If you’re looking for a tried and tested diet and nutrition plan to help get you lean and shredded, a ketogenic diet plan could be exactly what you need. This nutritional plan has proven hugely effective in terms of fat loss, muscle growth and retention, and athletic performance.

In fact, there are many athletes and sports personalities all over the globe, following a ketogenic diet all year round and they swear by it. If you want an example of how fantastic you can look when following a keto diet, just check out WWE wrestler Triple H at this year’s Wrestlemania event, who, at close to 50 years of age, arguably looked bigger and more shredded than ever before.

While his physique may be extreme, the point of the matter is that the ketogenic diet is a highly effective one. It’ll help you reach your weight loss goals and also leave you more energetic than ever before.
Keto diets can be tough to understand at first glance. The tips below will make things easier and help you get a better idea of what the ketogenic diet is all about.

* Understanding what a keto diet is

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that keto diets are basically the same as diets such as The Atkins Diet, but they aren’t. While both diet plans are indeed low in carbs, Atkins is high in protein and moderate in fat. Keto, however, is a low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet. The focus is on the fats that you consume. So, the majority of your macros should be coming primarily from healthy fat sources.

* Stay hydrated

Hydration during a keto diet plan is essential, which is why it’s vital that you drink plenty of water at regular intervals throughout the day. Hydration improves athletic performance. It helps your body to flush out toxins, and ensures that your organs function optimally while your metabolism is firing on all cylinders.  Ideally, you want to be consuming at least 32 – 48 ounces of water before midday, of which 32 oz should be consumed upon waking to help jumpstart your metabolism.

* Get plenty of healthy fats

While you can be a little lenient when it comes to your fat consumption on keto, ideally you will need to ensure that the majority of your fats come in the form of healthy fats. Avoid trans-fats which are unhealthy, and instead, focus on healthy fats such as MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides).
The reason for this is that MCTs, due to their molecular structure, are converted into ketone bodies almost instantly, providing you with instant bursts of energy. Organic coconut oil is enriched with MCTs, and other healthy sources of fat include: oily fish, nuts, seeds, nut butter, whole eggs, avocados, and red meat.

* Be careful of too much protein

Remember, protein consumption should only be moderate. Healthy fats should take priority here. People trying to build muscle on keto often make the mistake of thinking they need to be taking in heaps of protein when this is not the case at all.

Too much protein can result in a physiological process known as gluconeogenesis, which causes amino acids to be converted into glucose sugars. Glucose sugars in the system can potentially knock you out of ketosis, which is the last thing you want.

These are the 4 basic pointers that you must be aware of when adopting a ketogenic diet. Do give it a try and you’ll be amazed at how effective and powerful it really is.