Keto diet & sugar addiction

@HannahTheMichigander

Hi there...

I'm Ocean the Healthy Living Community leader... While I'm not Keto, I have dabbled in it a moment or two in the past. I know (for me) that it can be challenging to stick to.

If this is something that your physician has recommended for medical reasons, I'm just also wondering if they have given you any resources to help you? If this was recommended by them, then professionally speaking as a nurse, they should have given you some sounds advice and suggestions on what to do, where to go and where to look as far as groups etc...for additional support with those who are following it as well.

I do know one thing, I'm not sure if you are on any social media sites, But....Facebook has ALOT of Keto Groups!! More than you can imagine. I'm not sure if you have looked there, but, that could be a start in getting some of your questions answered in more detail regarding foods, recipes, etc.... especially if you are looking to actually "speak" and chat with others who are on it as well. You can post questions in those group and because its specifically for Keto members, rest assured, many will be able to respond and give you recommendations and opinions on what they are doing that helps them.

Of course, you have to take some of the info that is given at face value or a with a grain of salt. .... But, some can be quite helpful. You can also perhaps look at Youtube, Instagram and Pinterest as well?...

But... One thing I will certainly AGAIN re-iterate here, is to please again touch base with your healthcare provider and follow up with them on what you are doing, and how they can also continue to help "You".. That is their job!

Best of luck to you moving forward! Please let us know how you are doing.

I gained a lot of weight in the last year, it is a real nightmare. Fortunately, I started eating healthy food and working out regularly. I already see the changes, everything we need is patience and desire. Also, I was prescribed to take vitamins and supplements. Except for this, I take Xenical, it boosts the effect. {Edited by Polite Ocean: Due to Soliciting Nature}.

@HannahTheMichigander

Congratulations on taking a big step. I've been on Keto for a few months now. I am on it primarily to alleviate insulin resistance. Weight loss is not my goal. There are lots of good Keto sweets recipes on the web. I have found an essential tool to help me with this journey. It is a phone app called Carb Manager. When you sign up, it asks you what your goals are and then tailors your daily fat/protein/carbs ratios for you. They give you a recommended calorie level in align with your goals (don't worry about being perfect). Throughout the day, you can easily, conveniently record what you ate and you will be able to check your ratios throughout the day so that you can adjust what you eat at your next meal or snack. The food logging is so easy, as there are kajillions of items to choose from that will have all the macros info for you. There are tons of brand name products in the food log selection. There are also daily recipes that are free. The app is free with a lot of basic functions, and you can upgrade to a premium levels that have a lot more bells and whistles to help you manage your goals, and this includes unlimited recipes and meal planning.

As far as helping with your sweet tooth goes, there is a lot of information and recipes for this aspect of Keto, because almost everyone struggles with this and is the number one challenge of this diet. The two most popular, easy recipes are fat bombs and mug cakes. There are also Keto sweets that you can buy at the store, including ice cream, cheesecake, custards, brownies, and more. I'd be careful with those, because they often have commercial ingredients that are not the healthiest. And they are expensive. But if it helps you keep to the program, it will be worth the cost.

There are several YouTube channels that have good information for newbies. Of course, you need to be careful about not accepting everything they say. It's good to double check the facts.

My favorite artificial sweetener is monk fruit powder. There is a good video on the insulin response and taste test for each type of sweetener in which the hosts actually take each sweetener (on different days for each), checking their glucose before and 30 minutes after taking, so their results are empirical. It's on the Keto Connect YouTube channel. They love sweets, too, and talk about practical ways to approach areas that you find challenging. Overall, it's a great channel for beginners. They also have a website.

There is another YouTube channel with a man who is more of a nutrionist who explains Keto in technical detail, which is great for beginners. I don't agree with everything he says, because he is personally much stricter than I think most people could sustainably be, but it's a great learning channel. It's called Dr. Sten Ekberg. He is not a big fan of having keto sweets regularly, but you can ignore that for now, because it wouldn't work for you this early in the process.

For me, I am finding that Keto is an ongoing learning curve. Pay attention to what foods make you feel good and which ones don't make you feel good. It takes awhile to get it right for you. Patience and acceptance are good tools. It's a long-term approach and is worth the trial and error. Be kind to yourself all along the way, especially when you think you've messed up. You haven't. You've had a lesson with useful information about your individual response.

Yay for you!

when u are in keto its important focus on healthy fats: While the keto diet is high in fat, it's important to choose healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Avoid unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats, which can increase your risk of heart disease.