Keto Diet Menu for Beginners
Keto Diet Menu for Beginners
The keto, or ketogenic diet refers to an extremely minimal carb diet being studied by researchers due to its range of health advantages. These include weight loss, life longevity, disease prevention, and energy boosting benefits. It has been suggested by early studies that the Keto diet can help fight diabetes, obesity, metabolic disease, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as cancer.
If you are willing and ready to have a go at the keto diet for beginners, these keto guidelines are a great place to start.
Two Step Keto Diet Menu for Beginners
A healthy ketogenic diet aims to assist you in achieving the metabolic state of ketosis and enhancing your health. What it means is your body shifts from utilizing carbohydrates (as glucose) as fuel to burning fat (as ketones) for energy. Once you get into the state of ketosis, you will fully begin to experience and see the advantages ranging from clear thinking to higher energy levels.
However, before diving into this diet, you will need to follow the steps outlined below:
Macros
To find out your macros, you will need to use a macronutrient calculator. First, start by establishing your precise carbohydrate requirements.
For instance, a typical carb range on a ketogenic diet is around 20 grams per day. Depending on your fitness and activity level, this amount may vary.
However, that’s just a typical goal, and it may not suit you, particularly if your job involves being on your feet throughout the day, or if you love to work out 5-6 times weekly. As a result, you need to figure out your individual carbohydrate requirement. This is so you are able to safely perform during your daily routine while still transitioning into a ketogenic state.
By using the macronutrients calculator, you are able to see how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you would require to achieve and maintain the state of ketosis. A keto diet menu for beginners is a great way to begin the keto journey.
Once you’re done with that, your journey to ketosis becomes as simple as selecting the appropriate foods while drastically reducing carb intake.
Supplement and Hydrate
Hydration and electrolyte supplementation are both vital for a swift, painless transition into ketosis. When you slash carbs, your body will naturally begin to drain its store of glycogen. When this occurs, frequent urination usually follows. This is because you’re losing electrolytes – mainly magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, as well as water. Additionally, the more dehydrated you are, the more vulnerable you are to ‘keto flu.’
Keto flu is a physiological response that many people experience when first transitioning to a ketogenic diet. The most effective way to combat these symptoms is by remaining hydrated and using supplementation to add electrolytes back into your body. Consume electrolytes with the keto diet menu for beginners to prevent feeling nauseous and fatigued.
Simple exercise, intermittent fasting, consuming more dietary fat, and an exogenous ketone supplement can also aid you to pull through the Keto flu quicker and makes the process much less hurtful.
Best Foods
At the beginning of your keto diet, you may feel constrained to a minimal number of foods; you could not be more wrong! You can integrate pastured, organic meat, eggs, fish, most vegetables, and many of the healthy fats into the keto diet menu for beginners.
Keep reading to see more low-carb, high-fat foods to assist your ketosis objectives.
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Best Healthy Fats
To ensure your diet remains healthy, it’s crucial to select high-quality fats that come from nutrient filled, whole food sources.
There are many fats and oils on the market that you should stay away from, such as highly processed seed oils, processed cheese, and traditional meat. If you mainly consume low-quality foods like these, you may never experience the benefits of ketosis.
Additionally, you’re highly likely to suffer adverse side effects such as increased cholesterol and weight gain when relying on low-quality fat and protein sources.
Here are some of the best healthy fats for a keto diet menu:
- Grass-fed meats and organ meats
- Wild-caught seafood
- Grass-fed butter
- Ghee
- Eggs
- Coconut oil
- Coconut butter
- MCT oil and MCT oil powder
- Cacao butter
- Palm oil
- Avocados and avocado oil
- Macadamia nuts
- Macadamia nut oil
- Nuts and seeds
Protein Sources
Traditional animal protein contains hormones and antibiotics that you won’t find in grass-fed, pastured meat and eggs. Also, pastured protein usually offers more nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamins A and E.
The best protein choices for a keto diet are:
- Grass-fed, fattier cuts of meat like steak and ground beef
- Darker, fattier cuts of chicken, duck, or turkey
- Pork options like tenderloin, chops, bacon, or ham
- Fish, including mackerel, tuna, salmon, trout, halibut, cod, catfish, and mahi-mahi
- Oysters, clams, crab, mussels, and lobster
- Organ meats
- Whole eggs
- Grass fed, full-fat dairy, including grass-fed butter, heavy cream, and cottage cheese
Finally, while you won’t be consuming many carbs on this diet, we have provided a few examples of good carb sources to maintain the ketogenic diet.
Safe Carbs
As you’ve likely observed from your macronutrient calculator results, about 5-10% of your calories will come from carbohydrates.
Go for low-carb, nutrient-filled choices such as:
Leafy greens like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, and romaine
- Radicchio
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Artichokes
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
- Mushrooms
- Kohlrabi
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Spaghetti squash
- Nuts (almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts, and walnuts)
- Raspberries and blackberries
- Chia and flax seeds
These healthy carbs contain substantial fiber, which can help you feel full so as to consume less. Nuts, seeds, and high fiber vegetables can assist in lowering your blood sugar, preventing constipation and reducing your risk for stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Conclusion
The ketogenic diet can be immensely beneficial for those seeking weight loss, increased energy levels, or a new diet routine. Stay up to date with the latest keto diet trends so you can further enhance your ketogenic lifestyle.
