Keto. Where do you start?

ldwatene

So seeing lots of stuff about the place about the keto lifestyle and keen to give it a try but like everything new there is so much info out there I'm a bit confused as to how and where to start.

Any tips for me?

caraiselite

the facebook group real world keto is pretty awesome.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
https://www.tasteaholics.com/the-complete-keto-diet-guide-for-beginners/

a few websites to get you started on the how-tos

https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/


one of my fave sites for recipes.

ck2d

Just do it.
Read up on it so you have a general idea.
Cook from scratch.
Stop eating "white foods" and track your macros. Under 20 grams net carbs per day.
Look for one ingredient foods (combine them when you cook) and eat what tastes good to you.
You've got to get your electrolytes in - that's what keto flu is, an imbalance of nutrients. Take a multivitamin, drink powerade zero or another no cal sports drink (lifesaver the first two weeks), and drink more than you think you need to avoid dehydration.

kommodevaran

Start with defining what your goal is, considering whether it's a good and realistic goal, and the steps necessary to reach it. It's also very useful to identify and shut out the noise - there's a lot of noise, hence there is so much info out there I'm a bit confused.

To lose weight, all you need is a consistent calorie deficit, but for a long time, and not in a way that makes you overeat when you stop.

Keto (extreme low carb) is just one way of reducing calorie intake. It will not make you lose faster, it will not allow you to eat more food, it may make you more satisfied in a calorie deficit, it may make you crave foods you can't eat.

Feel free to try it out, but make sure you know what you are doing, and what keto is, and what it isn't.

ldwatene

I've actually lost quite a bit of weight already (20kg since the start of the year) and stacked on some muscle as well just from eating well, watching calories and macros and working out heaps but finding this last chunk of fat is being presistant so I'm considering keto as it 'correct me if I'm wrong' utilises fat for energy so could help me reach my final bodyfat% goals. I have another 10% I want gone.

I guess I should have asked firstly is... is keto for me?

kommodevaran

The difference between keto and a more "balanced" diet is that you eat more fat on keto. Your body burns stored fat when you're in a calorie deficit, not based on what you eat. As you get lighter (well done btw!) your fat reserves get smaller (obviously) and the amount of fat your body an burn per day gets smaller. So weight loss slows down, which is what I assume is what you perceive as "persistant" fat.

Whether keto is your kind of diet, you have to find the answer to yourself - do you like foods high in fat better than foods high in carbs?

lemurcat12

Keto can be very helpful for people who struggle with maintaining a calorie deficit or certain kinds of cravings. It's not better for fat loss beyond that.

We ALWAYS rely on fat for energy to some degree. When sleeping, sedentary, only lightly active we burn fat, and as activity gets more intense the percentage of fat vs. glycogen changes (for intense exercise it's more glycogen). But that's not affected by what you eat.

We also burn basically what we eat.

And you will burn bodyfat to the extent necessary to make up a deficit (taking in less than you burn).

People doing keto take in way more fat than carbs, so they do tend to burn a higher percentage of fat, but that's the fat they eat. They don't burn more bodyfat, all else equal.

lemurcat12

As for how to do keto, I did it for a while (was already low carbing) and found it not that hard. My breakfast was a vegetable omelet with a little cheese and some smoked salmon or cottage cheese on the side, I kept that. My lunch was often a salad with protein on it, vinaigrette style dressing. I kept that and maybe was freer with higher fat additions (avocado, nuts, cheese). My dinner was protein, starchy side (potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.), and lots of vegetables, and I eliminated the starchy side and added in more fat (cheese, nuts, a sauce, that kind of thing).

I often have fruit with meals and when keto-ing I could not fit that in.

Just with the nuts and all the vegetables I ate I couldn't stay below 20 g carbs net (was more like 30-35 g net), but that should be low enough for keto, especially if you are active at all (I actually think it can be even higher, like below 50 g net), and I think cutting low on vegetables is a terrible idea for most people and would never restrict them.

ninerbuff

ldwatene wrote: »

I've actually lost quite a bit of weight already (20kg since the start of the year) and stacked on some muscle as well just from eating well, watching calories and macros and working out heaps but finding this last chunk of fat is being presistant so I'm considering keto as it 'correct me if I'm wrong' utilises fat for energy so could help me reach my final bodyfat% goals. I have another 10% I want gone.

I guess I should have asked firstly is... is keto for me?

Bro, you just either need to eat less or burn off more calories and keep eating the same.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

GottaBurnEmAll

There's nothing wrong with giving keto a try, but...

The honest solution if your last bit of fat is proving hard to shift is to really examine how accurately you're tracking your intake.

When you have very little to lose, it's harder to create a deficit.

If you were just winging it with eyeballing portions, if you tighten up and start weighing and accurately tracking your current intake, the last bit of weight you want to lose should come off.

ldwatene

Not winging it at all. I eat the same meals, same portions (weighed) everyday for 6.8 days of the week. The other 0.2 of a day I mix it up with something nice but conservative to maintain a slight deficit. Workouts are on point with 5+ hours of weights and 6+ hours of cardio each week. Generally finish the day 1000+ calories in the green.

That said it is looking more like my question has been answered and I'm not sure keto is actually for me. Thanks for the feedback everyone

nvmomketo

If you are quite active, and still interested in keto, try the ketogains website.
The Low Carber Daily MFP group may have info you could use too. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group