Did you know that keto was the most-searched diet on Google last year?

With so many people sharing their success stories, it’s no surprise how popular keto has been the past few years. This trend also shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

If you’re one of the many new people who are curious about trying this diet, it’s important to learn a few keto basics first so you can get the results you want. Do you want to know how to start keto the right way? Keep reading for the ultimate keto guide.

WHAT IS KETO?

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb strategy. As strange as it may sound, eating lots of fat can help your body burn unwanted fat more efficiently. Although each day can vary a bit, a typical day of eating on keto consists of 60% fat, 30% protein, and 10% carbohydrates.

If you eat around 2,000 calories per day, this means that you could only consume 20 to 50 grams of carbs before you reach your limit. If you’re trying to lose weight, you may end up eating less calories than the average person. With such strict percentages, it’s important to plan out each meal carefully instead of eating intuitively.

WHAT IS KETOSIS?

If you don’t know why people call it the keto diet, the name stems from the medical word ketosis. Ketosis is a state where the body runs out of carbohydrates. Since carbs are the body’s go-to source for energy, it has to turn to fat as an alternative fuel.

Our bodies can’t process pure fat, so the liver has to convert it into ketones first. Once ketones are produced, the body enters ketosis. Keto diets are designed to keep out bodies in a state of ketosis so we turn into fat-burning machines.

CAN YOU HAVE CHEAT MEALS ON KETO?

Other diets can be viewed as more flexible because they allow people to have the occasional cheat day. Although you won’t suddenly gain all of your fat back if you have a cheat meal, your body could stop running on ketosis. Eating enough carbs could flip the switch that tells your body to start using carbs as energy instead of fat.

Nobody is perfect, which is why you shouldn’t be devastated if you make mistakes. The fastest way to get back into a state of ketosis is to fast until you burn through your carb reserves.

However, it’s also fine to return to your normal keto diet and wait to get back on track. The average body can enter ketosis in 2 to 4 days.

WHAT FOODS ARE GOOD FOR KETO?

The bulk of your diet needs to be fat, so you have to find good resources that are high in fat and low in carbs. Avocados, coconut oil, butter, and olive oil are excellent foods to include in your meals.

Meats are another important aspect of keto, but you have to be careful not to overdo it. If you eat too much protein, your body could convert it into glucose and take you out of ketosis. Eggs, steak, bacon, salmon, and other fatty cuts are great sources of fat and protein.

Cheese is another tasty treat you can enjoy on a keto diet. Other popular dairy products you’re allowed to eat include full-fat yogurts, heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese.

Vegetables are a great way to bulk up your meals without eating too many carbs. Some low-carb veggies include broccoli, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, radishes, spaghetti squash, spinach, and zucchini. These hearty side dishes are so filling that you’ll hardly miss other typical side dishes that aren’t keto-friendly.

WHAT FOODS SHOULD I AVOID?

Now that you understand the basics of how to do keto, you know that you have to be careful about monitoring your carb intake. The good news is that you can still enjoy a lot of foods that contain carbs as long as you’re choosing the right sources. Junk food and sweets are an obvious no-no, but you also have to limit your intake of starchy foods.

Rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes are high-carb foods that can quickly push you over your daily limit. Soda, juice, beer, and other sweetened beverages aren’t good for any dieter because drinking your calories isn’t very filling. Fruits are a great source of nutrients, but the only keto-friendly choices are berries.

Other things to look out for are meat products that come with breading or glazes. These options are risky because they could contain a lot more sugar and starch than you’re aware of. Whenever you’re shopping for sausages and other blends of meat, be sure to read the labels to make sure there are no added fillers that contain carbs.

HOW TO START KETO

Starting the keto diet is a lot more involved than knowing which foods you should eat and which you should avoid. Since you have to stick with strict percentages of fat, protein, and carbs, it’s helpful to plan your meals in advance. If you’re ever unsure of your daily percentages, you can use tools like MyFitnessPal to get precise figures.

As a general rule of thumb, shopping at the grocery store will be a lot less time-consuming once you get into your routine. Instead of wandering through all of the aisles, you can shop around the border of the store where the produce, meat, and dairy sections are. Using Speedy Keto Living shopping lists can make the process even easier.

HOW TO AVOID CRAVINGS

We’re all human, which means no one is immune to cravings. The best way to stay on track is to make sure you have keto-friendly snacks on hand at all times. Jerky, Greek yogurt, berries, and veggie sticks with nut butter are all great examples of portable snacks.

Drinking plenty of water is another important diet tip. Did you know that our brains can confuse the signals for hunger and thirst? If you’ve already eaten enough but you still feel hungry, try drinking some water and letting it settle for 20 minutes before eating more.

Exercising can also help you lose weight and fight off cravings. If you ever get any cravings for junk food, you’d be surprised by how much more motivated you feel after 15 minutes of cardio.

WANT MORE HELPFUL KETO TIPS AND RECIPES?

Now that you know how to start keto, you can look forward to achieving some amazing results. Be sure to take some before and after photos so you can be surprised by your progress.

Do you want to thrive on your keto diet? If so, Speedy Keto Living has everything you need to succeed. Explore our site for the best keto recipes, meal plans, shopping lists, and other helpful resources.