Here's What You Need to Know Before Starting the Keto Diet Challenge

Here's What You Need to Know Before Starting the Keto Diet Challenge

Your friends and family are doing it, so now it's your turn! Use this helpful guide to get you started on the keto diet challenge.

Keyword(s): keto diet challenge

We live in a time where everyone wants to look their very best. And who can blame them? If there's anything to blame, it's social media.

This placed our lives on blast and many of us enjoy it. But that's only if we can take selfies that display us in our best light.

The best way to ensure this is to get fit and get healthy. This way, you look good in any light. One way of doing this is to join in the keto diet challenge.

Surely, this is on your radar by now -- thanks to social media and a number of celebs who swear by it. But is it worth getting into?

Let's find out what you need to know before you jump in.

What's the Keto Diet Challenge All About?

Now, it's ill-advised to start a diet that you know nothing about. So let's begin with what's required of you if you decided to take on the keto diet.

Well, in this diet, it's all about eating more protein and fats, but fewer carbs. The reason behind cutting out carbs that stem from sugary and starchy sources is because it turns into glucose.

Your body tends to use glucose for energy. But when you reduce your intake of carbs, it forces your body to use another source for energy - your fat.

That's the perfect scenario, especially if you're more than a little overweight. When your body consumes stored fat, it turns them into ketones. This process is known as ketosis.

This, in turn, results in weight loss at a quicker pace. How long before ketosis kicks in? Well, typically, those on the keto workouts and diet plan tend to lose about a pound or two weekly.

Is the Keto Diet Safe?

This is important to know about any diet before you embark on it. In general, the keto diet is safe. However, it's not recommended for those who are breastfeeding or pregnant.

You should also steer clear of this diet if you're battling with liver or gallbladder conditions. Ideally, you should check with your doctor before starting your keto diet, especially since we're not sure yet how it can affect your cholesterol levels.

If this diet interests you, then consider testing it out for about 90 days. Then you can alternate between keto and carb days.

For instance, you can have two keto days followed by a carb day, where between 30-40% of your food is from sugary and starchy foods.

So What Should You Be Eating?

The great thing about the keto diet is that you can play around with your meal plans. There's plenty of room to adjust your diet to your liking and still lose weight.

By now, you can find plenty of recipes and meal plan ideas plastered all over the web on keto diet blogs and social media pages.

Since you're trying to cut out carbs, it's recommended that you only consume between 5-10% carbs daily. The issue with this for most people is that it's so common for folks to get nearly half of their daily calories from carbohydrates.

Slashing it down to 40-50 grams daily can be hard if you're a heavy carb eater.

As for your protein, your daily meals should contain about 20%.

Here's an example meal plan:

• Breakfast: two scrambled eggs with a 1/2 cup of leafy greens and 1 tbs of coconut oil.
• Lunch: Salad with arugula and romaine lettuce with tuna fish, 2 tbs of mayo, eight toasted almonds, and some lemon juice squeezed on top.
• Dinner: Leg and thigh of rotisserie chicken, a cup of roasted cauliflower, 1 tbs of olive oil, and half an avocado.

Of course, this isn't set in stone and you can easily change around the meals each day to mix things up.

You Can Customize the Keto Diet

Speaking of mixing things up, the keto diet is very flexible. Generally, folks aim for a 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs.

However, you can eat anywhere between 20-50 grams of carbs, depending on how your body reacts. Just keep an eye on your body and weight -- if you're not shedding pounds, then drop your carb count lower.

The Keto Diet Is a Lifestyle

It's also worth noting that the keto diet isn't like many other diets. It's not something you can start and stop once you reach your goals.

In fact, doing this yo-yo dieting style will cause you to gain more weight. This is why you'll hear a lot of keto dieters talk about this as a lifestyle, not a diet.

So if you're serious about taking on the keto diet challenge, then be sure you're ready to go at it for the long haul.

Ketosis Is Different for Everyone

You'll find some keto dieters who begin shedding weight almost instantly, while others take a few weeks. Normally, the more weight you have, the more you have to shed.

These individuals typically see faster weight loss results for obvious reasons.

So if you're only a little overweight, be patient -- your ketosis will kick in. Also, don't forget to make adjustments to your carb intake every few weeks if you're not seeing any type of weight loss.

The Keto Flu Is Very Real

You may already know about the keto flu, which tends to happen when folks first start. There are two reasons why this happens.

One, your body's trying to switch from burning carbs to burning fat, which can put a hit on your energy. Plus, it can cause nausea, grogginess, and headaches.

And two, dehydration and electrolyte-deficiency can set in. This occurs because you tend to urinate more frequently when on the keto diet.

So if you do end up getting flu symptoms, don't fret. This means you're on the right path to weight loss and better health! Read more on the Keto Flu, here. 

Taking On the Keto Diet

Are you serious about losing weight and gaining muscle? Thinking about taking on the keto diet challenge? Then you need a solid meal plan to get you started.

But if you're like most people, prepping and cooking meals is a nuisance. This is where Real Ketones comes in. We offer a Keto Meal product you can use to replace meals while on the go. It helps you to burn your own body fat, curve cravings, and fight hunger.

Want to learn more? Visit our blog today!