The Easiest Way to Start Keto

 

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The Easiest Way to Start Keto

Keto can be confusing for beginners. We tell you exactly what to do

HOW TO START A KETO DIET OR LOW CARB DIET

The first thing when learning how to start a Keto diet is to figure out what you should eat and what you should limit.

I’ll go over a list of foods for both scenarios, a little further down- so don’t worry – I got you covered!

Once you learn about the foods, the next step (and this is speaking from personal experience), is to set up your environment and for success.

CLEAN OUT YOUR PANTRY AND FRIDGE

A good idea before you start the keto diet is to clean out your pantry and fridge and rid yourself of tempting high carb foods- think chips, cookies, candies, etc…

Here’s a before and after view of our pantry when we first started eating low carb/keto…

If you don’t want to waste food, give it to family/neighbors or donate it in your local Buy Nothing Group.

The last thing you need is to fall back to old habits in moments of hunger or unplanned meals.

Instead, stock your fridge and/pantry with low carb /keto-friendly foods (listed below), snacks, meal options.

So when you’re starving (or bored, emotional, etc..) you won’t be faced with a decision you might later regret.

If you live in a household where you can’t all ditch high carb foods, you could still make some tweaks: store high carb foods out of eyes site (I.e. in the cupboard, highest shelf of the pantry, back shelf in the fridge).

And bring the foods on the keto diet to the forefront (on the counter, eye-level shelf in pantry or fridge).

EAT YOUR (HEALTHY) FATS!

For so many years we were taught to fear eating fats. But in reality, we shouldn’t fear healthy fats. Healthy oils (unrefined olive, avocado, coconut, etc), butter, eggs, whole/grass-fed dairy, nuts, and nut butter- are perfect examples of good fats that you can eat on Keto.

Stay away from unhealthy fats like processed trans fats,vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils.

KETO DIET FOODS TO EAT

What can you eat on the keto diet?

• nuts and nut butter (macadamia, brazil, walnut, pecans, almonds, etc)
• almond & coconut flours
• Oils and fats (butter, ghee, olive/avocado oil, mayonnaise, etc..)
• Full fat cream and full-fat cheeses
• Meats: fresh or canned tuna, beef, chicken, lamb, eggs, etc.
• leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
• Olives
• Avocados
• tomatoes, lemons and limes, berries (in small amounts)
• seasonings like salt, pepper, etc..
• unsweetened tea and coffee (my favorite tea)
• Keto approved sweeteners (Stevia, Monk Fruit, etc)

Knowing what you should eat is important, but also knowing what you should avoid is also beneficial – when you’re learning how to start a keto diet. Here’s a list of some foods to avoid/limit when eating low carb/ keto.

WHAT TO AVOID EATING ON A KETO DIET OR LOW CARB DIET

What foods are not allowed on the keto diet?

• Grains: rice, four, pasta, and oatmeal
• Beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts
• Low-fat dairy
• Starchy vegetables like corn, peas, and potatoes
• Most fruits, except lemons, limes, tomatoes, and small amounts of berries
• Processed snacking foods: potato chips, pretzels, and crackers
• Added sugars and sweeteners
• Sweetened beverages: juice and soda
• Trans fats, such as margarine or other hydrogenated fats
• Most alcohols- wine, beer, and sweetened cocktails

MACRO CALCULATOR (KETO DIET)

Being on Keto will mean you’ll need to track your Macros and stick to your maximum allowance of carb s(or net carbs), protein and fat.

To get your customized daily macro allowances (or your allowance for carbs for keto diet), you can use a free online Macro calculator. They should ask you your weight, height activity level and the goal you are trying to achieve.

HOW TO TRACK YOUR MACROS

Once you know you macro amounts, one of the best way to track your macros (especially when you are just starting out) is by using a food scale an easy to use tracking apps.

MyFitnessPal and Carb Manager are two good options for tracking your carbs on your phone or mobile device

KETO MEAL PLAN

Think of meal planning as setting up your future self for success.

As you probably already know, you don’t want to be making food-related decisions when you are hungry, or tired, etc.

Making those decisions with a full belly and in advance will take the stress out of figuring out what to eat.

Meal planning doesn’t have to be a pain or take long either.

It could simply mean making a bigger batch of your dinners so that you have leftovers for lunch the following day.

Or it could mean planning/doing groceries for your weeknight meals, the weekend before. So you know what you’re eating each night of the week.

Which will avoid the “there is nothing to eat, let’s order out” scenario.

Simple and easy plan-ahead actions can really make a big difference when it comes to sticking with your new lifestyle.

If you’re looking for a pre-made Meal plan, check out this Keto meal plan book on amazon – it goes excellent reviews on Amazon!

KETO DIET (LOW CARB) RECIPES

Having access to easy to prepare (and tasty) keto /low carb dinners, lunches and breakfasts will really help with your meal planning.

I personally like easy meals that don’t require a bazillion ingredients. AND easy to prep and cook.

Also, I don’t cook just for myself.

I cook for my whole family.

So I strive to make recipes that everyone enjoys AND that are nutritious.

Being on Keto /Low carb diet doesn’t mean just eating bacon and sausages all day long. You can (and should, IMO) try to include lots of low carb veggies and healthy fats and meats – and limit highly processed foods.

In my collection of Keto recipes, you’ll find keto/low carb meals that are easy to make, wholesome and tasty – for you AND your family