So much harder than I thought it would be!

(Scott) #9

It does get better. I may miss bread and pizza at times but I don’t crave them anymore. At first you think how am I going to do this? Then you say okay I just need to lose the bun on my burger and skip the fries.

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

Let us simplify the crap out of things.
For now, focus on ONE macro; carbohydrates.
Keep NET carbs <20g/day.

For food, prioritize protein and do not fear fat. What this means is, when constructing a meal, start with a protein… beef, chicken, fish, pork, eggs, whatever. Do not worry about the fat content of that meat. Add something, like a leafy green, or a buttery sauce, or whatever fits under 7g of non-fiber carbs… green beans, asparagus, cauli whatever work for me and others if you’re not big on leafy greens. Or don’t add anything.

That simple. Limit the carbs low, get them from unprocessed foods, and don’t sweat the ratio of protein to fat, but don’t opt for lean proteins without supplementing the fat up. Chicken breast should be consumed with skin on, and maybe a butter or cream sauce, as an example.

(Jane) #11

I don’t think my husband would have made it with me on my journey if not for CarbQuick pancakes and cream cheese pancakes. If he eats breakfast at all these days it is an omelette… but early on - the substitutes were a LIFE SAVER!

I still make him mug cakes in the evenings with almond flour about once a week and he really appreciates the bit of sweetness after dinner.

(Susan) #12

Thank you very much for your reply. I’ve been watching a lot of videos on YouTube dealing with “how to do keto right”, and so much of the info involves making sure that you balance the macros or it won’t work and you won’t lose weight.

I’m a 65 year old woman who needs to lose 160 lbs. I’ve been heavy for the better part of my life, but there was a time, long, long ago, when I stayed at about 150 lbs. even bouncing back after my first 3 pregnancies.

To be quite honest with you, if it wasn’t for the fact that getting around because of joint pain and fatigue is a major annoyance, I probably wouldn’t be doing this diet. I haven’t got any heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. I’m just tired of dealing with the movement and pain issues involved with weighing 318 lbs. at 5’7".

I know that a low carb diet works as I did Atkins years ago and lost about 10 lbs. a month for 4 months. I had to quit though because of gallbladder issues. I’ve since had my gallbladder removed so I don’t need to suffer through gb attacks anymore. It’s just proving to be so hard to give up all the foods I really enjoy eating, especially since food is my comfort and what I depend on. It’s really difficult to explain! lol

I’ll concentrate on keeping things below 20 gr. carbs though and not worry about the other macros…at least for the time being. Thanks again!

#13

SO MUCH THIS. My poor sister is caught up in a FB group with constant postings of crazy recipes and products and she’s struggling.

Keep. It. Simple. I have coffee with fat in it for breakfast (not needed, but I like it because I was a big breakfast eater and I find it keeps me full till lunch), a selection from my arsenal of frozen, wholesome, home made soup for lunch, and a meat and a vegetable for dinner. Once a week I might have a keto dessert, and on Saturday morning I have keto french toast as a combined breakfast and lunch.

The only macro you need to worry about while you’re white knuckling it through those first couple of weeks is your carbs. Keep those below 20, eat when your belly (not your mouth) is hungry, try to limit between meal snacks, and you’re golden.

Some good news? I don’t crave carbage anymore, but when it’s close to time to fry my pork chop and asparagus, my mouth literally waters thinking about it. I really do love what I eat now and that is the food I crave.

You got this! Keep hanging in there!

(Jane) #14

Check out this thread for meal ideas:

There are some recipes on here that people are kind enough to post, but most meals are simple to prepare with only a few ingredients.

#15

And Susan, your situation is very similar to my mom’s. She’s 68, suffers terrible joint pain from inflammation and arthritis and has about the same amount to lose that you do. She was also a terrible sugar addict, way worse than even I was and that’s saying something.

She’s rockin it :slight_smile: You can dooooo eeeet!!!

(Susan) #16

That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear that someone in similar circumstances as I am is able to do it too. Thanks! :slight_smile:

(Christy) #17

This is sort of an afterthought; Your tongue/palate is like any other muscle in your body. Retrain it. Sugar is delicious, no doubt but, other foods/spices can be just as fulfilling. I add a small bit of pink salt to any & every beverage I drink throughout the day. At this point, my palate is more susceptible to lack of salt vs. lack of sugar.

There are also many other benefits of added salt when eating Keto.

#18

I think @LeCheffre is right on track. Here’s simple if you really want to just count carbs and avoid counting protein and fat for a while:

Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, sausages, etc. Maybe a 1/2 cup of plain, full-fat cottage cheese or plain, full-fat yoghurt (do not get any low-fat varieties or anything flavored, even vanilla).

Lunch & Dinner: Steak, pork chops, chicken thighs, fish, etc. either sautéd on the stove top, broiled, baked, or grilled. Add salt, pepper, herbs and spices to your hearts content. Add all the oil you want to the pan for sautéing. Add a side of keto-friendly veggies like greens, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, salad, etc. (there are a zillion lists online). For even simpler, make double at dinner and eat the second batch for lunch the next day.

Except the veggies, don’t worry about how much you’re eating. Are you hungry? Eat. Not hungry? Don’t eat. Got a craving for something carby? Eat a leftover pork chop or some salami, or whatever you have on hand.

Don’t worry about recipes until you get used to seeing what your meals are going to look like. Also, some people find foods like Atkins or Quest bars and shakes, keto bread, sugar-free Jello, etc. to be great while you make the transition. My guess is that you’ll eventually lose your taste for a lot of this, but you might really like to have them around. Just remember that these things have carbs that you need to count.

There’s more than one way to do this right. I suggest you ignore any internet food-shamers who say the only way to do this right is cold turkey and no “fake” foods. If you find those things helpful during the transition or to stick to this WOE to meet your goal, then they’re fine for you. You can make different choices later, if you want to.

Once you get into a routine, you might want to start counting protein and fat. But I’d really just see how it goes. Some people do fine, never really tracking these things closely. Other people, especially post-menopausal women who are closer to goal, find things get stubborn and tracking helps. I find tracking helps me, because I wander off the farm so easily. Weighing, measuring and logging every bite I eat is a constant reminder for me. But that’s just me.

#19

Hi and welcome,

Hmm, sounds like bit of a carb addiction, your choice of words like “love” carbs, … I’ve been there done that … every pizza joint within 10 miles of my place knows me by name!

You can make fantastic tasting food with keto - fat is no longer outlawed so you can really go to town and make very tasty meals … or if you can’t be bothered then even I can prepare the following:

Steak/fish/chicken/whatever plus steam veggies with butter or a salad with olive oil. Bingo easy keto numbers!

Any meat left overs or canned fish with avocado and feta cheese for lunch.

Breakfast? Can’t be bothered, don’t feel hungry.

Coffee with full cream (I can’t be bothered with MCT or BPC and whatever …)

Throw in some nuts like almonds and pistachios whenever …

The key is to avoid - sugar, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes …

I like how keto is very easy to organise (now that I know). It’s also cheaper than KFC, McDonalds, Subway … and I like having half a clue what’s in my food! Those guys are pushing fructose like life has gone out of style.

Yes there’s an investment in keto - especially learning time etc but there are so many benefits.

Give at a month or 3 then decide.

(Lazy, Dirty Keto 😝) #20

You’ve already gotten some great advice. Just wanted to chime in and say I agree that you don’t need any fancy recipes to do Keto. Also carb withdrawal is normal and it will pass. Regarding wanting “junk” food, there are plenty of Keto friendly snacks you can eat. Pork rinds for one. Also, look into the brand “Lily’s” if you love chocolate. They have chocolate bars sweetened with Stevia. The milk chocolate almond is my favorite and 4g net carbs per serving (serving size is half the bar). Good luck and welcome to the community!

(Susan) #21

Thank you for your advice! I wish I could “snack”, but I found out just last night that I can’t. I have zero willpower when it comes to having just a few of anything! Maybe one day it’ll come to me, but for right now I’ll have to forget the snacks.

#22

Maybe you can figure out a couple of go to foods that you enjoy enough to have for a snack BUT not enough to mindlessly munch…for me it’s pork rinds with dip (usually a whole mashed avocado with dill dip seasoning mix sprinkled in or a tablespoon of Philadelphia Cream Cheese Jalapeño Cheddar dip). It is definitely very filling, fits into my macros and satisfies my hunger and mental need for something both crunchy and delicious! Definitely hang in there, the psychological cravings can be worse than the physical ones, but every day you don’t give into them, the infinitely easier it will get (and this is coming from a former emotional eater that loved sweets).

(PSackmann) #23

Many of us have seen significant improvement in both joint pain and fatigue. These NSV (non-scale-victories) are great things to focus on when things get hard. For me, that improvement is my main goal with weight loss just a pleasant side effect.
I’m another one who prefers simple, meat and veg with fat to satiety. No time for fancy recipes in my life except occasionally.

(Alec) #25

Keto is so simple. Just don’t eat obvious carb foods. Simple as that.

If in doubt, eat bacon and eggs.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #26

Hi there, Susan. First of all if you have to have keto friendly snacks while you make your transition, that’s okay. I liked chicken broth, pork rinds, tea with a bit of cream when I was craving something but wasn’t really hungry. I knew I wanted a snack and comfort and this helped a lot those first few weeks.

Take a minute and write down your goals. Visit the NSV (use the search bar) posts and read about how much better people feel in a short amount of time. Give thanks anytime you notice a non-scale victory, they are many.

Giving up a lifestyle where food is tied into emotions is going to be tough, but you absolutely can do it. Your body is having a tantrum and craving carbs. You’ve been using one mechanism for energy for a very long time. Asking it to switch over to fat burning is bound to elicit some resistance but you are in the drivers seat here and above all remember, this is temporary. It really is. If you can just push through you’ll get used to it and good at it.

And finally, make sure you’re meeting your body’s basic needs: enough sleep, staying hydrated, getting enough electrolytes, minimizing stress. This will help a lot!

(Sheranda Key) #27

I am right there with you! My husband and I are on day 7. I bought a book with recipes and meal plans. It is hard to learn a whole new way to cook, eat and think. I just found this forum yesterday and have already gotten a lot of help. Hang in there!

(Allan Misner) #28

The fact you’re going through this emotional event should tell you how addictive that carb-y food is. You’re in the right place.

This period will pass and if you hold on, you’ll be so much better off for it.

(John) #29

You can do that. That’s what I did for years.

Then one day, I decided that was NOT how I was going to live, and I made a decision to change. And here I am, 7 months later and 70 pounds lighter. I feel better, healthier, and even younger than I have in a decade.

I made a commitment when I started, that I would do it for 6 weeks before re-evaluating. During that time, I read, researched, studied, learned whatever I could about it - what works, what doesn’t, what people who are successful long term do.

It’s a good thing I made that choice, because the first 4 weeks or so were pretty bumpy. But I knew it was the price I had to pay. Once you are past the rough spot, it does become easier, and then just normal behavior. But you do have to work at changing how you relate to food.

But you can certainly decide to give up. I did that from 2012 through 2018. Gotta die of something, right?

OR you can choose to get healthy and be alive for those in your life that depend on you, and to have a better quality of life while you are doing it.

I’ve had my share of donuts, ice cream, and M&Ms - I just didn’t spread it out evenly across my lifetime, but had them all in the first 60 years. Second 60, I am going to even it out with proper proportions of steak and broccoli. :slight_smile: