LOW CARB & KETO DIET PLAN: HOW TO START A LOW CARB DIET (Keto for beginners)
The easiest to follow guide for how to start a keto diet or how to start a low carb diet. Includes basics of the keto diet plan, a low carb food list, and useful tips!
Welcome to the Mini Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan! If you are new to low carb or keto diets, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will show you everything you need to know about how to start a low carb diet (easier, less restrictive version), or how to start a keto diet (more strict and more effective version).
Read from start to finish if you’re just starting out, don’t miss out anything as details matter! It is crucial that you would get the basics right since the beginning.
What will be covered:
What is a low carb diet plan?
What are net carbs?
Benefits of a low carb or keto diet
What is ketosis?
What is the keto diet plan?
How to start a keto diet or low carb diet
What to eat on a keto diet or low carb diet
WHAT IS A LOW CARB DIET PLAN?
A low carb diet plan is a way of eating that is high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrates. It ends the rollercoaster of blood sugar spikes and crashes, allowing the body to burn fat.
There are different variations of low carb, and the keto diet is a special type of low carb with added characteristics. The number of carbohydrates will vary depending on your insulin tolerance and activity level, but on average, these are the common numbers of carbs:
Keto diet – up to 50 g net carbs per day
Low carb diet – Between 50 g – 100 g net carbs per day
Some people opt to count carbs diligently and some choose to simply focus on eat low carb/keto foods. We highly recommend you not stressing out about the numbers and focus on eating real foods and finding your balance.
WHAT ARE NET CARBS?
Net carbs is simply total carbs minus fibre and non-digestible sugar alcohols, like erythritol. (This doesn’t apply to high glycaemic sugar alcohols, like maltitol.) We don’t have to count fibre and certain sugar alcohols in net carbs, because they either don’t get broken down by our bodies, are not absorbed, or are absorbed but not metabolized.
Some people on a keto or low carb diet choose to count total carbs instead of net carbs. This makes it more difficult to fit in more leafy greens and low carb vegetables (which are filled with fibre), so you should only try that if you don’t get results with a net carb method. And, start with reducing sugar alcohols and low carb treats before deciding to do a “total carbs” method.
BENEFITS OF A LOW CARB OR KETO DIET
Low carb diets have numerous benefits, including:
Blood sugar control
Weight loss
Stable mood & energy levels
Reduced cravings & appetite
Lower blood pressure
Higher good cholesterol
Skin improvements
Digestive support
Increased lifespan
Reversing chronic conditions
Improved cognitive function.
WHAT IS THE KETO DIET PLAN?
The ketogenic diet, or keto diet plan, is a specific type of low carb diet that is focused on a specific ratio of macronutrients, or macros, with a goal of reaching a state called ketosis.
Macronutrients are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet is generally 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
WHAT IS KETOSIS?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. It’s very effective for weight loss, energy and mental clarity. Once you try it out you feel like you will never want to go back.
Ketosis is the primary goal of the keto diet plan. We achieve it by severely limiting carbohydrate intake, not calories, We try to shift away from focusing on calories into nutrients in food. We have to unlearn certain things about diet and food in order to become able to control our weights. In the absence of carbs, the body switches to burning fat for fuel.
Signs of ketosis include increased energy and focus, decreased appetite, and changes in smell of breath or urine. You can test yourself for ketosis using Ketone Test Strips , or a Blood Monitor if you want to be super accurate. However, test strips are usually cheaper and will be sufficient to start with.
It usually takes about 3 days after starting a ketogenic diet to enter ketosis, but a few weeks before you are “fat adapted” and burn fat efficiently.
The keto diet plan has the same benefits as low carb diets in general (above), but they are usually amplified. In particular, the weight loss results, mental focus, and energy levels on a keto diet can be incredible. However, even a simple low carb diet will be sufficient for weight loss and improved general health.
HOW TO START A KETO DIET OR LOW CARB DIET
If you want to start a keto diet or low carb diet, it can be intimidating. There is a lot of information to take in! I get it! I’ve been doing this for almost a decade (and it goes to show this is a sustainable lifestyle!), but it wasn’t always easy.
We all have to start somewhere. Just start – you got this!
Whether you’re looking for how to start a keto diet or how to start a low carb diet, there are lots of similarities. I’ll break it down for you to make it as easy as possible…
EASY STEPS FOR HOW TO START A KETO DIET OR LOW CARB DIET
The main point to start a keto diet plan or low carb diet is this: RESTRICT CARBOHYDRATES. This is the most important! Restrict to less than 50g net carbs per day for a keto diet. For a low carb diet, aim for under 100g net carbs per day. I would highly recommend starting with the keto diet rather than low carb, learn it properly, and then when you feel like you want a change - trial some low carb days where you allow some higher carb veggies or even some fruit. Get the carb limit down and you’re most of the way there! But to ensure your success, here are some additional tips for getting started on a keto diet or low carb diet:
Limit protein intake. A keto diet or low carb diet is not a high protein Atkins diet! Low carb is generally higher in protein than keto but be careful with both. High protein diets can stress the kidneys, and besides, excess protein converts to glucose, and this can kick you out of ketosis. Try to not exceed your protein and you’ll be fine. My rule is not more than 100 g of meat with lunch and dinner each day. Some extra protein here and there. And don’t be scared of fattier types of meat such as pork, beef or chicken with the skin, as these will spike insulin less and make it easier to digest the meat.
Forget the fat myths. We’ve been taught to fear fat, but don’t! Both keto and low carb are high fat diets. Fat is our source of energy as well as satiety. If your goal is weight loss, eat enough of fat to be full and satisfied. Include some high fat snacks such as nuts, nut butters and seeds in your diet, have some keto coffees and you’re gonna be fine!
Drink enough of water. Not too much but enough. Forget the 2 Litres a day myth and follow your body instead. Drink when you’re thirsty. This is especially crucial on a low carb or keto diet. Why? When you eat carbohydrates, your body stores the extra as glycogen in the liver, where they are bound to water molecules. Eating low carb depletes this glycogen, which allows you to burn fat – but it also means you store less water, which means you don’t have to drink as much of water. Instead of the traditional recommendation of 8 cups of water per day, drink whenever you feel thirsty.
Top up electrolytes. The major electrolytes in our bodies are sodium, potassium and magnesium. Because a low carb diet (especially a keto diet) reduces the amount of water you store (you will lose a lot of water waste at first), this can flush out electrolytes and make you feel slightly sick, the so called “keto flu”. This is temporary, but you can avoid or eliminate it by salting your food liberally, drinking Bone Broth, and adding some Himalayan pink salt to a glass of water and drinking it to reduce the keto flu symptoms. The most important message here – don’t get freaked out and stop doing this wonderful healing diet because of one or two rough days. The reward is totally worth it!
Only eat when you are hungry and stop when you’re full. Get out of the mindset that you need to eat 4-6 meals per day or constantly snack to keep the blood sugars high. Eating too frequently on a keto or low carb diet is not necessary and can affect weight loss in a negative way. Eat when you’re hungry, but if you aren’t, don’t. Eating fewer carbs will make this much easier, as it naturally suppresses appetite. Your body will learn how to regulate hunger again once you bring in foods that your body is created to eat! Also, keep in mind that frequent eating raises the fat storing hormone insulin which prevents you from losing weight. Skipping breakfast is one of the healthiest thing you can do, no forced eating if you don’t feel like! For the breakfast eaters, you can trial skipping breakfast at least once and see how you feel. Or even trying a bulletproof fast where you still allow some calories by having a bulletproof keto coffee (coffee + organic extra virgin coconut oil + grass fed butter) for breakfast, as this gives you plenty of energy for the morning, and helps you to lose weight at the same time.
Focus on whole foods. Although eating natural or whole foods is technically not 100% required to restrict carbohydrates, I highly recommend staying away from junk food and following a clean keto path. It will give you many more extra health benefits. Once you fully integrate into keto lifestyle, you will learn how to replace all of the unhealthy temptations into natural delicious alternatives.
Exercise. This is not required for a low carb diet, as diet makes up around 85% of your weight loss results. However, if you do decide to exercise, remember to not overdo. I recommend you to walk for a minimum of 30 minutes a day and do some light relaxing exercise like yoga.
WHAT TO EAT ON A KETO DIET OR LOW CARB DIET?
One of the most common questions I get is, “what to eat on a keto diet?” or “what to eat on a low carb diet?” Fortunately, with the right resources, this is one of the easiest questions to answer.
In fact, the keto diet (and low carb diet) is probably the most flexible, sustainable eating lifestyle out there. You don’t have to feel deprived, bored or restricted. And, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
Let’s start with foods to get rid of…
FOODS TO AVOID ON A LOW CARB OR KETO DIET
Avoiding carbohydrates is probably the biggest adjustments for people starting a keto diet or low carb diet. Many of us were used to consuming carbs at every meal. Below is a list of foods to avoid on a keto or low carb diet:
Grains – including wheat, bread, pasta, rice, oats, cereal, corn, etc.
Sugar – including table sugar, candy, pastries, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, soda, juice, honey, maple syrup, etc.
Starchy vegetables – including potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, etc.
Legumes – including beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc. (Peanuts are an exception in moderation.)
All fruits – including bananas, pineapple, oranges, apples, grapes, etc.
Low-fat dairy & milk – including all cow’s milk (except heavy cream is fine), low-fat cheese, etc.
Seed & vegetable oils – especially margarine, canola oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil and soybean oil
Processed “low carb” foods – this depends on ingredients, so read labels for hidden sugar, starch, and artificial ingredients.
Get these out of your house if you can! If you have family members that are not on board, at least store these in a separate area from other foods to reduce temptation.
Also, always, always check labels for any food that has one. Avoid anything that has added sugar or starch as an ingredient, watching for different names like dextrose, maltodextrin, maple syrup, honey, corn syrup, cornstarch, potato flakes, etc. Sometimes you’ll be surprised where you might find added sugars.
Now that you know what to avoid, here is a basic list of what to eat on a keto diet or low carb diet instead…
THE BEST FOODS FOR A LOW CARB OR KETO DIET
This simple list summarises what to eat on a low carb diet. And, what to eat on a keto diet is basically the same:
Meat: Any type: Beef, pork, lamb, poultry, etc. Feel free to eat the fat on the meat as well as the skin on the chicken. Use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil and other spices and herbs.
Fish and seafood: All kinds: Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or herring are great. Canned sardines are one of the healthiest and the cheapest fish choices.
Eggs: All kinds: Boiled, fried, scrambled, omelettes, etc. Preferably organic eggs.
Natural fat, high-fat sauces: Using butter and cream for cooking can make your food taste better and make you feel more satisfied. You can also consume olive oil for salads and olives, but you can’t heat them too much. Olive oil is fine for oven cooking.
Vegetables that grow above ground: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, bok choy, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, olives, spinach, mushrooms, cucumber, lettuce and other greens, avocado, onions, peppers, tomatoes etc. Can sometimes include the ones a bit higher in carbs: carrots, green beans, and peas. Can buy fresh or frozen.
Dairy products: Always select full-fat options like real butter, cream (40% fat), sour cream,k/Turkish yogurt or full-fat kefir and high-fat cheeses. If you consume milk chose whole full fat milk. Avoid flavoured, sugary and low-fat products. If you can’t tolerate dairy – chose kefir as it is suitable for people who don’t tolerate dairy. Kefir is a great immune booster.
Nuts and seeds: All nuts are healthy, try pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds, hazelnuts and nut butters such as peanut or almond butter. Avoid nuts richer in carbs – cashews, pistachios.
Berries: Okay in moderation, if you are not super strict or sensitive. Great with whipped cream/mascarpone cheese and stevia. Avoid fruits as they are high in fructose – fruit sugar. Also avoid sugar, honey and other sweeteners. Only stevia is ok.
Drinks: Water – Try to make this your drink of choice, sparkling water is fine too. Coffee – Black or with small amounts of cream. If you are hungry feel free to try coffee with coconut oil and butter – “Bulletproof coffee”. Make a coffee, add a teaspoon of coconut oil and teaspoon of butter, 10 – 15 drops of stevia liquid sweetener if you like it sweet, and blend it in a mixer for 10 seconds. It’s great for breakfast, can have it with 25 g of dark chocolate (85% cacao). Will make you full for longer. If you don’t like coffee – tea is also great.
Sugar-free sweeteners like erythritol, monk fruit and stevia. Organic liquid stevia is the healthiest sweetener and it does not cause any digestive issues, unlike other sweeteners. You can find organic liquid Stevia here.
Low carb flours like almond flour and coconut flour (in moderation).
How to identify low carb foods in the shop?
Read the nutrition label in the grocery store. No more than 5% of carbohydrates in any food item is a good rule. That would be and equivalent to 0 to 5 g of carbs in 100g. Only vegetables are exception as they additionally have higher amount of fibre.
LOW CARB & KETO DIET RECIPES
Ready to make your Low Carb or Keto Diet EASY??
If you want effortless and varied meal planning that saves you time and helps you succeed on a low carb or keto diet – the best place to get inspiration is the Diet Doctor Recipes. You can search recipes that you are interested in and never get bored!
I wish you all the best luck in your keto journey!
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