The keto diet has many benefits for both losing weight and insulin regulation. But it’s essential to consider several factors, including macronutrient proportions, exercise, and meal planning to get the most out of this diet. Making all of these changes without support can be challenging for a first-time keto dieter.
The good news is, there’s no shortage of helpful resources to make changing your habits and keeping track of your progress easier. With the right tools, adapting your diet, exercise, and grocery shopping to fit the keto diet will be simple.
1. Keto Food Pyramid
Who remembers seeing those food pyramid diagrams as a kid? Well, they’re not suitable for the keto diet due to their carb-friendly recommendations. Fortunately, My Keto Kitchen offers an alternative to make the ideal keto diet clear for those who have never tried the diet before. This will make it easy to figure out what your meals should look like regarding nutrition and proportions.
2. Keto Calculator
Understanding and calculating macronutrients are essential to sticking to a keto diet plan. The majority of your diet should be composed of fats for the maximum impact. Calculating your percentages while planning a meal is much easier with a keto calculator that lets you input your important statistics like measurements, weight, and intake of various macronutrients. This Keto Diet Buddy calculator will give you automatic recommendations to hit your objectives.
3. Keto Tracking App
Calculating your macronutrient goals is a good start, but even better is tracking your progress wherever you go. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a keto tracking app installed on your phone. Total Keto Diet is one of the best, making it easy to do everything from track your calories to finding keto-friendly food options and recipes on the go. You can input details of your meals as you eat through the day to see if you’re meeting your goals.
4. Keto Exercise Guide
While carb-cutting is the core of the keto diet and will go a long way on its own, exercise is also an important part of the diet plan. But a low-carb diet means changes in your body chemistry, and not all exercises are effective on the keto diet.
Many users report that they don’t have the energy for high-intensity workouts, especially shortly after beginning the diet. But many exercises are suitable for the keto diet, and Healthline composed a collection to get you started.
5. Ketone Meter
So what are ketones, exactly? They’re your secret weapon to success on the keto diet. This is an energy source created by your liver in the absence of glucose—something the keto diet actively tries to jump-start.
Knowing your ketone levels doesn’t have to be a guessing game with this portable meter from Keto-Mojo, another great item to keep with you during a busy day when you want to keep track of your goals.
6. Keto Recipe Websites
If you’re someone who likes to cook at home, it can be tricky to adapt beloved old recipes into keto-friendly versions. Fortunately, the internet has you covered. Many websites offer wide collections of keto-friendly snacks, entrees, and desserts, along with unique substitutes for carb-heavy dishes like pasta and cakes.
These recipes often incorporate special ingredients that can boost ketosis, like MCT oil. This is a healthy fat that is flavorless and works in many recipes. What does MCT oil do and how can you use it? Click here to learn more.
7. Keto Support Groups
Taking on any new diet is easier when you have support, and that doubles for a comprehensive diet like keto. Fortunately, many other keto aficionados started online support groups on Facebook and other sites to offer helpful tips for keto beginners.
Keto Yourself Skinny is a great place to start. You can find an archive of stories, recommendations, and advice to get you through the challenging early days.
Your Keto Bag of Tricks
Many keto dieters who make it past the early challenges give credit to having a plan, and it’s easier to have a plan when you’re well-equipped. The more support and tools you have, the easier it will be to develop a keto strategy that works for you. This list is just the beginning—it’s all about finding the combination of tools, groups, and apps that works for you.
