

Go Fat, Fat, Fat – Not in body size, but in food intake! Make high-fat meals your staple diet. But eat only when you’re hungry – you don’t need to eat 3-4 meals or snack endlessly through the day. Eating a high-fat diet only when hungry will escalate your weight-loss speed.

Consume Moderate Protein – It’s a general myth that the Keto diet is a high protein diet. NO, it is not! High protein consumption can affect the kidneys and lead to gout and other illnesses. Also, excess protein consumption will make the body convert protein into energy and your motive of the Keto diet will be foiled.

Maintain High Water Intake and Good Exercise Routine – Low carb diet works by depleting glycogen, allowing the body to burn fat for energy. Glycogen is a store of carbohydrates and water in the liver. Eating fewer carbs depletes glycogen and body water, which can make you feel dehydrated. So maintain a good amount of water intake along with the Keto diet. Also, maintain the level of electrolytes in your body – have lime water mixed with salt for it. Including regular exercise with diet will make you healthier, more agile and also make you sweat, which means your water intake will increase.

Include Your Family in the Weight Loss Goal – This is your goal, but your entire family will be involved, keep them informed about your plan. Make them assured that you understand the Keto diet is safe and effective. You will not be eating what your entire family is eating at mealtime, so you need them to be with you helping you eat and prepare what your new diet allows.

Different Types of Keto Diets

Yes! Keto diet is further classified into three types. Not to mention, the primary goal of all types being the same.

Standard Keto Diet (SKD)

Targeted Keto Diet (TKD)

Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD)

High-Protein Keto Diet (HPKD)

Standard Keto Diet (SKD): As the name suggests, this type is the stranded version of Keto diet best suited for fat loss, chronic disease healing, and other therapeutic uses. The idea was first conceived by Dr. Wilder.

When you are on SKD, you should eat cabs no more than 50 grams and proteins no more than 60 grams. The SKD plate should maintain the following ratios:

5-10% carbs

20% protein

70-75% fat

Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): The Targeted Ketogenic diet is popular among people who do workout because it facilitates glucose levels during workouts to enhance performance. The TKD is quite similar to the standard Keto diet in terms of the ratio of macronutrients.

The only difference lies in consumption of carbs at a specific time, especially before or after the workout. TKD promotes eating 20-50 grams of easily digestible carbs like fruit juices or white bread half an hour before workout for best performance.

Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKT): Suitable for professional athletes, this type of keto diet involves strategic carbohydrate intake for strength and muscle gain.

The cyclical Keto diet is an advanced level of Ketogenic diet recommended for people who have successfully done SKD in the past. This is because CKD is about maintaining a low carb diet for several days, followed by a high carb diet for a day or two. Doing so helps your body turn carbs into muscle instead of storing them as fat.

Carb intake in CKD is strategic so that it doesn’t knock you out of Ketosis.

You can call high carb days as cheat days because the practice is intended to compensate glycogen deficit in muscles during the workout.

High Protein Keto Diet (HPKD): Best suited for high-protein needs, this version of Keto diet involves consumption of more protein than a standard Keto diet. A high-protein Keto diet is perfect for people who want to lose excess body fat. This is because ample protein stock and low fat allow the body to maintain lean muscle mass, prevent muscle breakdown, and build muscle if working out. The ratio you maintain in this diet is:

35% protein

60% fat

5% carbs

The protein intake in HPKD catalyzes fat burning and weight loss process while gaining strength.

What do I Eat on a Keto Diet?

Meat & Offal

All seafood, red meat, white meat and organ meats are acceptable, but beware of:

The carb content of some shellfish and seafood.

Foods bulked out with rusk (flour) like sausage, “chicken shapes,” hot dogs and economy burgers

Anything coated in breadcrumbs or batter

Meats that come covered in sugary glazes or pre-packaged with starchy sauces

Meats cured with sugar/honey

Seafood Serving Size Grams of Net Carbs Raw Shrimp 1/4 lb 5 Squid 1/4 lb 9 Imitation Crab 1 oz 4.6

Salad Vegetables

Vegetable Serving Size Grams of Net Carbs Alfalfa sprouts ½ cup 0.2 Artichoke hearts, marinated 4 pieces 2 Artichoke hearts, canned 1 heart 1 Arugula 1 cup 0.4 Avocado, Haas ½ fruit 1.8 Beans: green, snap, string, wax ½ cup, raw 2.1 Bok choy (pak choi) 1 cup, raw 0.4 Boston/Bibb lettuce 1 cup, raw 0.8 Broccoli florets ½ cup 0.8 Cabbage, green, red, savoy ½ cup, shredded 1.1 Cauliflower florets ½ cup 1.4 Celery 1 stalk 0.8 Celery root (celeriac) ½ cup, grated 3.5 Chicory greens ½ cup 0.1 Chinese cabbage ½ cup, shredded 0 Chives 1 tablespoon 0.1 Cucumber ½ cup, sliced 1 Daikon radish ½ cup 1 Endive ½ cup 0.4 Escarole ½ cup 0.1 Fennel ½ cup 1.8 Greens, mixed 1 cup 0.4 Iceberg lettuce 1 cup 0.2 Jicama ½ cup 2.5 Loose-leaf lettuce 1 cup 1 Mesclun 1 cup 0.5 Mung bean sprouts ½ cup 2.1 Mushrooms, button, fresh ½ cup 1.2 Olives, black 5 0.7 Olives, green 5 0 Onion 2 tablespoons, chopped 1.5 Parsley (and all fresh herbs) 1 tablespoon 0.1 Peppers, green bell ½ cup 2.1 Peppers, red bell ½ cup 2.9 Radicchio ½ cup 0.7 Radishes 6 0.5 Romaine lettuce 1 cup 0.4 Scallion/green onion ¼ cup 1.2 Spinach 1 cup 0.2 Tomato 1 small (3–113g / 4oz) 2.5 Tomato 1 medium 3.3 Tomato, cherry 5 2.2 Watercress ½ cup 0

Fruits

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Net Carbs Blackberries, fresh ¼ cup 2.7 Blackberries, frozen ¼ cup 4.1 Blueberries, fresh ¼ cup 4.1 Blueberries, frozen ¼ cup 3.7 Boysenberries, fresh ¼ cup 2.7 Boysenberries, frozen ¼ cup 2.8 Cherries, sour, fresh ¼ cup 2.8 Cherries, sweet, fresh ¼ cup 4.2 Cranberries, raw ¼ cup 2 Currants, fresh ¼ cup 2.5 Gooseberries, raw ½ cup 4.4 Loganberries, raw ¼ cup 2.7 Melon, cantaloupe balls ¼ cup 3.7 Melon, Crenshaw balls ¼ cup 2.3 Melon, honeydew balls ¼ cup 3.6 Raspberries, fresh ¼ cup 1.5 Raspberries, frozen ¼ cup 1.8 Strawberries, fresh, sliced ¼ cup 1.8 Strawberries, frozen ¼ cup 2.6 Strawberry, fresh 1 large 1

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Cooked vegetables

Soy/vegetarian

Dairy

Acceptable fats and oils

Sweeteners

Drinks and alcohol

Nuts/seeds

Dressings & Condiments

International cuisines (Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, etc.)

What Not to Eat on a Keto Diet?

It goes without saying – Foods Rich in Carbohydrates should be completely avoided. Additionally, limit foods and drinks with sugar content.

Here is a list of foods that you should completely avoid on a Keto Diet:

All kinds of grains Potato Bread Pizza Pasta Sweet and sugary food items Gluten Sweeteners such as Equal, Sugar-free and others that contain aspartame, sucralose, saccharin Refined oils and margarine Readymade low carb, or zero carb products Soda Juices Milk Alcohol Beer Cocktails Wine Fruit juice Pineapple Banana Mango Papaya Oranges Grapes Dates Raisin Products with MSG Root Vegetables Chocolate Pasta Candies Donuts Pastries Cakes Gluten Oats Corn



7-Day Indian Keto Diet Meal Plan (Non-Veg)

Day 1

Breakfast: Bulletproof coffee, Omelette

Lunch: Mutton seekh kebab

Evening: Peanuts, green tea

Day 2

Breakfast: Bulletproof coffee, boiled eggs with mutton seekh kebab (100g)

Lunch: Shallow fried cottage cheese,

Evening: Half-cup of cut strawberries, buttermilk (250ml)

Dinner: Shredded chicken breast in soya sauce

Day 3

Breakfast: Masala omelette with cheese with smoked bacon

Lunch: Parboiled cauliflower in mayo with mutton seekh kebab

Evening: Peanuts oil roasted and salted

Dinner: Keto Butter Chicken/Murg Makhani Keto Style

Day 4

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with chicken sausages

Lunch: Chicken malai tikka

Dinner: Mutton seekh kebab

Day 5

Breakfast: Protein shake

Lunch: Shami kebab with Greek yogurt and sliced strawberries

Dinner: Chicken broth

Day 6

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with bulletproof coffee

Lunch: Capsicum/peppers stuffed with cottage cheese (paneer)

Dinner: Keto tandoori chicken

For full details, check out my 7-Day Indian Keto Diet Plan & Recipes for Easy Weight Loss.

Day-to-Day Benefits of Keto Diet

When you go on a Keto diet, the first thing that you begin to notice is a reduction in hunger. Hunger is the worst side effect of any diet regime, it is the sole reason many people give up on dieting. Low carb high-fat diet, however, automatically reduces appetite and influences you to keep going on with the diet.



Studies also show people on low carbohydrate diet lose more weight, faster, in comparison to low-fat diets. Even when a person is actively restricting calorie intake in the latter diet plan. This is largely because low carb diet helps the body rid itself of access water, resulting in decreased insulin levels and rapid weight loss.

Long-Term Benefits of Ketogenic Diet

A significant long-term benefit of Keto diet, in addition to weight loss, is it helps decrease the level of triglycerides and blood glucose.

Triglycerides are fat molecules which circulate in the bloodstream and are a strong heart disease risk factor. When you go on a low carb diet, it is seen that over a long period of time, it helps in dramatic reduction of blood triglycerides, the bad cholesterol.

The Ketogenic diet is also seen to enhance the High-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the body. Also called the good cholesterol, high HDL means you have lesser risk of heart disease.

Keto diet is also beneficial in making you more focused and energetic. This is because carbs – the main energy source causes glucose levels in the body to rise and fall. Since the source of energy is not consistent, it’s harder for the brain to stay focused for a long period of time. When the body goes into Ketosis, with low carb high-fat diet, the brain uses ketones for energy. As your body already has a lot of fat and can store more fat, from the intake, the body and brain have a consistent flow of fuel to burn, which keeps the brain focused and body energised for long periods of time.

The Ketogenic diet is also considered an established treatment option for children with hard to control epilepsy. With low carb, high-fat diet genes involved in energy metabolism in the brain are affected, which then help stabilize the function of neurons exposed to the challenges of epileptic seizures.

Common Side Effects of Keto Diet

The Ketogenic diet is a powerful new style of eating that has substantial data to back itself as an effective way of losing weight and regaining happiness. Even though Keto diet has the ability to transform your body into a fat-burning machine, it has a flip side. There are certain Keto side effects but most of them are early stage symptoms that you can learn to overcome.

Keto Flu: Most people experience Keto flu when they start the diet. This happens because the body begins to adapt to your low carbs diet. When Ketosis begins (body burns fats instead of glucose for energy) the body experiences certain changes, which may not make you feel too well – this symptomizes Keto flu. Keto flu symptoms include fatigue, headache, irritability, nausea, weakness, vomiting, confusion and/or constipation. In most people, Keto flu subsides within a week.

Issues of Bad Breath and Changed Body Odour: When the body is deprived of carbs, it loses glucose – its primary source of energy, and forces the body to burn ketones for energy. This puts the body through a variety of problems including hypoglycemia, sleep disorders, irregular menstrual cycles, bad breath and a slight change in body smell. In the initial days of your Keto diet, you will experience the taste in your mouth changing to slightly metallic, and the body smelling differently. It’s not exactly a foul smell, but it is not very pleasant too.

What Happens if I Stop Keto Diet?

How long you can stay on Keto diet will depend on how consistently and for how long you can say no to pizzas, cakes, beer, drinks etc. Through the diet, you will have the urge to break loose and eat processed carbs that you relished so much, but how long you can hold on will decide the efficiency of your diet.

When you stop Keto diet, there are a range of physical issues, both positive and negative, you may have to deal with. One of the biggest snags with Keto diet (or with all other diets for that matter) is, when you stop, you tend to gain weight again. This is mainly because you don’t have a defined plan to transition back into your normal eating style.

Generally, people return to the way they ate previously. Since it wasn’t working for them before, it will not work now. Having restricted carb intake for so long, people generally overdo them once they get back into normal eating style and they begin to gain weight again. Thus, it is essential to have a plan in place before moving out of Keto diet – you should have a plan for what you’re going to eat and how you will introduce carbs into your diet plan. If you are not sure what your goal should be, you should consult a Keto coach for help.



A Keto coach will suggest you to start with unprocessed carbs first. Instead of leaping directly into pastas, cakes, donuts, and sugar-sweetened drinks, begin with whole grains, fruits, vegetables etc.

My Keto Warriors

While you are making up your mind, have a look at some of the transformations that have already happened. People like you and me, who reached out for help and are now precious friends.

For more such inspiring stories, check out my Keto Warriors.

Ready to take a call on your health to get fit? Get in touch with me. I will be more than happy to help.





Keto Diet FAQs and Answers

Q: Is Keto diet safe for me?

Keto diet is usually very safe. However, one may need to take extra precautions in case:

You are on medication for diabetes

Have been breastfeeding

Or have hypertension – high blood pressure

Q: How do I know when my body has entered Ketosis?

Following are the early indicators that suggest your body is in Ketosis:

Decrease in appetite

Increase in thirst

Frequent urination

Bad breath – aka Keto breath

Dry mouth

Q: Is Keto diet safe for the kidneys?

Yes, Keto diet is completely safe if you have normal kidney function.

Keto diet is misunderstood as a high protein diet. The truth is, Keto diet is high fat, and not protein.

Q: Is Ketosis dangerous?

No, there is no clinical evidence to suggest that Ketosis is dangerous.

Ketosis is generally confused with Ketoacidosis, which is an indicator of a serious health problem. Ketosis and Ketoacidosis are however different and are not even comparable.

Q: Can Ketogenic diet cause hair loss?

Low carb diet can cause hair loss in some people. Generally, it is caused due to rapid weight loss, which is temporary. Hair loss can also be caused by lack of protein in the diet or because of autoimmune disease such as hypothyroidism.

Q: Is the Keto diet suitable for my kids?

Yes, Keto diet is suitable and safe for babies and kids. Ketogenic diet is used worldwide to manage diseases such as epilepsy and autism in kids.

Q: Is Ketosis safe for diabetics?

Ketosis is safe for both people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, provided it is done in strict medical supervision to avoid diabetic patients from entering Ketoacidosis (situation leading to very high levels of Ketones and glucose in the body).

Ketosis helps regulate blood sugar level and decrease insulin resistance, which helps patients suffering from diabetes and thyroid issues. For Type 1 diabetics, low-carb diet can significantly improve blood-sugar control. Ketogenic diet is also seen as a powerful treatment to reverse type 2 diabetes.

Q: Is Keto diet safe for high cholesterol?

Keto diet has shown significant results in lowering triglyceride levels and increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels thus improving overall cholesterol profile.

Q: Can I be in Ketosis and still not lose weight?

Yes, it is possible. If this is a case with you, you can read the complete guide to Keto diet or reach out to a Keto coach.

Q: Can I have fruits on a Keto diet?

Most fruits are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, it is therefore advised to avoid all such fruits in Keto diet. Read here for more information on what foods and fruits you can have in Keto diet.

Q: How long can I be on a Keto diet?

You can be on a Keto diet for as long as you want to. It’s important to enjoy it and be sure, you are not experiencing any health issues because of it.

Q: How many carbs can I eat daily?

It’s advisable to eat less than 20 to 50 g of carbs every day. If you exceed this daily carb intake, you will fall out of Ketosis.

Q: What can I do for Keto breath?

When you are on low carb diet, you can experience a peculiar smell in your breath, which is generally temporary. You can do the following things to avoid bad breath:

Drink lots of water

Maintain proper oral hygiene

Use breath freshener to mask the smell

Q: Can I have dairy on Keto?

This will depend on your personal dietary preference, though dairy is nutritious that can be part of your Keto diet. You can include following high-fat dairy products in your diet:

Cream

Butter

Cheese

Plain whole-milk yogurt

Read here for more options.

Q: Can I build muscles on Keto?

Yes, you can.

Q: Is Keto safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Yes, it is safe but you should not try to lose weight during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Losing weight during this time can have an adverse effect on the growth of fetus/child.

Q: Do I need to work out/exercise to lose weight on Keto?

You don’t have to work out to lose fat on Keto – one of the most popular reasons why the low carb high-fat diet has gained popularity. With Keto, you can lose weight without breaking a sweat.

Working out with Keto can however help you lose weight more rapidly. Also, if people who work out along with diet are allowed slightly higher intake of carbs.

Q: Can I eat as much protein as I want?

No. Keto is a high fat based diet. You need to restrict your protein intake on the Keto diet.

Q: What is Keto-adaptation?

Keto-adaption is getting the body used to using fat as a source of energy instead of glucose. When this happens, the body enters Ketosis.

Adaption to Ketosis is complex, since it requires the body tissues such as brain, kidney, muscles and liver to adapt to the new system introduced to the body. It generally takes 3-4 weeks or even months for some body’s to become Keto-adaptive and use Ketones effectively.

Q: Is the Ketogenic diet suitable for women going through menopause?

Yes, it is safe. A low-carb diet can lower insulin levels and improve insulin sensitivity. It can assist in controlling appetite and helps reduce hot flashes and associated symptoms.