Flour was nearly flying off supermarket shelves in the early days of the pandemic as people stuck at home turned to baking and sought the comfort of carbs. But the ketogenic diet, characterized by its very-low-carb approach, is far from dead. It has too many potential benefits.
The keto diet is supported by an ever-growing body of scientific research. Numerous studies suggest the diet could help with weight loss, blood sugar control and brain function. Plus, it has long been known to help with epilepsy.
If you were following a ketogenic diet but were derailed, there’s no time like the present to get back on track. With a few expert strategies, it doesn’t have to be daunting.
Keto Diet Tips for Success
1. Set mini goals
You don’t have to go full-on keto overnight. “Set mini goals,” suggests Jerrica Sweetnich, ND, CNS, who practices at Revitalize Medical Group in Akron, Ohio, and is a medical editor for the ketogenic diet resource ruled.me. She recommends a tiered approach to help people ease back into the diet.
For example, in the first week, you could eliminate sweets, like candy, cake and soda. The second week, omit grain-based staples, like bread and cereal. The next week, cut out starchy vegetables, like potatoes and corn, Sweetnich explains.
Adapt this approach to remove whatever carb-rich items have crept back into your diet. Soon, you’ll be back down to your low-carb target, which is generally 20–50 grams net carbs daily on a keto diet.
This stepwise approach also gives you a chance to gradually rid your house of non-keto foods that could tempt you. If you can’t completely remove them due to others in your household, you can at least request them to be placed out of your sight.
During this transition time, you can also restock low-carb staples. You’ll want items such as almond flour, keto-friendly condiments and healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and macadamia nuts.
2. Beat the keto flu
“Keto flu” can happen in the early days of starting the diet as your body adapts to using more ketones (from fat) instead of glucose (from carbs) for fuel. The temporary side effects of this shift may include headaches, low energy, digestive issues, muscle cramps, weakness and light-headedness.
Sweetnich says that gradually easing back into the carb restrictions, as described above, could reduce the keto flu. Increasing your intake of water and electrolytes also helps.
“Keto flu is mainly due to an electrolyte imbalance,” Sweetnich says. As your body adjusts to your dietary changes and enters ketosis, your kidneys excrete more water and certain electrolytes, including sodium and potassium.
Sweetnich suggests taking an electrolyte supplement. They’re available as powders, capsules, tablets and liquid drops. You may only need them in the early stages of the diet. If you exercise rigorously and sweat a lot, you may want to continue electrolyte supplementation.
Ketone supplements, particularly ketone salts, also supply electrolytes. Plus, ketone supplements may aid your transition into the keto diet, as they help increase ketone levels. Ketones suppress appetite, which may be especially helpful while you shift your eating habits.
3. Plan for obstacles
If you previously followed the keto diet and got off track when “life happened,” you can start anew—but now you’ll be armed with the knowledge of what factors tripped you up. You can plan for these potential hurdles and boost your odds of success.
“Socializing with other people who aren’t following a keto diet, such as going out to dinner with friends or attending parties, often derails people,” Sweetnich says. “You may experience a lot of peer pressure to eat a piece of cake, for example. But a big dose of sugar like that could really set off carb cravings.”
When you’ll be in a social setting where you can’t order from a menu, such as at a party, go armed with keto-friendly snacks. “Beef jerky and single-serve packages of olives are great for those situations,” Sweetnich says.
If you’re attending a gathering of family or friends, contribute a dish or two that you know you can eat. You just might inspire someone else to follow a keto diet when they see how tasty and satisfying it can be.
Also, be prepared for times when you don’t feel like cooking or are in a time crunch. Keep a list of easy meal ideas like canned chicken or tuna mixed with keto-friendly mayonnaise served over a bed of leafy greens and topped with hemp seeds.
4. Make wise keto-convenience food choices
As the keto diet grows in popularity, big food companies are getting on board. They’re churning out all kinds of “keto-friendly” packaged foods like snack bars, cereal and baking mixes. Keto convenience foods can make the diet easier and more enjoyable, but you need to make smart choices.
“Keto-friendly” on a label doesn’t necessarily mean a packaged food is a healthy choice. Some of these products are highly processed, have unnecessary additives and contain GMO ingredients, such as soy. Read the ingredients and choose non-GMO and organic products.
Calories are another consideration. “Some people forget to look at the calorie content of these processed keto products,” Sweetnich says. If you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, no matter what kind of diet you’re following.
Remember, the calorie and nutrient counts on packaged foods are based on the serving size. If a keto cereal lists the Nutrition Facts for a 1/2-cup serving and you eat 1 cup, you’ve just doubled your calorie and carb intake. You need to stay within your carb limit to sustain ketosis.
“Also, consider whether the sugar replacements in these products might be triggering cravings for sweets and other carbs,” Sweetnich says. This may vary with the individual, so pay attention to how they affect you.
“If you feel you need something sweeter, limit it to one thing a day,” Sweetnich adds. “Your diet shouldn’t be primarily keto cookies and fat bombs.” It’s just as important to eat mostly nutrient-rich, whole foods on a keto diet as it is with any other eating plan.
5. Give your gut a helping hand
To support ketone production, the keto diet is high in fat, generally supplying around 60–80% of calories. A typical American diet contains half that amount of fat or less. A sudden jump in your fat intake may cause digestive upset. Certain supplements could help while you transition to eating more fat.
“I recommend taking an ox bile supplement to help mitigate the digestive discomfort that may accompany a ketogenic diet, especially in the beginning,” Sweetnich says. Bile separates fat into smaller droplets so digestive enzymes can more easily access the fat.
The type of enzyme that breaks down fat is lipase and is secreted in your digestive tract. Lipase is commonly included in digestive enzyme supplements to support fat digestion. Ox bile is included in some digestive enzyme supplements, or you can buy it on its own.
Armed with these strategies and your previous know-how, give the keto diet another go. You’ll likely be hearing about the science-backed benefits of the keto diet for years to come as the research in this area grows.