When you start a keto diet, your goal will be to lower your carb intake to the point where your body goes into ketosis, which means your body is burning fat for fuel instead of carbs.
The exact point at which you’ll get into ketosis will be different for everyone. Some people might achieve it by consuming no more than 40 carbs per day, while others have to go all the way down to 30 carbs to get into ketosis.
It usually takes about 2-4 days for ketosis to happen. Then, you’ll experience some symptoms associated with this condition. Some people get keto flu, which means they need to remedy the symptoms by consuming electrolytes.
Others will experience positive side effects right from the start. Such as increased energy, a clearing of brain fog and absence of cravings that they had once battled before. It would be nice if everyone experienced this initially, but some people do go through a lethargic, sick feeling for a while.
You want to calculate your macros so that you’re getting approximately 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs. In a 1,300 calorie diet, that would be about 15 net carbs, 93 grams of fat and 75 grams of protein.
Some people who do ketogenic dieting don’t track calories, except with how it impacts their macros. You could enjoy a 2,600 calorie day of meals and keep your ketosis levels in check just by managing your macros.
People worry if they mess up they will get knocked out of ketosis. This happens, it’s often a result of hidden carbs. Carbs can be hidden in on simple seasonings and some foods – things you don’t expect to be loaded with carbs.
If you get knocked out of ketosis, you should be able to get back in within 2-4 days. The weight should continue coming off, but it will increase more when your keto kicks in.
Make sure, when you’re choosing carbs, that you choose healthy foods. Eating something like spinach or a strawberry is better for you than a handful of fake sweets that could take a toll on your digestion.
Your body still needs plenty of nutrients, so choosing your carbs carefully will help you get the vitamins and minerals that you need throughout the week. Natural supplements can help, but it’s better to try and use mostly healthy foods when possible.