(Part 3) Top products from r/Keto

Everyone can do it. Here is my advice:

Preparation

1. Do not jump straight in. First understand what you are doing, why and how it works, and what the risks are. Spend at least a few days on this section.
   
2. Keto In A Nutshell contains useful material. Read it.
   
3. FAQ Contains a lot of information. Read it, then read it again.
   
4. reddit.com/r/keto Contains a lot of real life questions and answers, experiences and support. Search here to see if others have had your question (they probably have).
   
5. Watch some YouTube videos on Keto. There's a lot of good stuff there.
   
6. Watch some general-audience movies about eating better. I recommend FatHead and That Sugar Film as starting points.
   
7. Get a good book. I recommend The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, and The Big Fat Surprise
   
8. Be aware that there is a lot of conflicting information on the internet, and not everyone knows everything.
   
   

   Planning
   

9. Commit to a 30 day trial period. Weigh yourself and take a candid profile selfie as your starting point. If you want, you can get blood drawn and have the LDL/HDL/Triglyceride values as your starting point.
   
10. Give away all the sugar and flour, cereals and pasta you have in your house. You don't need them and they will be temptations.
    
11. Consider any trips you have during this time. You will need containers to take your own food with you.
    
12. Take a look at /r/mealprepsunday - many people on keto like to do their weekly shopping and preparation at the weekend.
    
13. Take a look at the Keto Calculator, play around with it and get your values. Plug these into MyFitnessPal or some other tracker, so that you can track everything you consume.
    
14. Think about your habits. Do you drink sugary drinks? Are you a bread addict? What will you do instead? Don't be surprised about this.
    
15. Get familiar with the macronutrient content of foods. This site http://nutritiondata.self.com/ helped me.
    
    

    Grocery shopping
    

16. Green leafy vegetables, cauliflower are always going to be needed
    
17. Eggs (fried, scrambled, devilled, poached, boiled...) are your friends
    
18. Meats and organ meats of all kinds, especially the fatty cuts are the best.
    
19. Butter, ghee, lard, tallow, olive oil are some of your better choices for fats
    
20. Many people do well with cheese, greek yogurt, full fat cottage cheese etc.
    
21. Bones for making broth
    
22. Take a look at (cheap) electrolyte salts for supplementing during your 30day trial.
    
    

    Doing
    

23. Don't accept meals / cookies / doughnots / cake from family and co-workers. Your response could be "I'm reducing my sugar intake".
    
24. Don't go hungry. It will take a few days for the natural satiety of this diet to take effect.
    
25. Eat a traditional 3 meals a day. Only skip a meal if you are confident you can make it to the next meal. Don't add additional meals or snacks. Don't get side tracked by all the talk of fasting. Fasting is not mandatory.
    
26. Track your food intake honestly in a food tracking app or tool. This includes calories, but is more useful to you as a history of what caused satiety and what caused hunger.
    
27. Focus on high fat, low carb food items such as eggs, avocados, meat as being the center of your meal, with veggies filling out the plate for taste and volume.
    
28. Never drink anything with calories. You are going to be a tea-totaller during this month. Black coffee and teas are fine, as is water.
    
29. You may test your pee with ketostix if you wish, during the initial period, but there are problems with this kind of testing. Also: don't tell us about your results.
    
30. keep a journal of your sleeping habits, dream intensity, well-being, energy levels, hunger levels etc.
    
    

    Correcting
    

31. If things are not going as planned, ask here for advice. Especially:
    
32. Skin rashes or zit outbreaks, racing heart, headaches, lethargy.
    
33. If you eat something you shouldn't have, don't worry. Figure out what your kryptonite is and plan for a better response next time.
    
    Good luck!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

zucchini noodles with anything. I love noodles and now I get to eat them all the time without feeling guilty because it's basically the nutritional equivalent of eating a salad!!

So go buy a spiralizer. I got this one but you can get cheaper handheld ones or just use a julienne peeler or even a regular veggie peeler if that's what you have.

Spiralize a BUNCH of zucchini (i usually use like 8-10 for me and my hubs) because it shrinks down a lot. Put it all in a strainer and dump like 2Tbs of salt and then sorta mix it through with your hands. Let that sit in the sink for 20-30 minutes. Every once in a while go squeeze the shit out of it (using your hands is fine but some people like to squish it down with a heavy bowl, etc) to get the excess water out. This is very important because otherwise everything you make will be really wet.

Now make whatever protein/sauce combo you like! The other day I browned hamburger, drained it, added some cream cheese, coconut cream, paprika, coarse grain mustard,(no salt bc there is enough already on the noodles), and pepper and cooked that into the hamburger meat til it was kinda creamy. Then I added like a handful or two of shredded cheddar and the zucchini noodles for a few mins to the pan and BOOM. My version of keto cheeseburger helper. OMG SO GOOD.

Other times I'll do chicken and alfredo sauce or ground turkey and low carb marinara. Sometimes I just do zucchini noodles in a pan with butter, pepper and a little parm cheese. So good. So, so good.

Your fat intake needs to be much greater. I strongly suggest using the Keto Calculator to get your numbers on point. Eating too much protein will keep you out of keto as well. Your carbs look fine. I'm personally at 140g fat - 30g carbs - 50g protein , however, I'm doing a pretty heavy fat loss protocol. When I'm done I will be increasing my fat / protein dramatically. But yeah bud, check out the Keto Calc, and if you have 13$ I STRONGLY suggest buying Keto Clarity - He's a thought / science leader on Keto. I listened to the audiobook in a day and got SO much valuable information. Keto is a delicate chemical and biological process so learning the "do's and do not's" from someone else is best. It's discouraging to go in and out of keto when you're mind and heart wants it..... But yeah, Keto Calc and Keto Clarity, good luck bud!

So unfortunately this stuff kind of tastes kinda funky and the texture is awful. With keto you want a high fat low carb option for ice cream, which due to sugar alcohols Arctic Zero really isn't.

A better option for making your own ice cream would be to use a recipe like this.

1 pint Land O Lakes heavy cream (this stuff has 0 carbs, all the rest seem to have a smidge).

1/2 to 1 cup granular splenda (not the liquid kind, you need granular sweetener to help with texture) depending no how sweet you want it

1/4 teaspoon Xantham Gum

1/2 teaspoon Guar Gum

2 scoops of either IsoPure or of Nectar Protein for flavoring. Both of these offer a bunch of either 0 or next to 0 carb options.

Mix it in a blender just until you have added a little air in the heavy cream so it has the consistency of like pudding, but don't overdo it or you will turn it to butter...and frozen butter isn't delicious.

Then toss it into an ice cream maker. If you don't do a lot of ice cream, then get one of those ones that has the frozen bowl like THIS one, or if you're like me and the loss of ice cream made you super sad, then bite the bullet and upgrade to a unit with a compressor like THIS or if you want VERY nice one then something like THIS.

I use this ice cream for my Keto fat bombs, and it's amazing. You end up with something like THIS for your metrics, 0 carbs, 12 grams of protein and 40 grams of fat with 453 calories for a 1/2 cup serving.

Started at roughly the same point as you, I'll second the comment about people noticing once 30-40 pounds are lost although people may have noticed earlier but may not say anything due to not knowing if you're ill or actually taking initiative.

It wasn't until sixty to seventy pounds down that I went down a shirt size but I went from a size 40 waist to size 35 within thirty to fifty pounds, lost half a size to full shoe size but didn't notice when.

If you haven't already my only regret is not taking a starter photo and not exercising as often with all the excess energy. Check out /r/bodyweightfitness (I like the recommended routine in the wiki).

Check out /r/intermittentfasting just to digest some more information as many have ended up doing both together with good results. (including discipline and whatnot)

Check out /r/ketorecipes if you need some inspiration or would like to change things up a bit.

Check out /r/ketogains or /r/bodyweightfitness once you become fat adapted and are able to use your energy productively.

Check out /r/ketodrunk if you'd like to find ways you can keep alcohol in your life.

Check out this graphic from Ruled.Me and depending on what you're craving supplement with that.

Things you might want to invest in (assuming you don't already have something comparable):

Food scales: this is what I use, this is what Keto Connect uses and this is what I bought for a friend of mine.

Take care!

Trader Joe's is cheaper than Amazon for me. Amazon's probably among the cheapest, though.

The recipe below is very versatile and can cover both sweet and savory snacks. You can make it into muffins or you can make it into a bread shape. My wife and I like to use it to make grilled cheese.

Recipe:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter (or other fat — sometimes I use coconut oil and my wife likes cream cheese) in a microwave safe container that is the shape that you want your bread/muffin to be in. (We like to use square Tupperware if we're using it for sandwich bread or a coffee mug to make it more of a muffin shape.)

Always Add:

• 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 5 or 6 grinds of salt
  
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  
• Pinch of baking powder
  
  Optionally, also add (alone or in combination):
  
  
• Garlic powder
  
• Dill
  
• Cinnamon
  
• Sweetener (we like ezSweetz liquid sucralose because it doesn't contain filler like granular sucralose; filler = carbs)
  
• Shredded cheddar
  
• Pepper powder (chili, cayenne, etc.)
  
  Mix ingredients very well.
  
  Add one large egg and mix very, very well.
  
  Microwave approximately 1 minute or until the middle is firm.
  
  Serve with cheese, cream cheese, peanut butter, butter, or other keto-friendly toppings.
  
  My favorite combos are garlic/dill and cinnamon/liquid sucralose.

Ketosis itself will help address oxidation, inflammation, blood sugar, and insulin. As for cholesterol, the link between it and heart disease isn't as strong as you've been led to believe. The Big Fat Surprise (recommended by the keto calculator guy in the sidebar) covers this in detail.

That said, there's a pretty strong case for supplementing Vitamin D, and taking Vitamin K2 alongside it. They complement each other. I'm at work, so I can't dig up links at the moment. But there are some interesting lectures on Youtube about K2 and D that are worth a watch.

It's a little over $50, but I love my scale.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_lyPEybA9040SV

the really cheap scales I've had in the past weren't as accurate, and broke quickly. I've only had this one a couple weeks but so far it's great! I really like having all my info added to my tablet automatically because I like data, and am usually rushing around in the mornings.

I like to use liquid sucralose (brand name EZ-Sweetz, Amazon (USA) link): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LECIDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_aGTTDbG5P0S2M

These are the little bottles that fit nicely in a pocket or purse. For me, one drop is sufficient to sweeten a 12-ounce cup of coffee. I carry a bottle everywhere I go and put it in all my unsweetened beverage. Best part, it’s carb-free cause it’s just sucralose without the fillers that come in those little powder packets (Splenda, the yellow packet, is the sweetener packet with sucralose). Score! 😊

This is the one I got, it's listed for $30 right now, but there are others for $23 that look exactly the same.

Super fast Italian dinner...

Peel your zucchini, turn it into zoodles.

Cook whatever meat you're going to use however you like.

Here is how I make my quick and dirty Italian tomato cream sauce. It makes four servings and has 126 calories, 10g fat, 2g protein, 6 net carbs per serving including 100g of zoodles (zucchini). Add in whatever meat and cheese you want for more fat and protein.

Heat a tbsp of olive oil over med heat in a pot and toss in a couple cloves of garlic (chopped), let them get brown, but don't let them burn. It will only take a couple of minutes. Add in a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (14.5oz), a couple of tbsp of Italian seasoning, 2 tsp of onion powder (if you have room in your carb allowance, use 1/3 of a medium onion instead), salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then simmer for ~10 minutes. Then add in 1/4 cup (you can add more if you want, it depends on how many calories you want, I've done up to a cup) of heavy cream and simmer another 5-10 minutes.

When your tomato sauce is almost done, boil your zoodles for ~3 minutes, add salt to your water. Drain well, serve immediately and top with sauce, cheese, and meat. I top it with fresh basil from my garden.

Like I said, this is quick and dirty. I can make this meal in ~30 minutes start to finish. When I have more time I play around with various ratios of Italian herbs instead of using a pre-mixed blend.

Try these microwave pork rinds instead. They are so much better when fresh.

Also, I think pork rinds on their own are pretty gross, but as a vehicle for dip they are amazing! Jalapeño artichoke or spinach dip, guacamole, and basically any kind of cheesy dip are keto friendly and pork rinds are the perfect delivery device.

Microwavable pork rinds, fresh every time. Cheese drying to make cheesy puff crackery bites that taste like cheezits. Sugar free jello mousse: 4oz softened cream cheese, 1/4c cream, 2Tbsp powdered sweetener, 2-1/4tsp sugar free jello powder blended, divide into 2 to 4 portions and refrigerate. Try raspberry with unsweetened coconut and slivered almonds or dark cherry blended with a few lily's chocolate chips, or orange flavor and cocoa powder, etc. Good for a special occasion dessert.

Ignore mainstream nutrition. If you're interested some books are The Big Fat Surprise, The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, either of Taubes' books, or you can watch Youtube lectures by Phinney, Volek, Taubes etc. This page is also fairly good on fats.

Fats are extraordinarily complicated in structure, oil composition, metabolism, etc. The best bet is to eat older fats and not newer processed oils because we quite literally evolved eating animal fats exclusively, not shortening hydrogenated from the refined oil extracted from the unused excess seeds that fell out of cotton plants.

Omega 3:

• Omega 3 and Omega 6 are both required to be ingested by the body as we have no metabolic way of creating them (whereas Omega 9 can be created from Saturated Fat).
  
• They should be consumed in a one to one ratio, which is the ratio found in grass fed animal fats, eggs, milk, butter.
  
• It is important to note that the need for these essential fatty acids is relatively small, so in the case that you're consuming 80% of your calories from fat you should primarily worry about the ratio of the fatty acids in your food (IE eat animal fats). You can overdo Omega 3 consumption if you consume an excess of fish oil supplements in addition to fortified foods etc.
  
• The so-called "polyunsaturated oils" like soybean, cottonseed (commonly called "Vegetable"), rapeseed (commonly called "Canola) etc are very high in Omega 6 while being low in Omega 3. The result is that most people in the US consume vastly more Omega 6 than Omega 3, and studies have shown that many inflamation markers and chronic diseases are improved as that dietary ratio moves closer to 1:1.
  
• Grain fed livestock is much higher in Omega 6 than Omega 3, just like the so-called polyunsaturated oils.
  
• Lard is fairly high in Oleic Acid, the monounsatured fatty acid that Olive Oil gets all the praise for.

My advice:

1. Drink coffee with a sugar substitute (I like Splenda, it functions and tastes exactly like sugar) and a dash of heavy whipping cream (you don't need much to lighten the coffee up a lot).
   
2. Diet soda - any kind - is fine.
   
3. Watch this video for an "Explain Like I'm Five" approach.
   
   Bonus advice:
   
   

• Only weigh yourself once a week.
  
• If you weigh yourself two weeks in a row and you haven't lost any weight, make sure you're counting your carbs. 50g is the max, 20g is the ideal. So maybe say, "Okay I will only have 35g of carbs a day" and try that for two weeks and see if it starts the weight loss back up again. If not, lower them.
  
• If you've lowered your carbs down to 15 or 20g and you're still stalled, try limiting the diet soda. Maybe two cans/day for two weeks, then one can/day.
  
• If you're still not losing, cut the soda out completely. For some people, it triggers insulin secretion even though there aren't any carbs in it, and high levels of insulin can stall fat burning.
  
• If cutting the soda out doesn't help, cut all artificial sweeteners.
  
• Next step would be to start limiting dairy. Then perhaps caffeine and/or nuts.
  
  I'm a big fan of the "slow and steady" approach. Make little changes, take some time, observe how it affects you. There's no rush to dump weight off; it's more likely to be permanent if you're not obsessing and just "keeping calm and ketoing on".
  
  Bonus resources, if you want to have a deeper understanding:
  
  
• Why We Get Fat is my favorite intro book.
  
• The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living is a very thorough explanation of the diet.
  
• The Big Fat Surprise explains why scientists and public health officials act like fat is bad for you, even though the scientific evidence doesn't support that belief.
  
• Good Calories, Bad Calories is a more detailed & scientific version of Why We Get Fat
  
• New Atkins for a New You is a very easy-to-follow instructional guide if that's what you need (written by Eric Westman, the doctor in the video I linked above).
  
• Here is a list of great keto videos to watch.

Just reading through some other comments, I would agree that your calories are too high and you're consuming too many carbohydrates. I'd cut your carbs down to below 20g per day and up the fat content in your diet. 1 easy way to add more fat in your diet is bulletproof coffee, especially since you're already drinking a lot of coffee. Here's my 2 recipes:

Iced (this is my daily go to): 8oz cold brew, 1 TBSP heavy whipping cream, and 1 TBSP MCT oil, blended for about 10 seconds. Pour over ice. Optional: add a tiny amount of SweetLeaf Sweet Drops. The coconut flavor is my favorite. I usually double this recipe every morning.

Hot: 8oz fresh brewed coffee, 2 TBSP unsalted butter, 2 TBSP coconut oil or MCT oil, blended until butter and oil is melted. Optional: add a tiny amount of SweetLeaf Sweet Drops.

Yup! I got a box of the Vanilla & Almond Ice Cream Bars in my freezer for whenever I'm craving ice cream. I haven't found a store near me that sells the actual ice cream though. BUT just a warning, on their boxes, they only show how many grams of sugar they used and don't count how many grams of sugar alcohols. So just remember to subtract sugar AND sugar alcohols from total carbs when you enter net carbs into your macros.

Also, THIS is the protein powder I use. 0 carbs and it tastes delicious. For more milkshake-like protein shakes, I use THIS WHEY ISOLATE. It only has 1g of carbs but tastes like Nestle Quik!

Congrats again for making it through a non-keto party. Those are hard early on!

I just went on Amazon and wound up getting the nicest one that was under $50, which is this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf (sorry I'm on mobile so I can't make that look nicer >.< ) Sometimes the app is buggy but the scale seems pretty accurate, not too far off from the doctor's last I went. Really though you just need something to help you track the trend: is your weight generally going up or down kind of thing. A lot of times (and I'm sure you've heard this already) you'll lose inches before you lose weight, so in that respect no scale is an accurate measure of how much fat is on your body. And you can get a little tape measure from Walmart for less than $2 lol.

You can make your own ice cream if you're ok with artificial sweeteners. Make an egg custard base, add whatever flavoring you like, cool it in the fridge, then toss it in an ice cream maker. Just replace the sugar with enough sweetener or sugar-free syrup that it tastes sweet to you.

Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/vanilla-ice-cream-recipe.html

Cheap, compact, and awesome ice cream maker: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-21-Frozen-Yogurt-Ice-Sorbet/dp/B003KYSLMW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410277429&sr=8-1&keywords=ice+cream+maker

I bought one of the cheaper smart scales of Amazon two months ago and I've been really happy with it.

Easy enough to set up, and I literally just opened the app on my phone and stand on the thing.

One downside: the companion app is super basic (The apparently it does integrate with several of the bigger health apps)

• can't remember the name of the company off the top of my head, but I'm happy to PM you later*
  
  Edit: WeightGURUS scale is the one I bought. dis one

Here is a link to the kind I'm using:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM0Y9SE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_4Ww6wbCGVWWWK

Yes, regular coconut oil is good too. But not as good.

When you're taking MCT oil, it's almost like eating ketones. It enables your body to get used to distributing ketones around your body and using it for energy. It also enables you to stay in ketosis easier when you mess up and eat incorrectly.

So it kind of gives you a head start and a buffer zone.

Hang in there. Euphoria is just around the corner.

I read New Atkins for a New You and it suggests adding 5-10 g carbs each week of different types of carbs until you can maintain weight in order to determine your carb tolerance.

It should help you transition better to lifetime maintenance a lot smoother and help you understand what foods can make you gain unexpectedly.

The Keto Diet - Leanne Vogel - she also has a podcast, if you like them.

Why We Get Fat - Gary Taubes

The Case Against Sugar - Gary Taubes

The Keto Reset Diet - Mark Sisson

The Ketogenic Bible - Jacob Wilson and Ryan Lowery

If you are looking for cookbooks, Maria Emmerich, Kyndra Holley, Carolyn Ketchum, and Amanda Hughes have great stuff. There's also a TON of sites for great keto recipes. Just let me know if you need some.

Thanks man! I just started eating keto today. And tomorrow I will start working out (damn homework). Excited to start working out again! Haven't since last football season.

Is this a good protien powder?

You have been a lot of help!

Have some Gold!

I loved this book.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1451624433?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

And this one, as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1400033462?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

I haven't read any books on IF, but the transformation my body went through was enough for me on that front. 😊

I read "Why we get fat: And what to do about it" by Gary Taubes ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WUYOQ6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 ). Just understanding what was going on in my body and how certain foods affected me made me change my eating habits. Something he wrote really stuck with me: "You don't get fat because you overeat and/or have a sedentary lifestyle, you overeat and don't exercise because you're getting fatter." Basically once you start getting bigger due to fattening carbs (sugar, flour) you are no longer using energy efficiently and your body will want/need more, if you don't give it to your body it triggers a response to save energy (hence the common sedentary lifestyle associated with overweight), the vicious cycle. It's a bit technical but I really enjoyed reading it. I really recommend it, it might make you more aware of what you're eating and what it will do to you once you ingest it.

Yeah. Sounds like you're off to a good start. Like blue mentioned, people don't get overly concerned with going over that magical 20 number so long as it's non-starch veggies. Basically anything green. I end up having to force myself to get enough carbs in a day, so something mildly carb heavy like green beans or tomatoes are fine for me.

I would recommend tracking everything you eat with myfitnesspal and reading "A New Atkins for a New You."

Doing these 2 things helped me discover that eating upwards of 30-35 net carbs a day keeps me losing same as zero carbs would, and the book has lots of veggie suggestions and other tips and tricks of the trade.

The Cuisinart ICE-21 is a pretty good entry-level machine, if you don't have a Kitchenaid mixer (or if you have the wrong Kitchenaid model...). It's the same idea - keep the bowl in the freezer, take it out when you want to make ice cream. Just make sure your base is very cold for good consistency (otherwise it will freeze too slowly and get icy).

I make ice cream like every other week.

If you want to know the science as well as anecdotal evidence supporting low carb and against the Standard American Diet, here's a list of books for you to read:

• The Art and Science of Low Carb Living
  
• Why We Get Fat
  
• The Big Fat Surprise
  
• Good Calories Bad Calories
  
• Fat Chance
  
• Keto Clarity
  
  Jimmy Moore is a lot more anecdotal but it's a good place to start if you want a simple way to understand keto, in my opinion. The rest contain lots of studies and evidence to convince you.
  
  Taubes is also bringing out a new book. I've not yet read it but I've certainly pre-ordered!
  The Case Against Sugar
  
  
  
  
  
  

That's a good point, I believe it was on a page about digestive health so that sounds about right. I think I'm going to eventually pick up some of these on amazon: Potassium Citrate & Magesium Citrate. The prices seem pretty good.

I bought this one cause it was cheap and had good ratings. It’s fine but I might get a better one in the future. I would say it’s a good cheap starter though.

I just finished a book called Keto Clarity and it was really helpful. I learned about keto from Reddit, read all the sidebar information and have been on a keto diet for almost 2 years. It's awesome, hopefully it works for you too!

If you don't already have a food scale for your kitchen, it's definitely a good practice to get into (not only for keto but for general calorie management).

Sometimes you can find these sugar-free additives by DaVinci which are great for coffees.

• Wisconsin Cheese Chips
  
  
• Pork Rinds.......lots of pork rinds

See these books for learning the REAL SCIENCE that is used to explain it to doctors. The author goes around the country giving lectures at medical schools.

A little bit hard core medical, with well documented sources and footnotes but still easy to read:
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Gary-Taubes-ebook/dp/B000UZNSC2

Same material, even easier to read for general public:
http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About-ebook/dp/B003WUYOQ6

I bought this one off of amazon. There are cheaper ones on there, but then you have to mess with salt and ice. You just pop the bowl in the freezer for 24 hours, prepare your mixture and let it sit in the fridge until it is really cold, and then make your ice cream. One thing I didn't realize is that the ice cream is much softer than store bought. It will be super delicious, but if you want a harder consistency, you gotta leave it in the fridge overnight.

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-21-Frozen-Yogurt-Ice-Sorbet/dp/B003KYSLMW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410755344&sr=8-1&keywords=ice+cream+maker

Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil (label says refined). I got it at Shop Rite.

I just ordered this to try, instead: Premium MCT Oil derived only from Organic Coconuts - 32oz BPA free bottle | The only MCT oil certified Paleo Safe and registered by the Vegan Society. Non-GMO and Gluten Free. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM0Y9SE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_POkjzbW0ZY11Z

Here's what you should use for your macros:

---

*Generated by [Keto Calculator](https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com) 9.13*

F/5'5" | CW 235 | 49% BF | Mostly sedentary

* 1521 kcal Goal, a 20% deficit. (738 min, 1901 max)
* 20g Carbohydrates
* 97g Protein (73g min, 120g max)
* 117g Fat (30g min, 159g max)

----

Here are my best recommendations to set you on a purposeful path of steady fat loss over time:

• Download a keto-friendly food-tracking app. I use the free version of Carb Manager.
  
• Enter your customized macros (above) in the settings for your app.
  
• Buy a digital food scale if you do not already have one. Basic ones are about $10 or you can get more fancy.
  
• As much as possible, prepare your own food, and choose whole foods, not processed foods. Some people find it helpful to avoid artificial sweeteners, other people don't give them up.
  
• Weigh all your food on your digital food scale.
  
• Log your food in the app BEFORE you eat it—5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days. Doesn't matter. Just do it BEFORE. Your goal every day is to hit your protein goal (97g), while not exceeding your carb (20g) or fat (117g) limits. In Carb Manager, they have a bar chart that shows how far you are to your goal/limit with each food you enter.
  
• Drink lots of water, and make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep.
  
• If you feel fatigued or sluggish, it’s a sign that you need more electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium). This sub can help you with that.
  
• Come back here and ask questions when you need help.
  
  If that doesn't work, my next two recommendations would be to continue doing all that and add in some movement (say, a 30-min. walk every day) and possibly increase the caloric deficit to 25%.
  
  I am also a 40+ woman and the above is what I have been doing (full disclosure: I do eat at a very high caloric deficit and I try to get in a pretty good cardio workout 4-5x/week).

Kind of expensive, but they come in handy when you need electrolytes fast. And they're pretty good ratios too.

It's the Weight Gurus app. I bought their scale and it's terrific. I weigh in every morning before I get in the shower, and the scale connects to my phone automatically to upload the results. It also tracks BMI, Body Fat, Lean Mass, Bone Mass, and Water Weight. The best part is that it's only $60.

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m-5dzbB6824Q1

A very great talk indeed. I also really enjoyed this book of his

I put 8g of this salt (3g of sodium) in a nalgene bottle every morning and sip on it until I start eating. I try to put about 2g worth of sodium on my food in the evening totaling about 5g of sodium per day as per NEOMGGeeWhiz's suggestion which I'm sure he got from this book because I recognize the beef bullion recommendation. I also take this potassium supplement and this magnesium supplement. I've been successfully ketogenic for over 3 years and these recommendations have worked for me!

LOVE this one

Bluetooth Smart Body Fat Scale by... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Vitafusion sugar-free Fiber Gummies. 5g of soluble fiber per serving, and less than 1 gram of sugar alcohols. They seem to work pretty awesome!

http://www.amazon.com/Vitafusion-Fiber-Gummies-90-Count-Bottle/dp/B002NPCMJC

I just picked up Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Eric Westman. Great reviews from everyone on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Keto-Clarity-Definitive-Benefits-Low-Carb/dp/1628600071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420233480&sr=8-1&keywords=Keto+Clarity

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015R26V8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Isopure is what I drink. Many different flavors. With that said, you need to actively work on getting your protein from MEAT. Be a carnivore my friend :)

First off, gastric bypass is something no one should consider at any time, period. The only reason gastric bypass even works to reduce weight is because the patient is FORCED to eat a low-carb diet post-surgery or they will suffer extreme gastrointestinal distress. Just skip the surgery and eat a keto-diet instead. If you have difficulty starting the diet and staying on it try to setup a support system if you have people that can help you. The only time gastric bypass is a viable option is if the person has attempted and failed to lose weight on a low-carb diet MULTIPLE times (at least 12-24 months of constant effort to stay on the diet without cheating while under the direction of a doctor that is familiar with low-carb/atkins).

Aside from that, i would recommend you start by reading at least one book on low-carb so you can get an idea of what foods are healthy and which aren't. The easiest book to follow is probably New Atkins for a New You. Here is the pamphlet that Dr. Eric Westman gives his low-carb patients (it should give you a quick idea of what you need to do, but i still recommend the book).

Exercise is not important for weight loss, get your diet planned out and start making some progress and when you FEEL like it, then consider adding in some exercise. Only add exercise if your body is telling you that it has extra energy it would like to burn via exercise, don't force it.

Edit: And to answer your main question, yes, keto and/or low-carb/paleo is right for you. It's right for anyone that is at least 30 pounds overweight.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OU7YXU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_sAYyjYZIgoslQ

These may be worth a go, they are what I bought. Searched for ages for unflavoured rehydration salts. They also have the potassium in them. Hope this helps! Good luck!

I ordered Greater Good's Weight Guru:

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Connected-Backlit-Greater-Goods/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1466167858&sr=1-4&keywords=Smart+scale.

I looked at the ones you suggested but chose this one bc of price and current rating/reviews. I hope it works as well as the ones you suggested.
My husband does not use MyFitnessPal. He uses Fitbit.
One of the cons I read is that is didn't sync to MFP, but they very recently made it so it can sync to Fitbit and THEN to MFP.
Once we get it I'll see if I can do that and let you know how it goes.

There isn't any reason I know of that would make IF not appropriate for females. Your body might also be super efficient and make really good use of the calories you give it. I'm not a huge fan of calorie restriction and it's hard when you are exercising as much as you are, but maybe try restricting calories to the low end of your range for at least one week. See if you can do it for 7 days and if there is any change (maybe start after your marathon). If that still isn't working, I would venture to guess that there is something else going on with your physiology. Have you tried a gluten free diet? Some people have extreme gluten sensitivity that can affect fat retention, especially visceral fat. A keto diet is 90% of the way to gluten free so switching over shouldn't take too much effort. Check out the book grain brain or wheat belly for more information and the science behind gluten.

Edit: Links

So, while the marscarpone balls were chilling in the fridge, I decided to make use of the leftover coating chocolate to cover some truffles.

Ingredients (and amazingly simple instructions):

1. 3 Tbls cocoa powder
   
2. 1 Tbls Coconut Oil
   
3. 2 Tbls Peanut Butter (I use Skippy Natural cause it tastes the best)
   
4. A few drops of no carb liquid sucralose (honestly, buy it) or powdered equivalent.
   
   Mix the cocoa and coconut oil with a fork until it is smooth and lump free. This takes a few minutes, but keep at it. When combined, add a big lump of peanut butter and the sweetener and mix like the devil. As long as the peanut butter is not cold, it will blend right in.
   
   Put in the freezer to harden a little (about 15 minutes), then take out, shape into balls and let harden in the fridge for about a half an hour. When hardened, simply roll around in the same chocolate coating as in the other recipe and refrigerate.
   
   I swear, they melt in your mouth and taste like amazing chocolate-peanut butter truffles.

I've read that the urine ketone test strips are not a good measure.

I've recently been reading Keto Clarity which has a lot of good information on how to measure.

But they basically say the most accurate way to measure ketones is a blood ketone meter or ketone breath analyzer. Ketones in the urine are inaccurate and could disappear after being keto-adapted for a while.

I bought the Precision Xtra Blood Glucose & Ketone Monitoring System and Ketonix to try it out for myself, so I could figure out my personal threshold. Haven't received them yet, so I can't tell you my results.

I really recommend that book though, it's a really good read so far. They went on to publish Keto Cookbook which I actually picked up first at Costco, and after reading that I picked up Keto Clarity on amazon.

I think so. I don't know a lot about all the science behind ketosis. But I know a lot about fasting though. Hypoglycemia is a common symptom of people transitioning into ketosis. As long as it isn't permanent, I wouldn't worry too much and I would just be a bit more cautious. The ketogenic diet is the most complex diet there is and not many have an extensive understanding of the biochemistry behind it (myself included). No other diet will change the actual energy that your cells use, so your body will undergo a lot of changes when it's trying to adapt. It is always best to read on these subjects. A book can tell you a lot more information than I can. I have not read any books on ketosis yet, but from what I have gathered, these are most commonly recommended: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keto-Clarity-Jimmy-Moore/dp/1628600071/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453036057&sr=8-3&keywords=keto and http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Art-Science-Carbohydrate-Living/dp/0983490708/ref=pd_sim_14_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=51OSaAmDQJL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=1H3CKK9KE453H1J53HRX

I'm from the UK which means those URLs are for the UK. If you're from North America be sure to go to Amazon.com

Grain Brain is also a great book that discusses research that has been done on how a low-carb/low-grain diet impacts health and brain function. The author talks about preventing dementia/Alzheimers through a keto-type diet. Highly recommended. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Grain-Brain-Surprising-Sugar-Your-Killers/dp/031623480X

A nice xmas gift for them. I would recommend reading it yourself and then you would bullet point all the major issues they have with keto and support your actions with the summarized study results in there.

Get a bluetooth scale that tracks through your smartphone. It's gratifying seeing the changes over time. I recommend the weight gurus one on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Connected-Solution-including-Backlit/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3GUQ0L2TQ5NFY&keywords=weight+gurus+scale&qid=1556298059&s=gateway&sprefix=weight+gurus+%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-3

I had the same thing around week 2 or 3. 15-20 palpitations an hour. I did some mass googling and linked it to possible deficiencies in sodium, magnesium, and/or potassium. I ordered a supplement that's meant for rehydration for after serious cardio workouts because it targets those things. Swear to god after 2 days taking it not a single palpitation. Lemme find the link. I got them on Amazon.

Edit: Elite Sportz Salt Pills Will Stop Painful Cramps Fast. You'll Finish Your Runs Off Like Never Before, Because Our Electrolyte's Keep You Well Hydrated. 120 Caps Easy to Swallow, Easy on the Stomach https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OU7YXU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SUgszbJ1001V6

The New Atkins For a New You has some advice for both vegetarians and vegans. Both must balance plant proteins to get a balance of essential amino acids and ovo-lacto vegetarians will have an easier time getting sufficient protein.

My brother-in-law is a Pisca vegetarian (fish and seafood) and while fish is generally more expensive than beef and chicken, it's an excellent source of protein as well as Omega-3 fatty acids.

You might also look at Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipies in the side bar; there's also a recipe for a one minute muffin in the discussion over at Livin' La Vida Low-Carb.

I will occasionally allow myself a chocolate "cheat" Although it's not much of a cheat. Still keep it keto.
I like these chocolate bar's
http://lilyssweets.com/

Also I like halo top chocolate mocha chip.
http://www.halotop.com

Or I will make a shake with this stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Isopure-Protein-Powder-Chocolate-Pounds/dp/B000E8ZJGS

I use this so far only with zucchini. I love it. I wonder what other veggies these would work well with?

Don't bother with the test strips. Total waste of money. Get a digital kitchen scale and start weighing your food. Personally, I log everything in a notebook I keep next to the scale. It's a really easy way to keep a food diary. Don't worry about peaks, valleys and plateaus - you'll see them a lot. Just stick with the program and you'll get results. Carbs are a hard limit @ 20g. Protein is a goal, but it's not necessary to hit it every day. Fat is filler for satiety. I tend to only eat when I'm hungry, not because it's time to eat (mixed nuts w/ no peanuts are a great snack). Just get to know your body and listen to what it needs. It gets easier, believe me.

I've done that once or twice!

It's a little expensive, but this chocolate protein powder is a good alternative to the instant breakfasts (they also have a ton of other flavors, but chocolate is my jam). I usually do 1 scoop into a shaker bottle with 8oz almond milk for breakfast.

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Kitchen-Scale-Food-Multifunction/dp/B01JTDG084/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523901646&sr=8-3&keywords=food+scale&dpID=31GGl-hpA3L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

$12.50 on Amazon. For how important it is, food scales are about the cheapest "dieting" implements you can buy. Aside from food tracking apps, which are usually free.

Has anyone tried the Just the Cheese Mini Round Snacks? They look great and come in 7 different flavors, but I can't find a way to not have to order 16 bags of them. It would be totally worth it, though, if I could get an assorted pack.

I had this same problem when I decided to "cheat some" at Christmas. That turned into a 5-month cheat! Then I read Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes, and that snapped me back into reality. When I learned what all sugar and bad carbs do to my body, that clinched it, and I was back on plan. If you haven't read it yet, you should, IMO.

Now, I can be around this stuff with no problem. My roommates always have candy, cookies & cake going on, but I'm not swayed any longer. Plus now I have my awesome cream cheese balls (rolled in SF Jello!), and other desserts once in awhile to handle any sweet cravings (plus diet sodas and SF iced coffees).

I use the Bluetooth scale from Weight Gurus.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdm_itq1wb08229CS via @amazon

I know it doesn't do fat% very well, but very few scales will do that with any real good accuracy, so it's good enough for my purposes.

I think the technology has pretty much been perfected, but this is best selling on amazon. Link

I love these. Single serving bags 75 calories, 1 carb. https://www.amazon.com/Just-Cheese-Classic-Cheddar-0-5-Ounce/dp/B000EML7DS

I did a bunch of research, and i decided these are the best bet. I take a few daily:

Rehydr8-
https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Tablets-Pills-Runners-Cyclists/dp/B00OU7YXU2

Love this brand:
https://www.amazon.com/Premium-derived-only-Organic-Coconuts/dp/B00XM0Y9SE/ref=pd_lutyp_cxhsh_2_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51JYSUhUvlL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_SL500_SR160%2C160_&refRID=Y6PA3YFS4RYNCJBXYC92

I use the Isopure Dutch Chocolate.

Great with heavy cream and almond milk, or cold coffee.

> It's not dehydration, I'm drinking anywhere from 1 to 1.5 gallons of water a day and nearly half a gallon of it is during my workout.

It's probably dehydration.

1 gallon isn't a lot with a workout like that. Plus, without electrolytes you are sweating/peeing that water out instead of retaining it.

Look into something like these

I have had mine for about 6 years and have been very happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-21-Quart-Frozen-Yogurt-Ice/dp/B003KYSLMW/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1522869444&sr=1-1&keywords=cuisinart+ice+cream+maker

I bought this one it was cheaper than the Paderno at the time. Very happy with it.

I don't really cook, so this is right up my alley.

Packaged Items (unrefrigerated)

• Smarte Carb bars (1-2g net carbs)
  
• Quest Nutrition protein bars (3-7g net carbs)
  
• Quest Nutrition Cravings Peanut Butter Cups (4g net carbs)
  
• Just The Cheese Mini Rounds (1g net carbs)
  
• Flackers flax seed crackers (about 1g net carbs per serving)
  
• Some brands of beef jerky (0-3 carbs; read those labels!)
  
• Mission brand Carb Balance Tortillas (spread lightly with some kind of nut butter)
  
• Pecans (1.1g carbs per oz)
  
  Others (refrigerated)
  
  
• Cheese, aged at least 1 year; aging reduces lactose sugar content (<1 carb)
  
• String Cheese (<1 carb)
  
• Lunchmeat
  
• Pre-packaged salads (skip the dressing or use your own low-carb vinaigrette)
  
  One of my favorite snacks is to take 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter (about 4-5g net carbs), mix in 2 tablespoons (or so) of hemp hearts (0g carbs), 2 tablespoons (or so) of flax seeds (0.5g carbs) and mix it all together with a fork until it's a homogenous mixture, then eat it with the same fork. I generally do the prep and consumption in a large mug. I imagine these could probably be turned into little balls and refrigerated for later consumption, too, but I've never tried it.
  
  Something between a snack and a meal can be achieved with lunchmeat, aged cheese, and one of those mission tortillas (3-7 total net carbs); make a little burrito or roll-up with it all. Sometimes I'll even heat them up in the microwave (usually need toothpicks to hold it together until the cheese melts) and eat slowly with a fork and knife.

I've gotten most of mine from Amazon on their "Subscribe and Save" program:

• https://www.amazon.com/Isopure-Protein-Powder-Isolate-Flavor/dp/B000E8ZJGS
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Isopure-Protein-Powder-Isolate-Flavor/dp/B000E95HP0

I have this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JTDG084/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_zWGvDbMYCPD5D
It came with an extra battery. For less than $10 I was surprised at the quality. I use it daily and really love it. 🤓

1. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living
   
2. Keto Clarity
   
   Personally I own no.1. But I think "Keto Clarity" should also be very good.

Take a look at chapter 11 of the New Atkins For a New You. In that chapter it describes meal choices for fast food along with Indian, Greek, Italian, Mexican, et.al. dining. Atkins is not a ketogenic diet, but it's helpful in navigating through the carb minefield of the standard American diet.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1439190275/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451252590&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=the+new+atkins+for+a+new+you&dpPl=1&dpID=51KGWRFmHqL&ref=plSrch

I'm partial to Now Foods brands of Potassium Citrate and Magnesium Citrate, both are excellent. I take so much however I've found that it's a lot cheaper to fill my own capsules with bulk powders from Bulk Supplements.

If possible I would invest in a better way of measuring body fat. Whether thats something like this or if its seeing if you have access to a DEXA scan through your insurance, it measures bone density but also is good at measuring body fat percentage.

eye balling it just isn't really good enough. Assuming you are indeed eating at a deficit, your body is getting that energy somewhere.

I actually really like these even more than the bacon curls. I find that the microwave bags don't cook them as evenly and there's always too many for me to eat in one sitting. Throw a few of the loose nuggets on a paper plate and you're good to go!

What do you mean "slightly been knocked out". You're in or your out. If the stick is any shade of pink, you're in ketosis. The "level" of ketones is irrelevant. Also, many here will say that the high concentrations are an indicator that you're not drinking enough water, as you're not flushing yourself out enough.

I use these for fiber supplements and have never had any issues. They're fantastic as a little mini dessert to round off breakfast.

The Carolina nuggets on Amazon are way way way better. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002O5QWD8

Read Grain Brain. It's written by a neurologist and is fascinating.

Has anyone here tried SaltStick capsules?
http://www.saltstick.com

20$ per bottle of 100 on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Saltstick-Electrolyte-Capsules-100-bottle/dp/B002IY96B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406502619&sr=8-1&keywords=Saltstick

Thinking of giving them a shot.

This one is really good and zero carb. They also have different flavors if chocolate isn't your thing!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E8ZJGS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UxRUCbKB8X1K5

alright so after a carb heavy meal, how many days into no carb should I start taking the potassium and magnesium suppliments as well as the bullion broth.

Are these okay? http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Made-Calcium-Magnesium-Vitamin/dp/B0029O0BVS

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Potassium-Capsules-180-Count/dp/B001AWWC1W/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1463761719&sr=1-4&keywords=potassium+supplement

I get mine on Amazon but you can get it from GNC, Vitamin Shoppe or any health store:

https://www.amazon.com/Premium-derived-only-Organic-Coconuts/dp/B00XM0Y9SE

Vitafusion Fiber Gummies: http://www.amazon.com/Vitafusion-Fiber-Gummies-90-Count-Bottle/dp/B002NPCMJC.

They are also good when you crave something sweet... 2 little gummy cubes have 5 grams of fiber and no sugar. And if you go overboard on them, you will pay dearly. They are "self limiting" :D

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GRIR87M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rWmAxb7ATQDAR

I've made all kinds of noodles. Zucchini, carrot, beet, sweet potato.

This is a YMMV topic. Some sources such as Eric Westmans New Atkins for you it is stated that sugar alcohols can be discounted like fiber from the total carb content. But! may still cause an insulin reaction or act as a laxative.

When I make taco salad I was missing the crunch that corn chips used to provide. I started using these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EML7DS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In my opinion they don't taste good by themselves but they are crispy and make good croutons.

Quest Bars, these things, fish jerky (Sea Bear makes a good salmon jerky, though it's a tad expensive).

Link for the lazy . Looks like you aren't alone 4.6/5 stars

Since I already spent $59 on the ketone supplement, can you help me figure out if the Calcium, Sodium and Magnesium are the same Calcium, Sodium and Magnesium in this electrolyte product I also have called Salt Sticks (which I know has been mentioned here before): https://www.amazon.com/SaltStick-Electrolyte-Replacement-Capsules-bottle/dp/B002IY96B0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505163748&sr=8-3&keywords=salt+sticks

For BHB Salt supplement, it says one single serving contains 77mg of Calcium, 768mg of Sodium, and 528mg of Magnesium.

When I took that recommended serving I did seem to have some gastrointestinal issues (gas and bloating), though it may have been related to two other things I was doing at the time too, so I'm not quite sure yet. But I'm weary of the BHB Salts, or at least in the recommended dosage.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00XM0Y9SE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this is the one i use, its 0 carb and works really well

This Nifty Device

Carolina Gold Nuggets.
Microwavable Pork Rinds.
Per serving, 60 Cal, 2g Fat, 0 Carbs, 0 Sugars, 9g Protein.

I've got this stuff on Subsccribe and Save.
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O5QWD8

Chef Piggy Tail sells similar microwavable ones as well, but flavored if you're into that.

Microwave them on a paper plate rather than ceramic so that they fully puff up.

I had a body fat scale 6 years back and it would consistently measure my body fat 10% higher than any other measurement that I did, which included under water weighing, bioelectrical impedance, and skin caliper tests. I bought this and hope it works a little better:

http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1VPK6T9QMJICE&colid=3QW5GPK1NARRV

Jury's still out! But in case you're curious, this is what I ordered: LINK

Sorry, should have been more clear. I am taking this https://www.amazon.com/SaltStick-Electrolyte-Replacement-Capsules-bottle/dp/B002IY96B0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493614324&sr=8-1&keywords=salt+stick

I would recommend getting separate supplements. That one kind of takes a shotgun approach to each element. It also doesn't let you adjust each one as needed. Plus, Mg-oxide is a laxative.

I use these or this (probably cheaper locally) for K, and these for Mg.
For Na, just use plain salt, broth, etc. I don't worry about Calcium at all, and I don't think many others do either.

More important, learn to recognize when you need more. Na usually shows as the keto flu, K shows up as muscle cramps, and Mg shows up as a little bit of everything.

I recommend Salt Stick for your side effects

Liquid Sucralose like EZ-Sweets

Completely 0 carb/0 calorie.

http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Sweetz-2oz-Liquid-Sweetener-Servings/dp/B002MO765O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312422076&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Packs-0-5-Liquid-Sweetener-Servings/dp/B003LECIDE/ref=acc_glance_gro_ai_ps_t2_t_1

This one fit my tight budget. $9


https://smile.amazon.com/GreaterGoods-Digital-Kitchen-Multifunction-Measures/dp/B01JTDG084

I put on my dinner plate then tare. As I'm dishing out my servings into the dinner plate, I can tare between items and toggle through the different weight units. It does pounds, ounces, grams, milliliters & fluid ounces so you don't have to do the math from pounds...

Anyway. Cheap, functional and does not take up much room if you have little space

Low calorie and keto is totally possible. You can eat lean meat and leafy green veggies and manage to have a fairly low calorie diet. For protein you could just have one Isopure Zero Carb Protein Shake per day as well. As for fat bombs, I've never had one and probably never will. If I want something sweet I'll just have a 90% cocoa square or a scoop of peanut butter.

I try to eat as much whole foods as possible. Humanely raised meats and eggs and butter, wild caught fish, fresh veggies. I really try to keep processed food to a minimum. However, on days when I don't have the appetite to hit my protein goal, I will have an Isopure zero carb protein shake.

Yes. You don’t need salt or ice. It’s a water lined bucket that you freeze. It’s $44 on amazon but this is the model I have that I bought at bed, bath and beyond years ago

Cuisinart ICE-21 1.5 Quart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream Maker (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003KYSLMW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xwrJDb0ZK7NRH

Thanks for the advice. I'm measuring BFP using BI (this guy: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FYZMYK). I use it in conjunction with body measurements and weight measurement to try to account for inaccuracies in each method. I'm not expecting losses every day, but I do expect a general downward trend over a period of weeks/months. I'll come back after a week of detailed tracking with more info.

This food scale is pretty simple and cheap, and I've had no problems with this body scale, too. I link the latter up with my fitbit because I like the fitbit graph.

I keep meaning to make some. I feel like I get too few calories per net carb with Halo Top and need more fat. Perhaps next weekend I'll make my own and I'll post about it. Making ice cream is actually really easy (mix stuff, throw it into ice cream maker, eat in 30 minutes). Ice cream maker is under $50. Ingredients are cheap as hell. I have this maker: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003KYSLMW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1480834949&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ice+cream+maker&dpPl=1&dpID=41cIcGTIN2L&ref=plSrch

>Grain Brain
http://www.amazon.com/Grain-Brain-Surprising-Sugar--Your-Killers/dp/031623480X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396899463&sr=8-1&keywords=grain+brain

> Good Calories, Bad Calories
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Science/dp/1400033462/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396899524&sr=1-1&keywords=good+calories+bad+calories

> Sweden
http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/sweden-becomes-first-western-nation-to-reject-low-fat-diet-dogma-in-favor-of-low-carb-high-fat-nutrition/

Note: Pretty much type "Sweden" + "Low Carb" and you'll find tons of google results.

Wow that price is criminal, here are almost 200 pills for 7$...

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Potassium-Capsules-180-Count/dp/B001AWWC1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375915309&sr=8-1&keywords=potassium+citrate

or if those arn't high enough dose for you here is a 1lb bag for a little more

http://www.amazon.com/Potassium-Citrate-TriPotassium-Dihydrate-Powder/dp/B00729L4NO/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1375915309&sr=8-9&keywords=potassium+citrate

Taste is subjective, but I personally like sucralose and erythritol best--stevia in any form has a very distinctive taste that I dislike, and xylitol somehow manages to mimic a non-minty minty cool taste that I find weird.

You can get liquid sucralose super-cheap on Amazon in convenient little dropper bottles, and erythritol is available online and sometimes at Whole Foods and similar markets under the brands Swerve and Zero--both zero carb.

These get an even higher rating on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O5QWD8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER#customerReviews

Isopure Low Carb Protein Powder, 100% Whey Protein Isolate, Flavor: Dutch Chocolate + So Delicious Bev Mlk Coconut Unsweet Vanilla + Magic Bullet Blender = Thick chocolate milk shake.

1 net carb in 155 calories.

I've had this in my Amazon wishlist for a while and have been wanting to try it but the price has turned me off. I might break down and finally try it.

I use this scale GreaterGoods Digital Food Kitchen Scale, Multifunction Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces (Grey) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JTDG084/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qPxrDbC5A3ZEE

I don't weigh everything but I like it for portioning nuts and making hamburger patties from bulk ground beef

If you are going to get an Atkins book, get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Atkins-You-Ultimate-Shedding/dp/1439190275

Highly recommended. Read (and watch) anything you can by those authors (Westman, Phinney, and Volek).

However, don't touch the Atkins-branded food. It's just "fake version of carb food x" when you should be preparing real food from now on. Animal fats, eggs, real cheese, fresh green veggies, coconut oil, avocados, etc.

Grain Brain, by Dr David Perlmutter http://www.amazon.com/Grain-Brain-Surprising-Sugar-Your-Killers/dp/031623480X

Pure, White and Deadly, by John Yudkin http://www.amazon.com/Pure-White-Deadly-John-Yudkin/dp/0241965284/

And while you're at it, Grain Brain.

Suggested reading

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Fat-Surprise-Butter-Healthy/dp/1451624433/

See if that changes your perspective when you are through with it

"Keto Clarity"

r/fasting r/intermittentfasting

https://smile.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fasting-Intermittent-Alternate-Day-ebook/dp/B01MF8SC2X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503450150&sr=8-1&keywords=fung

https://smile.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight-ebook/dp/B01C6D0LCK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503450150&sr=8-2&keywords=fung

https://smile.amazon.com/Keto-Clarity-Definitive-Benefits-Low-Carb/dp/1628600071/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

I've never used any of this stuff but I see this suggested a lot.

There is also this, which my keto cousin uses, and a quick google netted me these pre made shakes.

Popped cheese, man. This stuff changed my snacking life. That and pork rinds. Pork rinds are always handy to have around for a quick snack.

I use this one from Omron which I've compared to my results from two different DEXA scans and found it to be accurate to 0.2% from what the dexa machines reported.

I use a B-complex vitamin, D vitamins, magnesium supplement.

I get my potassium from the protein shakes I drink, which also have a lot of the vitamins and minerals.

https://www.amazon.com/Isopure-Protein-Powder-Cookies-Pounds/dp/B0015R26V8?th=1

No carbs.

How do we feel about SaltStick caps?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IY96B0/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_GCshDbWCAC0E1

That's what I assumed but wouldn't that show up in the urinalysis? What more can I do besides using lite salt on food and taking these a few times per day? I eat avocados too.

EDIT: I'm right in the normal range for Magnesium, Sodium, and Potassium according to the urine panel. Should those numbers look different on keto?

I take these.

Net 0 carbs. 5 grams - 5 carbs from fiber.

These are the gummies.

These are the ones I buy, though sometimes the quality is a bit off https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002O5QWD8 — the last package has a lot of very small pieces in it, and I’ve gotten a couple of batches that weren’t salted. Despite all that, I eat a lot of them.

http://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Gold-Nuggets-Microwave-Bake-N-Puffs/dp/B002O5QWD8/

http://www.amazon.com/Packs-0-5-Liquid-Sweetener-Servings/dp/B003LECIDE/ref=sr_1_2?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1398003349&sr=1-2&keywords=ez+sweetz

This stuff. It's liquid sucralose. Splenda in drops instead of granular.

http://www.amazon.com/Packs-0-5-Liquid-Sweetener-Servings/dp/B003LECIDE

Most likely used a spiralizer.

Get one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/Spiralizer-Vegetable-Strongest-Heaviest-Gluten-Free/dp/B00GRIR87M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497994699&sr=8-3&keywords=zoodle

I take a two of these a day (morning/evening) and my leg cramping at night has gone away.

Electrolyte pills

Those are the ones I ordered, and will be taking as soon as they arrive. Here's what I ordered.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM0Y9SE

For criticism, I recommend The Big Fat Surprise.

I don't know what to tell you. I haven't had any real problems with this. If I've had a tad too much meat/cheese sometimes I'll take a few Fiber Gummies before bed. But if the psyllium isn't working for you I can't imagine why these would... I agree with the other posters. Doctor time!

My personal shake is 2 scoops of Isopure Dutch Chocolate, half a cup of heavy cream, and 8 ounces of coffee. Blend it and chill. If I need extra fat, I add a tsp of coconut oil. The macros come out to: Calories 627, Protein 54, Carbs 5.3, Fat 44.

5 grams of fiber seems a little low.

http://www.amazon.com/Vitafusion-Fiber-Gummies-90-Count-Bottle/dp/B002NPCMJC

I try to get a couple of these every meal. Especially ones that don't have much veggies.

Not sure if this suffers from the same problem as Potassium Gluconate, but you could always try Potassium Citrate.

I used the Atkins book, Atkins website and for recipe ideas, Linda's low carb website and George Stella and Dana Carpender cookbooks.

Canned fish of various types (regular tuna, smoked kipper "snacks", sardines), etc. Nuts etc that everyone else has suggested.

And these weird baked-cheese snacks. ;)

I've been using Rapid Rehydr8 electrolyte pills for two weeks now, and they've really helped me. I was getting headaches and muscle cramps during my first two weeks, so I took 3 a day for a while. Now I take one in the morning and another if I'm feeling sluggish or dehydrated.

You need to get MCT oil, it's a refined type of coconut oil. These people who use regular coconut oil and salted butter are doing it wrong ;) https://www.amazon.com/Premium-derived-only-Organic-Coconuts/dp/B00XM0Y9SE

http://robbwolf.com/2011/01/12/hey-robb-this-person-said-gluten-free-diets-are-bogus/

And according to Grain Brain gluten sensitivity is not only about celiacs. In fact, the problem may be much more prevalent

Vitafusion Fiber Gummies! Nutrition facts here.

For those too lazy to look, a serving is 2 gummies. Each serving has 10 calories and 5 g of total carbohydrates (5g of soluble dietary fiber + <1 gram of sugar alcohols, more specifically, xylitol).

Truvia contains stevia w/ erythritol. I just dumped my splenda (which contains maltodextrin, a thickener that adds carbs) and bought some Truvia. Some people swear by EZ-Sweetz which is sucralose w/o the maltodextrin thickener: http://www.amazon.com/Packs-0-5-Liquid-Sweetener-Servings/dp/B003LECIDE/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_1