Check out these 7 tips to start keto today! These tips alone will put you on the right track to a successful start.
Starting anything new can feel daunting. Starting the keto diet? I remember feeling super overwhelmed. I just wasn’t sure where to start. There was just so much information out there, and it was all just beginning to sound like noise to me.
Honestly, it was a lot in the beginning. I remember not eating enough, getting fatigued from not eating enough, getting the keto flu, getting constipated, rummaging my kitchen for literally anything keto to eat, and getting crazy cravings due to my sugar addiction.
I know, all this sounds super crappy. And all that should deter any normal person from starting a ketogenic diet right? SO WRONG!
I dove head first. I was dumb. You don’t have to be.
Plus, I have a secret for you: following the keto diet is actually really simple.
So, here is everything I wish I had known/done before starting keto.
P.S. If you are new to the keto diet, you should probably sign up for my free keto guide! What you get: steps to get started, a checklist, full meal plan with grocery list, a grocery cheat sheet to help you while grocery shopping, and more!
*This information is for entertainment purposes only. Please see our disclaimer disclosure for more information. I am not a doctor. Always talk to your doctor regarding any changes to diet and/or lifestyle. Please talk to your healthcare professional if you have not already!
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1. How to (easily) figure out your macros when starting keto.
Macros are basically the main nutrients that we need for energy building. Macros are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Figuring out your macros is absolutely ESSENTIAL before starting keto. Eating the correct amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrates is what puts our body into ketosis. This is probably the most important thing.
On keto, you want to be eating high fat, moderate protein, and low carb. I eat about 20 g of carbs, 110 g of fat, and 80 g of protein, per day (roughly).
Luckily, counting our macros doesn’t have to be super complicated. The easiest way is to use an app like, Carb Manager. You put in your weight, how much weight you want to lose, and other lifestyle questions. Then it tells you exactly how many carbs, fat, & protein you should be eating. It’s also great for tracking your macros, which is SO essential when first starting out.
Which brings me to my next point…
2. Be sure to track your macros, at least in the beginning.
Carbs are in EVERYTHING. Okay, well not everything, but pretty forkin’ close to everything. My daily carb limit is 20 grams. That can fill up real fast.
Not only that, but people are also typically used to a standard low-fat diet. You may be surprised by the amount of fat you will need to eat. Tracking makes sure you are hitting the appropriate macro levels, and make sure you’re eating enough.
Also, excess protein can kick you out of ketosis. This is because when you consume too much protein, the excess is stored as glycogen (the same thing that carbs turn into).
The Bottom-Line: It is important to track your macros when doing keto! At least until you feel confident enough to be able to eyeball it on your own.
3. Give your kitchen a makeover.
No, I don’t mean remodeling those worn down kitchen cabinets. We are going to “Marie Condo” our kitchens, keto style.
If you have watched Marie Condo’s Netflix series, you might remember the part where Marie had the people on the show grab every single article of clothing they owned, and then pile ALL of it on the bed. They then went through everything, and decided what to keep. You are going to this, only with food.
Pull EVERYTHING out of the pantry, cupboards, etc., and stick it on the kitchen counter. (Save fridge and freezer for last, so food doesn’t spoil.)
Put keto foods in one pile, and non-keto foods in another pile. This might take you some time, that is okay. This is also a learning opportunity. Google is your friend.
This next step can be different, depending upon your situation:
- If everyone in your house is going to be doing keto, get all the foods you can’t eat out of the house. You could put it in the garage, donate the food, or give it to a loved one, just get it out of your immediate reach. Put the food you have left that is keto, away.
- If everyone is NOT doing keto, then you will need to designate places in your kitchen that will be designated keto areas. Think a spot or two in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. That way, when you are looking for food, you will be looking in one spot. Only at all the foods you can eat, and nothing you can’t.
If this is your first time doing keto, or anything low carb, you will probably find that your kitchen looks pretty bare. Now is the fun & final step of your kitchen remodel- you get to go shopping!
This is probably one of my most important tips to start keto, especially if we are talking long term success. Eliminating distractions is so important!
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4. Avoid the keto flu and get yourself some ELECTROLYTES!!!!!
The keto flu, you have probably heard it before. Simply put, this is when your body is adjusting to the keto diet. Not everyone experiences it. But some can experience worse symptoms than others. It could be due to carbohydrate and sugar addiction/withdrawal. It could also be due to electrolyte depletion.
You can experience nausea, stomach pains, dizziness, changes in bowel movements, and headaches.
I can say from first-hand account, that having a nice cold cup of electrolyte water has usually cured my symptoms right up. Most keto-ers swear by this too. Just trust me, get yourself some sugar-free electrolytes!
Check out: 6 AWESOME DRINKS YOU CAN STILL HAVE WHILE INTERMITTENT FASTING (These are all keto-friendly drinks too!)
5. The majority of the food you eat should come from whole foods
Not like the grocery store, but like whole foods that aren’t processed. Once you have discovered how many keto snacks there are, it can be SO easy to get all your carbs from these tasty treats. Don’t make this mistake!
You can TOTALLY be keto and still be unhealthy by eating processed & fast foods. This isn’t a magic diet where you can feed your body unhealthy foods and still reap the health benefits.
To me, vegetables are equally important when in ketosis. Not only do they keep me from getting constipated…
Veggies provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fibers! Its a no-brainer. Eat your vegetables, kids!
6. If You Know You’re Going to Crave, Find Something Keto-Friendly to Crush The Cravings
If you know you’re going to crave something, try to find a replacement. You can almost always find an alternative to satisfy any craving. There is seriously so much out there!
If you are new to keto, a great start is a low-cost subscription box. The Keto Box is a monthly subscription box filled with top brand name keto goodies. TBH, keto treats can get expensive, and this is a great way to try them without fully committing.
At first, you might really miss the old things, but having these alternatives will totally help curb the cravings. Over time, the cravings will fade away and you’ll be glad you never looked back.
You might also like: THE ULTIMATE LIST OF STORE-BOUGHT KETO CANDIES
7. Meal Planning and Prepping
Unless you are super rich and have your own personal chef, you are definitely going to be breaking out the pots and pans. ALOT.
There is really no way around it.
Meal planning and prepping is so important when it comes to sticking with a healthy lifestyle. When you have meals easily prepared at your fingertips, it just makes life SO much easier.
Meal planning and prepping can be a lot of work, luckily its my mission to make that easier for you! Subscribe to my email list to get an entire week of keto meals with meal prepping instructions!
This post will help you learn the best way to meal plan for you: 7 MUST-KNOW TIPS TO MAKE MEAL PLANNING EASY
In Conclusion…
If you follow these tips you will have a much easier time starting keto. In conclusion, it is actually much simpler to start a keto diet that one would think!
- Start out by calculating & tracking your macros.
- Reorganizing your kitchen will help you to avoid cravings and also aid in your learning of what you can and cannot eat.
- Drinking electrolytes and maintaining a well balanced diet rich in vegetables; this will help you to avoid keto flu symptoms.
- Meal prepping and planning will ensure that you stay prepared and ahead of the game. So that you have no excuses for giving up!
You got this!
Check out these easy keto-friendly dinner recipes to help get you started:
