Category: Meal Plan Tips

You’ve probably, at some point, found yourself caught up in your commitments to a point where preparing a healthy meal for your family is almost impossible. The lack of time and the right ingredients for preparing a wholesome lunch can easily lead to cooking something up as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, those quick culinary experiments usually result in unhealthy meals that don’t satisfy the dietary needs of your loved ones. That especially applies to kids with specific diet requirements to help them grow big and strong.

Luckily, using a different approach like meal prep or a meal prep service for kids, you can easily overcome those issues with very convenient solutions.

Benefits of meal prep for kids

Using a meal prep service for kids or doing it by yourself has a ton of benefits that can make your everyday life a whole lot easier.

Firstly, a meal prep service for kids is a huge time-saver. Naturally, you should always try to prepare meals that are as fresh and nutritious as possible for your young ones. Unfortunately, that’s not always possible, as your schedule may be a bit too hectic to find the time to prepare each meal yourself.

However, meal prepping easily solves that issue as you prepare the meals in advance, which means no daily cooking and preparation. Instead, you simply heat the meals you’ve already cooked, and you’re ready to go.

Meal prepping is also a fantastic way to embrace healthier eating habits. When you have control over the ingredients and portion sizes, you’ll always be certain that the meals your young ones enjoy are packed with the right macro and micronutrients. 

Faster meal options are more complicated to control nutrient-wise. But when you prepare the meals in advance, you can incorporate various veggies, fruits, proteins, and other healthy nutrients for a carefree rest of the week.

Another great perk that this approach offers is its cost-effectiveness. When you spot a sale and buy items in bulk, you can save significantly in the long run. Plus, you can plan meals that use similar ingredients, ensuring you make the most of your purchase.

Kid-friendly meal ideas

The secret behind creating the perfect meal plan for kids is balancing nutrition and taste. It’s very common for kids to be picky eaters, which can be a challenge for parents to include the healthy ingredients they need to grow and thrive. However, with some creativity, you can create a clever meal plan that your kids will enjoy while being as nutritious as possible.

Kids meal prep breakfast ideas

Yogurt parfait: 

The incredible health benefits of Greek yogurt make it a must-have ingredient in your meal-prepping efforts. Layer it with fresh berries, granola, and a drizzle of honey. It’s a colorful and nutritious breakfast option.

Pancake pops: 

Make bite-sized pancakes on sticks for a fun twist. Serve with a side of maple syrup for dipping.

Oatmeal with toppings: 

Oatmeal is one of the most versatile and healthy breakfast options out there. Cook plain oatmeal and let your kids choose their own toppings, like sliced bananas, nuts, raisins, and a dash of cinnamon.

Egg muffins: 

Make mini omelet muffins with chopped vegetables, cheese, and eggs. They’re easy to grab and go.

Kids meal prep lunch ideas

DIY sandwiches: 

DIY sandwiches are a fantastic way to combine creativity with healthy eating. Prepare a selection of whole-grain bread, various spreads, and fillings like turkey, cheese, and veggies. Let your kids assemble their sandwiches.

Homemade pizza rolls: 

Roll out pizza dough and add sauce, cheese, and favorite toppings. Roll up, slice, and bake for tasty pizza rolls.

Bento boxes: 

Create colorful bento-style lunch boxes with sections for veggies, fruits, cheese, and mini sandwiches. It’s visually appealing and encourages balanced eating.

Pasta salad: 

Prepare a pasta salad with whole-grain pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a light vinaigrette dressing.

Kids meal prep dinner ideas

Chicken tenders: 

Make homemade chicken tenders by coating chicken strips in whole-wheat breadcrumbs and baking them. Serve with a side of healthy carrot sticks and a dipping sauce.

Mini meatloaf: 

Prepare mini meatloaves with lean ground meat, oats, and minced vegetables. Top with a tomato glaze.

Fish tacos: 

Create fish tacos with baked fish, coleslaw, and a drizzle of yogurt-based sauce in whole-grain tortillas.

Vegetable stir-fry: 

Make a colorful vegetable stir-fry with various veggies and tofu or lean protein. Serve over brown rice.

Kids meal prep snack ideas

Fruit Kabobs: 

Thread bite-sized fruit pieces on skewers for a fun and healthy snack.

Ants on a log: 

Fill celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese and top with raisins.

Popcorn with seasoning: 

Air-popped popcorn seasoned with a pinch of nutritional yeast or herbs makes a great low-calorie snack.

Homemade fruit popsicles: 

Blend fresh fruit with yogurt, pour into popsicle molds, and freeze for a refreshing treat.

Meal prep service for kids as an alternative

Although we’re always eager to provide the best for our younglings, meal prepping simply isn’t always an option. If you find yourself overwhelmed with your daily schedule, struggling to balance work, household chores, and providing nutritious meals for your children, a meal prep service for kids can be a game-changer. 

Although meal prepping is very convenient and saves loads of time, you still have to invest time in planning, shopping, and cooking each week. That’s where our meal prep service for kids steps in as a hassle-free solution.

Our kids’ meal plan is a nutritionally balanced menu that fulfills all the dietary needs of growing children. We understand that children have very unique tastes and dietary needs, which means that what works for some, might not work for others. That’s why our meal prep service for kids allows you to customize meals to your child’s preferences and any dietary restrictions they may have.

Another common concern parents have when preparing meals for their kids is the size of the portions. You may have experienced similar issues, where you get way too many leftovers, or you might fear that you’re overfeeding your child. 

However, with our meal prep service for kids, you can kiss those worries goodbye! With portion-controlled servings, you’ll reduce waste while ensuring your child gets the right amount of each nutrient without exceptions. 

Final thoughts

Regardless of your efforts to provide nutritious and delicious meals for your children, your daily commitments can sometimes make it challenging. But when you approach it from a different angle, with a meal-prepping plan, you can still make a terrific meal plan and cut down the time needed to prepare it.

If that’s still too hard to pull off with your schedule, you can always resort to our meal prep service for kids as an even simpler and more practical solution. Whichever you choose, you’ll get the much-deserved peace of mind and enjoy quality time with your loved ones.

Thanksgiving has tradition written all over it, with a delightful dinner and memories made to last. However, the fact that everyone looks forward to this unique fest doesn’t mean it should be an invitation for unhealthy ingredients, no matter how tasty. Instead, you can keep the traditional flavors with more nutritious options with these healthy Thanksgiving recipes.

Why choose healthy Thanksgiving recipes?

As the holiday season approaches, the temptation of reaching for calorie-dense and nutrient-light foods. However, this year can be your new beginning since there are many good reasons to break that tradition.

Contrary to popular belief, healthy Thanksgiving recipes can be just as delicious and flavorful as traditional ones. With fresh and wholesome ingredients, you can make exceptional, healthy meals without sacrificing the flavor.

When making a healthy Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll have a much easier time catering to different tastes. There’s a high chance that your guests have certain dietary preferences or restrictions. However, you simply can’t go wrong when using healthy recipes, and everyone can enjoy a healthy Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for health and happiness. Hence, it’s a perfect opportunity to make new traditions centered around well-being. Make lasting memories encouraging you and your loved ones to make health-conscious decisions.

Additionally, by serving healthy dishes for Thanksgiving, you can set a positive example for your family and friends. It might be that additional push of motivation for balanced and healthy living.

If you need inspiration or have doubts about your new healthy Thanksgiving recipes, fear not, as in the following section, we’ll give you more than enough dish ideas to beautifully start your new healthy tradition.

Healthy dinner ideas

Enrich your Thanksgiving feast with one of these nutritious and delicious main courses. 

Herb-roasted turkey

The herb-roasted turkey will keep Thanksgiving’s classic flavors but add a lovely twist. The aromatic blend of fresh rosemary and thyme will transform the turkey into a visually stunning and antioxidant-rich meal. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• one whole turkey (ten to twelve pounds);
• two tablespoons olive oil;
• two tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped;
• two tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Wash the turkey and then carefully dry it using paper towels. Mix olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to create a herb rub. Rub the herb mixture evenly over the turkey, including under the skin, for extra flavor. Position the turkey on a roasting pan and proceed to cook it in the preheated oven up until its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C)., approximately three hours for a ten to twelve-pound turkey. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Quinoa-stuffed acorn squash

Ditch the traditional stuffing and substitute it with a healthy, plant-based alternative with quinoa-stuffed acorn squash. This healthy idea for Thanksgiving is a combination of quinoa and dried cranberries that form a nutrient-dense, delicious dinner. Follow these steps to make it:

• three acorn squashes, halved and seeds removed;
• one cup quinoa, rinsed;
• two cups vegetable broth;
• one tablespoon olive oil;
• one onion, diced;
• two cloves garlic, minced;
• one teaspoon ground cumin;
• Salt and pepper to taste;
• half a cup of dried cranberries;
• half a cup of chopped pecans;
• fresh parsley for garnish.

Once more, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the acorn squash halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Simultaneously, in a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Then, add quinoa and reduce the heat. Cover it and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic in a skillet until softened. Add cumin, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir in the cooked quinoa, cranberries, and pecans—stuff each acorn squash half with the quinoa mixture. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the squash is tender. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Citrus-glazed salmon

The citrus-glazed salmon is a must-try if you want to steer away from the traditional turkey. This refreshing, healthy seafood option bursts with omega-3 fatty acids and a zesty citrus flavor. The ingredients needed for this healthy Thanksgiving dinner are:

• four salmon filets;
• a quarter cup of orange juice;
• two tablespoons lemon juice;
• two tablespoons honey;
• one tablespoon Dijon mustard;
• one teaspoon grated orange zest;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• fresh thyme for garnish.

This time, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the salmon filets on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, honey, orange zest, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl to create the glaze. Brush the glaze over the salmon filets. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the salmon effortlessly separates with a fork.

Healthy Thanksgiving sides

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without sides, and if you want to make them with a healthy twist, here are a few great ideas.

Butternut squash and kale salad

This bowl of deliciousness features roasted butternut squash, massaged kale, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with a lemon-tahini dressing to add a zesty kick to this healthy Thanksgiving side dish.

Sweet potato and kale gratin

Combine thinly sliced sweet potatoes and nutrient-packed kale layers in a creamy gratin. This golden perfection offers a delightful balance of sweetness and earthy flavors.

Quinoa-stuffed bell peppers

Spice up the classic stuffed peppers by filling them with a savory mixture of quinoa, black beans, corn, and spices. This colorful dish is rich with plant-based protein and adds a festive touch to your Thanksgiving menu.

Lemon garlic roasted asparagus

Roast asparagus spears with a blend of lemon and garlic for a simple yet elegant side. This light and refreshing dish adds a burst of freshness to your Thanksgiving table while being packed with essential nutrients.

Spinach and feta stuffed mushrooms

You can create fantastic bite-sized healthy Thanksgiving sides by stuffing mushrooms with spinach and feta cheese. 

In conclusion

As you prepare to gather with loved ones for a celebration, don’t hesitate to give these healthy Thanksgiving recipes a try. By choosing the healthier options, you can create a memorable feast while starting a tradition of gratitude for health. Embrace the perfect blend of taste and nutrition this Thanksgiving for a truly fulfilling and health-conscious celebration.

That midnight kitchen raid – we’ve all been there. But what if you could break free from late-night snacking (or midnight munching, evening grazing, after-hours eating) and wake up feeling lighter, more energized, and proud of your choices? Let’s explore science-backed strategies that actually work to curb those nighttime cravings and overcome mindless eating once and for all.

Why We Crave Late-Night Snacks

Before diving into solutions for curbing those post-dinner munchies and bedtime binges, it’s crucial to understand what drives our bodies and minds to seek food when we should be winding down for sleep. The science behind nighttime hunger reveals some fascinating insights about our eating patterns and food-seeking behavior.

Biological Factors

• Circadian rhythm disruption
• Hormone fluctuations (particularly ghrelin and leptin)
• Blood sugar imbalances throughout the day
• Sleep deprivation increasing hunger hormones

Psychological Triggers

• Stress and anxiety
• Boredom or loneliness
• Screen time stimulation
• Established habits and routines

The Science Behind Evening Hunger

Understanding the biological clock’s influence on your appetite (food cravings, hunger pangs, desire to eat) can be game-changing. Our bodies operate on a complex 24-hour cycle that affects everything from metabolism to digestion. When we eat late at night, we’re essentially telling our body it’s time for activity when it should be preparing for rest.

Time Your Meals Right

• Eat a protein-rich breakfast within an hour of waking
• Space meals 3-4 hours apart
• Include protein and fiber at every meal
• Plan a satisfying dinner for 2-3 hours before bedtime

7 Proven Strategies to Stop Night Snacking

Breaking the cycle of nighttime noshing requires more than just willpower. These research-backed techniques (proven methods, effective strategies, practical solutions) will help you overcome those evening urges and establish healthier eating patterns. Whether you’re a midnight snacker, evening grazer, or late-night muncher, these approaches can be customized to fit your lifestyle.

1. Master Your Evening Meal Formula

The perfect dinner blueprint to prevent midnight munchies:

• Lean protein (25% of plate)
• Complex carbohydrates (25% of plate)
• Vegetables (50% of plate)
• Healthy fats (1-2 tablespoons)

2. Create a “Kitchen Closed” Routine

Establishing clear boundaries around eating times can help reset your body’s natural hunger cues:

• Set a specific cutoff time (ideally 2-3 hours before bed)
• Turn off kitchen lights
• Brush teeth after dinner
• Have a caffeine-free tea ritual

3. Address Emotional Eating

Many late-night cravings stem from emotions rather than true hunger:

• Keep a snacking journal for one week
• Note emotions before snacking
• Develop alternative coping strategies:
  • Deep breathing exercises
  • Light stretching
  • Reading
  • Gentle yoga

4. Optimize Your Sleep Environment

Poor sleep quality often leads to increased nighttime eating:

• Maintain a cool room temperature (65-68°F)
• Use blackout curtains
• Remove electronic devices
• Consider white noise

5. Reset Your Body Clock

Align your eating schedule with your natural circadian rhythm:

• Wake up at the same time daily
• Get morning sunlight exposure
• Limit blue light exposure after sunset
• Practice consistent meal timing

6. Smart Snacking Alternatives

If you must have a bedtime snack, choose these options:

• Small portions of Greek yogurt
• A handful of nuts
• Light string cheese
• Cucumber slices
• Cherry tomatoes

7. Build a Support System

Share your goals with others who can help keep you accountable:

• Join online communities
• Partner with a friend
• Share progress on social media
• Consider working with a nutritionist

Creating Lasting Change

Transforming your evening eating habits isn’t just about willpower—it’s about creating sustainable lifestyle changes. The journey to overcome nighttime eating (evening snacking, midnight cravings, after-dinner munching) requires patience, self-compassion, and the right strategies.

Week 1: Preparation Phase

Start with small, manageable changes:

• Clean out trigger foods
• Stock healthy alternatives
• Set up evening activities
• Begin journaling

Week 2: Implementation

Put your plan into action:

• Start “kitchen closed” routine
• Practice new evening habits
• Monitor progress
• Adjust strategies as needed

Week 3-4: Habit Formation

Solidify your new healthy routines:

• Strengthen new habits
• Celebrate small wins
• Address challenging situations
• Build support system

When to Seek Professional Help

While occasional nighttime snacking is normal, some patterns might signal a deeper issue:

• Eating feels uncontrollable
• You’re hiding food or eating in secret
• Food anxiety affects sleep
• Rapid weight changes occur

Success Strategies for Different Lifestyles

Every person’s journey to stop late-night eating is unique. Here are tailored approaches for different situations:

Night Shift Workers

Maintain healthy eating patterns despite unusual hours:

• Schedule regular meals within your wake window
• Pack nutrient-dense options
• Stay hydrated during shifts
• Create a proper wind-down routine

Busy Parents

Balance family life with healthy eating habits:

• Plan evening activities ahead
• Keep healthy, quick options ready
• Set family-wide eating boundaries
• Model good eating habits

Moving Forward: Your Action Plan

Start your journey to overcome late-night snacking (midnight eating, evening grazing, nighttime munching) tonight:

1. Choose one strategy to implement
2. Prepare your environment
3. Set a realistic “kitchen closed” time
4. Plan tomorrow’s meals
5. Keep your journal handy

Remember, progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency and making sustainable changes that last.

It’s simple to become frightened while beginning a new diet. Having trouble starting is frequently a stumbling block. But if you’re reading this, you’ve already taken the first step—listening to your body and looking into ways to enhance your health and well-being! A legitimate keto shopping list that is simpler to remember compared to your cell number is one of the easiest methods to feel at ease with your new habit. This is a must-have for any novice who needs a base of delectable snacks and trustworthy go-to recipes, particularly with the ketogenic diet.

You’ve undoubtedly heard a lot of talks lately about the ketogenic diet. But is making the switch to this healthy routine worth it? The keto diet plan has very particular needs, such as being low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and high in fat, much like any other diet.

Your regular schedule will be disrupted by a new diet, but if you continue to see your new routine as “trouble,” your healthy routine will also seem like one. Where is the joy in that, then?

Our straightforward grocery list is based on delectable meals that will help you start your ketogenic diet after the first week. It adheres to the fundamentals, giving you the confidence and inspiration to continue on your terms.

How to put together a keto shopping list for beginners?

Clear out any tempting carb-heavy goods from your refrigerator and pantry before you make a keto shopping list. Processed foods, including sugar, grains and bread, starchy vegetables, and caloric sweeteners like honey, jams, jellies, agave nectar, and the like should be avoided at all costs.

The components of a beginner’s grocery cart for our favorite keto meals are listed below. To make your dishes at home, we advise splurging on fruit and meats!

Produce

Ingredients: red bell pepper, green onions, white onion, avocado, mushrooms, romaine or leaf lettuce, lime, green cabbage, cherry tomatoes, garlic, spinach

Proteins

Ingredients: breakfast sausage, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bacon, ground beef

Eggs and dairy

Ingredients: blue cheese, eggs, salted butter, cream cheese, plain, whole-milk yogurt.

Pantry staples

Ingredients: vanilla extract, almond flour, monk fruit extract, chicken broth, cocoa powder, almond butter, soy sauce, coconut cream.

Spices and oils: sesame oil, ground ginger, salt, sesame seeds, garlic powder, avocado oil, cinnamon, pepper, coconut oil.

Combating the early negative effects of the keto

Although some people may benefit from this diet, there are certain adverse effects you may experience after a few days of following the keto diet. The “keto flu” is one of them.

Many people only have these symptoms for a couple of days, not as long as the true flu would. But if they go on past that or you don’t feel well, pay attention to your body and discontinue the diet.

People commonly encounter the following signs:

• digestive discomfort 
• increased hunger 
• low libido 
• low energy and mental function 
• Insomnia 
• decreased exercise performance 
• Nausea 
• headaches

These signs indicate that your metabolism is adjusting to the state of ketosis and transitioning.

Starting slowly with the diet may be a smart way to counteract (or reduce) these symptoms.

Until you are completely prepared to begin the keto diet, you might attempt carb cycling for 2 to 3 days each week. Some people decide to continue carb cycling because they believe it to be helpful for them. But because every person is unique, just pay attention to your body and what suits you the most.

About the advantages of keto

Did you know that the ketogenic diet was initially developed for persons with epilepsy and has been around for approximately 100 years?

The keto diet has a lot of other advantages outside just aiding those with epilepsy. Lowering hormones like insulin has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Not just diabetes but also a wide range of other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, are greatly influenced by insulin.

You could experience benefits in your insulin postprandial glycemia, secretion, and blood pressure if you stick to this particular eating plan. Of course, additional study is still needed to determine how the ketogenic diet will affect your long-term health.

Weight reduction is another advantage of the keto diet, and if you’re struggling with weight management, it can happen more quickly than you’d anticipate. And this diet won’t make you keep opening your refrigerator to look for meals that have processed components or empty calories.

If you want to know if the keto diet is suitable for you, see your doctor or a dietician.

Set your keto path

Making a keto shopping list prior to getting creative with recipes is crucial. Making a diet pleasurable is the greatest way to stay on it, but making it fully yours is even more crucial. Now that you possess the tools, the options are unlimited. Happy Keto-ing, and good luck!

The words that we hear a lot are a ketogenic diet meal plan. You should consider it if want to reach fitness and health goals is usually a follow-up sentence. But, what ketogenic diet meal plan should you choose? If you are not sure, this text may help you decide.

The basis of the ketogenic diet is that it gets your body into ketosis. That is a condition where your body uses fat, not carbohydrates as its source of fuel. If you follow the diet plan, your body can go into ketosis in a day or three. When you are on a diet, most calories you burn come from fat. Fat is very low in carbohydrates and low in protein, so ketosis also occurs when you eat low-calorie food. 

Always consult with a professional before you start any new diet, but you can consider a recommended diet with a daily calorie intake of six to eight hundred calories.

Reasons for using a keto diet (good and bad sides)

If you are a beginner before you dive in, you need to know the potential benefits and risks. Different studies support the ketogenic diet meal plan. Reasons for using it might be –  treatment for epilepsy or type 2 diabetes, and support for weight loss. 

Epilepsy

For treating epilepsy, this diet has shown good results, especially with kids. The ketogenic diet meal plan can decrease the number of seizures, and ten to fifteen percent of kids who used this diet became seizure-free. It helped seven percent of adults who used this diet to stop having seizures when it is used for a long time. Patients may also reduce the dose of the medication. The thing that concerns doctors and patients is that it can be difficult for some people to follow it.

Diabetes

There are studies about diabetes that show how a ketogenic diet can improve glucose balance and blood sugar levels in two to three months. This also helps lowering down drug use, which is good news. Of course, for diabetics eating a lot of fat can be concerning. Fat can be unhealthy if we overeat. If you are in this group, talk to your dietitian, maybe they will recommend another diet for weight loss, such as a low-calorie diet, which might be more suitable for you.

Weight loss

When we talk about weight loss, this diet can have a great impact quickly. It can even happen in the first week. It is because your body will run out of all glycogen storage. When that happens, the weight of water becomes reduced. It looks good to see the scale dropping, but keep in mind that a loss of water comes first. The bad thing can be that for some people is short-term, and it can cause a lack of nutrition, and some health risks because you eat more saturated fat.

Benefits and risks are different for every individual. They depend on many factors, such as starting weight, general health, preconditions, activity level, and age.

Things to know about ketosis

As previously mentioned, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to get your body into ketosis. When you increase the frequency or intensity of your activities, you will lose fat and weight, but that is not the only way. Through ketosis, you can also burn fat faster, because it will help you use it for fuel. Understanding how ketosis work and what it is can help you reach your goal faster. But, before that, you need to be aware of the benefits and risks.

Food is our primary source of energy, nutrients such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates supply our body. After eating, our body breaks down carbs from foods, and then fat and protein. Ketosis happens when your body doesn`t have enough carbs or glucose, so instead burns fat. 

Your body enters ketosis when your carbs intake is low. When the body breaks down fat, it produces an acid called ketones, or ketone bodies. So, that becomes your brain`s and body`s main source of energy.

Getting and staying in ketosis isn`t easy. You have to eat no more than 20 to 50g of carbs daily to get and stay there. Food that you eat during this diet has to be picked carefully so it will not get you out of ketosis. You will need protein but you need to limit them to about 20 percent of your total daily intake. This is important because if you eat more than you need, your body will change it into carbs through gluconeogenesis. It pushes you out of ketosis.

How do you know that you are in ketosis?

One way to know is by checking your ketone level. This metabolic state usually takes one to three days to achieve when you restrict your carbs intake. If you want to measure your ketones, there is no need to visit a doctor. Just pick up a ketone urine test from the drug store, or use a blood sugar meter that has that option. A normal level of ketones is 0,6 milimoles per liter. When that number is higher, it means that you are in a state of ketosis.

There are symptoms that you might face during the diet. They are called `keto-flu`. Some of them should disappear after a few weeks. And they are:

• Loss of appetite
• Increased energy after a few weeks
• Weight loss
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Fruity-smelling breath

Different types of the ketogenic diet

There are different types of the keto diet. These are the most popular ones:

• The standard ketogenic diet – SKD
• The cyclical ketogenic diet – CKD
• The targeted ketogenic diet – TKD

Standard ketogenic diet 

As described before, SKD is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb diet. It gives results in weight loss and that is why is popular in low-carb diets. Other reasons why people chose this diet are because it is easier to follow and:

• You eat until you are full, with no need for counting calories
• Eat the same food every day or similar, but macronutrients will stay the same
• Three meals per day and there is no set time for meals

Drawbacks that you can face are:

• There is an adjustment period when you switch to a keto diet because your body is used to working on glucose
• Some dieters experience dehydration, keto flu, and fatigue, but that goes away after 1-2 weeks.

Cyclical ketogenic diet

This diet is an SKD but you can eat clean carbs, one or two days a week. This will create a carb cycle and it will help you with performance in a workout. CKD is a diet that can help athletes who exercise regularly. Eating carbs may improve the body`s ability to add new muscle, especially after workouts.

Drawbacks that might happen:

• The main concern is that you will not be in ketosis on the days when you eat carbs. Clean carbs or not, your body still needs to be on a low-carb intake before it changes its fuel.
• It is important to know that you need to exercise enough, so it won`t take longer than one day to get back into ketosis.
• If you aren`t careful, this diet may help you with performance but, it might not technically be a ketogenic diet.

Targeted ketogenic diet

This keto diet is a standard keto, too, but you pay attention to the time to eat your calories. You eat five to ten percent of your daily carbs to help you stay in ketosis. But you do that before and after exercising. It will also help you improve performance and may boost energy recovery.

Potential drawbacks that you can face:

• It would help if you were diligent to stay in ketosis; it can greatly impact your training, but you will not get into ketosis right after your workout.
• Paying attention to the foods that are forbidden. If you eat carbs before and after exercising, you can`t eat fruit or higher-carb nuts for the rest of that day.
• It might be difficult to stick to this diet because requires a certain level of discipline.

The final word

In this text, you could read about different types of ketogenic diets and their good and bad sides. It is different for everyone, and the best way to choose the right one is to consult a nutritionist.

You also need to figure out what plan would go well with your goals, activities, or daily schedule. There are lots of benefits, improving your health, weight loss, lower blood pressure, and others. If you follow the diet plan you choose, the results will follow, too.