Keto Newbie
vjrozmia
Posts: 18 Member
Hi everyone! I just joined this group and I'm looking to start a keto diet. I've done a bunch of reading, and stocked my pantry (eggs, avocado, bacon, etc.), but I have a few questions for those who are doing a keto diet.
First, I've read about 'keto flu'. In your experience, how long does this last? Are there any things I can do to make it better? I did get some electrolyte supplements.
Second, most of the foods I have seem to be both high in protein and fat. How do you make sure you're not eating too much protein? What are some good food options/recipies that are mostly fat? (I get that I could just eat a stick of butter, but that doesn't sound very tasty).
Third, can you still drink alcohol on a keto diet? If so, what kind and how would it affect your diet?
Thanks in advance. :-)
First, I've read about 'keto flu'. In your experience, how long does this last? Are there any things I can do to make it better? I did get some electrolyte supplements.
Second, most of the foods I have seem to be both high in protein and fat. How do you make sure you're not eating too much protein? What are some good food options/recipies that are mostly fat? (I get that I could just eat a stick of butter, but that doesn't sound very tasty).
Third, can you still drink alcohol on a keto diet? If so, what kind and how would it affect your diet?
Thanks in advance. :-)
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Replies
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Welcome!
Allow me to be the first to suggest reading the LCD LaunchPad, which has info about "keto flu" and related topics (like hydration and electrolytes):
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest3 -
The so called "Keto flu" is nothing more than low sodium that left in corrected for too long creates low magnesium and potassium too. The symptoms show up in a variety of ways and it's completely preventable. I've been Keto for a year next week and never had any symptoms. Like you, I read all about it before starting and made sure to get plenty of sodium from day one. I only added a magnesium supplement later on because I learned that it's just a good idea for anyone to do. I even started my non low carb kids on it.
Hopefully you didn't get magnesium oxide. Read the launchpad info for more about the best forms of magnesium. But honestly, just get the salt starting day one and you'll be great. Keep in mind that if you drink lots of water, you need more sodium too as it increases how much Is flushed out. The typical recommendation is anywhere from 3000-5000mg a day but can certainly be higher if you drink lots of water.
As far as not going too high on protein, you want to eat fattier cuts of meat. Chicken with the skin on and dark meat if you like it. If you choose white meat and or skinless, make sure to keep your portion right for your protein needs and add butter or a cream sauce or cheese or all of those to increase the fat for that meal and achieve satiety.
Also, consider adding coconut oil into your daily diet in some way. I like it in coffee and cook veggies in it. Some people like to make "fat bombs". Most of us find these can actually lead to overeating in general. Especially the sweet treats.
Olives are great for both salt and fat too.7 -
Coconut and almond flour are useful, too, if you like to bake. There are lots of recipes on Pinterest, and there are always a few free Keto cookbooks for Kindle (some much better than others, as far as carb content goes).1
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Welcome!
Allow me to be the first to suggest reading the LCD LaunchPad, which has info about "keto flu" and related topics (like hydration and electrolytes):
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
Thank you so much! I've started reading this, and it's very helpful. The recipe links are a good resource.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The so called "Keto flu" is nothing more than low sodium that left in corrected for too long creates low magnesium and potassium too. The symptoms show up in a variety of ways and it's completely preventable. I've been Keto for a year next week and never had any symptoms. Like you, I read all about it before starting and made sure to get plenty of sodium from day one. I only added a magnesium supplement later on because I learned that it's just a good idea for anyone to do. I even started my non low carb kids on it.
Hopefully you didn't get magnesium oxide. Read the launchpad info for more about the best forms of magnesium. But honestly, just get the salt starting day one and you'll be great. Keep in mind that if you drink lots of water, you need more sodium too as it increases how much Is flushed out. The typical recommendation is anywhere from 3000-5000mg a day but can certainly be higher if you drink lots of water.
As far as not going too high on protein, you want to eat fattier cuts of meat. Chicken with the skin on and dark meat if you like it. If you choose white meat and or skinless, make sure to keep your portion right for your protein needs and add butter or a cream sauce or cheese or all of those to increase the fat for that meal and achieve satiety.
Also, consider adding coconut oil into your daily diet in some way. I like it in coffee and cook veggies in it. Some people like to make "fat bombs". Most of us find these can actually lead to overeating in general. Especially the sweet treats.
Olives are great for both salt and fat too.
Thanks for the information. The electrolyte supplement I have is just magnesium (in the form of magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate). Plus, vitamin D3, calcium, chloride, sodium and potassium. But 3000-5000 mg of salt is what I need starting out? Once your body gets used to the diet, or becomes keto-adapted, do you need to continue making sure you get that much salt?
Also, I love olives and didn't even think about them. Thanks!1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Some people like to make "fat bombs". Most of us find these can actually lead to overeating in general. Especially the sweet treats.
O, wise @Sunny_Bunny_ , is it possible you might have a place in your heart for calorie counting?
@vjrozmia - Personally, I have found it helpful to have a daily pseudo-ceiling and to stop eating for the day if I'm more than a few hundred calories over that not-quite-random number. This also leads to 16-hour fasts starting earlier in the evening. (FYI, I'm also a type 2 diabetic and still aiming to shed 1 lb. or so every couple of weeks.)
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Coconut and almond flour are useful, too, if you like to bake. There are lots of recipes on Pinterest, and there are always a few free Keto cookbooks for Kindle (some much better than others, as far as carb content goes).
Thanks! I picked up some almond flour at the store today, without any real plan of what to do with it. But I noticed a number of recipies included almond flour, so I thought it would probably be a good staple to have on hand.1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Some people like to make "fat bombs". Most of us find these can actually lead to overeating in general. Especially the sweet treats.
O, wise @Sunny_Bunny_ , is it possible you might have a place in your heart for calorie counting?
@vjrozmia - Personally, I have found it helpful to have a daily pseudo-ceiling and to stop eating for the day if I'm more than a few hundred calories over that not-quite-random number. This also leads to 16-hour fasts starting earlier in the evening. (FYI, I'm also a type 2 diabetic and still aiming to shed 1 lb. or so every couple of weeks.)
I'm not looking to lose much weight, so I'm planning to track my calories to make sure I'm eating enough. And continue logging to keep track of my macros. :-) I mostly want to improve my physique, while I continue strength training. I've never been one to care much for sugary/sweet foods, so the fat bombs might help if it looks like I'm not getting enough fat.1 -
Ah, lucky you! Even in your circumstances, I think @Sunny_Bunny_ and the other genuine keto gurus around here might suggest using a keto calculator to compute not only your carb but also your protein limits, since some protein will also be converted (albeit more slowly) to glucose. The balance of your calories would be from fat. If I understand correctly, that's why SunnyB suggests eating protein with high fat content and keeping coconut oil handy.
I happen to like nice farm-fresh eggs with chia and pumpkin seeds blended with heavy whipped cream and cooked in coconut oil. (For non stove-top uses, I prefer the unrefined CO, which tastes more like coconut! Mmmm....)0 -
Ah, lucky you! Even in your circumstances, I think @Sunny_Bunny_ and the other genuine keto gurus around here might suggest using a keto calculator to compute not only your carb but also your protein limits, since some protein will also be converted (albeit more slowly) to glucose. The balance of your calories would be from fat. If I understand correctly, that's why SunnyB suggests eating protein with high fat content and keeping coconut oil handy.
I happen to like nice farm-fresh eggs with chia and pumpkin seeds blended with heavy whipped cream and cooked in coconut oil. (For non stove-top uses, I prefer the unrefined CO, which tastes more like coconut! Mmmm....)
Thanks for the title! Lol
I'm a big fan of coconut oil in general. I highly encourage its consumption, but start slow if you don't normally use it. It's great for boosting ketones which just feel awesome!2 -
Aha! How does coconut oil (which you turned me on to, BTW) actually boost ketones, as opposed to just giving your body an alternate source of fat to use for energy?
I must have been in a carb-induced brain fog during that class.....0 -
Aha! How does coconut oil (which you turned me on to, BTW) actually boost ketones, as opposed to just giving your body an alternate source of fat to use for energy?
I must have been in a carb-induced brain fog during that class.....
The smaller chain fatty acids like caprylic and capric acid require no enzymatic breakdown, therefore are available for use immediately by the brain. And even more than that, the brain actually prefers this energy source even in the presence of glucose. Even SAD dieters can get the ketone boost of coconut oil because of that.
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The smaller chain fatty acids like caprylic and capric acid require no enzymatic breakdown, therefore are available for use immediately by the brain. And even more than that, the brain actually prefers this energy source even in the presence of glucose. Even SAD dieters can get the ketone boost of coconut oil because of that.
Good. So... next time I need to endeavor to appear lucid, do I:- Eat 3 tbsp. of coconut oil;
- Eat 3 tbsp. of coconut oil and 2 imodiums; or
- Drink 3 tbsp. in a triple espresso and eat 8 imodiums?
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The smaller chain fatty acids like caprylic and capric acid require no enzymatic breakdown, therefore are available for use immediately by the brain. And even more than that, the brain actually prefers this energy source even in the presence of glucose. Even SAD dieters can get the ketone boost of coconut oil because of that.
Good. So... next time I need to endeavor to appear lucid, do I:- Eat 3 tbsp. of coconut oil;
- Eat 3 tbsp. of coconut oil and 2 imodiums; or
- Drink 3 tbsp. in a triple espresso and eat 8 imodiums?
Ha! I don't know about the Imodium... 1Tbs in a dark roast coffee does well for me. But I prefer a high caprylic acid MCT (like MiCkeyT8) to coconut oil for brain performance.2 -
Hi OP! I'm jumping in on the sodium recommendations! The 3000-5000 mg per day recommended is only to replace what your body is losing! It's not extra sodium! The body loses salt because the ketones take salt with them when we urinate. If the sodium isn't replaced, you will begin to feel the "flu" symptoms. This is a daily balance that's needed to prevent the "flu". Good luck!
Oh, and alcohol is a personal choice. Sticking with vodka, and soda water with a twist of lime, is a good option. Finding what works best for you is the key!1 -
Thanks everyone, you are all a wealth of information! I actually have coconut oil stuck in the back of my pantry. I have no idea how old it is, or what I originally bought it for, but cooking eggs with it sounds like a great idea.
I knew I would need more sodium, but I didn't realize it was quite so much, so thank you for that advice.
I will probably skip the alcohol until I'm really comfortable with the diet. I don't want to have a loss of will power while drinking alcohol and reach for a basket of fries. :-) I might look into incorporating it later.
I'm planning to start the diet later this week, after I return from work travel. I'll save 'keto diet while traveling' as a challenge for a future time. :-)
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Why LS salt - for the potassium?0
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How about boron? (Eat .01% of a mule team's worth every week?)0
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I think eating low carb is working for me....I just caught myself trying to do the runnin'man across the kitchen floor, LOL! Wow, I really am starting to feel some energy bubbling up!1
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
And also, available supplements are a joke. You only get about 90-some mg per pill no matter what lies the bottle tells you. The RDA is 4,000mg a day. The only way to get that is through foods and the potassium salt.1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »The so called "Keto flu" is nothing more than low sodium that left in corrected for too long creates low magnesium and potassium too. The symptoms show up in a variety of ways and it's completely preventable. I've been Keto for a year next week and never had any symptoms. Like you, I read all about it before starting and made sure to get plenty of sodium from day one. I only added a magnesium supplement later on because I learned that it's just a good idea for anyone to do. I even started my non low carb kids on it.
Hopefully you didn't get magnesium oxide. Read the launchpad info for more about the best forms of magnesium. But honestly, just get the salt starting day one and you'll be great. Keep in mind that if you drink lots of water, you need more sodium too as it increases how much Is flushed out. The typical recommendation is anywhere from 3000-5000mg a day but can certainly be higher if you drink lots of water.
As far as not going too high on protein, you want to eat fattier cuts of meat. Chicken with the skin on and dark meat if you like it. If you choose white meat and or skinless, make sure to keep your portion right for your protein needs and add butter or a cream sauce or cheese or all of those to increase the fat for that meal and achieve satiety.
Also, consider adding coconut oil into your daily diet in some way. I like it in coffee and cook veggies in it. Some people like to make "fat bombs". Most of us find these can actually lead to overeating in general. Especially the sweet treats.
Olives are great for both salt and fat too.
Thanks for the information. The electrolyte supplement I have is just magnesium (in the form of magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate). Plus, vitamin D3, calcium, chloride, sodium and potassium. But 3000-5000 mg of salt is what I need starting out? Once your body gets used to the diet, or becomes keto-adapted, do you need to continue making sure you get that much salt?
Also, I love olives and didn't even think about them. Thanks!
Some people find that once they become adapted that they can get by with less. They still need around the bottom number as ketosis as a biological process flushes more sodium, period, so we MUST replenish it. You may no longer need 4000 or 5000 once your body becomes more efficient at ketosis, but don't let it fall further than 2500-3000 or you'll start experiencing keto-flu symptoms again due to electrolyte imbalance.1 -
Im being educated all over again! Cool information on the coconut oil0
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baconslave wrote: »Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
And also, available supplements are a joke. You only get about 90-some mg per pill no matter what lies the bottle tells you. The RDA is 4,000mg a day. The only way to get that is through foods and the potassium salt.
Yep. I compared my electrolyte supplement to what is recommended, and I was pretty disappointed. Live and learn I guess. :-) I've been having water with a teaspoon of salt, but that's going to take some getting used to. How do you all get in that much salt? Are there better / more tasty ways than salt water?0 -
Another question. I've seen a number of people reference bulletproof coffee. What is it, and what do you put in it?0
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Another question. I've seen a number of people reference bulletproof coffee. What is it, and what do you put in it?
Official bulletproof coffee was created by Dave Asprey. His version uses his own low mold coffee, his Brain Octane Oil (a 15mg caprylic acid MCT oil) and grassfed butter.
More commonly people make it with coconut oil and grassfed butter. Technically, if you add anything else, it's not bulletproof. The idea is that these ingredients don't break the overnight fast and boost ketones and brain energy to help you kick the most *kitten*! Lol
I use MiCkeyT 8 MCT oil (13mg caprylic acid), and butter myself. The only reason I use MCT instead of coconut oil is because I use it as a supplement to my ADHD medication. I can tell the difference in my ability to focus with it.
Coconut oil is perfectly fine for most purposes.
You add the ingredients to the coffee and you MUST BLEND IT, otherwise all the oil just floats on top. If you blend it you get a creamy coffee like this.
It's delish! I use 1 Tbs each of the MCT and butter and I'm set for eating until about 2pm each day. It's recommended to start with less coconut oil at first because if it's a new food for it can cause you to be running to bathroom.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Another question. I've seen a number of people reference bulletproof coffee. What is it, and what do you put in it?
Official bulletproof coffee was created by Dave Asprey. His version uses his own low mold coffee, his Brain Octane Oil (a 15mg caprylic acid MCT oil) and grassfed butter.
More commonly people make it with coconut oil and grassfed butter. Technically, if you add anything else, it's not bulletproof. The idea is that these ingredients don't break the overnight fast and boost ketones and brain energy to help you kick the most *kitten*! Lol
I use MiCkeyT 8 MCT oil (13mg caprylic acid), and butter myself. The only reason I use MCT instead of coconut oil is because I use it as a supplement to my ADHD medication. I can tell the difference in my ability to focus with it.
Coconut oil is perfectly fine for most purposes.
You add the ingredients to the coffee and you MUST BLEND IT, otherwise all the oil just floats on top. If you blend it you get a creamy coffee like this.
It's delish! I use 1 Tbs each of the MCT and butter and I'm set for eating until about 2pm each day. It's recommended to start with less coconut oil at first because if it's a new food for it can cause you to be running to bathroom.
Thank you! It does sound good. I'll start out slow with the coconut oil. 0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Another question. I've seen a number of people reference bulletproof coffee. What is it, and what do you put in it?
Official bulletproof coffee was created by Dave Asprey. His version uses his own low mold coffee, his Brain Octane Oil (a 15mg caprylic acid MCT oil) and grassfed butter.
More commonly people make it with coconut oil and grassfed butter. Technically, if you add anything else, it's not bulletproof. The idea is that these ingredients don't break the overnight fast and boost ketones and brain energy to help you kick the most *kitten*! Lol
I use MiCkeyT 8 MCT oil (13mg caprylic acid), and butter myself. The only reason I use MCT instead of coconut oil is because I use it as a supplement to my ADHD medication. I can tell the difference in my ability to focus with it.
Coconut oil is perfectly fine for most purposes.
You add the ingredients to the coffee and you MUST BLEND IT, otherwise all the oil just floats on top. If you blend it you get a creamy coffee like this.
It's delish! I use 1 Tbs each of the MCT and butter and I'm set for eating until about 2pm each day. It's recommended to start with less coconut oil at first because if it's a new food for it can cause you to be running to bathroom.
Thank you! It does sound good. I'll start out slow with the coconut oil.
I found it took a little while to get used to it (maybe two or three cups), especially if you are used to milky type coffees, but Sunny Bunny is right, it is delish, and normally keeps me going up until about 1pm for lunch. 0
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