Keto newbie - what do i need to know

Hey Emily – those are great questions, and I’ve listed below an easy get started guide for keto newbies:

**THE FIRST WEEK ON KETO**
This is probably the toughest week. You’ll feel a bit tired, moody, and possibly have headaches as you go through Keto Flu (effectively your body is transitioning from mostly burning sugar to relying more on fats). Best strategy is to:

— increase your fat intake (but don’t overdo it as it can give you digestive issues if you’re unused to too much fat),
— drink more water,
— take in more salts,
— add in some clean carbs to help you transition (e.g., starchy vegetables like carrots, turnips, beets, sweet potatoes and yams).

More info about keto flu and how to relieve the symptoms here: https://paleomagazine.com/what-is-keto-flu-how-to-cure-keto-flu

**HAVE A GOOD PLAN FOR STARTING**
It can be overwhelming at first, so it’s really good to figure exactly what you’ll be eating every day and to keep it simple.
This article has some suggestions for how to get started:
https://paleomagazine.com/how-to-start-ketogenic-diet

**MEASURING YOUR KETONE LEVELS**
Measuring your ketone levels can be really helpful to you troubleshoot when you’re not seeing results. It can also be encouraging when you first start to see that things are working. However, it’s important to know that this is just a guide to help you and that you shouldn’t stress out over your ketone levels.

​Ketone Pee Sticks – this is the cheapest m​ethod of measuring ketone levels, but it’s also not as useful. It can be useful when you first start a keto diet as it’ll tell you whether you’re in ketosis. As you stay in ketosis longer, it’s probably not a good indicator anymore as you tend to excrete less ketones in your urine. How much water you drink can also affect the measurement.

Ketone Blood Meter – this is probably the most accurate way to measuring ketone levels as it’s measuring the beta-bydroxybutryate (a type of ketone bodies) in your blood. However, it’s pretty expensive. The meters are expensive ($40) and the strips to measure your ketone levels are really expensive ($3-5 per strip).

Ketone Breathe Meter – this is pretty accurate and reusable but you’d need to invest $190 in the meter.

How high should your Ketone Levels be?
This really depends on what you’re looking to achieve with a keto diet. For many people looking to lose weight, higher ketone levels don’t always produce better results. But for those looking for therapeutic benefits, higher ketone levels might be necessary. More info about what your optimal ketone levels should be here:
https://paleomagazine.com/optimal-ketone-levels-for-ketogenic-diet

​**A FEW ADDITIONAL THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR**
— Adding more fats (including MCT oil) can be good, but don’t overdo it at first. Many people have trouble digesting fats if you’re unused to ​it and this can lead to heartburn and diarrhea.
​– Food quality and vitamins/minerals do matter, so eat nutrient-dense foods like green leafy vegetables, organ meats, ​seafood.
— Drink plenty of water and don’t be afraid to add sea salt to your food as many people people go too low in sodium when they cut out all processed foods.