How to get started on the keto diet ( the no worries way)

Baked chicken rolls with spinach and cheese on plate. Healthy lunch. Keto diet.

How to get started on the keto diet the no worries way may seem a tall order at first.

Getting started with the keto diet does require a little research, but you  need to know only a few things in the beginning.

If you’ve done what most people do then you will have read a lot of articles and advice, and attempted to memorize a mountain of keto food lists.

To address this, I have put together this quick guide on how to get started on the keto diet without worrying about every small detail.

First of all take a look at the keto food plan  and the  list of keto foods . This list includes all the nutritional values that you’ll need to know. These two lists will give you a good idea of the types of foods you can eat on the keto plan.

Then take yourself over to the keto calculator which will  work out your macros (carbs, protein and fat).The calculator will let you know exactly how much of each macro you should be eating each day.

The calculator takes into account your gender, age, weight, height and activity level.

You will now know the amounts that you should eat of each macro as well as which foods to choose.

Pick out 10 – 15 foods that you know you’ll like and make sure you have them to hand. Having plenty of low carb snacks will be a help, especially in the first few days as they will see you through the start of your keto journey before ketosis has fully set in. Once you’re in ketosis, you will find that your appetite is reduced. Just make sure you know how many carbs per gram your snack contains. To know more about keto snacks read this.

Always remember that you are aiming to stay under 20g of carbs per day. This is net carbs (total carbs minus the fiber). You’ll need to check if the carb count on any packet of store bought food is listed in net or total carbs.

Aim for about 0.8g of protein per 1 kg of your body weight, or 0.36g per pound. This is a medium protein diet. Eating too much protein is unnecessary, and could take you out of ketosis. Sufficient protein is the healthiest way to go.

Your fat intake should be about 75% of your daily intake. So really, all you need to worry about at this stage is eating enough fat to feel satiated. Definitely eat enough fat so that you are not thinking about food every minute of the day.

After a week or so you could weigh yourself. If you feel like you haven’t lost enough weight, then reduce your fat intake a bit. Eating enough isn’t another way of saying pig out – you do need to be realistic. Don’t aim to lose weight too quickly though, on average 1kg or 2lb each week is great.

Remember that weight loss on the keto diet is rapid, especially in the first week. There is no need to starve yourself to obtain great results. The aim is to eat all you need to eat to stay full, making sure that you are eating only keto foods.

If you’re tempted with a pile of potatoes, throw them out! Better still, empty your cupboards of any and all foods that are off limits, and are going to be calling your name once you’ve started on your keto diet. You’re much less likely to drive to the store for a can of a sugar filled soft drink than you are to walk to your fridge. Make life easy for yourself.

Stay hydrated

Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. You will be losing extra water during the first few days as your water containing fat cells are pressed into service for your body’s energy requirements. Great news for your stomach rolls, but you do need to factor this in and adjust your daily water intake accordingly.

Salt your food

As you’ve just read, in the first few days you will be losing extra water. This has the effect of also causing you to lose more salt than normal. Just the same as you do on hot days when you sweat more than usual. Make sure you add plenty of salt to your food, and use a little more than you would normally do for the first few days.

This is especially helpful if you find you have a headache in the beginning or the much talked about keto flu, which is caused by a loss of micronutrients, and sometimes by a lack of calories if you aren’t eating enough.

This set of symptoms which together are known as the keto “flu”  sometimes effects people who are new to the keto way of eating.

It happens especially when your body is not yet adapted to fat burning and can last for up to the first week on the diet. Make sure you know about this and how to avoid it before you start.

You can read about the keto flu here.

Fill your day with your normal activities

There is no need to spend your first week of your diet flat out on your couch. In fact this is a surefire way to start concentrating on what you’re going to eat next. Do yourself a favor and get up and moving.

Do all the activities that you would normally take part in. Try to get outside of some exercise or if you are at work, concentrate on a few tasks that you’ve been putting off.

Check if you’re in ketosis

This one isn’t completely necessary. If you’re keeping to under 20g of net carbs then you’re going to be in ketosis within the first week or so. However, it’s true to say that some people can reach ketosis much sooner, and you might want to see if you’re one of them.

There are many ways of doing this. The strips that test your urine for ketosis are cheap and available in most pharmacies. Blood testing machines are the most accurate, but it might not be an expense that you want to make straight away.

There are also machines that test your breath. These are less expensive than the blood tests, but less accurate too.

My advice is to not worry about this for the first week or two. If you know you’ve kept to the diet, then you’ll be in ketosis. You can always think about obtaining a test kit further on in your keto lifestyle when you’re working out just how many carbs you as an individual can eat.

The take home message

The keto diet changed my weight and my health. If followed correctly it will do the same for you. Don’t worry about getting every last thing right during the first week or two.

Eat enough to reach all your macro goals and make sure you consume all that you need at each meal. Aim to leave the table feeling as though you’ve had enough.

Snacks can be helpful from time to time, but try not to rely on them. It’s better to make sure your meals are big enough to keep you feeling full.

Make sure you’re getting all your nutrients by choosing nutrient rich foods and eating plenty of vegetables.

Keep yourself well hydrated and if you can, put in some time at the gym or generally get some exercise.

As you begin to see the weight loss, and feel the health benefits, the keto diet will become second nature to you. Most people develop their knowledge and understanding of the keto lifestyle as they go along.

Many thousands of people are now reaping the benefits of this amazing, healthy way of eating and you can too.

 

 

 

  1. I ao glad I came across this article. You have explained about the Keto diet in a way that I have been looking for because I am trying to understand more about it. I am allergic to gluten and so I have been following some of both the Keto and the Paleo ( i have actually been mixing them together) Mostly because I love dairy, cheese is my favorite. Could you tell me is there any other differences between the two? I have been trying to compare and the dairy is all I could come up with as to the difference. Thanks ahead of time for the clarification
    Blessings,
    Lynda

    1. Hello lynda and thank you for your comments.

      There are several main differences between the keto diet and the paleo diet.

      The most important difference is the fact that the keto diet is intended to get you into nutritional ketosis. It is being in ketosis that will regulate your weight and bring you the numerous health benefits of this eating plan.

      The paleo diet is about eating as you would have done in the distant past. Your main foods would be meat, eggs, seafood, fruit, vegetables and olive and coconut oils. The emphasis is on quality food, avoiding processed food, legumes, grains and dairy.

      While both plans suggest you stay away from grains ( so would be good with regard to your gluten allergy) it is my opinion that the keto plan is healthier as there are so many health benefits associated with being in ketosis.

      I will be posting more about the health benefits of ketosis, and I will certainly be including a post about the benefits for people with gluten allergies or sensitivities.

      I hope this helps!

      Best wishes, Judy.

  2. Thank you for your detailed post on getting started with the keto diet. It certainly seems a healthy way to lose weight with quite a variety of foods allowed. Staying under 20g of carbs a day sounds hard, but I’m sure your body can get used to it.

    1. Hi Kathy,
      Thanks for your comments.

      You are right, staying under 20g of carbs per day can be a big ask when you’re first starting. Most people seem to miss bread the most!

      As someone who has been living a keto lifestyle for a few years now, I can say the it does get easier! I can honestly say that I don’t miss my carb heavy days at all now. I certainly don’t miss being overweight and sick! So the pain is worth the gain in my opinion.

      The keto diet is an amazingly healthy way to lose weight, with plenty of foods to chose from. Plus the added benefit of never going hungry, and feeling healthier – what’s not to love!

      Check back regularly as I am always posting new articles here.

      All the best,

  3. Hi, great tips for getting started on the keto diet. I too follow a keto diet, and found the initial stages a process with learning how different it is. It definitely helps to clean out your pantry as much as you can so you’re not tempted. Also knowing which snacks are okay also helps just in case you forget and end up eating something too high in carbs by accident. It’s very much a steep learning curve, so this post helps those just starting out for sure. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

    1. Hi Kat,
      Thanks for your comment. It’s good to know that you found the article helpful. As someone who is already following the keto diet I’m sure you’ve discovered for yourself how great it is.

      I will be regularly adding articles about both weight loss and the health benefits of living a keto lifestyle, so check back often.

      Your comments and any suggestions are always welcome!

      All the best as you continue with your keto diet,

  4. What a nice post you wrote! I really enjoyed reading it and I could not be silent about your post so I decided to leave my comment here and say Thank You! For sharing this quality post with others.
    Actually this is exactly the information that I was looking for information about the keto diet and when I landed on your website and read this post, it answered all my questions in details.
    So I’m happy that you decided to write about this topic and share it with people. It’s very useful and can definitely be used as a great source for everyone who is interested in this topic.
    I will come back to your website again for sure and I’m looking forward to reading your new posts.)

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Ali, Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m pleased that you have found the post so interesting and useful.
      I will be posting regularly about the keto diet, the health benefits, and related ways to keep as healthy as you can.
      I hope you enjoy further posts from me in the future,
      Judy

  5. This is a fantastic article and one that has me inspired to start the Keto Weight Loss Plan. Thank you so much.

    1. Hi Donna,
      Thank you for your kind words.

      One of my aims here is to encourage people to try the keto diet plan and reap all the weight loss and health benefits for themselves.

      It’s very pleasing to know that I have helped you to take that first step.

      best wishes,
      Judy

  6. It’s interesting that today my boss was telling me about a keto diet and she was showing me some keto pills or supplements that she’s selling. She explained a little about what it is. And later I went home, went online and found this very informative article. Coincidence? Who knows 😉
    I’m glad I got the information now, and I’m looking forward to finding out more about the keto diet.
    Thank you for sharing!

    1. Hi Christine,

      It does seem that you’re being pointed in the direction of trying the keto diet!

      Thank you for your kind words about the article. Keep checking back as I add new content all the time.

      I’m sure you’ll find all the information here that will help you to make up your mind.

      Best wishes,
      Judy

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