My Guide and Personal Journey to a Successful Keto Lifestyle
I am sharing my Guide and Successful Keto Journey with you all in the hopes to empower and inspire you, and giving you my top tips for you to start on your keto journey. So if you have been wondering what a Keto diet is, and how to start a Keto Diet, read on.
The Ketogenic (Keto) diet is definitely not for everyone.
The Keto Diet is a very strict diet that requires knowledge, a positive mindset, planning, and effort to be effective.
Planning and Mindset are a must, having the correct mindset will set you up for long-term success on your keto journey.
Starting is going to be the hardest part and getting familiar with the keto diet will take some time and I really do think of this as a LIFESTYLE so going into this lifestyle change with that in mind is going to be key.
I am going to share some knowledge, resources, and tips I have learned and developed that has dramatically helped me with my successful journey.
Ok, Let’s break it down, the more knowledge and understanding the better!
What is the Keto Diet?
A Keto diet means that you reduce your intake of carbohydrates so that the body is able to enter a metabolic state that enables the body to burn fat for its fuel instead of blood sugar (glucose).
When your body doesn’t have enough glucose (reduction of carbs), levels of the hormone insulin decrease, initiating fatty acids to be released from the body’s fat stores in large amounts.
When carb intake and insulin levels are low, the body enters a Ketosis state and becomes the source of energy for our body and brain.
The elimination of sugar will trigger the liver to start producing ketones within 3-5 days. Resulting in the body entering ketosis and therefore start burning fat.
Requirements within the Keto Diet
There are 3 main categories to stick by when on a keto diet,
Fats, Protein, and Carbs.
There are no real definitive answers as to how much or how little within these categories as each of us is different in the way our bodies metabolise and how active our lifestyles are.
However, there are guidelines to aim for in order to see the best results.
- Carb intake is recommended between 5-10%
- Fats around 70-80%
- Proteins 10-20%
My recommendation is to aim for these ratios above.
As you start, it’s like anything new, it takes time and practice.
There will be hurdles and setbacks but dealing with these in the right way with a positive mind will be important.
You will over time discover what ratios are best for your body and what works. Just committing is a massive step forward.
Set small achievable goals and work your way up.
Keto Flu
Think of this as a positive.
You probably think I’m crazy, but hear me out.
Having the keto flu is a small win, a goal reached even.
You have made it this far, you have made the commitment and your body is adjusting and in just a few short days you will be feeling amazing and in ketosis burning the fat!
The keto flu is a term that refers to symptoms most people experience in the first few days when starting out.
These symptoms can occur when the body is starved and essentially entering a detox from the almost elimination of carbs and sugar being restricted.
Symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, lack of energy, aches, and pains, nausea, irritability, feeling weak, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, lack of concentration, and cravings!
For me, it is crucial to have a positive view on this to enable me to get through this stage.
I urge you to think of these symptoms like this:
- Thinking positively will get you through
- Write down a few small goals when you first start and what it will mean to you when you reach those goals. Doing this will help your motivation and inspire you to keep going.
Mindset is key.
You will hear me say that again and again!
Always have a positive outlook on things.
If you are finding yourself a little down and having a hard day, write in a journal.
Write about your feelings and solutions to your problem.
Next, you can revisit it and write about the ways you overcame those feelings or a reminder of the struggles you have overcome and write some positives and learning outcomes you have gained from those experiences.
DO NOT dwell on the negatives – sure learn from them but always focus on the positives in every situation.
Foods to Eat
In my opinion, food options for the keto lifestyle are one of the best advantages why this lifestyle is achievable. The options are endless and there are alternatives to almost everything to closely match our old favourites – only healthier!
Having an App can be your best friend in the early stages.
Having access to an App that you can easier look up food values will help you stay within your ideal range for ketosis.
You can read up on the appropriate foods here.
Food Planning and Journaling
Food Planning and logging your daily intake of everything you consume is crucial.
If you want to achieve results, having a journal to reflect back on and evaluate your habits – both good and bad will help you reach your goals whether that be for weight loss, health, or living a better lifestyle.
Check out the Products page for more information.
My Tips and Conclusion
The first couple of weeks of starting will be the hardest, not only on your body but your mind and lifestyle.
Changing your eating habits will be a massive adjustment to your routine, thinking, planning and execution.
I have created a free Weekly Meal Planner template that will help you when planning ahead for the week.
You can get it instantly to your inbox by filling out the sign-up form below!
I highly recommend planning, being prepared is going to allow you to stay focused, less stressed, and not be caught off guard at the first hurdle.
Organisation and planning is key to any success and a huge part of my day.
Being caught off guard will create unwanted stress and ultimately de-rail your hard work and throw you back into your old habits.
Have a plan, equip yourself physically and mentally and jump in!
I wish you all the very best of your journey, reach out and say hi. I would love to hear from you!
Amy x
