Keto Do's & Dont's

The Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that shifts your metabolic state so  your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. Its rise in popularity is due to a multitude of benefits that include weight loss, disease prevention, and stronger mental performance. In order for it to be effective, however, you need to eat the right kind of foods, which can be confusing. 

Following a diet can be hard, and it can take time to get into a comfortable and consistent routine. Whether you are new to keto or not, there are some mistakes you might be making that could be hindering your progress.

We’ve compiled a short list of our Dos and Don’ts so that you can reap the rewards from your ketogenic diet.

DO:

Eat enough Fat:

The limited amount of carbs in a keto diet, makes fat consumption the main source of energy. Some of our favourite sources of fat are: nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish (salmon is our go to!). 

Read labels:  

Due to the recent rise and popularity of the keto diet, many food companies want to cash in by putting a “ketogenic” or “low carb” label on products. These packaged products generally do not work well for weight loss and for correcting metabolic issues. This is why it is important to read all labels carefully for natural low carb ingredients. The fewer ingredients the better. 

Get enough Electrolytes: 

The nature of the keto diet will cause you to urinate more frequently, which can lead to low levels of electrolytes and may cause you to feel symptoms of ‘the keto flu’. You can try to avoid these symptoms by taking supplements to balance your electrolyte levels and by drinking plenty of water. This will help flush out toxins and circulate nutrients around your body more effectively.

DON'T: 

Over Snack: 

When switching to a new way of eating it can be hard to plan out meals, leading to the temptation to snack more. Too much snacking, however, can easily lead to excess calories and protein. It can also prevent your body from burning stored fat instead of dietary fat.

Go overboard on protein:

You may find yourself going for fatty protein foods like avocado, cheese, and high quantities of red meat when following the keto diet. If this is the case, then it’s possible you could be getting too much protein. Too much protein can lead to lower levels of ketone production and increased production of glucose, spiking your sugar levels. 

Finding a balanced approach to protein consumption is crucial to eating keto. So how much protein should you be consuming? Around 20% of calories should come from protein.

Don’t Forget about fibre: 

Putting all the focus on fat can make it easy to forget about other important food groups, like fibre. Since high fibre foods like whole grains, beans, and fruit also tend to be high in carbs, you’ll need to find other solutions. We suggest eating as many high fibre vegetables as you can within your carb limit. We recommend  all of the dark leafy greens (spinach is a staple in our house!) and of course, avocado.