Your guide to keto

The aim of the keto diet is to force your body into a state of ketosis. This is the point where it starts to break down the fat stored in your body into smaller molecules called ketones to get energy. ¹

When you eat lots of carbs, your body can use the sugars within them for energy. People who use the keto diet for weight loss limit their carb intake to 50 grams per day. This helps to encourage ketosis and weight loss.¹

If you plan to start a keto diet, you should aim to make your plates up of:

Foods commonly consumed on the keto diet include fatty cuts of meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds, and non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens and avocados.¹

Weight loss

When compared to other low-carb diets, keto can help you lose weight quickly. By reducing your carb intake and tapping into your body’s ability to burn stored fat, you can begin to improve on metabolic markers of poor health like having a larger weight circumference.¹

Blood sugar control

Lowering the amount of carbs you eat can help in reducing your blood sugar levels. This has benefits for people who live with insulin sensitivity or type 2 diabetes. But it isn’t a catchall solution for people who need to carefully manage their blood sugar levels. Talking to your doctor or pharmacist and monitoring your glucose level at home are important steps to preventing illness.¹

You might develop nutrient deficiencies

Carbs aren’t only found in bread, rice and pasta. They are also in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Because the keto diet relies on a low-carb intake, you might reduce the amount of greens you eat. These types of foods are great sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals. If you eat fewer of them, you could end up getting less nutrients than your body needs.^{1, 2}

Tip: Make sure you’re adding fibre to your diet and eating non-starchy vegetables. Talk to your doctor about taking supplements. They can help if you have vitamin deficiencies.

You might feel unwell

Starting a new diet can be exciting. But, some people get keto flu during the early stages of the diet. They often feel tired and sick, get headaches and become irritable. This is their bodies’ way of dealing with the adjustment to their eating habits. The symptoms go away on their own after a few days. ^{1, 2}

Tip: Stay hydrated to help manage the feelings of sickness. And let other people know that you’ve started a new diet so they understand why you might be experiencing some changes.

You might find it hard to stick to.

The keto diet relies on significant changes to the ways that you may eat. It is restrictive. By cutting out some of the foods that you enjoy from your diet, it may be challenging to stay motivated and stick to the diet.

Tip: Keto can be used to lose weight successfully. But if you’re finding it difficult to eat in the ways that the diet calls for, then there are other approaches that may work for you.

It might not be for you

If you live with a medical condition like liver or pancreatic disease or have an eating disorder, keto might not be appropriate. Taking care of yourself is central to any weight loss journey so shouldn’t start any diets that could harm your health. ^{1, 2}

Tip: If you still want to try keto, talk to your doctor beforehand. They can give you tips and resources so that you can stay healthy as you lose weight.