6 Mistakes Every Keto Beginner Makes (and How to Avoid Them) Thinking about goi…

6 Mistakes Every Keto Beginner Makes (and How to Avoid Them) Thinking about going keto? A ketogenic diet could help you drop pounds faster than traditional weight-loss plans research shows. And plenty of proponents say going super low-carb boosts their energy and helps them think more clearly. In other words giving this trendy eating style a try could deliver big benefits. That is if you know what youre doing. There are lots of ways a keto diet can go wrongand when that happens you might find yourself feeling pretty crappy. Here are six common mishaps keto newbies make plus what you can do to steer clear. 1. Not anticipating an adjustment period. The first few days on a keto diet can feel a lot like having the flu. Its common to get slammed with a headache weakness or fatigue muscle cramps nausea and diarrhea or constipation. Heres why: Your body enters a state of ketosis once your carb intake drops below around 50 grams a day. When that happens your cells switch from burning glycogen (energy from carbohydrates) for fuel to burning ketones an alternative source of fuel that the liver makes from fat. Youre asking your cells to do something they arent used to doing explains Robert Santos-Prowse RD author of The Cyclical Ketogenic Diet. When you suddenly deprive them of the fuel theyre used to using there may be a period of sluggishness or brain fog. Another reason you might feel like garbage? Transitioning to keto may also cause your body to shed more water (read: youre peeing more). Especially in the first week of a low-carbohydrate diet your body is shedding a large amount of stored water as it breaks down glycogen in your muscles and liver says Georgie Fear RD author of Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss. Just like an athlete who sweats heavily loses a large number of salts and minerals a person excreting large amounts of fluids can also become dehydrated or low on electrolytes like sodium and potassium. 2. Skimping on the water. Its always smart to stay hydratedbut since youre losing all those extra fluids and minerals you really want to drink up while youre eating keto. Make sure to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day Fear says. And if youre still thirsty drink more. Make an effort to replenish those lost electrolytes by eating plenty of potassium- and magnesium-rich foods. Think avocado tomato sauce spinach salmon and nuts. As for sodium? Dont worry about adding extra salt to your food since most of us get plenty Fear says. 3. Going all meat all the time. Think keto diets are all about the protein? Nope thats wrong. Eating keto is actually all about the fat. A ketogenic diet essentially swaps the percentages of fats and carbohydrates Santos-Prowse says. That means youll get up to 80 percent of your calories from fat and five to 10 percent from carbs. The remaining 15 to 20 percent should come from protein which is about the same as standard higher-carb diets. In other words the goal isnt to pile your plate with steak or chicken. So what should you be filling up on instead? At each meal aim for three to four ounces of lean protein (like lean beef fish or pork) cooked in butter or oil along with a half-cup of non-starchy veggies (like leafy greens broccoli or cauliflower) and a serving or two of healthy fat (like a tablespoon of olive oil or 1/4 medium avocado) Santos-Prowse suggests. 4. Forgetting about fiber. If you suddenly find yourself backed up and bloated after a few days of eating keto youre not alone. Putting all the focus on fat can make it easy to forget about that other important F: fiber. Add even a touch of dehydration to the mix and youre looking at the potential for a bad case of constipation. Since high-fiber foods like whole grains beans and fruit also tend to be high in carbs youll need to find other ways to get enough roughage. Eat as many high-fiber vegetables as you can within your carbohydrate limit Fear says. (Good ones include artichokes broccoli and Brussels sprouts.) Make avocado a mainstay tooits one of the few fat sources that also provides fiber. And remember to drink that water. 5. Letting your carbs creep up. Craving a cookie or a slice of pizza? Its totally fine to have higher carb fare once in a while after your body has adjusted to your new eating style. Research suggests that it takes 30 to 60 days for your cells to fully adapt to using fat for fuel instead of sugar. Up your carb intake before that happens and theres a good chance youll cycle in and out of ketosisand get slammed with nasty keto flu symptoms each time. The lesson: Keep your carbs below the magic threshold for at least a month or two before having a carby treat. If you stick to a ketogenic diet for long enough to become well adapted your body will easily burn fat or carbohydrates for fuel and switch between the two without much effort Santos-Prowse says. 6. Going it alone long-term. Eating keto can help you drop pounds quickly. But some experts are wary about whether its OK to stick with the diet for the long haul. We dont have long-term data to tell us what happens to humans when they are in a state of ketosis constantly over long periods of time says Julie Stefanski RDN LDN a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Based on common sense though if you decide to stay in ketosis for a long period of time you could miss out on important nutrients that some higher-carb foods offer. So if you plan to live the keto lifestyle its a good idea to talk with a registered dietitian Stefanski says. They can assess your eating plan to fill any nutritional gaps and help keep possible health problems at bay. 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