A favorite among people trying to lose weight is the ketogenic diet which limits the intake of carbohydrates and concentrates on increasing intake of fats (mostly) and proteins. Like with all kinds of diet, the results begin to show only after a few months of diligent practice of the diet. It is mostly during this time that people often lose steam and begin cheating their diet.
It is the same with the keto diet. Even though it might seem difficult and frustrating in the beginning, these five hacks might help you get through the initial phases of the diet and see more satisfactory results faster. These tips will also help you maintain your weight loss journey as you go ahead with your diet.
Here’s why I won’t follow it again even though it worked.
Create a keto environment
Preparation is the key to success in everything you do. The same is with your diet. Creating a suitable environment for your diet will help you stick to it for longer. There is always a war between your emotional brain and your rational brain, especially when you are following a strict diet. It helps at this time to not give your mind any kind of stimulus that may trigger a wrong eating choice. Make your environment force you to make healthier food choices. Here are a few things you can do to change the food environment at home –
· Stop storing carb-heavy and unhealthy food. If you have to keep such food at home, keep it at a place that is out of your reach and sight
· Keep all keto-friendly foods close at hand
· Reduce your portion size to make sure you eat only the amount that is essential
· Also, prepare for your sweet cravings. They are bound to happen and being prepared in advance will help you keep up your diet and fulfill your cravings. You can keep keto-friendly sweeteners and desserts ready for whenever you have those uncontrollable cravings.
Add friendly fat to your diet
It is proven that adding friendly fats or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) is actually beneficial for people on a keto diet. These kinds of fats are easier to digest as compared to other forms of fat. Also, they go straight to the liver where they are converted to ketones. This helps you reach ketosis faster which is responsible for increased energy and feeling less hungry.
Exogenous ketone salts
You can add exogenous ketone salts as a supplement in your diet to increase the level of ketones in the blood. These kinds of salts normally contain the following – potassium, sodium, calcium or magnesium. Adding ketone salts in your diet helps in speeding up ketosis, preventing ketone flu, restoring lost electrolytes and increasing energy.
Do not forget to exercise
Do not experiment with a new workout during the first few days of the keto diet. Continue with your current workout regimen till your body starts to get used to the diet. You might need to change your workout routine once the initial symptoms of the keto flu pass. As the intake of fats increases with the keto diet, the body can easily use it as fuel in workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or CrossFit training. However, keto dieters tend to not eat enough calories as they leave a complete food group out of their diet. You have to be very careful of the number of calories you take. Not taking in enough calories especially with routine exercising can leave you tired and unwell.
Preparation is the key to success in everything you do. The same is with your diet. Creating a suitable environment for your diet will help you stick to it for longer. There is always a war between your emotional brain and your rational brain, especially when you are following a strict diet. It helps at this time to not give your mind any kind of stimulus that may trigger a wrong eating choice. Make your environment force you to make healthier food choices. Here are a few things you can do to change the food environment at home –
· Stop storing carb-heavy and unhealthy food. If you have to keep such food at home, keep it at a place that is out of your reach and sight
· Keep all keto-friendly foods close at hand
· Reduce your portion size to make sure you eat only the amount that is essential
· Also, prepare for your sweet cravings. They are bound to happen and being prepared in advance will help you keep up your diet and fulfill your cravings. You can keep keto-friendly sweeteners and desserts ready for whenever you have those uncontrollable cravings.
Add friendly fat to your diet
It is proven that adding friendly fats or medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) is actually beneficial for people on a keto diet. These kinds of fats are easier to digest as compared to other forms of fat. Also, they go straight to the liver where they are converted to ketones. This helps you reach ketosis faster which is responsible for increased energy and feeling less hungry.
Exogenous ketone salts
You can add exogenous ketone salts as a supplement in your diet to increase the level of ketones in the blood. These kinds of salts normally contain the following – potassium, sodium, calcium or magnesium. Adding ketone salts in your diet helps in speeding up ketosis, preventing ketone flu, restoring lost electrolytes and increasing energy.
Do not forget to exercise
Do not experiment with a new workout during the first few days of the keto diet. Continue with your current workout regimen till your body starts to get used to the diet. You might need to change your workout routine once the initial symptoms of the keto flu pass. As the intake of fats increases with the keto diet, the body can easily use it as fuel in workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or CrossFit training. However, keto dieters tend to not eat enough calories as they leave a complete food group out of their diet. You have to be very careful of the number of calories you take. Not taking in enough calories especially with routine exercising can leave you tired and unwell.
Consider intermittent fasting
The keto and intermittent fasting diets are thought to be the ultimate combo for all those who want to lose weight. During intermittent fasting, you can only eat during a particular time of the day. It helps to maintain insulin levels and also control calories. The most common kinds of intermittent fasting are – time-restricted eating, alternate day fasting and 24-hour fasting. One of the major benefits of the intermittent fasting method is improved gut health. A few other benefits also include Boosted energy & cognitive function, reduced insulin resistance, longevity and increased weight loss.
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