I Have Just Joined Your Keto Family

#21

Welcome!

(Shelly) #22

Hi Ashley, I have to take electrolytes everyday or get terrible muscle cramps and irregular heartbeat. It’s the one downside to keto for me. I use Ultima or KetoK1000 or KetoVitals in water. I hear many people complain about not getting enough potassium but for me it’s magnesium and sodium that I have to be diligent about. I
eat an avocado everyday so maybe that helps with the potassium… I need 400-800 mg of magnesium and at least 3000-4000 of sodium to avoid cramps.

(Susan) #23

I was thinking maybe @BeefCake

Okay, so a few unique gentlemen around here, hehe.

(Ashley) #24

Thank you all for being so welcoming and supportive :slight_smile:

I took some salt in water last night before bed and it did help a little and allowed me to get some sleep.

I have just woken up and don’t feel as good so I can imagine my salt levels have depleted over night.

I’ve just started my day with a coffee and full fat cream and will be looking to get more salt into me as soon as possible.

(Scott) #25

Hi Ashley

The first week or two kind of suck but just power through it. After that you get more of a “hey this is really not that bad”. When some pounds and inches come off you think this is awsome! Don’t get cought up in thinking this is a diet or you are punishing yourself. This is a lifestyle and you can come or go at you’re own choosing. Me, I am staying keto, it just feels right. Stay strong and keto on!

(Diane) #26

?

:rofl:

(Marianne) #27

Great comment.

Keto has been so good for/to me that I don’t want to corrupt it by ever thinking of it as a “diet.” “Diets” are so destructive. Sadly, prior to this, I didn’t know there was any other way.

(Diane) #28

Welcome! And good luck!

When I started Keto and began religiously tracking all my food intake, it took me until about the third week to get my carbs down to under 20 grams per day. It’s been pretty easy ever since. You’re doing great, just keep careful track and keep noticing where most of your carb intake is coming from. Tweak those foods by either eliminating or carefully adjusting the amounts you eat of those foods. Increase your intake of the lowest carb foods that you enjoy. Make sure you get enough fat in your diet until your body’s cells get better at using ketones to fuel their metabolic processes and activity. Butter, animal fats (such as bacon fat and the fat in egg yolks and hamburger) and coconut oil are the easiest dietary sources of fat for your body to turn into ketones.

The first 2 to 3 weeks I was incredibly hungry all the time. Eat as much and as often as you need to keep your hunger under control, just avoid carb heavy foods. Keep some keto friendly “snacks” on hand at all times and give yourself permission to eat as much of those foods as you need as often as you need to. This is what kept me from giving in and eating the carb heavy foods which would have caused my body to stop producing ketones. This phase passed pretty quickly for me. Soon, my hunger reduced enormously and I stopped needing to snack between meals. Eventually, I started to need to eat less often (one to two meals a day, most days).

I also had weird heart palpitations with weird sweating and nausea. I do think that I didn’t get good at dialing in my electrolytes (such as salt and magnesium) for a very long time. I also think my metabolism was very damaged and I suffered from hypoglycemic episodes during the time I was no longer providing glucose for my body to use as fuel and yet my body wasn’t good at using ketones yet either. I really had to restrict my physical activity as even going to the grocery store (walking around, hauling my groceries into the house, etc.) would trigger scary episodes. This gradually improved over time until I finally became significantly fat adapted. While this takes 6 to 8 weeks for most people, I believe it took about 5 months for me. As I said before, I think I was significantly metabolically deranged.

You’re making great progress! Good luck!!

Edit: Another thing that really helped me was to think: I’m not going to eat _____ today; replacing the blank with whichever food I was really craving (bread, French fries, cookies, etc). I can have it tomorrow, or at the end of the month, but I’m not going to eat it today. I mentally kept a list of foods I could have at this hypothetical meal. I even allowed myself one “off plan” meal a month for the first three months (which included Thanksgiving and Christmas). I haven’t needed them much in the 22 months since. I’ve had an “off-plan” meal for my birthday and for an occasional holiday. Knowing I can plan for this in the future helps me make better choices every other day.

(Ashley) #29

It’s calming to know that the initial steps for most people who choose Keto are always a bit bumpy it makes me feel like an insider with everyone else in this Keto world.

I have noticed that the US is light years ahead when it comes to Keto snacks and ingredients compared to where I am in England I was even tempted to import a monthly subscription box from the states that contained ready made items for on the go but I don’t want to get caught up in that whole junk health food where manufactures prey on those of us wishing to be health conscious.

I see a lot of US citizens on social media with items such as Phat Fudge and other items and was wondering if these were worth the hefty shipping costs of bringing them over here or learn to make some on my own at home.

:slight_smile:

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #30

There are so many online recipes. You can modify them to suit your preferences and build your own keto recipe collection.

(Diane) #31

I’m mostly too cheap to pay the inflated prices of these commercially produced keto treats. I would try some recipes. I can offer up a couple that I’ve enjoyed. Otherwise, be prepared for a few expensive, discouraging failures. You may find that true even if you try the recipes that I’ve loved. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

(Ashley) #32

Any recipes would be greatly appreciated :blush:

On a side note I have just purchased a jar of granulated Stevia for a recipe and after eating my produced goods I found out in small print on the label it was only 2% Stevia and the rest was bulked out with Maltodextrin even though 99% of the packaging was promoting it as Stevia only.

Does anyone else find it annoying when companies act sneaky like this? I feel like they are deliberately keeping us sick. :unamused:

Will this mess up my Ketosis?

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #33

Check out the “Recipes, Recipes, Recipes” section of the forum :smiley:
And the “what did you keto today” sections.

You should find lots of ideas there.

(Diane) #34

Everyone is different. Some sweetener substitutes adversely affect certain individuals and not others. I personally try to avoid maltodextrin except in very small amounts. TMI alert: I have literally pooped my pants twice before I could get to a bathroom after eating some. Sigh… .

(Ashley) #35

Just done my first urine dip and I’m the darkest colour so if believed I’m in Ketosis which is an amazing feeling :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

(Susan) #36

Awesome, congrats Ashley =). Keep up the good work.

(Ashley) #37

Thank you :wink:

(Marianne) #38

Hi Ashley,

I am enjoying your journey and enthusiasm as you make progress and discover new things.

I’d encourage you to stay away from processed “keto” snacks/foods, and eat as cleanly as you can - nothing processed. Eggs, bacon, sausage for breakfast; chicken/tuna/egg salad, chicken thighs, etc. for lunch; slap a piece of meat in a pan for dinner and have that with a beautiful salad with full fat dressing or some steamed veggies with butter or bacon grease for dinner. Voila; quick, easy and delicious. I don’t fuss, yet we are eating like kings.

#39

What you have described–if it is purely related to your diet and not another health issue–is a classic case of potassium depletion from doing the keto. I had the same issues in addition to muscle cramps from lack of potassium. Bananas, contrary to popular belief, are actually not the best source. Kale, spinach and almonds are. Be sure to soak any nuts you consume overnight for the best nutrient absorption. Hope you feel better and welcome!