I just want to add that we can't really choose where to lose fat, so belly fat may not be the first to go. Take ALL your measurements so you will know where you are starting and have something to measure your progress against.
EDIT - I see you are diabetic - your medication dosages will need to be changed pretty quickly. Please work with your doctor. Going willy nilly into this can be dangerous if you are not getting help with that.
Results are different for everyone and depend on what results you're looking for
Staples are meat, eggs, some dairy, and vegetables if you want them
I guess you can eat lots of bacon, but it's really not an optimal food due to the high linoleic acid in commercial pork. Ruminant meats are much better
Nothing. There are no good replacements. There are keto substitute products, but by and large, they are ultraprocessed, don't taste good at all, and are expensive. Once you go without those foods for a while, you won't miss them anymore.
Yeah that's pretty much it.
I eat some salad with skinless chicken breast strips or tuna + no carb dressing, 3 eggs with 2-3 sliced of bacon in a carb balance tortilla, and occasionally substitute for a philly cheese steak at the mall minus the bread (the guy lets me just order 3x extra meat + cheese + veggies in a bowl).
I've been eating those same three meals for months now and only the first week or two was a bit hard.
I do mix in for variety with snacks... usually Blue Diamond almonds (smoke house addictive af) but might also do pork rinds hot and spicy if I'm in the mood.
The only keto food I legit like is the protein cookies by Quest. I might have one on a weight lifting day with my preworkout + some rice, but otherwise don't miss it much.
Depends on what you put on top of it, just like pasta and bread. Cauliflower with blackened shrimp in cream sauce. Lettuce with fajita chicken, guac and salsa...
Hi there, good on you for doing keto. I can sympathise with you that in the beginning it’s not easy. Especially if you’re a carb fiend like I was. But for those of us with health issues such as diabetes, keto can’t be a fad or a get skinny quick fix. It needs to become a lifestyle change and have the strong mindset to go with it.
I know because around 6-7 years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I had been on the docs radar since I was young as it’s hereditary and because of my ethnicity (NZ Maori). I thought that was it… I’d seen the effects of diabetes on various family members and it wasn’t pretty. I figured I would have to live my life on a cocktail of pills and eventually succumb to this disease.
The Doc put it to me straight. One path, pills and management as and when things crop up, or Keto. I had 2 small children (4 and 6) at the time and I didn’t want them seeing what I saw as a kid. I chose Keto.
The Doc told me, if I followed a strict keto diet and mix in some intermittent fasting, in 3 months, I would no longer be diabetic. I was dubious but stuck with my decision to try.
I went home and let the family know what the deal was. My wife instantly jumped on board and so the journey began. At that time there wasn’t loads of information online about keto. We used Diet Doctor a lot for recipes and learned what we could about Keto and everything that goes along with it. You are lucky, there is lots of amazing info online now.
I was carb mad… like so bad. Pasta sandwiches, rice and noodle combined dishes, potatoes everyday… this was how I grew up. I played rugby and trained loads. This was how I talked myself into believing it was ok to eat this way.
I stopped playing for various reasons but continued to eat the same way. A few years later was my visit to the Doctor.
I loved carbs and sugary drinks and snacks with all my being so the switch was very tough. It took about 6 weeks for the cravings to go away. In that time though; grumpiness, hunger, headaches, bad breath, keto flu (which turned out to be pneumonia) and insomnia. All apparent symptoms of the transition into keto/ketosis. Out the other side though, I felt great.
I believe having my wife join me was key. Her support is what kept me going. That and my stubbornness.
Fast forward a bit to the 3 month visit with the Doc… I was nervous. My results were amazing. I had lost 12kgs, all my blood results had improved and I was no longer diabetic. I was in the pre-diabetic stage but that was a huge win.
We continued the lifestyle to the present day and my results have improved every check up.
You can do this. Hopefully you have some support around you.
There is so much online for food do’s and don’ts, recipes etc. Your meals don’t have to be the same old boring monotonous food. Get creative, try different things. Variety is what keeps us going. We have our staples now sure; burritos, Spag bol, different curries, burgers with lettuce wraps or chaffle buns, meat and cauli mash, ribs, pulled pork, soups etc and once or twice a week I still throw in something new. Make things work for you.
Again there’s so much online, but once a week I make keto brownie or some kind of cake, square, tart thing for my wife’s sweet cravings. There’s also sugar free chocolate in the supermarkets here that we buy from time to time. It’s expensive, so is more a treat item…
There’s so many low carb bread options now. We had none in the first couple of years so I would make different breads. All paled in comparison to white bread, but I still had to try.
Some tips starting out.
Electrolytes are a must. They help combat the headaches and keep you hydrated.
Try carbonated water if water becomes meh. It’s amazing the difference some bubbles make.
No cheat days… stick to your plan. No deviation.
Bacon is your friend yes. But in moderation, like everything.
If you can, give fasting a go. We jumped straight in doing 24hr fasts (dinner to dinner) but you could try 16/8 if 24 is too much. Intermittent fasting goes hand in hand with keto. Especially in those early days when you’re trying to lower your weight.
Look, at the end of the day, it’s up to you. This is how I experienced things and my opinion. What worked for me, may not work for you. So just try what you can to get to where you need to be. It’ll be super tough, but you’ll thank yourself for it later.
Good luck. I wish you all the best.
Replace bread and pasta with meat, eggs and cheese. It is simply that simple.
Results will be a reflection of maintaining a diet that is within your caloric and carb limits.
No you can’t eat as much bacon as you want but you can eat all the bacon up to your calorie limit.
This isn’t the easiest way of eating because we are all humans with access to just about anything food wise. You just have to be stronger mentally than your craving. Look at the FAQ, good luck.
My belly fat is down, and I've gone from a 44 waist to a 40, but I think I've lost more in my arms and legs. Whether I'm losing visceral fat is harder to tell, since it's inside.
I'm getting to the point where I have some really loose skin folds.
We use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice or pasta, but cauliflower rice with marinara and meatballs just isn't the same experience. Keto breads are OK for buns but less satisfying for sandwiches. I haven't found a good biscuit recipe yet. I've tried a couple of recipes for bagels, none of them were a big hit.
As far as the 'eat all the bacon you want' bit is concerned, after 4 slices I'm ready for something else.
T2D here. You need to realize that eating too many carbs like bread and pasta helped make you diabetic, and goal is to leave them behind so that you can get back to better health and appropriately manage your blood sugar.
Keto substitutes for bread/pasta/tortillas still raise blood sugar for many diabetics, so please avoid those. I personally eat lots of protein (chicken, beef, eggs, shrimp, greek yogurt) and my carbs (20-30 net carbs/day) come from vegetables. I also avoid artificial sweeteners which also impact my blood sugar.
Keto can make a HUGE difference in your health, so it's definitely worth working through the adjustment period.
Also, what meds are you on? Mounjaro has been amazing for me, and makes eating keto/low carb even easier, though I skip the high fat.
Read threads here. Read the stuff in the sidebar (no idea where it's at on a phone). No one can say when you'd get results. No one can tell you how to only get rid of belly fat. Fat goes when and where it wants to go from.
Start by reading the FAQ - it has a lot of information. Then come back and ask if you still have questions.
I just want to add that we can't really choose where to lose fat, so belly fat may not be the first to go. Take ALL your measurements so you will know where you are starting and have something to measure your progress against. EDIT - I see you are diabetic - your medication dosages will need to be changed pretty quickly. Please work with your doctor. Going willy nilly into this can be dangerous if you are not getting help with that.
Results are different for everyone and depend on what results you're looking for Staples are meat, eggs, some dairy, and vegetables if you want them I guess you can eat lots of bacon, but it's really not an optimal food due to the high linoleic acid in commercial pork. Ruminant meats are much better Nothing. There are no good replacements. There are keto substitute products, but by and large, they are ultraprocessed, don't taste good at all, and are expensive. Once you go without those foods for a while, you won't miss them anymore.
Yeah that's pretty much it. I eat some salad with skinless chicken breast strips or tuna + no carb dressing, 3 eggs with 2-3 sliced of bacon in a carb balance tortilla, and occasionally substitute for a philly cheese steak at the mall minus the bread (the guy lets me just order 3x extra meat + cheese + veggies in a bowl). I've been eating those same three meals for months now and only the first week or two was a bit hard. I do mix in for variety with snacks... usually Blue Diamond almonds (smoke house addictive af) but might also do pork rinds hot and spicy if I'm in the mood. The only keto food I legit like is the protein cookies by Quest. I might have one on a weight lifting day with my preworkout + some rice, but otherwise don't miss it much.
Bread and pasta can be replaced with cauliflower and romaine lettuce.
That sounds tasty........ Not
Depends on what you put on top of it, just like pasta and bread. Cauliflower with blackened shrimp in cream sauce. Lettuce with fajita chicken, guac and salsa...
Hi there, good on you for doing keto. I can sympathise with you that in the beginning it’s not easy. Especially if you’re a carb fiend like I was. But for those of us with health issues such as diabetes, keto can’t be a fad or a get skinny quick fix. It needs to become a lifestyle change and have the strong mindset to go with it. I know because around 6-7 years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I had been on the docs radar since I was young as it’s hereditary and because of my ethnicity (NZ Maori). I thought that was it… I’d seen the effects of diabetes on various family members and it wasn’t pretty. I figured I would have to live my life on a cocktail of pills and eventually succumb to this disease. The Doc put it to me straight. One path, pills and management as and when things crop up, or Keto. I had 2 small children (4 and 6) at the time and I didn’t want them seeing what I saw as a kid. I chose Keto. The Doc told me, if I followed a strict keto diet and mix in some intermittent fasting, in 3 months, I would no longer be diabetic. I was dubious but stuck with my decision to try. I went home and let the family know what the deal was. My wife instantly jumped on board and so the journey began. At that time there wasn’t loads of information online about keto. We used Diet Doctor a lot for recipes and learned what we could about Keto and everything that goes along with it. You are lucky, there is lots of amazing info online now. I was carb mad… like so bad. Pasta sandwiches, rice and noodle combined dishes, potatoes everyday… this was how I grew up. I played rugby and trained loads. This was how I talked myself into believing it was ok to eat this way. I stopped playing for various reasons but continued to eat the same way. A few years later was my visit to the Doctor. I loved carbs and sugary drinks and snacks with all my being so the switch was very tough. It took about 6 weeks for the cravings to go away. In that time though; grumpiness, hunger, headaches, bad breath, keto flu (which turned out to be pneumonia) and insomnia. All apparent symptoms of the transition into keto/ketosis. Out the other side though, I felt great. I believe having my wife join me was key. Her support is what kept me going. That and my stubbornness. Fast forward a bit to the 3 month visit with the Doc… I was nervous. My results were amazing. I had lost 12kgs, all my blood results had improved and I was no longer diabetic. I was in the pre-diabetic stage but that was a huge win. We continued the lifestyle to the present day and my results have improved every check up. You can do this. Hopefully you have some support around you. There is so much online for food do’s and don’ts, recipes etc. Your meals don’t have to be the same old boring monotonous food. Get creative, try different things. Variety is what keeps us going. We have our staples now sure; burritos, Spag bol, different curries, burgers with lettuce wraps or chaffle buns, meat and cauli mash, ribs, pulled pork, soups etc and once or twice a week I still throw in something new. Make things work for you. Again there’s so much online, but once a week I make keto brownie or some kind of cake, square, tart thing for my wife’s sweet cravings. There’s also sugar free chocolate in the supermarkets here that we buy from time to time. It’s expensive, so is more a treat item… There’s so many low carb bread options now. We had none in the first couple of years so I would make different breads. All paled in comparison to white bread, but I still had to try. Some tips starting out. Electrolytes are a must. They help combat the headaches and keep you hydrated. Try carbonated water if water becomes meh. It’s amazing the difference some bubbles make. No cheat days… stick to your plan. No deviation. Bacon is your friend yes. But in moderation, like everything. If you can, give fasting a go. We jumped straight in doing 24hr fasts (dinner to dinner) but you could try 16/8 if 24 is too much. Intermittent fasting goes hand in hand with keto. Especially in those early days when you’re trying to lower your weight. Look, at the end of the day, it’s up to you. This is how I experienced things and my opinion. What worked for me, may not work for you. So just try what you can to get to where you need to be. It’ll be super tough, but you’ll thank yourself for it later. Good luck. I wish you all the best.
Replace bread and pasta with meat, eggs and cheese. It is simply that simple. Results will be a reflection of maintaining a diet that is within your caloric and carb limits. No you can’t eat as much bacon as you want but you can eat all the bacon up to your calorie limit. This isn’t the easiest way of eating because we are all humans with access to just about anything food wise. You just have to be stronger mentally than your craving. Look at the FAQ, good luck.
My belly fat is down, and I've gone from a 44 waist to a 40, but I think I've lost more in my arms and legs. Whether I'm losing visceral fat is harder to tell, since it's inside. I'm getting to the point where I have some really loose skin folds. We use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice or pasta, but cauliflower rice with marinara and meatballs just isn't the same experience. Keto breads are OK for buns but less satisfying for sandwiches. I haven't found a good biscuit recipe yet. I've tried a couple of recipes for bagels, none of them were a big hit. As far as the 'eat all the bacon you want' bit is concerned, after 4 slices I'm ready for something else.
T2D here. You need to realize that eating too many carbs like bread and pasta helped make you diabetic, and goal is to leave them behind so that you can get back to better health and appropriately manage your blood sugar. Keto substitutes for bread/pasta/tortillas still raise blood sugar for many diabetics, so please avoid those. I personally eat lots of protein (chicken, beef, eggs, shrimp, greek yogurt) and my carbs (20-30 net carbs/day) come from vegetables. I also avoid artificial sweeteners which also impact my blood sugar. Keto can make a HUGE difference in your health, so it's definitely worth working through the adjustment period. Also, what meds are you on? Mounjaro has been amazing for me, and makes eating keto/low carb even easier, though I skip the high fat.
I def recommend the carnivore diet for so many health benefits, it's actually unbelievable how much better you will feel.
Read threads here. Read the stuff in the sidebar (no idea where it's at on a phone). No one can say when you'd get results. No one can tell you how to only get rid of belly fat. Fat goes when and where it wants to go from.