Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss | 101 Keto Diet for Beginners

I am pretty sure that you stumbled here looking for quick ways to lose weight. Let me guess, you have tried dieting a lot of times, but you did not lose weight and instead gained some in pursuit of finding mental peace. You have sweated in gyms, plunging through leg days, back days, etc but you gave up. 

Well, you are not alone. Our co-author, and founder of Ketorets, Rahul Kamra was there too. 

And honestly, so was I. 

All thanks to the peaking fast-food culture and to our sedentary lifestyles. 

Not only does it make it harder for foodies like us to move (in life and our physical state), but it also comes with serious health risks. 

A single popcorn tub that you cherish during a movie stuffs your blood vessels with over 50 grams of saturated fat (unhealthy fat). Know that this single tub contains 3 times the daily limit of saturated fat. ^[1][2]

Today, there is so much more content on the internet on weight loss, than there was a decade ago. All these provide different ways and diets for weight loss. And among those many ways of losing weight, the Keto diet has been making a well-deserved buzz. The concept of eating high-fat foods and restricting carbohydrates may sound counterintuitive, but this diet has taken the health world by storm with its impressive results.

So, what is it? How does it make the impossible change happen? Is your body ready for it? We’ll answer all these questions and sprinkle them with a few delicious keto recipes in this blog with Rahul Kamra. 

Keto Diet – Where has it come from? 

In the 1920s, modern physicians came up with a diet plan to mimic the impact of fasting on metabolism and epilepsy. It was named as ‘Ketogenic Diet’. It got all the attention it could for two decades and then got lost, until now.  ^[3]

The research found that the human body starts burning its own stored fat when it is starved of carbs. 

In 1923, Dr Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic created the classic KD to combat epilepsy, marking a pioneering moment in the history of medical science.

What is Keto Diet? 

Keto found its way into the world when a group of physicians found out the many benefits of fasting. They tried to replicate it without requiring them to do actual fasting. The resulting diet was called the ‘Ketogenic diet’.

A ketogenic diet simply put, is a type of diet that focuses on taking higher amounts of fats and significantly lower amounts of carbs. It stands on a few basic things:

• High-fat (60-85%)
• Moderate protein (12-30%)
• And low carb (5-15%)

Now, this depends on your body’s requirements, your insulin resistance, how it absorbs carbohydrates, etc. 

The important do’s for your Keto diet are: 

• Your diet should be extremely low in carbohydrates
• You should be fasting and if not, you should be on a high fats diet 
• You must check your Keto Meters- meaning knowing whether your body is in Ketosis or not.

Let’s understand two important terms of the Keto diet–Ketones and Ketosis

So, following a ketogenic diet pushes our bodies into a state known as ‘Ketosis’.  

Let’s briefly understand Ketosis.

Ketosis is a metabolic state when our body uses its own fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. When a body remains in a certain metabolic state, it means that it primarily uses a specific source (carbs, protein, or fat) to fuel itself. 

When we severely limit carbs to the human body, it breaks down the fatty acids inside the liver and produces Ketones. This state makes our bodies efficient in burning fat and thus leads to many health-related benefits such as weight loss. 

Now, what are Ketones? 

Ketones are molecules, which are produced as a byproduct by the liver using the body’s stored fat. 

So, in short, a keto diet is a high-fat and low-carb diet that pushes your body’s ability to burn its own fat, thereby leading to weight loss and numerous other benefits.

Types of Keto Diet 

Since the time this diet was created, it has gone through many reforms to serve different purposes. Today, there are several types of Keto diets including:

1. Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is the most common among all diets and involves 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs. If you are looking to lose those love handles and your overall weight, then SKD is for you.
2. Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): Meant for those who love to keep their bodies moving and stay physically active, this diet involves consuming a small number of carbs around workouts to provide the energy required for intense physical activity. 
3. Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD): This diet, as the name suggests, is a blend of SKD and TKD and rotates between high-fat and low-fat intake. For example, you may have a 5-day SKD cycle and then high-carb for the rest two days. It is meant for people in professions like bodybuilding where the high-carb intake period helps replenishes glycogen stores and support muscle growth. 
4. High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HKD): If you love those shredded muscles, you must go for this diet. In HKD, we increase the protein intake up to 35% by lowering down fat-intake to 60%; carbs stay at 5%.
5. Modified Ketogenic Diet: This can be considered as a customization of keto and is usually done in a clinical setting to fulfil different needs. 

Know that diets other than SKD have not been studied well.

Now, that you have learned about the basics of the Ketogenic diet, let’s learn about how it helps in weight loss. 

How does Keto diet help in weight loss?

The human body consumes two types of nutrients to fuel itself and function:

• Macronutrients: Carbs, Fats, and Protein
• Micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, and water

Macronutrients are the main fuel source for our bodies. Out of these, carbs are converted into glucose and thus used as the primary source of energy. But this is not what happens in Ketosis, as we’ve understood earlier. 

When we consume a diet high in fats and low in carbs and protein, our body is pushed to use its own fat, which gradually results in weight loss. Because our bodies don’t get enough carbs (which typically remain below 50gms per day), it leads to a reduction in insulin levels too. And what happens next then? Our bodies become efficient in burning fat.

How to start practicing the Keto diet? 

We’ve learned in the earlier section the human body depends on two types of nutrients: micro and macro. 

The Keto diet is all about making changes to the macronutrients, which include fat, protein, and carbs. However, this should not mean that you forget about the essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). 

Here is how beginners should start practicing it:

• The first step is to know how much macronutrients your body needs. This depends on several factors like age, weight, height, etc. Use an online calculator and learn how many calories you need for yourself. 
• The next step is to divide your calories into how much carb, fat, and protein you need. Here is how many calories 1 gram of each contains:
  • Carb – 4 calories
  • Protein – 4 calories
  • Fat – 9 calories
• Once you are aware of how much fat you need (typically 75% in SKD), it is time to choose the right food for your needs. We’ve discussed them below. There are many websites also that let you calculate your fat, protein, and carb intake from different foods.
• While making changes to your diet, make sure that you are taking enough vitamins and minerals as recommended by FDA on a daily basis. This will ensure that when you go into the state of Ketosis, your body has the required micro-nutrients to function well.
• Do not make a sudden shift; instead, make a gradual shift to let your body adapt to its new diet. 
• Keep monitoring your ketone levels using a ketone meter or blood, urine, and breath test. This will ensure that you are on track.

The ketogenic diet can cause foul-smelling breath, also known as “keto breath”, due to the production of ketones.

Now, the main focus of the ketogenic diet is to increase the fat intake up to 75% and lowering carbs to as low as 5%. This means making changes to the foods to prefer and foods to avoid. 

Let’s start with the keto diet food list that proves super beneficial for those practicing it.

Foods to Eat on Keto Diet 

Many people hold this misconception that because the Keto diet is a high-fat diet, you can chug up on any sort of fat. No! There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. 

What you need to do is to increase your intake of good fats. Here are the types of fat we are referring to:

Healthy fats

• Good fats, also known as unsaturated fats, are found in foods such as nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, and olive oil. These fats can help lower cholesterol levels, improve heart health, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. 
• Unsaturated fats can be further divided into two types: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
• Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. They can help lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and increase good cholesterol levels (HDL). Polyunsaturated fats are found in foods such as fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. They contain essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, which are important for brain function, reducing inflammation, and improving heart health.

Unhealthy fats

These are also known as saturated and trans fats and are found in foods such as fatty meats, and processed foods. These fats can increase bad cholesterol levels, contribute to clogged arteries, and increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions. 

Good-fat food to include in your keto diet

In this list, we’ll only be including the good fat. But don’t you worry, we’ll also reveal to you the food items that contain unhealthy fat. 

Vegetarian	Non-Vegetarian
High-fat dairy products: Cheese Milk Butter Ghee Heavy cream Yoghurt and curd Paneer Fresh Cream	Fish and seafood: Salmon Tuna Trout Mackerel Shrimp, etc.
Healthy cold-pressed oils such as olive oil, almond oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc.	Meat such as pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, etc. Know that red and processed meat has been found not so beneficial for health in recent studies. [4]
Nuts and seeds such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.	Eggs
Vegetables low in carbs (for micronutrients) such as spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
Condiments such as salt, herbs, and all spices.
You may also eat berries in moderation. Unsweetened almond and coconut milk
For sweeteners, if you can’t smile without them, opt for low-caloric sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, dark chocolate, monk fruit, etc.

If you are allergic to nuts or are lactose intolerant, go for other sources written above such as seeds, oils, vegetables, etc.

Unhealthy Fats to steer clear of

Trans fat is the worst kind of fat that you can curse your body with. It is typically found in these food items:

• Fried foods
• Baked goods

Whenever you buy something, check its label to know the presence of trans fat. Know that even if a food is listed as “trans-fat-free,” it may still contain small amounts of trans fats. So, it’s best to check the ingredients list carefully, or even stay away from packed and processed foods. 

Now, let’s learn about the food items that you must run away from (literally if you can).

Foods to avoid in the keto diet

There are foods that we’ve already seen we must stay away from, no matter if we are on a ketogenic diet or not. But, there are also healthy food items that must be avoided due to their high-carb content. 

• High-caloric sugary foods such as soda, ice cream, cake, or even that little tempting candy
• Grains and starches such as rice, pasta, wheat-based products, cereals, etc.
• All kinds of beans and legumes such as peas, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.
• Root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, parsnips, etc.
• A big no to beer and other sugary cocktails. Sorry! 
• All fruits except tiny portions of berries in moderation
• Some condiments and sauces such as barbeque sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc.

A quick tip to identify saturated and unsaturated fat is to check if they are solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature whereas saturated fats are typically solid.

A simple key to knowing what foods to choose and what to avoid is to know their carb and fat content. Foods high in carbs are a big no. Look for food items that are blessed with high-quality unsaturated fats.

Today, more and more people are embracing this magical diet for the many benefits it blesses us with. Not only weight loss, but studies have also found the keto diet to be helpful in many other areas as well. Let’s have a look at several keto diet’s advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits of the Keto Diet

When it was first created in the early 1920s, the motive was to help those suffering from seizures and epilepsy. However, over time, studies keep on coming and revealing its many other benefits. Today, the keto diet has become a big name in the conversations of health-conscious minds. Here is a list of keto diet benefits that studies have found so far:

1 – Weight loss

If today there is something that the world is suffering most from, it is excessive weight or obesity. Obesity has proven to be the root cause of many chronic diseases and terminal diseases.

The Keto diet has been proven to help you get rid of excess fat in your body. This is done due to the enhanced capacity of our body to burn fat and reduce appetite. ^[5]

2 – Blood sugar control

Because the keto diet makes our body burn its own fat and reduces insulin release, it helps lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. This has pushed up keto as a potential lifestyle option for people with type 2 diabetes. ^[6]

3 – Lower risk of heart diseases

Rising cholesterol levels have been the prime risk factor for numerous types of heart diseases. When their level increases, it clogs your blood vessels, thereby stopping blood from flowing freely in the body. This leads to several problems like heart issues. 

A study done on a 24-week keto diet found it to be significantly helpful in lowering cholesterol levels (LDL aka bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL (good cholesterol) in the body. ^[7]

4 – Reduces inflammation 

Inflammation is a protective step that the human body takes to fight off pathogens, toxins, bacteria, etc. However, when this inflammation becomes chronic, it becomes a sign of worry. This chronic inflammation then leads to several serious ailments. 

A long-term keto diet has been linked to a significant reduction in inflammation especially neuro-inflammation (inflammation in the brain), which is the leading cause of many neurological disorders. ^[8]

The ketogenic diet has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. ^[9]

These benefits might be tempting enough to forget your beer and burgers and go gaga behind this for months. However, before you jump in and start pushing your body to a ketogenic state, it is better to be a learned person about its potential side effects too.

Potential Side-Effects of the Keto Diet

Although ketones have been linked to making your body burn its own fat and bless you with numerous benefits, a high level of Ketones, is something you should be worried about. 

People with Type-1 diabetes should take special care when following keto because a high level of ketones in the blood makes it more acidic, thereby pushing your body into a condition called ‘Ketoacidosis’. Ketoacidosis is a medical emergency, where the body produces a high amount of ketones due to its inability to produce insulin. It may lead to life-threatening conditions if left unattended. ^[10]

A big disclaimer here, if you are considering opting for the Keto diet, consult a doctor first and see if your body is ready for it or not.

Apart from it, here are other side-effects that you might experience due to the ketogenic diet:

• Keto flu: If you are experiencing symptoms like nausea, headache, fatigue, or brain fog in the earlier phase of your diet, know that it may be keto flu. This happens due to the body’s transition from a high-carb diet to a high-fat diet. This can last from a week to even a month.
• Mineral deficiencies: Most micronutrients remain present in fruits and veggies, which usually remain high in carbs. As a result, people opt out of them. This leads to a state of nutrient deficiency. You may counter this by taking vegetables that are low in carbs (as revealed earlier) and taking vitamin and mineral supplements. 
• Kidney stones: Keto diet can lead to kidney stones in people depending on a high intake of animal protein. ^[11]
• Digestive issues: Sudden changes in the gut microbiome and reduction in fibre can make some people experience constipation, diarrhea, or other digestive issues. 

But don’t you worry! The right knowledge can easily guide you toward clarity and confidence. These side effects can easily be dealt with under proper guidance and adjustments in the diet. 

Now, it’s time for some tips and recipes to pump up your excitement even further.

Tips for beginners to get started with the keto diet

Practicing something new always comes with some difficulties. Because you are not aware of these novel lands, you might step here and there. 

Although Keto is not rocket science, you still must empower yourself with a few tips before you get set to go. This will not only enhance the keto diet benefits but will also keep the many ‘I smell something wrong’ moments away:

• Always have the right knowledge about the things you do. If you are planning to go for a long-term keto diet, consult a dietician.
• The requirement of macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs) depends on age, gender, weight, and activity level. Know how much your body needs and then prepare your diet.
• Go into the kitchen and clean out all those high-carb items such as pasta, ice cream, rice, grains, etc.
• The best way to start your keto journey is to have 24-hour fasting. This will make your body use its carb reserve and then adapt to ketones when you start with your keto diet. 
• Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. 
• Surround yourself with keto-friendly foods and keto-friendly people to boost your willpower. 
• Keep monitoring your ketone levels to ensure that you are in ketosis and not in ketoacidosis. There are test strips and ketone meters available in the market.
• Supplement yourself with vitamins and minerals to fulfill your micronutrient need.
• Be patient with yourself. Everybody goes into ketosis at their own pace. 

Please note that if you are looking to practice the keto diet for an extended period of time, consult a keto expert. 

Misconceptions About the Keto Diet and Where People Go Wrong

Walking down the right path in the wrong way can make you misconceive and disapprove of that path. Similarly, many people misstep in their keto journey – sometimes due to a lack of knowledge, and sometimes due to misconceptions. To not do the same mistakes, here are some misconceptions about the keto diet:

• Carbs are bad: Carbs are a good source of energy. However, in keto, these must be kept within 50 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. 
• You can’t exercise on a Keto diet: You may easily work out and enhance your fat-burning capability even further with it. However, start gradually and let your body adapt. 
• You can eat any type of fat: NO. Unhealthy fat such as saturated and trans-fat are not good for health and should be avoided always. Stay away from fried foods, burgers, processed foods, etc.
• You are always in a state of keto: People usually tend to eat more than 50 grams of carbs unintentionally. This impacts their bodies’ state of ketosis. 
• Keto will make you sick: Because keto involves eating high amounts of fat, it can curse you with heart disease. No. Fat doesn’t make you sick, unhealthy fat does. Keto pushes your body into a state of ketosis using good fats. 

Here are some mistakes to avoid:

• Don’t stay dehydrated.
• Don’t make a sudden shift in your diet. 
• Don’t do it all by yourself. 
• Never ignore your ketone levels. Keep a check on it.

Lip-smacking Keto recipes to try 

It’s time to get to business

Cooking is an art and you must not limit yourself to online recipes. If you are going into a keto state, why not go into a chef state as well? Learn to create your recipes or follow someone, everything works till you are on the right path. We assure you that your keto journey will be so much fun this way.

Here, we provide you with three simple keto recipes, one vegetarian, one non-vegetarian and one dessert. 

Keto Recipe – Palak Paneer with Coconut Paratha

An Indian dish that is rich in fat and micronutrients as well. Palak is a well-known source of iron, calcium, etc. So, here is how to make it:

Ingredients:

Palak Paneer

• 150 Grams Paneer Cubes
• 150 Grams of Palak (Spinach)
• 40 Grams Butter
• 10 ml Fresh Cream
• 30 Grams Onion Finely Chopped
• 30 Grams Tomato Finely Chopped
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1-2 No. Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Inch Ginger Chopped
• 2 cloves garlic Chopped
• 1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
• Himalayan Pink Salt to Taste

Coconut Paratha

• 40 Grams of Coconut Flour
• 10 ml Coconut oil Or Olive Oil
• 10 Grams Psyllium Husk or Isabgol
• Himalayan Pink Salt to Taste
• Water Hot for Kneading the Dough

Instructions:

Palak Paneer

1. Add half the butter to a preheated pan. Saute onions, tomato, ginger, and garlic with jeera.
2. Add spinach to the mixer with the sauteed things above. Turn it into a paste.
3. Add half the butter and cook the paste. Add coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and paneer to it.
4. Put a lid for a minute after mixing it well.
5. Switch off the induction or gas and mix cream in the end.

Coconut Paratha

1. Mix coconut flour with psyllium husk. Add salt. Make a soft dough with hot water
2. Cook parathas on a hot oil-greased pan

This recipe is perfect for keto lovers who find it harder to compromise on the taste. Rich in fat from paneer and cream, nutrients from spinach and the coconutty aroma, this is one to try out for.

Keto Achari Chicken Masala

A dish that is not only flavorsome but keto-friendly as well. This dish is something that you must try out for sure.

Ingredients:

• Chicken – 150 grams
• Butter – 30 grams
• Onion – 40 grams, chopped
• Tomato – 60 grams, chopped
• Black cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Ginger – 1/2 inch
• Garlic – 3 pods
• Curd – 10 grams
• Cream – 20 grams
• Green chilli – 1, chopped
• Bay leaf- 1
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves- garnish
• Salt – 1/2 tsp, as per taste

Instructions:

• Add 10 grams butter in a kadhai and sauté all the seeds, onions and tomato along with chilli, ginger and garlic.
• Once sautéed well, keep this aside.
• Once the mixture cools, grind it to a fine paste
• Add the rest butter to a kadhai, and let it melt.
• Add bay leaf, add the paste and stir it.
• Add curd, salt, turmeric powder and garam masala.
• Once the gravy starts to thicken, add chicken.
• Mix it, add half a cup of water and cover it with a lid.
• Once done, remove the lid and check if the chicken is soft and cooked.
• Mix fresh cream by switching off the flame.
• Garnish it with coriander.
• Serve fresh and hot. 

Keto diet snacking

• Nuts and seeds (almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds)
• Cheese (cheddar, brie, goat cheese)
• Avocado
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Olives
• Nut butter (almond and peanut)
• Dark chocolate
• Coconut chips

So, here we have it, a diet created back in the 1920s breathing a new life to adapt to this modern world. Remember, the ketogenic diet is not just about weight loss, it’s a lifestyle that can improve your overall health and well-being. So, say goodbye to those extra kilos and hello to a slimmer and healthier you! Lights, camera, keto!