Total Newbie

(Darran Rees) #1

Hi there, 38 year old male here from Wales, UK. After being a strict intermittent faster (16:8, sometimes 20:4, sometimes longer) since last July I have decided to try the ketogenic lifestyle as I am pretty sure I was on the road to metabolic syndrome and had most symptoms of insulin resistance.

I’m 3 weeks into ketogenic and still going through the keto flu but I have persevered. I use my fitness pal to track macros so I can get an idea of what I’m eating and I’m keeping carbs to under 20g.

Couple of days ago I felt I’d broken through the barrier and I felt the best I’d ever felt in my life. I had two days of a real high, ‘clean’ energy feeling. Today however I feel back to feeling like something is off. I have this issue where it doesn’t matter how much or what I eat or stay hydrated, I don’t seem to get any energy from it. I’ll stay pale and washed out all day and eating (even keto) seems to make it worse. Definitely some kind of insulin response going on there? I work in a hospital lab and I’m lucky in that I can test my own bloods. Everything is absolutely where it should be e.g Thyroid, Iron, B12, Folate etc etc. In fact thanks to Keto I have super low triglycerides now and higher than the top end for HDL.

The main issue I am having at the moment though is that everyone around me are fierce carb eaters, so I feel totally alone in this journey! I don’t tend to tell people what I am up to when it comes to dietary changes but friends/family are keen to make it an issue! Does anyone else experience this? Like I am happy sitting there eating my keto meal and others decide to give it a full autopsy and share their strong opinions on why going low carb is bad for you etc etc . (Incidentally, these people are all overweight carb stuffers).

I had to go to a Charity ball two weeks ago and I timed starting keto at the worst time but I’d started and I didn’t want to go through the initial carb withdrawals again so I decided to be strict and left the provided mashed potato and trio of desserts. I didn’t say anything, I just carried on like normal but everyone else detected this horror situation and It was as if I’d killed a puppy. Everyone on the table reacted and kept on and on and on, trying to force me to eat the dessert at least. I didn’t give in :slight_smile:

How’s everyone else doing in a world full of narrow-minded carb eaters??

Darran

(Joel) #2

Welcome Darran! You know you will always find haters and people that think they know better than everyone else. The ketogenic diet has been around for a very long time and it is used to supplement cancer treatment, treat seizure disorders and keeping insulin in check, to name a few. When you look all the disgusting things that are put into the food that most carby’s eat, and compare that to what a ketogenic diet calls for, who is really the healthier person? Once the pounds start falling off you can say: you know what? I’ve lost 20 pounds in less than 2 months so something is working. I’d just ignore it and let the results speak for themselves :slight_smile:

As far as feeling “off” I had a similar thing happen to me where I felt like I was hitting a wall and had zero energy. I soon realized that I was dehydrating myself by drinking to much coffee and I was lacking electrolytes big time. Once I upped the electrolytes and water I was good to go.

Good luck to you and stick with it. You’ll feel the best you ever have!

(Rob) #3

Hi, and welcome to the forum, 48 y/o bloke from Cheshire here.

I’m not a doctor, but provided you’re keeping your carbs under 20g and your protein at a moderate level of around 20% then there should be only a small amount of Glucose in your bloodstream, so Insulin should be down in response to that. It may just be that you’re dehydrated. You don’t mention it, but have you been taking 5g of sea salt every day since you started?

I am surrounded by carb-zombies too. I do get occasional comments about how all the fat is going to “clog my arteries” blah blah blah… You did the right thing in ignoring them and sticking true to your believes. It comes back to a choice, I just try to say “thank you for your opinion, but this is the way of eating that I have chosen. Please do not judge me for my choice and I will not judge you for yours.”

LOL

On the two occasions that I have caved in to pressure from the wife to “eat normally” I’ve come out of it the other side feeling crappy and setting my weight loss progress back by at least a week, for just a single frikkin meal! Fooled me twice… shame on me.

They can all see the weight that I’ve lost, but yet they still keep chowing down on carbs. I’m aiming for 6 pack abs now so that I can really show how much can be achieved with this WOE and I totally feel like I can do it with the food I’m eating rather than the frankenfoods of the low-fat factory rubbish.

This is a great forum and so many helpful people here. Have a good look around and get familiar with the search function and FAQ, they are great resources to get your questions answered, for anything else, go ahead and ask :slight_smile:

(Allan L) #4

Hi Darran,

Based in Reading here. Lots of Brits around on this forum.

Sounds like a long period for keto flu. How are you doing with electrolytes? This is the number one cause for extended flu.

Personally, that clean high feeling is directly linked to ketone levels and because I naturally produce a lower level of ketones than most on this diet I only get that feeling when consuming MCT / coconut oil. For some its never a constant “clean” feeling and can come and go.

I also kept my diet on the down low until people started asking how I was losing weight. The biggest proof of concept was when the weight loss became obvious. Then, 2 people from my department all said they were low cab too or had been in the past to lose weight.

My family and friends have all been accepting of my choices and some even tried to join me once the weight loss built up.

#5

Are you eating enough? Also, fat to satiety?

(Darran Rees) #6

hello everyone, thanks for your backing! I’m glad to be part of a community where I can finally talk about being ketogenic!

I forgot to mention, I am adding pink himalayan salt to my drinking water every time I have a glass (which is frequent) and I drink Bouillon within moderation each day, as well as adding pink salt to anything I cook. I also take magnesium supplements. Perhaps I am not still not having enough?

Just been to Dunelm with my mum and I was feeling so drained and crappy, look like I haven’t slept in 3 days and I’m getting 8hrs straight through each night. I was 99% close to just having a cake to get that carb blast to bring me to life but I talked myself out of it at the last moment! The thought of how it would make me feel tomorrow…

Have I been low carb for too long?

(Karen) #7

It’s so weird we all feel like we need to hide this, but are flying in the face of current thinking. I find people understanding if I tell them I’m gluten intolerant… That’s so hip, so now, so trendy. You are doing so well. I’m trying to get HDL raised.

Welcome and good luck!

K

(Allan L) #8

No, keep going, any day now your energy levels will jump right back. I have been low carb for 10 months now, the first 6 weeks were the hardest, after that its been so easy and natural.

(Darran Rees) #9

yeah I;m tracking my macros, eating roughly around 1800 cals a day with the right macro ratios and tbh this last week I have barely felt hungry. In fact, last night’s dinner completely turned on me, as if I couldn’t take any more fat! lol

#10

Welcome! And stick to it. Eventually the back seat carby commentators will run out of steam though some may still feel the need to continue to express themselves. The thing is that longer you do this - the better you feel - and the less bothered you get about other opinions. KCKO!! (Keep Calm and Keto On)

(Darran Rees) #11

Thank you Allan, It’s definitely hard. When the cravings kick in it gets almost impossible not to drive to a store and just carb load and feast in the car…it does reach that level of desire sometimes, but I’m powering through. lol

(Darran Rees) #12

Thanks Ajax, KCKO, love that!!!:star_struck:

(Darran Rees) #13

Thanks Karen, I might try the gluten intolerance line, esp if it keeps them quiet! xx

#14

Welcome to the forum, another fellow UK Keto’er here!
Stick with it, the keto flu will pass and you will soon forget about the carbs. As others have said, make sure you’re getting your electrolytes and adding salt to everything. Good luck!

#15

You might want to check out the ingredients in your bouillon. MSG? Sugar?

(Darran Rees) #16

That’s a good point. I add 1tsp to hot water, equates to 5g. This has 1.5g carbs and 0g sugar. Not sure about MSG, I’LL dig deeper! I have 1 mug a day most days, max two

(Sophie) #17

Welcome to the forum. You’ve done a brilliant job! :clap::clap::clap:

All you have to say is that you are full. period. Why would anyone suggest that you should continue to stuff yourself if you are no longer hungry, only a pusher… That puts the onus back on them. Eventually you get used to the snide remarks and sidelong glances. It becomes like water off a ducks back. April will be my one year Keto anniversary and I think I’ve developed a keto callus to the carb-zombies, thanks @MmmBacon love that term! KCKO!

(Allan L) #18

Hi,

Coconut oil / MCT oil really helped me with energy levels. Either just on a spoon every few hours or in a coffee. I can’t stand the taste of coconut oil so found some nice flavourless on Amazon.

In my first 4-5 weeks of Keto I would eat keto every time I had cravings until I was so full. I didn’t worry about how much I ate or when I ate as long as I kept my carbs below 20g. Naturally the cravings decreased and so did my food consumption. Some days I was eating double the macros recommended (other than carbs) but it was the only way I would not eat carbs.

My goal was to kill carb cravings and become fat adapted, once that happened I focused on weight loss. It made the keto transition so much easier for me.

(Troy) #19

Welcome!

I so understand
Family can be the worst “ KETO attackers “
Guilty trips, harsh looks, and comments

At first it was ackward
And I was quiet about WOE

For me know, I really cherish the above moments now!
The old saying “ the best defense is offense “ or vise versus lol
Not that I need to defend myself. Love my WOE!

But I go this route NOW
I make an effort to show I’m feeling great and filled w Joy! I’m not ashamed :joy:
At ANY meal

Ex: …“great OMAD… I’m just about there. Can you please pass the butter? I need just a bit more fat in . Then I’m good “

This is Done w people I know😉
——

Btw
You will get the “ I thought you like …”
It happens all the time!!!

:wink:
Enjoy

#20

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:rofl: always works! And lightens the mood