I Tried The Keto Diet

On July 17th I began trying a keto diet....just for the fun of it! Well not totally for fun. Let me back up. Obviously I love food. I love eating it, cooking it, shopping for it, and planning for it. But over the past few years I have also developed a deeper love for nutrition. I love reading about how certain foods and diets can affect our bodies. I find it fascinating how our bodies function differently depending on what we eat, and I'm a firm believer that food can be medicine for many people. 

In the past I have done portion control diets (21 day fix), as well as more restrictive diets such as the Whole30. I find these little experiments fun, and they do help me lose those inevitable 10 lbs that seem to creep back up during the year. I had been hearing about the keto lifestyle for about a year or so, but never thought much of it until this summer. After doing a little research I decided to dive right in.

The basic premise behind the keto diet is this: The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate way of eating. It generally limits NET carbs to no more than 20 grams per day. (Net carbs = Carbs - Fiber). Once the body stops receiving carbs to burn as fuel, it is forced into ketosis, in which the body burns fat for fuel. It gets its name from the word "ketones", which are produced in the liver to be used as energy.

I approached the diet very curious, and hopeful that I would lose a few pounds as well as lessen the amount of headaches I was getting. During the first few days as my body adjusted to less than 20 grams of carbs per day, I felt a little weak. But after that I felt pretty normal. One symptom I experienced the first week was a LOT of urination. As your body flushes out glycogen stores, along with it comes lots of water. Not surprisingly, I lost 5 pounds just in the first week.

I began eating a lot of healthy fats. (Let me tell you if you don't already know....healthy fats do not make you fat! Fats combined with lots of refined starchy carbs will make you fat.) Cream in my coffee every morning was delicious. At least 1/2 to 1 avocado a day. Foods cooked in butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. Rich creamy homemade alfredo sauces over chicken and zoodles. Lots of cream cheese. Wild caught salmon. Chia pudding made with coconut milk. Bacon and eggs for breakfast, although I didn't make bacon an everyday food. Cheese and nuts for snacks. Oh and plenty of vegetables.

One thing I noticed immediately was how filling these foods were. All the fat was working to keep me full between meals, and I rarely found myself "starving" by the next meal. One really nice side effect was the complete elimination of my headaches for the first two weeks. I thought I had finally found the answer to my migraines! But then they slowly started coming back. And I'm not sure what to think about that. But something I was doing during those first two weeks absolutely helped. I also noticed my nails were growing like crazy, and the skin on my face wasn't nearly as dry as it usually is.

I appreciated how the keto books and articles all encouraged choosing healthy fats and proteins. Grass-fed organic meats, organic full fat dairy, organic produce, nitrate-free bacon, and pastured eggs are all recommended. I can't consume everything organic due to budget restrictions, but I do try to buy organic when it's something my family eats a lot of.

So were there any negative side effects or things I didn't like about the keto lifestyle? Yes. First off, I missed eating healthy whole grains and healthy carbs. Foods like oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and beans. I believe these can all be part of a healthy rounded diet. Eating these foods can help to ensure you are getting enough fiber, which is amazing not just for digestion but also heart health. Also, I didn't like how the diet kind of discouraged me from eating a lot of fruit (and even some veggies!). Because many fruits are high in carbohydrates, they are discouraged on the keto lifestyle. (Except for berries, which are high in fiber and therefore the fiber cancels out the carbs.) I don't eat a ton of fruit in general, but it just kind of bothered me that fruit was kind of viewed as "bad" on this diet.

I also experienced a few strange side effects while on keto. Sometime during the 4th week I started getting leg cramps at night. I had read this could happen if I was dehydrated or low on certain minerals such as magnesium. So I made sure to drink my CALM Magnesium drink almost every night before bed. Still, the leg cramps persisted. This same thing happened when I tried Whole30. Also, just this week I have noticed myself bruising much easier. I have no idea if it is related to eating Keto, but I thought I would mention it in case any of you try this way of eating.

So here I am, almost 5 weeks into eating keto. I am 13 pounds lighter, which I appreciate. But due to the strange symptoms I am having, I may slowly start introducing whole grain carbs back into my diet this week. What do you think of my little experiment? Have you ever tried the keto diet?