Starting keto struggles

#1

Hi everyone!

I hope you’re all loving the keto life and getting the most out of it!
I’m brand new to the forum and wanted to share my goals and struggles.

I’d started intermittent fasting keto back in Oct 2017 with great results, but after Christmas (when I ate sugar and refined carbs) I’ve been struggling to ditch the bad stuff… It’s been a very stressful time in my life as well, which doesn’t help…
But I’ve had enough now, I’ve put a lot of weight on and I don’t feel comfortable in my own body… Not emotionally, but physically. Also, I know how bad sugar and carbs are for you, I know how I should be eating, and most of all I know that this way of eating agrees with me.

I just can’t seem to make the first step. When I started keto before, it seemed fairly easy and after a few days I didn’t even crave sugar/carbs anymore. This time round I’m struggling very much, and I suspect it has to do with the emotional stresses in my life, which are ongoing (I’m a full time employed part time masters level student).

Any advice?
I’ve set myself next Saturday as a day to look forward to as the restart of my keto… I’ll see how it goes, I’m worried I might struggle again… Send me good keto vibes and motivation! :blush:

Cheerio,
H :ocean:

(LeeAnn Brooks) #2

No advice as I haven’t been there (well adding the Keto part that is - been there done that with working full time while going to school full time), but wishing you the best in your efforts.

#3

Thank you very much!!! :blush:

(Robert C) #4

Not exactly keto advice here but, from what you said about doing fasting keto before, I think the problem might be that you are focusing too much on what you CANNOT have once you start. Maybe that is why you have that week-away goal? You want some time for those last few favorite recipes, cookies, favorite dish at a restaurant etc.

Instead, you could look at hitting yourself over the head with the idea of starting immediately. Throw away all leftovers and items with carbs. Think instead of what you CAN have.

Go buy pork sausages, steak, bacon, eggs, spinach to saute, cream cheese and butter to add to just about anything. Have some right away, eat more whenever you want.

Or, maybe for your first week, you get lazy and go to Chipotle’s twice a day for a no-rice-no-bean burrito bowl with extra meat and guacamole (which, along with a BPC each morning is really good in terms of keto macros).

Either way - a week away from any sweet and any carbs is (I think) what you need to start and lock it in (because cravings will be gone by then).

Good luck either way!

#5

Have you tried making changes slowly instead of jumping right back into it as if you never left? I am 7 weeks into Keto but several months before I started, not even meaning to set myself up to begin keto, I cut out all sugar and flour. I started making changes very slowly. Instead of being concerned with staying within a certain macro, or counting calories, I focused on just eating healthier and cutting out refined and processed junk food. Then the next step was to cut way down on my carbs; I stopped eating pasta, rice, bread, etc. Then I started reading a lot about the keto diet and decided to give it a try. By the time I started keto, I had already been limiting my carbs every day without even realizing it. I never got the keto flu and I never had sugary carb cravings. I’ve been a carb-o-haulic my whole life but what worked for me was taking baby steps. I haven’t had any refined sugar, processed carbohydrates or any other non-keto food in well over 3 months and I don’t miss it. I watch my whole family still binge on potato chips, ice cream, cookies and all the other things I used to eat and I don’t miss it. Once I started keto, I still didn’t try to force myself within certain macros, I ate what I wanted, I just focused on eating only keto foods, including making my own snacks and keto desserts. After about 4 weeks into keto, then I started to dial down on my macros and slowly cut out the snacking. I’ve also started eating within an 8 hour window with 16 hours of intermittent fasting, sometimes a little less, but I try to stay somewhat flexible. I can still have snacks and desserts (only keto recipes with stevia or erythritol) if I want them but I try to really pay attention to if I’m actually hungry or not…or if I’m just being triggered by old snacking habits. That’s been my biggest challenge is snacking out of habit, not because I’m hungry.

If you are having a hard time getting back on the wagon, try starting very small and adding in or subtracting something new each week. You don’t have to do this overnight. It took you how long to build these bad eating habits and bad diet, it’s not going to be easy to just snap your fingers and make all that go away instantly. Be patient with yourself. Make small changes little by little and build on them each week. You have to be ready to make those changes or it’s not going to happen.

(Chris Robertson) #6

Mark Sisson has a 21 day plan for going into ketosis that a lot of people like. I think it’s in his book The Primal Blueprint. It might help. I was very addicted to sugar, particularly energy drinks. I am the sort of person that can’t quit slowly, I have to go cold turkey. What I did was replacement therapy. When I felt I needed an energy drink I instead went to caffeine pills and diet sparkling lemonade. Even diet lemonade has an insulin effect so I when I’d drink it I’d also eat a spoonful of flax seeds and drink a glass of diluted apple cider vinegar both of which help to counter act the negative effects of the soda. This helped keep my cravings under control without effecting my ketosis. After 4 weeks I went on a 7 day water fast to act as a reset for my body. I was quite focused on food for the duration of the fast but sugar and soda never crossed my mind. My fast ended 4 days ago and I haven’t felt any sugar or soda cravings.

(MooBoom) #7

Been there! Fell off the wagon in Jan and didn’t get back on until April. Tried and failed several times along the way.

I wasn’t ready until I was ready. Maybe that’s the same for you too?

In the end I got back on track ridiculously easily, am probably fat adapted again already and SO glad I did it. Hope to hear the same from you soon :blush:

#8

Thank you all so much for your replies and advice! I think I’ll try slowly and reduce my carb intake in stages (done over a weeks or so) instead of going cold turkey… Hopefully I’ll find it easy to handle for the first few days! :+1:

#9

It sounds like you are really motivated and not giving yourself enough credit! I’m just starting too! It’s super hard at first and I’d love to start a kind of additional support group. I started a youtube channel and hoping people will be able to share their experiences there as well. Here’s the link to my first video if you’re at all interested and need a little face to face support. I find it super helpful to watch videos of others who are going through the same thing as motivation
https://youtu.be/PJEaN-xAJHk

#10

Question for you is, what do you see as the first step?

I’d suggest the first step is to visit the grocery store and buy the right food.

#11

I’ve always had problems starting out aswell. These big forums is great for tips and tricks, but i feel that more personal blogs always helps me out a little bit more.

Hasn’t posted alot yet but stumpled upon this one, seems like a blog worth a watch.
But other than that, just look for good blogs, it becomes more personal and relatable.