Ketogenic diet, Paleo diet, Low-GI diet — these are terms we have frequently heard or read about. Needless to say, some of us even wandered out on the path of following these diets in our bid to achieve our weight and health goals. But, doing so without proper guidance from a professional can be a huge mistake. Here is a list of fairly common keto diet mistakes people often make.

1. Right hydration

Our body is made up of water and some other elements. Considering the amount of water it constitutes, it is easy to conclude that water is a crucial part of our bodily functions. This also includes the process of fat burning. We have often heard that one mistake people often make is not to not drink enough water. It can obstruct your weight-loss process and might even lead to weight gain in some cases. Keto diet is no different; people following this trend to lose weight fall prey to the shortcomings of insufficient hydration.

2. Right fats

Keto is often misconstrued as a low-carb diet. But that is not all. It is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Keto diets are based on getting 5% of daily calorie consumption from carbs, 20% from protein, and about 75% from healthy fats. But it is the fats part where a lot of us tend to go wrong. Instead of liberally consuming fats like cheese, mayo, and creams, keto fat requirements are to be achieved by consuming Omega-3 rich fats.

Fats provide an excellent satiety value, and this satiation helps lower the carb cravings and helps the body enter ketosis mode. If we keep munching on the wrong fat, we make it harder for the body to achieve its goal and make matters worse.

3. Right amount of ZZ’s

Striking the right balance between all aspects of life is crucial to maintain a healthy life. Rightfully, striking a balance between waking and sleeping hours is also crucial. One of the common keto diet mistakes beginners make is not clocking in the right hours of sleep — questions like “how much” and “when” are equally important. When you have not let your body rest properly, it feels stressed, resulting in it hanging on to the fat reserves for energy. Not to forget, the greater number of awake hours in your day, the more you will be tempted to snack and drink.

Therefore, letting your body rest for an adequate time is crucial in the fat burning process of ketosis.

4. Consuming hidden carbs

Another common keto diet mistake is the misunderstanding and misidentification of carbohydrates. Foods that claim to be low carb or carb-free may not always be what they claim to be. Although unknowingly and unintentionally, we often increase our carbohydrate intake through foods we did not previously consider will have some carb content, like dips and dressings. Condiments, sauces, and other such foods tend to have carbs as well as sugar. Therefore, it is prudent to take note of the nutritional labels on everything we consume.