Starting a ketogenic diet can feel overwhelming. It certainly did for me. Trying to process what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat was so daunting. I’ve never been able to follow through on dieting but I was DETERMINED when I started keto not to give up.Ketogenic diets are taking the world by storm! There are ample resources on the internet and books on Amazon to help you along the way. But, I think hearing do’s, don’ts, tips, and tricks from regular Joe’s is the most helpful. 60 Day KetoversaryI’m coming up on my 60 day ketoversary and I’ve learned SOOOO much since I engaged in the keto WOE (way of eating). I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t share my experiences with all y’all. Keto has it’s own learning curve and we’re all figuring it out as we go. Just like life.Tip No. 1Before you do ANYTHING buy The Keto Diet by Leanne Vogel (you can click the image to order from amazon). This was the BEST resource for me to get acquainted with ketogenic diets. She does a fabulous job of making it easy for normal people to understand how the body works and WHY keto is beneficial for us. Knowing why I’m doing something really helps me stay committed. I think most people are like that. When you learn exactly what carbs and sugar do inside your body, it’s hard to forget. So, order this book! Trust me! Tip No. 2After you’ve read and understood Vogel’s book, do a keto test week/weekend. My husband and I did this to practice what a normal week would be like. This really helped us understand how our meals would be structured. And it gave us a chance to practice logging our macros and using My Fitness Pal correctly. I can’t stress the importance of this enough! You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it first so why would you completely change your diet without a trial?!Tip No. 3Track everything in My Fitness Pal (or a similar app). You’re really liable to overeat, even if you don’t realize it, if you don’t. When we started tracking our macros (protein, fat, and carbs), we realized just how much excess we ate in a day. Some people take the lazy keto approach (not tracking) and that works for them. But, if you’re like me and binge eat/mindless eat, tracking is super important in the beginning. I have no plans to stop tracking my macros any time soon and I feel like I have a good handle on my diet. Tip No. 4With that being said, don’t agonize over your macros. I know, that seems contradictory but I have a point. When you’re researching keto, alot of bloggers and books (even Vogel’s) will give you charts that break down your macro goals based off of a total day’s calories. For example, when I first started keto, I was following a 1600 calorie plan with 130g F, 80g P, and 20g NC. It was really hard to hit that fat goal every day. I’d be full to the brim and still need 20g F and I’d be stressed trying to figure out how to eat that without knocking everything else out of whack. What I’ve since learned about macros is that 1.) carbs are important. Try your hardest to stay under 20g net carbs. 2.) Watch your protein. You might not need all the protein that is suggested. I can’t eat more than 50g a day without gaining weight (excess protein becomes glucose > sugar). 3.) if you have excess fat on your body, you do NOT have to eat a full portion of fat grams. This is the biggest thing I wish I knew when I first started. Let your body use up the extra fat cells you already have before you stock full of more (aka weightloss). If you’re full, don’t eat. If you’re truly hungry, eat within your macros. For perspective, I started eating 130g F, 80g P, and 20g NC. Now I eat around 50g P, 80-100g F, and 20g NC. Learn to listen to your body and you’ll see huge gains!Tip No. 5Don’t, I repeat DON’T, give up if you’re stuck at the same weight for several days at a time. I was stuck at the same weight for 10 flippin’ days and thought I had hit a stall. What actually happened was I was eating too much protein (see above). Once I cut that back, the weight dropped down the next day! I weigh myself every day because I’m controlling (lol but not really) but I shouldn’t. Agonizing over every little ounce is a cause of unnecessary anxiety. Even with my 10 day rut this month, I still lost 7.4 pounds! Tip No. 6By the way, just because you’re stuck at a weight doesn’t mean you’re in a stall. Keep track of your measurements (inches) in a notebook. You might not see the scale move but your clothes might fit different. Or maybe you’ve noticed some hormonal changes. Your body is always improving on keto so unless you’ve not lost weight for several (4-6) weeks at a time, keep ketoing. Tip No. 7Listen to podcasts! I love 2 Keto Dudes, Healthful Pursuit, Livin La Vida Low Carb, and The Keto for Women Show. They’re a great way to stay on top of the latest research and happenings in the keto world!Hopefully these bits of advice will help some of y’all in your keto journey! Be sure to check out my recipes for your next meal prep! And if you’re not already, follow me on Instagram (@keto_in_pearls) for more keto motivation, tips, and life!KCKO,Anna
