Keto Diet: Low Carb, Moderate Protein And High Fat, Plus 5 Lifestyle Tips For Effective Weight Loss

Keto diet for weight loss: Consume sufficient electrolytes to make the diet work for you

Keto diet for weight loss: Keto diet is known to be a popular eating plan for quick weight loss. Followers of the diet need to consume a diet with a majority of fats, moderate protein and low-carb foods. To successfully lose weight on a keto, following just these 3 rules is not going to be enough. You need to be on point with your exercise and also follow a few other essential lifestyle tips in order to make keto diet work for you.

Weight loss: 5 lifestyle measures you need to follow in order to make keto diet work for you

1. Avoid hidden carbs

Carb intake needs to be strictly limited when you are following keto diet. Most guidelines of the ketogenic diet recommend that you stay between 15 to 30 gms of net carbs per day, or 5 to 10% of the total calories. So, for someone who is active and exercises 4 to 5 times in a week, you can consume more carbs. So, apart from the usual high-carb foods like white bread, pasta, etc, you also need to stay away from hidden sources of carbs like diet soda, milk and milk alternatives, sugar-free foods, condiments, sauces, processed meat, etc.

Avoid hidden sources of carbs when you are on a keto diet
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Also read: Here Are Simple Tips For Cutting Carbs From Your Diet

2. Consume sufficient electrolytes

Lack of carbs in keto diet results in low insulin levels. This makes the kidneys excrete important electrolytes like potassium, sodium and much more. Therefore, sufficient intake of electrolytes is a must when you are following keto diet for weight loss. To achieve this target, you should drink sufficient water. Besides, hydrating drinks and foods like coconut water, cucumber, lettuce, uncooked spinach, and lemon water amongst others can help in increasing your electrolytes balance.

3. Consume sufficient fat

Fat the primary source of fuel for the body when you are on a keto diet. Along with consuming sufficient fat, it is also important that you consume just the right amount of protein as over-consumption may not give your body the proper fuel to stay in ketosis. Some of the healthiest fats you can eat on keto include whole eggs (egg yolks specifically), avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and nut butter, chia seeds and flaxseeds and yogurt.

Avocado is a healthy source of fat for keto diet
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Also read: Kareena Kapoor's Nutritionist Talks About 3 Fats That You Should Re-Introduce In Your Diet

4. Avoid high intake of protein

The weight loss world is full of myths including: eating more protein can help you lose more weight. Well, protein is definitely an important nutrient for building muscles and controlling appetite. But this doesn't mean that eating more protein will help you lose more weight. Especially when you are following keto diet, you need to ensure that your diet includes moderate amount of protein only. As mentioned above, consuming protein in excess in keto diet can give your body the wring fuel source which is required to be in ketosis. Some of the healthy protein sources on keto diet are: tofu, soy and soy products, cottage cheese from low-fat milk, chicken, nuts and seeds and seafood.

5. Keto diet should not be considered as a quick fix

Despite the popular saying, you must not expect magical weight loss benefits from keto. Initially, you may see good results and lose ample amount of weight. But once your body gets used to the change in diet and lifestyle, it enters ketosis and then the weight loss becomes slightly slower.

Also read: Vegan Diet: 5 Foods That Can Aid Quick Weight Loss

Important note

Diets like Atkins, low-carb and keto diet can definitely help you lose weight. At the same time, they are calorie-restrictive and may help you with weight loss, but with side effects. Feeling fatigued, stressed, irritated, experiencing more cravings, headaches, migraine triggers, and nutritional deficiencies are side effects of keto diet that you must take note of.

Following diets like keto can make room for cravings, mood swings and irritability
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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.