Ketogenic diets are a popular option for people who want to lose weight and those with chronic diseases like diabetes. Starting a new lifestyle can seem daunting, but having the right tools available will help you make the transition.

Make A Shopping List

All the information circulating online can be overwhelming when you start keto. The best way to approach a ketogenic diet is to create a shopping list of foods that are allowed on the diet. This will help you avoid hidden sources of carbohydrates, such as sugar-free foods that technically have carbohydrates. In addition to foods for your meals, make sure you are including items that can be used for snacks or desserts, both sweet and savory. Although one of the goals of keto is to reduce cravings, you will still have moments where you feel compelled to have something sweet or salty. Having these items readily available will prevent you from throwing yourself out of ketosis and slowing down your progress.

Don't Worry About Calories And Portions

In the earlier stages of a ketogenic diet, it is not necessary to worry about calories and portions. Regardless of the type of diet, it can be overwhelming to obsessively measure food and nit-pick calories. Just focus on eliminating the carbs and see how your body reacts to the change. As you become acclimated to eating a keto diet, you can focus more on the specifics to help you reach your goals. For example, you will likely want to have an idea of the amount of calories you need to consume each day to create a deficit. Under normal circumstances, lowering your calories can be difficult to sustain to achieve weight loss. With keto, it is much easier to reduce your calories because you are relying on fat and protein, which makes you feel full quicker and stay full longer with fewer calories. You may want to change your macronutrients as you become adjusted to the lifestyle to ensure you are not eating too much protein and not enough fat each day.

Integrate Supplements

Supplementing a ketogenic diet can be important when you are adjusting to the switch from burning carbohydrates for fuel to burning ketones. Some people choose to incorporate exogenous ketones when they are making the transition. As long as you are eating a low carbohydrate diet, the addition of ketones will help you switch to fat burning mode faster and can help you avoid the "keto flu." The keto flu is the experience of less energy and other flu-like symptoms when your body is becoming adjusted to switching energy sources. Other supplements you may want to integrate are potassium, sodium, and magnesium, which can also offset flu-like symptoms. Swapping out table salt for salt substitute can help you incorporate more sodium and potassium each day, in addition to using supplements. Once you are accustomed to a ketogenic lifestyle, the amount of nutrients in a typical multivitamin may be sufficient.

Living a ketogenic lifestyle can be ideal for people who are self-described "carb addicts" or those who have developed diabetes. Reducing carbohydrates can minimize cravings and prevent blood glucose spikes that intensify hunger and make it impossible to lose weight. Contact a counselor near you to talk about exogenous ketones for fat burn.