Keto Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Your Keto Diet Plan

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan. It dates back to 1921, when it was originally formulated as a medical diet for children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Around 2016 it started becoming popular and steadily became mainstream, where today it is celebrated for its weight-loss benefits and effects on diseases such as type II diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.

Following a keto diet places the body in a metabolic state known as ketosis. When the body is in ketosis, it uses fat as energy instead of carbs (aka glucose).

The macro ratios of a standard keto diet are 70% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs.

When you limit your carbohydrate intake to only 20–30 grams per day, your body will start to make and use ketones as an energy source. These ketone bodies are a more efficient energy source for the brain and most of your organs.

As you do your research and start on this keto journey, it may seem daunting, but fear not. This detailed keto guide will teach you ketogenic diet basics and everything you need to know to start your keto diet plan. In this guide, I will also include guidelines on what to eat and what to avoid. I will provide beginner's tips, the best keto snacks, a free keto diet plan, and delicious ketogenic recipes to get you started.

Understanding the Basics of Keto

As you start your ketogenic diet journey, understanding the keto diet’s basic principles is important. The keto diet is not like conventional diets. It is a transformative approach to nutrition that prioritizes fats over carbohydrates and offers many health benefits.

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic diet is characterized as a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. It aims to shift your body's primary fuel source from using glucose to using fats. This metabolic shift is known as ketosis.

In South Africa, we are familiar with the Banting diet, which is a low-carb diet plan similar to keto. Other low-carb diets include the Mediterranean diet, Paleo, and Primal diets.

Keto Diet in a Nutshell

Macronutrient Ratios: A standard ketogenic diet consists of about 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

Foods to Eat: Focus on high-fat, low-carb foods like meats, fish, eggs, butter, nuts, and healthy oils. The diet includes avocados and low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens.

Foods to Avoid: Processed high-carb foods and sugar; foods such as grains, legumes, rice, potatoes, and most fruits should be limited to maintain ketosis [1]

Challenging Conventional Dietary Norms

Conventional dietary guidelines promote carbohydrate-rich foods and eating a low-fat diet. 

Remember the food pyramid? 

In the traditional food pyramid, the foundation of the diet is carbohydrate-rich foods, where we are encouraged to eat fruit and vegetables and healthy whole grains such as oats, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. These foods are not conducive to a ketogenic diet. The traditional food pyramid also limits fat and encourages reducing your fat intake. Keto, on the other hand, is the opposite and encourages limited carbohydrate intake and higher amounts of healthy fats. Think of the keto diet as an upside-down food pyramid. This "flipped" pyramid encourages not only a shift in how we fuel our body but also an improved approach to how we can manage our weight as we age.

Consulting your Healthcare Professional

Before starting a ketogenic diet, it's recommended to speak to your doctor, especially if you have a medical condition you are concerned about. Some doctors are not familiar with the latest science and nutritional guidelines. You could use the references provided in this guide and share them with your doctor, and you can find a network of doctors who understand and support low-carb nutrition here. [nutrition network] if you are interested in following a keto diet.

Different Types of Ketogenic Diets

Although the ketogenic diet started as a medical diet for children with epilepsy, it has evolved into several variations, each tailored to a person’s goals and needs:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is the very low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and high-fat version of the diet. It typically contains 70–75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbohydrates.
  

• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This variation involves incorporating periods of higher carbohydrates in between the standard ketogenic diet cycles. For example, five standard ketogenic days are followed by two high-carbohydrate days as a cycle.

• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This variation permits adding additional carbohydrates around the periods of the intensive physical workouts.

• High-protein ketogenic diet (HPKD): This variation includes higher amounts of protein with a ratio of around 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates sometimes cycled around intense workouts.

If fat loss is your goal or you are a complete newbie to keto, then I’d suggest you start with the standard keto diet. It is the best keto diet for beginners. Bodybuilders and athletes mostly follow the cyclical, targeted, and high-protein ketogenic diets. It is also better to become keto-adapted or metabolically “flexible” before trying the other keto diet variations.

Potential Risks and Side Effects

The keto diet has many benefits, but some people who start it may experience some potential side effects. These side effects may include flu-like symptoms (aka keto flu), diarrhea, constipation, and stinky breath. In most cases, these side effects can be avoided if you do your research before you start and follow a well-formulated keto diet plan.

If you feel you need more guidance, you can set up a quick consultation with me. Working with a savvy nutritionist like myself to answer additional questions can save you a lot of time having to figure things out by yourself.  

Understanding Ketosis and Its Benefits

What is Ketosis?

First off. Ketosis is safe and natural. It is a natural metabolic state where your body uses fat for energy instead of glucose. After a few days of limiting your carbohydrate intake to about 20 to 30 grams per day, your body will begin to burn stored body fat for fuel. Babies have a period after birth where they are in ketosis and young children also easily go into ketosis. During times of fasting, the body will also go into ketosis. It is our Westernized world, promoting frequent eating of five to six meals a day, that prevents the body from ever achieving ketosis.

How Ketosis Works

1. Reduced Carbohydrate Intake: To initiate ketosis, you need to consume less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day.

2. Fat Breakdown: As your body lacks glucose from carbs, it begins to break down body fat and turn it into ketones.

3. Ketones as Energy: These ketones become the main energy source for both your brain and body, replacing glucose as an energy source.

Achieving and Maintaining Ketosis

Getting into and staying in ketosis requires diligence. The aim of the (keto) game is to achieve and maintain ketosis. 

The best way to get into ketosis is to track your macronutrient ratio with a food tracking app. Using an app, like Cronometer, MyFitnessPal, or Carb Manager, you can work out your macro ratios and keep track of what you are eating. It’s really hard to know what you are eating and keeping track of your carb limits if you are not keeping track of your meals. Some of these apps even list specific ketogenic foods.

Do keep in mind that some lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, sleep quality, and stress levels, can all impact how quickly your body switches to ketosis as well as your ketone levels.

Benefits of Ketosis

Ketosis offers many health benefits, particularly for weight loss, maintenance, and metabolic health.

• Appetite Control: Many find that ketosis helps reduce hunger, which can lead to decreased calorie intake and significant weight loss.

• Enhanced Brain Function: Our brains love ketones! They provide a more efficient and steady energy source for the brain, which may enhance cognitive functions and provide neuroprotective effects. [include study].

• Inflammation Reduction: The ketogenic diet can lower inflammation levels, which is beneficial for chronic conditions like arthritis and metabolic syndrome.

• Weight Loss Efficiency: Studies suggest that a ketogenic diet can be as effective for weight loss as a low-fat diet, with the added benefit of improved triglyceride levels and HDL levels.
  

Disease Management & Prevention

Disease management involves the improvement of cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, type 2 diabetes management, and improved insulin sensitivity. The ketogenic diet has proven health benefits that range from managing or improving certain types of cancers, and neurological disorders like Epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

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• Epilepsy: The diet is well-known for reducing the frequency of seizures in epileptic patients.

• Type 2 Diabetes: By lowering insulin levels, ketosis can help manage and even reverse type 2 diabetes.

• Neurological Diseases: There is growing evidence supporting the role of ketosis in treating diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
  

What to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Keto-Friendly Foods

To kickstart your keto journey, it's important to know what you should eat. Below is a simple breakdown of keto-friendly foods, but do read on for a detailed keto foods list you can download.

1. Proteins and Fats: The Essentials

• Meat and Poultry: The best protein sources are unprocessed meats. These include beef, lamb, chicken, and pork.

• Seafood: Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are excellent as they are high in omega-3 fats. Most other types of seafood and fish, like tuna, are also good sources of proteins.

• Eggs: Eggs are probably the most nutrient-dense food and the ideal keto food. 

• Dairy: Most dairy products are great keto foods. Choose high-fat dairy options like butter, cream, double-cream yoghurt, and cheese. 

2. Vegetables and Fruits: Low-Carb Options

• Leafy Greens & Above-the-ground Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini are all keto-friendly veggies, low in carbs, high in fiber, and versatile in recipes.

• Berries: Stick to small portions of berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Berries are lower in carbs [sugars] than other fruits.

3. Nuts, Seeds, and Healthy Oils

• Nuts and Seeds: Most nuts are a great source of fats. Include almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pecans, and flaxseeds. 

• Oils: Focus on healthy fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil for cooking and salads.

4. Beverages: 

• Water: Stay hydrated with plain or unsweetened sparkling water.

• Tea and Coffee

Foods to Avoid

To maintain a successful ketogenic lifestyle, you also need to know which foods to avoid.

These include:

• High-Carb Foods: Sugary foods containing condiments, sauces, and marinades. Grains, most fruits, and starchy vegetables like potatoes should be avoided if you want to stay in ketosis.

• Unhealthy Fats: These include canola oil, cotton seed oil, or any vegetable oil. Although they are classified as fats, these oils cause inflammation in the body, and it is best to minimize or avoid the intake of processed vegetable oils. 

• Certain Dairy Products: Avoid low-fat or diet products as they often contain added sugars or carbs.

Free Keto Diet Meal Plan

I've included a free 7-day keto diet plan in this post, and it is available for download. Having a keto diet meal plan to follow is helpful at the beginning when you are not yet familiar with the diet. This plan includes three meals a day as well as snack options. It is designed to get you into ketosis quickly while providing the nourishment and satisfaction your body needs.

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Healthy Keto Snacks

Some easy keto snacks for beginners would include droewors, biltong, and nuts. I have a comprehensive list of store-bought and homemade snacks and as new products come on the market, it does make things a bit easier to incorporate these snacks into your diet. Just be sure to always check your labels and be aware of the ingredients and alternative sweeteners used in some of these products.

Keto Diet Guidelines

Understanding Keto Flu

Keto flu is exactly what it sounds like—flu! Some people experience symptoms like fatigue, a sore throat, runny nose, and sometimes body aches when they start their keto diet. These flu-like symptoms are caused by an electrolyte imbalance and can easily be mitigated by drinking this electrolyte drink to replenish your body’s sodium, magnesium, and potassium levels. If you do experience any of these symptoms, don't panic; they go away within a couple of days. 

Stay Hydrated

I cannot emphasize this enough. Drink plenty of water! For the body to shift into ketosis, you need to be well-hydrated. With that said, I know that you’re asking, “But how much water should I drink?" It's complex. So, just keep it simple. Drink eight glasses of pure water a day. More if you exercise or if you are someone who sweats a lot.

Increase your Salt Intake

Something to know is that your kidneys function slightly differently when your body's metabolism shifts to burning fat. You'll pee a lot. With frequent visits to the bathroom, it's reasonable to understand that there will be a loss of essential minerals (sodium). An easy way to counteract this is to simply add more salt to your food.

9 More Tips and Tricks

The basic keto diet rules are to keep carbs between 20-30 grams per day and to eat healthy fats. But here I'll give you nine more tips and tricks to get you off to a good start.

1. Ensure you have keto-friendly snacks available at the beginning.

2. Prepare hard-boiled eggs and egg muffins ahead of time.

3. Stock up on avocados, cheese, droewors, the previous, and fatty biltong. These are good snack options.

4. Focus on eating three satisfying meals to avoid feeling hungry between meals.

5. Avoid "snack-like" meals to prevent feeling hungry shortly after eating. What I mean by "snack-like" is eating only two hard-boiled eggs instead of combining some avocado, cheese, veggies, or protein like bacon with your eggs.

6. Stretch the eating window between meals, and refrain from snacking between meals. Refer to the previous point.

7. Customize the meal plan by swapping meals or whole days to suit your preferences. Stick to the keto food list for swaps.

8. Combine healthy proteins and healthy fats in your meals for optimal macro ratios and satiety.

9. Plan your first week carefully. Create a keto shopping list from your meal plan. Careful meal planning can help you avoid being caught off guard and sabotaging your efforts due to hunger and lack of preparation. 

Conclusion

These keto guidelines are structured and follow an approachable learning curve for beginners. The diet will take commitment, but it is a step towards transformative health. 

I have personally followed a strict keto diet since 2016. I diligently tracked my macros, ketone levels and practiced various intermittent fasting protocols throughout the years. I have worked and coached hundreds of clients. I know the struggles, questions, and challenges you are facing, wanting to know exactly how to start keto diet [leave it like this] and how to progress to fat adaptation and intermittent fasting.

I encourage you to work through this guide, plan your first week properly, and explore my website a little further if you have more questions. You will find resources and tools to make informed choices, and everything else you need to ensure sustainable weight loss and overall well-being.

With the right information and encouragement, your keto lifestyle can be attainable. Stay motivated, and don’t give up when you encounter challenges.

To further support your keto journey, consider the opportunity for more personalized guidance. Signing up for a personal consultation or one-on-one coaching can help you optimize your diet to suit your unique lifestyle and health goals. 

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FAQs

Q: What supplements are best for a keto diet? [ include link to blog post]

Supplements can be very helpful on a keto diet but it can cost a lot of money. If you are new to keto, focus on learning about the foods you can eat and the foods you should avoid. There is a lot of information and new habits you’ll need to incorporate into your lifestyle. Below, I will list some of the supplements I recommend.

Q: How can beginners quickly get into ketosis?

Fasting for 24 to 48 hours can be a quick way to get into ketosis, but it's not very pleasant. By cutting out your carbohydrates during the first 24 hours and the subsequent days, you will deplete your glycogen reserves faster and get into ketosis quickly. Exogenous ketones can also get you into ketosis quickly and help you become fat adapted much quicker.