Published by Programme B
Congratulations for taking this bold step to live a healthy lifestyle; keto diets even though it is effective may be challenging especially for newbies. To help you through this journey, we have put together useful tips that will make this transition less challenging and more productive.
#1. Know what not to eat
To kick-off, you need to know the different foods to avoid when you are on a keto diet; basically, limit foods that are in carbohydrates. Below are some of the food list that should not be on your menu if you want to a positive result.
Sugary foods: avoid foods like smoothies, candy, soda, ice cream, fruit juice, cake, and the likes.
Fruit: except a small portion of berries like strawberries, you need to avoid fruits.
Legumes or beans: foods like chickpeas, peas, lentils and kidney beans
Grains or starches: basically, you need to avoid wheat-based foods, pasta, rice, and cereals.
Low-fat products: as enticing, as these foods may seem, they are heavily processed and contain high carbohydrates. Besides, foods with sugar-free diet tags are often high in sugar alcohols that can affect the ketones in some cases. Just like low-fat products, they are highly processed.
Tubers or Root vegetables: foods like parsnips, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. should be avoided.
Alcohol: these drinks contain high carbs and can prevent you from entering into the ketosis stage
Unhealthy fats: mayonnaise, vegetable oils, and so on is unhealthy fats that you need to limit while on a low-carb or keto diet.
According to Keto Vale’s food guide, grains, sugars, legumes, potatoes, candy, rice, juice, and most fruits will negatively affect the effectiveness of a keto or low-carb diet. Now that we know what not to eat, what then, are the best foods to eat on a keto diet?
#2. Understand Your Foods
Your major foods should contain red meat, sausage, chicken, ham, turkey, or steak when eating meat. Fish such as trout, mackerel, salmon or tuna will do just fine. Also, if you want to eat eggs, you need to look for pastured eggs or omega-3 whole eggs.
For butter and cream, ensure to get grass-fed. You can indulge in unprocessed cheese like cheddar, same, cream or mozzarella. You can snack your way into ketosis with nuts such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almond, flax seeds, and chia seeds can be you. Instead of using unhealthy oils for your meals, you can use coconut oil, extra virgin oil, and avocado oil.
Also, freshly made guacamole or avocados can come in handy when you are hungry. Use condiments like salt, pepper, and healthy spices and herbs to cook your meals. Low carb vegetables include tomatoes, onions, most green veggies.
#3. Fight unhealthy snacking with keto snacks
Sometimes, we are tempted to fall back by shoving unhealthy snacks into our mouth to satisfy the urge. Sadly, such unhealthy snacks keep us unsatisfied, until we stuff ourselves more than we intended. Here is a piece of good news for you, keto provides healthy meals to keep you filled and also in sync with your diet. Such snacks include fish, cheese, a handful of nuts or seeds, strawberries and cream, one or two hard-boiled eggs, celery with salsa and guacamole, full-fat yogurt mixed with cocoa powder and nut powder.
Visit the website to get more details about snacking on a healthy keto diet.
#4. Take mineral supplement
This is how to minimize Keto diet side effects. The transition from a regular diet to a keto diet may sometimes seem unbearable, but it is only going to last for a few days. Some of the symptoms include increased hunger, reduced energy, nausea, decreased in exercise performance, digestive discomfort.
Keto diet can change the water and mineral balance of the body, to avoid getting “keto flu” or minimize the effect, it is necessary to add extra salt your meals or take mineral supplements or an enhanced keto sports drink with zero calories.
#5. Know What To Order When Eating Out
We all enjoy eating out occasionally. For example, visit Mexican restaurants; to enjoy meals without feeling guilty, you can always order any meat with extra sour cream, salsa, cheese, and guacamole. However, if you do not have any Mexican restaurants close by, you can order any meat or fish-based meal and replace the high-carb food with extra vegetables. For dessert, berries with cream or mixed cheese boards can replace every other high-carb desert available.
#6. Start slow
Now if you are about to begin your keto journey, you need to slowly introduce keto diet to your system for the first few weeks to avoid harsh side effects. It will teach your body how to burn fats before finally eliminating the carbs.
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