5 Biggest Mistakes You'll Want to Avoid on the Keto Diet

According to brain food expert and New York Times bestselling author of Genius Foods, Max Lugavere, a diet too high in fat is where most people face issues when going keto. "In reality, low-carb drives ketogensis. Not high-fat," Lugavere told POPSUGAR.

Too many people focus on getting in high amounts of fat. Though a ketogenic diet focuses on consuming lots of healthy fats, like avocado and olive oil, it shouldn't be the primary focus. It's "circumstantial," according to Lugavere. The point is to reach ketosis through limiting carb intake.

This could also be why some people aren't reaching their weight-loss goals on a ketogenic diet, either.

"Many people push their calories to the point of not actually losing weight because they're consuming so many fat bombs." Achieving optimal health is more complicated than just the old calories-in versus calories-out model, but your caloric intake is still a key piece of the puzzle.

The main goal of the keto diet is to get your body into fat-burning ketosis. If you're overworking it with too much fat and not managing your carbs correctly, you could be getting in your own way.

A lot people jump in thinking they should load up on lots of dairy, meat, and fats as part of the keto diet. The issue, however, is not being mindful of the quality of those foods and whether or not those foods will work well with your body type. We asked functional medicine practitioner and keto advocate Dr. Will Cole, D.C., to weigh-in.

"A lot of people in the keto world fill their plate with nonorganic and processed meats and dairy, which have been linked to many health problems, and avoid plant foods for fear of going over their carb limit — thus missing out on a vital range of essential plant phytonutrients and prebiotic food for the gut microbiome," Dr. Cole explained.

It's very likely that if you're adapting a ketogenic diet, you want to be healthier. By neglecting nutrient-rich food, you're depriving your body of achieving that optimal state. In addition, everyone's body will thrive on different types of foods, so simply following the "high-fat/low-carb" rule won't work for everyone.

Dr. Cole expanded by adding that some people won't necessarily do well by loading up on red meat or dairy products. For this reason, he wrote his book, Ketotarian, showing people that there are a variety of ways to adapt to a ketogenic diet. You have to customize it by fueling your body with the quality nutrients that it needs.

"I wanted to show people they can be vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian and still go keto!" It's all about finding the quality of foods that will work best for you, not just following the general standard.

One thing each of these experts agreed on is that with any dietary or lifestyle change, you have to make sure it works for you. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to health.

"Just because it's trendy doesn't mean you need to do exactly what it says," Sharp insisted. That same piece of advice rang true with Dr. Cole and Faulisi, both who focus on helping clients find the best path that works for them.

If you're trying keto but you're not seeing the results you'd hoped for, then maybe it's not right for your body. Or maybe you just need to adjust the foods you're eating, while following the ketogenic philosophy, like Dr. Cole's "keto-tarian" variation.

There are different ways to help your body reach ketosis. Find the one that works for you.