Keto In The City
Keto In The City
I am a single mom who lives a ketogenic lifestyle. I love sharing keto recipes and tips on how to live a low carb high fat life.
 

KETO FAQ’S

 
Image is from ruled.me

Image is from ruled.me

WHAT IS KETO?!

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate way of eating. By restricting carbs and sugar the body goes into a state of ketosis, which is where the body burns fats/ketones instead of glucose/carbs/sugar. When there are very little carbohydrates in one's diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source, it is this elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, which is known as ketosis.

When first starting a ketogenic diet you want to calculate your "macros", I use this one from Perfect Keto.  Your ratios should be close to 5% carbs, 20-25% protein, and 70-75% fat. The ketogenic diet is not a high protein diet. If you eat too much protein it can turn to glucose, so it is essential to understand that this is a high fat way of eating.

Personally I eat under 20 grams of Net Carbs per day. Some people calculate actual carbs, not Net Carbs, it is a personal choice. Net Carbs are when you subtract the total Fiber from the total Carbs. So 1 cup of broccoli has 6g of carbs, but 2g of fiber, so the net carbs for that broccoli would be 4g. It is very helpful in the beginning to track all of your food with an app like My Fitness Pal, Carb Manager, or something similar. You can set the preferences to your macro settings. 

 

FATS

Image is from sukrin

Image is from sukrin

The types of fats you eat are very important, they are not all created equal! Saturated Fats (coconut oil, ghee, grass-fed butter, sour cream etc...), Monosaturated Fats (avocados, olives, macadamia nuts), Polysaturated Omega-3s (salmon- my fav!), and Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) are the GOOD FATS! Those nasty Refined Fats/Oils (corn oil, canola oil) and Trans Fats (margarine) are the BAD FATS!

PROTEINS

You also want to eat high quality proteins. I personally buy grass-fed meats, wild caught seafood and pasture raised eggs. These all contain higher levels of Vitamins than if you purchase cheaper options. Factory-farmed meat and seafood are much lower in nutrients and may also contain nasty preservatives/nitrates which can cause a lot of issues in your body like inflammation and have even been linked to cancer. 

VEGGIES

As for veggies, again Organic is always best. For me the whole reason I started Keto was to reduce systemic inflammation, so eating unnecessary chemicals doesn't make sense to me. Avoid starchy veggies (potatoes, beans, corn, yams, etc...), better choices are things like celery, squash, asparagus, cauliflower (you can do so much with cauliflower!!!), and Brussels sprouts. You can google plenty of lists that show carbs counts for every veggie.

For more Keto EAT THIS, NOT THAT check out the list Men's Health put together, it's super comprehensive and easy to understand.

 

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KETO FAQ’S 

DOES KETO HELP PSORIASIS OR PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS? 

Like all chronic diseases there are significant challenges involved with managing my health so I decided to share my journey in hopes that it might help someone going through a similar journey, but also to educate others on two diseases that millions of Americans suffer from.

On the blog, I also write about how I am using a Ketogenic lifestyle to keep down inflammation in my body and live a healthy live with a diet full of fats and void of carbs:).  

You can read more about that journey at the LIVING WITH PSORIASIS AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS blog post. 

 
 
 
 

WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA OF KETO?

- submitted by @iamlauraa

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate way of eating. By restricting carbs and sugar the body goes into a state of ketosis, which is where the body burns fats/ketones instead of glucose/carbs/sugar. When there are very little carbohydrates in one's diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source, it is this elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, which is known as ketosis.

When first starting a ketogenic diet you want to calculate your "macros", I use this one. Your ratios should be close to 5% carbs, 20-25% protein, and 70-75% fat. The ketogenic diet is not a high protein diet. If you eat too much protein it can turn to glucose, so it is essential to understand that this is a high fat way of eating.

Personally I eat under 20 grams of Net Carbs per day. Some people calculate actual carbs, not Net Carbs, it is a personal choice. Net Carbs are when you subtract the total Fiber from the total Carbs. So 1 cup of broccoli has 6g of carbs, but 2g of fiber, so the net carbs for that broccoli would be 4g. It is very helpful in the beginning to track all of your food with an app like My Fitness Pal, Carb Manager, or something similar. You can set the preferences to your macro settings. 

 
 
 

What is a typical day of eating on Keto?

HOW TO MANAGE ELECTROLYTES AND AVOID “THE KETO FLU?”

 

WHAT DO YOU ORDER AT STARBUCKS?

CAN I WORK OUT ON KETO?

 
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 FOOD FAQ’s

WHAT WOULD AN ALL DAY KETO MENU LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GO-TO FOODS, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT FOODS, AND NOT WORTH YOUR TIME FOODS? 

- submitted by @xtina.oh

I practice Intermittent Fasting (see question below), so I typically drink a fat-filled coffee in the morning, then I eat lunch and dinner. 

BREAKFAST: BULLETPROOF COFFEE

I am lucky enough to work right by an actual Bulletproof coffee shop, so I just go there. But at its simplest form Bulletproof Coffee (or BPC) is coffee + grass-fed butter + Brain Octane Oil. I drink a 16oz from about 9-10am and it keeps me full all morning. You can also drink a coffee with heavy cream, it’s the same concept where the heavy cream has enough fat to keep you full for awhile.

WATER: 1L

Before lunch I drink about 1L of water. 

LUNCH: AROUND 12ISH OR 1PM

I eat out every weekday for lunch when I am work. Typical lunches for me include: 

  • Bunless burger with salad. No catsup. I always add cheese, bacon, and avocado when they have it. I never get onions because I don't like them, so for me not worth the carbs. Mayo, mustard or any other low carb toppings.

  • Poached salmon salad. I love salmon and I eat a lot of it.

  • Salmon Cobb Salad. A place near my work has a great cobb, but it comes with turkey, which is fine but boring. I ask them to make it with salmon instead, it costs more, but tastes 1,000,000x better.

  • Poke Bowl. As you can see I love fish, I also love raw fish. Poke bowls are one of my favorites and the place I go to has greens as an option. I load that up with spicy tuna, tuna, crab, salmon, avocado, cucumbers, masago, furikake, and green onions.

  • Salad bar, like at Whole Foods.

WATER: 1L

At lunch I drink more water. Sometimes I also have diet soda, which is a bad habit I want to quit! 

WATER: 1L

In the afternoon I drink more water. I drink a lot of La Croix too. 

DINNER: AROUND 7

I would say I cook half the time and go out half the time for dinner. 

WATER: 1L

In the afternoon I drink more water. I drink a lot of La Croix too. 

DESSERT: MAYBE TWICE A WEEK I EAT A KETO DESSERT. 

Some of my Keto Essentials can be found HERE. 

In terms of things I wouldn't spend money on, I would say a bunch of highly processed foods. Buy and eat high quality, real foods as much as possible. I definitely eat some processed foods (low carb tortillas come to mind), but as much as possible spend a little more to get the best quality. Uncured meats for example, organic full fat dairy, etc...

WITHOUT A DOUBT THE QUESTION I GET ASKED MOST OFTEN IN MY INSTAGRAM DMS IS "WHAT IS THAT STARBUCKS DRINK?!?” I POST IT ALL THE TIME, BUT I AM GOING TO PUT IT HERE TOO! 

My favorite Keto Starbucks drink: 

I have quite a few! Click here for a full list of my favs.

I AM WONDERING ONCE YOU DROP DAIRY AND/OR ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER TO POSSIBLY BREAK A STALL, IS IT A PERMANENT CHANGE OR DO YOU GAIN ALL THAT BACK ONCE GOING BACK TO DAIRY/SWEETENERS? 

- submitted by @veryhungryketopillar

There are definitely some people who do better without either (or both) dairy and sweeteners. I would consider this a Keto Whole 30 approach. If you are in fact sensitive to these, then I would assume you would want to stay off of them, if you are finding success. Part of keto is definitely trial and error and seeing how certain foods affect you.

 For example, I have a strong reaction to nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, etc...), within 30 minutes of eating them my joints hurt and I can feel the inflammation in my body. I know this, but I still choose to eat them sometimes. So you may just decide to re-introduce those items back into your diet occasionally, but to avoid them for the most part.

Ideally, you want to allow your body to operate at its optimal state while on keto and for everyone that is going to mean adjusting keto to what works best for you. 

 EASIEST WAYS TO CONSUME FAT? AND WHAT FATS DO YOU EAT MOST?

- submitted by @ambyrd25

Remember that you don’t have to “hit your fat”. You shouldn’t shy away from fat, so do the obvious like cooking with butter and healthy fats like olive oil and avocado oil. Enjoy eating fatty cuts of fish and meats, but you don’t have to go out of your way to eat tons of extra fat. If you are hungry and have a choice between a lean high protein snack and a healthy higher fat snack, I would choose the higher fat snack because I know it will keep me full longer and satiate me more.

If you are trying to lose fat, you want to make sure your body is burning the fat you have stored in your body first.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CAULIFLOWER RICE?

- submitted @proud.oma

It is super easy to make cauliflower rice! 

  1. Get a head of cauliflower and cut it into smaller florets

  2. Put florets in a food processor and shred

  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute the cauliflower rice for about 5 minutes

  4. Add seasoning as you wish!

You can also buy it pre-riced at lots of grocery stores. I usually buy mine at Trader Joe's. 

CAN I EAT LOW CARB TORTILLAS, ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS, NUTS, ETC...?

As I mentioned up above Keto is about figuring out what works FOR YOU within the general framework of the Ketogenic way of eating (5% carbs, 20-25% protein, and 70-75% fat). Some people eat processed low carb food all the time and lose tons of weight, some people find it stalls their weight loss. Some people eat cheese and nuts with no issues, others can't do that. 

I know it is tempting when you first start to try to ask other people a bunch of questions, but honestly you have to experiment and figure out what works for your body and your goals! Some people can't do almonds and almond flour... so experiment with coconut flour recipes. There are a ton of resources online google, Pinterest, Reddit etc... are your friend but only you know your body so figure out how to optimize the Keto WOE for yourself! 

I CAN'T ALWAYS FIND KERRYGOLD BUTTER, IS THERE ANOTHER ONE THAT CAN BE USED? 

- submitted by @proud.oma

Groceries stores like Whole Foods usually carry a couple different brands of grass-fed butter, but you can also but it on Amazon! In terms of other brands, Organic Valley and Vital Farms are two other brands I have purchased. In addition Ghee could also be a great option, Bulletproof makes a great grass-fed Ghee.

WHAT IS THE MOST SATISFYING MEAL YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF? DO YOU COUNT CALORIES? WEIGHT LOSS TIPS! 

- submitted by @ketokaraa

My #1 favorite keto meal is definitely an egg frittata! I have posted a couple versions on the blog, the first is the HAM, PROSCIUTTO AND DILL FRITTATA and the SPINACH AND EGG BAKE. They are great because you can load them up with fat and you can also top them with even more fat! My favorite "fat toppers" are sour cream and Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil. 

I have gone through periods over the last 14 months when I didn't track, but for the last 3 months I have tracked, which for me means counting calories and tracking macros. I do think it is helpful to keep track. Some people have success without doing it, but as someone who eats a variety of foods and likes to experiment in the kitchen, it is important for me to stay on top of my tracking.

 
 
 

 EXERCISE, ELECTROLYTES, AND THE "KETO FLU"


WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE "KETO FLU"?

The Keto Flu is what people call the detox time period when your body is flushing out the carbs and working to get your body from a sugar burning body to a fat burning body. If you have been eating carbs your whole life, it is obviously going to be a big adjustment to switch over. The key to controlling this is all about getting electrolytes back in your system. I did not experience this when I went Keto, but my daughter had it pretty rough.

The symptoms of Keto Flu include lightheadedness, muscle cramps, nausea, headaches, and fatigue. 

For my daughter the answer was Powerade Zero, sipping broth and eating food with Pink Salt. Now some people will say, "what about the artificial sweeteners in Powerade Zero?!" yup it has them- sucralose. So if you don't want that then you can try some of the other methods, but I will tell you that stuff saved my daughter and I drank it recently when I had the flu and it was a lifesaver. You can check out a YouTube video I made about this topic HERE. 

Athletes often experience these symptoms while transitioning to Keto because exercise causes our bodies to deplete electrolytes faster. Transitioning to the keto way of eating can be hard for everyone. The body goes through a lot transitioning from carb/sugar burning to become fat/ketone burning. You need lots of water, lots of quality salt, and you need to make sure you are getting potassium and magnesium through your food (or a combination of food and supplements). Rest is also important in the first month or so, because again, your body is making a big transition. 

  • Water with electrolytes (I use Smart Water)

  • Pink Salt (read this article to learn why it is better than table salt), you need extra salt on Keto because you are not eating processed carbs that are full of salt

  • Get extra salt: sip broth, take a shot of pickle juice, add pink salt to your water, you need extra salt on keto

  • Eat Potassium rich foods (avocado and spinach have way more potassium than a sugary and very non-keto banana)

  • Eat Magnesium rich foods (dark chocolate, nuts, artichoke, spinach, fish) and/or take a supplement, I like the Electrolyte supplement from Perfect Keto, 20% off with code KETOINTHECITY

  • Get plenty of sleep to allow your body to rest and recover.

  • Figure out your keto macros using a calculator like this one.

  • Also get plenty of sleep to allow your body to rest and recover.

IS IT GOOD TO EXERCISE WHILE ON KETO? I TRIED THIS DIET FOR A WHOLE MONTH AND ONLY LOST LIKE 5 POUNDS. ALSO I HAD HEADACHES DURING MY WORK OUT (CROSSFIT). I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT SOME SAY YOU SHOULDN'T EXERCISE ON THIS DIET, AND OTHERS SAY IT IS OK. 

- submitted by @gabifg

It is absolutely good to exercise while on keto, but there are a few different topics in this question I want to address. 

One month of keto is really when you are just beginning to be keto adapted, so unfortunately that is when your body is really just starting to get all of the great benefits of your body switching over to being fat/ketone burning instead of carb/sugar burning. This is why keto is not "a diet", it is not a short term solution. It is meant to be a long term way of eating. I always tell people that weight loss is just one of many benefits to ketosis and sometimes your body needs to heal before it can really focus on weight loss. Having said that, 5 lbs in a month sounds right on target for me. Sure, there are people who lose tons right from the beginning, but everyone's body is different and you really can't compare your loss to others (believe me, I know that part is hard!!)

In terms of exercise, I can almost guarantee you that the headaches were from not managing your electrolytes properly. It is something that happens to almost everyone when they first begin keto. Transitioning to the keto way of eating can be hard for everyone. The body goes through a lot transitioning from carb/sugar burning to become fat/ketone burning. You need lots of water, lots of quality salt, and you need to make sure you are getting potassium and magnesium through your food (or a combination of food and supplements). Rest is also important in the first month or so, because again, your body is making a big transition. 

When managing your electrolytes and macros correctly, you should feel amazing 1 month into keto and should be able to crush your crossfit workouts. Depending on how frequently you are working out you may also want to look into cyclical keto and carb refeeds. Most of the super active people I know on keto do allow themselves a carb refeed day once a week. Ideally these are high quality carbs that will fuel your body. Lots of information is available online about refeeds, so check them out!

I SPEND MORE TIME MUSCLE BUILDING AND RESISTANCE TRAINING THAN ANYTHING ELSE SO I REQUIRE CLOSE TO 200G OF CARBS PER DAY. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR TRANSITIONING TO A KETO DIET? I'M TALKING ABOUT DAYS 1-7 FOR INSTANCE. 

- submitted by @mcks6

Transitioning to the keto way of eating can be hard for everyone. The body goes through a lot transitioning from carb/sugar burning to become fat/ketone burning. The key is being patient with your body during the first few weeks and also focusing on managing your electrolytes. I can't stress how important the electrolyte part is! You can check out a YouTube video I made about this topic HERE. 

You can figure out your keto macros using a calculator like this one, but I wouldn't worry about counting calories in the first week, I would just get used to restricting carbs and hitting your fat target (70-75%). You will be super hungry when you first transition to keto. Load up on fat and protein as you body needs. Once you get a couple weeks or so into the keto way of eating you will notice you will not feel as hungry. The fat will begin to satiate you and your body will begin to adapt.

Since I'm in no way an expert on muscle building, I would recommend checking out these links to get more info! 

IS THE KETO EATING REGIMEN GOOD FOR LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS? WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS? I'M AFRAID TO LOSE MY MILEAGE OR TIME DUE TO GOING KETO. 

- submitted by @keepingfitwithkayla

I have seen a lot of articles on this topic, which leads me to believe there are a lot of endurance athletes out there who are wondering this same thing! The first thing I would say is that anyone beginning a ketogenic way of eating will need to understand that there will be a period of adjustment for your body. When a body has been used to burning carbs/sugar for energy for so long, it will fight back a bit when you switch to burning fat/ketones for energy. But that brief period of adjustment, which can sometimes include what people call "the keto flu", won't last forever. To try avoid "the keto flu" you need to focus on managing your electrolytes and you may choose to ease up on your body a bit the first couple weeks, until it can adjust.You can check out a YouTube video I made about this topic HERE.  See the above posting for tips on how to manage your electrolytes. 

Here are some great articles on this topic: 

 
 
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KETO LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO START INTERMITTENT FASTING? I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE I AM DOING THIS CORRECTLY. DO I EAT 2X A DAY OR 3X? I LIFE WEIGHTS 2-3X A WEEK AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN BUT STAYING IN KETOSIS. 

- submitted by @lvlelissa3

Great question! I love Intermittent Fasting and when I first started I used this post from the Bulletproof blog as my guide, so I highly suggest starting there! Personally I drink BPC (mine is coffee + grass fed butter + Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil) or a fatty coffee drink of some sort (ex: Americano with heavy cream) in the morning and then eat lunch and dinner. The fat in the coffee keeps me satiated until lunch time. 

A typical IF ratio is 18:6, so 18 hours of fasting and 6 hours of eating. My eating window is generally between noon and 8pm each day. Sometimes I don't eat until 1 or 2 or even 3pm, so I will adjust my window. The great part about IF is that you are sleeping through 1/2 of it! 

How many times you eat during that eating window is up to you and what your body tells you it needs. Make sure you have calculated your "macros", I use this one. Then how you divide up your macros throughout your IF window is up to you. If you feel better working out fasted and then eating a big meal, do that. Or if you like to eat smaller meals throughout your window, do that. Once you continue with keto your body will really start telling you what it needs! 

HOW DO YOU TRACK YOUR STUFF? I'VE TRIED MY FITNESS PAL BUT NOT SURE HOW TO GET IT TO UNDERSTAND I AM ON A LOW CARB DIET? 

- submitted by @larissamarie06

You can set your preferences/settings on the app to customize your daily goals to your macros and set it to net carbs. 

  1. Create an account at www.myfitnesspal.com.

  2. Set your macros properly: My Home -> Goals -> Change Goals. Select Custom and hit continue. Set the Macros for keto. AKA Carbs to 5%, Protein to 25% and Fat to 75%

Personally, I use the Carb Manager app, which can also be set to net carbs. 

If you haven't figured out your macros you can find a link here. 

DOES ALCOHOL THROW YOU OUT OF KETOSIS? OR IS IT JUST NET CARBS IN?

- submitted by @cmsbrooks

I drink alcohol on keto and I stay in ketosis. Of course what alcohol you choose makes a difference. My standard drink is a vodka soda or vodka diet tonic with lime wedges. Hard alcohol is low carb, it is the mixers that get people in trouble. Wine is also fairly low in carbs, so I also drink wine when I have room in my macros. I will say that I feel like I super dehydrated after a night of wine, Keto seems to intensify that a lot for me. 

One thing alcohol does do, is it causes your body to burn off the alcohol before it can continue to burn fat, so that can stall your weight loss. You can read more about that here. 

All of this being said, the only way you will know if you are still in ketosis after drinking is to test afterwards! 

CAN YOU EAT TOO FEW CALORIES ON THIS WOE? 

- submitted by @kristen_jackelen

As long as you are getting the correct ratio of fat/protein/carbs then I wouldn't worry about being low on calories. Fat is filling! I have rarely found myself in that position, but it sounds like a great problem to have! You should trust your body, here is a feed on this topic! 

KETO DIET DOES NOT RAISE YOUR CHOLESTEROL?

- submitted by @streetfightbenz

Since I am not a Dr, I am not going to give you advice on this, instead I am going to give you some great articles to read. I do think it is super helpful to get your blood tests at the beginning of keto, so that you can check in every 6 months or so and see your own, individual results! Personally my #s are in great shape! I can tell you however, that it is not easy to find a Dr that understands keto. There is a list of Keto Drs HERE. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ATKINS AND KETO?

- submitted by @millettemarina 

My friends at Perfect Keto actually have a great blog post about this topic so you can read that and get their take! I have followed both ways of eating, so I can give you my thoughts as well. For me Atkins levels you up on carbs as you go. So you start super low carb, at about 20g of carbs a day, but as you lose weight they introduce other foods back in the diet and raise the carb allowance. Upping those carbs is where I feel like people get in trouble eventually and end up right back where they started because those cravings and bad habits sneak back in.  Protein is another difference in my opinion, now that I am keto I realize how important it is not to overdo protein, but on Atkins I don't remember that ever being a focus. I actually think that is why I failed on Atkins, because I was probably eating way too much protein, which was in turn just turning into glucose. Also when I did Atkins there never seemed to be a focus on trying to eat the best quality of food, like grass fed / organic / etc.... Maybe that has changed, because I read the Atkins book over 10 years ago, but by the looks of the products that are in the stores with the Atkins name on it, I would say that hasn't changed.

In contrast I believe that Keto is focused on quality ingredients, it isn't just eating low carb, but the right foods to nourish your body and heal your body. Keto also has very precise macros. I follow the 75% fat, 20% protein, 5% carbs ratio (the Perfect Keto article has the ratio of 60% / 35% / 5% so see what you body likes better), eating this way will change your metabolism and offer amazing long term health benefits by forcing your body to use the ketones for energy. For me personally it has been crucial in healing my gut and lowering inflammation in my joints (I have Psoriatic Arthritis), and then weight loss was totally tertiary for me (I lost 25lbs). 

I would also say that Atkins is looked at as a "diet", I look at Keto as a permanent way of eating- not a quick fix and not a temporary solution. Hope this helps! 

IS THERE KETO FOR VEGETARIANS?

- submitted by @bethabrennan

I am about the furthest thing from being a vegetarian, but I found some resources for you! The short answer is yes, but plan to eat a lot of eggs and dairy! 

CAN YOU FOLLOW LCHF WITHOUT BEING IN KETOSIS AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT?

- submitted by @corryn23

I found this thread that does a great job of discussing this! Keto is just a stricter form of LCHF. There can be a variation of levels of LCHF, some going as high at 100g of carbs a day. Obviously that is a lot higher than a Keto diet will allow, but is still lower than a standard American diet. You can still lose weight on LCHF, but evidence appears to support that being in ketosis will have a stronger impact in weight loss. 

HOW DO YOU KEEP FROM EATING TOO MUCH PROTEIN? 

- submitted @jilliansjourney928 / @chel_nicolee

At first I definitely found myself overeating protein. In fact a couple years ago I did a low carb diet and it didn't work and now I know 100% that the reason was I ate too much protein. One thing that has helped me a lot since going keto is to intermittent fast and only eat 2 meals in an 8 hour period. So my morning meal is either Bulletproof Coffee or an Americano with Steamed Heavy Cream. That makes it easier for me to divide my protein allowance into just 2 meals. 

When you do make those meals, make sure you portion out your protein, look for fattier proteins (dark meat chicken over white meat etc...), and load up on fat around the meal. Cook the protein in fat of course (butter, olive oil, pork lard, etc...) and top the protein with more fat (cheese, avocado, Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil). Sometimes it can help starting with the fats and taking the recipe from there- I definitely never would have thought to top my hard boiled eggs with butter until Keto, but it's delicious:) 

SO I'M STARTING MY SECOND KETO RUN. I NOTICED THIS THE FIRST TIME TOO, BUT EXCESSIVE PEEING? I WOKE UP TODAY AT DAY 2 AND SPENT A WHOLE 5 MINUTES WHIZZING! 

- submitted by @soulfirefitness27

This is super normal actually and people notice this in the beginning of keto, but if you ever have a cheat day/weekend etc... you will also notice this after that. Essentially when you first start the keto diet or if you've had a couple of days of cheating you have glycogen stores in your liver and muscle. Glycogen = glucose+water.

Eating keto breaks glycogen down. The lack of carbs and therefore glucose causes the liver to breakdown its glycogen stores to provide the body with its glucose needs. The excess peeing is just the water from the broken down glycogen.

This usually settles down after you've been on the diet a while. Nothing to worry about.

So embrace the peeing:) It will settle down once you are fat adapted. 

I RECENTLY STARTED A KETO PROGRAM AT WORK FOR A 90 DAY PROGRAM. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO CONTINUE AND THRILLED FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS PROGRAM… HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN KETOSIS? DO YOU TEST? HOW? WHEN? FREQUENCY?  I ASK THIS BECAUSE MY CURRENT PROGRAM IS THROUGH BREATH ANALYSIS. I HAVE ALWAYS HEARD OF KETONES IN THE URINE. IS THIS YOUR METHOD? 

I AM HAPPY TO SAY MY BLOOD WORK IS THE BEST IT'S EVER BEEN, BUT MY URINE DID NOT HAVE KETONES. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED? MY KETONE DAILY BREATH ANALYSIS IS A STEADY LOW NUMBER AS HAS BEEN MY WEIGHT DECREASE. I'M NOT TOO CONCERNED, BUT WOULD LOVE TO REV MY WEIGHT LOSS A BIT MORE. 

Submitted via email by Jackie D.

This is a great question! From my experience the urine testing works in the beginning, but as you become fat-adapated and your body is using those ketones, the urine test will not be accurate anymore. I have never used the breath analysis, but I do blood test from time to time. I recommend you check out this post by Maria Emmerich who does a great job of explaining each one and comparing the methods to each other.

Many people have success on keto without ever testing and then others like to test frequently, it is really a personal choice. If you are reaching your goals, then maybe it is not necessary, that has to be your choice. Personally I bought the blood testing equipment about a year into my keto journey and now, 6 months later, I barely use it. Mostly because the strips are really expensive and it just isn’t something I want to spend a lot of money on. You are very new to keto and it will most likely take at least a month to be fully fat adapted, so if I were you I would continue on your keto journey, finish the 90 day challenge, and then decide if you want to start testing once you are adapted!

 
 
 
 

 KETO INSPIRATION 

FIRST WEEK INTO KETO, LOST 4.7LBS UP UNTIL YESTERDAY, AND NOW I'M 2LBS HEAVIER (NO CHEATING). HOWEVER, I DID PARTAKE IN SOME VODKA WATERS AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON ALCOHOL. I DRINK MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, BUT IT HAPPENS. SUGGESTIONS?

- submitted by @mmiggs1

The first suggestion I have is that keto is not always going to be a consistent line of weight loss. Some weeks will be better than others, that is why it is meant to be a long term lifestyle, not a quick fix. But there are a couple things you can make sure you are doing: 

  • Make sure you are tracking your food (I use Carb Manager app), when you are first starting it is easy to sometimes to miscalculate or even eat things that have hidden sugars without realizing it.

  • Make sure you are hitting your recommended macros, you can calculate those here.

  • Alcohol can stall weight loss because your body needs to burn that off before it burns off anything else. Here is a good article on this topic.

Keto is journey, so as you go on you will find how your body responds to different things, everyone is different! Don't get discouraged:) 

HOW DO YOU STAY ON KETO? I DID IT FOR A YEAR, LOVED IT... HOLIDAYS HIT AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET BACK ON TRACK SINCE.

- submitted by @linzeee22

Like everything, it is a choice. For me personally, I started keto because of my autoimmune issues and to decrease inflammation in my body. My one and only motivation for staying on keto, is to continue to try to keep my body at the optimal state for reducing inflammation. So that keeps me going. You just need to find the reason for you to be on keto and what will keep you on track through cravings, outside influences, etc... 

 Holidays can be enjoyed with delicious keto friendly holiday food. You can find plenty of delicious options at any restaurant that will work for keto. You just have to want to stick with it and sometimes that choice may be harder than others, but you just power through it if you want to benefit from the amazing effects of being in ketosis. 

It might help to read through these interviews of successful keto-ers. Many "fell off the wagon" at one point or another, but got back on to achieve their goals.

I HAVE BEEN ON KETO FOR CLOSE TO 2 MONTHS AND I HAVE NOT LOST ANY WEIGHT. I AM NOT GIVING UP. I AM 139 LBS. MY DR TOLD ME I HAD TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR MY PCOS, HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN CONSUMING UNDER 20G OF CARBS AND NO LUCK. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I AM DOING WRONG? I HAVE WATCHED A LOT OF YOUTUBE CHANNELS. IT LOOKS LIKE I AM ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I DO HAVE A SEDENTARY JOB AND I AM NOT WORKING OUT EITHER. DO YOU THINK THAT IS THE PROBLEM? 

- submitted by @cappy1231_

Everyone is different, so these are always tough questions to answer, but I do know by following account like Jessica (aka @dailyketosis) who also has PCOS, that it can be a more difficult path. If you don't follow her, you should. Working out has been key to her path to success. 

But I would also say that for many people your body may need to heal first and then the body can focus on weight loss. It is a marathon, not a sprint. It is not a short term solution, it is a lifelong way of eating. There are some common obstacles that seem to stall weight loss in some people: dairy, nuts, and sweeteners. You may want to look at some of those to figure out for yourself what may be blocking you. 

 I EAT UNDER 20G OF CARBS A DAY AND I AM NOT LOSING WEIGHT, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY?

- submitted by @timsonpatricia

Everyone is different so I can't tell you exactly why you aren't losing weight since I am not sure of your individual circumstances, health issues, what you are eating, how much you are trying to eat etc... Also I am just a normal person who has learned about Keto as I go, I am in no way an expert. But I can provide some tips that will allow you to take a look at your situation and assess it. 

Usually people lose water weight right away on Keto and that is because carbs hold onto a lot of water, so when you stop eating those, your body will release that water and you will lose some initial weight, but it is not fat. Losing fat can take a little bit longer. There are some common obstacles that seem to stall weight loss in some people: dairy, nuts, and sweeteners. You need to figure out for yourself what may be blocking you. All I can say is that Keto is great for weight loss, but that is not the only benefit. It also heals your body, so it is possible that your body may need to heal for other reasons first and then the body can focus on weight loss. I just can't tell you for certain. 

I would also tell you to read through all of these interviews with people who have had great success with Keto, because real life stories are definitely the best way to learn and see where you may be making some of the same mistakes they did early on. Lastly, good luck and stick with it! Keto is not a short term solution, it is a lifelong way of eating! 

DO YOU FEEL LIKE QUITTING WHEN YOU FELT LIKE SUPER TIRED, WHAT SOLUTION CAN I DO WHEN I GET REALLY TIRED ESPECIALLY WITH PMS?

- submitted by @adrrilopez

If you are tired and just beginning Keto, I would say that an electrolyte imbalance is to blame! Scroll up to read solutions for Keto Flu! Another reason is not enough sodium, potassium, and magnesium- tips on those are up above as well:) Here is a reddit on this same topic:) Keto is a big adjustment for your body, so it should be expected that you will need to pay close attention to getting enough water and salt. During PMS try bumping up the fat and the salt! You can see some more tips here. 

THANKS FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLOG. I WAS WONDERING IF THE KETO DIET HAD ANY LONG TERM DRAWBACKS TO IT FOR YOU? ARE YOU STILL FOLLOWING A KETO DIET?

- submitted by Mahsa via email 

Yes I have been Keto since January 2016 and continue to follow a Keto WOE. I have not experienced any drawbacks, quite the opposite actually! I was interested in Keto because of the anti-inflammatory benefits and I have experienced that as well as increased energy, better skin/hair, a healthy gut and some weight loss. I find Keto to be very easy to sustain!

 
 
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