Discussions

I know there are places around Brandon that people go to Weight Watcher meetings, wondering if anyone knows of anyone who could be very help in explaining how Keto works? Basically the exact same thing only doing Keto.. that would be super helpful!

It all depends on which way you want to go - strict Keto, dirty Keto, low carb/low sugar.  
 
We do the low carb/low sugar way even though I refer to it as Keto. We do not eat pasta or rice. I buy low carb wraps in place of buns/bread. We cut out sugar- use erythritol instead. More veggies, berries for fruit, nuts, 35% cream, cream cheese, full fat no sugar Greek plain yogurt, real butter, olive oil, olive oil mayo, sugar free ketchup, almond flour recipes, etc. Try to keep daily carbs under 50 gr a day.  
 
We are down 40lbs each since January.

Thanks for replying! I always heard of dirty/lazy etc keto, but really had no idea what that meant... it's like, I mainly want to stay away from carbs and sugar.. but I don't want to die lol.. do you mind me asking which grocery store works best for the items you are substituting with are? I just have such a hard time wrapping my head about eating so much fat and not having that stick right to me! Thanks for your help!

Just go to YouTube. Lots of help online.  
Do your homework.... Google but remember that not everything is the truth.You will learn from trial and error.

I have sincerely tried to learn this, extensively... haven't really looked at youtube though, but ya I've definitely tried to understand it, even bought books etc etc I think i'm just honestly dumb lol... I just can't understand it!

I have been on Keto for most of a year now, I dont have much weight left to loose, Started out at 170 and Im down to 150., Im 5'10" and a dude, so I dont really have anymore fat to loose but I like the Keto lifestyle, dont consider it a diet as that will never last. To make things easy starting off on Keto the most important thing that helped me was making ALL meals from scratch, go buy your raw foods and its super simple to track your carbs and sugar. To start off for the first week or so make sure you keep your carbs as low as possible (less then 20 carbs) this will help the "keto flu" go away faster, after your done your keto flu feel free to eat more carbs upwards of 50 per day. If you go over 100 carbs per day your more then likely going to kick yourself out of keto and do yourself no good and will probably gain weight. Dont do the dirty keto unless you want to have health issues. Dirty keto is throwing common sense out the window, it mainly consists of unbalanced diet and eating butter and bacon lol... obviously a bad idea no matter who you are or how healthy you are. I could go on and on and on.... Some of my favorite recipes are cajun baked chicken in the oven with a couple hand fulls of fresh veggies with a vinaigrette sauce. Pan fried salmon with fried veggies on the side is also awesome!

Hey, thanks for the reply! I really don't want to eat a lot of carbs in general, they are just tasty and convenient. So no dirty Keto.. i'll stay away from that... Do you exercise at all when your on Keto? or is it all in the food you eat?

We don’t make sure we consume a lot of fat, we just eat. Like I said, 35% cream, cream cheese, bacon etc. I don’t count macros as I know it is something I won’t follow through with. Been there done that with weight watcher points. I refuse to count things or measure stuff. If we go to McD’s I eat a Big Mac just skip the fries and eat salad. I want to live too ha ha.  
 
I buy Erythritol on amazon. I use it if I bake and hubby uses it in his coffee. Otherwise I shop at Walmart and superstore for all groceries.  
 
Check Pinterest for recipes. You will go through sugar withdrawal so be prepared. I also stopped eating breakfast and just have a coffee instead. Veggies, meat, cheese etc. Do not buy low fat. Read carbs on all packages. Total carbs is carbs - fibre. We switched to Natrel 2% milk.

I didn't realize you take the total carbs and then minus it with your fiber to get your total carb amount! I'm sure I will have a sugar withdrawal, it's been too much of my friend in my life. I'm with you though in a lot of ways, I do want to not be so crazy that I feel overwhelmed and quit 3 weeks into it... I want to learn new ways about food and being able to stay within my limitations, without becoming hangry! ... yes, I said H-ANGRY.. because this is legit in my house lol.

Carbs minus fibre is total carb count.  
 
Maybe just low carb/low sugar is best for you too. Too strict Keto is not something I can or will do. Just reading labels will give you s HUGE eye opener. What I thought was healthy eating was not. So much sugar in stuff it’s unreal. Things that aren’t even sweet!! Lol. (Carbs is sugar so to speak).  
 
I really don’t feel like I am missing out, I am satisfied and eating too many carbs makes me feel sick now. My whole household eats this way. Hubby and I are both down 40lbs and my daughter is down 10 (she is only 9). Her favourite snack for school lunches are Fibre one bars.  
 
We have treats - eat fast food (skip the fries). I tried going bunless (lettuce wrapped burgers) and don’t like it. We switched to diet drinks ( not great but hey - whatever). We still get a huge bag of popcorn and chocolate at the movie.  
 
Still have to enjoy life a bit.  
 
Pizza hotline has cauliflower crust pizza!

I'd like to talk to you. I am struggling abit with this keto diet and like your approach - can we talk?

Send me your email on private message and I will message you back when I get a chance to get on my laptop.

A person must be very clear about what their specific goals are. A diet that excludes any macronutrient (proteins, carbs or fats) is going to have a dramatic effect on the body and isn’t necessarily good for you..  
 
I don’t think people respect the amount of understanding and effort it really takes to do something like this safely and properly. This is not something anyone should do or take lightly. There is a tonne of research on the internet about this, and whoever said do your homework is right... If you typed into google “How does a ketogenic diet work?” Or “Everything I should know about a keto diet” then I’m sure you would find several helpful websites.  
 
All that being said a keto diet basically is the body converting proteins and fats into ketones through the liver instead of traditionally using carbs as glucose. This process can take weeks for a person to slowly adapt too and you will often feel weak, tired and hungry. Once adapted your body is essentially in “ketosis” and will stay there as long as you follow the diet.  
 
Keep in mind that for this diet to work you have to keep your carbs under a certain low amount, if you decide to eat a bunch of carbs you will immediately revert back to burning glucose for fuel and your body will have to spend time adapting to no carbs again. Another thing to remember is that protein consumption is moderate not high, most people don’t realize that the body will convert protein into glucose if you consume too much which would affect your ability to stay in a ketogenic state.  
 
I’m not trying to bash this diet but keep things in perspective for you. Yes fat loss is very effective with this diet and people have had much success staying lean and slim. Feelings of hunger and cravings should decrease and people often feel more satiated through out the day.  
 
Again this is all fine and dandy, but unless you’re active with a fast efficient metabolism (which I’m guessing not because most are seeking fat loss with this diet) you will likely gain weight back rapidly if you decide to go back to using carbohydrates as your main fuel source. People have to realize that your body also has to adjust to that process again so stuffing your face with cookies a day later will result in fast almost all fat gain back.  
 
Like I said, there are lots of things to remember and many things to be accountable for.

We definitely noticed the lbs come back fast when we indulge on occasion.  
 
For us it’s just a matter of eating healthy. Too many carbs in not good. We try to stay under 50 a day, some days we are under 100. Definitely better than the 1000 we were eating a day before. There is no need for rice/pasta/fries/bread. We eat way more veggies than we ever have before.  
 
We are at a standstill. I do not have unrealistic goals. I certainly do not feel the need to be 150lbs. I am still a very long way from that ha ha. I feel good, look better and still enjoy life. I definitely could make more progress if we buckled down but I am happy where I am.  
 
My daughter came home a couple weeks ago telling me that they are learning nutrition in school. She says “mom everything that the kids said is healthy is all carbs! And the teacher agreed with them its healthy!!” I just explained to her that unfortunately that is what a lot of people think and that’s ok too.

I would suggest to follow “ketomadesimple” on Instagram. We did keto for a few months probably 2 years ago now? It wasn’t something we could sustain unfortunately as we still wanted to eat breads and pastas at times.  
 
However, i did a couple months research on it before starting. Keto changes the way your body uses and burns energy so it’s not really a way of eating that you can mix and match with other ways or it won’t be successful and will probably do more damage than good. It’s low carb, moderate protein and high fat...because of the high fat, you can’t really be having “cheat days or meals” and expect to see great results as high fat and moderate to high carbs is a bad combo for weight loss! We stayed under 20 carbs and that was hard  
 
Lazy or dirty keto doesn’t mean you can eat things that aren’t keto. It just means that you are more relaxed about the total carbs per day and that you don’t count macros. Again, this does not mean that you can eat non keto food. Keto is keto...there’s really no in between.  
 
*Most* people will see more sustainable results if they opt to do a low carb diet, which is different than keto (but some similarities in food that you’ll be eating). If you’re not eating keto don’t say that you are...it spreads misinformation lol.  
 
JMO

I don't know how to PM - so e-mail me at bbercier@mymts.net

can be reversed using Keto. (I can link the video to the research doctor's presentation) I was battling type2 and had developed high BP ...and didn't want MORE pills ...so (monitored by my doctor) I embarked on following the research to reverse diabetis. In 3 weeks I was off all meds ..and now a year later I am back to eating normally and my blood sugar is stable at 5.6 . Keto was a big part of the process, as it changes your body and how it treats energy. Seems the effect has lasted well past the 9 month program. (3 months strict keto, , 3 months modified keto, 3 months 'slow'carbs ....then eat normally ,,with self control)

You are not dumb, there is alot to it. I have been on every diet out there and I find it difficult to wrap my head around the high fat, low carb, not as much protein AND counting calories. I really like RC123's approach. If you want to chat on e-mail (bbercier@mymts.net). I have gotten books from the library (not alot there) and am on the internet excessively, especially looking up recipes. I could talk on this topic for days (maybe we can have coffee somewhere). Let me know, as I too would like to brainstorm with someone. Hope to hear from you.

My niece, who lives in Calgary was put on keto by her doctor. She was just referred to the website 'dietdoctors' and there is a plethora of information (too much information as far as I'm concerned), I found it confusing. She has lost over 35 lbs in a couple of months, but she is doing it to the T. Also, she has never really been on a diet before, so not sure if that is a good thing or not. It is working for her but she is also doing that 16 hour fasting that is suggested (too long to not eat as far as I'm concerned). Anyway she is eating healthier than ever before. Will see what happens when she reaches her goal.

You can go to Popeye's supplements here in Brandon. They have lots of Keto based products and are very informed about the variations of Keto diet and what you should or should not do based on your goals.  
They were at the Brandon Wellness Day and chatting with the representatives, they really seem to know their stuff. At the Wellness day, they had even a few keto diet based powders that you can add to liquid for a quick snack/meal substitute which is super handy (and delicious in coffee) if you have to go quickly. Like getting up at 4 am to go to work, or running teenagers around to extracurricular activities after school.  
 
Definitely recommend checking out Popeye's and picking their brains about Keto questions to supplement your internet research.

I commend you on striving to be healthier and work towards a health goal. I wouldn't be so quick to demonize carbs though. There are forms of carbs that are absolutely bad and most of those are the highly processed type that lots of people eat. Example foods made from white flower, corn syrups and fructose. However, eating complex carbs along with carbs in their natural state is extremely healthy and would help with weight loss.  
 
Check out Dr McDougalls diet which is purely plant based and high in starches, fruits and vegetables.  
 
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/lesson-in-nutrition/  
 
Now by no means am i stating that plant based is for you, however, i believe that the keto diet along with many other diets is extremely challenging for many folks to stick to. There are cases due to medical conditions that folks require and benefit from being on a keto diet. However, for people looking to lose weight i would recommend something even simpler:  
 
Cut out all processed food, fast food and added sugars to your diet.  
 
Drink less milk, eat less eggs and minimize meat consumption to a couple times a week.  
 
Eat whole food in its natural form and whole grains when eating breads.  
 
Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, beans and starches.  
 
Dont drink pop, juices or add sugar to your coffee and teas.  
 
Drink water!  
 
Exercise a few times a week and enjoy some comfort food once in awhile, treat yourself.  
 
When people restrict their intake of food they typically fail. The keto diet in my opinion is not sustainable in the long run . Good luck.

When I found myself needing to lose the baby weight I went on a ‘Keto diet’ but as I researched more and more I evolved to simply cutting the processed crap from my diet and eating as clean as possible.  
 
It was the easiest thing to do. I restrict dairy and as much processed food as possible including anything with white flour. I still eat appropriate portions of brown rice, wild rice, potatoes etc. I couldn’t believe how fast the weight fell off and how much better I feel without my body bogged down. 70 lbs just melted off in a few months.  
 
Too often when people start these diets they resort to even more unhealthy processed foods and snack foods marketed and directed at that diet which you’ll want to avoid.  
 
Just food for thought on my own experience.

I agree not all carbs are bad - that is why we do low carb low sugar instead of doing strict Keto.  
 
I know me. I know how I do on a “diet”. I know I fail and I know I eventually quit. We have tried them all. This works for us and for our family. It’s been 10 months since we “changed our eating habits”. I don’t call it a diet. I know if I have to count macros and measure portion I wouldn’t do it. We have followed most of what you say except I still look at carbs and avoid high ones that would be in beans for example. Give me meat, real meat any day! And eggs, eggs are nature’s perfect food I say! We have chickens so they are fresh and I know how my chickens are raised.  
 
I think if most people just started by being aware that good fats are not the enemy. Sugar is! The amount of unnecessary sugar in our food is absolutely ridiculous.  
 
My child is being taught that all this processed junk is healthy because it fits in the food guide standards. All I can do is try and educate her about how everyone has a different opinion on all things and that we have to respect it even if we don’t agree.

To be successful on keto you need protein source, leafy vegetables for your carbs and some sort of oil for salad dressing and cooking your proteins.  
 
Eat chicken breast, salmon, tuna, pork, and lean cuts of red meat as your protein. If you can handle organ meat even better, but not everyone can.  
 
Find out what your protein consumption has to be limit fat intake to 50g to 75g (amount everyone needs for proper hormone functions) and limit your carbs to 0g - 25g.  
 
Maintain your electrolytes:  
5000 - 7000 mg of sodium (not just salt)  
1000 - 3,500 mg of potassium  
300 - 500 mg of magnesium  
 
Here are some good ways to reach your electrolyte requirements:  
Sodium: Broth or bouillon, Pickle juice, Sodium pills.  
Potassium: Raw spinach, Avocado, Mushrooms, Salmon, Steak, Pork loin, Lite Salt.  
Magnesium: Raw spinach, Avocado, Magnesium Citrate or slow release Magnesium for optimum absorption.  
 
Also Keto isn't for everyone you have to track what you are eating to ensure you are getting enough electrolytes and to hit your protein goals. Once you have a routine and know portion size for you then you can lighten up on tracking, but always tracking yields the best results.  
 
Strict Keto has a learning curve because you are learning a new way of eating. (I prefer strict keto, because if I have any sort of cheat I am screwed. A cheat for me ends up in 6 months of crappy eating.)  
 
Anyone who says a ketogenic diet doesn't work or it isn't healthy or is dangerous needs to educate themselves on it.  
 
If you want proper information backed by science checkout ketogains.com the founder has been doing Keto for over 15 years, check out Maria Emmerich as well. Those are your best options for proper information.  
 
If you have PCOS, Type 2 Diabetes, Pre-Diabetic, Kidney Disease, Fatty Liver etc Keto is amazing at reversing these conditions.  
 
Everyone's body is different, I know people that maintain ketosis with 100g of carbs, I have tested my carb limit and I can only maintain ketosis if I have 50g or less. Since my main source of carbs is raw spinach 20g of total carbs is more than enough for me when paired with whatever my protein is.  
 
Like RC123 said you have to find what will work for you because everyone has different obstacles:  
For example in a day I eat 240g of spinach split between two meals so 120g per meal that is only 4.4g of carbs but it is super filling since I am eating 66g of protein with it. For portion size 60g of protein is usually 2 cans of tuna. Supper would consist of the same salad or similar and some sort of protein usually chicken, steak, pork, eggs etc.  
 
The best lesson you can learn is:  
If you want to lose weight, no matter which way you pick to do it, just create a caloric deficit and eat real food.  
You only need a caloric deficit to lose weight, utilizing ketosis is great but you can lose weight without it.

If you want a one stop shop for keto info, try the keto subreddit faq.  
 
https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq  
 
I've been doing keto for five years. Started with strict keto, been doing lazy keto the past two years.  
 
I lost 90 pounds in the first six months and have kept it off. My bloodworks for lipids, blood sugars etc are all optimal.  
 
Expect your grocery bill to ramp up, tho.  
 
Edited by Stew Fair, 2019-10-26 10:30:52

https://www.dietdoctor.com/  
 
I have found this website really helpful for learning about keto/low carb, with a lot of free information and recipes. They also have a great app. Check it out!