Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the complex rules and endless restrictions of each new diet you try? You’re not alone. Like many, I stumbled through fad diets that seemed more like complex puzzles than practical eating plans. But then I discovered the “Ketogenic Diet Simplified”, an approach that stripped away the complications and focused on straightforward, effective eating strategies. Despite the widespread buzz, many of us overcomplicate what should be a simple way to health. Today, I’m here to strip back the layers of complexity and show you how simplifying the ketogenic diet can not only make your dietary journey more manageable but also amplify your results and minimize stress. Dive into the simplicity that a streamlined ketogenic diet can offer and unlock the secret to a sustainable transformation.
Ketogenic Diet has been a popular and trendy diet for weight loss for several years now, and used for managing certain medical conditions for even longer than that.
The great thing about the ketogenic diet, which focuses on very low carbs, high fat, and moderate protein, is that it is a simple diet. The only “rules” to follow is to keep your carbs low in order to stay in the state of ketosis. The problem is that far too many people have made it more complicated, added more rules, tried to make it as clean as possible, and many other stipulations that are unnecessary.
This makes it a lot harder to follow and be consistent with because it becomes stressful and overwhelming for people. But if you want to follow the Ketogenic Diet, either for weight loss or another reason, the following tips will help to simplify it and bring you back to the basics.
Contents
1. The Basics of Eating a Keto Diet
Don’t worry about anything you have been told before about the keto diet, and go back to the beginning. The Ketogenic Diet simply involves keeping your carbs very low. This alone will help to keep your fat and protein at the appropriate levels, and keep your sugar low as well. That’s it! Don’t worry about anything else.
With a Ketogenic Diet, the goal is to eat up to 50 net carbs, though many people prefer to keep it around 20 net carbs. Why? Some individuals are able to be in ketosis with slightly more carbs, but the lower number of 20 is pretty much guaranteed for everyone.
Don’t forget net carbs is your total carbs minus fiber, so enjoy those low-carb veggies!
Find Keto-Approved Foods You Already Love
One of the simplest ways to start a Ketogenic Diet is by making a list of low-carb foods allowed on the keto diet that you already enjoy eating. This is going to take a lot of the pressure off, and help you figure out meals you will enjoy even without the added carbs.
Start With Your Proteins – A super easy way to start the list of keto foods is by writing down all proteins you enjoy eating. This includes any type of meat, like bacon, sausage, steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, and lunch meat. You can enjoy poultry like chicken or turkey, as well as any type of fish or seafood. Plus, eggs go on this list as well if you enjoy eating them.
Make a List of Fats Next – Many of your proteins will also double as your fats, but don’t forget other sources of fats. This might be olives, avocado, olive oil or avocado oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing, nuts and seeds. Just make sure you are looking at the carb count and portion sizes.
Add in Some Veggies and Fruits – While you can’t have all the vegetables you used to eat, many of them will be low-carb! Here are some veggies to enjoy on your Ketogenic Diet:
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
Plus, you can enjoy berries on the Ketogenic Diet as well.
Focus on Balancing Your Plate
Once you have your list of keto-approved foods that you already enjoy eating, you can then start putting meals together. As with just about any diet imaginable, you want to focus on balancing your plate. This will help you to feel more satisfied and help you get in all the necessary nutrients.
Just aim to have foods with protein, fat, and fiber, and you will be all set!
Get Your Carbs From Veggies
When you are on a Ketogenic Diet, your allowed carbs each day is very low. To make it simple, just try to get the majority of your carbs from vegetables. This is a really easy way to look at it. The majority of your foods will be proteins and low-carb fats, then you add in some approved veggies, and you’re good!
Ketogenic Diet Simplified Tip: Focus on whole, single-ingredient foods to make sticking to your keto goals straightforward and stress-free.
2. Timing is Everything
When it comes to following the Ketogenic Diet properly and making it a sustainable way of eating, timing is really important. Much more important than you might think. Since this is likely a considerably different way of eating than what you are used to, you don’t want to rush into it.
Here are some tips for making sure you are choosing the right time to start the keto diet. Remember this is a commitment for your health and goals.
Consider the Best Time to Start the Keto Diet
Yes, timing does matter! This can be true of many different diets, but especially ones that change the types of foods you eat, not just how much you eat.
Here are some things to consider in order to get the timing of your keto diet just right:
What holidays or special occasions are coming up?
First of all, try not to start your Ketogenic Diet right before an event where you will be tempted to eat all the things. While you will inevitably need to navigate holidays and birthday celebrations, it is much easier to do so when you have been on the keto diet for a while. Expecting to handle a holiday party full of sweets just a week after starting keto is going to be more stressful than it needs to be.
If possible, try to time the start of your keto diet to where you have at least a few weeks to transition into this way of eating.
Do you have sufficient time for prepping and planning?
It will also help to make Ketogenic Diet a little easier when you have the right amount of time and energy for planning. Do not rush into this! You can’t just read one article about keto, grocery shop, and start tomorrow. You are making it more complicated than you need to, which is going to lead to you quitting after a few days.
Can it be sustainable right now?
Lastly, ask yourself is now a good time to be sustainable. This Is not a quick fix and shouldn’t be treated as such. It is a complete lifestyle change, so you need to be prepared for it. Go into the keto diet not as a way to experiment, but knowing you will be eating this way for a long time.
Try a Slow Transition to Keto-Approved Foods
Another option to going all-in, which works for many people, is to do the slow transition. This is when you start adding more keto foods to your regular diet, and gradually reducing the high carb foods. It isn’t the option for everyone, but many people find that it works the best for them.
Start Swapping Out Carbs for Keto Foods – You can begin by making swaps in the meals you already eat. For example, if you have rice on the side of your fish and broccoli, just swap out the regular rice for cauliflower rice. Do this slowly, just with one type of food at a time. It helps you and your family become accustomed to the small changes in order to reduce your carbs before going keto.
Stop Buying High-Carb Foods – You will eventually want to get all the high carb foods out of your house, but if you’re concerned about wasting money and food by throwing it all away, just stop buying them for now. Eat the foods you already have, but make a commitment to not purchase any more of them. Eventually during the transition, you will be left with all the keto-approved foods in your house.
Switch One Meal at a Time – If you’re still not ready to go all-in with keto, just switch one full meal at a time. Maybe breakfast is easiest for you because you love eggs and bacon. Start eating your keto breakfast every day, then gradually also add in a keto lunch to your day.
Ketogenic Diet Simplified Tip: Begin with basic keto-friendly meals you already love, easing the transition without overwhelming yourself with new recipes.
3. Prep, Plan, and Prepare in a Simple Way
If you don’t plan properly, you won’t be able to stick to the keto diet. This is true for the majority of people. This is not like a calorie counting diet where you can eat whatever you want within a certain number of calories. You are changing how you eat, the types of foods you eat, and likely the way you cook your meals.
While this won’t be complicated once you begin doing it, you still need to prep and plan all your meals in the beginning. Once you get used to the foods that are low carb and you enjoy eating, your weekly meal planning will become much easier.
Have a Plan Before Grocery Shopping
The first time you go to the grocery store when you decide to switch to a keto diet can be a little daunting. But even more so if you aren’t prepared. This is why planning out your meals beforehand and having a list of exactly what you need is going to be your best bet.
In addition to having a plan, here are a few more tips to simplify the grocery buying process:
Add alternatives in case a food item on your list is sold out. You don’t want to have to make a fast decision if the low-carb tortillas are sold out. Then what od you do? Make sure you have alternatives written down so you know exactly what to do.
Stay away from the carb-filled aisles. You know the ones. These are going to be your bread aisles (unless you need nut butter), the bakery section, and most of the middle aisles with processed foods and packaged snacks. In the frozen food aisles, you won’t need anything aside from vegetables and meats.
Consider grocery delivery. In the beginning of your keto diet, it can be really helpful if you do grocery delivery. You won’t be tempted or stressed out walking past carb foods at the grocery store, and you can make sure you have everything on your list.
Start Cooking Keto Meals Beforehand
When it comes to planning your meals, it is very easy to go overboard and make the keto diet a lot more work than it needs to be. If you are coming from a place of rarely cooking, to making homemade meals three times a day, you aren’t going to last long on this diet.
Before you even start keto, start cooking low-carb meals to get the hang of it. When you do start keto and making your meals, don’t have an entire week of brand new recipes. Stick with mostly meals you have made before, then add in a new recipe or two ach week.
Don’t Forget About Electrolytes
The dreaded keto flu is one of the biggest concerns people have when they consider starting the keto diet. While it tends to be a lot less severe than you might assume, it is still a good idea to be prepared for it.
The keto diet is an amazing way to get rid of water weight and reduce inflammation, but that also means you are losing a lot of electrolytes with all that water. You need to find an easy way to replace it while on this diet.
Here are some tips to help you do that.
Make Supplementing Electrolytes a Part of the Meal-Planning Process
You can add in many of the electrolytes you lose simply with good meal planning. Make sure you have meals with added sodium, as this is one of the most important electrolytes you need. This includes having meals where you might want to add in more salt, eating pickles and other foods that instantly boost your salt intake, and even enjoying some processed meat like bacon and lunch meat.
Find Electrolyte Supplements Before You Start Your Diet
There are also some electrolyte supplements on the market that can further replace all three of the essential electrolytes – including sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These include powder mixes you add to your water, oral supplements, and chewy vitamins.
How to Reduce the Effects of Keto Flu
The keto flu often gives you symptoms similar to the regular flu, like nausea, headaches, body aches and pains, and fatigue. The best way to combat the keto flu is by staying hydrated and increasing your electrolytes. Beyond this, make sure you get enough rest and are eating enough to satiate you, including plenty of fats and proteins.
4. Making the Ketogenic Diet Sustainable
There are very few reasons to follow a diet like this if you don’t plan to do it for the foreseeable future. This is true of most diets meant to help you lose weight. If you go back to your old way of eating once you reach your weight loss goals, that weight is going to come back as well.
To prevent this, you need to make sure it is sustainable for you. This means removing all the rules aside from making sure you stay in ketosis. Here are some helpful ways to make it more sustainable and long-term.
Control Your Food Environment
An easy way to make the keto diet more sustainable for you is to be aware of your food environment. This includes the foods you keep in your house, appliances available for cooking, and other places you go where there might be food temptations.
Managing Your Home Environment With Carb-Eaters
The simplest way to handle the food environment in your home is of course to just get rid of all the carb-laden foods. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible when you have kids, spouses, or roommates in the home not on the keto diet. But don’t worry – there are ways to make it easier on you!
The best method is to keep your keto foods out in the open, in areas where you see them first. And ask if you can “hide” the unapproved foods in cabinets and bins. For example, move your roommates frozen pizzas and meals to the back of the freezer or inside a bin you don’t see often, and keep your cauliflower rice and frozen veggies near the front of the freezer.
Know Your Own Limits When it Comes to Temptations
Everyone is different when it comes to what tempts them the most. For some people, it might be avoiding alcoholic drinks with their favorite sugary mixers. For others, they have a hard time at the grocery store.
Figure out what tempts you the most, and try to avoid it if you can. You won’t be able to completely avoid everything in life; you might have to drive past McDonald’s on your way home from work every day. But is there a detour you can take, so you don’t smell those fries through your car windows?
Sometimes bigger decisions need to be made, like spending less time with friends who always ask you to just try their foods that you know aren’t allowed on the keto diet. Setting boundaries is important with any lifestyle change.
Navigating Parties and Social Occasions
For holiday parties and other social occasions, don’t feel like you have to avoid all of them. You can still enjoy time with friends and family, and have a fun life! Here are some helpful tips for handling them:
Eat a low-carb meal before you go so that you are full and satisfied.
Avoid the area of the party with all the food that isn’t for you.
Ask the host if they can offer a low-carb option.
Make your own drinks so you know what is in them.
Prepare for Eating Out While on Keto
You can definitely still at out at most of your favorite restaurants even on the keto diet, it just takes a little tweaking to the foods you used to eat.
Find the Safest Places to Eat
To make it a little easier on yourself, have a list of restaurants and fast food joints near you that offer the most low-carb options. This might be grilled chicken nuggets, places like Chipotle that offer bowls you put together yourself, or restaurants that have their own low-carb menu.
Know the Basics from Most Restaurants
Since you don’t always have full control over where you are eating, it helps to know some of the basic ones to reduce carbs in traditional meals. Here are some super easy ways to make a meal low carb:
Have a side salad instead of fries or rice.
Order a bunless burger or grilled chicken sandwich.
Ask for “loaded” broccoli and skip the other sides and bread.
Get it lettuce-wrapped.
Try New Things
Now is a great time to try new things! Don’t be afraid to experiment with foods you wouldn’t have ordered before. Maybe you want to try enjoying a steak with some loaded broccoli on the side instead of your usual chicken tenders and fries, or you find a restaurant offering roasted brussels sprouts with bacon that you have never had before.
Get Outside Support
Make sure you are getting proper support while on your keto journey. This is so important with such a big lifestyle change, and is going to make this process a lot easier on you. Set boundaries, find people to lean on, and avoid anyone who judges your decision to change your lifestyle and diet.
Find Your Keto Community
The amazing thing about Ketogenic Diet is that because of its popularity, there are many communities out there with people who are also following this lifestyle. Online, look at online forums, social media communities on Instagram and Facebook, and special groups specifically for keto-followers. You can also find communities local to you that meet up and go to keto restaurants, or maybe a weekly hiking group with members who are on keto.
Let Your Friends Know Your Lifestyle Change
Don’t be afraid to tell people about your decision to follow a keto diet. This will make it a lot easier when it comes o getting support from them on the days when you’re struggling. It is also how you will know which friends you will get support from, and which friends you might not be able to spend as much time with.
Look for Local Places to Enjoy Keto Food
Another great way to get support in your community for your new lifestyle is by finding bakeries or restaurants with a lot of keto or low-carb options. Many cities are offering these options, so you know when you eat there, you will be with like-minded people. It makes such a big difference in how sustainable keto is for you.
5. How to Avoid Making Keto Too Complicated
Still feeling a little overwhelmed with all the tips and information for following a keto diet? Here are some ways to avoid making it too complicated and go back to the basics.
Don’t Worry About Testing Your Ketones
When you get into the state of ketosis, which happens starting about a week after following the keto diet, your body produces what are called ketones. Ketone bodies are produced when you start burning fat for fuel. Many people will test their ketones using a ketone meter to ensure they are in ketosis, but this is absolutely not necessary!
Why not test your ketones? Simply put, you don’t need to! Ketone meters are expensive and require you to test your blood or breath on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for people to become over-consumed by the numbers on the meter, stress out, and then feel like keto isn’t working for them.
If you are trying to make Ketogenic Diet easier for yourself, using a ketone meter to test your ketones is the opposite of helpful.
Okay, what to do instead? Just follow a keto diet, and that’s it! Count your net carbs each day to ensure you are eating the right amount of carbs in order to get into ketosis, and let the rest work itself out. As long as you are consistently eating under 20 net carbs a day, you will get into ketosis. Let your body do its thing.
ALL Macros Do Not Need to Be Tracked
In the Ketogenic Diet community, there are many different people who choose to track their food in many different ways. Some people track every single macro on apps like MyFitnessPal, while others use apps like Carb Manager just to track carbs, fat, and protein. Some pay close attention to the macro ratios, while others just make sure they are eating under 20 net carbs a day.
There is no right way to do it, but there are some methods that can make this a complicated process.
Who shouldn’t track all their macros – If you are someone who has failed diets in the past because you hated keeping track of everything, using apps to log all your food, and got overwhelmed by all the numbers, tracking is NOT for you. Similarly, anyone who struggles mentally with tracking every single macro is also not advised to do it.
Who should track their macros – Macro tracking is good for anyone who feels more secure knowing their diet is within the right amount of carbs, proteins, and fat. Especially when you first start keto and want to make sure your meals are fitting your macro goals.
What you can do instead of tracking – While you do need to know the net carbs you eat each day, everything else is optional. Another method is to do a form of “lazy keto”. This is where you just eat all zero or low carb foods, but don’t actually count your carbs or anything else.
You Don’t Need Fancy Ketogenic Diet Products
Last, but not least, please don’t feel like you need to buy any fancy keto products. While they can be helpful and convenient, they are absolutely NOT necessary. This includes branded products you buy in the store, like packaged snacks, to buying ketones.
Of course, if you like to enjoy these foods instead of making all your own meals and snacks, by all means enjoy them! But far too many people feel like they are necessary, and that just is not the case.
Questions and Answers on Ketogenic Diet Simplified
Q1: What exactly is the ketogenic diet? A1: The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to shift your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, which can lead to significant weight loss and improvements in various health markers.
Q2: How can I start the ketogenic diet without feeling overwhelmed? A2: Start simple. Focus on reducing your carbohydrate intake to about 20-50 net carbs per day and base your meals around high-fat, moderate-protein foods. Make a list of keto-friendly foods you already enjoy and gradually replace high-carb foods with these alternatives.
Q3: What are some easy keto-approved foods to include in my diet? A3: Great keto-friendly options include meats like bacon, steak, and poultry, fatty fish such as salmon, eggs, low-carb vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli, and healthy fats like avocado oil, coconut oil, and butter. You can also enjoy nuts and seeds in moderation.
Q4: How do I handle social situations and dining out on a keto diet? A4: Plan ahead by checking the menu online and choosing keto-friendly options. At parties, consider bringing your own dish or eating beforehand to avoid temptation. When dining out, opt for dishes that focus on meats and vegetables, and customize your order to exclude high-carb sides like bread or pasta.
Q5: What should I do if I’m experiencing symptoms of the “keto flu”? A5: The keto flu is a common early side effect as your body adjusts to a lower carb intake. To mitigate symptoms like headaches and fatigue, ensure you are staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and consuming adequate electrolytes, which can be found in foods like pickles, bone broth, and added salt.
Q6: Can I still enjoy desserts and snacks on a keto diet? A6: Yes, but you’ll need to choose or make desserts that are low in carbs. Look for recipes using ingredients like almond flour, erythritol, and unsweetened cocoa. Snacks might include cheese, olives, and low-carb keto bars.
Q7: Is the ketogenic diet safe for everyone? A7: While the ketogenic diet is safe for many people, it’s not suitable for everyone. Individuals with certain health conditions, such as pancreatitis, liver failure, disorders of fat metabolism, primary carnitine deficiency, or certain mitochondrial disorders, should avoid this diet. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new diet, especially one as restrictive as the ketogenic diet.
Q8: How can I ensure I stick to the keto diet long-term? A8: Sustainability comes from making the diet a comfortable part of your lifestyle. Keep your meal planning and preparation simple, find keto-friendly options in your favorite eating spots, and connect with a community or support group that shares your dietary goals. Avoid turning the diet into something overly complex or restrictive beyond the basic principles of ketosis.
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