Starting Keto Diet: 7 Things To Do Before Going Low Carb High Fat
Thinking of starting on the keto diet?
If you’ve just heard of the ketogenic (low carb high fat) diet, you may want to know what you should do to lose weight while on the diet.
The truth is, the keto diet is pretty simple. Eat fewer carbs (restricting your intake to 20g net carbs or less), and eat more fat as well as a moderate amount of protein.
While sticking to these rough ratios of carb to fat to protein, most people melt a significant amount of body fat (even without exercise). It’s absolutely effective and possible to lose weight on the keto diet.
However, there is a caveat – isn’t there, always?
You must stick within the extremely low carb limit (20g as mentioned, though some can still lose weight on 50g carbs).
To help you succeed in doing this and changing your eating habits to comply with a keto lifestyle, here are 7 important things to do before you start.
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Starting Keto Diet: 7 Things To Do Before Going Low Carb High Fat
1. Know the keto facts
Like any new diet or lifestyle change, it’s super important to you know what’s involved. We’ve given you the lowdown on the basics already.
However, you’ll want to be truly informed on how the keto diet will benefit you, the side effects, and all the things you can do to succeed.
Sure, the keto diet is like magic for fat burning. But, it’s important to remember, every BODY is different. Every lifestyle is different.
What suits one person’s body and lifestyle may not suit another.
So, know the keto facts and be familiar with it. This will help you decide on whether you are truly ready to start an extreme diet of low carb eating. It also helps you prepare mentally (and don’t we all know that’s half the battle!).
Now, go ahead and read this ultimate keto diet guide OR even better, read this eBook by Leanne Vogel (bonus: you get a 30-day meal plan too).
Whatever you do, please get informed and know all the facts to make sure you are prepared to dive into the keto diet way of eating.
That said, avoid the temptation to get stuck in analysis paralysis – you know, getting stuck in the research phase instead of taking action.
2. Check-in with your medical doctor
Although the keto diet is safe for almost everyone, it is a smart idea to get the thumbs up from your physician before starting on it.
This is particularly important if you have certain medical conditions or dietary restrictions, which can make the keto diet unsuitable for you.
3. Make a decision!
Make a decision to start on a keto diet. Okay, so this may seem obvious but it’s an important step.
Here is why.
The low carb high fat diet is a huge lifestyle change for most people since the Western diet is primarily high in carbohydrates.
It takes a fair amount of willpower to stay on a low carb diet until you see results and to maintain it.
So making a decision is about making a commitment that you will start and not quit.
To really put this step into action, write your decision to start this diet in a notebook or diary.
4. Stay accountable
Next, tell a family member or close friend – someone you trust and respect. It helps you stay accountable. Let them know to check in on you regularly (even daily) to make sure you’re sticking to your goal.
That may seem scary, because hey, you don’t want to tell anyone your weight loss goals. But this is what will give you the extra push you need to stay the path when it gets tough. You can do this!
If you don’t feel like doing this, find a support group or forum. Basically, you should stay accountable to someone because everyone needs encouragement and positivity to succeed at anything.
5. Record your measurements
With any weight loss journey, it’s a good idea to measure and track your weight and even measurements like waistline, hips, and legs.
Now is the time to weigh yourself. You may also choose to measure your waist, hips, and even legs and arms. Record this in your diary or notebook.
You’ll then complete the same measurements and record them 6 weeks after starting the keto diet. This gives you sufficient time to see results and helps you avoid obsessing over the measurements.
The main thing to remember is that the numbers on the scale are not everything. Avoid obsessing over the numbers and weighing yourself daily.
How your clothes fit and how you feel are a better indicator of your success.
6. Plan your diet
Now that you’ve made your decision and completed your pre-keto measurements, it’s time to plan your diet.
The planning process is probably the single most important thing you can do succeed on the keto diet.
It’s where you plan what you will be eating for every single meal of the day including snacks and even dessert. Be thorough!
The more strictly you plan for what to eat at home, at work, and in restaurants or cafes, the easier you will sail through the keto diet.
There are two ways you can do this. You can either search for recipes on Pinterest and find what recipes will work for you. Or you can buy a pre-made meal plan so all you have to do is shop the ingredients.
My favorite keto meal plan is Keto In Five. I absolutely love it because it’s simple!
Each recipe in Keto In Five is made of 5 ingredients or fewer. And each recipe has 5 net carbs or fewer. That’s why it’s called Keto In Five 🙂
Keto In Five makes it easy for me to track carb count (since every recipe has the calorie and macronutrient profile) and it’s nice to cook easy meals especially because of my busy lifestyle. Besides, the keto desserts are totally worth it!
7. Shop for keto staples
The last step on 7 things to do before starting a keto diet, is to shop for keto pantry staples.
Your previous diet would have meant your pantry and refrigerator is filled with high-carb food.
So it’s now time to clean your pantry and fridge out. If you live alone, this is easy and you can easily donate or give away to friends.
But if you live with family or friends, you probably won’t be able to clean everything out – obviously. In this case, just go ahead and make your shopping list.
Write your grocery list based on the recipes you planned earlier.
If you purchased Keto In Five, you will have your 30 breakfasts, 30 lunches, 30 dinners, and 30 dessert recipes in the bundle.
So choose what you will have for each meal for every day of the week. Then, write the ingredients for all your chosen recipes and go on your grocery shopping trip! Easy, right?
Wrapping it up!
Congrats! You’ve made it to the end! And hopefully the START of your ketogenic diet journey. Feel free to post your questions or helpful tips for other readers in the comment section below.
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