Want to learn how to start the ketogenic diet? This article will give you a step-by-step guide to starting keto.

In a nutshell

Ketosis is a metabolic state, in which the body has shifted from using glucose as the primary fuel source for supplying its energy demands with ketone bodies.

You can induce ketosis by fasting for around 3 days or by eating a low carb ketogenic diet with around 30-50 grams NET carbohydrates per day for several weeks.

Ketogenesis involves the creation of ketone bodies, such as acetoacetate that gets converted into acetone and beta-hydroxybutyrate.

Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

There are many advantages to this state

• Ketones produce 25% more energy than glucose
• Glucose metabolism causes more oxidative stress and free radical production, which can speed up aging and cause damage to the mitochondria
• The ketogenic diet mimics the physiology of fasting, which makes it superior for blood sugar and insulin stabilization
• It’s easier to burn fat and lose weight on keto
• Your energy levels throughout the day are constant and you won’t experience the ups and downs of insulin
• Improved endurance and physical performance thanks to burning your own body fat for fuel
• The ketogenic diet has a lot of positive benefits on your health, such as higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides and reduced inflammation
• You’ll have greater mental clarity and clearer thinking because your brain has access to energy 24/7 from your own body fat
• Reduced hunger and increased satiety make it again extremely good for weight loss and improved cognition

I’ve been doing keto for almost 3 years and I must say it has drastically increased my ability to stay energized and focused for long periods of time without having to eat or get sidetracked by hunger.

What to Eat on the Ketogenic Diet

Sounds amazing, right, but it may also seem very complicated. It’s really not that hard once you learn a bit about it and then implement some easy habits.

The foods eaten on the ketogenic diet may seem quite restrictive but that positive restriction gives you so much more freedom.

• You eat only low carb foods, green leafy vegetables, some meats, eggs, fish, chicken, a little bit of dairy, some nuts and a lot of healthy fats like olive oil, butter, coconut oil, avocados and seeds.
• You don’t want to eat high carb foods, grains, sugar, legumes, fruit, starchy tubers, potatoes, trans fats, vegetable oils and processed meats.

Getting Your Keto Macros Right

But you can’t expect to just get into ketosis by eating these foods. You have to also eat them in the right amounts.

What makes a diet ketogenic isn’t the foods you eat but the low amounts of carbohydrates and other macronutrient ratios.

The standard ketogenic diet macronutrient ratios are said to be around

• 5-10% carbohydrates (30-50g NET)
• 15-30% protein (0.6-1.0g/lb of LBM)
• 70-80% fat (rest of your calories)

These are just numbers…and your body doesn’t have its own keto calculator. You know, the liver just starts counting how many grams of protein or carbs you actually ate.

The lower your carb intake the faster your liver will start producing ketones. The more physically active and the more muscle you have the more insulin sensitive you are.

How many calories and macros you have to eat depend on your individual condition and circumstance but these percentages are a great guideline.

How to Know If You’re in Ketosis?

To know if you’re in ketosis you can measure your blood ketones using blood ketone meters

• Nutritional ketosis begins when your blood ketones are above 0.5 mMols
• The optimal zone is said to be around 0.5-3.0 mMols
• Above 3.0 mMols indicates starvation ketosis and means you might be in a caloric deficit. It’s not dangerous
• Ketoacidosis occurs at 8-10+ mMols which causes dangerous blood acidity. It won’t occur on a ketogenic diet but with severe alcohol poisoning or on people with type 1 diabetes.

Symptoms of ketosis include

• Dry mouth and thirstiness
• Increased urination (it can stink as well)
• Water weight loss
• Lack of appetite
• Increased energy
• The Keto Breath – a metallic and fruity taste in your mouth left there by acetone

How to Fix the Keto Flu

Withdrawal symptoms from carbohydrates can cause THE KETO FLU

• Headaches, Dizziness
• Fatigue, Exhaustion
• Brain fog
• Inability to focus
• Poor performance at the gym

The reason is you’re losing a lot of electrolytes because of excreting them through urine and water loss.

To fix the KETO FLU

• Add more sodium to your foods
• Drink bone broth, bouillon cubes or pickle juices
• Take some supplements for magnesium, potassium and vitamin D3
• Reduce overall stress levels
• Get more sleep
• During adaptation train less intensely and focus on building up your fat burning engine

It takes about 2-3 weeks to become adequately keto-adapted but it yet again depends on how your body individually reacts to the lack of carbohydrates.

Common Keto Mistakes

• Eating too many carbs – they either have some hidden sugars in their foods or they just eat too much. Low levels of insulin and carbs are key for a ketogenic diet.
• Eating too much protein – protein can also trigger insulin and too much protein may be potentially converted into sugar through gluconeogenesis. You need a whole lot of extra protein for that to happen but it’s a possibility
• Not enough fats – to give your body and brain a substitute for glucose
• Not enough micronutrients, like magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin d3 or omega3s, which causes extra stress
• Eating the wrong foods, like unhealthy fats, overcooking meats or heating oils

Most importantly, you need a lot of patience when on the ketogenic diet and you need to commit to it long term.

The benefits of proper keto-adaptation take more than a few months. Even now, after years of keto I find new facets to my fat burning abilities and performance.

That’s why I encourage everyone to try it out at least once.

You don’t need to be in ketosis all the time to be healthy or fit but what you should do is occasionally dip in and out of it. This maintains your metabolic flexibilitty and improves your physiology.

If you want to learn more about how to start the ketogenic diet and incorporate other nutritional hacks, then check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAohrrjG-3gEp5QF1WlM9_w

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Siim