6 Basic Keto Diet Rules Every Woman Should Follow

The TL;DR of the the ketogenic diet: You slash carbs, eat tons of (healthy) fat, and maybe feel miserable for a week or two before dropping a few pounds. Basically, it’s really, really hard.

If you’re up for the challenge, kudos to you; but many people just can’t stick to a keto diet because it’s so restrictive—and those restrictions have some downsides.

“It’s difficult to the get many nutrients your body needs, particularly fiber and potassium, on the keto diet,” says Karen Ansel, R.D., author of Healing Superfoods for Anti-Aging: Stay Younger, Live Longer. “At the same time, it’s loaded with saturated fat, which is unhealthy for your heart, and it deprives you of the carbohydrates your body craves for energy,” she adds.

Still, there are rules of the keto diet that can help you hit your weight-loss goals. Here’s what you can steal from the keto diet—even if you’re not sold on that high-fat lifestyle.

1. Pay closer attention to carbs.

The keto diet is all about limiting your carb intake—and most of us eat way too many carb-rich processed foods anyway. “A diet like this encourages you to cut out certain foods that will help lower your overall weight and improve your health,” says Marisa Moore, R.D., a nutritionist in Atlanta, Georgia.

While keto cuts out most major sources of carbs, Ansel and Moore say you should cut out processed carbs (think: crackers and cookies) while still enjoying healthy whole grains like brown rice and…