Name: Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan: How To Start a Keto Diet | Wholesome Yum
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Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan: How To Start a Keto Diet | Wholesome Yum

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Welcome to the ultimate guide to the keto diet plan, a form of low carb diet. If you are new to Wholesome Yum, or just starting out with this lifestyle, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will show you everything you need to know about how to start a keto diet, including keto diet basics, how to understand and calculate macros, what foods to eat, recipes to make, how to avoid side effects, and more. Be sure to check out all the keto diet recipes and the keto diet app, too!
Join 300,000+ others to get this free guide to kickstart keto (everything you need to know, broken up into 10 doable days!) and get support.
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A low carb diet plan is a way of eating that is high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbohydrates. It ends the rollercoaster of blood sugar spikes and crashes, allowing the body to burn fat.
There are different variations of low carbohydrate diets. The keto diet plan is a special type of low carb diet, with added characteristics.&nbsp;Optimal carb intake will vary depending on your insulin tolerance and activity level, but on average, these are the common numbers of carbs:
Some people opt to count carbs diligently and some choose to simply focus on eat low carb or keto foods. For comparison, according to the Dietary Guidelines For Americans, a Standard American diet contains between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates per day.
The ketogenic diet, or keto diet plan, is a specific type of low carb diet that is focused on a specific ratio of macronutrients (or macros for short — these include fat, protein, and carbohydrates), with a goal of reaching a state called ketosis.
There are different ways to follow this diet, including clean keto (focusing on whole foods and nutrients), dirty keto, and lazy keto, among others, but ketosis is the goal with all of them. The keto diet basics below apply to all of them, as well.
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs.&nbsp;It’s very effective for weight loss, energy, and mental clarity [*, *, *, *]. The body enters a ketogenic state when carbs are restricted for extended periods, through a low carb diet, fasting [*], or starvation [*].
Unlike a low carb diet, ketosis is the primary goal of the keto diet plan.&nbsp;We achieve it by severely limiting carbohydrate intake, not necessarily calories, though calories are often restricted as a byproduct.
The core of how the keto diet works boils down to two things:
In the absence of carbohydrates, the body switches to burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. When carbs are restricted and your body runs out of glucose, your body turns to fat in food and fat stores for fuel instead. Your livers breaks down the fat into ketones, small energy molecules that your body can use for energy [*].
A ketogenic diet keeps insulin levels low. Insulin is a signal for your body to hold onto its fat stores, so low levels help your body access its fat stores for energy [*]. This regulates your blood sugar levels as well.
Signs of ketosis include increased energy and focus, decreased appetite, and changes in smell of breath or urine. You can test yourself for ketosis using ketone test strips (use code WHOLESOME for 15% off!). A blood monitor is the most accurate, but not usually necessary if you follow the keto diet rules.
If you want to start a keto diet or low carb diet plan, it can be intimidating. I get it! I’ve been doing this for almost a decade (and it goes to show this is a sustainable lifestyle!), but it wasn’t always easy. We all have to start somewhere. Just start — you got this!
Whether you’re looking for how to start a keto diet or a low carb diet, there are lots of similarities. Let’s make it as easy as possible…
The main point to remember when starting a keto diet is this:
RULE #1: Restrict Carbohydrates. This is the most crucial part! Restrict to less than 20g or 25g net carbs per day for a keto diet plan (some people can get away with under 30g).
For a low carb diet, aim for under 50g net carbs per day. Some variations limit to somewhere between 50-100g per day, particularly if you are more active.
Stay below your carb limit and you’re most of the way there! But to ensure your success, here are some additional tips for getting started on a keto diet — and the same applies for a low carb diet as well:
The steps above are the most important, but to set yourself up for success, read over these keto diet tips for beginners, too.
Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format - 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:
Keto food list (230+ foods) - Super detailed &amp; color-coded, with net carb counts, so you'll know exactly what to eat.
Foods to avoid on keto - Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
Macros cheat sheet - Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
Keto food swaps (60+ foods) - Covers virtually every food you love, so you don't have to miss out!
Keto meal formula - With specific food ideas, so it's easy to mix-and-match.
Keto flu guide - Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
Electrolyte cheat sheet - With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
Keto Diet Types - Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
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What are macros? Simply put, “macros” is a shortened name for macronutrients, which provide energy and come in the form of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
All three play a role in a successful keto diet plan:
As a general guideline, below are the recommended macro percentages to aim for. These are the percentages of your total calorie intake that would be from fat, protein, and carbs.
You can learn more about how macros work here.
Net carbs are the carbohydrates that your body is able to digest and break down into glucose for energy.
The carbohydrates in fiber and non-digestible keto sweeteners, like erythritol and allulose, have zero net carbohydrates, because we are not able to extract that energy. (Read more about sugar substitutes here and you can use the sweetener conversion chart to swap sweeteners.)
TIP: To determine net carbs in any food, subtract the fiber, sugar alcohols (like erythritol), and allulose from the total carbs. Make it easy by using the net carb calculator, where you can also learn more about how net carbs work.
Some people following a ketogenic diet choose to count total carbs instead of net carbs. Some of the reasoning is that technically, soluble fiber is partially digestible, but not usually differentiated from insoluble fiber on labels. Also, some people find that their body does digest a small amount of the carbs from sweeteners, so they feel better counting them.
Unfortunately, counting total carbs makes it more difficult to fit in enough leafy greens and keto vegetables in your low carb diet. These are packed with fiber and beneficial nutrients, so you should only try that if you don’t get results with a net carb method. Also, start with reducing sweeteners and low carb treats before deciding to limit your grams of carbs to only total carbs.
When you start a ketogenic diet plan, it’s recommended that you count macros at least in the beginning. That way, you’ll get a sense of what and how much you should be eating. However, some people have success simply sticking to low carb foods and not counting anything, while others only count net carbs, but don’t count fat and protein (this method is called lazy keto).
If you really want to be sure that you are eating the right amounts, you need a low carb or keto macro calculator. Most calculators work for just one or the other, but the Wholesome Yum macro calculator will do it for each diet type. It will tailor the results to your body and your goals:
Calculate Your Macros Here!
One of the most common questions I get is, “what to eat on a keto diet?” or “what to eat on a low carb diet?” Fortunately, with the right resources, this is one of the easiest questions to answer.
In fact, the keto diet plan is probably the most flexible, sustainable eating lifestyle out there. You don’t have to feel deprived, bored or restricted. And, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
This simple list summarizes what to eat on a low carb diet. And, what to eat on a keto diet is basically the same:
You can also enjoy these on a low carb keto diet in moderation:
The main difference between low carb and keto is the macronutrient profile, but the types of foods you eat are mostly the same.
These are the keto diet basics, and it’s best to start simple — meat, eggs, fats, and veggies primarily. Once you have it down, you can experiment with extras like low carb keto desserts or more advanced recipes, but it’s not necessary.
Avoiding carbohydrates is probably the biggest adjustments for people starting a keto diet or low carb diet. Many of us were used to consuming carbs at every meal. Below is a list of foods to avoid:
Get these out of your house if you can! If you have family members that are not on board, at least store these in a separate area from other foods to reduce temptation.
Also, always, always check labels for any food that has one. Avoid anything that has added sugar or starch as an ingredient, watching for different names like dextrose, maltodextrin, maple syrup, honey,&nbsp; corn syrup, cornstarch, potato flakes, etc. Sometimes you’ll be surprised where you might find added sugars.
The list above should give you an idea of the best and worst foods for a low carb diet. But if you’re starting out, it’s a good idea to know exactly what is included:
If you are looking for low carb recipes or keto diet recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Every single recipe on Wholesome Yum is low carb and appropriate for the ketogenic diet.
Each recipe has 10 ingredients or less. I’m on a mission to show you that keto friendly recipes don’t have to be difficult, time consuming, or taste like “diet food”. I love sharing just how delicious and easy keto can be!
To get you started, here are a few of the most popular low carb keto recipes:
Another good place to start is with my library of keto dinner recipes, so you can start preparing ketogenic meals. The entire recipe index is at the button below.
Browse Keto Recipes Index
There are several excellent places where you can get a ketogenic meal plan:
Make keto easy with customized keto meal plans, automatic macro tracking, auto generated grocery list, delicious low carb recipes, and more.
Following a ketogenic diet can have numerous benefits, including:
Because a low carb diet (especially a keto diet plan!) reduces the amount of water you store, this can flush out electrolytes and make you feel sick — this is called the “keto flu”. These side effects of keto are temporary while you are adjusting to a ketogenic diet, but unpleasant. They can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, restlessness, brain fog, lack of motivation, nausea, insomnia, impaired coordination, sensitivity to heat, sugar cravings, muscle soreness or weakness, and stomach issues.
Fortunately, you can avoid or eliminate these side effects by salting your food liberally, drinking broth (especially bone broth), drinking my homemade electrolyte drink, and eating pickled vegetables. These keto diet basics are just as important as restricting carbs. Some people also choose to take supplements for electrolytes, but it’s best to first consult a doctor.
Check the complete guide to keto flu symptoms and remedies here&nbsp;so that you can avoid it!
The keto diet plan can be beneficial, enjoyable, and surprisingly easy to follow! But as always, always check with your doctor (preferably one that understands and supports a ketogenic lifestyle) before making a drastic change, especially if you take any medication. If you have the green light, use this guide for all the keto diet basics you need to get started.

Welcome to the ultimate guide to the keto diet plan, a form of low carb diet. If you are new to Wholesome Yum, or just starting out with this lifestyle, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will show you everything you need to know about how to start a keto diet, including keto diet basics, how to understand and calculate macros, what foods to eat, recipes to make, how to avoid side effects, and more. Be sure to check out all the keto diet recipes and the keto diet app, too!
Join 300,000+ others to get this free guide to kickstart keto (everything you need to know, broken up into 10...

Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan: How To Start a Keto Diet | Wholesome Yum

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