The Ketogenic Diet:

The ketogenic diet, also known as keto, has been gaining popularity in recent years as the go-to diet for those looking to lose weight fast while still retaining their muscle mass and getting plenty of energy.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about starting the ketogenic diet—from why it works so well to how you can make sure you’re getting all the necessary nutrients when cutting your carbs. Let’s get started!

What is the keto diet?

The keto diet, also known as ketogenic diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. It is similar to Atkins but with a few differences

. Keto promotes moderate protein intake and high fat intake whereas Atkins focuses on consuming no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.

The keto diet is mainly used to help reduce symptoms associated with epilepsy and diabetes. According to studies, keto diets can increase satiety which can be useful for weight loss as well.

How does it work?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. First, you reduce your daily carbohydrate intake and replace it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.When you’re in ketosis, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy

As a result, you will lose weight quickly—often more than one pound per day! However, many people who start out on keto find that their weight loss slows down after several weeks.

One reason for this is that some people find it hard to sustain because of its restrictive nature. But don’t worry: if you follow these tips, you’ll be able to stick with it and reach your goals!

What are the benefits?

The keto diet isn’t just a fad. It works for many people, and it can have long-lasting positive effects on your health.

But what are some of those benefits? And is it a sustainable way of eating? Here’s a quick overview of some of the potential health benefits that come with following a ketogenic diet of why you might want to try going keto

How do I start a keto diet?

A keto diet is simple. There are just two rules: 1) Don’t eat any carbs and 2) keep your protein intake moderate (excess protein can be converted into glucose).

Not counting carbs is easy as pie—just don’t eat anything sweet or starchy. As for keeping your protein in check, do that by aiming for about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass

. That’s a general target, but if you want to lose weight, it should be more like 0.6-0.7 grams per kilogram—that way you have some wiggle room if you overdo it on carbohydrates or calories one day.

What foods should I eat on a keto diet?

A keto diet is one of, if not THE most restrictive diets out there. That said, it’s only as restrictive as you make it. There are many ways to tweak a keto diet to fit your needs.

If you need more carbs, then find ways to add some healthy sources of those carbs into your daily meal plan. Don’t go overboard and eat things like candy bars or processed junk food though; that’s not what a keto diet is about.

A few extra pieces of fruit aren’t going to throw you out of ketosis any more than a couple bites of your favorite chocolate cake will

. The real danger comes when you’ve made up your mind to severely restrict your carb intake but haven’t yet limited yourself in other areas. Eating too much protein can knock you out of ketosis, so be careful with how much meat and dairy products you consume

. The same goes for eating too much fat – while fat has very little impact on blood sugar levels (and may even improve them), it still contains nine calories per gram compared to just four calories per gram for both carbs and protein.

If fat makes up 20% of your daily calorie intake, that could mean an additional 120-160 calories every day from fat alone (not including protein). That could be enough to kick you out of ketosis!

What if I want to go full-on keto?

When people decide to go keto, they often have different goals in mind. Maybe you’re a Cross Fitter who wants to optimize your performance, or maybe you want to reduce your dependence on glucose and get your body into a fat-burning state as fast as possible.

If so, then going full-on keto is probably right for you. If you want to try that and also be sure that eating too much protein doesn’t cause problems (for example, gluconeogenesis), then make sure an experienced health professional knows your plans so he or she can help adjust according to your needs.

Can I drink alcohol on keto?

If you want to be healthy, lose weight and keep it off, then alcohol is something you may want to leave on the shelf. However, if your goal is just to lose a little bit of weight or reach ketosis faster, then yes—alcohol can fit into a keto diet.

Alcoholic beverages like wine and beer contain many empty calories and are devoid of fiber. If you’re trying to stay in ketosis while consuming alcohol be sure stick with low-carb beers or limit yourself to one glass of wine or spirits per day.

Can I Eat Too Much Fat on Keto? The fat content in a ketogenic diet varies depending on how much protein you eat. In general, your protein intake should not exceed 20 percent of your total daily calories (or about 30 grams for someone following a 2,000 calorie diet).

Protein has four calories per gram, so eating too much protein can prevent you from reaching optimal ketone levels by providing too much glucose for fuel.

That said, there is no hard and fast rule for what constitutes too much fat or protein. It all comes down to personal preference and tracking what works best for you over time. My Body Is Not Responding To The Keto Diet: What Should I Do?

Is there anything else I need to know about keto?

Keto is a broad term, with lots of variations. A true keto diet sticks to 10-20g carbs per day (usually closer to 15g) with moderate amounts of protein and high fat.This type of plan isn’t necessarily sustainable in and of itself, which is why most people will modify it in some way.

Cutting down on processed foods, fast food, and other carb sources are all ways you can bend your carb count and make Keto more sustainable for you personally.

Learn about how you can adapt a keto diet for your body by talking with your doctor or nutritionist about what’s right for you!