Sorry for all the questions. First week of keto

[Chellyyy093]

I’ve been reading a lot about fasting on this page and on some pages I follow on Instagram. How often should you fast? When do you start fasting? Any links on fasting while on keto ?
Can you still lose weight if you stay within your carb limit and don’t fast?
And also… I’ve asked before but didn’t get much answers. Why is it important to consume so much fat? On some days I just don’t prepare meals that are high in fat and I wonder if that will hinder my weight loss. So any advice or links to articles about that is helpful too. I’m really confused on this diet. It seems to be so much more than simply limiting carbs.
Thanks so much!

[Dave-in-Utah]

Welcome to Keto and to this forum, Chelsea!

When do you start fasting?

Wait until you are fat adapted which can take a month or two. I highly recommend the book, “The Complete Guide to Fasting”, by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore. I recommend starting with IF then EF.

Can you still lose weight if you stay within your carb limit and don’t fast?

Yes!

How often should you fast?

That depends on your goals and the fasting protocol. When I was losing weight, I eventually fasted every week. Lots of 3-day fasts, then did every other day for awhile which worked great for me. Now, I do IF and one 3-day water fast every month.

Fasting is a very powerful health tool, but I recommend you concentrate now on eating Keto and getting fat adapted.

Why is it important to consume so much fat?

Fat is healthy and satiating. It replaces carbs and it keeps us from eating too much protein. Since Keto is low carb and moderate protein, the remainder needs to be fat.

It seems to me that what you are really asking is, “How can I add more fat to my meals?”. It just takes a little shift in the way we ate before Keto.

Eat fatty meats, bacon, pork belly, ribeye steak, sardines, salmon, etc. When eating leaner meats, add EVOO or butter. I like melted butter or EVOO on chicken. Add EVOO to salads. Eat more avocados. Cook with fat. Some people add coconut oil to their coffee.

There is a plethora of Keto recipe resources on the Internet, including this forum. I like reading the long-running thread “What did you Keto today?”. It is interesting to see what others are eating and I have learned a lot of cooking tips.

Just Google “Keto recipes”, for resources.

One thing newbies have a tendency to do is not eat enough food, especially when weigh loss is the objective. If you not eating enough fat, you are probably not getting enough calories. This WOE is not about calorie restriction.

I’m really confused on this diet.

It can be confusing. Take one step at a time, stick with this forum, learn constantly, and you have the potential of reaping many health benefits.

Good luck on your journey!

[Anniegirl9]

Good answers above.

I will just add that since Keto works by controlling insulin, it’s why the bulk of our diet comes from fat. Carbs create the highest insulin reaction. Protein about half the amount and fat has only a small insulin spike when eaten.

It’s also the main reason for fasting. We control insulin by what we eat and by how often we eat. Even if you don’t incorporate fasting, you will want to limit snacking. Grazing will kill a Keto diet as even with fat, eating all day long will keep insulin levels raised.

[Lilyanne]

Is eating two meals a day most days enough to limit insulin spikes? Fasting intrigues me but I take rheumatoid arthritis medications twice a day which require food (I tried to take without and got incredibly dizzy and nauseated, not fun!) so true fasting just isn’t an option for me. And these aren’t meds I’ll ever be off of, since they treat a chronic illness.

[Anniegirl9]

Two meals a day is considered IF or intermittent fasting. Yes, this helps control insulin and is good for you. Even if you can’t stick to 2 and have to do 3 a day, avoiding snacking in between is necessary to avoid extra insulin spikes.

[Digital_Dave]

I am about to create a post with a similar question for my wife. She has some medical issues, and has to eat with the meds she takes. But I’m hoping to get some good answers/advice, as well as doing more research on it.

As for you questions, you already received some good information above. But I can say for me, my first 36 hour fast wasn’t planned, I was just not hungry all day, and ended up not eating until the next day. (7th week)… Then last week, I decided to try a 3 day fast on purpose, and it went quite well. It’s quite strange to not be hungry.

I can say that I do rather enjoy eating OMAD (One meal a day) now, and it seems to be the best for me. But I’ve always said if I do get hungry, I will just eat something. But I don’t snack at all and have seen my best results so far when I do the OMAD. Two of those weeks I actually tried eating something at lunch and dinner (still staying under 20g carbs, just divided into two meals) but the weight loss was a lot lower than when I ate just once.

Basically, I’ve just been trying to listen to what my body is telling me.

[Chellyyy093]

Thanks so much for all of the insight.

[Chellyyy093]

Thanks so much. That makes sense. I think I’m gonna try to fast today. Try to make it til dinner. Bc usually if I don’t eat first thing in morning I’m never hungry rest of day. But if I do eat breakfast…I will be eating all day. Uhh i hate it

[Chellyyy093]

I Went to see my doc yesterday bc I have been having dizzy spells and seeing stars and flashes of light for past week. And she did some labs. The blood work won’t be back til tomorrow but she did say that my blood sugar is quite low and I’m a bit dehydrated. Told me to push fluid. And said I should try to eat every 2 hours. But I don’t feel like I need to eat every 2 hr. She said she is all for me doing keto ji st make sure I am eating enough. I dont think she fully understands keto. Oh and she tested my urine and I was positive for ketone so that made me happy lol

[Anniegirl9]

Fluids, yes. Eating every two hours, hard no.
Make sure you’re getting enough salt. Simply salting food is not enough.
I suck on rock salt throughout the day and add to electrolyte drinks. I would get dizzy spells and sucking on salt made them go away almost immediately.

[Chellyyy093]

Okay. I don’t have rock salt but I am drinking electrolytes wirh my water. I got the propel flavor packs with electrolytes. Can I add salt to my water as well ?

[Rajseth]

Yes. Add salt to water - but be careful of disaster pants danger😳
Much safer to put a pinch of salt under the tongue so it gets absorbed directly. Also acts as an appetite suppressant!
Fasting may be harder at the start of Keto, before you are fully fat adapted.

[Chellyyy093]

Thanks. I’ll try that!

[Lesliemont]

Hi Chelsea and welcome to the forum!
You are getting such great advice from a terrific group of people, keep it up!

Some things I have noticed…fasting is not deprivation or hunger. If you get up on the morning and you feel hungry, eat! But eat fatty dishes. Eat eggs, bacon, avocados, butter, cheese, coconut oil or coconut butter, etc.
Calculate how many carbs are in that meal and how many proteins so you know you’re NOT spiking insulin and then round out the plate with fats. Eat until you are satiated. This is different for everybody but generally means comfortably full, so that you stop thinking about eating. Then stop eating.
Now, wait until you feel hungry again
When this happens, eat. Low carb, moderate protein and fat to satiety. You will find that the duration of time in between these meals becomes greater and greater as you become fat adapted.
Becoming fat adapted may take several weeks to months. Don’t go looking for it, do not try to force it. It will happen when it happens
You will know when you are fat adapted. It’s like an awakening. The more sick you have been, the more noticeable it will be
Note: I’ve not said anything of ketones or keto pee sticks

Next: hydration and electrolytes are crucial! You must be getting more salt than what you were ever told was normal in the past, you must be getting adequate potassium and magnesium as well. It is imperative that you do some research into these very important implements of your diet. Don’t google it. Go to Dr. Berg, Dr. Axe and Dr. Berry on tube and listen to the 2 Keto Dudes podcast
Educate yourself and keep coming back here for the amazing support and love of the keto peeps

I think your blood sugar was low because you are still suffering from the effects of hyperinsulinemia, that is, too much insulin in the blood. This may be the result of long term metabolic derangement caused by a high carb diet or caloric restriction in the past. Whatever the reason, I will bet you that it resolves over time
My doctor tried to tell me my blood sugar was too low because it was 67 and the threshold is 70. I was fasting at the time and she didn’t even ask, maybe because it was 2:00 in the afternoon. Whatever. Doctors sometimes have trouble seeing outside the box.

Oh! I almost forgot, you should try anti inflammatory foods like kefir and kimchi and Kombucha! Yay!
You are going to be feeling so much better in no time!
Keep us posted on your progress

I hope you find this helpful
Keep calm and keto on

[Chellyyy093]

Thank you so much for breaking things down and explaining. I already feel better as far as dizziness and the stars I was seeing are gone so I am happy.my sleep isn’t affected anymore and head aches are gone. No more weird symptoms. I do however have another question. Is it normal for weight to go up rather than down a little over a week before period is due ? Bc I’ve been steadily losing and now I am up in weight. Haven’t changed my diet. And strictly sticking to low carb. Nothing over 20. Although I did get right at the 20 mark 2 days this weekend. I think my hormone causes me to eat way more. But still low carb. I am very upset about the scale going up rather than down.

[Lesliemont]

Try not to concern yourself with the scale at all.
Remember that our bodies are healing and becoming healthier. This sometimes includes building lean tissue like muscle and bone which are dense and heavy compared to fat. So it’s possible to be losing fat and gaining lean tissue and this will appear as weight gain on the scale
I hate scales.
The only time I am weighed is at the doctor’s office. I pay attention to how my clothes fit and how I feel. If I don’t lose another pound, I’m happy because I feel so much better.
Also, try to focus on the long term
When we stick to this process and allow it to work, the benefits are tangible and compounded over time. A year from now, you will be stunned, I have no doubt in that

Maybe find some ways to focus on other goals besides the scale. Experiment in the kitchen. Try new recipes and new foods. Buy an article of clothing like a dress or pants that are too small and hang it up for a month, then try it on again(don’t spend a lot of money on this hobby because you might find you don’t get to wear it at all because you just shrink out of it).

As for premenstrual gains, it could just be water that is retained because of the shift in hormones. I hope you can stand down from the scale for a while so that each pound is not the focus of your efforts

Try to enjoy yourself
This is a new life and it is going to be permanent, right? So let’s find a way to make it fun!

[Chellyyy093]

I am going to try to stay away from the scale until I start and finish my period. But idk if I can do that but I’m going to try. Maybe get someone to hide the scale?
And I love the outfit idea. I already was able to go thru my closet and donate a lot of shirts that are too big now. I think I will buy something a size too small and aim towards fitting that instead of my weight. Thanks for sharing that:)

[Madeleine]

@Chellyyy093 Chelsea, you’be gotten some great advice on here! Good luck to you, and please keep updating this thread since then other folks who are a few weeks behind you can learn from your experience.
@Lilyanne, during my last fast I wanted to take some supplements that usually make me queasy on an empty stomach, so I had a small spoon of coconut butter and felt fine. It will break a true fast, but for the purposes of extending your IF something like that might be worth a try.

[Chellyyy093]

Great idea. I didn’t think of updating for others. For anyone who is interested. My dizzy spells and low blood sugar has definitely improved a little less than 2 weeks into keto. Drinking more fluids and adding electrolytes and salt to my diet definitely played a big role in that I’m sure. So for anyone just starting. It does get better:)