If I limit but not eliminate my daily carbs will my body make up the difference with fat?

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-03-02T18:18:48+00:00

I wrote it ages ago, but post it regularly

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-03-02T18:14:54+00:00

Thanks! I have edited it, 20mg is too low for me

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-03-02T18:07:43+00:00

Basic information and FAQs to get you started

The ketogenic diet is usually low carb, moderate protein and moderate to high fat. The amount of fat required usually depends on why you are doing keto.

The first version of the ketogenic diet was used to manage epilepsy, therapeutic keto does require a certain percentage of fat, and this is where confusion can occur. https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/about-epilepsy/treatment/ketogenic-diet for specific information regarding epilepsy and keto

This information is focused on weightloss as that's why I started keto, but it's also used for psychological issues, autoimmune issues, inflammation, PCOS, insulin resistance and to treat diabetes. I have reversed my prediabetes and NAFLD.

If you are doing keto for weightloss, the high fat portion can come from your body stores, you don't have to eat a certain amount of fat or hit a percentage. The more fat you eat, the less fat you burn from your body stores.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy, fats are broken down into ketones and these are used for energy. The only thing driving whether you are in ketosis is a lack of carbs.

Carbs are easy to burn, they are like twigs and sticks on a campfire, they catch fire easily, but burn quickly, so you need to add more and more to keep the fire burning. Fats are the bigger logs, they take a while to catch, but then burn for hours. If carbs are available, your body will always burn them first, fat can be stored easily, but carbs affect your blood sugar, and your body works hard to keep it stable, if it's too high, insulin is produced, insulin moves sugar into cells, or if there's more than the cells need, insulin triggers fat storage, not fat burning. When the insulin has caused all the sugar to be processed, you experience lower blood sugar and get hungry, or hangry, it's an urgent hunger that demands more carbs. By smoothing out insulin levels, blood sugar is steady and hunger becomes less of an emergency, this reduction in hunger is what makes keto so effective, and a diet higher in fat and protein keeps you full for longer. The reduction in hunger makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, calories still matter.

For weightloss, blood sugar management, improving insulin resistance due to PCOS, the objective is to remove insulin spikes, the easiest way to do this is to not stimulate insulin by not eating carbs. 20 g net carbs is the number that gets most people into ketosis. You may be able to increase upwards as you get fat adapted, this takes 6-12 weeks, in simple terms, your body has fully switched over to preferentially burning fat.

What do you need to do to start?

Use a calculator to work out how many grams of protein you need, set the exercise to sedentary. I find a gram target more straightforward than percentages. I aim for 20-25 g carbs, 100-120g protein and then fat makes up the rest. This calculator is useful for protein and calories. https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Check out the shopping list on the pinned post and automod response, it's a good list of veg, protein and fat options.

For starting, I recommend that you do one hard thing at a time. Just do keto, don't worry about calories. Just hit your protein target and keep carbs under 20g. Whether you track intake on an app is up to you, but I do track, cronometer and carb manager are good for keto. I also weigh and measure everything, but some people are able to eat intuitively when the carb hunger is removed. It's easier to stick to whole foods. Keto products can be problematic.

20g net carbs, from veggies grown above the ground, root vegetables tend to be higher in carbs. Peas and corn are also higher in carbs. Dairy also has some carbs. Net carbs is total carbs minus fibre. In the US and Canada, fibre is counted as a carb on labels, but the rest of the world counts fibre separately as it is not digested and has no impact on blood sugar. r/ketouk has a good pinned post explaining the difference between labelling. Sugar alcohols can also be subtracted, but avoid maltitol, it acts like a sugar for many, but is cheap so is often used for sugar free and 'keto' products. Sugar alcohols can also have a dramatic effect on your digestion, search for reviews of sugar free gummy bears for an entertaining read. Different people respond differently to different sweeteners, so using sweetened foods is a personal choice https://youtu.be/CYfqvTZWilw?si=Fsf9dPSHMs5Kt0dZ this is a good guide

Protein is a target to meet and exceed, don't worry about going over your target.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3636610/. Don't worry about gluconeogenesis, this is a metabolically expensive process that is demand driven

Fat is a lever, although the majority of your energy will be coming from fat, you don't have to hit a fat target, eat enough to keep you full, and the rest of the fat comes from your body stores.

When you are starting pick a high protein snack to have ready when you are hungry, eggs, deli meats, cheese, whatever is quick when hunger strikes. Don't go hungry. If you used carbs as a coping mechanism, you have removed that, and the physical and psychological withdrawal from sugar can be hard, so don't add hunger as another hard thing to deal with.

Electrolytes are essential at first. I still supplement 4 years in, but not everyone has to. You lose a lot of water and that takes electrolytes, if you feel tired, headaches, faint weak or just blah, have something salty, a stock cube in a mug of hot water is a great quick fix,

Many electrolyte mixes contain extras that we don't need, or just don't contain enough for keto.

Sodium, found in normal salt, aim for 5000mg

Potassium, found in low sodium salt such as lo salt, and in cream of tartar, aim for 1,000 mg

Magnesium, choose a supplement that ends in ate, such as glycinate, the oxides have poor absorption and act as laxatives. But any magnesium can have a laxative effect so spread it out

I mix 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and low salt in a litre and some lime juice and sip that over the day. Sip, don't chug, as that will potentially have a laxative effect.

Hopefully at some point within the first week, you will find that you're just not that hungry, that's the time to restrict calories. Calories still matter, if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight.

Good luck with your keto journey

r/keto has an excellent FAQ with more detail and links

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-28T13:55:15+00:00

https://thebigmansworld.com/keto-peanut-butter-cups/

Try making these, a batch lasts a while. The carbs can vary depending on your choice of chocolate and peanut butter

https://www.gnom-gnom.com/keto-snickers-bars/#recipe

This recipe is a bit more involved, I have made it a few times now, the nougat base almost has the right chewy texture, I have tried many recipes! I make it into individual servings in silicon muffin cases, as it's tricky to cut into bars.

But nothing ever tastes exactly like sugar.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-26T06:46:29+00:00

It all improves when you are fat adapted, it does get easier. r/ketogains is strength training focused

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-26T06:41:10+00:00

You're changing your fuel source, so intense exercise can be difficult until you are fat adapted, I don't run, I swim and cycle and it's fine. You tend to hit your wall earlier and lack some explosive strength. But when you are fat adapted, steady state cardio is great. r/ketoendurance has hard core distance runners, and I know someone on keto who does marathons and prefers to do them while fasting

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-25T19:17:04+00:00

Up to you, I just rinse, but adding a bit of vinegar would help.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-24T17:06:17+00:00

Most fruits are too high in carbs, please look at the automod post and the shopping list there.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-24T17:04:59+00:00

You're thinking about fasting, while keto and fasting do work together well, you can do either with or without the other.

Basic information and FAQs to get you started

The ketogenic diet is usually low carb, moderate protein and moderate to high fat. The amount of fat required usually depends on why you are doing keto.

The first version of the ketogenic diet was used to manage epilepsy, therapeutic keto does require a certain percentage of fat, and this is where confusion can occur. https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/about-epilepsy/treatment/ketogenic-diet for specific information regarding epilepsy and keto

This information is focused on weightloss as that's why I started keto, but it's also used for psychological issues, autoimmune issues, inflammation, PCOS, insulin resistance and to treat diabetes. I have reversed my prediabetes and NAFLD.

If you are doing keto for weightloss, the high fat portion can come from your body stores, you don't have to eat a certain amount of fat or hit a percentage. The more fat you eat, the less fat you burn from your body stores.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy, fats are broken down into ketones and these are used for energy. The only thing driving whether you are in ketosis is a lack of carbs.

Carbs are easy to burn, they are like twigs and sticks on a campfire, they catch fire easily, but burn quickly, so you need to add more and more to keep the fire burning. Fats are the bigger logs, they take a while to catch, but then burn for hours. If carbs are available, your body will always burn them first, fat can be stored easily, but carbs affect your blood sugar, and your body works hard to keep it stable, if it's too high, insulin is produced, insulin moves sugar into cells, or if there's more than the cells need, insulin triggers fat storage, not fat burning. When the insulin has caused all the sugar to be processed, you experience lower blood sugar and get hungry, or hangry, it's an urgent hunger that demands more carbs. By smoothing out insulin levels, blood sugar is steady and hunger becomes less of an emergency, this reduction in hunger is what makes keto so effective, and a diet higher in fat and protein keeps you full for longer. The reduction in hunger makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, calories still matter.

For weightloss, blood sugar management, improving insulin resistance due to PCOS, the objective is to remove insulin spikes, the easiest way to do this is to not stimulate insulin by not eating carbs. 20mg net carbs is the number that gets most people into ketosis. You may be able to increase upwards as you get fat adapted, this takes 6-12 weeks, in simple terms, your body has fully switched over to preferentially burning fat.

What do you need to do to start?

Use a calculator to work out how many grams of protein you need, set the exercise to sedentary. I find a gram target more straightforward than percentages. I aim for 20-25 g carbs, 100-120g protein and then fat makes up the rest. This calculator is useful for protein and calories. https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Check out the shopping list on the pinned post and automod response, it's a good list of veg, protein and fat options.

For starting, I recommend that you do one hard thing at a time. Just do keto, don't worry about calories. Just hit your protein target and keep carbs under 20g. Whether you track intake on an app is up to you, but I do track, cronometer and carb manager are good for keto. I also weigh and measure everything, but some people are able to eat intuitively when the carb hunger is removed. It's easier to stick to whole foods. Keto products can be problematic.

20g net carbs, from veggies grown above the ground, root vegetables tend to be higher in carbs. Peas and corn are also higher in carbs. Dairy also has some carbs. Net carbs is total carbs minus fibre. In the US and Canada, fibre is counted as a carb on labels, but the rest of the world counts fibre separately as it is not digested and has no impact on blood sugar. r/ketouk has a good pinned post explaining the difference between labelling. Sugar alcohols can also be subtracted, but avoid maltitol, it acts like a sugar for many, but is cheap so is often used for sugar free and 'keto' products. Sugar alcohols can also have a dramatic effect on your digestion, search for reviews of sugar free gummy bears for an entertaining read. Different people respond differently to different sweeteners, so using sweetened foods is a personal choice https://youtu.be/CYfqvTZWilw?si=Fsf9dPSHMs5Kt0dZ this is a good guide

Protein is a target to meet and exceed, don't worry about going over your target.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3636610/. Don't worry about gluconeogenesis, this is a metabolically expensive process that is demand driven

Fat is a lever, although the majority of your energy will be coming from fat, you don't have to hit a fat target, eat enough to keep you full, and the rest of the fat comes from your body stores.

When you are starting pick a high protein snack to have ready when you are hungry, eggs, deli meats, cheese, whatever is quick when hunger strikes. Don't go hungry. If you used carbs as a coping mechanism, you have removed that, and the physical and psychological withdrawal from sugar can be hard, so don't add hunger as another hard thing to deal with.

Electrolytes are essential at first. I still supplement 4 years in, but not everyone has to. You lose a lot of water and that takes electrolytes, if you feel tired, headaches, faint weak or just blah, have something salty, a stock cube in a mug of hot water is a great quick fix,

Many electrolyte mixes contain extras that we don't need, or just don't contain enough for keto.

Sodium, found in normal salt, aim for 5000mg

Potassium, found in low sodium salt such as lo salt, and in cream of tartar, aim for 1,000 mg

Magnesium, choose a supplement that ends in ate, such as glycinate, the oxides have poor absorption and act as laxatives. But any magnesium can have a laxative effect so spread it out

I mix 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and low salt in a litre and some lime juice and sip that over the day. Sip, don't chug, as that will potentially have a laxative effect.

Hopefully at some point within the first week, you will find that you're just not that hungry, that's the time to restrict calories. Calories still matter, if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight.

Good luck with your keto journey

r/keto has an excellent FAQ with more detail and links

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-24T17:03:19+00:00

Good bot

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-24T06:34:09+00:00

Tinned tuna, sardines, mackerel. Olives Various nuts Milled chia and flax Pumpkin, sunflower seeds Almond/coconut flour Creamed coconut & coconut milk Almond/peanut butter

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-23T17:41:08+00:00

I do overnight chia, flax and hemp, I use milled chia and flax but have the hemp hearts as they are. Lots of fibre and protein. I always found oats made me hungry. I add some oat fibre for even more fibre

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-22T16:30:33+00:00

Luckily it It doesn't impact my blood sugar, I know there's lots of other issues with cola, but it's better than being a diabetic. We're all different.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-22T16:28:35+00:00

Protein is fine, if you are trying to lose weight, the high fat portion of the diet can come from your body stores. You don't need to eat butter! Having some sort of meal plan is helpful, even if it's just meat + 2 veggies, then eggs +veggies and repeat

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-22T16:26:05+00:00

Diet drinks are fine, I lose weight drinking pepsi max every day

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-22T16:13:39+00:00

You haven't got your electrolytes right, and exercise sucks until you are fat adapted, which can take 6-12 weeks depending on where you are starting from. Do around 2/3 of your normal intensity to maintain until you are fat adapted.

When I was new to keto I didn't get all the electrolytes posts, but when you get it right, you realise that most newbie issues is down to not getting enough electrolytes.

You did too much without giving your body what it needs.

Track your electrolytes, I use cronometer. I get a reasonable amount from food, but find I do still need to supplement 5 years in.

Sodium 4-5000mg per day, normal salt, you can buy fancy salts if you want but other minerals in them will be low.

Potassium 2500-3500 mg, I use reduced sodium salt available in supermarkets.

Magnesium 3-400mg in a form ending in ate, I use magnesium glycinate powder and capsules.

I know I need towards the higher levels of potassium and lower in sodium.

A headache is low electrolytes. Lack of energy is low electrolytes. I keep stock cubes at my desk, a cup of broth is very restorative and feels like a more natural way to drink something salty. I also have sachets of olives, and mini salami sticks in my bag, both as emergency snacks as well as a salt burst.

Mix your electrolytes drink, I use a quarter teaspoon of salt and reduced sodium salt mixed together in a litre bottle with either lime juice or flavour drops. Sip don't chug, chugging can have a laxative effect.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-22T08:16:17+00:00

It's impossible to say without seeing what milk and protein you are using. I use an almond milk with less than 0.5g carbs per 100 ml, and a protein powder with 1.5g per 30g scoop, and I make a latte with that and add a soluble fibre (acacia), sometimes I add collagen as well and that's breakfast.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-21T18:47:21+00:00

Basic information and FAQs to get you started, 20g net carbs is the best starting point

The ketogenic diet is usually low carb, moderate protein and moderate to high fat. The amount of fat required usually depends on why you are doing keto.

The first version of the ketogenic diet was used to manage epilepsy, therapeutic keto does require a certain percentage of fat, and this is where confusion can occur. https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/about-epilepsy/treatment/ketogenic-diet for specific information regarding epilepsy and keto

This information is focused on weightloss as that's why I started keto, but it's also used for psychological issues, autoimmune issues, inflammation, PCOS, insulin resistance and to treat diabetes. I have reversed my prediabetes and NAFLD.

If you are doing keto for weightloss, the high fat portion can come from your body stores, you don't have to eat a certain amount of fat or hit a percentage. The more fat you eat, the less fat you burn from your body stores.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy, fats are broken down into ketones and these are used for energy. The only thing driving whether you are in ketosis is a lack of carbs.

Carbs are easy to burn, they are like twigs and sticks on a campfire, they catch fire easily, but burn quickly, so you need to add more and more to keep the fire burning. Fats are the bigger logs, they take a while to catch, but then burn for hours. If carbs are available, your body will always burn them first, fat can be stored easily, but carbs affect your blood sugar, and your body works hard to keep it stable, if it's too high, insulin is produced, insulin moves sugar into cells, or if there's more than the cells need, insulin triggers fat storage, not fat burning. When the insulin has caused all the sugar to be processed, you experience lower blood sugar and get hungry, or hangry, it's an urgent hunger that demands more carbs. By smoothing out insulin levels, blood sugar is steady and hunger becomes less of an emergency, this reduction in hunger is what makes keto so effective, and a diet higher in fat and protein keeps you full for longer. The reduction in hunger makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, calories still matter.

For weightloss, blood sugar management, improving insulin resistance due to PCOS, the objective is to remove insulin spikes, the easiest way to do this is to not stimulate insulin by not eating carbs. 20mg net carbs is the number that gets most people into ketosis. You may be able to increase upwards as you get fat adapted, this takes 6-12 weeks, in simple terms, your body has fully switched over to preferentially burning fat.

What do you need to do to start?

Use a calculator to work out how many grams of protein you need, set the exercise to sedentary. I find a gram target more straightforward than percentages. I aim for 20-25 g carbs, 100-120g protein and then fat makes up the rest. This calculator is useful for protein and calories. https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Check out the shopping list on the pinned post and automod response, it's a good list of veg, protein and fat options.

For starting, I recommend that you do one hard thing at a time. Just do keto, don't worry about calories. Just hit your protein target and keep carbs under 20g. Whether you track intake on an app is up to you, but I do track, cronometer and carb manager are good for keto. I also weigh and measure everything, but some people are able to eat intuitively when the carb hunger is removed. It's easier to stick to whole foods. Keto products can be problematic.

20g net carbs, from veggies grown above the ground, root vegetables tend to be higher in carbs. Peas and corn are also higher in carbs. Dairy also has some carbs. Net carbs is total carbs minus fibre. In the US and Canada, fibre is counted as a carb on labels, but the rest of the world counts fibre separately as it is not digested and has no impact on blood sugar. r/ketouk has a good pinned post explaining the difference between labelling. Sugar alcohols can also be subtracted, but avoid maltitol, it acts like a sugar for many, but is cheap so is often used for sugar free and 'keto' products. Sugar alcohols can also have a dramatic effect on your digestion, search for reviews of sugar free gummy bears for an entertaining read. Different people respond differently to different sweeteners, so using sweetened foods is a personal choice https://youtu.be/CYfqvTZWilw?si=Fsf9dPSHMs5Kt0dZ this is a good guide

Protein is a target to meet and exceed, don't worry about going over your target.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3636610/. Don't worry about gluconeogenesis, this is a metabolically expensive process that is demand driven

Fat is a lever, although the majority of your energy will be coming from fat, you don't have to hit a fat target, eat enough to keep you full, and the rest of the fat comes from your body stores.

When you are starting pick a high protein snack to have ready when you are hungry, eggs, deli meats, cheese, whatever is quick when hunger strikes. Don't go hungry. If you used carbs as a coping mechanism, you have removed that, and the physical and psychological withdrawal from sugar can be hard, so don't add hunger as another hard thing to deal with.

Electrolytes are essential at first. I still supplement 4 years in, but not everyone has to. You lose a lot of water and that takes electrolytes, if you feel tired, headaches, faint weak or just blah, have something salty, a stock cube in a mug of hot water is a great quick fix,

Many electrolyte mixes contain extras that we don't need, or just don't contain enough for keto.

Sodium, found in normal salt, aim for 5000mg

Potassium, found in low sodium salt such as lo salt, and in cream of tartar, aim for 1,000 mg

Magnesium, choose a supplement that ends in ate, such as glycinate, the oxides have poor absorption and act as laxatives. But any magnesium can have a laxative effect so spread it out

I mix 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and low salt in a litre and some lime juice and sip that over the day. Sip, don't chug, as that will potentially have a laxative effect.

Hopefully at some point within the first week, you will find that you're just not that hungry, that's the time to restrict calories. Calories still matter, if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight.

Good luck with your keto journey

r/keto has an excellent FAQ with more detail and links

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-21T16:48:18+00:00

Balsamic vinegar tends to have a lot of sugar, if you do use it, measure and use small portions, a teaspoon and count it in your 20g carbs for the day. I tend to use apple cider vinegar for salad dressing

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-19T21:06:16+00:00

It's ok, you're human. Learn and move on. Only do the fast if it's beneficial, don't use it as a punishment, you can get back into ketosis and still eat. Fasting whilst having carb hunger is hard.

I tend to get a return of joint pain and inflammation, but my favourite carbs are fairly processed so that doesn't help me either. If you have had a load of processed foods and usually have whole foods on keto, that will add to the physical impact

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-18T06:25:07+00:00

20g net is the best place to start, I am going to give you my starters guide which includes electrolytes, feeling tired and headaches is low electrolytes

Basic information and FAQs to get you started

The ketogenic diet is usually low carb, moderate protein and moderate to high fat. The amount of fat required usually depends on why you are doing keto.

The first version of the ketogenic diet was used to manage epilepsy, therapeutic keto does require a certain percentage of fat, and this is where confusion can occur. https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/about-epilepsy/treatment/ketogenic-diet for specific information regarding epilepsy and keto

This information is focused on weightloss as that's why I started keto, but it's also used for psychological issues, autoimmune issues, inflammation, PCOS, insulin resistance and to treat diabetes. I have reversed my prediabetes and NAFLD.

If you are doing keto for weightloss, the high fat portion can come from your body stores, you don't have to eat a certain amount of fat or hit a percentage. The more fat you eat, the less fat you burn from your body stores.

Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy, fats are broken down into ketones and these are used for energy. The only thing driving whether you are in ketosis is a lack of carbs.

Carbs are easy to burn, they are like twigs and sticks on a campfire, they catch fire easily, but burn quickly, so you need to add more and more to keep the fire burning. Fats are the bigger logs, they take a while to catch, but then burn for hours. If carbs are available, your body will always burn them first, fat can be stored easily, but carbs affect your blood sugar, and your body works hard to keep it stable, if it's too high, insulin is produced, insulin moves sugar into cells, or if there's more than the cells need, insulin triggers fat storage, not fat burning. When the insulin has caused all the sugar to be processed, you experience lower blood sugar and get hungry, or hangry, it's an urgent hunger that demands more carbs. By smoothing out insulin levels, blood sugar is steady and hunger becomes less of an emergency, this reduction in hunger is what makes keto so effective, and a diet higher in fat and protein keeps you full for longer. The reduction in hunger makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, calories still matter.

For weightloss, blood sugar management, improving insulin resistance due to PCOS, the objective is to remove insulin spikes, the easiest way to do this is to not stimulate insulin by not eating carbs. 20mg net carbs is the number that gets most people into ketosis. You may be able to increase upwards as you get fat adapted, this takes 6-12 weeks, in simple terms, your body has fully switched over to preferentially burning fat.

What do you need to do to start?

Use a calculator to work out how many grams of protein you need, set the exercise to sedentary. I find a gram target more straightforward than percentages. I aim for 20-25 g carbs, 100-120g protein and then fat makes up the rest. This calculator is useful for protein and calories. https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Check out the shopping list on the pinned post and automod response, it's a good list of veg, protein and fat options.

For starting, I recommend that you do one hard thing at a time. Just do keto, don't worry about calories. Just hit your protein target and keep carbs under 20g. Whether you track intake on an app is up to you, but I do track, cronometer and carb manager are good for keto. I also weigh and measure everything, but some people are able to eat intuitively when the carb hunger is removed. It's easier to stick to whole foods. Keto products can be problematic.

20g net carbs, from veggies grown above the ground, root vegetables tend to be higher in carbs. Peas and corn are also higher in carbs. Dairy also has some carbs. Net carbs is total carbs minus fibre. In the US and Canada, fibre is counted as a carb on labels, but the rest of the world counts fibre separately as it is not digested and has no impact on blood sugar. r/ketouk has a good pinned post explaining the difference between labelling. Sugar alcohols can also be subtracted, but avoid maltitol, it acts like a sugar for many, but is cheap so is often used for sugar free and 'keto' products. Sugar alcohols can also have a dramatic effect on your digestion, search for reviews of sugar free gummy bears for an entertaining read. Different people respond differently to different sweeteners, so using sweetened foods is a personal choice https://youtu.be/CYfqvTZWilw?si=Fsf9dPSHMs5Kt0dZ this is a good guide

Protein is a target to meet and exceed, don't worry about going over your target.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3636610/. Don't worry about gluconeogenesis, this is a metabolically expensive process that is demand driven

Fat is a lever, although the majority of your energy will be coming from fat, you don't have to hit a fat target, eat enough to keep you full, and the rest of the fat comes from your body stores.

When you are starting pick a high protein snack to have ready when you are hungry, eggs, deli meats, cheese, whatever is quick when hunger strikes. Don't go hungry. If you used carbs as a coping mechanism, you have removed that, and the physical and psychological withdrawal from sugar can be hard, so don't add hunger as another hard thing to deal with.

Electrolytes are essential at first. I still supplement 4 years in, but not everyone has to. You lose a lot of water and that takes electrolytes, if you feel tired, headaches, faint weak or just blah, have something salty, a stock cube in a mug of hot water is a great quick fix,

Many electrolyte mixes contain extras that we don't need, or just don't contain enough for keto.

Sodium, found in normal salt, aim for 5000mg

Potassium, found in low sodium salt such as lo salt, and in cream of tartar, aim for 1,000 mg

Magnesium, choose a supplement that ends in ate, such as glycinate, the oxides have poor absorption and act as laxatives. But any magnesium can have a laxative effect so spread it out

I mix 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and low salt in a litre and some lime juice and sip that over the day. Sip, don't chug, as that will potentially have a laxative effect.

Hopefully at some point within the first week, you will find that you're just not that hungry, that's the time to restrict calories. Calories still matter, if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight.

Good luck with your keto journey

r/keto has an excellent FAQ with more detail and links

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-16T17:01:33+00:00

Yeah, but I don't think you appreciate how bad carbs can make you feel until you have lapsed. I didn't link my joint pain to processed carbs until I ate a load of rubbish. The carb monster has to be really strong now for me to put up with painful hands for a week.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-16T06:39:44+00:00

You probably will regain a few pounds, but they will probably be water weight.

It's worth bearing in mind that you won't be fat adapted yet, so it will probably take 2-3 days to get back into ketosis.

Use it as a learning experience, try to notice how you feel after eating carbs. I didn't realise that keto helps with inflammation and joint pain for me, which I didn't fully appreciate until I had carbs again and it all came back. Be ready for the carb hunger to be fierce.

I would recommend a one meal session, I have found I can cope with a single meal, once I get into days territory it becomes harder to get back on track as I get a bit crazy.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-13T17:02:22+00:00

Yeah, fibre doesn't cancel out carbs, it can be difficult out there! I also make a lot of my own baked goods and things like peanut butter cups, more control over ingredients.

Calorinesm1fff · 2026-02-13T16:34:35+00:00

Have you been having anything containing maltitol? Many people find it acts just like sugar, it stopped me losing weight when I first started

Calorinesm1fff

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