The ketogenic diet is a type of high-fat, low-carbohydrate restrictive diet. While it is a quick method to lose weight, doing it wrong can simply hinder the possibility of weight loss.
In this diet you will have to eliminate a large amount of vegetables, limit fruits and cereals, as well as sauces, juices and sweets.
Doing so will lead you into ketosis, the metabolic state that triggers your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. But mistakes in doing it can cause other unwanted changes in your body.
If you are a beginner on the ketogenic diet, you will need to avoid these mistakes to get it right.
7 Common Mistakes When Going On The Keto Diet
However, because carbohydrates are found in almost all foods and fats come in various forms (not all are healthy fats), it can be easy to make mistakes. The following are the most common mistakes on the keto diet:
1. Excess unhealthy fats
Foods with saturated and trans fats such as red meats, cold cuts, bacon, margarine can be part of the keto diet but in very small amounts. Consuming these types of fats is associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancer and heart disease.
If you are about to start the ketogenic diet, be sure to consume healthy fats found in coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts .
2. Not drinking enough water
One of the most common keto mistakes is not getting enough fluids. The drastic reduction in carbohydrate intake on the ketogenic diet can cause changes in the fluid balance in the body.
Carbohydrates are stored together with water in the body. When eliminating them, the water is lost along with them. So by doing the ketogenic diet, dehydration is a symptoms of starting the keto diet, and getting into ketosis. Thus, make sure to increase the amount of water you drink per day.
3. Not eating vegetables or fruits
Most fruits and vegetables have carbohydrates. So when doing the ketogenic diet you have to limit them accordingly. However, it is not about eliminating them completely from the diet. If you’re a keto beginner, be sure to educate yourself about low carb fruits that you can eat while following this low-carb regimen.
In addition, certain green foods, leaves, broccoli, lettuce, asparagus, are low in carbs, and they are keto-friendly and help prevent constipation.
4. Obsessing with counting net carbs and forgetting food quality
Obsessing over counting net carbs is one of the most common mistakes made by beginners. While it is an important parameter for entering ketosis, it is not the only factor.
By counting macros you make sure your glucose levels are low. But if you do not provide enough vitamins, and healthy fats such as Omega-3, you can surely have consequences in the body due to a lack of nutrients.
Reducing the amount of carbohydrates can help you not only lose weight but also prevent diabetes, but if you do not provide quality foods that provide essential nutrients, your metabolism will be impaired.
5. Do not increase the amount of electrolytes
The electrolytes are essential minerals to maintain water balance in your body. When doing the ketogenic diet, these are more difficult to retain and are eliminated through the urine.
An easy way to avoid this mistake is to increase the amount of salt in your food. In addition, you can prepare isotonic drinks (make sure not to add sugar) and combine them with keto supplements.
6. Forget eating foods rich in Omega-3
Choosing the wrong fats is one of the most common mistakes by keto beginners. When starting keto, be sure to eat foods rich in Omega-3 . In particular those that contain EPA, ALA and DHA.
Some examples of foods are fish meats: tuna, salmon and seafood. If you decide on a vegetarian ketogenic diet, you can incorporate chia seeds or chia oil into your diet. Other foods with Omega-3 vegetables are flax seeds and avocados.
7. Overdoing it with the amount of sugar substitutes
Most sugar substitutes are low in carbohydrates, which is why they are allowed on the ketogenic diet. The problem with overdoing it isn’t that it can get you out of ketosis; rather, they can generate an addiction to the stimulus of sweet foods.
In fact, there are several studies that state when it comes to losing weight, sweeteners ought to be consumed in moderation. The reason is that apparently when the sweet taste reaches the mouth, the brain triggers similar mechanisms in the body to those that occur when we eat sugar. (4,5)
When the brain gets used to this stimulus, it automatically goes on auto-pilot searching for carbohydrates. For this reason, one of the common mistakes when doing the keto diet is consuming excess keto sweeteners.
Creating a keto menu with a nutritionist can help reduce mistakes
The ketogenic diet can be used as a treatment for people who are overweight and obese. It can also be a method used to prevent insulin resistance. However, doing it alone and not consulting a nutritionist or specialized in the subject can be risky.
A doctor or specialized nutritionist can help you avoid the most common mistakes when doing this diet. It is true that some do not agree with addressing being overweight with restrictive diets, particularly if you take medications, so it is recommended that you consult with a professional who can give you a personalized plan fitted to your individual body, and health state.
Summary
The ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate regimen to shed excess body fat . However, a beginner often makes a number of mistakes when doing this diet.
The most common are a poor choice in fats, as well as a lack of vegetables and fruits. Errors in the ketogenic diet can lead to a lack of nutrients and cause unwanted side effects.
Following a custom keto plan tailored for your body is always better than the classic plan. As always, the devil is in the details
