The 15 best keto diet tips and tricks to get started and stick to it! If you're looking for info on keto for beginners, this list includes keto success tips, easy keto recipes and meal plan for beginners, and more.
The 15 best keto diet tips and tricks to get started and stick to it! If you're looking for info on
keto for beginners, this list includes keto success tips, easy keto recipes and meal plan for
beginners, and more
.
If you are starting a keto lifestyle and are looking for information on keto for beginners, I
always recommend the keto diet plan overview, along with the keto food menu. But all too
often, people on Facebook support groups and other social media sites ask for keto diet tips
and tricks, so I'm going to share them today
!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Start Simple.
2. Remove Temptations.
3. Stock Your Fridge.
4. Stock Your Pantry.
5. Ease Into It.
6. Carbs Are A Limit, Protein Is A Goal & Fat Is A Lever.
7. Portions Do Matter.
8. Eat Only When Hungry.
9. Avoid The Keto Flu.
10. Stay Hydrated.
11. Make Easy Keto Recipes For Beginners.
12. Use Sweeteners Responsibly.
13. Get Support
14. Plan Your Meals.
15. Choose The Keto Lifestyle For You.
Summary: 15 Tips For Keto Beginners
For the keto success tips below to make the most sense and to
give you context, make sure you read my guide on how to
start a keto diet first.
1. START SIMPLE.
Keep it simple, especially when you are starting out. The best
way to start keto for beginners is to use a simple framework
for your meals:
1. Pick a protein – Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, fish,
seafood, protein powder, eggs, etc.
2. Pick a (low carb) veggie – Cauliflower, broccoli,
zucchini, brussels sprouts, cucumbers, bell peppers,
etc.
3. Add fat. Butter, oil, lard, ghee, cheese, bacon,
avocado, mayonnaise, nuts, etc.
2. REMOVE TEMPTATIONS.
One of the easiest keto diet tips to implement is to get rid of
foods you need to avoid. It’s much easier to stick to your goals
if you’re not constantly fighting temptation. Get rid of the
following in your fridge and pantry:
Grains including wheat, bread, pasta, rice, oats,
cereal, corn, etc.
Sugar including table sugar, candy, pastries, cakes,
ice cream, chocolate, soda, juice, honey, maple syrup,
etc.
Starchy vegetables including potatoes, sweet
potatoes, parsnips, etc.
Legumes including beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
(Peanuts are an exception in moderation.)
High-sugar fruits including bananas, pineapple,
oranges, apples, grapes, etc.
Low-fat dairy & milk including all cow’s milk (except
heavy cream is fine), low-fat cheese, etc.
Seed & vegetable oils especially margarine, canola
oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil and soybean oil
Processed “low carb” foods depending on
ingredients, so read labels for hidden sugar, starch,
and artificial ingredients
If your family is not on board with low carb eating,
getting rid of everything may not be possible, and that’s
okay!
If others in your household want to continue eating
these foods, gather everything you want to avoid and
store it together, so that you can at least avoid a certain
cupboard, fridge shelf, etc.
3. STOCK YOUR FRIDGE.
Along with getting rid of all the good stuff, fill your fridge with
plenty of good stuff:
Healthy fats like avocado oil, butter and coconut oil
Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and kale
Low carb vegetables that grow above ground, like
zucchini, cauliflower and asparagus
Meat like beef and pork
Poultry like chicken and turkey
Seafood like fish and shellfish
Full-fat dairy like cheese and heavy cream
Eggs
Low carb fruit like avocados (the fruit exception that
doesn’t need to be in moderation), raspberries and
coconuts
, including more details
keto food list for beginners here
Get the full
and a handy printable version. Notice the main focus is real,
.
whole foods
4. STOCK YOUR PANTRY.
Don’t forget to stock your pantry with keto staples, too! Pantry
ingredients are most prone to be high in carbs, but here are
the types of items you’ll want to keep:
Herbs & spices like basil, dill and cinnamon
Low carb condiments like mayo, hot sauce and
mustard
Nuts & seeds like almonds, macadamia nuts and
sunflower seeds
Sugar-free sweeteners like erythritol, monk fruit and
allulose
Low carb flours like almond flour, coconut flour and
flax seed meal
Sugar-free beverages like water, coffee and tea
And one big thing you don’t need in your pantry?
Exogenous ketones, diet supplements, and processed
products labeled “keto”. Always read labels and check if
the actual ingredients are keto friendly.
While ketones are a controversial topic and some people
have found that they help a little, they are absolutely not
necessary to have success. Your body will produce
ketones on its own if you restrict carbs enough.
with more details on what
keto recipes here
full list of
Get the
you need!
5. EASE INTO IT.
If you’re starting a keto diet coming from eating a lot of carbs
and sugar, cutting it all out cold turkey may be a shock. It can
cause (temporary) keto flu symptoms and cravings, and while
these can be manageable, it doesn’t mean that’s the only way.
Here are a few ways to ease into it that can be helpful:
Apply a couple of these keto tips and tricks at a
time. This gives you time to adjust.
Cut out foods gradually. Eliminate all sugars first,
such as soda and candy, then complex carbs like
bread and pasta, and starchy veggies and fruit last.
Listen to your body’s signals and be patient. If you
finished your meal and are still hungry, try drinking
some water, brushing your teeth, distracting yourself
with something fun to do, or just waiting 20 minutes
for your brain to catch up. If you’re still hungry after
that, try a salty, water-packed snack, like olives or
pickles.
6. CARBS ARE A LIMIT, PROTEIN IS
A GOAL & FAT IS A LEVER.
The most important key to getting into ketosis is restricting
carbohydrates, but there is more to it. Your other macros,
which is short for macronutrients, play a role as well.
In a nutshell, here is how to understand macros for the keto
diet:
CARBS ARE A LIMIT.
This means you set the maximum that you can consume per
day – typically up to 20 to 30 grams per day for most people.
If you go under this number, that’s okay! It’s not a hard goal,
just a limit.
PROTEIN IS A GOAL.
This means you want to reach this number each day, so try not
to go below the goal. Going over a little bit is also okay, but a
large excess in protein might convert to glucose and kick you
out of ketosis; how easily this happens varies from person to
person.
FAT IS A LEVER.
After your carb limit and protein goal, the remaining calories
you need for the day come from fat. This is what keeps you
satisfied and provides the majority of your energy source.
You can use fat as a lever, increasing it up or down, based on
your goals. Increase it if you’re hungry, decrease it to lose
weight, but remember you can’t go too low (don’t get caught
in the outdated “fat is bad” trap), since it’s your main energy
source.
HOW DO I DETERMINE MY MACROS?
So, how do you know what numbers to use for the concepts
above? Just enter your info into our keto macro calculator.
HOW MUCH FIBER DO I NEED?
There is some controversy around this. USDA guidelines
say 25-31 grams per day [*] and the National Academy of
Science recommends 25-38 grams per day [*].
Several studies show that eating more fiber reduces risk of
heart disease and cancer, but they were conducted with lower
fiber levels than the recommendations (14-26 grams per day
intead of 25-38). [*][*][*][*] So, you might actually be fine
eating less than the “official” recommendations.
Start with 15-20 grams of fiber per day and add more a few
grams at a time if needed, based on how you feel. Get as
much fiber as possible from whole foods (vegetables, seeds,
etc.) before you try a supplement.
HOW TO KNOW IF MY MACROS ARE
RIGHT?
You’ll know if your macros are correct based on the results
you see.
As a few group members said, “measure, measure, measure”
and take pictures. Don’t just rely on the scale. Sometimes you
might see improvement in how your clothes fit or your body
measurements before the scale catches up.
If you don’t notice any results after a few weeks, first make
sure you are actually in ketosis and not getting carbs sneaking
in. If you are, take a look at that fat lever and see if you can
nudge that down.
7. PORTIONS DO MATTER.
Portions are related to keto diet tip #6 above. Even though
calories and portions are not the primary focus of a ketogenic
lifestyle, they still matter.
It’s still possible not to lose weight, or even gain weight, on
keto if you consume too much – this would be the case
with any diet. The key to remember is that fat is a lever.
Fortunately, ketosis inherently reduces hunger and cravings, so
you tend to eat less anyway. Many people find that eating low
carb foods keeps their portions under control naturally, but if
that doesn’t happen for you, you may need to pay attention to
them.
8. EAT ONLY WHEN HUNGRY.
A common question I get is whether you should eat when you
are not hungry. Ketosis acts as a natural appetite suppressant,
so you may find that you don’t get hungry as often, or not as
ravenously so.
There is no need to eat when you are not hungry! Simply
focus on hitting your protein goal when you do get hungry
and eat, but otherwise let your body signal when to eat.
9. AVOID THE KETO FLU.
Maybe you’ve heard of the keto flu, or maybe you’ve just
experienced side effects of starting keto. It’s one of the most
common questions about the keto diet for beginners.
As your body shifts its primary fuel source from glucose and
carbohydrates to ketones and fat, it can take your body some
time to adjust to this metabolic change. Ketosis also flushes
out a lot of water stored in the body, which can cause your
electrolyte levels to dip.
HOW TO AVOID THE KETO FLU?
The good news is, the keto flu is temporary and avoidable.
The short version is, make sure you get enough electrolytes
(especially sodium, potassium and magnesium) to avoid the
keto flu. Salting your food generously is one of the best things
you can do here; some people even add sea salt to their water.
Easing into it slowly can also help.
WHY DO I GET FREQUENT HEADACHES ON
KETO?
Most commonly this is due to either dehydration or electrolyte
imbalance – essentially it can be a mild form of keto flu. You’d
treat it the same way, with water and electrolytes.
10. STAY HYDRATED.
Drinking water is great for anyone, but especially if you are in
ketosis. Eating carbs causes us to store more water in our
bodies, while a keto diet flushes out more water, so it’s even
more crucial to drink enough. Aim for 16 cups per day.
11. MAKE EASY KETO RECIPES FOR
BEGINNERS.
Keto recipes are not 100% required to stick to a keto lifestyle,
but they sure make it easier and more enjoyable! Once you
have the basics down, introducing your old comfort food
favorites in keto form, like keto bread or keto casseroles, can
help you stick to it long term.
Here! My focus is on providing you with lots of easy keto
recipes for beginners! Browse our full keto recipes here.
If you want tons of healthy keto recipes, and get your own
personalized keto diet plan, click here
!
12. USE SWEETENERS
RESPONSIBLY.
Cutting out sugar isn’t easy, but it’s worth it! Weight loss is the
motivator for many people looking for keto diet tips, but the
improved energy, focus, mood, and other “NSV’s” (non-scale
victories) turn out to be a pleasant surprise for many people.
And getting rid of those sugar cravings feels SO. GOOD.
But, it doesn’t mean saying goodbye to sweets altogether! You
can make plenty of keto friendly dessert recipes instead.
The key to all of these is keto friendly sweeteners. Here are the
ones I recommend:
Monk fruit
Allulose
Erythritol
Want a keto diet customized for you click here!
13. GET SUPPORT
Starting out on a new way of eating isn’t easy, and you don’t
have to do it alone!
There are hundreds of thousands of us in the group waiting to
so
help you. We have people at all stages of the journey,
whether you need a place for keto for beginners, or you’re a
looking for others who get it,
er
-
more seasoned keto
.
to have you in our community
love
we’d
14. PLAN YOUR MEALS.
One of the best keto tips and tricks I always tell people is that
meal planning is a game changer. Grabbing a bag of chips, a
candy bar, or a box of pasta may be easy on a high-carb diet,
but sticking to a low carb lifestyle requires more planning.
And that’s okay! It’s totally doable and does not have to take
hours out of your day.
You can make your own plan, whether that’s planning for the
week ahead like I do or simply looking at the day ahead in the
morning. If you use a tracking app, some people find it helpful
to enter what you’ll eat ahead of time so to help you plan
better.
Or, you can just use my keto diet menu for beginners so I can
do it for you.
Planning what you’ll eat each day – at least approximately –
will save you both time and money. But, it can also be difficult
and time consuming to come up with that plan, making sure it
fits your macros, offers enough variety, and tastes good.
every
easy keto meal plan for beginners
That’s why I create
week. They balance meal prep, super simple recipes (that even
keto family members will eat!), and occasional leftovers to
-
non
save time and money. I have options for a single person or a
.
life
your
an fit
family of four, so that it c
15. CHOOSE THE KETO LIFESTYLE
FOR YOU.
At the end of the day, these keto diet tips will help anyone
wanting to jump start their keto journey, but it doesn’t mean
there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. Different people do low
carb in different ways, that’s okay!
Often times people ask me about the different ways people
can follow keto, and here are some of the most common:
STRICT KETO
Strictly monitor calories and macros, usually with a
tracking app
Eat only clean, whole foods – focus is on nutrients
Most carbs come from low carb vegetables
Avoid wheat, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and added
sugars, even if overall carb count is low
LAZY KETO
4. Track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without
tracking
5. Approach to food may be clean (like strict keto) or
not (like dirty keto)
DIRTY KETO
An “if it fits your macros” approach to keto
Strictly monitor calories and macros, usually with a
tracking app
You can eat anything even if it’s processed, artificial,
or even has added sugar, as long as it fits your
macros
LOW CARB
Similar to lazy keto, but more lenient on carbs
Carb limit can be as high as 50 grams, or even up to
100 grams for some people wanting more flexibility
In addition to keto friendly foods, moderate carb
foods may also be allowed
Curious what kind of keto I personally follow? I do a hybrid of
strict and lazy keto. I do not track macros all the time (though I
have gone through periods of doing so) and just eat keto
foods without tracking, but I choose clean keto foods (no
wheat, artificial ingredients, or added sugars).
You can see there are many ways to do it. All of them have
!
you
benefits and can be effective, so do what works best for
SUMMARY: 15 TIPS FOR KETO
BEGINNERS
Remember, starting keto doesn’t have to be complicated.
These tips are a great starting point, and you might also like
my keto cheat sheet system to keep all the necessary
information in one place.
If you want to do more research, my keto guide is a great
place to start. And, remember to always choose reputable
sources that back their claims with scientific references, like
the National Institutes of Health.
Would You Like to Know Exactly What to
Eat to Lose Fat and Get
Healthy Without Giving Up Your
Favorite Foods or Starving Yourself?
If you're serious about achieving permanent fat
loss and a complete health transformation while
eating your favorite foods every meal
…
I invite you to read this page
.