New to it all. Quick question

(Elena) #1

Hey there,

New to all this as I started 9-14-2020. I purchased the blood ketone tester yesterday and it says I am at a 2.3 mml and from my understanding that is ketosis. I lost weight the first week, which I know was probably all the water weight, but this week I haven’t lost anything. I am trying new things from the store they consider “keto” I’m just wondering if I try of those products which they really aren’t keto, it’ll kick me out and my mml will be 0.5 or whatever the number is, correct? Maybe I’m eating wrong things. Idk. I’m just curious! Thank you.

(Gregory - You can teach an old dog new tricks.) #2

Without elaboration, Packaged " Keto " products are all just a money grab, with all kinds of questionable ingredients where health is concerned. They are usually low carb because they contain a lot of non-nutritional fillers of one kind or another . Usually grain based. They are trying to appeal to your desire for elements of the unhealthy way of eating that brought you to this point - typically, sugary and carbohydrate loaded snack foods.

Your best approach to improving your health with a " keto " way of eating is to use whole, single ingredient foods, and combine them to suit your eating plan.

Weight loss with a keto way of eating is a side effect, to be measured over months and years, and not necessarily weeks, unless you are talking 52 or more…

(Elena) #3

Thanks!

#4

The ketone reading is near meaningless, I lost 100lbs and barely ever even hit 1.0, that number doesn’t equal weight loss speed. Eat real foods as much as possible. Chips, Cookies, Candy etc are all junk food normally right? They are when they say “Keto” in front of them as well! Keep that in mind and you’ll be good. Not saying you can’t eat them, but they should be the minority in your diet.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #5

Welcome to the forums!

Fat loss is not a linear process; there will be ups and downs. Given how recently you switched to a ketogenic diet, you have nothing to worry about. Also, as a woman, you may find that your hormonal situation will need time to be sorted out, before serious fat loss can begin. Also relevant is the fact that if you have a small amount to lose, it takes longer. Even the people who lost a hundred pounds right away found that the last ten or twenty took a lot longer. So basically, it’s nowhere near time to start worrying yet. Just keep calm and keto on.

And yeah, it’s generally wise to avoid products that advertise themselves as “low-carb” or “keto-friendly.” They tend to be processed crap, on the whole. Not saying that’s true in every case, but it is true often enough to make me wary. If you concentrate on eating whole, real foods, you’ll be doing yourself a big favour.

#6

I find that even make at home keto meals on Pinterest are higher in carbs than I am comfortable with. It seems most advertisers equate low carb and keto but that is simply not the case. I would say to track everything for at least a few months and then see if you can add in any treats.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #7

And of course whether they equate or not depends on context. I’ve seen plenty of research studies where 150 grams of carbohydrate a day is “low-carb,” but that’s not how I would define it. My notion of “low-carb” is a level of intake that puts you in ketosis, whatever that level may be.

(Robin) #8

Welcome. Nice to see a newer newbie on here. I have never tested for keto sis. I just chart my food on the app Carb Manager. I put in the weight I am, the weight I am headed for, and it gives me the goal… but basically 5% carb, 70% fat, 20% protein. I’ve discovered not to sweat the exact percentages on fats and proteins, just keep my carbs. (My daily cap is 18 carbs, and I’m rarely over 12.) I also shop on the outside perimeter of the grocery store. Produce, meat, dairy, eggs, butter, etc. It’s weird to have no boxes or bags filling up my cupboards!

My husband always wants to find imitations of junk food, that he can eat on keto. But he can also eat one of something and walk away. A fake sweet would make me crave sweets. Plus, a little bit of actual sugar will bring my cravings back. So… I just stay away. And without the sugar, you really lose those cravings. You start realizing you’re not hungry. In fact, I had forgotten what a real hunger pang felt like! Wow! It’s a new world! You’ll do good. be as strict as you need to be, for as long as you need to. Chart if that works for you. Also, I only weight on the 1st and 15th, so I don’t get discouraged by those rascally scales! Good luck!

(Elena) #9

Thank you! :slight_smile: