Low-carb/Keto

I don’t do Keto per se (I am not trying to lose weight although I would rather not gain any and I am in the period of life when you start gaining weight doing what you’ e always fine), but I do low-carb and avoiding-anything-processes. I eat a ton of vegetables and a lot of eggs, and I don’t worry about the vegetable/meat ratio, so my plate it typically 2/3 or 3/4 vegetables and the rest is chicken, fish, meat, etc.

  I've been following Kristie's program since June 1.  My weight loss has been slower than I would like, (18-19 pounds) but I've gotten off Blood pressure meds, and expect to get off or decrease blood sugar meds at my appointment in October.  

I feel better than I have in YEARS, more energy, sleeping better and just overall.  Less joint pain and fatigue.

Keto may not be for everyone, but it surely agrees with me!  You have to stick with the program, it's not one you can have a cheat day or cheat meal, that will throw you off track.  

Kristie also has a private Facebook group you can search for - Low Carb Journey - Cooking Keto with Kristie - you can search and request to join if you're interested.  Someone here recommended it and that's how I found it.  I wish I could remember who it was so I could say thank you!

I highly recommend it, especially if you have insulin resistance, pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes! 

ETA - I am also almost off Prilosec for GERD - I take it about once a week if I eat something spicy or tomato based like pizza or spaghetti (my doctor recommended that I only take it if I need it as it's side effects are not good).  

I have been doing keto for about 10 months. I'm a slow loser too, but I'm ok with that (most days!). I've lost 51 lbs, TONS of inches, and all bloodwork is normal for me.

Mel - Wow! That is fantastic! You should be so proud of yourself.

If you looked for the group and couldn't find it, I originally posted the name incorrectly - the correct name is

Low Carb Journey (Cooking Keto with Kristie).  Hope this helps!

I have been eating keto for just over six months. My husband started with me but really had no reason to lose weight. I've lost 15lbs to date, he lost about 22. I has a 30" waist and around 10% body fat. He is RIPPED right now. While I have not lost as much as he has, I have dropped a size in everything and I feel really great. I am starting to get more compliments including one from my MD yesterday. I have to get yearly labs drawn for a health benefit at work and ALL of my labs have improved.
I have two friends that have been eating keto for 1-2 years. One lost over 80# to date and she was able to drop all of her pre-diabetes oral meds, her cholesterol and BP meds. My other friend has lost over 60# and dropped her pre-diabetes meds, too. Both ladies lost this weight over a year's time. It did not come off overnight. A lot of new keto followers expect an instant weight loss but that just is not how this works. You have to drink a lot of water which people often forget. You body might retain a lot of water at the beginning so you gotta drink a ton of water!

I have decided that I am a slow loser but I'm really ok with that. I also know that I really need to add a consistent exercise routine to my way of eating (WOE).

The biggest improvements are my memory and my energy levels. I also think I might have been depressed which I no longer feel. I can't really correlate that to this WOE but I do feel loads better.

There are several keto FB groups out there if you are interested. One word of caution, there are dozens of keto / LC theories out there. You just have to find one that works for you. Some of these FB groups are militant while others are more "lazy" which suits my needs a bit better.
For example, one of the staples of the keto WOE is "bulletproof coffee." Notice the lowercase C. There IS a Bulletproof coffee out there which the strict keto followers do not endorse at all. This BPC is part of our every day morning routine and we often post our daily diets to newbies which results in a huge hand slap. The same goes for intermittent fasting (IF). I often IF at work just because that's what happens - it is not intentional. These militant groups also don't condone IF at all.

Both IF and BPC work for me although I have made some adjustments to fit my needs. MCT (medium chain triglycerides) or coconut oil is part of the health fats you need in the morning in your BPC but I just cut that because I was pretty certain it was giving me some reflux. I have it in other foods / drinks now and I'm fine.

If you are going to dive into keto, make sure you are doing your research reading about it before you decide. You really cannot do keto halfway. It is all or none. You can do low carb which is less than 50gr of carbs compared to keno's 25 or less. I find keto to be really easy for me but I do like meats and seafood. I also love my vegetables but even those are limited on keto. I love green vegetables so that is also easy for me.

I had some cravings very early on but I no longer crave the forbidden foods. The theory is that once you eliminate those things from your diet, you will no longer have a craving for it. I think that is very true. I used to eat pasta 2-3 times per week, same for other carbs - yogurt, oatmeal, breads, etc. I don't crave them.

You also need to get used to reading and interpreting food labels. There are often so many hidden sugars and things that are no-nos on the keto WOE, however, some folks are ok with a few of these things in small quantities for the sake of convenience. For me, that is bacon. I cannot always find the uncured, no sugar added bacon so I get the next best thing I can find and are willing to afford. I have to go almost across town to find that good bacon and it is about $8/lb vs the $4-5/lb stuff that is pretty close.

Keto is not a license to eat a ton of bacon and meat which is what a lot of non-keto'ers think. You have to be smart about your macros - fats, protein, and carb. I use a carb manager app and input my food intake. I have slacked on that recently because I'm busy and partly lazy. I also know what's been working for me and I make up a lot of my own foods which sometimes makes the input of those foods too cumbersome for me. I'm about to start looking for a new app that makes inputting a lot easier.

A few words of caution about the koto WOE..... you will get keto flu. Yes, that is a thing. Going into ketosis is a huge adjustment, esp your electrolytes. Most people feel very flu-like for a day or two. I had it but my dh did not. The cure is some chicken/beef bone or regular broth and replacing your electrolytes. I use magnesium and potassium supplements but that's it. You may also have a brief period of hair loss. I did but that improved with biotin and adding collagen. My skin is also seeing a huge improvement but I've also changed my skin care routine so can't say it is 100% keto related.

I'm sure I have tons more tips but I swore I would clean this house today. If anyone has specific questions, I'll do my best to answer. There are also several other Peas that eat keto and have a wealth of info.

I have been using My Fitness Pal - the free version.  I am thinking about trying Carb Manager but I hear it is similar to MFP for entering food.  
With MFP, you can create your own "recipes" so to speak but you can't go an edit those in the free version from what I've seen.  If you find a good one let me know.  I committed myself to shopping for a new app next week.  I might consider paying for one but I think the MFP is like $10 per month which is a lot I think.  

I’m doing regular low carb. I can’t seem to stick to keto. If I do, it ends up only being for like a week. The 20 or less carbs isn’t sustainable for me. I try stay at 50 or less (total not net). I try to stick to green non starchy veggies, meat, cheese, eggs, and when I do eat carbs, I try to do whole grain. No soda, and not a lot of sugar. I’m down 40lbs... have a long way to go!

I am doing low-ish carb. Under 120 net carbs per day, though I am almost always under 75. I’ve lost 40 pounds in about 4 months, and I’m very happy with that.

I do eat a lot of protein, but sometimes it is a Quest bar or a protein drink to supplement regular food. I don’t go overboard on the meat. I remember the first time my ex did low carb - he ate so much meat that he smelled like meat. Yuck!

I am doing keto, I started May 28 and as of September 28 I have lost 30 lbs, 5" off my bust, 7" off my waist and 5" off my hips.

I'm happy with the way things are going, I feel good, I no longer have any cravings. There are chips, treats in my house and I don't care about them at all. Once I lose my last 20 I do want to transition over to eating more Paleo style, adding in some foods I have not been eating, in moderation.