If you’re like most people, you probably think of a ketogenic diet as a way to lose weight. And while weight loss is certainly one of the benefits of following a keto plan, it’s not the only one. In fact, a ketogenic diet can be beneficial for many different health conditions.
So what do you eat on a ketogenic diet? The answer may surprise you.
A ketogenic diet is high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs. This means that you’ll be eating mostly meat, fish, eggs, vegetables that grow above ground, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, and perhaps some low-carb fruits.
What you won’t be eating is any type of grain, starchy vegetable, or fruit. That means no pasta, rice, bread, oatmeal, potatoes, carrots, or even apples.
At first glance, this may seem like a pretty restrictive diet. But the truth is, there are plenty of delicious and nutritious food options available. And once you get used to the way of eating, you may find that you actually prefer it to the standard American diet.
One of the best things about a ketogenic diet is that it forces your body to burn fat for fuel. When your body is in ketosis, it’s able to burn stored body fat more effectively. This can lead to weight loss, but it can also help improve your overall health.
Non-Weight Loss Benefits Of Keto
A ketogenic diet has been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity, stabilizes blood sugar, lower triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions.
If you’re thinking about trying a ketogenic diet, it’s important to work with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need. They can help you create a meal plan that fits your specific needs and goals.
Eating a ketogenic diet doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. There are plenty of delicious recipes out there that fit the bill. And with a little creativity, you can find keto-friendly versions of your favorite foods.
So if you’re looking for a new way to eat that can help you lose weight, improve your health, and feel great, a ketogenic diet may be right for you.
So what is it that you actually eat, day in, and day out, on a ketogenic diet?
I admit, that it took me almost a year of looking into the keto diet, before I decided to take the plunge. It just seemed too overwhelming for me.
And there were foreign and unusual ingredients in all the recipes, like “almond flour, stevia, cauliflower…
I finally decided to start when I saw this lovely little blog post about how to do the ketogenic diet for $5 a day. I loved that it was cheap, and that it told you exactly what to buy and what to make.
But when I actually did it? It was awful, I couldn’t handle the food, or the keto flu that went with it. There is nothing like eating egg salad salad while nauseous and feeling like throwing up!
Now that I’ve been doing keto for 5 years (I’ve tried all the different kinds of versions too: low carb, strict keto, lazy keto, dirty keto, etc,.) and I almost never do anything fancy.
Here’s my non-fancy list of keto diet foods
I make sure I have a protein-rich foods available – eggs, sausage, bacon, chicken, or ground beef. . . There is a history of Iodine (fish and shellfish) allergies in my family, so I never eat those. . .
And then I have my healthy fats – Butter, extra-virgin olive oil, heavy whipping cream, cheeses. (animal fats are also great, and also avocado oil, I just haven’t used that one yet)
Then maybe a vegetable for filler – Broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, spaghetti squash, green beans, Brussel sprouts, zucchini, or asparagus. And of course, all leafy greens!
Just remember to stay away from starchy vegetables! (veggies are considered low carb because most of their carbohydrate intake is fiber, so you just take the total carbs, minus fiber, to see what your total net carbs are.)
The other insanely important thing is to have electrolytes. I use pink salt in all my meals, and on top of that, I take a calcium and magnesium supplements (this stops the keto flu). I just buy Standard Process supplements, because they use real ingredients in their supplements.
Also, if you’d like the benefits of having frequent fish intake, but not want to eat them, like me, I would suggest standard Processes’ Tuna Fish oil, it takes the healthy oil (the omega 3s) from fatty fish, and puts it in a gel capsule.
Fancier foods you don’t need to buy right away on the keto diet:
If you don’t already have these in your home, you don’t need to go out and buy these things, like coconut oil, specialized nuts and seeds, like pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, specialized salad dressings, other fatty fish, plain yogurt (it’s hard to fin this in keto anyways. . . also, be aware cottage cheese is a little higher in carbs, so you might want to stay away from that too).
Foods to eat that people think are keto, but are not
These foods are popular in diets, because they are healthier alternatives, but they are still too high in carbs to be counted as keto:
- Plain yogurt or Plain Greek Yogurt (unless specially made keto – look for under 4 grams net carbs per serving)
- Dark Chocolate (sugar-free or 100% cacao is fine)
- Maple syrup (no sugar, but those carbs are high!)
So here are some easy things I eat on the keto diet:
Foods to eat for Breakfast:
eggs for breakfast – egg scramble with butter, sausage, peppers, onions, cheese, bacon. . . and I top it off with some salsa or sugar-free ketchup (or to be honest, normal ketchup)
Keto Diet Food For Lunch?
By now, most people who have been on the keto diet for long enough changed their eating habits, because they stopped being hungry enough to eat 3 meals a day. . . it’s easy when your body is always using fat for energy. . . So I’ll have leftovers maybe, maybe some almonds or other nuts and seeds, not much.
Low Carb/Ketogenic Diet Dinners –
My ground beef meals are: Rao’s spaghetti sauce with ground beef and extra veggies in the sauce. . . If I make it thick enough, I just top it with cheese and eat it like that. Or I’ll fry up zucchini, squash, or green beans (air fryer is amazing) and have that as my base, then put the sauce over it. Easy!
Tacos are a big hit at our house and we eat it every week, so I end up having it for a few days. I can eat everything with tacos except for the tortilla. So taco salads, or even a taco bowl with the meat, sour cream, cheese, and salsa on top. Easy!
Chicken – I usually slow cook my chicken, then I’ll put it in either homemade alfredo sauce, or store-bought then put it over broccoli, cauliflower, or other veggies, with the chicken on top.
I also take leftover chicken and stir-fry it with veggies. . . I can either use a gluten-free soy sauce, or even a sugar free BBQ sauce when I’m frying it, then I’ll smother the BBQ sauced foods with cheese.
I keep canned chicken and Sunflour (or almond flour) around for when I haven’t gone shopping for a while. . . I make chicken salad, and microwave 90 second bread, then add cheese, pickles, mayo, and chicken. easy.
Keto Friendly Desserts:
I don’t bother too much with fruit. . . I’m allergic to strawberries. . . but for my sweet tooth, I’ll buy Lily’s chocolate (or other kinds) chips, stick it in the freezer, and have a small handful when needed.
My other guilty pleasure is rebel ice cream. It’s not cost effective for me because I will eat it in one sitting, whereas the lily’s chocolate chips will last about a week.
I hope this helps you see how easy it is to follow the ketogenic diet. Don’t begin with trying the fancy recipes, start with the stuff you eat normally, just take out your high carb foods, and add in a veggie and some cheese!
Here is a list of my other articles about a low carb diet
- If you would like my list of amazon buys for the beginner ketoer, go here
- if you would like a full week’s worth of ground beef meals, go here
- If you’d like my 90 second bread recipe, go here!
- Also check out the recipes of other keto meals we eat regularly
Any other questions about the ketogenic diet, I’d be happy to answer, just leave a comment
And what I did to lose weight on a low carbohydrate diet
Eating low carb cheesecake for 2 months, and making it a healthy lifestyle
Some extra tips about eating keto:
Don’t go overboard on protein – It’s called “moderate protein” for a reason. – but it’s just fine adding a little extra healthy fat.
Don’t go overboard on low carb veggies either. . . I find myself bloated for the next couple of days if I eat too many veggies.
Calorie intake is still important. . . but first concentrate on getting into ketosis and feeling good, before going into a calorie deficit. You’ll experience weight loss at the beginning, which will be water weight, and then if you stall, try cutting a bit of calories to see if the helps.
How to make sure you are following a ketogenic diet:
So what does high fats, moderate protein, and low carbs mean? Usually it’s about 70% Healthy fats, 20% Moderate Protein, and 10% Carbohydrates. I do this simply by using the free app Carb Manager. You can put in your meal, and it will show you what percentage each of your macro nutrients are at.
As you can see, there are many different ways that you can eat on a ketogenic diet. You don’t have to eat boring or bland foods, and you can still enjoy some of your favorite meals. Just remember to focus on moderate protein intake, plenty of healthy fats, and low carb veggies. And if you ever get stuck, there are plenty of resources and people (like me) who can help you out. Good luck!
