If you want tips for eating out and following a ketogenic diet, you are luck! The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is beneficial for stable weight loss, increasing energy, and promoting cognitive health and hormonal balance. Likewise, it helps reduce risk factors for chronic diseases such as hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, and hypertriglyceridemia.
With the keto diet, the body enters a metabolic state of ketosis:
- The immediate energy source (glucose from carbohydrates) is drastically reduced.
- The body needs to find alternative energy sources.
- You begin to burn more fat and produce higher amounts of ketones (small molecules that contribute to energy metabolism).
How to Eat Keto Food Outside Your Home
If you follow a ketogenic or low carb diet, no matter where you choose to eat, there are several tips or advice that I hope will serve you as well as me when you go out to eat.
Get mental
If you are starting the low carb diet, you may be afraid of eating what you should not, that for you it is a very big effort…
So that it doesn’t cost you work, think, “If I’ve already gotten results and I feel so good, is it worth bothering me for” that piece of … “? The answer is almost certainly going to be “No!” And you can try another tasty plate.
And if you are like me, and you have been in this lifestyle for a while (for me it is not a diet), then it will not cost you any work.
Don’t go hungry
Yes, I know that to eat you have to be hungry, but understand: don’t go wanting to devour because that is what can make you fail. Eating something an hour or two before works really well for me. This is a great tip for eating out and following a ketogenic diet.
I find it very comfortable and easy to carry a keto vego bar in your bag. It is delicious and you can eat it anywhere!
Choose your plate and don’t justify yourself
Read the menu carefully and decide what you can and should not eat.
You will quickly learn to choose wisely. Try to choose something that you like a lot and that you do not cook regularly: you will enjoy it twice as much.
Focus especially on a good protein and, if possible, aside or starter of allowed vegetables.
In the section for each type of restaurant, I give you specific advice.
And this is very important: you don’t have to justify your choice to anyone. If you are with family or friends, surely they already know that you do not eat many carbohydrates.
Ask the waiter for changes to your plate
Nowadays restaurants are used to customers asking for a change in their dishes, it may be for allergies, or for dietary reasons.
I usually ask to change my potatoes for salad or vegetables. Most of the time it is possible.
I also usually ask them not to put sauce on me or to put it aside. Sometimes sauces have unknown ingredients that can spoil our effort.
And if you have questions about any of the dishes, do not hesitate to ask them, they will most certainly be delighted to explain.
What should you keep in mind in order not to go off the keto diet?
If you want to prevent or reverse symptoms of poor health, I recommend doing the ketogenic diet from a holistic perspective.With this advice, you can go for eating out and following a ketogenic diet.
Get the fat from unprocessed foods
By this, I mean that you should opt for healthy, whole foods that are rich in fat. A good example would be olive or coconut oil, avocados, nuts, fatty fish, and grass products (butter, eggs, and meat from grass-fed animals).
On the other hand, you should avoid processed foods. These products are rich in fat, but they are not quality fats, so they can cause adverse health effects.
Don’t forget to eat vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables are also the key to success, providing the body with important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
So now you know, include a handful or two of this vegetable in your meals! On the other hand, remember to cut down (or avoid) starchy vegetables like potatoes, beets or squash, because they make the ketosis process difficult.
Don’t eat too much protein
One of the factors that differentiate this diet from other low-carbohydrate diets is that it incorporates less protein and more fat. The amount of protein should be moderate (around 15% of the daily caloric intake). In turn, carbohydrate intake has to be reduced to 5-10% of the caloric intake (which is equivalent to about 25-35 grams per day).
Try to fast intermittently
Intermittent fasting has a positive effect on hormones, blood sugar regulation, inflammation levels, and detoxification, so it is a good strategy to enhance the results of the ketogenic diet. Both strategies work well together because ketone bodies reduce appetite, so it is not so difficult to go without food for a while.
Fasting has been shown to help regulate hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin) and insulin sensitivity, while also contributing to weight loss.
Hydrate well and get enough electrolytes
While you are on the keto diet, you have to make sure you maintain good hydration throughout the day: in addition to a good amount of water, it is recommended that you include herbal teas, natural juices, organic coffee, green tea, and broths. It is also good that you consume some salt (the best options are sea salt and Himalayan salt), to ensure an adequate intake of potassium, magnesium, and other electrolytes. Electrolytes can help with digestion and with muscle and cell functions, as well as with sleep, energy, and mood.
A good way to keep your keto diet is with Keto Vego products. Visit our website to know more about how to follow a keto diet with the best products.