1. Intro: What is the keto diet?

What “keto” means Ketosis The “keto” in a ketogenic diet comes from the fact that it allows the body to produce small fuel molecules called “ketones”.2 This is an alternative fuel source for the body, used when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. Ketones are produced if you eat very few carbs (that are quickly broken down into blood sugar) and only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can also be converted to blood sugar). The liver produces ketones from fat. These ketones then serve as a fuel source throughout the body, especially for the brain. The brain is a hungry organ that consumes lots of energy every day, and it can’t run on fat directly. It can only run on glucose… or ketones.

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2. What to eat on a keto diet Here are typical foods to enjoy on a ketogenic diet. The numbers are net carbs, i.e. digestible carbs, per 100 grams.10 To remain in ketosis, lower is generally better: The most important thing for reaching ketosis is to avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll probably need to keep carb intake under 50 grams per day of net carbs, ideally below 20 grams. The fewer carbs, the more effective it appears to be for reaching ketosis, losing weight or reversing type 2 diabetes. This means that on a keto diet you’ll basically need to avoid sugary foods completely, as well as starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Also avoid processed foods, and instead follow our keto diet advice. Furthermore, the food should primarily be high in fat, and only moderately high in protein, as excess protein can be converted to blood sugar in the body. Avoid low-fat diet products. A rough guideline is about 5% energy from carbohydrates (the fewer carbs, the more effective), 15-25% from protein, and around 75% from fat.

#1. Eat Foods That Burn Belly Fat

Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan

Switching over to a ketogenic diet can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Your focus should be on reducing carbs while increasing the fat and protein content of meals and snacks. In order to reach and remain in a state of ketosis, carbs must be restricted. While certain people might only achieve ketosis by eating less than 20 grams of carbs per day, others may be successful with a much higher carb intake.

A Sample Keto Menu for One Week

The following menu provides less than 50 grams of total carbs per day. As mentioned above, some people may have to reduce carbohydrates even further in order to reach ketosis. This is a general one-week ketogenic menu that can be altered depending on individual dietary needs.

#2. Avoid Foods That Cause Belly Fat

#3. Do Exercises That Help You Lose Belly Fat

If you want to know how to get flat stomach, there are some foods you should be avoiding. The best diet to lose belly fat involves phasing these foods out by filling your diet with the healthy ingredients in our “Top 10 Foods That Burn Belly Fat” section above.

Claims of “Drink this, lose weight!” generally sound too good to be true for a reason. One recent study of 14 people showed that those who drank a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before a meal had lower blood glucose levels. This may be because vinegar interfered with the body’s digestion of starch. “By blocking digestion of starch, that would result in a calorie reduction of your meal,” Cimperman says. “So that’s possibly where [those weight claims] came from, but it’s hard for me to say.” Other minor studies have shown similar benefits, but Cimperman says weight loss claims, “often grow out of a very small study that gets blown out of proportion.”

The Sketchy Claims Surrounding Apple Cider Vinegar

Lauded as a way to improve everything from weight loss to indigestion, apple cider vinegar has even been said to help people control diabetes. “But the fact is that we don’t have the research to uphold any of these claims,” Cimperman says.

In fact, apple cider vinegar might make some health conditions worse — particularly if consumed in excess. “People tend to think more is always better but if individuals were to take in large amounts of apple cider vinegar, it could cause severe negative health consequences,” Cimperman says. “For example…[consumed] in tablet form, there have been reports of it burning an individual’s esophagus because it is highly acidic.”

 

The Keto Meal Plan for Beginners

Have a Keto Meal Plan When it comes to starting the keto diet (or any diet for that matter), there's one thing all experts agree on. You *must* have a plan. "Never try to wing a keto diet," says Julie Stefanski, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D.N., a dietitian based in York, PA, who specializes in the ketogenic diet. "Set a start date and get prepared by reorganizing your pantry, planning out meal and snack options, and purchasing appropriate foods and dietary supplements," she says. "The biggest reason people have a hard time sticking with keto is that people don't have enough interesting foods to turn to, and high-carb favorites win out over good intention. If you didn't buy foods at the grocery store that fit the guidelines, there won't be an easy option in the fridge when you really need it." (A great place to start is this List of High-Fat Keto Foods Anyone Can Add to Their Diet.) What's more, it's especially important to make sure your diet is well-planned when you're eating keto-style, because the foods you can choose from are limited. In addition to checking in with a dietitian if you're able, Stefanski recommends that you "talk to your doctor and make sure she or he is aware that you'll be starting a diet that completely changes how your body metabolizes energy." You might also want to check your most recent bloodwork levels for things such as cholesterol, vitamin D, and other indicators of health because these can change while on keto. That's because for some people, a prolonged keto diet can result in certain nutritional deficiencies or even high cholesterol. But most experts will tell you that the ketogenic diet is not a permanent lifestyle change (as could be the case for something like the 80/20 approach to eating or a Mediterranean eating style).

Keto Foods Meal Plan

While it will probably take a little bit of trial and error to figure out your go-to meals while doing keto, here's a sample keto meal plan to get you started. Breakfast Option 1: Spinach, mushroom, and feta omelet with keto coffee (coffee with adding fat such as MCT oil, butter, or bone broth protein). "This breakfast is a good source of protein and healthy fats that will keep you feeling full to curb midmorning cravings," says Dr. Axe. Option 2: Whole milk, unsweetened yogurt mixed with full-fat sour cream, a few raspberries, chia seeds, and walnuts. "This type of combo requires careful carb- and portion-counting since all yogurts naturally have lactose, which is a carb," says Stefanski. "Pairing it with a carb-free protein like two eggs can help balance out the macros." Lunch Option 1: Oven-baked salmon with broccoli. "This lunch features salmon, which is high in heart-healthy fats, as well as broccoli, which is low in carbs but high in fiber," says Dr. Axe. Option 2: Stefanski suggests a salad with nitrate-free bacon, avocado, cheese, spicy pumpkin seeds, and a few grape tomatoes along with a low-carb, high-fat salad dressing like ranch or blue cheese. Option 3: "Make your own keto 'lunchable' with cubes of grilled chicken, a slice of nitrate-free ham, cheese cubes, pickle slices, a hard-boiled egg, a few raw grape tomatoes, raw veggies like cauliflower or broccoli, a few almonds or walnuts, guacamole, and ranch dressing," says Stefanski. (Looking for something meat-free? Here are 29 Vegetarian Keto Recipes for Plant-Based Eaters.)

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