Currently on a keto diet or planning to venture into the realm of ketosis?

Then you should know the basics of this popular diet regimen. It's more than just a buzzword - it's an effective way of losing weight and achieving a healthy body.

In fact, studies show that diets promoting ketosis are highly beneficial for weight loss because they keep your appetite under control. [1]

If you want to know what the ketogenic diet is all about, you may want to check out "What you need to know about ketones," which talks about the basics of ketones and the diet.

If you've decided that the keto diet is really something for you, then here are a few tips to make sure you get the most bang for the buck.

#1 Watch your carbs.

A very low-carb diet is at the heart of successful ketosis.

If you want to get the most bang for the buck, make sure your carb intake is somewhere around 20-50 net grams every day.

To find out the net grams, just subtract your total fiber intake from your total carbohydrate intake.

The level depends as some people can only taper off carbs to 20 grams every day, while others can minimize their intake up to double this amount.

According to Healthline, this range will lower blood sugar and insulin levels, while supporting your liver in converting stored fatty acids into ketones. [2]

If you’re keen to know why this is so, listen up.

via GIPHY

Glucose – or more commonly known as sugar – is your cells’ main source of fuel. In the body, glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. But there are other fuel sources too. These include fatty acids and ketones.

When the level of carbohydrates is too low, the glycogen stores go down alongside insulin levels.

This is when the body uses other sources of fuel. Fatty acids are released from parts of the body that store fat. When this happens, your liver converts some of the fatty acids into the ketone bodies acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. These are ketones that get used by the body, specifically the brain, as fuel. [3, 4]

POWER TIP: when minimizing your carb intake, it’s important to take note of hidden carbohydrates in foods. Some of them may look perfect for your keto diet, but they’re tricking you to take in extra sugars. Here are some of those tricky foods: [5]

Chicken wings with barbecue or buffalo sauce
Milk
Most fruits
Yogurt
Breaded meats

To avoid falling into a trap, make a habit of checking the label and nutrition facts.

#2 Know what keto foods and ingredients are.

Apart from the hidden carbs and sugars in certain foods, it pays to know what to include in your food choices.

If you’re on the keto diet, here are the foods that are safe to eat (and won’t get you anywhere near the carb limit): [6]

Do Eat

Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
Low carb vegetables – spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower
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.

#3 Take in more healthy fat.

It may sound odd but you know what can help you jack up your ketone levels and reach ketosis? Eating foods rich in fat… healthy fat, that is.

You can do this by having a very low-carb keto diet.

According to Healthline, “ketogenic diets for weight loss, metabolic health and exercise performance usually provide between 60–80% of calories from fat.” [2]

Here are some plant and animal sources of healthy fats:

Olive oil
Avocado oil
Coconut oil
Butter
Lard
Tallow

Watch out though – if you’re doing the keto diet for weight loss, look closely at your calorie intake and make sure you’re not gaining extra pounds in your journey!

#4 Keep track of your macros and ketones.

Reaching the optimal state of ketosis depends on each person individually. So it’s helpful to benchmark your macros and test your ketone levels regularly to check if you’re keeping your personal goals.

If you want to know your ketone levels, you'll want to test for them frequently.

There various ways of testing ketone levels. Some need to be done in a laboratory, but the others can be as practical as running to the nearest drugstore or ordering a test online.

One thing you need to know about ketones? Excess ketone bodies unused by the body go to the urine, blood, and breath.

If you want to know more about the different ways of testing your ketone levels, check out this article: What you need to know about ketones.

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If you want to learn more tips on how you can create the most optimal keto diet journey for you, then stay tuned for Part 2!