8 Common Keto Mistakes That Beginners Make, and How to Avoid Them

8 Common Keto Mistakes That Beginners Make, and How to Avoid Them

8 Common Keto Mistakes That Beginners Make, and How to Avoid Them

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You may be wondering what results — weight loss or otherwise — you might see from following a high-fat, very low carb diet like keto.

One thing’s for sure: The keto diet is super-restrictive, and it can be tough to get it “right.”

For instance, on this diet you’ll have to nix starchy veggies, limit fruits, and avoid grains, sauces, juice, and sweets. And, per the standard keto food list, you’ll need to load up on fat (lots of it). Doing so will kick you into ketosis, which is the metabolic state that causes your body to burn fat instead of carbs, potentially accelerating weight loss, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

But because carbs are in just about everything, and fats come in various forms (not all healthy), it can be easy to make mistakes here, especially if you’re a beginner to the keto lifestyle.

Avoid the following common pitfalls of keto to ensure you’re following this approach as safely as possible.

1. Cutting Your Carbs and Increasing Your Fat Too Quickly

One day you’re eating cereal, sandwiches, and pasta, and the next you decide to hop on keto and eat less than 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates a day, which is often the amount recommended at the beginning of keto, according to research published in Frontiers in Nutrition in July 2021. (A medium apple has 25 g of carbs, for reference, notes the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA].) That may be a drastic change for your body. Consider easing in. “Prior to starting a keto diet, individuals may benefit from tapering down their carbohydrate intake, instead of reducing carbs cold turkey,” says Lara Clevenger, a ketogenic dietitian-nutritionist with a private practice in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

2. Not Drinking Enough Water

For all the focus on what you’re eating, don’t forget about what you’re sipping. Dehydration is an increased possibility on keto. “The drastic decrease in carbohydrate intake on the ketogenic diet can cause shifts in your fluid and electrolyte balance. Carbs are stored along with water in the body, so as these stores are depleted, that water is lost along with them,” says Alyssa Tucci, RDN, a nutrition manager at Virtual Health Partners in New York City. She also says that the body flushes out the buildup of ketones in urine, which also depletes water and sodium from the body. All that to say: Drink up. Tucci recommends waking up to a large glass of water and sipping regularly throughout the day to reach a goal of consuming half of your body weight numerically in ounces of water daily.

This post was last modified on December 6, 2024 8:25 am