Starting Keto Today

hippygirl325

Hey all! I decided to join this group since the general forums seem to be a bit hostile towards low carbers (don't get why really...just cuz they don't wanna cut carbs doesn't mean no one can do it, but to each other own). I am doing a keto type diet. I set up my macros as follows using a keto calculator I found online:

Net Calories Consumed* / Day 1,895 cal/day
Carbs / Day 24.0 g
Fat / Day 158.0 g
Protein / Day 95.0 g

I have eaten a very carb (especially simple carb) heavy diet and this is my first full day of keto so I am afraid of what the first couple weeks might be like, but hopefully it won't be too bad. Any tips on reducing the bad effects of the transition would be great!

This morning I ate pork rind nachos with chicken. YUM! I think I can get used to this. Feel free to add me!

Also any other tips as far as good substitutions or ways to avoid losing minerals would be appreciated.

radiii

The Reddit faq on Keto is my favorite starting point just for tons of general, reliable information for someone just starting out.

http://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq.

Limiting/elimiating the "keto flu" effects is all about electrolytes. Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium. Different people have different strategies for getting more of these. I take a Magnesium Citrate supplement daily, and I switched to "Lite Salt" from regular salt. Lite Salt has a mix of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, and I'm very liberal with my usage of salt. I drink chicken broth, with some lite salt added in, for extra sodium. I've gone through times where I just do this if I'm feeling sluggish, and times where I drink some daily.

My #1 tip for someone just starting keto: Eat until you're full. Even if you're mindful of your electrolytes and do everything right, the first week can be hard. Your appetite may be weird at first, and my feeling is that adjusting to keto AND being super strict about your calories may just be too darn much for many people. So just focus on keto friendly foods, but eat as much as you want the first few days if your appetite goes bonkers and you feel hungry all the time. Your appetite will settle down, and things will be fine soon.

There's a keto specific group here too with reasonable activity and a lot of positive, knowledgable, supportive people: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1143-keto

Good luck1

FIT_Goat

Welcome. I've sent a friend request. You'll probably have no major issues.

I second the idea about eating until you're full at the start. I would not recommend counting calories. Just keep the carbs super low, and eat until you don't have an interest in food any more. Also, if you bother to track the other macros, do not stress about going over on protein for the first 3 weeks. Lyle McDonald (the literal author of the book on ketogenic diets) recommends 150g of protein each day for the first three weeks to maintain muscle mass while your body adapts to ketosis. Once you are keto-adapted, you will lower your protein to a more appropriate level based on your lead body mass.

Track your weight, to get a baseline, but don't worry about the numbers. The first few weeks in particular will be a roller coaster. You'll probably have massive drops in water weight. There may be some jumps up. After a couple weeks, you'll likely stall out for a bit. In short, it can be a bit crazy at first. Track it, so you have an idea. But don't stress about what's happening.

shadesofidaho

I had big trouble until Some one here suggested taking some OTC potassium. PHEW it was a life saver. I was miserable with out it. If you feel dizzy and sick to your stomach and your heart is starting to pound you might need some potassium. I also do magnesium at night. It helps to keep things moving for me and is good for you. Good for sleep too.

Welcome you can do this. I understand the other posters not on LCHF not understanding the difference. I did not want to give up carbs either but I have no choice.

Chris

A_Dabauer

Lots a good things about low carb. For those of us with PCOS it's the only way we can lose weight, so it get's very annoying when people spout it's only about a caloric deficit. I would never say low carb is the only way to lose weight but it certainly has a ton of benefits dismissed by the general community on MFP.

My advice, find friends that are low carb, or at least not hostile to low carb Read through this group, pay attention to posts from Deansdad, Frob, and Dragonwolf, they all are amazing resources, and have great helpful information!

Good luck! You can do this!

GaleHawkins

authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets/

This was a helpful article for me and the comments are awesome.

hippygirl325

Thank you all! So far I've been feeling pretty good. Past couple days I did feel feverish a few times and today been having the leg/foot cramps. I have started taking a daily multi and increasing my salt as well as drinking as much water as possible.

mrsking218

I started a group for people doing Atkins Induction which is basically a keto diet. Feel free to join!

tq33702

Second the importance of electrolyte
minerals such as potassium, magnesium,
calcium and sodium.

Severely disrupting the electrolyte mineral
balance, one to another, can result in serious
consequences:
acu-cell.com has more on mineral ratios and
signs of deficiency and excess, synergists and
antagonists.

In setting up the Food Diary, potassium and
sodium in foods can be tracked, tho many
foods on the MFP Food List have left out potassium
for some reason.
You can get an approximation of potassium
content in whatever food you eat at:
nutritiondata.self.com/
and plug that number in when you edit or add
foods to your own Food Diary.

hippygirl325

Thanks, all. I've been taking a daily multivitamin and keeping an eye on the minerals and it's been going amazingly since day 4. No "keto flu" or cramps since then and now I'm on day 8! Feeling awesome and I wish I had a scale cuz I'm sure I've at least lost a couple pounds already.

shadesofidaho

I bought a very reasonable scale at walmart for under 20. It is a digital. I do not need all the bells and whistles for remembering what I did weigh last time. It matches up with the chemo lounge numbers so I feel pretty confidant it is close enough.

But you will know when the weight it leaving as your clothes will be looser.

hippygirl325

Right, which is already happening pretty fast it seems like.

shadesofidaho

This is Great Hippygirl. I need to keep reminding myself this too. My body has had huge changes even though the scale has not shown that much of a loss. Very happy for you.