Diets that replace carbs with protein-often grab people’s attention.
The keto low-carb diet is no different. However, instead of focusing on protein, the keto diet relies on fats to supply 90% of daily calories.
Once on this diet, people miss out on the sugars produced by the body from carbohydrates.
Because these can interfere with sticking to the diet, it’s important to go into it with a solid plan of how to keep your cravings for sugar and other compounds at bay.
How do you do this? Here are some tips.
- Go Off Carbs Cold Turkey
It might sound less drastic and much easier to go off carbs gradually, but this might be counterproductive.
To get into ketosis, your body needs to restrict its carbohydrate intake severely. If you are still consuming over 25 grams a day, you will zig-zag between ketosis and your previous metabolic state, which will make your carb cravings stick around for longer.
Quitting carbs cold turkey might be difficult the first few days, but once you get past the early days, you will feel better and experience fewer carb cravings.
- Eat to Satiety
When you go too long without food, your blood sugar drops. This leads to not just hunger but cravings as well.
Keep in mind that carb foods may be larger in volume than the foods suggested in the ketogenic diet.
As you begin the diet, you might want to eat to satiety, even as you track what you eat. You can then embark on limiting your calories after the first week or two once you have gotten rhythm.
In the beginning, however, keep your blood sugar leveled out with two snacks and three meals a day.
- Have a few Drinks
Hunger and thirst are often confused with hunger and cravings.
Ensure to drink at six to eight glasses of water per day. Two of these can be herbal drinks, tea, coffee, and even sugar-free sodas and broth.
The nest time you have a craving, make a habit to reach for a glass or two of water and notice how effective this will be at dissipating your cravings.
Ensure to keep a bottle of water next to your bed to sip on during the night and first thing in the morning when you wake up.
- Do Not Cheat
From the face of it, it might seem like the way to wade off cravings is by succumbing to them.
This is not entirely true. Often, giving in makes cravings stronger, and before you know it, you are off the diet.
Nonetheless, mistakes do happen; the important thing is to get back on your diet as soon as possible.
Consistency is Key
Just like any other diet, you might get on, the key to success is consistency.
Consistency gets your body to not only adapt to a new diet but also ensures the follow-through required to see actual results.
