How Long You Should Stick to the Keto Diet — The 4 Most Common Mistakes

The ketogenic diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. In fact, a poll from last year found that more than one-third of Americans are trying to follow the keto diet. This is not the same as the Atkins diet or other low-carb diets that are popular right now. Instead, it’s a very specific way of eating with a target range for your intake of carbs, protein, and fat. If you struggle to maintain this diet for long periods of time, then you’ll want to read on for some helpful advice. So how long should you stick to the Keto Diet? Well if you read on further you’ll find some useful tips and advice that can help you get over those initial hurdles so that your body gets used to this new way of eating — without giving up!

The Keto Diet: What You Need to Know

Before we get into these common mistakes, let’s take a quick look at what the ketogenic diet actually is and why it’s so effective for fat loss. Essentially, the ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet with a much higher intake of fat and moderate protein levels. On a standard Western diet, for example, you might aim for about 30% of your total calories from fat, 40% from carbs, and 30% from protein. In contrast, on the ketogenic diet, you’re aiming for a far lower intake of carbs and a lot more fat — around 60% of your total calories. The remaining calories should come from moderate protein intake with some higher carb foods included too. The key to the ketogenic diet is that it forces your body to use fat as the primary fuel source rather than glucose. When you eat very few carbs, your body can’t use them as an energy source. Instead, it has to break down fat reserves, which releases fatty acids that get converted into ketones. These ketones are then used as an energy source in the absence of sufficient glucose.

4 Common Mistakes

Let’s now take a look at the most common mistakes that people make when following a ketogenic diet. These are things that you should watch out for so that you can correct them and minimize the chances of failing on this diet. Not monitoring your carb intake: One of the biggest mistakes that people make when following a ketogenic diet is not monitoring their carb intake. You need to make sure that you’re getting your daily carbs from vegetables and other healthy sources, but not from grains or sugary foods like cookies and ice cream. Failure to monitor your progress: Another common mistake is failing to monitor your progress. This means tracking how you feel, how your body is adapting to this way of eating, and making sure that you’re following the ketogenic diet correctly. Not balancing your protein intake: Many people who follow the ketogenic diet end up with a protein intake that’s too high. While you do need to eat some protein, taking it too far will just end up converting this into glucose instead of ketones. Not eating enough healthy fats: While you need to eat a lot of fat on the ketogenic diet, you also need to make sure that you’re eating enough healthy fats. This means making sure that you’re getting enough omega-3, monounsaturated, and other healthy fats in your diet.

How Long Does It Take to Adapt to the Keto Diet?

Another important question that you need to ask yourself is how long does it take to adapt to the ketogenic diet? This will differ for everyone, but it’s usually between two and four weeks. Some people notice a difference in a matter of days, but others may take longer. There are a number of factors that can affect this. For example, if you increase your protein too much, then this can delay ketosis. Or if you’re stressed out or rushing the process, this may also delay it. One thing that’s important to remember is that everyone is different. What works for your friend or co-worker may not be the right approach for you. So you need to experiment with what works best for you and your body.

How Long Should You Stay on the Ketogenic Diet?

Now that you know how long it takes to adapt to the ketogenic diet, let’s talk about how long you should stay on it. This largely depends on your goal, but it’s recommended that you stay on the ketogenic diet for at least three months before deciding whether it’s working for you or not. After three months, you should have gathered enough data and information to know if the diet is a good fit for you or not. You may find that it’s extremely effective for fat loss, energy levels, and overall health. Or you may find that it’s not the right approach for you after all. The most important thing is to be patient and wait for enough data to gather. If you decide that the ketogenic diet isn’t working for you after three months, then you should stop. There’s no point in forcing yourself to stay on this diet if it’s not right for you.

3 Months Should Be Your Minimum Commitment

Finally, we come to the big question of how long you should commit to the ketogenic diet. As we’ve just covered, three months is the recommended minimum. However, if you really want to see the best results, then six months is the minimum time period you should commit to. During the first three months, your body is still adapting to this new way of eating and getting used to burning fat for fuel rather than glucose. So you may not experience as many benefits as you would if you stayed on it for six months or longer. After six months, your body has fully adapted to ketosis and is using fat for fuel. It’s also much less likely to be affected by any side effects that may occur with the ketogenic diet, such as keto flu. So you’ll likely notice the full benefits of this diet after six months.

1 Year Is Best Before Making a Final Determination

Now let’s talk about whether you should stay on the ketogenic diet for even longer. Some people may decide to stay on it for a year or longer for many different reasons. For example, some people may benefit from the ketogenic diet for their whole lives. Others may decide to stay on it for a year or so, then follow a more balanced diet for a while after that, then go back to the ketogenic diet once again. The important thing is to be patient and give yourself enough time to decide whether the diet is a good fit for you or not. Make sure that you follow the guidelines we’ve talked about in this article so that you can maximize your chances of success. Then you can make a more informed decision about what works best for you.

Conclusion

The ketogenic diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is not the same as the Atkins diet or other low-carb diets that are popular right now. Instead, it’s a very specific way of eating with a target range for your intake of carbs, protein, and fat. If you struggle to maintain this diet for long periods of time, then you’ll want to read on for some helpful advice. These are the most common mistakes that people make when following a ketogenic diet. They can all be corrected, so don’t worry if you’re making any of them. With the right approach, you can successfully follow this diet for as long as you want.