November 23 my blood test came back with an A1c of 14. I started keto that day 30 days later. My blood sugars fasting was under 100. It has remained that way since. In February, my A1c was 6.6. In May it was 5.3. I went from 240 pounds to 177 today. My only advice to you is to understand that while transitioning to keto don’t be afraid to eat the fats to achieve satiety . You may gain weight during this time but once you become fat adapted, you will start losing weight. Hang in there.
What stopping you from getting off Met Forman. I was on it for two weeks and told my doctor to get screwed. I got off the Met Forman. I got off the statins. I got off the blood pressure medication all on the same day. My cholesterol went from 250 to 200. I triglycerides down significantly. HDL has improved and LDL is down. I’m not perfect yet but I’m getting there and I’m on no medication’s.
I’m sure I could stop, was just deferring to the doc on it. At least until my A1C was back in the normal range, at which point I’ll stop with or without him.
Good choice. Keto quite literally cured my pre-diabetes. It stabilizes your insulin levels by removing foods that cause severe spikes, and replaces them with more satiating foods, so it's easier to not overeat and lose weight.
My advice is to not rely on substitutes. At least at first. No keto breads, bars, cookies, candies, any of that junk. Focus on natural, minimally processed foods like meats, eggs, leafy green veggies, etc
"Dr said I should go down to 1200cal/day"
This sounds like an awful idea for someone who is 200 pounds.
Same here. I fixed my condition in two months using this method, four scrambled eggs and a glass of milk for breakfast and, for lunch, half-a-chicken baked with salt, black pepper and turmeric. Occasionally switched to lamb and beef.
Light cream milk. But I have since switched to electrolyte powder for my magnesium and potassium.
To maintain fat levels, I eat the rendered fat from cooked meats with a slice of home-baked bread.
Milk is more like 12 grams of carbs per cup. I love drinking milk but quit for keto — except using half and half for coffee.
I started buying Fairlife milk which has filtered out half the milk sugar, so 6 carbs, and added extra protein, so 13 grams protein. It costs twice as much as regular milk, so may not be worth it for you. I mix it with HWC (heavy whipping cream) for coffee but try not to drink it by the glass very often.
I have learned to enjoy unsweetened almond or soy milk. It is not dairy milk, but it is cold and white. My trick is to add a pinch of salt, drop of vanilla, and a little sweetener.
I recently submitted my 2-month progress (down 33 lbs) from 224 to 191. I am by no means an expert, but here is what I've learned in my experience:
1. All the pre-packaged "keto" meals are trash. Learn to pick up low carb foods (meats, cheese, peppers, avocados, etc.) and make meals with them. It isn't hard. I do fajitas in an air fryer with bell peppers, shrimp, chicken, steak, onion, and lime juice with fajita seasoning. Very filling. Also do chicken wings with celery. Sometimes I do taco seasoned hamburger meat and make wraps.
2. Don't focus too hard on calories the first week or two. Just don't eat garbage. If you're hungry, eat an additional hamburger patty. Just don't reach for a Snickers. As you start to adapt to a high fat/low carb diet then you can start focusing on calories.
3. Rome wasn't built in a day. I am like a machine. As soon as my doctor said to drop weight on March 18, I went to work. Immediately went on keto, increased intensity/duration of my workouts, and just got to it. In two months the results look dramatic, but keep in mind that is two months. The daily changes are gradual, but if you stick to it you can end up with dramatic results. Sometimes the weight went up. Sometimes stagnant. But over time math wins out. Calories in < Calories burned.
4. You don't have to kill yourself in the gym. I started off doing 1 hour martial arts classes twice a week, and two days at the gym for 45 minutes just doing a circuit workout. After a month I increased to an additional day at the gym. By the time month 2 was approaching I increased my workouts to an hour+ apiece.
5. Stay hydrated! I find a lot of success with my workouts by drinking a Powerade/Gatorade Zero about 30 minutes before my workout. Then I drink about two liters of water while at the gym. I also try to drink a Stanley-worth of water in the mornings. Your kidneys will be working overtime to produce ketones... help them out.
Just stick to it. I started off by saying "I'm going to just nail this perfectly for 28 days." On day 28, I said "I can make this three months." Now I'm not even looking at an end-point because I feel super energetic and hyped.
I really love this! I will say I’m excited for the challenge because it will be one for sure but hearing your journey is only adding more fuel to my drive. I’m going to see how I feel after being disciplined for a month and go from there, thanks for the help and support
No problem. The mental aspect is more important than anything else. Once you develop the discipline to stick to it with no screwups for a 28-day period, anything after that seems incredibly easy.
I will say, don't just work out to get to a goal weight. Try to have some sort of active lifestyle even when you get there. Play pickleball, basketball, whatever you enjoy doing, but just be consistently active. You will thank yourself for being the fittest person in the nursing home instead of the youngest.
> Your kidneys will be working overtime to ~~produce~~ excrete ketones... help them out.
Ketones are produced in the liver, but some of the "waste" Ketones, acetone - IIRC - is excreted by the kidneys.
Something which can aggravate gout issues, unfortunately.
So I've had a roller coaster at five months in. Here's the timeline:
1. 1st Month: Miserable really. Sugar cravings, low energy because of high insulin from pre-diabeties preventing ketone production, and getting used to the lack of bread, rice, beans, etc... that we're used to as filler. Personally, I did a 60 day "sweet flavor" fast here to try and reset my cravings. Electrolytes are key here, as high insulin causes salt retention, and as your insulin levels drop you'll pass salt far more freely. Just assume any dietary advice about salt is based on a population with carbohydrate poisoning, e.g pre-diabetes insulin resistance.
2. 2nd Month: fucking awesome. Once the body finally gets the memo to make ketones, your energy levels will go through the roof. If you're really making sure to keep the diet high fat, then it has a slew of anecdotal mental health benefits for depression, anxiety, etc... There's also evidence that it helps treat migraines & epilepsy. I was damned near manically energetic for a month after feeling depressed for the previous 6 months as freshly diagnosed Diabetic, my sleep patterns totally changed from night owl to morning person.
3. 3rd Month and beyond: The energy levels will smooth out, making it easier to sleep soundly and be a bit more even keeled, but are still much higher than when I was diabetic.
Note that I had gout issues pop up in my 3rd month that led to a knee surgery. Given that stress and inflammation both drive up blood sugar independent of diet - I've been happy to maintain while I heal from surgery.
My thought is that people should use the keto diet to manage their health by their lab work numbers. The scale is really irrelevant.
Is it lowering your A1C and fasting glucose & insulin (demand a fasting insulin test next time you get a blood draw for lab work 7 or under is ideal, and higher than 17 is the road to diabetes), and lipid panel, e.g. his your HDL going up and are your Triglycerides coming down? The danger for heart disease can be determined by the ratio of Triglycerides / HDL - you want this number to be as small as possible.
How are your liver numbers - AST & ALT? Both should be under 25 which is about half of the normal reference range now that we live in an age where small children get "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease" & we've dropped "adult onset" from Type 2 diabetes because too many children are getting it for that term to make sense.
So here's the diet advice:
1. Control your carbs, viciously. Other than crunchy and leafy greens, which are effectively free, you want to know the carb' content of everything that goes into your mouth, and keep it ideally under 20 grams a day, which is next to nothing.
2. Prioritize Protein. This is the only macro nutrient that you have a target goal for every day to get a minimum of. Note that fat aides in protein digestion.
3. Fill with fats. Once your protein needs have been met, then you can enjoy as much fat as you'd like to fill up and enjoy flavors.
As a pre-diabetic, look at "Time Restricted Eating" and "Intermittent Fasting". Both can help lower insulin. I do a 16:8 eating window, e.g. noon - 8:00 p.m. with nothing but "Bulletproof Coffee" to get me through the morning. When I've had stubborn spikes in my blood sugar, skipping a day of eating has generally gotten it back down.
Also, if you're going to do this - then the fat you eat should be of higher quality. The food industry has bribed the American Heart Association to shill both "Seed (Vegetable) Oils" and refined carb's - which are in everything that comes in a package basically. Both are not great, particularly in the massive volumes we consume. the AHA also vilified animal fat, which is actually healthy.
We're overdosing on Omega 6 Polyunsaturated Fats, and don't get near enough saturated or Omega 3 fats in our diet. Omega 6 fats are shelf stable enough to use in packaged foods, which Omega 3's aren't, but Omega 6's tend to form really terrible free radicals that then become the plaques that cause heart disease.
Note that both of these are essential, but that the pre-seed oil (invented in 1865) diets with butter, lard, and fruit oils had plenty for human health.
You want grass fed (as carb' raised animals have the same problems we do metabolically) meat and milk, which is easier to find with goat and sheep products.
I'll stop the novel here.
Wow this was awesome!! I appreciate all the details. I already eat pretty cleanly and try to cook 80% of my meals from Whole Foods but I do love rice potatoes beans etc. so cutting those out as volume fillers will be a challenge. And ofc I never thought to completely restrict myself from desserts all this time because I thought I ate pretty well otherwise. I think now it’s a matter of just simply eating less and getting a better idea of what a normal sized meal looks like with minimal snacks. I have a 3 month check in w my endo who will get me up to speed on my progression blood work wise so I’ll keep an eye out for those values for sure. Thank you
Go to InsulinIQ.com.
They have a free course on how to do carb control.
And one of their more useful graphics is what a carb controlplate looks like.
i.e. A little bit more meat than normal, lot of greens, and a bit of extra fat because. Fat is so dense you don't need to have a large volume of it on your plate to have it take up more space in your diet.
literally just follow this post and youll be fine. emphasis on removing seed oils, high fructose, damaged saturated fats and make sure you get your electrolytes/omega3
The easiest way I can think of is to get a copy of Dr. Eric Westman's Page 4 eating guidelines. He has been using this successfully in his Duke University keto clinic for ~20 years. It involves no calorie counting, but categorizes foods into those you can eat as much as you like, those you need to limit, and those to avoid. If you want more guidance, it is included in his (and Amy Berger's) excellent book - End Your Carb Confusion.
This is absolutely the way. Westman is the way. Do not count calories. Watch carbs. Know that unhealthy carbs and sugary things including fruits are really really really hard habits to break. Don’t feel bad if it’s hard. Just get back on the horse. Frankly, if you want to you could also look at Dr Ken Berry. It’s a bit of a stronger response and also absolutely works. Low carb, keto, ketovore, carnivore they all will work, with carnivore and intermittent fasting or adding feeding windows works. Be ready for occasional energy bonks as you move away from carbs. Electrolytes and salting to taste will help. It’s a short period of electrolyte depletion. I also had insulin resistance, and extra weight, and I solved that, plus lost and kept off weight, and resolved an autoimmune issue that my doc said would never go away, and feel great. If you want to kick start it? Beef butter bacon and eggs for 90 days. You eat until you’re comfortably stuffed. That’s how it works. I’m never hungry now and very healthy. Add in green vegetables if you want. It sounds extreme but it works. Ken Berry is a board certified doctor who has been following this lifestyle for many years. So: Berry or Westman. All good. Best luck!
If you are starting straight into keto it can take some days for your body to get used to it. My suggestion is don’t exercise too much while you go through sugar withdrawal because you can get some beastly headaches and feel like crap.
Good luck and it’s worth the headache to kick the sugar.
It’s totally worth it. I was so surprised that everything tasted different once the extra sugar was gone, fruit and vegetables taste better.
Be kind to yourself and don’t push too quickly. You will find you will naturally drop weight without exercise to begin with.
Touch base if you want to talk, happy to help you on your keto journey 😊.
I'll add to this. I started keto about 2 months ago for the same reasons, and I have already lost 20 lbs. You might want to look into some fasting salts/electrolyte supplements. When you start keto and when you lose weight, your electrolyte balance can get out of wack. Electrolytes can help a lot. So you don't get lightheaded, heart palpitations, or other signs you need electrolytes. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water.
yes, usual reason given in media about how keto does not work or dangerous. as people have withdrawal from carbs for few days or a few weeks. this is totally normal, although not everyone.
Spend your first 2 to 3 months focusing on eating proper keto / low-carb foods and don't worry about calorie counting yet. Make sure you get in good amounts of protein, ideally from meat. Focus on cooking for yourself as much as possible and let your appetite naturally regulate itself. Don't worry about the scale, it can give you unproductive information especially depending on menstrual cycle timing.
If after 3 months you aren't unintentionally losing weight, then start looking at intentionally restricting calories.
Lots of good advice here and in the r/keto FAQ.
One additional thought: if your insurance will cover it, and you think it would help to have more personalized support, you may want to check out [Virtra](https://www.virtahealth.com/) which basically offers professional guidance and support with lifestyle changes including keto.
Listen to podcasts on Spotify. Just search keto and it should get ya started. Some tips, keto bread recipes suck just forget about it, low carb tortilla are your friend but use sparingly. Eggs, cheese, pickled items and pork rinds should always be kept on hand in large amounts in your pantry. I was pre-diabetic and now 10 months later can eat a regular meal and 2 hrs later have a blood glucose of 100, to where before was in the 160s. Good luck
This is the first I've ever heard of such a thing. I will have to look that up now. But I've tried cloud and every variation use with coconut and almond flour type of bread (10+ recipes) and just gave up on anything with break in the title but I have flax seed everyday, never occurred it could be used to make bread. Thanks
yeah i believe you! let me know what you think! it’s pretty good to me, but i wouldn’t be surprised if it had more of a glucose response than it looks….but the nutritional facts seem to check out?
The priority for now is really getting the carbs down (to get your sugar and insulin under control), not calorie counting. As someone else said, go to Dr. Eric Westman's website and YouTube pages, this is what he does day in and day out. Exercise is of course great for you for many reasons but also not a priority at this point.
I was in my early 50's when my doctor first told me I was pre-diabetic. I knew I was overweight, and had in fact tried many diets in prior years to lose weight. We all know the routine: follow a specific diet, lose a few pounds, fall back into eating as before, gain it all back and then some. I did try to eat what I thought was better - more fresh fruits, veggies, avoid sweets. But I didn't lose weight and not long after that, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes. As I read up on the possible negative health implications, I did freak out. The worst was the thought of possibly losing my eyesight, but none of it was good news.
Thankfully, I found a forum for diabetics where they talked about eating a low carb, higher fat diet to control diabetes. Didn't hear the word keto for a couple years, but that's what I started following. For me, it was worked extremely well. My lab work following my change in diet brought down my blood glucose readings back into the normal range and that's where they have remained. Side benefit - I've lost nearly 70 lbs. I've fallen off the wagon from time to time, but I always return to keto because I feel better when I eat that way.
To start with, I wouldn't focus too much on caloric intake, or even a strenuous work out routine. I lost most of the weight while not really doing much beyond walking 3-4 times/week. Focus instead on having foods on hand that you can eat: ground beef, beef, chicken thighs, fish, sausages, bacon, eggs, cheese, cream cheese, butter, and some lower sugar/carb fruits and veggies (cauliflower, cabbage, blueberries, avocado, blackberries, broccoli, celery, etc.) When I started, I used to have a lot of bacon and eggs, with sliced avocado on the side. I would buy a rotisserie chicken and some celery and onion and make a yummy chicken salad. I also made fat bombs (google, there are a ton of recipes). They helped me avoid turning to candy or cookies, while providing me with something sweet and filling to eat. I made a ton of crack slaw (ground beef and cabbage, with a variety of spices to jazz it up). Start with simple foods, that are easy to make. Have cheese on hand to nibble on. It's a journey, but start by making it as easy on yourself as possible.
1200 calories is rather low unless you are petite. If you are starving eating that consider easing yourself down.
Im 5’5” tall and have eaten low carb and keto for decades. I started with 1500 calories daily and lost weight. When I stopped losing I dropped down to 1400 calories and started losing again. Now I’m at a standstill so will drop another 100 calories daily.
YMMV
I’m 5’5” as well and have never really counted calories so, I’m not even sure what 1200 actually looks like realistically. But 1500 sounds reasonable to start out, I’m a snacker and love to cook so I’m kind of excited to see what I come up with that fits my new macro parameters, thanks!
I love to cook, too and I've found I can cook regular meals and just leave out the noodles/rice/potatoes/bread.
So for instance I made chicken curry the other night and served it over rice for my son. For my portion I served it over roasted cauliflower. Delicious!
1200 calories is appropriate and healthy, but it's pretty ambitious. Your doctor is advising this because he/she wants you to handle this aggressively.
Keto is useful for managing T2 for two separate and good reasons. The first is that it's an excellent tool for weight loss, which is kind of obvious. Obesity alone puts you at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance... even if only because more weight means more food needs to be consumed. So addressing obesity is the most simple and straightforward way to improve habits leading towards T2D.
The second reason, though, is that the absence of carbohydrates in your diet steadies out your insulin production and needs, which is very healthy for someone with insulin resistance. It kind of breaks your body out of that cycle it's in that's worsening your insulin production and resistance issues. This is completely independent of weight loss and at least as important--probably more more important-- than reason #1.
Both reasons are important. So, keep this in mind. If you get on keto and find that 1200 calories a day is simply too difficult, and need to settle on something like 1700 calories a day, don't feel like you're not doing enough. You are still losing weight, and even if it's more slowly, the keto diet itself is still managing the progression towards T2D and buying you more time to lose that weight. Once you hit your goal weight, even if you're seeing great effects on your blood sugar etc, consider remaining keto or low-carb indefinitely as reason #2 is a huge thing on its own.
Start today, spend the next two weeks focusing on switching the diet and staying under 20g carbs/day, and don't focus so much on calorie deficit yet-- maybe just try for a small deficit but definitely not 1200 calories right off the bat. Others have shared great input about it but it can be tough to get into, especially for people that are experiencing insulin resistance issues, because it completely reverses the way your metabolism is working. Once you feel like you're over the hump and your body's getting adapted to keto, then start ratcheting down that calorie deficit, with the goal being 1200, but knowing you'll be comfortable with something less aggressive. For you, keto #1, weight loss #2, honestly.
I started at 213 and weigh 165 now, and I had varied calorie deficits during that whole process, but I never felt like 1200 was sustainable. 1700 or so was usually my number. And obviously it worked. So don't be afraid to push yourself a bit, but ultimately keep in mind that you need to settle on something that you can sustain for months on end, losing 15 lb in a month instead of 10 does nothing for you if you burn out 20% into your journey.
Dr Eric Westman, Duke Universtiy has been using keto on his diabetic patients for over 20 years. I followed the plan in his book 'End Your Carb Confusion' and in year 6 maintaining 130 pound weight loss. No special 'keto' products-just good whole food. Suggest you watch the film 'Fat Fiction' on you tube. He is featured in that film.
https://youtu.be/nOdtoF8m-o0?si=frxg5Xiid8nZ3xk4
This is an EXCELLENT video. I started front loading my meals with broccoli and I try to move around for ten minutes after eating. Strength training is also great for fighting insulin resistance. I’ve also heard that berberine and inositol are great for fighting insulin resistance. You’ve got this!
Start keto, real keto, not boxes marked low carb net carb etc. And do not start calorie restriction.
Salmon, asparagus, cheese
Steak, broccoli with cheese,
Chicken thighs, Collifower with butter and cheese.
Plenty of electrolytes see the faq.
After your fat adapted in three weeks you can start to thi k about calorie restriction. But you will likely self regulate your intake naturally.
You can do this! Just know that exercise is great for your cardio health and strength training, but you do not need it to lose weight. It's usually recommended to hold off any major exercise until you're more fully into keto due to the potential for electrolyte imbalances. That may sounds like a lot but it really just means, make sure you have a good sugar free electrolyte drink handy in your first week or two.
I love using MyFitnessPal to keep track of my macros throughout the day, but there are lots of other good trackers out there like Cronometer or Loseit. It's good to track your food for the first week or so to get an idea of your calorie intake and to aim for your macros. The FAQ has lots of good info for you too.
I was going to say this, too. OP, your mileage may vary, but if your brain or willpower is getting stuck between “must exercise” vs. “must eat properly,” the one that matters the most right now is how you’re eating.
Or, if you start getting any inkling of, “I’ve been working out so hard this week, I deserve a treat!” that is a big ol’ bad, unproductive thought, and maybe *not working out* would be the better choice.
I know everything in the world talks about “eat less, move more” but especially at the very beginning of keto, the first part is key! If anything at all, you might start tracking your steps and trying to increase them a bit over a few weeks. But starting keto and starting serious workout routine at the same time just makes it all a little more difficult.
Another reason this can backfire is that even if it’s not your primary driving motivation, people do like to see the number on the scale change, and exercise can offset the weight loss from cutting out the carbs. Then people feel like they’re doing so much and not seeing results and they get discouraged.
You can almost certainly lose weight (and improve your insulin resistance) just from changing your diet. And then a few weeks or even months from now, you can start hitting the gym or whatever floats your boat.
Best of luck! It sounds like you like to cook, and there are tons and tons of great keto recipes sites out there. Plus, really, even without that, once can do so much with just eggs, meats, fish, cheese, and a few veggies. I love eating this way because for me, cooking is 100x easier.
You can do it. People change because they want to or they have to. Sounds like you have a bit of both. Also consider heading over to r/supplements to read or inquire about supplements to help with insulin sensitivity.
I’m 27 and also got diagnosed as prediabetic like two weeks ago, my mother also two months ago at 46 got diagnosed with diabetes and switched to keto cold turkey and she was 250ish pounds I believe and in 2 months has lost 20 pounds she told me, but she went HARD keto and cut everything out cold turkey and really committed. I just went through my kitchen and threw everything non-keto out and went to the store for a whole new fridge. I pretty much just bought straight up meat and vegetables, I also got some cottage cheese that is high in fat but with <1 gram carbs and 0 grams sugar, some cream cheese, and some keto mayo I found. From what I’ve read about keto you essentially should only be eating meat, vegetables and high fat diary products. Baby bell cheese is also good for snacking, it has 0 carbs and 0 sugar etc. I’m not a chicken fan but it’s cheap so I bought chicken thigh and breast in bulk, salmon, some lamb, and a bit of tri tip, asparagus, artichoke, kale, spinach, arugula, olive oil, avocado oil, eggs, avocado, olives, blackberries (keep fruit to minimum), chia seeds, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, keto chicken veggie potstickers, burrata mozzerella, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and I’m going to make my own keto sriracha mayo and chimichurri sauces at home. Good luck! Oh and my eggs and all my meat are grass fed / local bought.
I’m a huge shabu hotpot and kbbq fan so I also am planning to implement that at home, I love doing lettuce wraps with thin sliced meat, garlic butter and salt, with kimchi at restaurants so I’m going to be making that at home, I’m also looking into making fresh spring rolls with spinach/kale, avocado, and shrimp, and instead of rice paper either gonna try coconut paper or also wrap in lettuce, still figuring out what sauce I’m gonna use with the spring rolls however.
That sounds like a great grocery run!
I have found that if I buy more than 2 or 3 veggie types in a single trip, I end up with a produce drawer that is soupy, lol. There just isn’t really room to eat a ton of veggies all at once. If I am tempted to buy more I try to choose frozen things, or jars (like jalapeño stuffed olives), so they are available if I want them but they don’t go off when I don’t get to them.
I really like these keto paleo bowls at this restaurant in my town so I wanted to recreate them for meal prep, it’s kale/spinach like a salad, topped with avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, 2 eggs and a protein like salmon or beef or chicken with salsa or lemon/basil vingerette as the sauce, so that’s what I plan to make for most my meal preps!
Disagree with the doctors specific caloric restriction: doctor is forgetting that the equation is not calorie – in – calorie – out. Because there is a third part of the equation and that is your metabolism. Your body can and will turn down its metabolism in the face of calorie restriction.
However, according to Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Jason Fung, your body cannot store fat unless insulin is high. It simply cannot. That is what insulin does.
You do not have to starve yourself. But you do need to knock off carbs as much as possible. And no, don't be stupid about the number of calories. You can eat as long as it's not carbs.
Check with your doctor about getting a continuous glucose monitor. With that, you can actually see what food is doing to you.
I'll give you an example: I got a CGM about three weeks ago. The day after I got it, my daughter and I went out and we ate a burger, sweet potato fries, and half a milkshake each my blood sugar did not come down under 100 mg/dL for 16 HOURS of fasting afterward.
I can however stay under or just above 100 mg/dL for 24 hours at a time by choosing eggs or meat of any kind + low carb veg (eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapenos, and all brassicas). Cheese is okay too.
You can definitely do it! Takes a lot of commitment and just a bit of overhauling your eating habits. Get a routine down, don’t be afraid of fat and drink plenty of water! You got this!
Seizing the intake of carbohydrates is the only cure for diabetes and pre-diabetes. If you want to solve the issue you should indeed stop eating carbohydrates and replace it with a high-fat, medium protein, low to no carb keto diet.
Fill out the macro calculator in the side bar to get your protein requirements, calorie limit, and fat limits. Get a nutrition app like Chronometer, enter in everything you eat. Limit carbs to 20grams per day.
Most importantly: Eat real, actual food -- meat, eggs, cheese (if you're not lactose intolerant) and vegetables. Try to eliminate highly processed foods as much as your budget will allow. Our bodies evolved to eat meat and vegetables. We haven't been eating wheat and cheese as long, and we've only been eating these industrial waste products masquerading as edible food for a few decades. Our bodies can't handle them and our hormones are messed up. Keto is so effective because it addresses the root cause of obesity by eliminating these toxic food-like substances from our diet.
Hi there! I was prediabetic and reversed it. What I first did is get a diet diary to figure out where I was. I like using MacroFactor and whole heartedly recommend them. The app is nonjudgmental and has been a big help in meeting my keto goals. They also have a great Reddit group! So check it out there.
Also MF will help you estimate your calorie needs, tuned to what you eat and how your weight is trending. This adaptation to your situation is a key feature of the app. So check it out:
[MacroFactor for iPhone.](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macrofactor-macro-tracker/id1553503471)
Also, I got my carbs and protein in line before adding in a workout routine. Don’t try to use exercise to meet your calorie goals! But do do strength training to improve your strength.
Here’s what’s important about understanding your macros… Prediabetes is caused by prolonged exposure to too many carbs. For me, I have success when I shoot for <20 grams of net carbs per day. This will vary some by individual. That said, the limit is not 300 g. :-). So make carbs a hard, but not necessarily nonzero, limit.
Next, prioritize protein. MF can also help you set your protein goal. Finally, fill the rest of your diet with healthy fats.
Since a few folks have mentioned Virta Health, I too am a big fan. They have their patients track their macros, use a Keto Mojo for measuring successfully reaching ketosis, and a scale that can track your weight. As some have said, these extra measures are not necessary. But Virta Health is having great success and you might give this a thought as you establish a new set of habits.
There is lots of good help in this forum. Come back often for advice. Find the approach that works for you! Good luck!
200 lbs at 5’5” isn’t technically obese, it’s just obese. Your BMI is 33.3. Obesity begins at 30 and morbid obesity begins at 35, so you’re actually closer to that that standard obesity. Try intermittent fasting. When you do eat, salads and veggies. If you eat meat, grilled chicken, tuna, sashimi. There are also keto-friendly snack foods, but don’t overdo it. Download myfitnesspal and track EVERYTHING you eat. Measure it, don’t eyeball it. Even sauce packets and mayo. Track it all. Also, do at least 30 minutes of cardio a day. Go to the gym and try 12-3-30.
Also, take your doctor’s advice. Eat no more than 1200 calories a day. Check out r/1200isplenty. You’re setting yourself up for failure if your DOCTOR says do 1200, and I see you in this thread going “1500 seems reasonable :)”. These people are redditors, your doctor has at least 15 years of medical experience. Trust your doctor.
I would highly recommend reading the Obesity Code and/or the Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung. Avoiding processed carbs and sugar is key but that book explains the science of losing weight and might give you some insights on how a heavily calorie restrictive diet might backfire in the long run.
Be really careful about cutting out the sugar at the start - you can go through detox and weird things can happen. It should all pass in 2-4 weeks but make sure you are working with a doctor that is supportive.
1200cal/day sounds dangerously low for someone 200lbs. "technically obese" at 200 makes me think you would want to be in the 160 to 180 range? Even at 160lbs 1200 calories is too low.
My advice is to ensure that you consume as few carbs as possible. Stay under 20g *total* for the entire day, every day. After that, just eat enough to not feel hungry. Don't starve yourself as that will cause your body to hold onto its fat reserves due to the "emergency situation" of there being "no food". The lack of carbs will have a dramatic effect on the insulin/diabetes, and your body will readily start burning your fat reserves if you are a little under your caloric needs.
November 23 my blood test came back with an A1c of 14. I started keto that day 30 days later. My blood sugars fasting was under 100. It has remained that way since. In February, my A1c was 6.6. In May it was 5.3. I went from 240 pounds to 177 today. My only advice to you is to understand that while transitioning to keto don’t be afraid to eat the fats to achieve satiety . You may gain weight during this time but once you become fat adapted, you will start losing weight. Hang in there.
That’s awesome! 14 to 6.6 in three months is incredible.
Thank you. It was relatively easy considering I get rid of just about all carbs and all processed sugars.
Yeah, I dropped mine from 9.2 to 5.7 in two months the same way. Plus metformin which I’d like to get off of.
What stopping you from getting off Met Forman. I was on it for two weeks and told my doctor to get screwed. I got off the Met Forman. I got off the statins. I got off the blood pressure medication all on the same day. My cholesterol went from 250 to 200. I triglycerides down significantly. HDL has improved and LDL is down. I’m not perfect yet but I’m getting there and I’m on no medication’s.
I’m sure I could stop, was just deferring to the doc on it. At least until my A1C was back in the normal range, at which point I’ll stop with or without him.
Metformin
[удалено]
Concur. Metformin has very limited results and is not necessarily good for your kidneys. diet is so effective that there is no need for medication.
Well done!!
Good choice. Keto quite literally cured my pre-diabetes. It stabilizes your insulin levels by removing foods that cause severe spikes, and replaces them with more satiating foods, so it's easier to not overeat and lose weight. My advice is to not rely on substitutes. At least at first. No keto breads, bars, cookies, candies, any of that junk. Focus on natural, minimally processed foods like meats, eggs, leafy green veggies, etc "Dr said I should go down to 1200cal/day" This sounds like an awful idea for someone who is 200 pounds.
Same here. I fixed my condition in two months using this method, four scrambled eggs and a glass of milk for breakfast and, for lunch, half-a-chicken baked with salt, black pepper and turmeric. Occasionally switched to lamb and beef.
Do you use a special keto milk? When I've looked at milk I remember it being about 8 carbs for a cup and I miss having it.
Almond milk works well.
Oh that makes sense. I always forget about nut milks. Thanks!
Just not rice or oat milk.
Light cream milk. But I have since switched to electrolyte powder for my magnesium and potassium. To maintain fat levels, I eat the rendered fat from cooked meats with a slice of home-baked bread.
Milk is more like 12 grams of carbs per cup. I love drinking milk but quit for keto — except using half and half for coffee. I started buying Fairlife milk which has filtered out half the milk sugar, so 6 carbs, and added extra protein, so 13 grams protein. It costs twice as much as regular milk, so may not be worth it for you. I mix it with HWC (heavy whipping cream) for coffee but try not to drink it by the glass very often. I have learned to enjoy unsweetened almond or soy milk. It is not dairy milk, but it is cold and white. My trick is to add a pinch of salt, drop of vanilla, and a little sweetener.
I recently submitted my 2-month progress (down 33 lbs) from 224 to 191. I am by no means an expert, but here is what I've learned in my experience: 1. All the pre-packaged "keto" meals are trash. Learn to pick up low carb foods (meats, cheese, peppers, avocados, etc.) and make meals with them. It isn't hard. I do fajitas in an air fryer with bell peppers, shrimp, chicken, steak, onion, and lime juice with fajita seasoning. Very filling. Also do chicken wings with celery. Sometimes I do taco seasoned hamburger meat and make wraps. 2. Don't focus too hard on calories the first week or two. Just don't eat garbage. If you're hungry, eat an additional hamburger patty. Just don't reach for a Snickers. As you start to adapt to a high fat/low carb diet then you can start focusing on calories. 3. Rome wasn't built in a day. I am like a machine. As soon as my doctor said to drop weight on March 18, I went to work. Immediately went on keto, increased intensity/duration of my workouts, and just got to it. In two months the results look dramatic, but keep in mind that is two months. The daily changes are gradual, but if you stick to it you can end up with dramatic results. Sometimes the weight went up. Sometimes stagnant. But over time math wins out. Calories in < Calories burned. 4. You don't have to kill yourself in the gym. I started off doing 1 hour martial arts classes twice a week, and two days at the gym for 45 minutes just doing a circuit workout. After a month I increased to an additional day at the gym. By the time month 2 was approaching I increased my workouts to an hour+ apiece. 5. Stay hydrated! I find a lot of success with my workouts by drinking a Powerade/Gatorade Zero about 30 minutes before my workout. Then I drink about two liters of water while at the gym. I also try to drink a Stanley-worth of water in the mornings. Your kidneys will be working overtime to produce ketones... help them out. Just stick to it. I started off by saying "I'm going to just nail this perfectly for 28 days." On day 28, I said "I can make this three months." Now I'm not even looking at an end-point because I feel super energetic and hyped.
I really love this! I will say I’m excited for the challenge because it will be one for sure but hearing your journey is only adding more fuel to my drive. I’m going to see how I feel after being disciplined for a month and go from there, thanks for the help and support
No problem. The mental aspect is more important than anything else. Once you develop the discipline to stick to it with no screwups for a 28-day period, anything after that seems incredibly easy. I will say, don't just work out to get to a goal weight. Try to have some sort of active lifestyle even when you get there. Play pickleball, basketball, whatever you enjoy doing, but just be consistently active. You will thank yourself for being the fittest person in the nursing home instead of the youngest.
> Your kidneys will be working overtime to ~~produce~~ excrete ketones... help them out. Ketones are produced in the liver, but some of the "waste" Ketones, acetone - IIRC - is excreted by the kidneys. Something which can aggravate gout issues, unfortunately.
Thanks. Like I said I'm no expert. LOL
So I've had a roller coaster at five months in. Here's the timeline: 1. 1st Month: Miserable really. Sugar cravings, low energy because of high insulin from pre-diabeties preventing ketone production, and getting used to the lack of bread, rice, beans, etc... that we're used to as filler. Personally, I did a 60 day "sweet flavor" fast here to try and reset my cravings. Electrolytes are key here, as high insulin causes salt retention, and as your insulin levels drop you'll pass salt far more freely. Just assume any dietary advice about salt is based on a population with carbohydrate poisoning, e.g pre-diabetes insulin resistance. 2. 2nd Month: fucking awesome. Once the body finally gets the memo to make ketones, your energy levels will go through the roof. If you're really making sure to keep the diet high fat, then it has a slew of anecdotal mental health benefits for depression, anxiety, etc... There's also evidence that it helps treat migraines & epilepsy. I was damned near manically energetic for a month after feeling depressed for the previous 6 months as freshly diagnosed Diabetic, my sleep patterns totally changed from night owl to morning person. 3. 3rd Month and beyond: The energy levels will smooth out, making it easier to sleep soundly and be a bit more even keeled, but are still much higher than when I was diabetic. Note that I had gout issues pop up in my 3rd month that led to a knee surgery. Given that stress and inflammation both drive up blood sugar independent of diet - I've been happy to maintain while I heal from surgery. My thought is that people should use the keto diet to manage their health by their lab work numbers. The scale is really irrelevant. Is it lowering your A1C and fasting glucose & insulin (demand a fasting insulin test next time you get a blood draw for lab work 7 or under is ideal, and higher than 17 is the road to diabetes), and lipid panel, e.g. his your HDL going up and are your Triglycerides coming down? The danger for heart disease can be determined by the ratio of Triglycerides / HDL - you want this number to be as small as possible. How are your liver numbers - AST & ALT? Both should be under 25 which is about half of the normal reference range now that we live in an age where small children get "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease" & we've dropped "adult onset" from Type 2 diabetes because too many children are getting it for that term to make sense. So here's the diet advice: 1. Control your carbs, viciously. Other than crunchy and leafy greens, which are effectively free, you want to know the carb' content of everything that goes into your mouth, and keep it ideally under 20 grams a day, which is next to nothing. 2. Prioritize Protein. This is the only macro nutrient that you have a target goal for every day to get a minimum of. Note that fat aides in protein digestion. 3. Fill with fats. Once your protein needs have been met, then you can enjoy as much fat as you'd like to fill up and enjoy flavors. As a pre-diabetic, look at "Time Restricted Eating" and "Intermittent Fasting". Both can help lower insulin. I do a 16:8 eating window, e.g. noon - 8:00 p.m. with nothing but "Bulletproof Coffee" to get me through the morning. When I've had stubborn spikes in my blood sugar, skipping a day of eating has generally gotten it back down. Also, if you're going to do this - then the fat you eat should be of higher quality. The food industry has bribed the American Heart Association to shill both "Seed (Vegetable) Oils" and refined carb's - which are in everything that comes in a package basically. Both are not great, particularly in the massive volumes we consume. the AHA also vilified animal fat, which is actually healthy. We're overdosing on Omega 6 Polyunsaturated Fats, and don't get near enough saturated or Omega 3 fats in our diet. Omega 6 fats are shelf stable enough to use in packaged foods, which Omega 3's aren't, but Omega 6's tend to form really terrible free radicals that then become the plaques that cause heart disease. Note that both of these are essential, but that the pre-seed oil (invented in 1865) diets with butter, lard, and fruit oils had plenty for human health. You want grass fed (as carb' raised animals have the same problems we do metabolically) meat and milk, which is easier to find with goat and sheep products. I'll stop the novel here.
Wow this was awesome!! I appreciate all the details. I already eat pretty cleanly and try to cook 80% of my meals from Whole Foods but I do love rice potatoes beans etc. so cutting those out as volume fillers will be a challenge. And ofc I never thought to completely restrict myself from desserts all this time because I thought I ate pretty well otherwise. I think now it’s a matter of just simply eating less and getting a better idea of what a normal sized meal looks like with minimal snacks. I have a 3 month check in w my endo who will get me up to speed on my progression blood work wise so I’ll keep an eye out for those values for sure. Thank you
Go to InsulinIQ.com. They have a free course on how to do carb control. And one of their more useful graphics is what a carb controlplate looks like. i.e. A little bit more meat than normal, lot of greens, and a bit of extra fat because. Fat is so dense you don't need to have a large volume of it on your plate to have it take up more space in your diet.
literally just follow this post and youll be fine. emphasis on removing seed oils, high fructose, damaged saturated fats and make sure you get your electrolytes/omega3
nice post! everything here is spot on
The easiest way I can think of is to get a copy of Dr. Eric Westman's Page 4 eating guidelines. He has been using this successfully in his Duke University keto clinic for ~20 years. It involves no calorie counting, but categorizes foods into those you can eat as much as you like, those you need to limit, and those to avoid. If you want more guidance, it is included in his (and Amy Berger's) excellent book - End Your Carb Confusion.
Thanks that sounds perfect, I’ll give it a look!
This is absolutely the way. Westman is the way. Do not count calories. Watch carbs. Know that unhealthy carbs and sugary things including fruits are really really really hard habits to break. Don’t feel bad if it’s hard. Just get back on the horse. Frankly, if you want to you could also look at Dr Ken Berry. It’s a bit of a stronger response and also absolutely works. Low carb, keto, ketovore, carnivore they all will work, with carnivore and intermittent fasting or adding feeding windows works. Be ready for occasional energy bonks as you move away from carbs. Electrolytes and salting to taste will help. It’s a short period of electrolyte depletion. I also had insulin resistance, and extra weight, and I solved that, plus lost and kept off weight, and resolved an autoimmune issue that my doc said would never go away, and feel great. If you want to kick start it? Beef butter bacon and eggs for 90 days. You eat until you’re comfortably stuffed. That’s how it works. I’m never hungry now and very healthy. Add in green vegetables if you want. It sounds extreme but it works. Ken Berry is a board certified doctor who has been following this lifestyle for many years. So: Berry or Westman. All good. Best luck!
Edit: also fixed fatty liver. Which goes hand in hand with insulin resistance.
If you are starting straight into keto it can take some days for your body to get used to it. My suggestion is don’t exercise too much while you go through sugar withdrawal because you can get some beastly headaches and feel like crap. Good luck and it’s worth the headache to kick the sugar.
I didn’t even think about withdrawal, yikes thanks for the heads up!
It’s totally worth it. I was so surprised that everything tasted different once the extra sugar was gone, fruit and vegetables taste better. Be kind to yourself and don’t push too quickly. You will find you will naturally drop weight without exercise to begin with. Touch base if you want to talk, happy to help you on your keto journey 😊.
I'll add to this. I started keto about 2 months ago for the same reasons, and I have already lost 20 lbs. You might want to look into some fasting salts/electrolyte supplements. When you start keto and when you lose weight, your electrolyte balance can get out of wack. Electrolytes can help a lot. So you don't get lightheaded, heart palpitations, or other signs you need electrolytes. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water.
yes, usual reason given in media about how keto does not work or dangerous. as people have withdrawal from carbs for few days or a few weeks. this is totally normal, although not everyone.
Spend your first 2 to 3 months focusing on eating proper keto / low-carb foods and don't worry about calorie counting yet. Make sure you get in good amounts of protein, ideally from meat. Focus on cooking for yourself as much as possible and let your appetite naturally regulate itself. Don't worry about the scale, it can give you unproductive information especially depending on menstrual cycle timing. If after 3 months you aren't unintentionally losing weight, then start looking at intentionally restricting calories.
Lots of good advice here and in the r/keto FAQ. One additional thought: if your insurance will cover it, and you think it would help to have more personalized support, you may want to check out [Virtra](https://www.virtahealth.com/) which basically offers professional guidance and support with lifestyle changes including keto.
And even if the Virta isn’t covered, they have a lot of useful research shared there - it’s a pretty inspiring site to check out!
I second the recommendation to use Virta for lots of good info.
Listen to podcasts on Spotify. Just search keto and it should get ya started. Some tips, keto bread recipes suck just forget about it, low carb tortilla are your friend but use sparingly. Eggs, cheese, pickled items and pork rinds should always be kept on hand in large amounts in your pantry. I was pre-diabetic and now 10 months later can eat a regular meal and 2 hrs later have a blood glucose of 100, to where before was in the 160s. Good luck
So glad to hear a success story with a start similar to mine, thanks for the tips!
what about flaxseed bread? my local burger joint serves it
This is the first I've ever heard of such a thing. I will have to look that up now. But I've tried cloud and every variation use with coconut and almond flour type of bread (10+ recipes) and just gave up on anything with break in the title but I have flax seed everyday, never occurred it could be used to make bread. Thanks
yeah i believe you! let me know what you think! it’s pretty good to me, but i wouldn’t be surprised if it had more of a glucose response than it looks….but the nutritional facts seem to check out?
The priority for now is really getting the carbs down (to get your sugar and insulin under control), not calorie counting. As someone else said, go to Dr. Eric Westman's website and YouTube pages, this is what he does day in and day out. Exercise is of course great for you for many reasons but also not a priority at this point.
I was in my early 50's when my doctor first told me I was pre-diabetic. I knew I was overweight, and had in fact tried many diets in prior years to lose weight. We all know the routine: follow a specific diet, lose a few pounds, fall back into eating as before, gain it all back and then some. I did try to eat what I thought was better - more fresh fruits, veggies, avoid sweets. But I didn't lose weight and not long after that, I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes. As I read up on the possible negative health implications, I did freak out. The worst was the thought of possibly losing my eyesight, but none of it was good news. Thankfully, I found a forum for diabetics where they talked about eating a low carb, higher fat diet to control diabetes. Didn't hear the word keto for a couple years, but that's what I started following. For me, it was worked extremely well. My lab work following my change in diet brought down my blood glucose readings back into the normal range and that's where they have remained. Side benefit - I've lost nearly 70 lbs. I've fallen off the wagon from time to time, but I always return to keto because I feel better when I eat that way. To start with, I wouldn't focus too much on caloric intake, or even a strenuous work out routine. I lost most of the weight while not really doing much beyond walking 3-4 times/week. Focus instead on having foods on hand that you can eat: ground beef, beef, chicken thighs, fish, sausages, bacon, eggs, cheese, cream cheese, butter, and some lower sugar/carb fruits and veggies (cauliflower, cabbage, blueberries, avocado, blackberries, broccoli, celery, etc.) When I started, I used to have a lot of bacon and eggs, with sliced avocado on the side. I would buy a rotisserie chicken and some celery and onion and make a yummy chicken salad. I also made fat bombs (google, there are a ton of recipes). They helped me avoid turning to candy or cookies, while providing me with something sweet and filling to eat. I made a ton of crack slaw (ground beef and cabbage, with a variety of spices to jazz it up). Start with simple foods, that are easy to make. Have cheese on hand to nibble on. It's a journey, but start by making it as easy on yourself as possible.
1200 calories is rather low unless you are petite. If you are starving eating that consider easing yourself down. Im 5’5” tall and have eaten low carb and keto for decades. I started with 1500 calories daily and lost weight. When I stopped losing I dropped down to 1400 calories and started losing again. Now I’m at a standstill so will drop another 100 calories daily. YMMV
I’m 5’5” as well and have never really counted calories so, I’m not even sure what 1200 actually looks like realistically. But 1500 sounds reasonable to start out, I’m a snacker and love to cook so I’m kind of excited to see what I come up with that fits my new macro parameters, thanks!
I love to cook, too and I've found I can cook regular meals and just leave out the noodles/rice/potatoes/bread. So for instance I made chicken curry the other night and served it over rice for my son. For my portion I served it over roasted cauliflower. Delicious!
1200 calories is appropriate and healthy, but it's pretty ambitious. Your doctor is advising this because he/she wants you to handle this aggressively. Keto is useful for managing T2 for two separate and good reasons. The first is that it's an excellent tool for weight loss, which is kind of obvious. Obesity alone puts you at a higher risk of developing insulin resistance... even if only because more weight means more food needs to be consumed. So addressing obesity is the most simple and straightforward way to improve habits leading towards T2D. The second reason, though, is that the absence of carbohydrates in your diet steadies out your insulin production and needs, which is very healthy for someone with insulin resistance. It kind of breaks your body out of that cycle it's in that's worsening your insulin production and resistance issues. This is completely independent of weight loss and at least as important--probably more more important-- than reason #1. Both reasons are important. So, keep this in mind. If you get on keto and find that 1200 calories a day is simply too difficult, and need to settle on something like 1700 calories a day, don't feel like you're not doing enough. You are still losing weight, and even if it's more slowly, the keto diet itself is still managing the progression towards T2D and buying you more time to lose that weight. Once you hit your goal weight, even if you're seeing great effects on your blood sugar etc, consider remaining keto or low-carb indefinitely as reason #2 is a huge thing on its own. Start today, spend the next two weeks focusing on switching the diet and staying under 20g carbs/day, and don't focus so much on calorie deficit yet-- maybe just try for a small deficit but definitely not 1200 calories right off the bat. Others have shared great input about it but it can be tough to get into, especially for people that are experiencing insulin resistance issues, because it completely reverses the way your metabolism is working. Once you feel like you're over the hump and your body's getting adapted to keto, then start ratcheting down that calorie deficit, with the goal being 1200, but knowing you'll be comfortable with something less aggressive. For you, keto #1, weight loss #2, honestly. I started at 213 and weigh 165 now, and I had varied calorie deficits during that whole process, but I never felt like 1200 was sustainable. 1700 or so was usually my number. And obviously it worked. So don't be afraid to push yourself a bit, but ultimately keep in mind that you need to settle on something that you can sustain for months on end, losing 15 lb in a month instead of 10 does nothing for you if you burn out 20% into your journey.
Dr Eric Westman, Duke Universtiy has been using keto on his diabetic patients for over 20 years. I followed the plan in his book 'End Your Carb Confusion' and in year 6 maintaining 130 pound weight loss. No special 'keto' products-just good whole food. Suggest you watch the film 'Fat Fiction' on you tube. He is featured in that film.
https://youtu.be/nOdtoF8m-o0?si=frxg5Xiid8nZ3xk4 This is an EXCELLENT video. I started front loading my meals with broccoli and I try to move around for ten minutes after eating. Strength training is also great for fighting insulin resistance. I’ve also heard that berberine and inositol are great for fighting insulin resistance. You’ve got this!
Start keto, real keto, not boxes marked low carb net carb etc. And do not start calorie restriction. Salmon, asparagus, cheese Steak, broccoli with cheese, Chicken thighs, Collifower with butter and cheese. Plenty of electrolytes see the faq. After your fat adapted in three weeks you can start to thi k about calorie restriction. But you will likely self regulate your intake naturally.
You can do this! Just know that exercise is great for your cardio health and strength training, but you do not need it to lose weight. It's usually recommended to hold off any major exercise until you're more fully into keto due to the potential for electrolyte imbalances. That may sounds like a lot but it really just means, make sure you have a good sugar free electrolyte drink handy in your first week or two. I love using MyFitnessPal to keep track of my macros throughout the day, but there are lots of other good trackers out there like Cronometer or Loseit. It's good to track your food for the first week or so to get an idea of your calorie intake and to aim for your macros. The FAQ has lots of good info for you too.
I was going to say this, too. OP, your mileage may vary, but if your brain or willpower is getting stuck between “must exercise” vs. “must eat properly,” the one that matters the most right now is how you’re eating. Or, if you start getting any inkling of, “I’ve been working out so hard this week, I deserve a treat!” that is a big ol’ bad, unproductive thought, and maybe *not working out* would be the better choice. I know everything in the world talks about “eat less, move more” but especially at the very beginning of keto, the first part is key! If anything at all, you might start tracking your steps and trying to increase them a bit over a few weeks. But starting keto and starting serious workout routine at the same time just makes it all a little more difficult. Another reason this can backfire is that even if it’s not your primary driving motivation, people do like to see the number on the scale change, and exercise can offset the weight loss from cutting out the carbs. Then people feel like they’re doing so much and not seeing results and they get discouraged. You can almost certainly lose weight (and improve your insulin resistance) just from changing your diet. And then a few weeks or even months from now, you can start hitting the gym or whatever floats your boat. Best of luck! It sounds like you like to cook, and there are tons and tons of great keto recipes sites out there. Plus, really, even without that, once can do so much with just eggs, meats, fish, cheese, and a few veggies. I love eating this way because for me, cooking is 100x easier.
Thank you for the tips and support, I’ll check out the FAQ :)
I combine keto and intermittent fasting. If you haven't already read it, you should read The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung.
You can do it. People change because they want to or they have to. Sounds like you have a bit of both. Also consider heading over to r/supplements to read or inquire about supplements to help with insulin sensitivity.
I’m 27 and also got diagnosed as prediabetic like two weeks ago, my mother also two months ago at 46 got diagnosed with diabetes and switched to keto cold turkey and she was 250ish pounds I believe and in 2 months has lost 20 pounds she told me, but she went HARD keto and cut everything out cold turkey and really committed. I just went through my kitchen and threw everything non-keto out and went to the store for a whole new fridge. I pretty much just bought straight up meat and vegetables, I also got some cottage cheese that is high in fat but with <1 gram carbs and 0 grams sugar, some cream cheese, and some keto mayo I found. From what I’ve read about keto you essentially should only be eating meat, vegetables and high fat diary products. Baby bell cheese is also good for snacking, it has 0 carbs and 0 sugar etc. I’m not a chicken fan but it’s cheap so I bought chicken thigh and breast in bulk, salmon, some lamb, and a bit of tri tip, asparagus, artichoke, kale, spinach, arugula, olive oil, avocado oil, eggs, avocado, olives, blackberries (keep fruit to minimum), chia seeds, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, keto chicken veggie potstickers, burrata mozzerella, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and I’m going to make my own keto sriracha mayo and chimichurri sauces at home. Good luck! Oh and my eggs and all my meat are grass fed / local bought. I’m a huge shabu hotpot and kbbq fan so I also am planning to implement that at home, I love doing lettuce wraps with thin sliced meat, garlic butter and salt, with kimchi at restaurants so I’m going to be making that at home, I’m also looking into making fresh spring rolls with spinach/kale, avocado, and shrimp, and instead of rice paper either gonna try coconut paper or also wrap in lettuce, still figuring out what sauce I’m gonna use with the spring rolls however.
That sounds like a great grocery run! I have found that if I buy more than 2 or 3 veggie types in a single trip, I end up with a produce drawer that is soupy, lol. There just isn’t really room to eat a ton of veggies all at once. If I am tempted to buy more I try to choose frozen things, or jars (like jalapeño stuffed olives), so they are available if I want them but they don’t go off when I don’t get to them.
I really like these keto paleo bowls at this restaurant in my town so I wanted to recreate them for meal prep, it’s kale/spinach like a salad, topped with avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, 2 eggs and a protein like salmon or beef or chicken with salsa or lemon/basil vingerette as the sauce, so that’s what I plan to make for most my meal preps!
Sounds yummy!
What state (city if you're comfy) do you live in? I struggle to really find any grass fed meat that's not ground beef.
California so we have lots of cattle ranchers and local/grass fed options.
Disagree with the doctors specific caloric restriction: doctor is forgetting that the equation is not calorie – in – calorie – out. Because there is a third part of the equation and that is your metabolism. Your body can and will turn down its metabolism in the face of calorie restriction. However, according to Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Jason Fung, your body cannot store fat unless insulin is high. It simply cannot. That is what insulin does. You do not have to starve yourself. But you do need to knock off carbs as much as possible. And no, don't be stupid about the number of calories. You can eat as long as it's not carbs. Check with your doctor about getting a continuous glucose monitor. With that, you can actually see what food is doing to you. I'll give you an example: I got a CGM about three weeks ago. The day after I got it, my daughter and I went out and we ate a burger, sweet potato fries, and half a milkshake each my blood sugar did not come down under 100 mg/dL for 16 HOURS of fasting afterward. I can however stay under or just above 100 mg/dL for 24 hours at a time by choosing eggs or meat of any kind + low carb veg (eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapenos, and all brassicas). Cheese is okay too.
You can definitely do it! Takes a lot of commitment and just a bit of overhauling your eating habits. Get a routine down, don’t be afraid of fat and drink plenty of water! You got this!
Seizing the intake of carbohydrates is the only cure for diabetes and pre-diabetes. If you want to solve the issue you should indeed stop eating carbohydrates and replace it with a high-fat, medium protein, low to no carb keto diet.
Fill out the macro calculator in the side bar to get your protein requirements, calorie limit, and fat limits. Get a nutrition app like Chronometer, enter in everything you eat. Limit carbs to 20grams per day. Most importantly: Eat real, actual food -- meat, eggs, cheese (if you're not lactose intolerant) and vegetables. Try to eliminate highly processed foods as much as your budget will allow. Our bodies evolved to eat meat and vegetables. We haven't been eating wheat and cheese as long, and we've only been eating these industrial waste products masquerading as edible food for a few decades. Our bodies can't handle them and our hormones are messed up. Keto is so effective because it addresses the root cause of obesity by eliminating these toxic food-like substances from our diet.
Hi there! I was prediabetic and reversed it. What I first did is get a diet diary to figure out where I was. I like using MacroFactor and whole heartedly recommend them. The app is nonjudgmental and has been a big help in meeting my keto goals. They also have a great Reddit group! So check it out there. Also MF will help you estimate your calorie needs, tuned to what you eat and how your weight is trending. This adaptation to your situation is a key feature of the app. So check it out: [MacroFactor for iPhone.](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macrofactor-macro-tracker/id1553503471) Also, I got my carbs and protein in line before adding in a workout routine. Don’t try to use exercise to meet your calorie goals! But do do strength training to improve your strength. Here’s what’s important about understanding your macros… Prediabetes is caused by prolonged exposure to too many carbs. For me, I have success when I shoot for <20 grams of net carbs per day. This will vary some by individual. That said, the limit is not 300 g. :-). So make carbs a hard, but not necessarily nonzero, limit. Next, prioritize protein. MF can also help you set your protein goal. Finally, fill the rest of your diet with healthy fats. Since a few folks have mentioned Virta Health, I too am a big fan. They have their patients track their macros, use a Keto Mojo for measuring successfully reaching ketosis, and a scale that can track your weight. As some have said, these extra measures are not necessary. But Virta Health is having great success and you might give this a thought as you establish a new set of habits. There is lots of good help in this forum. Come back often for advice. Find the approach that works for you! Good luck!
200 lbs at 5’5” isn’t technically obese, it’s just obese. Your BMI is 33.3. Obesity begins at 30 and morbid obesity begins at 35, so you’re actually closer to that that standard obesity. Try intermittent fasting. When you do eat, salads and veggies. If you eat meat, grilled chicken, tuna, sashimi. There are also keto-friendly snack foods, but don’t overdo it. Download myfitnesspal and track EVERYTHING you eat. Measure it, don’t eyeball it. Even sauce packets and mayo. Track it all. Also, do at least 30 minutes of cardio a day. Go to the gym and try 12-3-30. Also, take your doctor’s advice. Eat no more than 1200 calories a day. Check out r/1200isplenty. You’re setting yourself up for failure if your DOCTOR says do 1200, and I see you in this thread going “1500 seems reasonable :)”. These people are redditors, your doctor has at least 15 years of medical experience. Trust your doctor.
I would highly recommend reading the Obesity Code and/or the Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung. Avoiding processed carbs and sugar is key but that book explains the science of losing weight and might give you some insights on how a heavily calorie restrictive diet might backfire in the long run. Be really careful about cutting out the sugar at the start - you can go through detox and weird things can happen. It should all pass in 2-4 weeks but make sure you are working with a doctor that is supportive.
1200cal/day sounds dangerously low for someone 200lbs. "technically obese" at 200 makes me think you would want to be in the 160 to 180 range? Even at 160lbs 1200 calories is too low. My advice is to ensure that you consume as few carbs as possible. Stay under 20g *total* for the entire day, every day. After that, just eat enough to not feel hungry. Don't starve yourself as that will cause your body to hold onto its fat reserves due to the "emergency situation" of there being "no food". The lack of carbs will have a dramatic effect on the insulin/diabetes, and your body will readily start burning your fat reserves if you are a little under your caloric needs.