Madeline
The Keto Diet seems as though it’s the new fad in dieting and the way to starting keto is to just cut out carbs. Just eat fat and you will get skinny; however, there is a lot more to it than that. I have always been an advocate of cutting out carbs. We don’t need them, so go away.
One day while visiting my sister who is a nutritionist in Colorado, she asked me if I ever heard of keto. I had not. She tells me what it is and where to find resources to learn more to be on my way to starting keto. The day I arrived back home in California, I was on Amazon ordering The Keto Diet book by Leanne Vogel and my eating habits have not been the same since and my way to starting keto had started. Over 90% of my knowledge about keto has come from this, so assume everything here on the way to starting keto can be found in her book.
Keto vs. Paleo vs. All Other Low Carb Diets
One of the biggest misconceptions I have heard is that people cut out carbs and claim they are on their way to starting Keto, but it’s not that simple. What breaks Keto from many of the other low carb diets is the breakdown of macros, carbs, protein, and fat, and the ratio of each. With the Keto diet, there is a high ratio of fat, medium of protein, and low carb. The exact amount of each will be dependent on what you are trying to achieve and your current lifestyle.
With Paleo diet, it is not a focus of macros at all but what you are allowed to eat and not allowed to eat. The Paleo diet focuses on eating more like a caveman, with lots of vegetables and meats, and less processed foods. Things like cheese and butter are allowed in the Keto diet but not in the Paleo diet. The way to starting keto is not by simply cutting out carbs but to add a lot more fats to your diet.
Ketosis and Figuring Out If You Are In It
The reason why the Keto diet works the way it does is by getting your body into Ketosis. This is the key to the way to starting keto. Ketosis is when your body stops relying on the carbs and sugars you have eaten and starts relying on fat as an energy source. When you are in Ketosis, your body is more likely to rely on fat you eat as well as body fat, making it easier to fast and for your body to not crave food in the same way it would with fats and sugars.
There are three main ways to testing if you are in Ketosis. The cheapest and easiest are the sticks you pee on; however, I have read that these are also not as accurate as the other methods when on your way to starting Keto. There is also the blower; however, you can’t have just eaten. The problem I have with my blower is that I have to use it about five times before I can get a reading, and by then I’m tired and no longer care, but I got a cheap one and the more expensive ones are suppose to be much better. And finally there is the blood test, the con to this method is pricking yourself regularly to test your ketone level.
Keto Flu
When on your way to starting Keto, you need to be well aware of the Keto flu. I’ve gone through it twice and my boyfriend once and it was not a pleasant experience for either of us. The basic reason for Keto flu is that your body is having withdrawals from carbs and sugars. The result is exhaustion, headaches, diarrhea, and in some cases it can be worse. To lessen the symptoms, eat plenty of fat and I typically keep a few crackers or vegetables with a high amount of carbs to reduce symptoms. It usually lasts only a day or two but on the other side is Keto bliss… and the incentive to cut out carbs completely. No one wants to go through that again.
Fat Bombs
When you are on your way to starting Keto it’s difficult to figure out how to get all the fat in without all the carbs and protein that comes with eating normal foods. The trick is fat bombs. In simple terms, they are small pieces of food make almost purely out of fat with a little bit of flavoring. They are perfect for when you are getting the incling to snack or feel hungry between scheduled meals.
For the fat bombs I have been making, I add coconut oil, cocoa butter, cow butter, cocoa powder, and chopped nuts. I melt all the ingredients on the stove and then pour the mixture into silicone molds. I stick the molds into the freezer for 20 min or so, then pop them out and into a container I keep in the fridge. Eating these fat bombs in exchange for a snack you may have instead help as a way to starting keto.
Fasting
I am simultaneously working on a post about fasting as this has been my most recent focus in my Keto journey. In the past, I’ve done a 16:8 fast, where you fast for 16 hours and have an eight hour window to eat. Typically, with a 16:8 the eating hours are around 12pm to 8pm and then the fast begins again.
But most recently, I have been doing a 23:1 fast, where I am fasting for 23 hours and have an eating window of one hour. The most obvious benefit to this type of fasting is the reduction of calories in a fasting day as well as making the stomach smaller for days when not fasting. There are also tons of other benefits including anti aging, fighting inflammation, improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and much more. Basically, humans are not intended to have refrigerators that they can open at any time, and therefore, there have been a number of health issues that have been introduced by this.
Final Thoughts
I have been a loyal fan of the Keto diet for four years and I don’t see myself stopping soon. There are a number of great podcasts, books, blogs, and much more out there to get you on the way to starting keto. This guide to the way to starting the Keto diet is a good start; however, if you are truly serious, I strongly recommend reading The Keto Diet, front to back, that is how I became the pro that I am.
