FAQ

Ketogenic Diet FAQ

With the growing number of people who are transitioning to ketogenic diets that are low in carbs and the rising popularity of the ketogenic diet We thought of putting together an entire keto FAQ covering the common questions asked by those who are beginning the ketogenic diet.

This is intended to serve as an overview of solutions to some of the commonly asked questions and concerns regarding going keto. If you have additional concerns you’d like added, altered or have questions about, feel free to comment below to allow us to clearly explain or make adjustments to the information provided that are provided on this page.

Best of luck and if you’re just a novice keto dieter and are reading this article, best of luck in the road to success on your diet!

Top 30 Most Common Keto FAQs Answered

Click on any of the questions below, and it’ll lead you to the solution. If you’re not able to find your question listed, you can look through our knowledgebase on keto to find the answer. The majority of answers will be simple and succinct, along with links to more detailed article(s) about the subject should you want to know more.

What Does it Mean to be Keto or Ketogenic?

A ketogenic diet (the shorthand to mean “ketogenic”) is one which stimulates an increase in ketones within the liver through the process of ketogenesis. The restriction of carbs is the most effective method of promoting sustained ketones production.

If we restrict our carb intake for a sufficient period of time (i.e. 2-7 days) the body eventually enters an endocrine state, known as ketosis nutritional.

What is Nutritional Ketosis? How Does Ketosis Work?

Ketosis can be described as an metabolic state in which your body continuously utilizes and burns an extremely efficient alternative fuel known as ketones. The best way to accomplish this is to limit the amount of carbs consumed to a level that your body is forced to use ketones and fat as the primary source of fuel rather than sugar.

Find our comprehensive piece on Ketones, Ketosis, and how It All Works if you’re curious about the science behind the process.

How Long Does It Take To Get Into Ketosis?

It takes time for your body’s system to adjust and go into the ketosis state. The process can last between 2 to 7 days, based upon the type of your body, your activity levels, the food you’re eating as well as your current health and previous food habits.

The fastest method to get into ketosis is by starting your day off with a caffeine-rich beverage and an ketogenic MCT oil workout with a full stomach, and reduce your carbohydrate intake by 20g, or less daily.

To speed up the rate of ketosis, there’s an approach known as the Fat Fasting Method. We’ve written an article about the benefits of fat fasting when you follow the Ketogenic Diet and everything that goes with it. It is important to use this technique for a couple of days (otherwise it could result in nutritional deficiency).

How Do I Increase My Ketone Levels Naturally?

The best method to increase ketones is through the ketogenic diet. In general, this requires you to restrict your carbohydrate consumption daily by 35g total carbohydrates and 25 , grams net carbohydrates. (Net carbs can be determined through subtracting grams fiber from the carbohydrate total.)

As was mentioned in the prior question, it is possible to limit the intake of carbs to less than 20g in order to boost ketone levels faster.

In order to boost your ketone level even more, you can also consider:

• In addition, supplement the MCT Oil the MCT oil.
• Consuming a beverage with caffeine in the early morning (caffeine enhances the production of ketone).
• Intermittent fasting.
• Implementation of using the fat-fasting method.
• Include exercise into your routine (fasted exercises can boost levels of ketone).

How Can I Tell If I Am In Ketosis?

Although there are indications of ketosis that you should look for, the easiest method to determine if you are making use of Ketostix. You can purchase them from the internet or in the pharmacy in your area.

Remember that Ketostix measures how much acetone is present found in the urine of your body, and these are not ketones. The primary ketone utilized by your brain and body for energy is known as beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) which isn’t determined by Ketostix.

The most accurate and reliable method of determining your ketone levels is using the blood ketone meters. This is a direct way to determine the amount of BHB present found in blood.

For more details on how to check ketones levels, read our detailed article on how to measure ketosis.

Where Can I Find Low Carb and Keto-friendly Recipes?

One quick Google searches for specific keto or low-carb recipe will provide you with thousands of search results. Today, you’ll be capable of finding keto-friendly versions of nearly every high-carb food. For instance french fries, pizza lasagna, pasta cakes, cookies cereals, even ice cream could be keto-friendly (click the links below to learn more about the steps).

Ruled.me offers hundreds of recipes to look over, from breakfast to dinner , and even dessert. Explore the Keto-friendly Recipes section to inspire you at the kitchen!

How Should I Track My Carb Intake?

The most popular method to keep track of your carbohydrate intake is through MyFitnessPal Chronometer and using the Carb Manager app. We have created a complete guide for monitoring carbs with the various apps that is available on on this hyperlink.

Do I Need To Count Calories?

Calories are important, however it doesn’t mean you need to count them to lose weight.

If you are following a ketogenic lifestyle, for instance, you don’t need to be concerned about calories since keto-based foods tend to provide us with energy and help us stay fuller for longer in comparison to processed carbs that are heavily processed.

However, it is possible to consume too much or too few calories while on keto.

If you’re not seeing the results you’d like or if your overall health is declining, you might need to monitor your the calories for a couple of weeks to get an understanding of the amount you’re eating every meal.

Can I Eat Too Much Fat?

In short, you can eat excessive amounts of fat.

If you consume a large amount of dietary fats and calories, you’ll burn off the calories you ate, instead of storing body fat. This can lead to a slowing of losing weight, loss that is stalled or, in certain cases the weight gain.

To aid you in recalibrating your intake of fats to help you rebalance your intake of fats, try this keto calculator. This tool is simple to use and will help you calculate your macros and figure out the amount of proteins, fats and carbs you need to be eating throughout the day.

Remember that when filling this out that you can alter the amounts of protein and carbs (and should do this, according to your level of activity). If you have any queries about this, please contact us via the comments.

How Much Weight Will I Lose on Keto?

The first week of keto the majority of people experience an immediate weight loss of between 2 and 10 pounds. Although this isn’t comparable to the other keto diets the majority of the weight loss is due to the loss of body fluids, not body fat.

After you’ve completed the initial week of ketosis and you’re in ketosis the fat will slowly disappear from the body (as long as you’re in an energy surplus). The average loss of weight at this point is 1 to 2 pounds per week with the majority being due to fat.

However, the amount of weight you shed depends entirely on your body, you and your keto-friendly lifestyle. When you incorporate exercise into your routine, for instance it can increase the rate of fat loss and also preserve muscle mass the process.

If you’re interested in learning more about the results of weight loss using keto, read our guide on dropping weight.

What About High Cholesterol and Heart Attacks From All This Fat?

Current research indicates that the keto diet generally results in the following changes to blood cholesterol:

• It increases HDL cholesterol levels.
• The increase in LDL cholesterol, mostly through the increase in LDL particle sizes. This is likely to be the best option due to the fact that bigger LDL particles are less harmful than smaller ones.
• Lowers levels of triglycerides.

Additionally, keto-based diets can enhance additional risk factors that can lead to coronary heart diseases which include high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes and abdominal weight gain.

In general, there’s ample evidence of high-quality that suggests the keto diet’s ability enhance blood lipids and decrease the risk of developing heart disease in the majority of people. This is especially true when your diet is derived from less processed sources of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated or saturated oils.

The only bad fats that to avoid is artificial trans fats, partly or completely hydrogenated oils, as well as refined oils rich in omega-6 fats.

There are some groups of people who might experience a decline in blood lipid levels when eating a high fat and lower carb diet. This is why it’s vital to keep track of your health prior to making any significant dietary changes.

For a thorough breakdown of the latest research findings and strategies to optimize your cholesterol levels and heart health take a look at these articles:

• The Ketogenic Diet and Cholesterol
• What Is the Best Triglyceride Lowering Diet?
• The Ketogenic Diet and Heart Disease

What Are Macros and Should I Count Them?

“Macros” is the abbreviated word for “macronutrients.” The “big 3” macronutrients comprise proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The majority of our energy is derived from these macronutrients. That’s the reason they are a source of calories in our diet.

Apart from keeping track of ketosis-related carbs Another reason why keto-friendly people keep track of their macronutrients. You’ll be amazed at how it’s so easy to underestimate the amount of carbohydrates and fat we consume from our food choices.

Tracking the number of your keto macros can be helpful in the event that you hit the point of a slowdown with your loss progress.

Actually, it’s among the best ways to reset your keto-friendly eating habits and returning to your weight reduction goals.

Be aware that you’ve got some space with your macros. Most of the time, as long as you’re within 10 grams of your daily intake for protein and fat You’ll be on the right track!

Find an in-depth review of macronutrients, and why they are so important for us when click here.

Should I Limit Protein Intake For Ketosis?

While eating too much protein may reduce your ketone levels, it’s hard to reach this level without trying. As long as you remain within these limits (and limit your carbs to less than 35 grams) then you should not have any issues reaching and staying in ketosis:

• If you’re sedentaryconsume 0.6 to 0.8g in protein for each pounds of body mass.
• If you’re active regularly you should have 0.8 to 1.0g in protein per kilogram of body mass.
• If you are lifting weightstake 1.0 to 1.2g of protein for every kilogram of body mass.

For those who need more specific guidelines for protein intake The best source can be found in the keto calculator. You are then at ease to test more protein intakes and measure your blood ketone levels , if you’re looking to determine your personal limit for protein in ketosis.

What Foods Can I Eat?

It is perhaps the most frequently asked keto question. The most important thing to remember is to avoid carb-rich foods like baked goods, sugars pasta, flour rice grains, potatoes and drinks sweetened with sugar.

It sounds so easy when you think about it as such, but you’ll be shocked by how many carbs are in our most loved food items. The potato chips and tomato sauce as well as salad dressings, contain excessive amounts of carbohydrates in them.

The majority of keto-friendly meals will include fresh cuts of seafood or meat, and non-starchy vegetables, along with cheese, oils, fats, and seasonings or herbs.

Use on this hyperlink for the complete keto food guide to help you begin creating a grocery list and a meal plan. Also, you can find the keto diet pyramid click here.

When you’ve got a better concept of high-carb and. keto-friendly foods I suggest you learn more about keto-friendly foods along with the lazy and dirty method to help you build an enlightened keto lifestyle that suits your lifestyle as well as your food choices. For more information about clean keto food and convenient options take a look at our clean and dirty guide. dirt guide.

Do You Have a Sample Menu I Can Look At?

To find all of the recipes that are that are keto-friendly go through our recipes catalog.

If you’re looking to find keto-friendly options for a particular meal or meal, follow the link below:

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Snacks
• Dinner
• Sides
• Dessert

Remember that the quantity of fats, calories protein, carbs, and calories vary for each person. Make use of this keto-friendly calculator and break down your macros into your top keto recipes to discover the meal plan that your individual could be like.

Is There A Free Keto Diet Plan I Can Try?

If you’re seeking a way to try keto for yourself We’ve created the 14-day Keto Diet Plan with the shopping list as well as a budget breakdown. This will allow you to get an picture of what an average keto-friendly person eats regularly and how that affects the calculation of your macros.

The main thing to remember to keto meal plans such as this is to work with your macros. This means that you can adjust portions to increase or lower.

You might need to adjust the fat content (taking off cheese, fats/oils or adding cheese) or alter the protein levels to meet your requirements, and then adjust the carb count as needed.

Can I Do Keto If I Don’t Eat Dairy?

Although butter, cheese, and cream are staples of our lives It is actually quite simple to achieve keto-friendly eating and not rely on dairy.

Consume your fats from coconut avocado, olive, and coconut foods, low-carb nuts and nuts and butters fresh cuts of beef, and fish that is fatty. Cook your food using olive oil that is extra virgin as well as refined coconut oil and you can also try coconut cream as a replacement of heavy cream. (There are many keto-friendly keto-friendly cheeses made from plants you could try.)

To get a complete guide to dairy-free keto, follow here.

Can I Do Keto If I’m A Vegetarian/Vegan?

The option of going vegetarian or plant-based on the keto diet is feasible however it requires some more planning and a careful selection of food. As a typical ketogenic diet generally focuses on meat as well as dairy and seafood as the main proteins and fats It is essential to ensure that you’re receiving enough protein and nutrition without excessive carbs.

Here’s a link to our keto vegetarian guide for a thorough description of how you can get it to work for you.

Dieting vegan keto requires a second step in conscious food choices and meal planning in order to pull it off with success. To get a thorough guide to implementing ketogenic veganism go to here.

Can I Use Intermittent Fasting on Keto?

Yes the keto and intermittent fasting diets are great when they are combined!

In addition, intermittent fasting can aid in boosting the levels of ketone and ketosis can allow you to fast more time without becoming hungry or exhausted.

For an in-depth guide to integrating the two diets look into the keto intermittent fasting guide.

I Just Started to Feel Like Crap. Is This the Keto Flu & What Should I Do?

Keto novices typically experience symptoms resembling flu like headaches, fatigue as well as “brain fogginess” as their body adapts to ketosis and carbohydrate restriction. It is usually due to the rapid excretion of electrolytes and water.

This can be resolved by drinking plenty of water and eating lots of electrolytes (i.e. broth, salty food items such as bacon and deli meats avocado, salted nuts along with keto chocolate). These are all good foods to consume during your transition into ketosis in order to be more comfortable and perform better.

MCT oil and keto electrolyte supplementation are two other known solutions that aid in the keto adapting process. There is a complete piece on the keto flu and its signs and treatment options by clicking here.

What Can I Do If I Am Constipated?

It’s quite common for people who are just beginning keto to experience irregular stool movements. Here is a list of general guidelines for those looking who suffer from constipation or bowel issues:

• Drink plenty of water containing electrolytes
• Take in more low-carb veggies as well as nuts and seeds
• Try tea or coffee
• Consider a magnesium supplement
• Consume a psyllium husk fiber supplement

Can I Drink Alcohol On This Diet?

Alcohol is a drink that can be enjoyed when you are on keto, but it is important to be aware. The majority of alcohol-based drinks are loaded with sugar and calories to affect keto’s results.

The most important thing to remember is to stay with soft liquor that is not flavored. Beer, wine and cocktails all contain carbohydrates. Clear liquor is the best bet, however, make sure that you steer away from liquors with flavors, since they’re loaded with sugar in their ingredients.

For specific alcohol drink suggestions and suggestions, read our keto guide and alcohol..

I Stopped Losing Weight. What Can I Do?

The plateaus in weight loss are more frequent than you imagine. There are many ways to help to break through the plateau – from removing certain foods of your diet, to altering your eating habits through intermittent fasting, or fat fasting.

Here’s a list that includes common recommendations that are typically offered to those who aren’t losing weight:

• Recalculate and monitor your macros for a couple of weeks to reset your macros
• Remove some dairy
• Reduce the amount of fat or oil you put into your meals.
• Reduce your intake of carbs
• Stop eating nuts
• Stop eating gluten
• Remove artificial sweeteners
• Be on the lookout for hidden carbs
• Start removing processed foods out of your diet
• Change to measuring instead of weighting.
• Begin your day by drinking a cup of coffee, ketogenic MCTs and keto followed by a workout

To find out more, read our comprehensive piece on plateaus in weight loss and the best way to break them.

I Am Gaining Weight On Keto. What Should I Do?

If you’re experiencing an unexpected increase in weight, they are likely to be the main causes:

• Too much oil or fat in meals
• Not getting enough micronutrient-rich food
• Foods with high fat and calories without taking note of the portions
• Food overindulgence during cheat day(s)
• Alcohol consumption that is excessive
• Inattention to the importance of sleep quality and stress relief
• Physically less active than normal
• Too many carbs
  

Begin with the most simple solution for your life and take that momentum and build from there.

For instance, sometimes the only thing you need is less than 1-2 tablespoons of oil or butter in your food to stimulate weight loss.

To find out more about the causes of and remedies for sudden weight gain (as well as appetite) on keto, visit this hyperlink.

Can Athletes, Weightlifters, And Runners Follow Keto?

If your family performs lots of cardio – like endurance biking, endurance running marathons, triathlons and the like it’s not a reason to be concerned. Research has shown that aerobic training (endurance fitness) doesn’t suffer from diets that are low in carbohydrates. (Here’s an article that goes into greater detail about training with ketogenic diets.)

But, if you’re working in high-intensity workouts, like intense sprinting, weightlifting, and high-intensity interval training carbohydrates will aid in your workout performance and recovery. This means faster gains and improved strength and performance during your training sessions. If you’re looking to include carbs into your diet to improve high-intensity training There are two main strategies: TKD and CKD.

• The TKD is a specific ketogenic diet that allows you to strategically focus on carbs prior to your training. It will provide the muscles rapid-burning glucose they require to sustain the intensity of your workout. After it has been consumed after finishing your exercise and your body starts to ramp up the production of ketone and again. For more information, you can look up the ketogenic diet targeted to you via the link below.
• CKD is an cyclical ketogenic diet. It is primarily for bodybuilding and athletes who wish to adhere to ketogenic diets while creating muscle by doing high-intensity exercises. It can also be used to reduce or increase the weight of water in the event of weigh-ins or aesthetics. This method requires you to remain on a regular ketogenic diet over a certain amount of duration (usually five weeks) and then follow what’s known as an carb-up (usually two days or on the weekend). When you are on the case of a CKD it is basically replenishing your glycogen reserves for intense training sessions during the week. Learn more about the ketogenic cycle in my article.

To find everything you need to know about working out on ketogenic diet all in one place, read our comprehensive guide to ketogenic diet..

What Will Keto Do To My Blood Sugar Levels?

A reduction in carbohydrate intake generally leads to a reduction of blood sugar levels. This is the reason why diets that restrict the amount of carbs consumed are frequently suggested for the management of type 2 diabetes. They can also be utilized as a way to lower the amount of insulin required for the type one diabetes.

Some studies suggest keto-based diet is effective in treats and, in certain instances reverses type 2 diabetes..

What Supplements Should I Take?

Sometimes we experience cramps or not feeling “right” after starting a ketogenic diet. A few supplements commonly recommended for keto-eaters include:

• Multivitamin for Women
• Multivitamin for Men
• Magnesium Supplement
• Vitamin B Complex
• Vitamin D Supplement
• Potassium Supplement

Always consult with your doctor before adding vitamins to your diet.

For a comprehensive analysis of the top supplements for your keto diet read our keto supplement guide to keto supplements..

Should I Take Exogenous Ketones And/Or MCT Oil?

You’ll find a myriad of keto diet pills which claim to increase the ketosis process and help in losing fat like keto pill, exogenous ketones salt powders and MCT oils.

The exogenous ketones and keto pills can increase ketosis, however they also hinder the natural capacity of your body to create ketones during the process. This is the reason why we suggest the ketogenic supplementation of your diet moderate chain triglycerides (MCTs)if you want to increase ketosis levels and levels of energy.

Ketogenic MCTs are a kind of saturated fat that is directly absorbed by the liver, and then converted into ketones. In a nutshell eating ketogenic MCTs will increase the production of ketones and help your body’s capacity to maintain and enter ketosis. However, keto pills and exogenous ketones won’t.

To get a deeper understanding of ketones and other supplements that boost ketone levels, look up our extensive piece on ketones.

Can I Eat Sugar-Free Sweeteners And Sugar Alcohols On Keto?

But there are a few exceptions. Not the majority of “sugar-free” sweeteners and sugar alcohols have the same negative impact for our health. There are plenty of sugar alcohols and sweeteners with low calories available today which will add more net carbs to our diets than what is stated on their labels.

This is why we suggest sticking to pure erythritol monk fruit extract and Stevia (or an amalgam of these keto-based sweeteners) since they aren’t likely to result in blood sugar or insulin spikes. When they are used together they eliminate the bitter taste that each of them has and sweeten perfect.

To get a complete overview of the most effective and harmful sweeteners that keto can use, click here. The article below will go over each sweetener we recommend and its carb contents and glycemic index. We provide you with a better understanding of the best sweeteners to utilize and what you should stay clear of.

Common Keto Diet Terms and What They Mean

• AS The term “HTML0” is Artificial Sweetener, which is an ingredient that doesn’t naturally exist and is utilized to sweeten our food with a lower or no carbs.
• BHB: Beta-hydroxybutyrate. The primary ketone our body uses to generate energy. The most important ingredient in exogenous ketones (which do not require any).
• BPC BPC is also known by the name of Bulletproof coffee. We have modified this recipe in order to make it ketogenic by using the help of our Ketoproof Coffee recipe. In essence, you’ll blend organic butter from the grass, MCT oils and coffee using an emulsion mixer to increase the amount of fat in your diet and increase ketone levels and provide you with an “full” feeling through the morning.
• CICO: Calories in, calories out. The principle is that stored energy equals energy in – energy expended.
• CSS0_CKD: Cyclical ketogenic diet. The keto diet is a combination of a traditional diet and a more carb-rich diet to aid in high-intensity exercise performance.
• Fat Bomb: They are usually with fats and oils to increase our calories for the day. There are people who struggle to keep the pace with their fat intake and so they create fat bombs to assist them. Here’s a delicious Fat Bomb recipe to test. There are more recipes and recipes for DIY inside the keto fat bombs guide.
• Gluconeogenesis is the biochemical process that breaks the amino acid into glucose. Visit this page to know more about this process.
• Glycolysis The biochemical process that breaks the glucose down into energy.
• HWC It stands for the heavy Whipping Cream. It is a regular cream, which for many people, has become a common essential in our coffee and keto diet.
• IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome. It is a matter of personal preference. keto may help improve IBS symptoms or cause them to worsen.
• IF Abbreviation for intermittent fasting. It is a type of diet which can be utilized to improve ketosis and fat loss. There are a variety of IF methods and the most popular one is having a 16-hour fasting period and then an 8-hour food time. Learn more by looking through our entire guide on ketogenic IF.
• IR This is a reference with diabetes resistance. This occurs when your body’s cells are unable to properly respond to the hormone insulin.
• Keto: Ketogenic. A term used to describe a shorthand used by many people.
• Ketoacidosis: an endocrine condition that occurs when an abnormally large amount of ketone bodies can cause blood acidity (which could be fatal). This is usually only seen in people with diabetes.
• LCHF: Low Carb High Fat. This is the best sustainable way to achieve ketosis through nutrition.
• MCT: Medium Chain Triglyceride. They can increase your metabolism and are quite distinctive. After they have been metabolized they are converted into ketones in a matter of minutes. The most effective MCTs to boost the production of ketones are caprylic acid (C8) as well as capsric acid (C10).
• Micro: Micronutrients. Minerals and vitamins that are found in our food.
• Net Carb Carbohydrates found in food items that could adversely affect ketosis. To calculate the net carbohydrate amount in any particular food product you must subtract the number of grams “Dietary Fiber” from the quantity of grams that make up “Total Carbohydrate.”
• NSV: Non-scale victory.
• RDV Daily value recommended.
• SAD: Standard American Diet. The most common diet of Americans.
• CSS: This is a reference to Sugar-Free. There are many sugar-free products that lots of people eat, usually with artificial sweeteners.
• TKD: Targeted ketogenic diet. The consumption of carbs prior to the exercise. It is usually used for moderate-to-high intensity exercises when a normal ketogenic diet does not provide enough energy to complete these workouts.
• WOE: Way of Eating. It is a simple word used to refer to the diet of a person.

Terms Related Fat and Fat Intake

Triglycerides 3 fatty acids that are attached to the backbone of glycerol.

Fatty acid: the oils we absorb from the food that we consume. The three most important fats that we consume from food include:

• “MUFA— Monounsaturated fat acid.
• SFA – SFA- Saturated fat acid.
• “PUFA” is Polyunsaturated fat. Two types of polyunsaturated fatty acids are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 – Omega 3 Fatty Acid. There are three kinds:

• EPA— Eicosapentaenoic acid.
• DHA Docosahexaenoic acid.
• ALAlpha-linolenic acid. It is only available in seeds and nuts.

Omega-6 – Omega 6 Fatty Acid. Below are the top popular kinds:

• GLA Gamma-linolenic acid.
• CLA Conjugated Linoleic Acid.
• LA – Linoleic acid.
• AR(or ARA) Arachidonic acid.