3 Ways to Kick-Start Your Keto Diet Journey

While the Keto Diet has been around for decades, many people are just hearing about it and looking for ways to incorporate the Keto Diet into their lifestyle, but aren't aware of common pitfalls for dieters who are just starting the Keto Diet. Eating high-fat and low carb is part of a successful Keto Diet, but they're not the only essential elements. Here are three ways to kick-start your Keto Diet journey, which can help improve your ability to stick with your new way of eating.

1) Drink Lots of Water

With the Keto Diet, people may find that they are consuming more grams of protein than previously, in addition to significantly limiting their carbohydrate intake, which means they also need more water than before. Water will help your kidneys to stay healthy as they process food wastes, in addition to helping to keep your skin looking great. As a bonus, being full of water will help your body to recognize when it's hungry and not just thirsty. Often people mistake thirst for hunger pains and, with life as busy as it can be, adults typically do not consume as much water as their body needs. If you find that your weight loss has stalled, look to your water intake as many adherents to the Keto Diet find that, when they don't drink enough water, their weight loss slows down significantly. If you are exercising, you will need to drink more water than the average Keto Dieter, but aim to make drinking water a part of your routine.

2) Track Your Food Intake

Many adults have no concept of what they are putting into their bodies. The Keto Diet can be an eye-opening situation for even individuals who have dieted before. Conventional wisdom has been preaching a high-carb, low-fat diet for ages, but the Keto Diet reverses that advice. As such, it is vital to track your food as you eat it, but you should especially track the carbs you eat. You must understand how many grams of carbohydrates you are consuming daily; if you eat too many, your body won't be able to go into ketosis. It also likely won't benefit from many of the hallmarks of the Keto Diet (weight loss, increased energy, increased mental clarity). Most smartphones have digital applications that help track your daily food intake, or you can write out your meals in a food journal. Initially, pay attention to the carbohydrate content, but also the sugar, fat, and calories. Write it down and see where you stand after a few days. Notice how many calories you are taking in overall and be sure that the majority of your caloric intake is coming from fats and protein, not carbs. Once you are aware of what you are putting into your body, you can take control of your eating habits and make the Keto Diet a successful part of your daily life.

3) Make Sure to Get Enough Salt

When you are on the Keto Diet, your body secretes more salt than usual. With lower insulin levels in the body due to fewer fluctuations in insulin levels from eating a low-carb, high-fat diet, the kidneys retain less sodium than usual. That is because a high-carbohydrate diet is no longer forcing your kidneys to retain salt in the same way. As a result, some people find that they need to eat more salt than previously to keep their bodies properly hydrated and to ensure they can absorb potassium properly into the body. When you cut out highly refined or processed goods (like bread, or sweets, or processed junk foods), as is typical with a Ketogenic Diet, much of the salt is also removed from your diet. Salt is essential to keep your body running properly. Be conscious of how much salt you are taking into your body, and be sure to add salt to your diet to keep your body running during ketosis.

As with any diet change, making the Keto Diet a regular part of your routine is the key to success, in addition to being aware of what you are eating and why. With these three ways to kick-start your Keto Diet journey, you will be well on your approach to integrating the Keto Diet into your life and ensuring that your dieting journey is a successful one.