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5 Keto Rules That Can Help You Lose Weight, Even If You're Not on the Diet

29/06/2018 - 02:45 PM

It doesn't really matter if you're on keto [1] or not (hey, some people just need to have some carbs); there are a few diet tips from the trendy diet that can benefit you. As you see more and more keto weight-loss success stories [2], it makes sense that there are bound to be some excellent health perks to following its rules.

The keto diet focuses on upping your intake of fats and slashing carbs, but if you're looking to be somewhere in the middle — not fully ready to dive in, but ready to integrate some of the plan's basic principles [3] — you totally can. Here are five basic keto rules that you should be following anyway.

Plan Ahead

"If you're on the ketogenic diet, you need to plan your grocery list, meals, and pack food ahead of time. It's harder to grab and go and rely on fast-food choices," explains Ginger Hultin, RD [5], a Seattle-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Meal prepping has many health benefits [6], including weight loss. Packing a healthy lunch ahead of a busy day means you're less likely to reach for the office snacks. Not keeping junk food at home that you bought in a rush at the grocery store means you won't reach for chips and cookies when looking for a snack.

Eat More Healthy Fats

A variety of olive and other vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados are all included (and emphasized) on the keto diet and should be a part of any type of diet and lifestyle. Pick the right fats, and include them in smaller doses. "Though the ketogenic diet can be upwards of 70 to 80 percent fat [7] (and that's a LOT), everyone does need to include healthy fat in their diet," Hultin says.

Eat More Raw Greens

The keto diet is low in carbs, so you need to find fibre elsewhere. "Very few carbohydrates are allowed on the ketogenic diet [8], so people following it will try to maximize their green veggies to get access to fibre and nutrients," our expert says. If you're not on keto, you still want to add leafy greens and other "great choices like arugula, artichoke, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, jicama, bell pepper, radishes, and tomato" to your meals. Eating more veggies will boost your wellness all around.

Eat More Veggies Than Fruit

It's great to eat fruit in moderation, but choose veggies over them to keep sugar at bay. "Because of the carb restriction, keto folks don't eat as much fruit, but they can eat it, and they should, as they are important for fibre and nutrients," Hultin says.

Guidelines suggest eating at least two servings of fruit each day and at least three servings of vegetables, so choose your favourite berries or melon to enjoy fruit the keto way [9] while also focusing on getting in your greens.

Make Conscious Decisions About What You Eat

Don't just grab a fork and dig into what's in front of you. "Those on a ketogenic diet can't drive by the candy dish at work or graze on tortilla chips when the restaurant brings them out. Increased mindfulness about what you want to put into your body or not could be something to steal from a diet like keto so that you are aware of the choices you're making throughout the day," Hultin says.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/Basic-Keto-Rules-44997537