Making Keto a Habit

#1

I am now about 2.5 months into my keto journey and I have been working very hard! I lost about 10lbs in my first week but nothing since then. I started to feel upset because I know I have been pouring my heart and soul into researching, tracking macros, and sticking to it! But I think its finally paying off! My weight started to budge again and Im hoping this isnt a trick!

One thing I have been thinking about is how easily it will be to sustain Keto for a long time. I still want to indulge from time to time and I feel like if I dont allow myself that freedom on occasion, Ill definitely fall off the horse eventually. I went to a baseball game with my husband the other day and I ate some of his french fries!!! Ive also indulged in deep fried cheese curds.

But I have a big vacation coming up in a few months and I want to enjoy the summer! I still want to have an ice cream cone with my family and some other non keto friendly things but enjoy them in moderation.

When I did WeightWatchers a long time ago, one of the things they said was indulging a bit on a holiday is not a big deal since its so infrequent; a couple days a year is not why we fail or become overweight, its the rest of the year of bad habits.

I guess Im looking for tips and tricks or what is ok to indulge in from time to time that wont ruin my mental state or my commitment to keto.

#2

First of all, I hear you! No one wants to feel like they’re on a diet the rest of their life.
I feel that this way of thinking, however, can lead to more “cheats” than consistency… which then leads to frustration over lack of progress, which then leads to giving up.
One of the things I found has really helped me was making different keto desserts in the beginning and bringing them to social events so I had something to indulge in. Lemon squares, cheesecake brownies, olive oil cake, pumpkin pie, keto ice cream, you name it, I made it.Many of my non-keto friends really didn’t notice a difference. Having these treats honestly kept me so satisfied that I didn’t feel like I was dieting at all. Now that I’m farther along I don’t find I crave sweet things as much, but I always know there is the option for whenever I am feeling gloomy about missing out.
Hopefully this is helpful!

#3

Thank you!

And I have already been doing that and its awesome! However the times im talking about are where I cant make those things, like when going on vacation. Ive noticed its not hard to eat low carb when on vacation or out and about…but its VERY difficult to eat high fat.

Fat content is always mixed with carbs in most public places; the two are inseparable! So I feel confident I can eat low carb simply by saying no to carbs when on vacation, but working in high fat is the difficult part. Ill go to a restaurant and order a slab of meet with some veggies…very low fat meal so I dont always feel satisfied after.

#4

This is a good point. I wonder about the practicality of packing a jar of coconut oil or coconut butter? Maybe packing a bag of macadamia nuts would help too.
I think @richard and @carl often ask restaurants for a side of butter to keep the fat up…
Ultimately I think for vacations you have to do your best, allowing yourself to eat non keto for a limited time is a decision you can totally make and some do. For me personally it’s a dangerous psychological balance (lol)- if I eat non-keto whenever it seems too difficult it becomes too easy to justify indulging all the time. Then the cravings for sugar come back and it becomes that much harder to want to stay keto. These are just my thoughts:)

#5

thats a good idea, to ask for a side of butter so I can at least smother my veggies with some fat!

#6

I just find not ‘cheating’ makes it easier. I see ice cream, I see cake, I just don’t want it.
This is kind of miraculous for me. I really feel like this is a massive shift.
And I literally just ate a 25g piece of butter with salt on it as a snack. Delicious. My tastes have changed so much. I am so glad I don’t hark back to the carbage I was eating before.

The things I miss the most, strangely, are porridge (oatmeal), and apples? Who’d have thunk it?!?!

(Jay AM) #7

As far as doing carb indulgences, that’s up to you. I don’t miss having the ice cream in a social setting because I brought my ketoade or the cake because dinner was satisfying. Food isn’t what makes the social event good, the people are. As for upping fat elsewhere, you have options. If you go to a McDonald’s and order something ask for a few extra butter packs and then stash them for when you need it, buy small one use packs of coconut oil and olive oil (probably online), you could bring your own mini olive oil in a small bottle. If you know the restaurant you’re going to will use real butter, ask for extra. They often bring a decent amount. Order the fattier meats, ask to sub carbs with veggies. Or, after the meal, go to where you’re staying and eat some extra fat there. Maybe make some quick fat bombs to eat in social settings or after a meal out.

If you simply must indulge, be smart about it. Lemon meringue pie is a dime a dozen, you can get it anywhere. Same with rice dishes, chocolate cake, etc. Either have a bite and move on or only indulge in truly special foods. If someone brings a flaming rum cake to me, I’m probably at least trying some. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lose it and also have a soda, rice pilaf, and gravy boat with the cake. Stay keto between indulgences. This will make it easier to go back to full on keto later. But, in general, enjoy the time off.

#8

You may surprise yourself and find that you can enjoy life and holidays without eating foods that you now don’t normally eat. I have found that I am actually a little repulsed by these old favorites and my body just sees it as inedible. I have indulged on occasion and found that it wasn’t as tasty as I’d remembered and was not my favorite food that day. If you enjoy other benefits to keto (for me, it was loss of allergies, asthma, and acne) in addition to weight loss, keeping your body feeling healthy will also be a huge motivator.

#9

Oh? But I thought McDonald’s butter is margarine?

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #10

Varies by territory, but they generally have real butter packets and cook in margarine.

(Jay AM) #11

In America, the butter is real in the packets.

#12

I see. Okay. I kinda thought that they are cheapskate enough.

#13

My only struggle with people saying “I have no problems with sweets at parties because I have absolutely no taste for them anymore!”

Thats great for you, but not good advice for me since Im not at whatever Keto stage that is when I stop craving sweets.

#14

I agree. People saying that is basically like “putting ourselves into their shoes”, not “putting themselves into our shoes”.

(Jay AM) #15

I definitely crave sweets more in a social setting that I’m not controlling. There’s a lot more pressure from other people, the amount of stuff available to tempt. But, I am controlling myself and I always have back up. Like, something keto friendly I made, purse bacon, chewing gum, salt crystals to eat, ketoade. Anything to remind myself that my goals are important. Just like fighting cravings in the beginning. I used to eat a lot of salt.

(Monica Piccirillo) #16

I really hear you about low carb being a habit and easy to maintain in the long run. I also understand the desire to have a treat when an occasion comes up—I struggled with being so ridged that it actually became depressing. It was the scenario of someone telling me “you can’t have xxxxx ever again” and then that’s all I wanted to have! As soon as I gave myself permission to eat it if I want it—those thoughts disappeared.
I’ll make my choice —enjoy it —and go right back to my regular scheduled program! Life is to short!
**I’m not diabetic and I have no medical issues.

#17

Yeah Ive been actually extremely strict thus far on my Keto journey (almost 3 months) and it definitely gets me depressed sometimes. I still havent reach the stage where I magically dont want any sweets or carbs anymore. I still get a craving when I smell some warm bread, baked goods, or see some gooey chocolate!

(Troy) #18

Not going to say to indulge or not to
My tip is just to prepare if possible
I have a KETO travel kit w various foods and snacks on hand
You can order KETO friendly sides or at fat like butter
eat on the way there

This is a lifestyle
Life itself will have its ups and downs
Choices can and will be made

The awesome thing, once you get to know your body
By all means, eat what you want
Like you said, you have already made some choices to indulge

For me, once I made a choice to “think differently” going in to an event, party, or celebration it’s more enjoyable now to
I almost quoted a bible verse. Great proverb on this :grin:
More times than none. I just do not eat OR eat prior.

You mentioned feeling down or depressed sometimes too
Sorry
If this helps…just think of all the other NSV you have had, or accomplished over the last 2.5 months :smile:
They are all victory’s

Of course. It’s YMMV
“ to indulge or not to indulge “

Enjoy

(David) #19

I have been keto for 6 weeks now, and had the first deliberate non - keto meal last Thursday at a fabulous Japanese restaurant. Although I don’t regret it, I have seen an update tick on the scales. Short-term, I know (hope) , but I also feel the awareness of a way of thinking that wonders how often I could “get away” with a step away from keto. It would be so easy. At the end of the day, I don’t want to go back to a carb heavy life. Indulgences become more commonplace, and before I know it I am back where I started. Everyone is different but I think for me, the habit needs to be ingrained by choice.

(Rob) #20

Remember that this uptick is just additional water retention from the glycogen you are reacquiring temporarily and you will lose it again (flush) when you get back to lipolysis/ketosis and use up the glycogen. Do it once and then keep keto, you will reverse it in a couple of days. Do it more often e.g. every 3-4 days and you will barely get back to ketosis before you break it again. Once a week is manageable by some people, less frequent shouldn’t be an issue for most. Note, when you are getting back to ketosis, you are not efficiently fat burning or gaining the other benefits so you are slowing your progress.
The flip side is that the occasional carb-up is something that triggers a whoosh (fast dropping of water stored in lipid depleted fat cells) for some, and has other benefits around maintaining metabolic flexibility. Some swear by it… maybe search “glycogen recompensation”