Weight loss can be incredibly difficult at any age, but it’s especially hard as you get older. If you keep track of the latest diets, you’ve probably heard about people having success on the keto diet which is a great diet to try out. A ketogenic diet is a low-carb plan that gets your body to burn fat instead of the glucose you’d normally burn from foods with carbohydrates. If this sounds like a diet you’d like to try but aren’t sure, here are seven ways to know if the keto diet is the right decision for you.
Before you decide to start a ketogenic diet, you need to talk to your doctor. Although some physicians may be neutral on the subject of diets, you need to know if you’re physically in a good place to begin. If your cholesterol levels are normal and you have no kidney or digestive problems, you’re ready to take on keto. Remember to read and learn all you can in order to do the diet correctly and so you know how to count your macronutrients.
You’ve Talked to Your Doctor
You Truly Enjoy the Menu
Lucky for you, the keto diet allows for hearty and satisfying foods that will keep you from cheating between meals. You’ll be able to enjoy meats, a variety of vegetables, real butter and heavy cream. As for snacking, if you’re wondering is popcorn keto diet-approved, you’ll be surprised to learn that yes, you can make room for it on this plan! You’ve probably also heard that bacon is permitted on this diet and while that’s true, you don’t want to go overboard. If you enjoy foods like steak, broccoli, cheese, leafy greens and avocados, the keto diet may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Delicious foods are one of the most powerful selling points for the keto diet. Who wouldn’t enjoy a diet that allows for such creamy and satisfying dishes? The key to succeeding on a high fat diet is understanding that just because certain foods are allowed, it isn’t a free-for-all. It means that you still must demonstrate self-control and use sensible portions. You also need to remember to include greens, vegetables and traditional “healthy” foods to lose weight. If you accept that high fat will keep you satisfied and you trust the keto process, this diet will be a winner for you.
You Have Self-Control
You Love Cooking
With all this delicious food to eat, someone has to do the cooking! If you love spending time in the kitchen, you’ll adore this diet. Many people prefer to cook their meals ahead of time and place them in ready-to-go individual containers. This makes mealtime effortless during a busy work week and provides you with the correct portions. You also get to try as many new ketogenic recipes as you’d like and even baked goods made with almond flour!
One of the best signs that the keto diet is for you is that you start losing weight. When you begin drastically restricting carbohydrates, your body will enter what’s called a state of ketosis. This means that your body converts that fat you eat into something called ketones, which it burns as fuel. This allows you to begin losing weight quickly and if you continue to lose 1-2 pounds per week, you’ll know that this diet is a success.
You’re Losing Weight
You’re Intrigued by Fasting
While fasting isn’t required on the keto diet, it can be an effective addition. Intermittent fasting really boosts weight loss and it’s very easy to do. You have a fasting period, which includes when you sleep, and an eating window of 8-10 hours when you eat your normal keto meals. Many people choose the 16/8 schedule which is fasting from 8:00 pm until noon the next day. You then eat between noon and 8:00 pm that night when you resume fasting. It’s as easy as that!
Any diet you embark on is a major part of your life, so it’s pretty difficult to keep it to yourself. When someone else in the house wants to do the diet with you, it can be extremely motivating and you can work on it together. If you’re the only one doing keto, it’s still very important to have a support system. Living with someone that understands the ins and outs of keto and cheers you on, can be the incentive you need to lose that weight.
You Have a Support System
You Want To Succeed
The keto diet is not a difficult diet to follow, but in order for it to work, you must set yourself up for success. Talk to your doctor first, then get a real understanding for the foods you’ll be eating and why they’re important. Once you begin your new keto lifestyle, you’ll be able to decide if this delicious new way of life is for you.
