Today, more individuals are practising the keto diet as it has been deemed a more sustainable weight loss plan. It is also known as a sufficient-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate mainstream dietary therapy. Keto diet comes with a number of advantages, such as heart health improvement and reduction of cancer risks. A keto diet encourages your body to burn fats, instead of carbohydrates. During the fat breakdown process a type of chemical named ketones is produced by the liver. While a keto diet may be an excellent way to eat, it requires careful thought and planning. Without a good understanding and thorough research, beginners might make some common mistakes along the way.
As such, we list down a few common mistakes to take note of and how to rectify them.
1. Not counting carb
Two scenarios can lead to this common mistake.
You consume excessive carbs
Keeping your carbohydrate intake low is the keto diet’s cardinal rule. This allows your blood sugar and insulin to remain low as well, enabling your cells to access and burn stored body fat.. However, beginners may not be aware of hidden carbs when they consume food. Such carbs can be found in soups, salad dressings, sauces and shellfish. Keto diets are not as effective if your body is unable to enter ketosis, a process when your body burns fats and produces ketones. Keep your daily consumption of carbs between 20 to 50 grams, in order to switch your metabolic machinery to fat-burning mode.
You cut your carbs and increase your fats too significantly and quickly.
It is advisable to limit the intake of carbs gradually when you are just beginning your keto diet. Fat intake should also be increased in phases. Drastic body changes may occur without a proper carbs and fats consumption plan. For instance, rather than impulsively deciding to go on a keto diet the next day, try setting a later date and slowly cut down on your carb intake in the days leading up to the date of your keto diet. Should you crave for something sweet while on your keto diet, keto bakeries in Singapore are a great option to satiate your sweet tooth.
Solution: Record your daily meals and read food labels carefully to ensure you do not consume too much carbs.
2. Not drinking enough water
During a keto diet, your body excretes more salt as it flushes the buildup of ketones in urine. The more salt that you lose, the less water you retain. In addition, drinking sufficient water helps the kidneys filter any unnecessary lingering toxins. This is why staying hydrated is so crucial on a keto diet.
Why are sufficient water levels important in a keto diet?
Curbs cravings
Replaces lost water
Reduces burden of your kidneys
Solution: Based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine, an adult should consume 91 to 125 fluid ounces of water daily. However, you should drink even more if you are on a keto diet, due to the fluid excretion resulting from low-carb consumption.
3. Insufficient vegetable intake
Vegetables contain carbohydrates and some keto dieters may find themselves avoiding vegetables for fear of over consuming carbs. Nonetheless, vegetables are integral and eating the correct portion of greens during your keto diet provides vitamins and other indispensable nutrients to your body.
Solution: Eat spinach, celery, tomatoes, and mushrooms when you are on a keto diet. Avoid starchy vegetables.
4. Not consuming enough protein
Hyper focusing on minimising carb intake is another common mistake made during keto diets, when in fact, some thought should also be dedicated towards planning protein intake. Most beginners tend to eat too little protein, harbouring the misconception high protein consumption may be converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis, thus, putting their efforts in vain. In addition, insufficient protein intake can compromise your lean tissue mass.
Solution: Use an automated keto macro calculator to measure the suitable portion of protein to consume. You can even get your customised keto meal box rich in protein through keto food delivery.
5. Not using fats as a lever to keep you full
When it comes to consuming fat on a keto diet, always remember to choose fat with the most wholesome options. It is important to consume enough fat to keep yourself full and satisfied. Keto dieters are recommended to consume 55%–60% trusted sources of their daily calories from fat to stay in ketosis.
Solution: Count your fat intake. Include chia seeds, avocado, flax seeds, nuts and other wholesome fat options as part of your keto diet.
At Ange Bakes Keto Bakery in Singapore, our passion lies in ensuring that the shift to a ketogenic and low-carb lifestyle is made convenient and effortless. Contact us today if you have any queries on our keto offerings!