My Wild Ride on the Keto Diet: 18 kg Lost and Lessons Learned

I've tried the keto diet twice, and both times it's been a wild ride. The first time around, I stuck to it for a month, and the second time for another month. But let's get real - a month is way too short for keto. Your body needs time to adjust to the new conditions, and some people stick to it for years. It's basically a lifestyle for them. But for me, a month is my limit with any kind of dietary restriction.

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Keto - What's the Deal?

I'm not going to get into the theory behind keto since there's loads of info online. Instead, I'll share my personal experience.

So, in simple terms, keto is all about restricting carbs and forcing your body to use fat for energy instead. That means your diet should be based on fats, with protein coming in second, and carbs kept to a minimum.

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The keto diet is a great way to kickstart your metabolism, and it has some amazing benefits for your overall health. It's even been shown to help with certain conditions like insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. I've got a family history of type 2 diabetes and obesity, so keto really caught my attention.

But, on the other hand, there are some potential drawbacks and nuances to consider. There are also people out there who swear by the dangers of keto. So, before you jump on the keto bandwagon, it's worth doing your research or talking to someone who knows what they're doing. I took the latter approach, and I'm glad I did. That's where my story begins...

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Keto. My First Experience I recently got into a weight loss program in my city, and I have to say, it's been a game-changer. I've always struggled with excess weight, and I've been on and off diets for as long as I can remember. But this time, I decided to give it a shot for a few reasons. Firstly, I know the organizers personally, and I trust them. I mean, I wouldn't have even looked at the program if I didn't know them. Secondly, the promise of results from other participants was pretty convincing. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good success story? So, I dove headfirst into the keto diet, and I was blown away by how easy it was to get started. I didn't have to do any research online or worry about whether or not I could trust the program. I just had a pre-made menu, and I could reach out to the curators anytime I had a question - including about how I was feeling. And of course, daily reports kept me on track. I mean, you don't want to quit in the middle of something, right?

One of the things that really surprised me was how full I felt after eating. I was eating twice a day, at the same times every day - 12:30 for lunch and 5:30 for dinner. And it wasn't just about the food, it was about the principle of it all. I was also trying out intermittent fasting, and it was actually pretty easy to stick to. I mean, who doesn't love a good excuse to skip breakfast?

I'll get into the specifics of what I was eating later, but for now, let's just say that I was excited to see how this whole thing would play out.

I have to admit, the first week was a bit of a struggle. I felt weak, dizzy, and even a bit nauseous, like I was coming down with something. My muscles ached, and I just felt off. It's like my body was going through withdrawal from its favorite source of energy - carbs. It was searching for something else to fuel it, and it wasn't happy about it. But as the days went by, I started to adapt, and things got a lot better. When my body learned to run on fat instead of carbs, I felt a huge surge of energy. I was thinking more clearly, getting more done, and even sleeping better (although my little one did keep waking me up at night!). And the craziest thing? I wasn't hungry. I mean, I wasn't thinking about food all the time like I used to. It was like it had taken a backseat.

But what I did feel was thirsty. All. The. Time. I was drinking water like it was going out of style. And it's not just that I was thirsty - it's that my body wasn't holding onto water as well as it used to because of the lack of carbs. So I was drinking a lot to compensate. Mineral water without gas was my savior - it helped quench my thirst and also got rid of the weird taste in my mouth that can come with a keto diet. Some people complain about the bad breath, but I didn't experience that.

Results My BMI is 27, so yeah, I had some extra weight to lose. I did this program for 3 weeks and lost 6 kg. I continued to follow the keto diet for another week, but didn't lose any more weight.

Keto. Before

Keto. After * The battery died in my electronic scale. To be honest, I trust the mechanical one way more. The result in kilograms wasn't exactly mind-blowing, but it was decent. The bulk of the weight, as always, melted away in the first 1.5 weeks. Of course, a lot of that was excess fluid and swelling. Then every 2-3 days, I'd lose around 100 grams, sometimes even nothing. But in terms of volume, the results were more noticeable. My face slimmed down. I lost a few centimeters (3-5) in my chest, hips, and waist, and a whopping 9 cm from my stomach! My clothes felt looser, and I had a newfound sense of lightness.

My skin tone improved, and my acne disappeared. But that's something that happens to me on any diet, I think – sugar just doesn't agree with my skin.

What really demotivated me, though, was when my weight plateaued. For the last two weeks of my diet, I barely lost anything. After a funeral lunch that pretty much threw me out of ketosis, I decided not to go back to the diet. I started eating normally, but in moderation, and stuck to two meals a day. I avoided bread, fast food, and other junk, and to my surprise and delight, my weight started dropping again! It was slow, but painless and without any restrictions. Over the course of a month, I lost another 2.5 kg. It's not a lot, but the fact that I didn't gain any weight back and even lost a bit more was a huge deal for my body.

And then, BAM! New Year's Eve! 😊 We've got guests coming over, and we're heading out to visit friends... My stomach was going crazy! I couldn't stop eating all the things I'd been craving for two months. I even ditched my twice-a-day meal plan. It took me three weeks to finally get my act together, step on the scale, and decide it was time to put the party in my stomach to an end. But, of course, those 2.5 kg I'd lost came right back 👏👿

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My second keto experience I'd decided it was time to go back to keto 👍 I was determined and mentally prepared for the keto flu, but to my surprise, it never hit me. I felt great right from the start. My body already knew where to find energy, and it didn't miss the carbs I'd given up. I stuck to keto for a whole month again. I lost those pesky 2.5 kg once more 👍 I even saw a slight reduction in my measurements, about 1-2 cm all over my body. So, my second experience wasn't as successful as the first. Maybe it's because I started with a lower weight. Or maybe it's because I didn't use a pre-made meal plan from the keto coaches, and instead chose my own keto recipes and treated myself to special baked goods and treats that were off-limits the first time around. Still, the weight did come off, albeit slowly. And I was eating really satisfying and delicious food. Time to get into the nitty-gritty...

What do people eat on keto? There are so many interesting keto recipes online. For me, this diet was a revelation when it came to feeling full and having a varied menu. I've never lost weight so enjoyably!

Here's what I ate: - Vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, garlic, green beans... I'm really into leafy greens. Red veggies are okay, but in moderation.

Keto. Steak with Cheese Sauce- Mushrooms - Fruits: lemons, limes, avocado - Greens: parsley, dill, salad, arugula, and more. I mean, I'm obsessed with greens! It's super important. - Eggs. Keto. Eggs and Salad- Meat. And I'm talking thicker cuts, too. I grilled, baked, and pan-fried steaks and burgers, and even made meatballs. - Sausages and knockwurst. But let's be real, it's best to avoid processed meats as much as possible. - Fatty fish. I've also fallen in love with seared cod. Keto. Fish Steak- Hard cheeses, like parmesan. - High-fat dairy products: cottage cheese, sour cream, cream, butter, kefir, yogurt, and homemade mayo. - Nuts and seeds. Keto. Nuts- Flaxseed bread and psyllium bread. I actually baked my own - it's super easy, especially if you have a microwave-friendly recipe, which takes only 5 minutes. Keto. Flaxseed Bread- Baked goods. And I'm not kidding! I'd have keto-friendly pizza, cookies, muffins, and cupcakes with my tea. But, of course, only using special keto recipes, mostly made with almond flourI've been experimenting with coconut flour and I'm loving the results. I even made a keto 'Potato' cake - it was super tasty.

Keto PizzaKeto Coconut Flour CakesKeto Coconut Flour Pies 'Potato'- Occasionally, I'd treat myself to special 'sugar-free' sweets (stevia candies, chocolate bars, and protein bars).Here's what I drank:

Water - at least 1.5 liters a day, sometimes with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.Mineral water.Black and green tea, unsweetened.Coffee with full-fat (20%) creamer. I've become a total coffee fan!Now, let's talk about what's off-limits. I'm not going to list everything, but the main thing is that high-carb foods are a no-go. And I'm not just talking about baked goods, pastries, and cakes – I'm talking about pasta, even the whole-grain stuff, and even rice and other grains. And don't even get me started on fruits, except for the ones I mentioned earlier. I had a tough time giving up potatoes, which I used to add to everything. As in, remember that classic recipe from 'The Girls'? I was craving those potato dishes something fierce. On the keto diet, I found myself missing out on variety in my sides – it was mostly salads, veggie stir-fries, and dishes made with cabbage.

Keto. Meatballs and salad I had to be careful with keto baked goods and treats, too. My weight loss slowed down or plateaued when I started indulging. Although I was still in ketosis, as confirmed by the test strips I used to check my urine for ketones. It's like a pregnancy test, but for ketones. I'd pee on the strip, and if it turned pink or purple, I knew I was in ketosis. It was a great way to stay on track.

Keto. Test Strips I read some reviews saying these strips are a waste of time, but for me, they've been a game-changer. As long as I stuck to my keto diet, the test strips showed a clear result, but the moment I had a cheat meal, the results would be faint. I used them when I was experimenting with new recipes and dishes from the internet to see if they'd kick me out of ketosis. For that purpose, I think the test strips are pretty useful. ___________________

My Verdict

Keto has completely flipped my perception of diets. I was blown away by how satisfying, delicious, and varied it is to eat while losing weight.

Keto. Vegetable Stew with Hearts Even my husband, who's not exactly a fan of diets, asked me to keep cooking keto meals for him. And to my surprise, he's lost almost 18 kg in just two attempts! His overall health has also improved, and I'm attributing that to keto. I'm really impressed, and I think keto is worth a try.

Keto. Dolmas.When my weight plateaued, my husband was still losing weight on the same diet. I guess it's all about the physical activity and individual body types. It's been six months now, and he's managed to keep the weight off, even though we've been eating without restrictions for a while. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to say the same - I've gained almost all the weight back. I'm planning to cut back on my appetite again, but I don't think I'm overeating...

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Back to the topic of menu variety. Even on a keto diet, there's only so much you can do before you start craving the forbidden stuff. I was itching for some fruits, potatoes, pasta, and porridge. None of those were allowed due to the high carb content. I'm not even talking about ice cream, chocolates, and other treats - I'm a total sucker for sweets. But the thing is, on a keto diet, you can still indulge in some tasty treats (as long as they're special). And that's a big plus, in my book. With regular eating, each piece of candy ends up on my hips, but on keto, I can eat it and still lose weight - even if it's slower than it would be without it.

Keto ice cream made from coconut milkKeto Vienna waffles made from almond flourI have to admit, I craved something as normal as a plate of pilaf, some mashed potatoes, or even a bowl of grechka... I guess that's just how humans are wired: what you can't have, you want even more . And this was despite the fact that I wasn't even cooking separate meals for my husband, just for my little kid, who had its own unique menu at the time, and wasn't exactly salivating over it.But what really got to me were social gatherings. On birthdays, just so I wouldn't sit with an empty plate, I'd bring a salad or some other dish according to my recipe, and only eat that. Explaining to everyone why I wouldn't even have a slice of cake ('one piece wouldn't make a difference, after all') was a total drag! I think that on a keto diet or when counting calories, things are a lot simpler in this regard. Any little slip-up would throw me out of ketosis and I'd have to start all over again. My body just wasn't built for those kinds of rollercoasters. At social gatherings, I felt like an outcast, and at funerals, I was even ashamed - I'd eat whatever was being served.

On keto, I felt like I was experiencing social gatherings more than ever before. I don't know how keto enthusiasts handle this stuff. Like I said, counting calories was a lot simpler for me in this regard.

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Okay, so I have to admit that the keto diet has given me some issues with constipation. And I'm not alone, it's a common problem. At first, I was saving myself with a really great probiotic (check out this review here). But then I discovered psyllium husk, which is basically the fiber-rich shell of the plantain. You can add it to yogurt, kefir, or even baked goods like bread. It's a total game-changer for your gut health.

Keto. Psyllium breadI've also discovered some amazing new foods on the keto diet that I never would have tried otherwise. I've started cooking with coconut oil, making almond flour cakes, and even making ice cream with coconut milk. The list goes on and on!

But there's a catch - it's expensive. Keto eating can be a real budget-buster.

Keto. Grilled salmonAnother thing to consider is that keto diets can be a bit unbalanced, and you might end up losing water and essential nutrients in the process. So, it's super important to take your vitamins. Don't even think about skipping it - you need good quality ones to stay healthy.

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So, I'll wrap things up by saying that keto was a working diet for me. I'm glad I got to experience it, and it taught me a lot. It even changed my attitude towards food in some ways. This diet has its pros, but it also has some pretty significant cons. I'm not sure if I'll go back to keto again in the future, but for now, I think I've found a more comfortable and just as effective alternative in intermittent fasting combined with P.P. (that's what I did when I first stopped keto).

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My reviews of other diets:

"6 лепестков" - how to lose 2-3 kg in just 6 days

"Гречневая диета" - I used to love it! It's simple and effective.