Anyone want to be Keto buddies?

[Tailfeather]

I've started again this week. Last time I did it I lost 2 stone and felt amazing - really energised and sharp and slept much better. I'm determined to get back on the wagon!

Is that something you purchase from Amazon or similar or is it a medical device?

There's lots of info on low carb drinks like this one: www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/alcohol-guide As @Tailfeather says, clear spirits such as gin with sugar free mixers have zero carbs.

@FloofCloud I purchased it myself check out amazon or ebay be sure to check the price of replacement strips before buying as some can be quite expensive.

Thank you! I've bought some strips for now (POAS) and will take it from there 🥳

Sorry lots of q's ... if you are in ketosis and have a cheat one day, does it push you out for days or is a glitch for a few hours?

It depends on how many carbs you eat. There us no general rule in this as it varies from person to person. As I have been doing keto for a while, I can get back into ketosis with a days fast. Its not advisable to keep going in and out of ketosis as high spikes in blood sugar can damage blood vessels according to new studies.

You shouldn't go into it with the mindset of having cheat days. And on e you're in ketosis and reaping the benefits it does help motivate you not to cheat. When you feel more energised and can see you are losing weight it does make you think twice about accepting a biscuit or slice of cake etc as that one slip up could mean days of getting back into ketosis. It's a physical state snd you can test your body to check you're in ketosis. On other 'diets' it's too easy to cheat and then tell yourself you'll get back on it the next day. Keto is more of a lifestyle change.

@FloofCloud if you eat lots of protein and healthy fats to make you full, you won't really feel like cheating as often as you think you would. Everyone's keto journey is different, I never had a cheat meal/day until after I met my goal weight. There are also different types of cheating such as eating rubbish food all day to having one cheat meal and the rest of the day keto meals. I do not have whole days of cheating on keto, I set myself an hours time frame where I can have a "cheat" as there is only so much you can eat in this time. I also make sure its in the evening once I have eaten my dinner as I eat alot less than I would if I was eating all throughout the day.

It's more about will power and training the mind to stay focused on what you set out to achieve.

Plus you can make thinks to satisfy those cravings that are totally allowed and part of the diet, but with sugar alternatives and almond flower. You are allowed dark chocolate and butter and cream and eggs. So blueberry muffins (i like them warm with butter) chocolate mouse, brownies, fudge etc etc. and peanut butter and chocolate fat bombs that were mentioned before. i have sugar free jelly, a couple of chopped up strawberries and a dollop of extra thick double cream for puddings.

Flour!! Not flower!!

You can also have stuff like McDonald's burgers without the bun which is still Keto (albeit 'dirty' keto) so you can treat yourself without actually cheating.

Day 6 - still not in ketosis. Bloods are 0.1!

When you say bloods are 0.1, I assume you mean your blood ketone levels?

How have you been trying to get into ketosis?

Less than 20g carbs a day, only eating chicken and fish, good fats, nuts, salad and cheese, and 16:8 fasting (ie eating 2 meals a day. Long walks e every day and 2 workouts.

Yes, blood ketones are 0.1 and pee sticks still 0.

I shall persevere!

@Tailfeather have you checked what you blood glucose levels are?

You are right to persevere. When you do your 16 hour fast, are you feeling hungry at the end? It might be worth seeing if you can push it to 18, 20 or even 24 hours.

What are your portion sizes like?

Have you been exercising to deplete your glucose stores? 6 days is quite long, it should be max 4. Are you watching how much cheese, mayo,nuts etc you are eating, as you could be above 20g

I am hungry after 16 hours but could definitely push it to 18.

Cheese is definitely my downfall!

These were yesterday's macros and 1,161 calories, so I was slightly over in carbs.

Bloods were 0.3 this evening, so still normal range, but higher.

Better today but more lacking a bit on the fat.

1 week in. Still not in ketosis - blood ketones are 0.2. Frustrating, but have lost 2lbs. Will try fasting for longer today.

Just reading up. I have an under active thyroid (am on thyroxine) and apparently this can affect ketosis.

Perhaps just do low carb, Intermittent fasting and portion control and forget about chasing ketones. It will drive you mad otherwise and loosing weight is not only dependent upon being in ketosis. This is what I have had to remind myself.

Looking at your macros, you do need to up your fat intake too.

Well done for you 2lbs weight loss. Are you taking body measurements aswell as it's not just about what the scales say.

@HealthierHabits2023 I'm going to give it another week or so. I've done it before and felt good snd want to do it again! My worry about low carb if you're not in ketosis is whether you have to reduce the fats intake too? If I'm not in ketosis I wont be burning fat as efficiently will I? I also felt SO much better when I was on keto last time and want to get that back. I also think if I do 'low carb' I'll be more inclined to cheat, whereas once you KNOW you're in ketosis it's s real motivator to keep you on the straight and narrow as you don't want to undo all of your good work and have to start from scratch.

Last time I did it I paid a nutritionist who said the most important parts were keeping carbs under 20g and meeting your protein target and that you didn't have to meet the fat target religiously but if you feel hungry more fat helps suppress the hunger. But I'll up it for now.

Do you find you go in and out of ketosis now ypu've hit your target weight? Or do you mainly remain in ketosis?

@Tailfeather
Did it take you a while to get into ketosis before?
I see what you are saying about being low carb. When I restarted keto this year, I was dead set on needing to be in ketosis to loose weight. I did nothing to take me out of ketosis until I reached my goal weight.

My focus and target then changed to me wanting to fix my relationship with food so I could focus more on the food that is good and beneficial to me rather than empty calories.

I do low carb rather than keto now and find that my calorie intake is quite low from alternate Day fasting and Intermittent fasting. I don't eat bread, rice pasta, cakes, ice cream, pastries etc but if on occasions at the end of the night I feel like some chocolate or a couple of sweets, then I do treat myself.

I have come to realise its not sweets, chocolate, cakes etc that makes us gain weight but rather over eating and not being active. I don't want to keep myself away from the odd treat because I don't want to completley binge and let go and then undo all my hard work, hence me allowing the one off treat.

I currently eat one meal a day and some days it's carnivore and others it's keto. I just go with the flo reducing carbs as much as possible. I don't measure ketones anymore either. I like to mix it up a bit so my body keeps guessing what's going to come next rather than get used to the same pattern.

Can I join please :) I'm starting tomorrow!
Heaviest I've ever been... BMI now in the obese category. Need to sort it out !
Addicted to carbs

@ToadIsTheBest
Welcome to the thread.

Would you like to share any more information about your goals?

Am I right to guess that you mean you will be starting to make the transition towards a ketogenic lifestyle tomorrow?