The Top 14 Mistakes of a Keto Diet

Congratulations!! You’ve taken the leap and you’ve embarked on your keto journey to a healthy lifestyle. The ketogenic diet is a fabulous way to reach your weight-loss goals and improve your overall health. However, if you’re not careful, you can make some common errors that can sabotage your success. Let’s take a look at the top 14 mistakes of a keto diet.

Don’t Think of Keto as an Instant Fix

We live in an instant world with instant messaging, instant deliveries, and instant foods but there is nothing instant when it comes to dieting. There is no such thing as a quick fix. You are in this for the long haul. Making matters worse the word dieting has evolved to connote a temporary phase where people deprive themselves for a period of time until their goal is reached and they can then return to the bad habits. That approach is a recipe for failure.

Think of the ketogenic diet as a long-term strategy to achieving weight-loss success and maintaining your health and ideal body weight. Patience is a virtue. Adopt a perspective that looks to gradual improvement. Don’t set an end date in your calendar. Keto is a healthy beginning to a healthy future. There’s no sell-by date.

Insufficient Electrolytes

When you restrict carbohydrates, your body changes how it processes electrolytes. In nutritional ketosis, there is a reduction in insulin and your kidneys eliminate more sodium. As your body begins to lose sodium, it can also affect the balance of other key electrolytes in your body. This imbalance can contribute to the keto flu as your body adjusts to keto.

Electrolytes are molecules that allow electricity to flow when dissolved in water. In our bodies, they regulate nerve and muscle function, moisturize the body, maintain blood acidity and pressure balance, and aid in the regeneration of injured tissue.

The electrolytes in human bodies include sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate.

This mistakes of a keto diet (lack of sufficient electrolytes) you can experience muscle cramps and weakness.

To maintain a proper electrolyte balance when you’re on keto, you may add an electrolyte supplement, increase leafy vegetables, nuts, meats, and seeds.

Sip lightly salted water or try bone broth – it tastes better than it sounds!

Dehydration

Keto can cause dehydration because carbohydrate stores in your body are reduced. Water is excreted along with the glucose and electrolytes out of your system.

Research shows that water increases metabolism and fat loss through lipolysis.

Since you want to avoid becoming dehydrated on keto, drink plenty of water throughout the day. You may also add a few slices of lemon or lime for flavor if needed.

Sleep Deprivation and Stress

Sleep deprivation and poor-quality sleep can cause stress hormones to surge. There are numerous bad consequences and weight gain is one of them. An increase in the hormone, cortisol, is linked to obesity.

Without adequate sleep ( 7 or more hours for adults), you are jeopardizing your keto journey. You may find it difficult to sleep when you start keto since your body is adjusting to a whole new way to produce energy. This will pass but be prepared.

Consider melatonin,  Magnesium glycinate, or magnesium citrate in the early phase.

Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

Set your thermostat to 65-70 degrees.

Stop staring at screens a minimum of an hour before bedtime.

If there is ambient noise, try earplugs.

Draw the blinds so you’re in total darkness.

Scale Obsessing

Back to instant expectations. Checking the scale every day is bound to be frustrating. You’re expecting a daily drop and if you don’t see it you start obsessing. Losing weight means losing your scale addiction.

If you have to look at your scale, check it once a week at most.

Concentrate on your macronutrient and food intake – your body will do the rest.

Worrying Too much about ketone levels

When you first start keto, seeing those high ketone readings is thrilling. Ketones are an excellent signal that your efforts are working.

Whether you use urine strips or a blood ketone meter, high ketone levels are NOT the end-game of a keto diet.

Higher readings are typical when you first start on keto.

In the long-term, however, you’ll adjust to burning ketones so your measurement system will naturally show lower levels since your body will be eliminating fewer of them. That’s a good thing!

It shows that your body is burning more ketones for its fuel supply.

Not Ready for the Adjustment Phase

As you embark on a keto lifestyle, the initial phase can be the most difficult. You may experience flu-like symptoms, often referred to as the keto flu. This uncomfortable period is associated with headaches, muscle cramps, or digestive complaints like constipation. Don’t despair!

This adjustment period is temporary and, while not enjoyable, it is a great indicator that you are activating nutritional ketosis. Stay on track. In a few days, those symptoms will subside and you’ll lose weight and feel better.

Forewarned is forearmed so anticipating this phase makes the transition easier.

Too Much Saturated Fat

One of the most prevalent mistakes made while following the keto diet is eating too much trans fats. Yes, the keto diet is a high-fat regimen, but there are different sorts of fats to consider.

We’ve been conditioned to fear fat, but fat is your friend on the keto diet. You simply need to consume the right fats. Healthy fats should constitute the majority of your fat intake.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats raise “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels. Increase your nuts, avocado, and fatty fish intake.

Avoid trans fats that are commonly found in vegetable and canola oils and processed foods. These oils can boost your “bad” LDL cholesterol and heighten your chance of heart disease.

Eating Too Much Protein

Protein is more filling than fat and keto dieters are often tempted to consume more of it. Be careful. Remember that your daily goal is 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

Excess protein is converted by the body into glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis is a process where your body creates sugar.

Although glucose is not an essential nutrient, it does play a variety of important roles in the body. It’s used by your brain and red blood cells for fuel helps with the production of new proteins, regulates cell division, builds glycogen, and forms lactic acid.

You should eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of lean mass.

It takes a while for your body to go from burning glucose to utilizing fat. Your body switches from carbohydrates to fat as its main source of energy when you activate ketosis. As a result of this change, surplus protein is converted to glycogen. You may eat a little more protein every now and again without worrying because your body only utilizes it to replenish its glycogen reserves.

However, when you first begin keto, your body burns any excess glucose generated via gluconeogenesis rather than fat for energy. That’s why in the early stages of keto you need to be attentive to your protein intake since overdoing it can delay ketosis or even stop it from taking place at all.

Boredom

The most common reasons why diets fail are hunger and a limited variety of foods that become tedious.

Keto solves both of these problems.

Science proves that ketosis reduces the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, so you feel satiated.

And there are a huge number of fantastic choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I’ve put together a range of recipes that are low-carb and delicious so put on your apron and get cooking!

Overlooking a Meal Plan

Without a proper meal plan, your best intentions can simply fall apart. Cravings can tempt you to cheat and fall off the keto wagon. A little preparation ahead of time makes maintaining a ketogenic diet a lot simpler.

This is especially crucial during the start of your keto diet when cravings are at their peak.

Pick one or two days each week to grocery shop and prepare all your meals for the week.

Having keto-friendly nutritious food on hand will deter you from caving into cravings like picking up a pizza.

Insufficient Low Carb Vegetables and Fruits

Too many individuals concentrate on restricting carb consumption to the point where they do not consume their vegetables. Big mistake. On the keto diet, vegetables are essential to your health.

Veggies are also a good source of micronutrients and fiber, so don’t leave them out. Ensure that you’re getting your vegetables, particularly the non-starchy ones. Cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms are all excellent choices.

People eating a low-carb diet often see fruit as an adversary. However, like vegetables, they are an important factor in your health. While some fruits are higher in carbs, there are also alternatives, such as berries, that are delicious and low in carbs.

Too Much Dairy

For some people, dairy might be inflammatory and prevent them from slimming down. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates are all present in dairy (from the naturally present milk sugar, lactose).

If you cheese as a snack because it has a lot of fat, you’re also ingesting a significant amount of protein and carbohydrates. Dairy is generally well tolerated on a ketogenic diet, but moderation is crucial. Limit cheese and cream to no more than 1-2 ounces (and take protein into account) per meal.

Cheating

We all expect a reward for success. When you’ve achieved a milestone in weight loss on keto, you may want to indulge in a cheat meal to celebrate your achievement. The problem is that cheat meals are usually equal high-carbs and there is a price to pay.

No one can ignore cravings but remember that one high-carb meal can knock you out of ketosis. That means you will have to begin again and it can take up to four days to resume nutritional ketosis.

Consider low-carb alternatives. For example, instead of traditional pizza, try any one of my low-carb pizza recipes like Keto Buffalo Chicken Pizza. If you’re determined to order from a pizzeria, at least choose thin-crust to minimize carbs.

Learning from Common Mistakes

“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” That adage equally applies to the keto lifestyle. Knowing the common mistakes that others have made gives you the knowledge and strategy for success. Watch your carb intake, eat low-carb veggies, choose healthy high-fat foods. Sleep well, hydrate, and plan your meals. Remember that this isn’t a short trip. It’s a journey to better health and happiness. If you need support or advice, I’m always here for you so don’t hesitate to reach out to me at eat@thekelliekitchen.com.