Brand new to this diet. I’ve always considered myself a sweets person and in addition I have bipolar disorder and am on meds that physically make it a little harder to resist cravings than the average person. However, I do want to make this a success for me. I want to gain the mental benefits on top of the weight loss that can happen if I stick with it. Like many others with the illness, I’ve gained a substantial amount of weight from the meds.

I only lasted 2 days from sweets, but I’m not calling it quits altogether yet. How do you guys satisfy cravings that AREN’T the above two types of foods? Looking for more ideas and insight.

The first time I did keto (2021?), I didn't really worry about calories. I just eliminated bread, pasta, sugar, and just about all carbs except for green vegetables and things like that. I started off with dirty keto and just ate wherever I wanted regardless of fat or calories. I lost over 20 pounds.

Later, I switched to clean keto (and also ate MAHA, eliminating processed foods, artificial ingredients, seed oils, etc), but still had very low carbs and still did not worry about calories. I lost another 10 pounds.

So far so good, but after that 10 pounds (I was now at 195, down from a high of approx. 223) was never really able to lose any more weight.

Still, even though I wasn't at my ideal weight I was close enough that I just continued to eat this way maintaining, but not losing, weight for the next three years.

I then got tired of not being able to lose any more weight... so I cut calories, down to about 1700-1800 and over a period of five or six months I did lose another 5 pounds. But then I stabilized at about 190 and was never able to lose another pound.

Of course, at ~1800 calories, and being 6'3", I was hungry all the time so after months of that, I tried to go back to just my original clean keto, eating, but without obsessing over calories, and now I gained about 6 pounds. So, i'm back to starving myself at 1800 or less, and being hungry all the time. (i've tried every variation, partial fasting, no fasting, big breakfast, smaller other meals, big lunch, smaller other meals. 2 meals a day, etc. nothing works).

I have also tried having a "cheat day" once every 2-3 months, as some say that can kick me out of starvation mode (something I might be in?) but that never does anything but gain me a pound of actual weight - and three or four pounds of water weight that i lose over the next week.)

I know any post that even hints at being critical of keto gets downvoted into oblivion, but i am so tired of not being able to lose weight on a diet specifically designed to help people lose weight, that I decided to say f*ck it, and just post anyway, maybe ONE person on here can solve this for me (ideally with something other that "just reduce calories even more" as thats obviously, but doing so doesn't address the issues that keto is supposed to help with, especially that its supposed to keep you feeling satiated and keep you from going into some sort of low-energy starvation mode).

So really, after years of keto, it seems like it's no better than any other diet. Unless I drastically reduce calories to the point where I'm hungry all the time I won't lose weight. And I don't really wanna live that way.

And yes... I am guessing fat does reduce hunger more than just carb collies, and I do enjoy habing stable blood sugar and glucose (and all my tests come out normal and healthy) - but if the new rules for me losing weight mean only eating 1800 or a bit less if i want to actually lose weight, I can probably just eat normal like everyone else, and perhaps not be so hungry, so often?

So, although keto helped to lose that initial 20 or 30 pounds it doesn't appear to be a lifestyle option if I want to get my weight down to my ideal weight of 180 pounds. (i'm scared to look at the scale, but guessing I'm at around 194 or so these days).

I do have a tall lean bill, but I have a gut, a pot belly, that I just can't shake. And unless I just absolutely starve myself on keto or otherwise, it looks like I'll never get to my ideal weight. And it also looks like just eating a "normal" keto diet without obsessively tracking every calorie or macro isn't really an option either, anymore.

Keto as a lifestyle solution does not seem to be an option for me. I hope you have better luck than I do. But to spend years on a plateau as I have experienced repeatedly is an very unpleasant way to go through life, what keto promised never came to be for me, at least not beyond the initial weight drop, that never really continued in any meaningful way.

Having said that, other than just focusing on calorie restriction, any way to lose weight while staying on strict keto (as I have been doing for years)?

TLDR: Keto worked without calorie tracking for a long time, then abruptly stopped working unless calories were forced very low, which defeats the main benefit of keto. help?

Hello Keto experts, I have just started Keto 3 weeks ago after getting a lot of information here. At the same time, I made an appointment with a dietician specialised in keto and low carb diets in order to have some kind of follow-up during my journey.

A lot of the directions she gave surprised me, especially because I had not seen them here. So I am curious about what you think, if these seem legitimate or totally random. I wanted to attach the example menu she gave me as a reference, but I couldn't find the attach button!

Some background, important for understanding her instructions: I am a 56F with light (peri)menopause symptoms such as: hot flashes (bearable), bloating, and water retention (cellulite). This past year I have gained weight even though I was tracking calories and macros, and working out. I could have just accepted it (oh well, getting older, what can you do…) but I decided to give keto a try instead!

Dietician's directions:

Calories:

• she's not asking for calorie tracking, even though the goal is weight loss (only a few kilos, but still).
• the menu she gave as an example (around 2000 cal, not counting optional supplements when hungry) is way higher than my calorie goal (1300 - 1400, deficit around 300). This comes from all the fat she adds to each meal and in between.

Macros are (example menu vs calculator found in FAQ):

• Protein 100 vs 80 (sounds fair)
• Fat 150 vs 85 (what?)
• Net carbs 20 vs 25 (25 seemed high so I am OK with 20)

Meat:

• she advises against too much red meat, prefer white meat (veal, chicken, etc).

Fat:

• she advises to take 1 table spoon MCT oil 10 to 30 minutes BEFORE lunch and dinner.

Dinner:

• No protein (wtf??) as it increases blood sugar and thus insulin reaction during the night.
• No water, no soups, no raw vegies! She seems to think water in the evening increases cellulite / water retention.
• No dairy product! Dairy products also increase insulin and should be taken in one meal (not spread across the day) and not in the evening.
• (EDIT: added this sentence): basically dinner is 300g max of vegies + 20g of fat, 1 soy yoghurt and a piece of dark chocolate.

Apart from that, she had "normal" keto recommendations, for example regarding electrolytes and magnesium.

I would be very thankful to have your thoughts regarding:

• 150g of fat a day?
• limiting red meat?
• MCT oil 10 to 30 min before meals?
• the very limited dinner suggestion?
• the impact of dairy and protein at dinner?
• the impact of water and raw vegies at dinner on cellulite? (but this question is not keto related)

(Sorry about the long post!)

I’m leaving a truck stop in Ohio that has a Popeyes, Sbarro and a Bob Evans. I didn’t eat anything. Had a keto shake last night. Later today I’ll be at a truck stop in Maryland that has an IHOP, Burger King and a Dairy Queen. What can I eat? I can’t cook real food in my truck cab.

UPDATE….Keto at ihop….bacon avocado cheeseburger. Only the meat and cheese the bacon and the avocado with scrambled eggs instead of fries was the best thing ever!

I started Keto (from my understanding that means 0-30 net Carbohydrates a day) 15 days ago. Net carbs from my understanding means if something has 10 carbs I have to subtract the fiber (e. g. 5). So 5 net.

But my question is how do you stick to this? All I get to eat is eggs, meat, cheese and very few vegetables. I live in switzerland so there‘s no way to get anything low carb in the store besides the things mentioned. How do you do it long term? I see some people here who claim they‘ve done keto for 9 years or so, 9!!! what?? literally please how? I cannot look at eggs or chicken anymore :(( I‘m afraid I‘ll have to go back to eating normal or maybe low carb? But how do people sustain this for years with so little variety?

To start with, im a 34yo male, 6 feet tall, current weight is 365lbs. I regularly eat between 350 to 400 carbs practically daily and I feel like absolute dog shit physically. So considering my very high carb intake, would it be advisable to ease in from such a high number, or just go cold turkey? I imagine that would kick my ass.

My friend has just started a keto diet and is struggling with his options, since he’s also vegan. I want to find some useful devices, appliances, etc. to make his life easier for his birthday. Have you recently discovered something that was a total game-changer?

I have been struggling with severe burnout, chronic fatigue, and health/social anxiety. I have basically house bound for a while and have rebuilt my physical capacity to decent levels again. A few years ago I was working in foreign countries, having a very fulfilling social life; needless to say that the above mentioned problems are not characteristic for me.

I've been on 0 carbs now for about 48 hours, and I feel amazing. Its almost like a high, but more like a 'not so low'. I made sure to drink water and manage my electrolytes. Can it really go this quick? I mean, I'm not adapted yet - i can feel that my body is adjusting and my muscles are lethargic - but it is like there emerged a different kind of energy that i cannot yet describe very well. I have trouble trusting this energy as of now, because the difference is just so striking that it feels too good to be true.

So therefore the question, is keto really this good??

3 WEEK UPDATE:

To answer my own question: yes and no. When I posted this it was definitely the adrenaline and cortisol that were making me feel a bit euphoric. I actually went through two weeks of feeling like shit, keto flu, dizzy, etc. Electrolytes helped, but they cannot completely mediate the symptoms that accompany a metabolic transformation. Now, however, 3 weeks later, I'm feeling AMAZING. And this time it's definitely keto, I feel it. My energy has gone up, I need less sleep, my mood is great and stable, and there is so. much. less. food noise. It's great! Im eating only whole foods too, so that definitely contributes to this amazing feeling as well, but yeah, GO KETO!

Keto IF & Sober off all booze/weed/etc for YEARS. Food gatherings or work parties are the WORST. I can't decline work gatherings as the boss offers deals to those who attend.

Parties I want to attend as i'm social & need fellowship for sure

Biggest issue is ppl who have "a work around" like, "try just one bite", or "it's not sugar it's date sweetened" or whatever.

Why are ppl invested in putting something into MY mouth? Is it infantalising?

Why can't ppl take no for an answer?

Today I hosted a baby shower at my house with an Italian theme, there was 6 of us. Everyone brought something and I cooked pizzas. So there was 4 pizzas, onion rings, fries, dip and coleslaw. Before everyone arrived I made some creamy chicken and a large salad to share. Nobody else wanted the chicken when offered (as a dislike for blue cheese). They all poured alcohol free Prosecco and I had sugar free pop. They questioned my drink and I said “oh, I’m doing keto” and then came all the questions about why… I said that I want abs (that’s genuinely why I’m doing it, for once in my life I want my abs to show), then came all the comments about how I have to exercise, do core work an how sweeteners aren’t good (not that I have many sugar free things, I just didn’t want to toast with water). They said that I don’t need to do keto as I’m slim anyway (I’m size UK 10/ 38EUR, 66kg, 175cm) BUT I want my abs to show… I felt like I was being somewhat bullied about my aim. How come when someone is on Weight Watchers, counting calories or doing dry January it’s widely and easily accepted but when I’m doing keto it seems to be a big deal? I didn’t once suggest a different themed meal. I didn’t push it on anyone or explain how it’s working or what weight/ inches I’ve lost. I didn’t complain about being hungry or craving (because I’m not those things, nor did I brag about the benefits such as feeling fuller, no tiredness, no brain fog etc. I’m not starving myself. I’ve been doing in my view dirty keto (ie some processed snacks) but not I’m cleaning up the keto diet. Has anyone else experienced this kind of judgement? I would never not support a friend who’s changed their diet for a positive benefit.

I’d like to establish an “everyday meal” that’s rather easy/fast to cook and that might become routine for me.

At the moment it’s roughly: chicken/turkey breast bites, ground meat (beef, pork, or mixed), bok choy, and parmigiano; butter/ghee and some spices.

I’m wondering if there’s some veggie with less carbs and more nutrients like vitamins and whatnot. Broccoli comes to mind, but also has some carbs. Cale/Cabbage even more carbs. Spinach seems to be one of the veggies with the least amount of carbs. But to be completely honest, when it comes to nutrients like vitamins and such, I’m rather uneducated.

What’s your favorite, most nutrient-dense and healthy vegetable for an often-repeating meal?

Triglycerides — 444 mg/dL

HDL — 40

LDL — 348

Total cholesterol — 503

Atherogenic index — 14%

3 months of keto. I’m a walking stroke. Anyone had this experience? Please share your insights, these levels are bad even by keto standards. Obviously I’m not asking for medical advice. I’m asking what your course of action was if you had an experience similar to mine. I’ll take that i to consideration and make up my own mind. Most likely I’m going to stop the diet until I figure this one out. My lipids were normal before the diet. My doctor just told me to stop eating eggs and beef.

EDIT TO TITLE: NO ZERO, either. Aspartame and sucralose give me migraines.

Edit: Which brand of alternative sweetener are you using?

The mouth feel and taste common in diet sodas is what I'm trying to avoid.

I'm looking for the sugar replacement that is closest to real sugar, to those who specifically don't like diet/zero sodas

Because it looks like cheating. I mean I am full, I eat so tasty and full comfort food... Which normally gets you fat, because it has a lot of fat...

I na 3rd day and I worry I won't. So tasty scrambled eggs, then salad with smoked salmon, dessert with whipped cream, then tastiest butter chicken I ever had... What is the catch?

I mean this as funny thread, I have books about it, read a lot, I have all dishes nicely made in meal plans with macros and all. I am just amazed :D

I need to know more about supplements though. What should I know as a beginner.

EDIT: Thank you all for answers, I am so amazed by such warm welcome. I take all advice to my heart!!!

EDIT2: WHAT A COMMUNITY!!! You are all amazing <3

I have to eat at least 190 grams of fat every day to meet my daily caloric requirement (that's my goal rn, i'm still in the adaptation phase so don't want to be in a calorie deficit) but at the end of every day I feel like throwing up

Im trying to incorporate them fats in full meals but its not always possible. Or my body isn't digesting fats properly?

I feel so heavy on the stomach, so dizzy.

Any tips & tricks?

I've been curious about keto and trying to understand what daily eating looks like in practice, not the day-one version. If you cut out sugar and flour, do you replace them with alternatives, or do you mostly just stop eating those kinds of foods entirely? And how does the total amount of food compare to before, more, less, or about the same? Just trying to get a realistic picture instead of the highlight reel.

Thank you beforehand.

I have been back on the keto wagon since Jan 31 and I've managed to re-lose 25+ pounds. But I have been in a stall for months, so I decided I need to track macros and calories. Trying to maintain 1500 calories on keto feels like torture. The foods are so high calorie. I'm so hungry and I'm thinking about food all day. AND I take meds for ADHD. Does this get better after your body gets used to a set amount? I've been trying to lose this weight off and on for like 10 years now. I'm so tired.

Sometimes I get ravenously hungry and want to eat up everything in site and I start to crave sweets and heavy carbs

In those moments what helps you the most? Protein? Fat?

I already drink a ton of water everyday.

All of my carb intake comes from dairy but there are some days that I only eat meat and eggs and skip dairy. Those are the days that I don't eat any carbs at all for a whole day.

Is it a mistake? I don't feel any difference to be honest no matter if I consume carbs or don't

Bonus question: is the 20g carb limit an invariable value for every person no matter the weight and height?

Hi my fellow friends!

Ive had several people in the last 2 weeks tell me "dont get too skinny".

For context - I am 34 male, 5"10 and was up to 223.

I just hit 4 months this week, no cheating at all. Not a bite or sip out of place. I am now down to 188 - so 35 pounds in 4 months. My goal was originally 40 pounds, and I have since upped it to 50 - and will likely not stop there completely - but reassess at that point and make a decision aboout how to move forward.

I was quite offended, and or also wondering what the hell that means - "dont get too skinny". And then hearing it more than once, from more than one person - I am perplexed. Can anyone explain this to me, lol?

I am down 35 and feeling excellent and looking more trim, but I still have belly fat. Its making me question things. Maybe Im just reading into it too much?

I got on the diet for medical reasons and found it really agrees with me. Before, I couldn't control my relationship with carbs but now I feel like I've got it super well dialed in at around 20 or 30mg a day. Also, food noise is totally gone. I did not even know that was possible. I feel better when my ketones are between one and two and I try to eat lots of fiber and healthy protein and healthy fat. Is this something that is sustainable long-term or do I have to go off at some point?

I’ve been doing keto for about 8 weeks. I survived Christmas. I’ve survived dining out. I think I inadvertently kicked myself out of keto this week. I’m suddenly more hungry and craving carbs. Less energy. These Cheetos are looking very tempting at my office. Someone tell me not to eat them.

Update: hey guys. Thank you so much for all the support. I ate some cheese, two meat sticks and a quest peanut cup as a splurge. Turns out I was just hungry and wanted some comfort after hiking through the snow storm in Chicago this morning on my commute.

I’ll make sure I have more keto friendly crunchy snacks in the office because the giant box of cookies, chocolate and chips in the lunch room came dangerously close to breaking me today.

I knew I could count on y’all!!! 💗

Hello fellow ketovores. My biggest struggle with the keto diet is not being able to enjoy potato chips. I abstain for so long then eventually the cravings get the best of me and I end up buying and downing a whole bag. Do you have a favorite alternative keto option that you use when you're wanting chips or something really crunchy? I've tried protein chips and they upset my stomach so I'm looking for something else. Thanks!

I’m 23M and I’m 6’3 weighing 280lbs. I know losing 40lbs as fast as possible isn’t gonna be extremely fast but I’m trying to join the military to get out of my toxic household asap, I have a very low budget and have been looking into the keto diet as I’ve seen many people lose quite a bit of weight doing this however I don’t want to lose the muscle mass that I’ve built, recruiter said if I can lose 20lbs by October he’d start my process. So is this right for me and is this something that should be long term or short term?

Can anyone give me a list of Keto foods that eat to make it survivable?

I’ve recently had to go on the Keto diet for a medical situation (late stage bone cancer) and am having an incredibly hard time with it. Islightly on the smaller side, (5’9 ~135 lbs before starting treatment) so dieting has never been a thought of mine. Prior to my diagnosis I was a healthy eater, but nowhere near keto. A large portion of my diet was made up of oats, lentils, sourdough, sweet potatoes, fruit, honey etc., all things that are pretty much no-go on keto.

I have some other unfortunate restrictions that make it even more difficult for me:

- No fresh veggies (no salad, no veggies and cream cheese, etc.).

- No “processed” red meat (bacon, breakfast sausage, slim Jim’s, beef jerky, pork rinds, etc.) and limited unprocessed red meat- not more than once or twice a month.

- My stomach has a really hard time with most artificial / alternative sweeteners. Monk Fruit extract is the only one I found that works for me.

Wondering if anyone here can help me with foods that make it more enjoyable? I’ve been eating pretty much only chicken, eggs, quest protein chips, avocado, pickles, steamed broccoli and cottage cheese the past month and I’m about to go insane.

Bonus points for completely 0-carb things because I’m supposed to be getting lots of calories so it be nice for things I can eat “unlimited” of.

I’m aware these are a TON of restrictions, but wondering if anyone out there can help a brother out.