Last updated on January 8, 2025
Getting started with Keto is difficult without the assistance of a Keto dietitian. Keto Do’s and Don’ts are something you should know before you jump into the wagon.
When you start losing weight on Keto, your family and friends will. The sides will slim, and the weight loss will immediately show on your face. And when you’ve been categorized as ‘fat’ your entire life, you’re at a loss for words.
People took notice. When I started losing weight, I became rather baffled. Unsure of how to respond or what to say. I didn’t know myself.
I was I should stick to these new Keto Do’s and Don’ts. After a few weeks, I felt much more confident and started: I am on Keto.
But in India, it’s not easy; carbohydrates are an essential part of our meals. Our meals are always accompanied by rice, naan, roti, or pita bread. So, if you have a carb-free plate at the dinner table, people will ask you questions.
How long will you stay like this? Will your body get weak? Will you start eating carbs after you reach your target weight?
I still get these questions, and when I say that I gave up roti and rice, they give me blank expressions of utter disbelief. Keto comes with its unique social stigmas, which nobody talks about. When you are at work, you have to politely decline a slice of pizza or a piece of cake from a colleague’s birthday party.
Some people assume in ignorance that you are the fussy one. You are criticized by others for beginning a new diet. You’re out with your friends when they notice you perusing the menu’s low-carb selections. Then, whether you choose a salad, a little handful of peanuts, or a cup of sugar-free coffee, you feel totally out of place. But the trauma does not end there; while you try to be normal, in your head, you want to add the salad amounts to your MFP to ensure your safety.
I’ve seen Keto work effectively for couples and families that transition to it together. Like myself and many others, if you’re committed, go it alone. And like I always say, do it for yourself, not your boyfriend, husband, or parents.
Nobody likes fat and out of shape. None of us are happy, stared at, or made to feel like bloated whales. I’m almost five months into Keto, and feel like I’m sliding. There are days when I wonder why I am doing this.
A whole world of chocolates, cakes, and junk food out there, asking me to eat them. And we also have doctors and doctors who will be able to fix me if something goes wrong. Then I recall my daughter’s expression when I used to attend parent-teacher conferences at school.
The disdain and embarrassment they felt when other children inquired why their mother was so fat, or when they called me a fatso, broke my heart.
On one birthday, my daughter asked me for a promise to get thin and fit as her gift. By following Keto Do’s and Don’ts And when I started losing weight, the twinkle in her eyes was priceless. I want to be fit to live their special moments with them. I am committed to looking my best on their graduations, weddings, and other special occasions.
Similarly, I would like to see the most stylish grandmother in the neighborhood. My days of embarrassment are over, or almost over. I can’t give up now; I do it for myself since this could be my final chance.
Also Read: Indian Keto Diet for Beginners: A Complete Guide
I can safely say that a Keto lifestyle is easy to follow; it is ideal for people who don’t have time to go to the gym or are just lazy. Most effective for people who are on the verge of contracting some health-related disease due to obesity.
In this post, I try to build a diet food list you can consume on Keto Do’s and Don’ts for beginners and those considering going keto. Everything available in India and around the world is what I included. Please add anything I may have missed.
Contents
Keto Diet Food List: What to Eat and What not!
The moment you decide to go on a Keto diet, there are a million questions that burst into your head. What to eat and what not to eat?
Is this keto? Is this not keto? Should I eat it or not?
The millions of websites only end up adding to the confusion. I, for one, had never bothered finding out about MCT oils or trans fats or collagen or potassium levels. I was a heavyweight living in my fat world, eating away at my grandeur, so I wasn’t bothered.
Since I switched to Keto, I have been looking for keto-friendly foods. I look at the labels. I calculate carbs before I eat. It doesn’t sound like the older me at all. Keto is quite easy. Just remember the golden rule—
Keep the carbs below 30g.
When picking food, opt for high-quality ingredients over carbs. A common problem in India is food breakdown is written on most products. Honestly, I have reservations about foods with labels.
What should you eat and avoid?
Eat meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruits rarely. Avoid processed food preservatives and artificial colors. The Keto Do’s and Don’ts diet is not just about losing weight; it is primarily about becoming healthy.
What can you eat without feeling any guilt?
Meats
- Mutton, chicken, all kinds of fish, seafood, pork, and eggs.
- Eggs, bacon
- Liver, kidneys, and brain.
Healthy fats
- Pork fat, duck fat, chicken fat, coconut oil
- Ghee, butter
- Good quality olive oil
- Oils derived from seafood and fatty fish
Non-starchy vegetables
- All kinds of green leafy vegetables: spinach, fenugreek, lettuce, bok choy, celery, asparagus
- Radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, water gourd, bitter gourd, ridged gourd.
Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds
- Coconut, avocado
Beverages and Condiments
- Lots of water.
- Coffee black or with cream or coconut milk
- Tea, black or green
- Sugar-free mayonnaise, soy sauce, bone broth,
- Most herbs, lemons, lime juice, and zest
- Whey protein
- Egg white protein
- Hormone-free gelatin
Only eat sometimes?
Vegetables and Fruits
- Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip, and fennel.
- Eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Spring onions, onions, mushrooms, garlic, pumpkin.
- Peas, snow peas, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, okra
- All kinds of berries, olives
Grain-fed animal sources and Dairy
- Beef, plain full-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu
- All products with the label “low fat” are heavy in fat and sugar.
Nuts and seeds
- Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.
Condiments
- Artificial sweeteners like Stevia.
- Sugarfree ketchup and purées
- Cocoa and extra dark chocolate. Only 90% will do.
- Avoid sugarfree mints and gums.
Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds with Average Carbohydrates, to be avoided
- Celery, beetroot, carrot, sweet potato.
- Watermelon, cantaloupe, apricot, peach, apple, kiwi, orange, plums, cherries, and figs.
- Pistachio and cashew nuts, chestnuts
Alcohol
- Dry red wine, unsweetened spirits, and dry white wine be avoided.
- Vodka with water, is to be consumed rarely.
AVOID Completely
- Foods rich in carbohydrates
- All kinds of grains, potatoes.
- All made with grains, namely bread, pizza, and pasta.
- Sweet and sugary food items.
- Foods with gluten, msg, and BPA’s.
- Avoid sweeteners like equal, Sugarfree. And others that contain aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin.
- Refined oils and margarine.
- Readymade low-carb, or zero carb products.
- Sodas and juices.
- Milk
- Alcohol, beer, cocktails, wine
- Pineapples, bananas, mango, papaya, oranges, grapes
- No fruit juices
- Dates, raisins
- Avoid products with MSG
Additionally, I have this link on Keto Do’s and Don’ts that I got from another Ketoite. You can bookmark it and refer to it whenever you are in doubt.
