When I started the Keto diet plan a couple of years ago, I had no idea how life-changing it would be.

My parents had followed the Atkin’s Diet years ago when I was a teen so I thought I had an idea of how to really follow a Keto diet.

via GIPHY

I had been struggling with my weight pretty badly for a few years and I felt like CRAP… all the time.

I was tired, lethargic, overstressed, overworked, frustrated, and all in all not in a good place.

So, what does this have to do with the keto diet, you ask?

Well, I am making this beginner’s guide as a jumping off point for all my fellow ladies out there that just want to feel GOOD again!

It’s time for a change and the Keto Diet can help…

I have been there lady. I just wanted to feel better. That was my life’s singular mission when I started Keto.

The weight loss was awesome and went a long way to making me feel better overall, but it was only a side benefit of Keto.

I enjoyed a better libido, increased energy, I needed WAY less sleep, and I was more mentally sharp than I had been for years.

So if you are ready to enjoy the benefits of the keto diet plan that so many have enjoyed, read on and get the answers to all your burning questions.

What is the keto diet?

The Ketogenic diet plan, or keto as its more commonly known, is in short a high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet.

There are a lot of complexities to the keto diet that makes it a very individualized way of eating.

Although two people may be doing the keto diet, one may have a higher daily carb intake and one may never exercise at all.

The keto diet plan has tons of different complexities and just because it works for someone else, doesn’t mean the same thing will work for you as well.

When you are following keto for weight loss specifically your macros (daily nutrition counts) and recommendations are going to be different than someone that is using keto as a way to fight PCOS.

I will cover a lot of the information in this blog for how to use Keto for weight loss and how to choose a plan that works for your body and your lifestyle.

What You Need to Know Before You Start The Keto Diet.

Keto isn’t some magic pill that you take.

You can’t drink your way thin on keto (as much as the scientists would like to try and convince you that you can). But there are some handy shakes that I love- you can check you the best low carb protein shakes in this blog post.

There are going to be hard (but super rewarding) moments on this diet that will challenge your mental and emotional issues with food.

Keto lifestyle unlocks your natural biological process to burn fat, keep your body strong, and restore energy. 

On the keto diet, you are learning to feed your body and not your emotions.

I hear so many people say, “I just can’t give up bread or pasta.” and I get it (no seriously, I am Italian… I GET it!).

The Keto diet plan is about learning to confront the emotion of eating and feeding your body what it really NEEDS to run at it’s best.

How do I start a Keto diet plan?

There are many free resources on the internet about keto these days.

One of the traps I fell into when starting the keto diet, was trying to replace my favorite foods and not adjusting my way of eating.

I spent a whole year on Keto the first time and only lost about 30 lbs in the year. Now, 30 lbs is nothing to sneer at, but I had over 80 to lose and I was not impressed.

So when life got hard, instead of keeping with the plan I quietly broke up with my keto diet plan one sneaky snack at a time.

So, What made it finally stick? Read on my friend…

 

My Tips for Success on the Keto Diet Plan

Being successful on keto is really about learning the science of your body. There is no place for feelings or emotion in this process. ????#realtalk

We are setting goals and using science to achieve them.

This is not to say you will not have some crazy feels while you are keto-ing. Guuurrrlll, I have had some doozies while on the Keto diet, but here are some basics you will need to get started.

1. Calculate Your Macros and TRACK Everything

Firstly, anyone that tells you to just eat meat all the time… well… frankly they are full of ????. When you are first starting out it’s all about learning your macros. If you don’t know what your macros are, you can check out my post on How to Calculate Your Keto Macros. (coming soon- add your email below to get notified when it’s ready ????) One of my favorite tools for tracking my intake each day is the My Plate App. You can also use My Fitness Pal as well.  Tracking is EVERYTHING when you get started with keto. You have to learn to be honest about what you are putting in your body before you can really address what you are missing, or overdoing.

Grab my 7-day Keto Meal Plan + Shopping List

2. Drink Water… and then drink more

Water is the magic weightloss liquid that no one ever talks about. With up to 60% of the average adult body being made up of water, there is little doubt that water is VITAL to our survival. The thing you may not know about water, however, is that it can hinder weight loss when you don’t drink enough of it. Water is responsible for cleaning out your organs, keeping your skin hydrated and young looking, and even making sure you can function normally. Without enough water, your body will not lose weight. It’s that simple. water is the vehicle by which you will cleanse and release unwanted toxins, and weight from your body.

 

3. Be Prepared for Eating Out on Keto

TBH, this is the biggest problem people face when learning to feed themselves on the Keto diet. I remember going to restaurants only to find out later their seemingly healthy foods had a high amount of hidden calories and carbs. After that, I started to actually look up what I was going to eat at a restaurant before I went there. I had to learn to be ok asking, “Do you have a nutritional breakdown for this meal?” and if I couldn’t find anything, I would often times get a simple salad with grilled chicken breast or steak and just olive oil and vinegar for a dressing. Once I had been doing keto for a while I was able to learn what to eat at our favorite places out so I wasn’t feeling overwhelmed trying to make a last minute decision.

4. Plan Your Meals In Advance- My Free 7-day Keto Meal Plan

This was one tip I learned early on from reading other Keto blogs and using their information. Preparation is 98% of your success… the other 2% is the refusal to give up. If you are ready to get started on a beginner keto diet plan, you can get mine right here. It already has everything laid out for you to get your first week off to an amazing start! I have included everything from recipes to my favorite meals to a shopping list so you know exactly what to buy.

Common Questions/FAQ About the Keto Diet

1. What can you eat on a keto diet plan?

The short answer… anything that fits your macros. The long answer? I had to literally cut out ALL sweeteners and stop trying to replace what I was “missing” in my comfort foods. It really comes down to… lean meats in proper portion sizes, leafy green veggies, and fresh foods. If you eat clean on Keto it will go a lot better for you. Take it from the girl that did dirty keto for a LONG time and was less than pleased with the results. I have people ask me some times “is honey keto friendly?” the answer is no. Sorry. Honey is a concentrated form of natural sugar and will throw you out of fat burning state. All in all, when in doubt… check the nutrition facts out.

2. What veggies are keto friendly?

Leafy green vegetables are among the safest and most keto friendly vegetables. In general, anything that is root based (potato, carrot, etc.) are going to be higher in carb counts. Some of my favorite vegetables to help me replace the starches in my life are listed below.

• zucchini
• yellow squash
• spaghetti squash
• mashed cauliflower
• riced cauliflower

3. How do you do keto without cooking?

Keto is actually really friendly to the raw food lover. The basics of it are to include more fresh vegetables into your meal plan. You can add things such as cheese and nuts in moderate amounts to help increase protein in your diet. Summer is one of my favorite keto diet times of the year. It’s so much easier to eat keto clean when its hot outside. Light food feels better on your stomach and you are more satisfied. I recommend using an instant pot to make a few chicken breasts ahead of time. The chicken pulls apart and is so tender for days afterward. It’s perfect on salads or in a lettuce wrap.

4. What do I eat for breakfast on a keto diet?

Eggs. Lots of eggs. Just kidding! There ARE other options on the keto diet. I Simply adore these delicious cream cheese pancakes from I Breathe I’m Hungry. Some people opt to skip breakfast altogether. Intermittent fasting routines are very popular with Keto diet plans. Only eating one or two meals a day on the keto diet can increase your results. This is a more advanced tactic and I wouldn’t recommend you start there. Start slow and steady, it will pay off int he long term.

5. What kind of drinks can you have on a keto diet?

This is a common question I get from people when they are beginning their keto diet. Most of the time they are talking about coffee and wine. Let’s be real. Those are the things most people crave and they can be the biggest deal breakers on keto. I have never been a big fan of either, which made my job switching to keto much easier.

• Coffee: black or with whole fat cream. No sugars or flavor additives> You can also make “bulletproof” coffee which is very keto friendly and can help accelerate weight loss. I have a recipe for bulletproof coffee in my weekly meal plan! You can Keep your morning Starbucks if you want but it’s going to make ketosis a latte harder… Sorry, I couldn’t help myself! ????

 

• Alcohol: If you want fast results, cut it out completely. There are keto friendly alcohol options. In general, when your inhibitions are low and pretzels abound, it spells disaster for a keto diet plan.

 

• Juices: These are a hard no. Sugar content in most juice is horrible for keeping your body in ketosis. Often, even the diet juices can kick you out of keto.

 

• Flavored waters: These are again, a grey area. Even though they are zero carbs and have no calories, most of the time my weight rises after drinking fizzy, or flavored waters. This is one thing you will need to address for yourself. Take everything out at first and then add one thing back a time. If you gain or drop out of ketosis, remove it again. this goes for things like Gatorade zero as well. They often have sweeteners that will trick your body. Anytime you are tricking your body, it’s not going to end well.

5. What are the signs of being in ketosis?

You have done all the work so how do you know you are finally in ketosis? Some of the basic symptoms you will experience are weight loss, increased focus, increased energy, needing less sleep (which sometimes presents as insomnia), and some others. When you first get on a keto diet there will be some negative side-effects. Like any new healthy routine, there are going to be reactions from your body. You are adjusting to a new normal in your body. You may find you need only 7-8 hours of sleep rather than 10-12 and feeling like crap all the time. It is common to see an initial significant weight loss drop. You may also have negative symptoms as your body detoxes, which usually resolves within a few days.

The Last Thing You Need Before Beginning a Keto Diet Plan

If you are really looking to get your health under control using the keto diet you need to make a plan. Have your menu and snacks all prepped and planned for the day. Track everything in an app or a journal. and Lastly, be patient with the first few days. It’s an adjustment for your body. Be kind to yourself and patient with the process. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix diet.