Keto diet - anyone else?

[Type R Tom]

I want to get back into Keto and have used it successfully, most recently 12 months ago (during lockdown) but I find it near impossible to be on this type of diet and have a normal social life, going to pub/restaurants, friends house etc. Shame as I am much more disciplined when behaving that way but when not strict can slip into bad habits.

A fair bit of psychology to get into there!

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

i've just come off Keto ( was on for about a month) lost about 2 kgs.
Banging headaches and sugar cravings in the morning.

It's definitely the breakfast that kills me, I can't have anything sweet so I have to miss it, which gives me a headache by lunchtime.

It's also hard prepping my meal, when my kids live off carbs, mostly pasta and fruit so it's 2 meals I have to prep for and I don't got the time.

Probably back on it for March.

Any breakfast tips on keto? (I don't drink coffee)

[Mark Benson]

I've found low carb rather than zero carb to be the sustainable way.
Breakfast is usually an apple or citrus fruit, left as late as I can (usually after 10am).
Lunch is cheese and meat but with a couple of crackers
Dinner is usually meat and veg but I might have a square or two of dark chocolate for 'pudding'.

At the pub I go for something like vodka and soda or gin and diet tonic (the Fevertree one doesn't have a saccharine taste).

As a snack treat I'll have pork scratchings occasionally or a handful of almonds.

So it's not full on Keto, but it's pretty effective and I've been able to sustain it for 8 months so far, with no sign of needing to stop.

[Mojooo]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

i've just come off Keto ( was on for about a month) lost about 2 kgs.
Banging headaches and sugar cravings in the morning.

It's definitely the breakfast that kills me, I can't have anything sweet so I have to miss it, which gives me a headache by lunchtime.

It's also hard prepping my meal, when my kids live off carbs, mostly pasta and fruit so it's 2 meals I have to prep for and I don't got the time.

Probably back on it for March.

Any breakfast tips on keto? (I don't drink coffee)

I have tesco finest greek yoghurt with walnuts. Its mostly fats

I used to add it blueberries but cut them out

[Lordbenny]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

i've just come off Keto ( was on for about a month) lost about 2 kgs.
Banging headaches and sugar cravings in the morning.

It's definitely the breakfast that kills me, I can't have anything sweet so I have to miss it, which gives me a headache by lunchtime.

It's also hard prepping my meal, when my kids live off carbs, mostly pasta and fruit so it's 2 meals I have to prep for and I don't got the time.

Probably back on it for March.

Any breakfast tips on keto? (I don't drink coffee)

My Mrs is on Keto and I eat what she eats apart from the occasional slice of toast and spag bol!

On a Sunday morning we have keto waffles that are made with butter, grated mozerella, a couple of tablespoons of almond flour and two eggs, salt and pepper. Mix it all up and bang it in a waffle maker. Serve with mashed avocado and bacon. It’s nice and is an OK substitute for toast and it’s cheesy too.

[CharlieCrocodile]

I've been doing the fast 800 keto, essentially 800kcal per day in stage 1, for two weeks now. Lost about 7kg and feel great. I weigh most of the food I eat and log it in myfitnesspal.
Really looking forward to getting back into cycling after a 2 year bear when the weather gets a bit better, the weight should really drop off then.

[Clappedoutvolvo]

Started back on kero this week

Struggling already but need to keep going.

Steak tonight with halloumi, grilled tomatoes and greens. Just got a terrible craving for a sweet latte and donut for some reason!

[Phil.]

CoolHands said:

I’m doing it and it’s working, and I’m probably going to finish in about 3 weeks. What’s the best way of having a soft landing ie gradually returning to normal diet? I can’t be doing keto forever. I don’t want to bounce back by suddenly just eating regular food again badly.

Although above Keto levels, try keeping your carbs low and avoid eating processed food.

[grumbledoak]

CoolHands said:

I’m doing it and it’s working, and I’m probably going to finish in about 3 weeks. What’s the best way of having a soft landing ie gradually returning to normal diet? I can’t be doing keto forever. I don’t want to bounce back by suddenly just eating regular food again badly.

It isn't complicated. If you go back to your old diet you will go back to your old weight!

You could instead choose to learn from the experience. You will find a new equilibrium.

[Mark Benson]

CoolHands said:

I’m doing it and it’s working, and I’m probably going to finish in about 3 weeks. What’s the best way of having a soft landing ie gradually returning to normal diet? I can’t be doing keto forever. I don’t want to bounce back by suddenly just eating regular food again badly.

See my post above, you can eat carbs but be aware of amounts and quality. Try to keep between 30-50g a day and lay off sugar and processed foods. I've been doing this for 8 months and once you get an idea of the kinds of things you can and can't eat it's pretty sustainable.

[Mojooo]

Rather than having an extra large pizza, limit yourself to a single slice. of a small one.

[Nickbrapp]

Back at it for a week or so now, going well, loads more energy and getting used to making meals with carb substitutes.

Got to try alternative milks in my coffee now, I only get a small from costa but they tend to contain 8-12g of carbs

Don’t think I’m in ketosis yet, was doing well all week but had half a slice of cake on Sunday.

[a311]

Reading some of these posts and like any restrictive diet it's just not sustainable long term.

An average Joe might do ok on Keto for 3 or 4 weeks or maybe a couple of months but want to live and eat like your family and friends and you're screwed

[Nickbrapp]

a311 said:

Reading some of these posts and like any restrictive diet it's just not sustainable long term.

An average Joe might do ok on Keto for 3 or 4 weeks or maybe a couple of months but want to live and eat like your family and friends and you're screwed

It’s actually not that restrictive when you’re doing it, very similar to someone who’s gluten free I suppose

Last time I did it I was on it for well over 18 months and only really stoped because life just got in the way after lockdown ended. The only thing I ever missed was roast potato’s on a Sunday. You can still make exceptions though,

It’s got massive benefits, my partner suffers from chrons disease and has now been keto for 3 years, before he had having monthly infusions and several pills a day. Now, nothing. Just eats no processed foods and very little carbs.

[Teddy Lop]

Nickbrapp said:

a311 said:

Reading some of these posts and like any restrictive diet it's just not sustainable long term.

An average Joe might do ok on Keto for 3 or 4 weeks or maybe a couple of months but want to live and eat like your family and friends and you're screwed

It’s actually not that restrictive when you’re doing it, very similar to someone who’s gluten free I suppose

Last time I did it I was on it for well over 18 months and only really stoped because life just got in the way after lockdown ended. The only thing I ever missed was roast potato’s on a Sunday. You can still make exceptions though,

It’s got massive benefits, my partner suffers from chrons disease and has now been keto for 3 years, before he had having monthly infusions and several pills a day. Now, nothing. Just eats no processed foods and very little carbs.

My other half is coeliac so not as advanced, she also used to be very sensitive to all sorts of other stuff too like dairy, oats. Since going low carb the "other stuff" has all cleared up - a "bit" of milk or cheese would have her running for a loo, now she'll sit and scoff a cheese platter with me. Also going low carb has improved her clarity and focus, she used to get "hangry" if she didn't eat every few hours and while she can't do what I do she has been free'd from that (I'm not even *that* low carb any more given at the start of lockdown I started keeping beers in the house again and have a couple most nights, but have remained on a IF regime of not eating till 6pm which I find easy and the weight - 5+ stone of it - has stayed off)

I'd advise anyone should give low carbing a go, particularly those with intolerances, from our own and what I hear such experiences are not isolated. It's a shame official doctrine is so behind the curve, although it's a funny thing that while your GP doesn't seem allowed to advise a low carb approach they don't seem to advise against you for doing it...

FWIW we've never tried to sustain full on keto or whatever, just avoid carbs and processed food for the most part, dinner is protein and veg, but still enjoy treats on a regular basis, beers and curry on a Friday night etc, pizza etc. If we're dining out with friends we'll have whatever, no restrictions.

[Mark Benson]

I have colitis and it's done bugger all for that however my blood pressure has come right down from (in my GP's words) "borderline worrying" 135/85 to perfectly normal, 120/70 which I'm very happy about.

[Nickbrapp]

Mark Benson said:

I have colitis and it's done bugger all for that however my blood pressure has come right down from (in my GP's words) "borderline worrying" 135/85 to perfectly normal, 120/70 which I'm very happy about.

Try cutting out sulfates (found in lots of red meat or processed meats

[Gretchen]

I’ve been back on Keto for past week and am definitely in Ketosis. I forget how much you pee in the first week (so bought some test strips which results are high). Did this a few years back but then changed jobs and Covid came along plus other stuff threw me off. Have a big birthday coming up in August and am planning going clubbing in something my Father wouldn’t have approved of. Along with diet changes I’m running 8k a day on Cross Trainer in a bid to look 18 again

Have a steak and green salad planned for dinner. Going to try the pizza recipe posted a few pages back (similar to one I’ve made before) had Scrambled Eggs for breakfast with a tiny amount of Smoked Salmon Flakes as a treat. Taking all manner of green salads to work with boiled eggs, Salami and other cold meats, roasting up chicken legs covered in salt and pepper and trying to find a mild enjoyment in Cauliflower and Broccoli which I’ve always struggled to do.

Hardest part for me is being on a boat at weekends with other half who loves his carbs. But now BBQ weather is here I can at least feast on meat like a savage.

[grumbledoak]

Gretchen said:

...trying to find a mild enjoyment in Cauliflower and Broccoli which I’ve always struggled to do.

There is not much enjoyment to be found in cauliflower! Maybe roast with cumin as a side.

Broccoli carbonara with lardons, egg yolk, and parmesan words well though.

[Gretchen]

grumbledoak said:

There is not much enjoyment to be found in cauliflower! Maybe roast with cumin as a side.

Broccoli carbonara with lardons, egg yolk, and parmesan words well though.

Have made a cauliflower based pizza before which I enjoyed but was a laborious process iirc. I’ll just add cheese