Keto plan - any book/site/app recommendations?

[MrsStop]

I’ve just seen a photo of somebody I know on Facebook. She looks amazingly well and lost 22lbs over the last 2 months on the Keto diet under the supervision of a nhs dietician (she has other health problems).

I’m keen to know more but it looks so complicated. Where do I start?

I did a couple of macro checkers but got different figures and I’m not sure what they mean! MyFitnessPal, which I like to log my calories and weight on, seems to want me to pay premium to monitor my macros. I downloaded an app but it charges for the recipes!

Help!!

[Zest]

Hi MrsStop

This article from Healthline is hopefully helpful, as it is entitled A Beginner's Guide, and you can see if you like the advice there. Good luck with your goals.

healthline.com/nutrition/ke...

Zest

[MrsStop in reply to Zest]

Thank you!

[Penel]

It’s important to bear in mind that the diet doesn’t suit everyone. In women, particularly, it can affect various hormones including thyroid function.

If you don’t have specific health issues that might benefit from a keto diet, it may be better to go moderately low carb, rather than very low carb, if you just want to lose weight.

[MrsStop in reply to Penel]

Thanks Penel. I’m at the gp tomorrow and will talk about it with them.

[MrsStop]

Just for those that may be interested. My GP was against me going on the Keto diet as, in his view, it isn’t sustainable or a long term healthy option. He said I may lose more weight than I have been doing but I would most probably put it back on. His advice was to get balanced in my approach to eating.

Thanks

[amykp]

I've been low carb for ten years, strict keto for the last year. It is NOT THAT HARD! It is NOT dangerous! Of course you will regain your weight if you go off it. You will regain your weight if you go off any diet and back to your old eating habits.

You don't have to do keto though. You can do sensible low carb. Cut out all grains (no "healthy" oats) sugars, and no starchy veggies (no corn or potatoes) and eat as much as you want of everything else. No low fat ANYTHING. (Yes to heavy cream!) Your special, special treat is now fruit. You should pretty much stick to berries, but have them in cream. No counting, no macros. You might not lose as fast, but I bet you'll lose.

There are better sugar substitutes than there used to be...one called allulose. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to. Bake yourself an almond flour butter cake with allerose!

There are tons of good websites out there with great recipes and good explanations, and they are all free. Don't pay. Though you could look up to see if there is a keto dr/nutritionist near you and go for a consultation.

If you want really dense biochemical explanations, look up Dr. Peter Attia. DietDoctor is good too.

[MrsStop in reply to amykp]

Thanks for replying. I’m planning on reducing my carbs but am worried out eating less fibre. I don’t think I’d cope on Keto - don’t you get constipated?

I’m thinking no root veg and very little fruit plus no grains would do my bowels in! Lol!

Thanks for the encouragement and I’m trying to find a way that works for me.

Do you count macros?

[amykp in reply to MrsStop]

I eat more vegetables, not less. Keto just means they are all green, and I cook them all in lots of butter or olive oil. Nuts have fiber too, and I eat a lot of pumpkin seeds with the hull, chia, and flax. Stuff like that has crazy fiber. If you are really worried you can take a fiber supplement, but mostly I think you just want to be mindful.

That being said, I do go less than I used to, I think. But I'm not sure it means Im constipated. I think I eat less than I used to.

[MrsStop in reply to amykp]

That makes sense. I’ll take a look at Keto recipes - it’s the breakfasts and lunches I’d have a hard time with. I’m so used to bran/oats and sandwiches plus I love fruit.

[amykp]

Well, without opening another entire can of worms: I skip breakfast! It's another strategy for losing weight called intermittent fasting. But here's how: do you like coffee? If so, instead of breakfast, have yourself a huge cup of coffee with plenty of heavy (double :o) cream and splenda. I add a spoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and splenda. It's quick, the whole thing tastes like a milkshake, and I don't feel like eating again for hours.

For lunch: make your own bread! There are a zillion keto recipes out there, but here's a super easy one: a jar of almond butter, 6 eggs, and a tsp of baking powder. Add about 3/4 cup of mixed seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, hemp, whatever) and scoop into greased loaf pan. Bake, 350. Done...er...when it's done. I think it was like 50 minutes. I've seen the same recipe with tahini.

Fruit is OK, but it is your treat! Your dessert. You don't get it until last thing of the day. Because I think starting as low carb and not keto is fine. (I love it too. I admit, I miss it more than anything.)