Day 30 of my keto experiment ended last night and what a great learning experience it's been.
I've followed low carb in the past and even attempted ketosis but never before did I actually track my ketone levels with a monitor.
I've followed low carb in the past and even attempted ketosis but never before did I actually track my ketone levels with a monitor.
So here are 3 things I learned about ketosis this last month...
1. It's actually really hard to get into ketosis.
Seriously. This isn't just about limiting your carbs. It's about fine tuning your protein and fats as well. This also doesn't mean it's impossible, and that you should be discouraged from trying it out. It just means you need to be prepared to be patient should you decide to. It's taken me a full 30 days to really understand what my personal carb and protein tolerance levels are. Even then, I'm barely scraping the surface and constantly dealing with this balancing act to maintain my elevated ketone levels. This is why it's absolutely crucial to track your blood ketones with a ketone monitor. Yes, it's pricey, but you don't have to do it every day so you can save money on the ridiculously over priced ketone strips (affiliates). It's mentally consuming, yes. But I'm enjoying the process, and so long as I do, I don't mind the extra effort.
2. Nutrient dense food matters.
I've said this before and I'll mention it again. Ketogenic diets are often said to be void in nutrient dense foods, therefore not ideal for a optimally healthy lifestyle. However, that could easily be argued regardless of the diet you follow. I know that leading up to this experiment, I was simply Paleo-- real food, no macro specifics at all. I can honestly say that organ meat was not a part of my daily life. When I decided to attempt to reach a ketogenic state, I also decided that I would make it a point to eat as many nutrient dense foods as possible, including liver. Gross, right? No! That was a trick question. Yeah it's a little sketch at first thought, but trust me on this one. I truly feel like Superwoman when I start my day with about 1oz of Magic Liver Pills. During this keto induction, I never felt fatigued or weak, no head aches or muscle cramps and I just generally felt more awesome than usual. Which I didn't think could happen, but it did. So yeah, eat your liver.
3. I love how I feel in ketosis.
As high maintenance as a ketogenic can be at first, the way it makes me feel has been completely worth it. I have energy, and lots of it. I'm sleeping better than I have in months and I'm often times waking up before my alarm. My appetite is more controlled and my mental clarity is heightened lately. I also feel lighter. I haven't paid too much attention to my weight (thats coming up next month) but my pants fit better and I'm not carrying around as much bloat as I was leading up to this. In general, I could totally get use to this on a regular basis.
1. It's actually really hard to get into ketosis.
Seriously. This isn't just about limiting your carbs. It's about fine tuning your protein and fats as well. This also doesn't mean it's impossible, and that you should be discouraged from trying it out. It just means you need to be prepared to be patient should you decide to. It's taken me a full 30 days to really understand what my personal carb and protein tolerance levels are. Even then, I'm barely scraping the surface and constantly dealing with this balancing act to maintain my elevated ketone levels. This is why it's absolutely crucial to track your blood ketones with a ketone monitor. Yes, it's pricey, but you don't have to do it every day so you can save money on the ridiculously over priced ketone strips (affiliates). It's mentally consuming, yes. But I'm enjoying the process, and so long as I do, I don't mind the extra effort.
2. Nutrient dense food matters.
I've said this before and I'll mention it again. Ketogenic diets are often said to be void in nutrient dense foods, therefore not ideal for a optimally healthy lifestyle. However, that could easily be argued regardless of the diet you follow. I know that leading up to this experiment, I was simply Paleo-- real food, no macro specifics at all. I can honestly say that organ meat was not a part of my daily life. When I decided to attempt to reach a ketogenic state, I also decided that I would make it a point to eat as many nutrient dense foods as possible, including liver. Gross, right? No! That was a trick question. Yeah it's a little sketch at first thought, but trust me on this one. I truly feel like Superwoman when I start my day with about 1oz of Magic Liver Pills. During this keto induction, I never felt fatigued or weak, no head aches or muscle cramps and I just generally felt more awesome than usual. Which I didn't think could happen, but it did. So yeah, eat your liver.
3. I love how I feel in ketosis.
As high maintenance as a ketogenic can be at first, the way it makes me feel has been completely worth it. I have energy, and lots of it. I'm sleeping better than I have in months and I'm often times waking up before my alarm. My appetite is more controlled and my mental clarity is heightened lately. I also feel lighter. I haven't paid too much attention to my weight (thats coming up next month) but my pants fit better and I'm not carrying around as much bloat as I was leading up to this. In general, I could totally get use to this on a regular basis.
Today is a carb day for me-- full of healthier Paleo friendly choices, of course. Tomorrow begins my Keto Weight Loss efforts. Time to lose these last few lbs. and not allow the "holidays" to get the best of me. Not sure how long it will take, but I'll sharing from time to time. Find me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for daily updates.
So there you have it, my last 30 days summed up in 3 valuable lessons learned. Now I'd love to hear from you-- If you've ever conducted your own keto experiment, what valuable lessons did you take from it? Let me know in the comments below :)
So there you have it, my last 30 days summed up in 3 valuable lessons learned. Now I'd love to hear from you-- If you've ever conducted your own keto experiment, what valuable lessons did you take from it? Let me know in the comments below :)
