Keto – Q & A

There have been so many good keto questions! Congratulations to all of you who are starting 2018 on a mission for a better lifestyle. Here are some of the top questions with my responses:

Do I starve? No starvation is required. I’m a hungry girl! I love to eat. The more I work out, the more I tend to eat.

There are times I am so satiated that I’ll omit meals all together. Plus, I’m a firm believer in intermittent fasting especially if you hit a plateau in your weight loss. Fast a dinner and ramp back up those ketones!

Do I count calories? Absolutely not! Being fair, I tracked every morsel I consumed so I could see where my macros were when I first started keto. Fat being the focus. I went back on MyFitnessPal app and here are some screenshot examples:

My physician recommended just calorie deficit for weight loss which is debatable. I will say fat burning fuel source to a glucose burning fuel source is processed completely different. My advice, eat until your full! Don’t eat because it’s a certain time of day and you think it’s time for a meal. Eat when your hungry and just listen to your body!

Did I go through the keto flu? Actually no. I added fat before I cut out carbs completely. I noticed how great I felt and that’s why I cut out the carbs.

Do you have to exercise? No. You’ll lose weight with or without exercise. It was the fat that gave me energy to want to work out. Exercise is always a great practice if you physically are capable.

How do you know when your in ketosis? Confidence starting ketosis is challenging. I bought urine strips to test my ketones. You can trust your scales too though. If you’re losing weight after the first few days of the normal water weight, you are in ketosis. When you go low carb without adding fat, you’ll lose the initial water weight too. You will just feel sluggish and lose weight more slowly. Eating fat is your body’s fastest trigger to burn fat.

I do believe if you decide to start keto, fully invest in it for at least a month. It takes that long just to get gluten out of your gut. Plus you’re switching fuel source.

Additionally, if you believe what is said about 30 days to make a habit then allow yourself that time. Adjustment time is needed to learn your new food pyramid.

What negative side effects have you experienced?

1. Loose stool -I was regular daily on a carb diet. When my diet changed, now I had greased up intestines. This may be a benefit to some! It subsided in a few weeks.
2. Hair loss – Drastically changing your diet in any direction usually comes with some hair changes. I noticed extra shedding by month 3-4. By month 6-7, I had baby hair regrowth. My hair didn’t get thin or balding. My beautician noticed the shedding and recommended biotin.
3. Insomnia- I mentioned keto gave me extra energy. There was a time within first month that bedtime wasn’t as appealing. I love to sleep and can fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. This was very short lived!
4. Salt & Electrolytes – Without insulin, kidneys won’t store salt. I love salt, so I am glad to add more to meals. I also use an electrolyte powder drink with stevia as well.

Do I need carbs to run? Not at all. I think keto has a significant impact on endurance. Depending on the week’s mileage, my appetite increases. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for me to eat 4 eggs and 4 slices of bacon with avocado, tomatoes and cheese!

Keep the questions coming! I’d like to leave you with some food for thought. If fat burning fuel wasn’t the most efficient, then why is it the only form our body stores?