Keto diet success – best 10 tips for sticking with it; Snippets of advice that I have found invaluable when embarking on this lifestyle! Despite the many proven health benefits of the Ketogenic diet, just the thought of cutting carbohydrates from their diet can discourage many people from following this way of eating.
KETO DIET SUCCESS; ALL ABOUT PLANNING
With a little planning, keto diet success is within your grasp. There are several tricks you can utilize to help you start the low carb, high fat diet with minimal effort. Here are 10 of the best tips to for sticking to a Keto diet and losing that extra poundage!
INVEST IN A GOOD FOOD PROCESSOR!
Eating keto means a lot more time in the kitchen. Everything has to be prepared from scratch, and off the bat that means more time cooking.
Eating keto means a lot more time in the kitchen. Everything has to be prepared from scratch, and off the bat that means more time cooking.
- A good food processor cuts down that time enormously. It makes batch cooking much faster. If you decide to spend several hours prepping foods for the freezer and fridge, a good food processor is your best friend! In my experience, it is well worth spending some money on a trusted brand. Many cheap copies have no weight or power to them and break easily. the brands that I have used include Cuisinart and Kenwood. A good one will last you for years and years!
TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting will help you to get into ketosis faster. Intermittent fasting limits daily eating to a time window. There are various different options, some people choose to eat within an 8-hour window and then fast for 16 hours.
- Intermittent fasting works very well with a keto diet. You can lose weight, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol as well as reduce blood sugars.
- Others keep eating within a 6-hour window and then fast for 18 hours. Explore the options and see which will work for you. Others transition to eating just one meal a day. This is known as OMAD.
BATCH COOK
Batch cooking is really important when achieving keto diet success. Because you are making everything from scratch you tend to spend a lot more time in the kitchen. In order to be smart about this and budget your time, when you cook a meal it is a great idea to cook several portions to put in the fridge or freeze.
- For instance, when I make Cauliflower rice I make a large portion which I put in the fridge. It is then eaten as either a side dish for other meals in the week, or I have it for breakfast with some fresh homemade salsa and poached eggs. When you are eating a keto diet plan you can never have enough leftovers around!
DECREASE STRESS FOR KETO DIET SUCCESS!
Chronic stress will seriously hinder your body’s ability to enter ketosis. This is because the stress hormone cortisol elevates your blood sugar levels, which prevents your body from burning fats for energy This happens because there is too much sugar in the blood.
- When aiming for keto diet success try meditation and other methods of relaxation, but if you are going through a particularly stressful time when starting the Keto diet, you should delay until you have a less stressful period. Also, think about getting an Earthing or grounding mat or sheet for your bed. Grounding seriously reduces stress, makes you get a better sleep, and totally mellows your mood!
INCREASE YOUR SALT INTAKE FOR KETO DIET SUCCESS
Many people have a negative mindset when it comes to how much sodium should be consumed daily. We have all been brainwashed to believe that our sodium intake should be very low. This is typically only the case on diets that contain higher levels of carbohydrate. This is because higher-carb diets cause naturally higher levels of insulin. When insulin levels are high, your kidneys retain sodium. When you adopt the keto diet, insulin levels are reduced. Consequently, your body excretes more salt since there are no carbohydrates present in your body to spike insulin and hold onto the sodium. When you’re in ketosis, add an extra three to five grams (3,000 to 5,000 mg) of sodium to your diet. This will help you avoid electrolyte imbalances. It is also imperative that a good salt source is used such as Himalayan pink salt or high-quality sea salt.
CONSUME CARBS FROM VEGETABLE SOURCES
- By including low carb green vegetables with plenty of fiber in your diet, you will find that they satisfy your appetite as well as promote the health of your gut biome. This greatly improves your chances of keto diet success!
- Choose leafy green vegetables and Cauliflower, which are lower in carbs. Other examples are kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and spinach, and asparagus. Add lots of butter to make them tasty and help you get your fat macro’s in! Also, consider using different types of these vegetables in salads and soups to vary the types you eat on a day-to-day basis.
PRIORITIZE SLEEP
Keto diet success hinges heavily on getting proper sleep. Poor sleep has been know to increase levels of stress hormones. This can prevent you from getting into fat-burning mode. Keto diet success, means maintaining a proper sleep schedule. Try going to bed at the same time every day. With time this will help improve your quality of sleep. Seven to nine hours of sleep are required for optimum rest every night. Obviously, this is not always possible but endeavor to work towards this goal. If you have trouble sleeping, try sleep-inducing herbal teas, meditation and possibly supplementing with a natural sleep aid like Melatonin. It is worth considering getting an earthing/grounding mat or sheet for your bed. This improves your quality and of sleep and has a calming effect on the body.
EXERCISE FREQUENTLY
A regular exercise schedule while on the keto diet can boost your ketone levels and help your body transition to a low carb, high-fat lifestyle much faster than with no exercise. To get into ketosis, your body needs to get rid of any glucose present in the body for total keto diet success. Exercising uses different types of energy for fuel including carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids. The more frequently you exercise, the quicker your body depletes its glycogen stores and begins to make ketone bodies to provide energy. Exercise helps you get into ketosis faster!
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR KETO DIET SUCCESS DON’T DRINK DIET DRINKS/SODA’S
Diet sodas use several sugar substitutes that can signal to your body that a large amount of sugar is entering the body despite being low in calories. This can lead to increased blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that the body may react in a similar way to some sugar substitutes as it would to regular sugar. Experiment with different keto-friendly sugar substitutes. My favorites are; xylitol, erythritol, and stevia, which I often use in conjunction with each other. Learn more about keto sugar substitutes.
USE MCT OIL REGULARLY
- A great habit is to start the day, a couple of times a week, with a cup of Bulletproof coffee. Supplementing with MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil helps you get into ketosis, even if your glycogen stores aren’t fully depleted.
- MCT oil is a great tool to utilize on the Ketogenic diet.
It is immediately metabolized into ketone bodies in the liver. Here it becomes an immediate fuel source. I like the this bulletproof branded one. On the whole, it is higher quality and although a little more expensive, lasts a long time. Remember when doing keto that quality counts for a lot!
PLAN IN ADVANCE AND MAKE SHOPPING LISTS
- It is advisable to plan in advance when eating keto. Making sure that you only have ketogenic foods in the house, makes it a lot easier to stick with the eating plan. Equally, it eliminates the possibility of cheating. If you have only keto food around, then that is what you will eat. Make tasty snacks that you can keep handy if you have to miss a meal because you have no time to cook. When you do cook, make sure you cook enough for several meals. You can always freeze some of it too. Keto diet success is within your grasp, just stay focused!
