New to Keto - Prepp'n and looking for input

#1

Hello my future family!

I am just starting to prep for my keto journey and have done plentiful research but wanted to get some advise/tips/input before I start.

First off, I understand that a lot of people use keto to aid in weight loss and (from what I read) is more geared toward people that have an excess of body fat. That said, I am not over weight and I am not looking to lose weight (necessarily). See body specs below:

Female - 32 yrs old
Weight: avg. 140
Height: 5’8"

Goal macros:
Carbs: 25g
Protien: 71g
Fat: 127g
Daily intake: 1530 Calories

I am pretty active and understand that within the first few weeks of doing this, I may want to keep my activity to a minimum while my body adjusts.

My goal in doing this is to 1. Eat cleaner and regulate my body/hormones. 2. Enhance spirituality (fasting promotes this). 3. Lose body fat

Naturally, I rarely eat until about 4 - 5pm after waking but drink coffee in the morning. I already eat high protein but struggle with my carb intake. This is also a main focus for me.

I think overall, just looking to be healthier and have more control over this machine I call my body.

Some questions:

  1. Can I expect body fat reduction despite my already “normalish” weight?
  2. What can I expect in the first 2 weeks as far as side effects, weight loss, mood etc.?
  3. Suggestions for sites/apps for recipes
  4. Nervous about the keto-flu. How can I fight it? What worked for you?
  5. Based on the info I’ve given, does keto seem like something I should do? If not, what would you suggest?

Thank you all in advance for your input.

(Nick Morales) #2

  1. Best answer you can get is “Maybe.” When it comes to nutrition, no one reacts to a diet/lifestyle in exactly the same way. When you fast you’ll be using body fat for fuel so you’ll see a reduction then for sure. If you find your losing or gaining more than you like, you can tweak your macros over time.

  2. A lot of people drop weight in the first 2 weeks, but it’s mostly water weight retained from the sugar in their diet. You may or may not experience this. Before the Keto flu sets in your biggest enemy will be Carb cravings, but usually eating more fat keeps those from getting too strong.

  3. 2 Keto Dudes have a section of recipies on their site with links to each one: http://2ketodudes.com/recipes.aspx
    There’s a couple that are ketogenic and are not focused on weight loss either. They have a website and YouTube channel with recipes at ketoconnect.net

  4. Most people replenish their electrolytes by going heavy on salt. The first time I started this diet I got the actual flu around the same time as the Keto flu, so I didn’t notice it. After going back a couple months after I stopped, I didn’t really notice it.

  5. You’re the only one who can truly answer that. A true diet is a lifestyle you can live with for the rest of your life if you have to. My wife doesn’t do this diet because she doesn’t think she can sustain it and I don’t pressure her to do so. Almost anyone can do Keto, the question is if they want to or not. Myself, I’ve struggled with control most of my life. When I started Keto I finally seemed to have gained it back. Until the science tells me otherwise, I’ll probably stick with this for the rest of my days.

The main goal of Keto is to become healthy. There are a lot of people who don’t need to lose weight that do Keto and fasting. A lot of them have become champions of the Keto lifestyle. Some came for the weight loss initially and stayed for the health benefits. Others were in dire situations and wanted to heal their bodies and came to Keto to help them achieve that.

The hardest part ahead isn’t the first month, it’s the plateau shortly after. Since hitting that plateau shouldn’t matter too much since you’re already at your desired weight, you should do just fine.

(Sonia A.) #3

Welcome !

  1. I think you can lose fat even if your weight is normal. I’ve read testimonies of people who were surprised to lose weight, because it wasn’t their goal. But be careful, women imo shouldn’t attempt to lower their BF% too low. It’d cause hormonal problems.

  2. The first two weeks, you can expect to lose a good amount of water weight. You’ll probably feel fatigued and depending on your level of keto flu, you can feel bad. I was fortunate to only feel fatigue and no other sign of carb withdrawal (see 4.).

  3. You can find wonderful recipes here :slight_smile:

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/c/food/recipes-recipes-recipes

4.My adaptation phase was relatively smooth, except for some fatigue. The reason is that I was careful with my electrolytes intake (sodium, magnesium and potassium). It’s critical. I also ate fat to satiety, I didn’t deprive myself. No calorie counting, only carb and protein to be on point. But, I have to say that it helped a lot that I ate “healthy” before I started, I didn’t come from the SAD diet. How you ate before determines the level of keto flu you’ll have.

5.I think keto is a wonderful lifestyle for almost everyone. It resets the body so that it can achieve balance. But you have to try to see if it suits you. Don’t be discouraged by the first couple weeks, it’ll pass. Then you can reap the benefits of keto.

(Sonia A.) #4

Be careful, the ketogenic diet (as the 2ketodudes say) is defined as eating less than 20 g of carbs, moderate protein and fat to satiety. It’s not a high protein diet.

(Karen Fricke) #5

Once you get adapted, that’s probably too much protein. Recommendation is 1 gram per kg of lean body mass, from your description, closer to 50 grams.

(Jane Reed) #6

I’m post-menopausal and 10-15 pounds from my goal weight, with no health problems. I’m losing very slowly, about 1 pound per month, as can be expected in my circumstance. An occasional short fast has been helpful.

IMO, you may also find fat loss rather slow, but perseverance will pay off. Despite the slowness of my own journey, I’m so very happy to be where I am now vs. where I would have been had I never started nine and one-half months ago.