Big Brother Naija housemate, Brighto, on Wednesday said Neo was ‘fake and pretentious.’

Brighto during the fitness session on Wednesday told Kiddwaya that Neo was only playing the pity card and also brags a lot.

According to him, he tries to paint a picture of pity.

He said, “Neo is pretending, I like him, he is my guy, but he is pretending. He came in with a script.

“He came in to paint himself as something different meanwhile on the other side, there is another story and the viewers are seeing everything.

Most times, he talks in code, like whenever he talks to Nengi. He is trying to paint a picture that people outside should be considerate, they should take a look at where he is coming from.”

He, however, advised the current Head of House, Kiddwaya to be himself.

“Neo talks too much and brags a lot.”

Ketosis is a normal metabolic process that provides several health benefits.

During ketosis, your body converts fat into compounds known as ketones and begins using them as its main source of energy.

Studies have found that diets that promote ketosis are highly beneficial for weight loss, due in part to their appetite-suppressing effects (1, 2).

Emerging research suggests that ketosis may also be helpful for type 2 diabetes and neurological disorders, among other conditions (3, 4).

That being said, achieving a state of ketosis can take some work and planning. It's not just as simple as cutting carbs.

Here are 7 effective tips to get into ketosis.


Ketosis is a normal metabolic process that provides several health benefits.

During ketosis, your body converts fat into compounds known as ketones and begins using them as its main source of energy.

Studies have found that diets that promote ketosis are highly beneficial for weight loss, due in part to their appetite-suppressing effects (1, 2).

Emerging research suggests that ketosis may also be helpful for type 2 diabetes and neurological disorders, among other conditions (3, 4).

That being said, achieving a state of ketosis can take some work and planning. It's not just as simple as cutting carbs.

Here are 7 effective tips to get into ketosis.

1. Minimize Your Carb Consumption

Eating a very low-carb diet is by far the most important factor in achieving ketosis.

Normally, your cells use glucose, or sugar, as their main source of fuel. However, most of your cells can also use other fuel sources. This includes fatty acids, as well as ketones, which are also known as ketone bodies.

Your body stores glucose in your liver and muscles in the form of glycogen.

When carb intake is very low, glycogen stores are reduced and levels of the hormone insulin decline. This allows fatty acids to be released from fat stores in your body.

Your liver converts some of these fatty acids into the ketone bodies acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate. These ketones can be used as fuel by portions of the brain (5, 6).

The level of carb restriction needed to induce ketosis is somewhat individualized. Some people need to limit net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to 20 grams per day, while others can achieve ketosis while eating twice this amount or more.

For this reason, the Atkins diet specifies that carbs be restricted to 20 or fewer grams per day for two weeks to guarantee that ketosis is achieved.

After this point, small amounts of carbs can be added back to your diet very gradually, as long as ketosis is maintained.

In a one-week study, overweight people with type 2 diabetes who limited carb intake to 21 or fewer grams per day experienced daily urinary ketone excretion levels that were 27 times higher than their baseline levels (7).

In another study, adults with type 2 diabetes were allowed 20–50 grams of digestible carbs per day, depending on the number of grams that allowed them to maintain blood ketone levels within a target range of 0.5–3.0 mmol/L (8).

These carb and ketone ranges are advised for people who want to get into ketosis to promote weight loss, control blood sugar levels or reduce heart disease risk factors.

In contrast, therapeutic ketogenic diets used for epilepsy or as experimental cancer therapy often restrict carbs to fewer than 5% of calories or fewer than 15 grams per day to further drive up ketone levels (9, 10).

However, anyone using the diet for therapeutic purposes should only do so under the supervision of a medical professional.

BOTTOM LINE:Limiting your carb intake to 20–50 net grams per day lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to the release of stored fatty acids that your liver converts into ketones.

2. Include Coconut Oil in Your Diet

Eating coconut oil can help you get into ketosis.

It contains fats called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).

Unlike most fats, MCTs are rapidly absorbed and taken directly to the liver, where they can be used immediately for energy or converted into ketones.

In fact, it's been suggested that consuming coconut oil may be one of the best ways to increase ketone levels in people with Alzheimer's disease and other nervous system disorders (11).

Although coconut oil contains four types of MCTs, 50% of its fat comes from the kind known as lauric acid.

Some research suggests that fat sources with a higher percentage of lauric acid may produce a more sustained level of ketosis. This is because it's metabolized more gradually than other MCTs (12, 13).


MCTs have been used to induce ketosis in epileptic children without restricting carbs as drastically as the classic ketogenic diet.

In fact, several studies have found that a high-MCT diet containing 20% of calories from carbs produces effects similar to the classic ketogenic diet, which provides fewer than 5% of calories from carbs (14, 15, 16).

When adding coconut oil to your diet, it's a good idea to do so slowly to minimize digestive side effects like stomach cramping or diarrhea.

Start with one teaspoon per day and work up to two to three tablespoons daily over the course of a week.

BOTTOM LINE:Consuming coconut oil provides your body with MCTs, which are quickly absorbed and converted into ketone bodies by your liver.

3. Ramp up Your Physical Activity

A growing number of studies have found that being in ketosis may be beneficial for some types of athletic performance, including endurance exercise (17, 18, 19, 20).

In addition, being more active can help you get into ketosis.

When you exercise, you deplete your body of its glycogen stores. Normally, these are replenished when you eat carbs, which are broken down into glucose and then converted to glycogen.

However, if carb intake is minimized, glycogen stores remain low. In response, your liver increases its production of ketones, which can be used as an alternate fuel source for your muscles.

One study found that at low blood ketone concentrations, exercise increases the rate at which ketones are produced. However, when blood ketones are already elevated, they do not rise with exercise and may actually decrease for a short period (21).

In addition, working out in a fasted state has been shown to drive up ketone levels (22, 23).

In a small study, nine older women exercised either before or after a meal. Their blood ketone levels were 137–314% higher when they exercised before a meal than when they exercised after a meal (23).

Keep in mind that although exercise increases ketone production, it may take one to four weeks for your body to adapt to using ketones and fatty acids as primary fuels. During this time, physical performance may be reduced temporarily (20).

BOTTOM LINEEngaging in physical activity can increase ketone levels during carb restriction. This effect may be enhanced by working out in a fasted state.

4. Increase Your Healthy Fat Intake

Consuming plenty of healthy fat can boost your ketone levels and help you reach ketosis.

Indeed, a very low-carb ketogenic diet not only minimizes carbs, but is also high in fat.

Ketogenic diets for weight loss, metabolic health and exercise performance usually provide between 60–80% of calories from fat.

The classic ketogenic diet used for epilepsy is even higher in fat, with typically 85–90% of calories from fat (24).

However, extremely high fat intake doesn't necessarily translate into higher ketone levels.

A three-week study of 11 healthy people compared the effects of fasting with different amounts of fat intake on breath ketone levels.

Overall, ketone levels were found to be similar in people consuming 79% or 90% of calories from fat (25).

Furthermore, because fat makes up such a large percentage of a ketogenic diet, it's important to choose high-quality sources.

Good fats include olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, butter, lard and tallow. In addition, there are many healthy, high-fat foods that are also very low in carbs.

However, if your goal is weight loss, it's important to make sure you're not consuming too many calories in total, as this can cause your weight loss to stall.

BOTTOM LINE:Consuming at least 60% of calories from fat will help boost your ketone levels. Choose a variety of healthy fats from both plant and animal sources.

5. Try a Short Fast or a Fat Fast

Another way to get into ketosis is to go without eating for several hours.

In fact, many people go into mild ketosis between dinner and breakfast.

Children with epilepsy are sometimes fasted for 24–48 hours before they start a ketogenic diet. This is done to get into ketosis quickly so that seizures can be reduced sooner (26, 27).

Intermittent fasting, a dietary approach that involves regular short-term fasts, may also induce ketosis (28, 29).

Moreover, "fat fasting" is another ketone-boosting approach that mimics the effects of fasting.

It involves consuming about 1,000 caloriesper day, 85–90% of which come from fat. This combination of low calorie and very high fat intake may help you achieve ketosis quickly.


A 1965 study reported significant fat loss in overweight patients who followed a fat fast. However, other researchers have pointed out that these results appear to have been highly exaggerated (30).

Because a fat fast is so low in protein and calories, it should be followed for a maximum of three to five days to prevent an excessive loss of muscle mass. It may also be difficult to adhere to for more than a couple of days.

Here are some tips and ideas for doing a fat fast to get into ketosis.

BOTTOM LINE:Fasting, intermittent fasting and a "fat fast" can all help you get into ketosis relatively quickly.

6. Maintain Adequate Protein Intake

Achieving ketosis requires a protein intakethat is adequate but not excessive.

The classic ketogenic diet used in epilepsy patients is restricted in both carbs and protein to maximize ketone levels.

The same diet may also be beneficial for cancer patients, as it may limit tumor growth (31, 32).

However, for most people, cutting back on protein to increase ketone production isn't a healthy practice.

First, it's important to consume enough protein to supply the liver with amino acids that can be used for gluconeogenesis, which translates to "making new glucose."

In this process, your liver provides glucose for the few cells and organs in your body that can't use ketones as fuel, such as your red blood cells and portions of the kidneys and brain.

Second, protein intake should be high enough to maintain muscle mass when carb intake is low, especially during weight loss.

Although losing weight typically results in the loss of both muscle and fat, consuming sufficient amounts of protein on a very low-carb ketogenic diet can help preserve muscle mass (5, 30).

Several studies have shown that the preservation of muscle mass and physical performance is maximized when protein intake is in the range of 0.55–0.77 grams per pound (1.2–1.7 grams per kilogram) of lean mass (20).

In weight loss studies, very low-carb diets with protein intake within this range have been found to induce and maintain ketosis (7, 8, 33, 34).

In one study of 17 obese men, following a ketogenic diet providing 30% of calories from protein for four weeks led to blood ketone levels of 1.52 mmol/L, on average. This is well within the 0.5–3.0 mmol/L range of nutritional ketosis (34).

To calculate your protein needs on a ketogenic diet, multiply your ideal body weight in pounds by 0.55 to 0.77 (1.2 to 1.7 in kilograms). For example, if your ideal body weight is 130 pounds (59 kg), your protein intake should be 71–100 grams.

BOTTOM LINEConsuming too little protein can lead to muscle mass loss, whereas excessive protein intake may suppress ketone production.

7. Test Ketone Levels and Adjust Your Diet as Needed

Like many things in nutrition, achieving and maintaining a state of ketosis is highly individualized.

Therefore, it can be helpful to test your ketone levels to ensure you're achieving your goals.

The three types of ketones — acetone, beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate — can be measured in your breath, blood or urine.

Acetone is found in your breath, and studies have confirmed testing acetone breath levels is a reliable way to monitor ketosis in people following ketogenic diets (35, 36).

The Ketonix meter measures acetone in breath. After breathing into the meter, a color flashes to indicate whether you are in ketosis and how high your levels are.

Ketones can also be measured with a blood ketone meter. Similar to the way a glucose meter works, a small drop of blood is placed on a strip that's inserted into the meter.

It measures the amount of beta-hydroxybutyrate in your blood, and it has also been found to be a valid indicator of ketosis levels (37).

The disadvantage of measuring blood ketones is that the strips are very expensive.

Lastly, the ketone measured in urine is acetoacetate. Ketone urine strips are dipped into urine and turn various shades of pink or purple depending on the level of ketones present. A darker color reflects higher ketone levels.

Ketone urine strips are easy to use and fairly inexpensive. Although their accuracy in long-term use has been questioned, they should initially provide confirmation that you are in ketosis.

A recent study found that urinary ketones tend to be highest in the early morning and after dinner on a ketogenic diet (38).

Using one or more of these methods to test ketones can help you determine whether you need to make any 'adjustments to get into ketosis.

The ketogenic diet has become quite popular recently.


Studies have found that this very low-carb, high-fat diet is effective for weight loss, diabetes and epilepsy (1, 2, 3).



There's also early evidence to show that it may be beneficial for certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease and other diseases, too.


A ketogenic diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day. While this may seem challenging, many nutritious foods can easily fit into this way of eating.


Here are 16 healthy foods to eat on a ketogenic diet.


1. Seafood


Fish and shellfish are very keto-friendly foods. Salmon and other fish are rich in B vitamins, potassium and selenium, yet virtually carb-free (4).


However, the carbs in different types of shellfish vary. For instance, while shrimp and most crabs contain no carbs, other types of shellfish do (5).


While these shellfish can still be included on a ketogenic diet, it's important to account for these carbs when you're trying to stay within a narrow range.


Here are the carb counts for 3.5-ounce (100-gram) servings of some popular types of shellfish (6, 7, 8, 9, 10):


Clams: 5 grams


Mussels: 7 grams


Octopus: 4 grams


Oysters: 4 grams


Squid: 3 grams


Salmon, sardines, mackerel and other fatty fish are very high in omega-3 fats, which have been found to lower insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese people (11).


In addition, frequent fish intake has been linked to a decreased risk of disease and improved mental health (12, 13).


Aim to consume at least two servings of seafood weekly.


SUMMARY:Many types of seafood are carb-free or very low in carbs. Fish and shellfish are also good sources of vitamins, minerals and omega-3s.


2. Low-Carb Vegetables


Non-starchy vegetables are low in calories and carbs, but high in many nutrients, including vitamin C and several minerals.


Vegetables and other plants contain fiber, which your body doesn't digest and absorb like other carbs.


Therefore, look at their digestible (or net) carb count, which is total carbs minus fiber.


Most vegetables contain very few net carbs. However, consuming one serving of "starchy" vegetables like potatoes, yams or beets could put you over your entire carb limit for the day.


The net carb count for non-starchy vegetables ranges from less than 1 gram for 1 cup of raw spinach to 8 grams for 1 cup of cooked Brussels sprouts (14, 15).


Vegetables also contain antioxidants that help protect against free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage (16, 17).


What's more, cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli and cauliflower have been linked to decreased cancer and heart disease risk (18, 19).


Low-carb veggies make great substitutes for higher-carb foods. For instance, cauliflower can be used to mimic rice or mashed potatoes, "zoodles" can be created from zucchini and spaghetti squash is a natural substitute for spaghetti.



SUMMARY:The net carbs in non-starchy vegetables range from 1–8 grams per cup. Vegetables are nutritious, versatile and may help reduce the risk of disease.


3. Cheese


Cheese is both nutritious and delicious.


There are hundreds of types of cheese. Fortunately, all of them are very low in carbs and high in fat, which makes them a great fit for a ketogenic diet.


One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar cheese provides 1 gram of carbs, 7 grams of protein and 20% of the RDI for calcium (20).


Cheese is high in saturated fat, but it hasn't been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. In fact, some studies suggest that cheese may help protect against heart disease (21, 22).


Cheese also contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a fat that has been linked to fat loss and improvements in body composition (23).


In addition, eating cheese regularly may help reduce the loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging.


A 12-week study in older adults found that those who consumed 7 ounces (210 grams) of ricotta cheese per day experienced increases in muscle mass and muscle strength over the course of the study (24).


SUMMARY:Cheese is rich in protein, calcium and beneficial fatty acids, yet contains a minimal amount of carbs.


4. Avocados


Avocados are incredibly healthy.


3.5 ounces (100 grams), or about one-half of a medium avocado, contain 9 grams of carbs.


However, 7 of these are fiber, so its net carb count is only 2 grams (25).


Avocados are high in several vitamins and minerals, including potassium, an important mineral many people may not get enough of. What's more, a higher potassium intake may help make the transition to a ketogenic diet easier (26, 27).


In addition, avocados may help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels.


In one study, when people consumed a diet high in avocados, they experienced a 22% decrease in "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and an 11% increase in "good" HDL cholesterol (28).


SUMMARY:Avocados contain 2 grams of net carbs per serving and are high in fiber and several nutrients, including potassium. In addition, they may improve heart health markers.


5. Meat and Poultry


Meat and poultry are considered staple foods on a ketogenic diet.


Fresh meat and poultry contain no carbs and are rich in B vitamins and several minerals, including potassium, selenium and zinc (29).


They're also a great source of high-quality protein, which has been shown to help preserve muscle mass during a very low-carb diet (30, 31).


One study in older women found that consuming a diet high in fatty meat led to HDL cholesterol levels that were 8% higher than on a low-fat, high-carb diet (21).


It's best to choose grass-fed meat, if possible. That's because animals that eat grass produce meat with higher amounts of omega-3 fats, conjugated linoleic acid and antioxidants than meat from grain-fed animals (32).


SUMMARY:Meat and poultry do not contain carbs and are rich in high-quality protein and several nutrients. Grass-fed meat is the healthiest choice.


6. Eggs


Eggs are one of the healthiest and most versatile foods on the planet.


One large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs and fewer than 6 grams of protein, making eggs an ideal food for a ketogenic lifestyle (33).


In addition, eggs have been shown to trigger hormones that increase feelings of fullness and keep blood sugar levels stable, leading to lower calorie intakes for up to 24 hours (34, 35).


It's important to eat the entire egg, as most of an egg's nutrients are found in the yolk. This includes the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect eye health (36).


Although egg yolks are high in cholesterol, consuming them doesn't raise blood cholesterol levels in most people. In fact, eggs appear to modify the shape of LDL in a way that reduces the risk of heart disease (37).


SUMMARY:Eggs contain less than 1 gram of carbs each and can help keep you full for hours. They're also high in several nutrients and may help protect eye and heart health.


7. Coconut Oil


Coconut oil has unique properties that make it well suited for a ketogenic diet.


To begin with, it contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike long-chain fats, MCTs are taken up directly by the liver and converted into ketones or used as a rapid source of energy.


In fact, coconut oil has been used to increase ketone levels in people with Alzheimer's disease and other disorders of the brain and nervous system (38).


The main fatty acid in coconut oil is lauric acid, a slightly longer-chain fat. It has been suggested that coconut oil's mix of MCTs and lauric acid may promote a sustained level of ketosis (39, 40).


What's more, coconut oil may help obese adults lose weight and belly fat. In one study, men who ate 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil per day lost 1 inch (2.5 cm), on average, from their waistlines without making any other dietary changes (41, 42).


For more information about how to add coconut oil to your diet, read this article.


SUMMARY:Coconut oil is rich in MCTs, which can increase ketone production. In addition, it may increase metabolic rate and promote the loss of weight and belly fat.


8. Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese


Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are healthy, high-protein foods.


While they contain some carbs, they can still be included in a ketogenic lifestyle.


5 ounces (150 grams) of plain Greek yogurt provides 5 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein. That amount of cottage cheese provides 5 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein (43, 44).


Both yogurt and cottage cheese have been shown to help decrease appetite and promote feelings of fullness (45, 46).


Either one makes a tasty snack on its own.


However, both can also be combined with chopped nuts, cinnamon and optional sugar-free sweetener for a quick and easy keto treat.


SUMMARY:Both plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese contain 5 grams of carbs per serving. Studies have shown that they help reduce appetite and promote fullness.


9. Olive Oil


Olive oil provides impressive benefits for your heart.


It's high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that has been found to decrease heart disease risk factors in many studies (47, 48).


In addition, extra-virgin olive oil is high in antioxidants known as phenols. These compounds further protect heart health by decreasing inflammation and improving artery function (49, 50).


As a pure fat source, olive oil contains no carbs. It's an ideal base for salad dressings and healthy mayonnaise.


Because it isn't as stable as saturated fats at high temperatures, it's best to use olive oil for low-heat cooking or add it to foods after they have been cooked.



SUMMARY:Extra-virgin olive oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It's ideal for salad dressings, mayonnaise and adding to cooked foods.


10. Nuts and Seeds


Nuts and seeds are healthy, high-fat and low-carb foods.


Frequent nut consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, depression and other chronic diseases (51, 52).


Furthermore, nuts and seeds are high in fiber, which can help you feel full and absorb fewer calories overall (53).


Although all nuts and seeds are low in net carbs, the amount varies quite a bit among the different types.


Here are the carb counts for 1 ounce (28 grams) of some popular nuts and seeds (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64):


Almonds: 3 grams net carbs (6 grams total carbs)


Brazil nuts: 1 gram net carbs (3 grams total carbs)


Cashews: 8 grams net carbs (9 grams total carbs)


Macadamia nuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)


Pecans: 1 gram net carbs (4 grams total carbs)


Pistachios: 5 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)


Walnuts: 2 grams net carbs (4 grams total carbs)


Chia seeds: 1 gram net carbs (12 grams total carbs)


Flaxseeds: 0 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)


Pumpkin seeds: 4 grams net carbs (5 grams total carbs)


Sesame seeds: 3 grams net carbs (7 grams total carbs)


SUMMARY:Nuts and seeds are heart-healthy, high in fiber and may lead to healthier aging. They provide 0–8 grams of net carbs per ounce.


11. Berries


Most fruits are too high in carbs to include on a ketogenic diet, but berries are an exception.


Berries are low in carbs and high in fiber.


In fact, raspberries and blackberries contain as much fiber as digestible carbs.


These tiny fruits are loaded with antioxidants that have been credited with reducing inflammation and protecting against disease (65, 66, 67).


Here are the carb counts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of some berries (68, 69, 70, 71):


Blackberries: 5 grams net carbs (10 grams total carbs)


Blueberries: 12 grams net carbs (14 grams total carbs)


Raspberries: 6 grams net carbs (12 grams total carbs)


Strawberries: 6 grams net carbs (8 grams total carbs)


SUMMARY:Berries are rich in nutrients that may reduce the risk of disease. They provide 5–12 grams of net carbs per 3.5-ounce serving.


12. Butter and Cream


Butter and cream are good fats to include on a ketogenic diet. Each contains only trace amounts of carbs per serving.


For many years, butter and cream were believed to cause or contribute to heart disease due to their high saturated fat contents. However, several large studies have shown that, for most people, saturated fat isn't linked to heart disease.


In fact, some studies suggest that a moderate consumption of high-fat dairy may possibly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke (72, 73, 74).


Like other fatty dairy products, butter and cream are rich in conjugated linoleic acid, the fatty acid that may promote fat loss (23).


SUMMARY:Butter and cream are nearly carb-free and appear to have neutral or beneficial effects on heart health, when consumed in moderation.


13. Shirataki Noodles


Shirataki noodles are a fantastic addition to a ketogenic diet.


They contain less than 1 gram of carbs and 5 calories per serving because they are mainly water.


In fact, these noodles are made from a viscous fiber called glucomannan, which can absorb up to 50 times its weight in water (75).


Viscous fiber forms a gel that slows down food's movement through your digestive tract. This can help decrease hunger and blood sugar spikes, making it beneficial for weight loss and diabetes management (76, 77, 78).


Shirataki noodles come in a variety of shapes, including rice, fettuccine and linguine. They can be substituted for regular noodles in all types of recipes.


SUMMARY:Shirataki noodles contain less than 1 gram of carbs per serving. Their viscous fiber helps slow down the movement of food through your digestive tract, which promotes fullness and stable blood sugar levels.


14. Olives


Olives provide the same health benefits as olive oil, only in solid form.


Oleuropein, the main antioxidant found in olives, has anti-inflammatory properties and may protect your cells from damage (79).


In addition, studies suggest that consuming olives may help prevent bone loss and decrease blood pressure (80, 81).


Olives vary in carb content due to their size. However, half of their carbs come from fiber, so their digestible carb content is very low.


A one-ounce (28-gram) serving of olives contains 2 grams of total carbs and 1 gram of fiber. This works out to a net carb count of 1 gram for 7–10 olives, depending on their size (82).


SUMMARY:Olives are rich in antioxidants that may help protect heart and bone health. They contain 1 gram of net carbs per ounce.


15. Unsweetened Coffee and Tea


Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy, carb-free drinks.


They contain caffeine, which increases your metabolism and may improve your physical performance, alertness and mood (83, 84, 85).


What's more, coffee and tea drinkers have been shown to have a significantly reduced risk of diabetes. In fact, those with the highest coffee and tea intakes have the lowest risk of developing diabetes (86, 87).


Adding heavy cream to coffee or tea is fine, but stay away from "light" coffee and tea lattes. These are typically made with non-fat milk and contain high-carb flavorings.


SUMMARY:Unsweetened coffee and tea contain no carbs and can help boost your metabolic rate, as well as physical and mental performance. They can also reduce your risk of diabetes.


16. Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder


Dark chocolate and cocoa are delicious sources of antioxidants.


In fact, cocoa has been called a "super fruit," because it provides at least as much antioxidant activity as any other fruit, including blueberries and acai berries (88).


Dark chocolate contains flavanols, which may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and keeping arteries healthy (89, 90, 91).


Somewhat surprisingly, chocolate can be part of a ketogenic diet. However, it's important to choose dark chocolate that contains a minimum of 70% cocoa solids, preferably more.


One ounce (28 grams) of unsweetened chocolate (100% cocoa) has 3 grams of net carbs. The same amount of 70–85% dark chocolate contains up to 10 grams of net carbs (92, 93).


SUMMARY:Dark chocolate contains 3–10 grams of net carbs per ounce, is high in antioxidants and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.


The Bottom Line


A ketogenic diet can be used to achieve weight loss, blood sugar control and other health-related goals.


Fortunately, it can include a wide variety of nutritious, tasty and versatile foods that allow you to remain within your daily carb range.


To reap all the health benefits of a ketogenic diet, consume these 16 foods on a regular basis.


An evidence-based nutrition article from our experts at Authority Nutrition.

The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits.


Over 20 studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve health (1).

Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (2, 3, 4, 5).

Here is a detailed beginner's guide to the keto diet.

AUTHORITY NUTRITION

Evidence Based

The Ketogenic Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide to Keto



Written by Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSNon June 17, 2017

The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits.

Over 20 studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve health (1).

Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease (2, 3, 4, 5).

Here is a detailed beginner's guide to the keto diet.

What Is a Ketogenic Diet?



The ketogenic diet, also called the keto diet, is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkinsand low-carb diets.

It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fat. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain (6, 7).

Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulinlevels. This, along with the increased ketones, has numerous health benefits (6, 8, 9, 10, 11).

BOTTOM LINE:The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones.

Different Types of Ketogenic Diets

There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, including:

Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbs (1).

Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.

Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.

High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs.

However, only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods, and primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.


The information in this article mostly applies to the standard ketogenic diet (SKD), although many of the same principles also apply to the other versions.

BOTTOM LINE:There are several versions of the keto diet. The standard (SKD) version is the most researched and most recommended.

Ketogenic Diets Can Help You Lose Weight

A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).

In fact, research shows that the ketogenic diet is far superior to the recommended low-fat diet (2, 14, 15, 16).

What's more, the diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting caloriesor tracking your food (16).

One study found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 2.2 times more weight than those on a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels also improved (17).

Another study found that participants on the ketogenic diet lost 3 times more weight than those on the Diabetes UK's recommended diet (18).

There are several reasons why a ketogenic diet is superior to a low-fat diet. One is the increased protein intake, which provides numerous benefits (14, 19, 20).

The increased ketones, lowered blood sugar levels and improved insulin sensitivity may also play a key role (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).

For more details on the weight loss effects of a ketogenic diet, read this article: A Ketogenic Diet to Lose Weight and Fight Disease.

BOTTOM LINE:A ketogenic diet can help you lose much more weight than a low-fat diet. This often happens without hunger.

Ketogenic Diets for Diabetes and Prediabetes

Diabetes is characterized by changes in metabolism, high blood sugar and impaired insulin function (27).

The ketogenic diet can help you lose excess fat, which is closely linked to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome (28, 29, 30).

One study found that the ketogenic diet improved insulin sensitivity by a whopping 75% (29).

Another study in patients with type 2 diabetes found that 7 of the 21 participants were able to stop all diabetes medications (28).

In yet another study, the ketogenic group lost 24.4 lbs (11.1 kg), compared to 15.2 lbs (6.9 kg) in the higher-carb group. This is an important benefit when considering the link between weight and type 2 diabetes (2, 31).

Additionally, 95.2% of the ketogenic group was also able to stop or reduce diabetes medication, compared to 62% in the higher-carb group (2).

This article has more details about low-carb diets and diabetes.

BOTTOM LINE:The ketogenic diet can boost insulin sensitivity and cause fat loss, leading to drastic improvement for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

Other Health Benefits of Keto

The ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases, such as epilepsy.

Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions:

Heart disease: The ketogenic diet can improve risk factors like body fat, HDL levels, blood pressure and blood sugar (32, 33).

Cancer: The diet is currently being used to treat several types of cancer and slow tumor growth (4, 34, 35, 36).

Alzheimer's disease: The diet may reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's and slow down the disease's progression (5, 37, 38).

Epilepsy: Research has shown that the ketogenic diet can cause massive reductions in seizures in epileptic children (3).

Parkinson's disease: One study found that the diet helped improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease (39).

Polycystic ovary syndrome: The ketogenic diet can help reduce insulin levels, which may play a key role in polycystic ovary syndrome (40).

Brain injuries: One animal study found that the diet can reduce concussions and aid recovery after brain injury (41).

Acne: Lower insulin levels and eating less sugar or processed foods may help improve acne (42).

However, keep in mind that research into many of these areas is far from conclusive.

BOTTOM LINE:A ketogenic diet may provide many health benefits, especially with metabolic, neurological or insulin-related diseases.

Foods to Avoid

In short, any food that is high in carbs should be limited.

Here is a list of foods that need to be reduced or eliminated on a ketogenic diet:

Sugary foods: Soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.

Grains or starches: Wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.

Fruit: All fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries.

Beans or legumes: Peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.

Root vegetables and tubers:Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.

Low-fat or diet products: These are highly processed and often high in carbs.

Some condiments or sauces: These often contain sugar and unhealthy fat.

Unhealthy fat: Limit your intake of processed vegetable oils, mayonnaise, etc.

Alcohol: Due to its carb content, many alcoholic beverages can throw you out of ketosis.

Sugar-free diet foods: These are often high in sugar alcohols, which can affect ketone levels in some cases. These foods also tend to be highly processed.

BOTTOM LINE:Avoid carb-based foods like grains, sugars, legumes, rice, potatoes, candy, juice and even most fruits.

Foods to Eat

You should base the majority of your meals around these foods:

Meat: Red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken and turkey.

Fatty fish: Such as salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel.

Eggs: Look for pastured or omega-3whole eggs.

Butter and cream: Look for grass-fed when possible.

Cheese: Unprocessed cheese (cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella).

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.

Healthy oils: Primarily extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil.

Avocados: Whole avocados or freshly made guacamole.

Low-carb veggies: Most green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.

Condiments: You can use salt, pepper and various healthy herbs and spices.

It is best to base your diet mostly on whole, single ingredient foods. Here is a list of 44 healthy low-carb foods.

BOTTOM LINE:Base the majority of your diet on foods such as meat, fish, eggs, butter, nuts, healthy oils, avocados and plenty of low-carb veggies.

A Sample Keto Meal Plan For 1 Week

To help get you started, here is a sample ketogenic diet meal plan for one week:

Monday

Breakfast: Bacon, eggs and tomatoes.

Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and feta cheese.

Dinner: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter.

Tuesday

Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil and goat cheese omelet.

Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia milkshake.

Dinner: Meatballs, cheddar cheese and vegetables.

Wednesday

Breakfast: A ketogenic milkshake (try this or this).

Lunch: Shrimp salad with olive oil and avocado.

Dinner: Pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli and salad.

Thursday

Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion and spices.

Lunch: A handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa.

Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, along with vegetables.

Friday

Breakfast: Sugar-free yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder and stevia.

Lunch: Beef stir-fry cooked in coconut oil with vegetables.

Dinner: Bun-less burger with bacon, egg and cheese.

Saturday

Breakfast: Ham and cheese omelet with vegetables.

Lunch: Ham and cheese slices with nuts.

Dinner: White fish, egg and spinach cooked in coconut oil.

Sunday

Breakfast: Fried eggs with bacon and mushrooms.

Lunch: Burger with salsa, cheese and guacamole.

Dinner: Steak and eggs with a side salad.

Always try to rotate the vegetables and meat over the long term, as each type provides different nutrients and health benefits.

For tons of recipes, check out this link: 101 Healthy Low-Carb Recipes.

BOTTOM LINE:You can eat a wide variety of tasty and nutritious meals on a ketogenic diet.

Healthy Keto Snacks

In case you get hungry between meals, here are some healthy, keto-approved snacks:

Fatty meat or fish.

Cheese.

A handful of nuts or seeds.

Cheese with olives.

1–2 hard-boiled eggs.

90% dark chocolate.

A low-carb milk shake with almond milk, cocoa powder and nut butter.

Full-fat yogurt mixed with nut butter and cocoa powder.

Strawberries and cream.

Celery with salsa and guacamole.

Smaller portions of leftover meals.


BOTTOM LINE:Great snacks for a keto diet include pieces of meat, cheese, olives, boiled eggs, nuts and dark chocolate.

Tips for Eating Out on a Ketogenic Diet

It is not very hard to make most restaurant meals keto-friendly when eating out.

Most restaurants offer some kind of meat or fish-based dish. Order this, and replace any high-carb food with extra vegetables.

Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelet or eggs and bacon.

Another favorite is bun-less burgers. You could also leave the bun and swap the fries for vegetables instead. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon or eggs.

At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

For dessert, ask for a mixed cheese board or double cream with berries.

BOTTOM LINE:When eating out, select a meat, fish or egg-based dish. Order extra veggies instead of carbs or starches, and have cheese for dessert.

Side Effects and How to Minimize Them

Although the ketogenic diet is safe for healthy people, there may be some initial side effects while your body adapts.

This is often referred to as keto flu - and is usually over within a few days.

Keto flu includes poor energy and mental function, increased hunger, sleep issues, nausea, digestive discomfort and decreased exercise performance.

In order to minimize this, you can try a regular low-carb diet for the first few weeks. This may teach your body to burn more fat before you completely eliminate carbs.

A ketogenic diet can also change the water and mineral balance of your body, so adding extra salt to your meals or taking mineral supplements can help.

For minerals, try taking 3,000–4,000 mg of sodium, 1,000 mg of potassium and 300 mg of magnesium per day to minimize side effects.

At least in the beginning, it is important to eat until fullness and to avoid restricting calories too much. Usually a ketogenic diet causes weight loss without intentional calorie restriction.

BOTTOM LINE:Many of the side effects of starting a ketogenic diet can be limited. Easing into the diet and taking mineral supplements can help.

Supplements For a Ketogenic Diet

Although no supplement is necessary, some can be useful.

MCT oil: Added to drinks or yogurt, MCT oil provides energy and helps increase ketone levels.

Minerals: Added salt and other minerals can be important when starting out, due to shifts in water and mineral balance.

Caffeine: Caffeine can have benefits for energy, fat loss and performance.

Exogenous ketones: This supplement can help raise the body's ketone levels.

Creatine: Creatine provides numerous benefits for health and performance. This can help if you are combining a ketogenic diet with exercise.

Whey: Use half a scoop of whey protein in shakes or yogurt to increase your daily protein intake.

BOTTOM LINE:Certain supplements can be beneficial on a ketogenic diet. These include exogenous ketones, MCT oil and minerals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about the ketogenic diet.

1. Can I ever eat carbs again?

Yes. However, it is important to eliminate them initially. After the first 2–3 months, you can eat carbs on special occasions — just return to the diet immediately after.

2. Will I lose muscle?

There is a risk of losing some muscle on any diet. However, the high protein intake and high ketone levels may help minimize muscle loss, especially if you lift weights.

3. Can you build muscle on a ketogenic diet?

Yes, but it may not work as well as on a moderate-carb diet. More details: Low-Carb/Ketogenic Diets and Exercise Performance.

4. Do I need to refeed or carb load?

No. However, a few higher-calorie days may be beneficial every now and then.

5. How much protein can I eat?

Protein should be moderate, as a very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit.

6. What if I am constantly tired, weak or fatigued?

You may not be in full ketosis or be utilizing fats and ketones efficiently. To counter this, lower your carb intake and re-visit the points above. A supplement like MCT oil or ketones may also help.

7. My urine smells fruity? Why is this?

Don't be alarmed. This is simply due to the excretion of byproducts created during ketosis.

8. My breath smells. What can I do?

This is a common side effect. Try drinking naturally flavored water or chewing sugar-free gum.

9. I heard ketosis was extremely dangerous. Is this true?

People often confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. The former is natural, while the latter only occurs in uncontrolled diabetes.

Ketoacidosis is dangerous, but the ketosis on a ketogenic diet is perfectly normal and healthy.

10. I have digestion issues and diarrhea. What can I do?

This common side effect usually passes after 3–4 weeks. If it persists, try eating more high-fiber veggies. Magnesium supplements can also help with constipation.

A Ketogenic Diet is Great, But Not For Everyone

A ketogenic diet can be great for people who are overweight, diabetic or looking to improve their metabolic health.

It may be less suitable for elite athletes or those wishing to add large amounts of muscle or weight.

And, as with any diet, it will only work if you are consistent and stick with it in the long-term.

That being said, few things are as well proven in nutrition as the powerful health and weight loss benefits of a ketogenic diet.

An evidence-based nutrition article from our experts at Authority Nutrition.

Here we go a complete Banting Meal Plan guide for beginner to advanced level. For all week and month plans, short instructions are written keenly.
Tim Noakes Start Banting 2.0 which is very helpful for Banting and Weight Loss Followers. But everybody wants to know about the simple information they don’t have enough time to study E-Books for weight loss they just want to lose their weight as soon as possible.

Here’s a sample 7 day eating plan based on the low-carb Banting/Tim Noakes diet which is very similar to the healthy Paleo diet; Atkins and Banting suggested low-carbohydrate diet plans, the South Beach does away with bad carbohydrates and fats, and the Beverly Hills diet wants weight watchers to go with an all-fruit meal. The Banting Eating Plan is a weight loss program adapted by William Harvey which ultimately relies on high fat and low carbohydrates for optimum weight loss.
So here we go a simple and complete guide for starting a Banting Meal Plan

Banting Meal Plan Week-I
Follow Simple Recipe Schedule for Week-I.
So let’s get started
Day 1 (Monday)
Breakfast – 2 eggs, bacon, and avocado
Lunch – Mixed vegetables
Snack – Can of tuna
Dinner – Steak with broccoli and leafy vegetables
Day 2 (Tuesday)
Breakfast – Eggs and one sweet potato
Lunch – Soup
Snack – almonds and berries
Dinner – Chicken breast with Greek salad


(Wednesday)
Breakfast – Eggs and steak
Lunch – Vegetables and cold cut meats
Snack – Nuts
Dinner – Chicken breasts and vegetables
Day 4 (Thursday)
Breakfast – Coconut milk smoothie
Lunch – Chicken breast with Greek salad
Snack – Nuts
Dinner – Dried tomato pesto bacon wrapped meatloaf rounds
Day 5 (Friday)
Breakfast – Berries with milk or yogurt with nuts
Lunch – Bacon and tomato sandwich wrapped in lettuce
Snack – Eggs
Dinner – Fish with spinach
Day 6 (Saturday)
Breakfast – Tomato with eggs and bacon
Lunch – Steak with salad
Snack – ½ apple
Dinner – Fresh vegetables with pork
Day 7 (Sunday)
Breakfast – Eggs and veggies
Lunch – Fish with vegetables
Snack – Avocado
Dinner – Beef with vegetables
Hopefully, This 7 day Banting Meal Plan schedule work for you to lose weight as soon as possible.
14 Day Banting Meal Plan
If you want a long-term plan for Banting Diet, you should follow our Banting Meal Plan week-II.
Click Here To Read: Week-II Meal Plan
Useful Tips
If you have any problem with weight loss, you should reduce dairy products consumption or exclude completely if possible. Dairy items are used for the individuals who want to follow the Banting diet way’s of eating, but If your goal is weight loss then you should only consume it in moderation.

Low-carb dieting (or banting ) remains a popular lifestyle choice.

At first, things can be a bit overwhelming. We’ve already got some banting basics , banting bites and the banting green and banting rid list, but now that you’re clued up, where do you start?
The Real Meal Revolution is at the forefront of banting in South Africa and we’ve used their meal plan as a base to help you get off to the perfect start. For the original meal plan, visit the RealMealRevolution.com .
Note: We have not broken down the meals into breakfast, lunch and dinner. Remember, if you’re not hungry, you don’t have to force yourself to eat. And, if you’re practicing intermittent fasting, you might need to increase your portion sizes to make sure you consume your recommended daily calories.
As with all lifestyle choices, consult a medical professional before opting in . Do not under eat. If you’re trying to get into ketosis, this meal plan might be a bit high in carbs for you – but everybody’s body is different. Monitor, try, test and see how you feel. But do not do so if you have not consulted a professional.
Resources :
Banting Green List
Banting Red List
Banting Really Red List
Read the whole meal plan before making your shopping list – some of the meals require leftovers to be used. You can also meal prep for the entire week on Sunday.
Monday
Meal 1: 2-3 egg omelette or scrambled eggs with cheese, tomato and sautéed onion. Adjust the amount of cheese according to your daily calorie calculation.
Meal 2: Salad made from a tin of tuna in brine or sunflower oil and avocado, banting friendly mayo (optional), olive oil/apple cider vinegar for dressing. You can add a small amount of toasted pine nuts if you want some extra crunch.
Meal 3: Mince, made with onion, tomato and seasoning. Cauliflower mash and some green veggies.

Tuesday
Meal 1: A cup of yoghurt with ¼ cup of banting friendly granola and 1/4 papaya. Have a couple of boiled eggs of you are still hungry.
Meal 2: Leftover mince from Monday in a lettuce cup. Dress with a dollop of banting friendly mayo if you want. Load up on the green veggies.
Meal 3: 100g-120g grilled chicken, a cup of roasted pumpkin and plenty of leafy greens. Make a gravy by adding butter and cream to the pan in which you roasted the chicken.
Wednesday
Meal 1: Two egg omelette with one rasher of bacon, spinach or swiss chard, cheese and mushrooms. Add a rocket and tomato salad if you wish.
Meal 2: Salad (spinach, chard, broccoli, zucchini). Use up to 70g of left over chicken add some pickles or jalapenos for flavour, add asparagus, boiled eggs and a banting friendly dressing of your choice.
Meal 3: Salmon fillet (up to 120g) with ½ cup of sweet potato and another green-listed veggie of your choice. Plenty of leafy greens. Make a lemon butter sauce for dressing.
Thursday
Meal 1: Banting friendly granola with a cup of yoghurt and half a cup of green-listed fruit. Still hungry? Have some boiled eggs.
Meal 2: Tuna or egg mayo, with avo, radish, watercress and seed crackers.
Meal 3: Grilled pork chops with sautéed fennel and apple. Add some cauli mash and or leafy greens, too.
Friday
Meal 1: Eggs cooked as you like with half an avo, tomato and cheese.
Meal 2: Turn your leftover pork into a salad, using raw leftover fennel and green listed veggies.
Meal 3: White fish with sweet potato wedges and plenty of leafy greens.
Saturday
Meal 1: Eggs of your choosing, banting friendly sausages, sautéed spinach and cheese.
Meal 2: Use some left over fish for making fish cakes, serve with a crunchy salad that includes raw, green listed veggies. Dress with olive oil.
Meal 3: Make a lowcarb pizza base, top with spicy mince, onions and mushrooms. Serve with a leafy green salad and some avocado.
Sunday
Meal 1: Lowcarb pancakes with one small banana and yoghurt. Or scrambled eggs and bacon.
Meal 2: Sweet potato stuffed with spicy mince topped with smashed avo, sour cream and melted cheese.
Meal 3: Grilled chicken breast with mushrooms, peppers, courgette noodles or ribbons, sautéed in butter and lemon.
All days
Drinks: Coffee and tea is fine – as long as you don’t add sugar or too much sweeter. Cream and full fat milk is also acceptable in moderation. Bulletproof coffee is good.
Snack on: Blueberries, macadamia nuts, bone broth, seed crackers with cream cheese or nut butter and biltong.
And, just to make it clear – no, this doesn’t mean you have to eat all of the snacks above every single day. It just means that these are your options.

The ketogenic diet is a diet like no other. It combines the power of calorie restriction with the unique benefits of nutritional ketosis to provide people with an effective way to lose weight and improve overall health.

As I look deeper into the keto diet, however, there is a huge discrepancy between what people think they need to do versus what the science says is best for most people. Some common myths like “carbs and insulin are the only reason why we get fat”, “you will lose weight as long as you are in ketosis”, and “calories don’t matter” are perpetuated on a daily basis by low carb diet enthusiasts, but these falsehoods only cause more confusion and frustration — especially if you are new to this way of eating.
This is why we decided to put together an article with the ten most important tips for ketogenic diet success. With each tip, we hope to clear up common misconceptions and give you practical strategies so you can finally get the results you want.
1. Know What You Should Focus On
Do calories matter on keto? What exactly should you eat? Why does the keto diet work so well?
Depending on who you ask, you may get a completely different answer. Even some research papers will propose one hypothesis while other data clearly suggests that it’s not true (like the carbohydrate-insulin hypothesis for obesity).
With all of the contradicting beliefs in the keto diet world, it is hard to know what is actually true — and without the truth how are you supposed to know what to do if things don’t go as you initially hoped?

Do you focus on limiting carbs more? What about exercising? Should you intermittent fast?
After digging through the research, It becomes clear that people lose weight on keto because of one thing — the fact that keto dieters tend to eat much fewer calories than they did before without noticing.
It doesn’t matter how much you restrict your carbs and how many grams of fat you eat. The key to burning off your own fat is being in a calorie deficit.
If you can find a diet that allows you to eat fewer calories than before without battling against cravings and hunger (like keto dieting does for most people), then you’ve found one of the most sustainable ways to lose weight.
The best way to create a diet like this is by following these two principles:
Eating mostly protein-dense and fiber-rich foods because of how satiating they are.
Eliminating all calorically-dense processed foods from your diet because of how easy it is to binge on them.
The primary reason why the keto diet is so effective for weight loss is that it follows these two principles better than almost every other popular diet. As a result, people who are following the keto diet feel more satisfied than ever before on fewer calories and start burning off excess body fat.
To learn more about how to lose weight on keto, check out this article .
To sum up this tip more succinctly: Eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its weight (not carb restriction) is the key to weight loss. If you are not getting results you want, it’s best to adjust your lifestyle and way of eating that allows you to be in a calorie deficit. One of the best ways to do this is by eating keto foods, which you will learn about in tip #2.

2. Only Consume Keto Foods and Ingredients
Keto foods are foods and ingredients that are very low in carbs. What “very low in carbs” means exactly will depend on your daily carb limit. For example, we recommend keeping total carbs below 35g and net carbs below 25g (ideally, below 20g) so that you can reap the benefits of eating highly satiating foods and ketosis . (To figure out your net carb consumption, simply subtract total fiber intake from total carbs.)
To have such a small amount of carbs, you must be vigilant about your food choices. You may find that many of your favorite foods will put you near your carbohydrate limit for the day with just one serving. Even healthier foods like fruits and vegetables are packed with sugar and carbs, but don’t get discouraged — there is plenty of delicious food you can eat on the ketogenic diet.
For example, you can have a Bacon Breakfast Bagel for breakfast, a Thai BBQ Pork Salad for lunch, and a Keto BBQ Chicken Pizza for dinner. All of them are delicious and relatively low in carbs.
Check out this list for some more ideas of what you should and should not eat on the ketogenic diet:
Do Eat
Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
Low carb vegetables – spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and other keto-friendly vegetables >
High fat dairy – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter, etc.
Nuts and seeds – macadamias, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries
Sweeteners – stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and
other low-carb sweeteners >
Other fats – coconut oil, high-fat salad dressing, saturated fats, etc.
Do Not Eat
Tubers – potato, yams, etc.
Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
To see more specific advice on what (and what not) to eat, click here.
For more ideas on what you can eat, check out our recipe page and our low carb cheat sheet .
You can also make plenty of keto-friendly baked goods and fried foods with keto flour like almond flour, coconut flour, and the other keto-friendly baking ingredients that you will find in this article .
However, eating these foods and making these keto recipes will not guarantee you the results you want. Once again, the key to weight loss is eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its weight. Even if your diet consists of absolutely no carbs, you can still gain weight. This is why it is so helpful to be aware of how many calories and grams of carbs, fat, and protein you are consuming on a daily basis.
3. Track Your Macros
One of the best ways to track what you are eating is by using a calorie tracking app and a scale. By using both, you will be much more accurate in knowing what you are consuming and have all the info you need to start losing weight consistently again.
When it comes to tracking calories, I prefer to use MyFitnessPal (for general macro tracking) and Cronometer (for more specific macro and micronutrient tracking). If you’d like to get started with tracking your calories using these apps, check out our guide on the topic — It has everything you need to know so that you can set up MyFitnessPal and Cronometer for your specific macronutrient needs.
To find out what your calorie and macronutrient needs are, plug your info into our keto calculator. It will tell you exactly how many calories and grams of fat, protein, and carbs you need to eat on a daily basis to get the results you want.
Another way to increase the accuracy of your calorie tracking is by using a food scale. Most people measure the amount of food they eat by guesstimating – which typically causes you to eat more calories than you intend.
There are certain things I look for when buying a scale, and most importantly include:
Having a conversion button. Most calorie tracking apps and websites use a mixture of units. Having a conversion button on your scale can make it much easier for you to measure your food. A gram to ounce and ounce to gram conversion button is the one that I most commonly use.
Automatic Shutoff . Make sure you research the scale you are buying. If the scales have an automatic shutoff, it can be troublesome to properly measure your food. Try to find scales that allow you to program the automatic shutoff or require you to manually turn it off.
Tare Function . Being able to place bowls, plates, and utensils on your scale makes it a lot easier to weight things out. Make sure that your scale has a tare option, which will allow you to place an item on the scale and revert back to 0.
Removable Plate . Cleaning scales can be a huge hassle when dealing with messy foods. Double check that the scale you are buying has a removable plate for easy cleaning.
Once you start tracking you food consumption more precisely, you can almost guarantee that you will get the results you want.
However, there is one crucial caveat. We cannot ignore how much our food environment impacts what we eat and how much we eat. Even with a scale, an app, and a keto calculator, it is still possible to cheat — especially when you are traveling or have easily accessible “cheat” foods in your house.
4. Change Your Food Environment
Our current food environment is nothing like what the human race initially evolved to handle. It is easier than ever before to gain weight, and our brains and bodies are not designed to handle our abundant food environment.
We are incessantly bombarded with endless processed food options, food ads, and smells that trigger our desires. As a result, the oldest parts of our brain motivate us to hunt for that food, which we now have a 100% chance of getting — and we don’t have to exert much effort at all to get it.
We will then act out our ancestral programming by eating the most calorie dense foods (i.e., pizza, french fries, cookies, cakes, etc.) and eating much more of those foods than what our body needs to energize itself until the next meal. This results in a vicious cycle of overeating and weight gain with the subconscious intention to prepare us for a famine — a famine that never comes.
To prevent these desires from being triggered and make it easier for you to stick to your diet and lose weight, there are a couple of things you can do:
Only have keto-friendly food in your house or where you stay. When we are hungry, it suddenly becomes so much easier to convince us to cheat on our diets and our goals. Hunger is a strong motivator, but it is irrational and doesn’t care about your “rules”. For this reason, it is best to plan for the worst. Throw all carb-rich foods in the trash (or hide them in a hard to access place) and make sure the healthiest keto foods are most easily accessible. If you are still struggling with overeating keto foods, then make sure you only have foods that require some preparation and effort before eating. This will make eating much less seductive and you’ll end up eating fewer calories.
Plan your meals ahead of time. Following a plan is a great way to stay on track and prevent yourself from succumbing to other food temptations. If you are traveling , make sure you have snacks, pre-made meals, and/or keto-friendly options at restaurants you can rely on. If you are at home, make sure you follow a plan that gives you the fats, carb, and proteins you need and nothing more.
Avoid convenient foods that you can easily binge on. If a food is convenient and tasty, you will be much more inclined to eat more of it. For example, I can eat a ridiculously unhealthy amount of keto ice cream when I know its in the freezer waiting for me. This is why I only make one serving at a time and stick to enjoying that. The thought of making another batch is such a turn off after I finish my normal serving. The same goes for keto baked goods as well. If you find you can eat a lot of something without stopping, you must make it much harder for yourself to consume too much of it.
Only eat the foods that you measure and track . Don’t stray away from your macronutrient goals too far by adding extra ingredients that you don’t measure. Adding a little extra oil, meat, cheese, etc. to each meal will add up to the point where you end up gaining the weight back.
By using these four strategies, you will eventually make the keto diet into your new lifestyle. Your brain and body will habitually do things that are healthy rather than unhealthy, and you will find it much easier to lose weight than gain weight.
5. Collaborate With Other Keto Dieters
6. Prepare for the Keto Flu and Other Keto Concerns
Luckily, most of these symptoms can be cleared up by drinking plenty of water and consuming mineral rich foods (and mineral supplements if necessary). For more specific recommendations on how to remedy these symptoms, read through our guide to the keto flu .
Troubleshooting Other Health Concerns With Keto
Occasionally, keto dieters may still experience keto flu symptoms after they follow the keto diet for over a week along with implementing the suggestions in the keto flu article. If this sounds like you, then the keto diet may not be the ideal diet for you.
People with familial hypercholesterolemia, hypothyroidism, and/or adrenal issues, for example, usually don’t fare well with ketogenic diets.
People who have familial hypercholesterolemia will struggle with a high-fat diet because one or both of their genes for the LDL receptor are defective, making it difficult for them to regulate their cholesterol levels.

This means that they will tend to have higher LDL levels for more extended periods of time than usual, which increases their risk of heart disease. One way to increase this risk, even more, is by consuming a lot of fat and cholesterol. This is why people with familial hypercholesterolemia should stick to a whole food based, low to moderate fat diet with a healthy amount of exercise and sleep.
(Side note: People who don’t have this condition, on the other hand, are likely to have better overall cholesterol numbers after following the ketogenic diet. For more info on keto and cholesterol, click here .)
People who have hypothyroidism and/or adrenal issues are also likely to struggle with the ketogenic diet. This is because insulin, blood glucose, and glycogen levels help regulate thyroid hormone production and adrenal health.
When insulin levels are low, the conversion of the inactive T4 hormone into the active T3 hormone is impaired, which can lead to hypothyroid symptoms. The adrenals will then secrete epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol to function as pseudo-thyroid hormones (i.e., helping to regulate heart rate, control body temperature, and mobilize energy). On top of that, the drop in T3 hormone levels can also cause cholesterol levels to increase to an unhealthy degree.
If you are already struggling with thyroid or adrenal issues before starting a low carb diet, then it is possible that restricting carbs will make things worse.
To prevent your thyroid from crashing on a low-carbohydrate diet, it is important to consume enough calories from fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This will give your body enough fuel so that it can spare its glycogen, maintain thyroid function, and save you from unnecessary stress.
If you are still feeling sluggish and tired after eating plenty of fat and protein, it is best to increase your carbohydrate intake by eating black beans, sweet potatoes, and/or other starchy whole foods until you are having between 100-200 grams of carbs per day.
Keto Diet Adjustments for Other Cases (Pregnancy and Gallbladder Issues)
There are also other groups of people, like those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or had their gallbladder removed, that can follow the keto diet, but must make some adjustments.
For those who had their gallbladder removed, it is best to follow these suggestions:
Limit the amount of fat you intake and gradually increase the amount you have per day over a two-week period.
Take an ox bile supplement (and a lipase supplement if you need some extra help).
Don’t have too much fat at one sitting.
If you have digestive issues, then you may need to take the ox bile supplement or eat less fat with your meal next time.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, here are some recommendations that will help:
Eat micronutrient dense foods every day. The most nutrient-rich foods are pasture-raised organ meat, wild-caught sardines, and low-carbohydrate vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli. During early pregnancy and prior to conception, foods higher in folate, such as liver and dark leafy greens, are essential. Vitamin D (high in beef liver and sardines), iodine (high in seaweed and raw cheeses), and DHA (high in sardines and fatty fish) are also essential.
Increase your protein intake . You should aim eat between 1 and 1.2 grams per pound of lean mass throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Use our keto calculator and body fat percentage estimation guide to help you figure out the right amount of protein for you.
Up your carb and fat intake later in pregnancy. Later in the pregnancy and while breastfeeding, add in 30-50g of extra carbs from fruit and dark green vegetables per day to aid milk production. Adding in extra calories from fat (300-500 calories worth) may be helpful as well.
Consult your healthcare practitioner before making changes. Eating keto while breastfeeding can be potentially dangerous. It is important to always work together with your doctor to ensure the best health for you and your child.
If you have any other worries regarding keto dieting, please consider reading this article . In it, we explore the most common keto related concerns.
What Do You Do If Keto Isn’t For You?
One final thing to consider with this keto tip is that many people, regardless of their current health status, will find that they struggle to stay on the ketogenic diet. In this case, it is best to experiment with different foods and macronutrient ratios until you create a sustainable way of eating that works best for you and gets you the results you want.
For some people, the ketogenic diet will be ideal from a health and lifestyle perspective. For others, a paleo diet or a Mediterranean diet may work better. Don’t just focus on weight loss, focus on creating a healthy lifestyle that you can follow for the rest of your life.
7. Get The Bulk of Your Calories From Homemade Keto Meals
And don’t forget to make your meal even better with
some keto-friendly condiments .
To finish off your meal with something sweet, we have plenty of keto desserts as well.
But before you get the ingredients to make these delicious recipes, make sure you implement the next tip in this article.
8. Plan Ahead and Follow a Budget
Use coupons
Search for deals
Plan your meals based on the coupons and deals
Buy in bulk online and in the store
Make keto recipes that yield leftovers for the week
Freeze your meats and meals in bulk
Don’t impulse buy
By using these strategies, you will be able to cut your costs and stay on keto without breaking the bank. In most cases, the keto diet will end up being less expensive than what you were doing before.
9. Don’t Change Your Plan Too Quickly
After the first week of keto (which is typically marked by a tremendous amount of water loss), weight loss can be unpredictable. Your calorie needs change depending on the day, and the amount you eat will never be exactly the same any given day either. This will translate to weight loss results that don’t follow a strict pattern.
You might have some weeks where it seems you haven’t lost anything — then you’ll weigh yourself a week or two later and be down 3-4 pounds. The key to long-term weight loss is to stick with your plan, be patient, and don’t get discouraged.
As long as you are losing weight at an average rate of 1-2 pounds per week, keep doing what you’re doing.
If you find that your results have been stalling for over a month, then you will need to make adjustments to your diet and lifestyle so that you can break through your plateau.
Here are some of the strategies that work the best for most people:
Calculate your macros with an appropriate calorie deficit (aim for a higher deficit if you have more body fat) and track your food intake.
Recalculate your macronutrient needs every month and follow those instead of your earlier estimates.
Take breaks from being in a calorie deficit every two weeks.
Stay consistent with your ketogenic diet by diligently tracking the foods you eat and never cheating.
Try intermittent fasting. Click here to find out how.
Implement a fat fast. Find out how by clicking here.
If these strategies aren’t helpful, then you may have a food allergy or sensitivity that is holding you back, or you may be consuming too many hidden sources of carbs and calories (in this case, you should start reading food labels more carefully and track your food consumption with a calorie tracking app).
For a more in-depth look at these weight loss plateau busting strategies and the rationale behind them, check out this article .
10. Use a Meal Plan That Does Most of the Work for You
If you are feeling overwhelmed with all of this info, then following a meal plan may be the best way to simplify the keto diet for you.
Throughout our website, we have plenty of free meal plans for you to try. Take this one for example:
Monday
Breakfast: 1 serving of Bacon Crusted Frittata Muffins
Lunch: 1 serving of Spinach Watercress Keto Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Side Dish: 1 serving of Easy Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,393 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $5.61
Tuesday
Breakfast: 2 servings of Hunger Buster Low Carb Bacon Frittatas
Lunch: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Salmon Patties with Herbs
Side Dish: 1 serving of Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,312 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $6.73
Wednesday
Breakfast: 1 serving of Bacon Crusted Frittata Muffins
Lunch: 1 serving of Spinach Watercress Keto Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Side Dish: 1 serving of Easy Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,393 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $5.61
Thursday
Breakfast: 1 serving of Hunger Buster Low Carb Bacon Frittatas
Lunch: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Salmon Patties with Herbs
Side Dish: 1 serving of Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli
Dessert: 1 Churro Mug Cake
Total calories: 1,510 (with dessert)
Total cost for the day: $7.37
Friday
Breakfast: 1 serving of Bacon Crusted Frittata Muffins
Lunch: 1 serving of Spinach Watercress Keto Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Side Dish: 1 serving of Easy Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,393 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $5.61
Saturday
Breakfast: 2 servings of Hunger Buster Low Carb Bacon Frittatas
Lunch: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Salmon Patties with Herbs
Side Dish: 1 serving of Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,312 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $6.73
Sunday
Breakfast: 1 serving of Bacon Crusted Frittata Muffins
Lunch: 1 serving of Spinach Watercress Keto Salad
Dinner: 1 serving of Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Side Dish: 1 serving of Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli
Dessert (optional): Eat as many Coconut Peanut Butter Balls as necessary to meet your needs
Total calories: 1,287 (without dessert)
Total cost for the day: $5.29

Exactly what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, if you’re considering the low carb, high fat diet.
The Keto Diet is a low carb, higher fat diet. In short: it transitions your body to burning stored body fat instead of relying on carbohydrates as its preferred source of energy.
To make this transition, you need to dramatically decrease your carb intake to below 50g per day – with some people going as low as 20-30g of carbs per day. This allows your body to draw from stored fat for energy, resulting in a
metabolic state known as ketosis.
Health benefits include: a reduction in excess body fat , helping build lean muscle mass, enhanced energy and optimal mental clarity. At its core, the keto diet is made up of high-quality proteins, plenty of seasonal vegetables and healthy fats. You’ll need to cut out sugar, starchy carbohydrates and gluten.
What are the cons?

 The transition process can be hard , especially when moving away from a diet that is normally carbohydrate heavy. This can sometimes bring on flu-like symptoms for a couple of days – ‘keto flu’ is a thing! You can also experience a reduction in energy. However, if you persist you’ll quickly transition through this stage and come out the other side bursting with energy!
Below is an example of a 7-day meal plan.
Day 1:
Breakfast: Poached eggs, sautéed greens cooked in coconut oil
Lunch: Grilled chicken served with a seasonal salad
Dinner: Baked salmon with a nut crust served with baked cauliflower

Day 2:
Breakfast: Smoked salmon served with leafy greens and smashed avocado
Lunch: Low carb Thai beef salad served with tamari dressing
Dinner: Butter chicken with cauliflower rice

 Day 3:
Breakfast: Omelette served with mushrooms and spinach cooked in coconut oil
Lunch: Line caught tuna served with heirloom tomato salad, drizzled with olive oil
Dinner: Crispy skinned salmon served with zucchini noodle pesto
Day 4:
Breakfast: Mountain Coffee – long black, grass-fed butter & MCT oil
Lunch: Naked burger with raw kale slaw
Dinner: Slow cooked pulled beef with rainbow slaw and baked brussels sprouts
Day 5:
Breakfast: Zucchini & bacon fritters cooked with butter or ghee
Lunch: Mexican chicken lettuce wrap with avocado
Dinner: Middle Eastern chicken rissoles with seasonal greens
Day 6:
Breakfast: Buttered mushrooms, sautéed greens and crispy bacon
Lunch: Roast chicken breast served with avocado and seasonal greens
Dinner: Grass fed sirloin steak with steamed greens
Day 7:
Breakfast: Veggie medley – capsicum, zucchini, tomato, seasonal herbs sautéed in coconut oil served with eggs
Lunch: Zucchini noodle and salmon salad served with avocado dressing
Dinner: Lamb kofta with seasonal greens
Snacks:
THR1VE Protein Shake
Bone broth
Boiled eggs
Handful of nuts (macadamias, almonds, walnuts)
Small can of tuna