What do you wish you had known when you started keto?

September 30 2019 by , medical review by in Diet Doctor community

Our Diet Doctor Facebook group is a forum for our members, where you can discuss all things keto or low carb.

What are some hot topics among our members? This is what trended in The Diet Doctor Facebook group last week:

What do you wish you had known when you started keto?

If you were to restart your keto journey, what do you wish you had known? This question was raised in a post in the Facebook group this week, and so far there are 181 insightful comments.

This a great topic to discuss. If you are new to keto and learn about mistakes that have already been made by those who have followed the diet for a long time, then you set yourself up for better success.

The only caveat is that you often learn best from your own mistakes, so don’t stop trying for fear of failure. Making mistakes is sometimes necessary to reach deep insights.

Here are some of the insights that our members shared about their journey:

Prepare by reading about and researching the diet as much as you can before you start.
Try intermittent fasting and don’t snack – these tips can be “game changers”.
Fat bombs, keto supplements and MCT oil are not necessary. Keep it simple.
Read labels! Just because it is labeled keto doesn’t mean that it is.
Tailor the diet to your needs and don’t compare yourself to others because everyone is different.
Stay off the scale and take your measurements instead. Sometimes the scale won’t move, but you may still drop a size.

What do you wish you had known when you started keto? Leave a comment below.

22 comments

1
Dennis Robertson
September 30 2019
The carnivore diet. I would have started eating carnivore straight up rather than taking five years of keto to get to it.
2
Livvy
September 30 2019
For some people, fat intake DOES matter. I gained back 20 lbs of a 70 weight loss due to too many nuts. We are all individuals, and you must be aware of what works for you. But otherwise, so much easier than I thought it would be.

Reply: #4
3
Cheryl
September 30 2019
Don't micro-managing macros! Just stop it. Eat very low carb and stop the madness of counting every morsel. If you eat very low carb that's all you need to know. Fats, animal protein and some leafy greens. There ya go. Easy peasy!
4
Reply to comment #2 by Livvy
Gentiann
September 30 2019
The trouble with nuts is not the fat content : they are just so easy to overeat...even addictive. That's why I stopped eating them. It's easier not to have them around and replace them by something else like cheese and salami.

Reply: #7
5
Karen
September 30 2019
You are either in or out. You can’t cheat. In 10 weeks of simple low carb/carnivore, I’m 27 lbs down, 5” off waist and hips. Never thought I’d have this success, not hungry, 18/6 and fasting really helps.
6
What's the frequency, Kenneth?
September 30 2019
Measurements. I lost so much weight so quickly, that I didn't have the foresight to keep measurements. Now that the weight loss has slowed (as I have less fat to lose), I sorta wish I could track measurements going all the way back. Still, the clothes don't lie. The fit just changes more slowly than it did.

"Keep it simple" is a good one. I suppose some people find it easier to transition with keto recipes, but I wasted a LOT of time following a ton of recipes I simply didn't need to know about. casseroles are nice, I guess. I've found there are some goto foods (like canned sardines, pork rinds, avocado oil mayo, boiled eggs) and shopping tips that have been quite helpful.

The longer I do keto, the more awareness I have of how "clean" I'm eating, and the less processed crap (from stuff that's "technically okay, not very clean" like most sausages, etc., to "keto" bars, snacks, fat bombs, etc.) I strongly suspect these items are a hindrance, overall.
7
Reply to comment #4 by Gentiann
What's the frequency, Kenneth?
September 30 2019
As for cheese and salami, those may not be the best for you, as they're rarely very clean. I eat both almonds and macadamias, but I always measure out an ounce at a time, and that's what I eat when I eat them. I also don't snack with them. I use them to fill, if I haven't prepared enough food, or to balance protein with fat.

As for "too much fat," for many of us, there comes a time when it's helpful to dial back the fat a bit, in favor of protein, or even cruciferous and green leafy vegetables, where our body fat makes up the fat balance.
8
Gentiann
September 30 2019
I am fine eating some salami and cheese on occasion, I enjoyed them and I don't overeat them. I think that calling a food "clean" or not sounds judgemental and is also very subjective.
9
Anne
September 30 2019
I wouldn't waste money trying to make bread substitute, to me it wasnt worth.it.
10
Gayle
September 30 2019
I agree with Anne-bread substitutes just aren’t worth the time, effort & money for all the extra ingredients. Just better to get used to not eating it at all
11
Allison
October 1 2019
Fasting and hyper-carnivore. Sleep.
12
Christine
October 1 2019
Two weeks on Keto now and loving the recipes but I am a little concerned about cholesterol. I am eating a lot more natural fats than I am not used to and some of the recipes are loade d in Greece after cooked. Should I be concerned? I do not have a cholesterol issue now but I am a little worried that I might in the future. I am going to try egg white instead of whole eggs and see if I can cut back a little. Does anyone have any advice?

Reply: #13
13
Reply to comment #12 by Christine
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
October 1 2019

Two weeks on Keto now and loving the recipes but I am a little concerned about cholesterol. I am eating a lot more natural fats than I am not used to and some of the recipes are loade d in Greece after cooked. Should I be concerned? I do not have a cholesterol issue now but I am a little worried that I might in the future. I am going to try egg white instead of whole eggs and see if I can cut back a little. Does anyone have any advice?

You may find this helpful!
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/cholesterol-basics
14
Annette
October 2 2019
There's a lot to be said for working things out step-wise so you know you're responding well to each step but there are a few things I wish I'd figured out sooner.

1. As others have said, bread substitutes are a waste of time and effort.
2. Plant foods aren't my friends. Cutting nuts and most veg made me stop feeling bloated all the time and improved my energy levels and mental health.
3. It's not worth trying to fit in with everyone else at family gatherings and holidays. From this year on I'm just bringing a load of stuff I can eat and sorting myself out.
15
Susan
October 3 2019
For me, I started well with low carb (not keto initially). I kept it super simple. I didnt track or weigh my meals to start with. I just followed the DD guidelines as to what I could eat, and not. I was strict with this, and strict with three meals and no snacking. Looking back, I was embedding good habits and food choices, and giving my body time to adjust and become fat adapted. Meantime I kept reading and educating myself. Three months in, after losing 2/3 of my excess weight, I graduated myself to full keto, intermittent fasting and tracking. All in all, it took a year to get where I am now (50lb loss). Maintaining ever since. Still keto and loving the health benefits.
16
Liz
October 3 2019
I would like to know exactly how much to eat of all after a fast 16/8

7 cups salad
how much fat
how much protein

I could really eat a lot of meat and fat and salad but I don't lose the weight

What is the best way to eat your meals on a 16/8 fast or 18/6 fast??/

Thank you all

Reply: #18
17
Angelika
October 3 2019
I wish I had been more aware of my minerals. After 3 months on keto I got atrial fibrillation for some hours.
Since then I take more salt, magnesium and potassium. It never happened again.
18
Reply to comment #16 by Liz
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
October 4 2019

I would like to know exactly how much to eat of all after a fast 16/8
7 cups salad
how much fat
how much protein
I could really eat a lot of meat and fat and salad but I don't lose the weight
What is the best way to eat your meals on a 16/8 fast or 18/6 fast??/
Thank you all

Generally speaking, whenever you are eating, each meal should be a good balance of very low carb, moderate protein and high fat. We have a meal plan designed for fasting that you may find helpful.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/this-weeks-meal-plan-adapted-for-168-fasting
19
Jan
October 6 2019
I just wish I'd known that weight loss would be much slower for me than it is for some people and had been more aware of the great health benefits apart from shifting a few kilos. We may be healing on the inside before any weight comes off, especially those of us who never drank soda, never ate donuts, biscuits, cakes or huge takeaways! I had a fairly healthy diet to begin with! Until my mid 40's I could eat anything and not gain weight but I had enormous issues with PMS and mood swings from my teens. If I'd stopped eating 'healthy' cereals, bread and other carbs years ago I may have been a happier, less anxious person much sooner. As people see the health and well-being benefits more people will switch to this way of eating, even if it doesn't make the scales move downward. I'm 66 and have people saying 'You look great!' not because I've lost much weight but my skin is good because of all the good oils. Several people have commented that I'm looking younger, which is good for the morale but the most important benefit for the future may well be the avoidance of dementia. Rather than spending years slowly dying, possibly ending up in an institution, hopefully we'll live well and independently until the day we leave this earth - happy, healthy, dead... that's my incentive to keep the carbs low for life!
20
Lindsay
March 20
I’m 2 months into keto. Try foods you think you detest and you may find you actually like them. I constantly suprise myself how things taste with seasoning cooked in a bit of butter. Cabbage and courgette in particular. I waited a while before making desserts with erythritol. Too sweet for me and triggers cravings so I steer clear now. If you can buy good quality butcher meat instead of supermarket it’s worth it. The biggest shocker to me is literally everything in store including deli ham has sugar in. Stick to fresh produce and make your own sauces. Read labels before buying anything. Ignore the scales completely and use clothing and measurements to check progress. Don’t track macros. Just know what are low carb veg etc and stick to those with plenty of meat and fish or other protein. Watch dairy (I’m intolerant apparently) and too many added fats as it’s best to burn your own than eating it. If you use IF them vary it each day. I got stuck in the routine of OMAD but varying makes loss better. Don’t vary off your plan just to make others feel better. This is your way of Eating. No reason you should feel bad for sticking to it. That’s where I’ve fallen previously. This is a WOE for me now so they can get used to it. Watch the films on the website. “That sugar film”is also an eye opener and worth a watch. Especially if a family member is still carb crazy.
21
Lindsay
March 20
Oh and magnesium supplements at dinner time really help with sleep.
22
Zaheer
September 20
Agreed. 8 months into low carb, reversed my metabolic syndrome and diabetes. However, i increased saturated fats excessively and got my cholesterol in 300's (over 9 mmol). So now i am cutting back on saturated fats (particularly dairy). I don't avoid any fats that come WITH protein because i believe fats+protein together don't harm me.

What do you wish you had known when you started keto?

What do you wish you had known when you started keto?

22 comments

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