Ditch. The. Carbs.
If you have been following me on Pinterest over the past 6 months, you’ll have noticed my latest obsession with a Keto diet. Keto is eating a low amount of carbs (typically between 20-40 net carbs)
When you consistently eat a limited amount of carbs, your body enters ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones (from fat) as the main source of energy instead of glucose (from carbs).
When you cut carbs and eat more fat, your body will start to use the fat consumed as well as stored body fat as its main source of energy. You can read more on my Keto 101 blog post here.
Weight Loss
From February to May of this year, I have lost 28 lbs thanks to Keto. Since May, I have successfully kept the weight off & have noticed that I am having an easier time sticking to a diet. Which is saying a lot since I survived a typically carb-fueled summer!
I owe a lot of success to consistency which was helped by making sure I meal prepped weekly. I looked up recipes on Pinterest & finally broke down and bought e-books from a favorite website that had super easy to follow recipes (all only had 5 ingredients!) and that I knew were tested and worked with the keto diet. All recipes have 5 net grams of carbs or fewer, are easy to prep & taste great.
Related:
– The Keto Protein Shake Making My Hair Grow Like Crazy
When on a diet, you definitely want to feel satisfied after a meal, and on Keto and with these recipes, you definitely won’t feel hungry or like you a being deprived of anything.
Related:
– The Keto Protein Shake Making My Hair Grow Like Crazy
What’s great about the ebooks, and my favorite thing is that they are all about keeping it simple. I hate finding a recipe that has 30 ingredients that I never heard of and I have to invest in a ton of new stuff to make one recipe! All recipes in the ebooks are 5 ingredients. The recipes are simple to make but so so delicious and keep you full!
If you are interested in starting a low carb or Keto diet take a look at my Keto 101 post here, check out my 7 Day Low Carb Meal Plan here, take a spin through my Pinterest page or click on an e-book below!
You look fabulous, you are a wonderful role model for any age!
Thank you Robin 🙂
Can’t find you on Instagram!
Hi! You can find me at either @lowcarblovingit or @robolikes – I’m not super active on Instagram, but I’m getting about posting!
Lauren I am starting today. I have been so depressed after returning from a war zone and have packed in a solid 40 lbs. I’m 57 and have a gym membership I never use. Just reaching out to you because out of all I had read yours seems REAL. Any suggestions for me for my first day. I thought I would start by making a nice kieesh with mushrooms butter and spinach. I have to keep this simple though. I am confused about portions. I can’t seem to find a lot about portions. Any help would be so helpful
Hi Leslie, thank you for reaching out! AMy top advice would be to figure out your macros and start off SLOW! You can figure out your macros by going here: https://laurenrabadi.com/KetoCalc – I would meal plan for a few days so you know what you will be eating and there will be no guessing. This will also help you out with portions! If you’re interested in working out, I would look on bodybuilding.com for some easy to follow weight lifting guides (when i first started lifting, I followed Kelsey Byers Body transformation) and add in a little bit of cardio. Hope that helps!
So bbn I downloaded the books and I was wondering what I could subsitue for coconut oil, coconut flour, or anything with coconut?? I have a coconut food allergy since I was a child n ot is severe??
You can sub avocado oil for coconut oil! Or any healthy oil alternative. The easiest switch would be almond flour and milk. Coconut flour is super absorbent and needs a lot of moisture. Sub 1/4 cup of coconut flour with 1 cup almond flour.
I also keep kosher diet, ham many recipes contain pork or shellfish? just so I know if I can use them all. Thanks for your time.
Hi Trish! In the Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner ebooks, there are under 5 recipes with pork or shellfish in each. All dessert recipes are kosher friendly – hope that helps! 🙂
Hi I tried a lot of their recipes. They are really great because they are quick and easy. I have started the Keto diet since May this year and have lost 40lbs. I always hated cooking but now with the Keto diet I’m always looking for new recipes to try. Love eating this way!
That’s amazing, congrats Frances! I really like the simplicity of these ebooks too – hate when a recipe has a ton of ingredients or is super complicated too.
Awesome!!! On a keto diet, is it more important to pay attention to the percentage of carbs per calories, or the 20 – 40g range of net carbs? I am still trying to learn a keto plan. Thanks.
Hi Jan, great question! For keto, it is best to pay attention to the net grams of carbs (carbs minus fiber). It is best to kick off your diet with 20 net grams of carbs then work your way into the 40 grams area. Hope this helps!
I learned that lesson the hard way. I was only watching carbs and not worrying about calories. No success, no wonder.
Me too, but now have learned that low cab does not equal keto, you have to pay attention to fat and protein too. I was not getting enough fat into my diet and although cutting carbs and calories did result in weight loss, I was not achieving ketosis until I starting adding sufficient amounts of fat. Macros are important
Do you know if there would be problems for a person on dialysis and wheelchair bound?
Hi Sharon, I have no idea and wouldn’t feel comfortable even giving a guess. Please ask your doctor if the low carb, whole food recipes in these books would be OK. I’m definitely interested in the answer, so please report back!
I recently started the keto diet and to get start I of course bought and read a book on it. In the book that I purchased it states that on keto we should be countin total carbs not net. What is your suggestion?
Hi Chelsey, which book was it? I have read a ton of resources and they all agree on net carbs as to what you should be calculating.
how long did it take u?
Hi Milena, it took me about 6 months to lose the weight and I’ve kept it off for about 5 years now!
Hi Lauren, thank you for all of this information. I live that you have kept the weight off for such a long time. You still have to stay in ketosis, correct? How many net carbs are you eating now to maintain? Im asking because my husband and daughter don’t need to loose weight, hut I do and we are changing the way we eat together.
Hi Kelly, I typically eat around 40 net carbs with a good amount of protein and a healthy amount of fat
Hi Lauren! Do you ever carb up?
Hi Mayela, there are times when I have a treat meal that has more carbs than I would normally eat, definitely!
Do you know if this diet will work for diabetics and someone with thyroid problems losing weight?
Hi Linda, this diet consists of whole foods and good fats so I don’t see why not but to be on the safe side, I would definitely ask your doctor before starting!
hi lauren, i have been on the veto diet for a month and have only lost four pounds and don’t see or feel a difference.. any suggestions?
Hey Lauren (awesome name), without knowing your day to day, I would suggest switching up your macros, making sure you are getting enough water and fiber & try writing down everything you are eating/ serving size for a week or two. Sometimes you don’t realize you are going over or under on something until you jot it down!
Hi Lauren. You loom amazing! Ive been doing keto off and on for almost 6 months. I say off and on because i havnt lost anything. Kept my carbs to 20 daily so a few days i would give up then start back up on a Monday. Im still learning keto. What are macros? Ive read about keto but i cant find anything that really explains macros. All i drink is water and eat mostly chicken and salads daily…. help
Hi Jessica, thank you! I think my main advice would be to not give up. Give the diet at least 3 weeks without any cheat days or cheat meals and you will definitely see results. Make sure you’re only having moderate protein and a good amount of fat per day. If you go to my search bar at the top right of the site, type in macros – you’ll come across my ditch the carbs blogpost on how to calculate macros! Let me know if you need anything else!
Hi Lauren,
I’m interested in starting Keto and have been following your progress, one question I had is whether you workout on the Keto diet and whether it is difficult to do? I am a recreational runner and horseback rider so am always on the go or doing something active. Interested in your experience.
Hi Diane, I definitely still workout on Keto! Instead of using carbs for energy, your body will start to burn fat for energy when working out. I run, lift weights & do yoga and haven’t had a problem yet!
I’ve been on keto for 3 to 4 months lost 15 pounds and feel great whenever I start to fall off a little bit or gain a few pounds as soon as I get back on it I drop the weight there are so many great recipes and options that you don’t even miss real bread or sugar or snacks
It’s the best way to lose weight eat food do you live not feel deprived at all and it’s healthy
Great Laurie – glad you are enjoying the keto lifestyle!
Hi, Lauren. I can’t eat dairy. Do many of the recipes include cheese or cream, or other dairy products?
Hi Vanessa, there are quite a few of the recipes that require a dairy product. You can update these recipes with nondairy versions like coconut milk or you can check out Healthful Pursuit – she has a lot of allergen-free recipes here: https://laurenrabadi.com/HealthfulPursuit
I can’t either – I use almond milk!
The recipes are delicious and great, but the calories are way to high for each recipe. I’m counting calories and carbs there need to be ones with fewer calories per recipe.
Hi there, I can definitely understand the calorie concern. Some of the higher calorie recipes can be cut in half for a lower calorie meal! Feel free to add a small leafy green salad to go with it to keep you fuller longer!
New to Keto. This is my 8th day, weighed myself yesterday. Lost 10lbs in 7 days. I have been super strict. I log everything into my Fitbit app. If it goes in my mouth, it goes in the log. you look fabulous and are an inspiration to the rest of us.
That’s incredible, great job Vanessa! Definitely keep me in the loop of your progress 🙂
Hello Lauren i just started the keto diet 3 days ago, bought all 4 books but im confused when it says nutrition per serving and then it says makes four servings, and then lets say it has 600 calories does that mean that each serving has 600 calories or do they mean 600 calories overall if i measure everything exactly as it says in the book? Not sure if im making any sense here, hope not to confuse you with my question. Thanks in advance.
Hi Gabriela, great question! No matter how many servings are listed in each recipe, the nutritional breakdown will be for 1 serving. For some of the recipes that are on the higher calorie side, feel free to cut the serving in half! You can then add in a dark leafy green side salad to balance your meal out. Hope that helps, let me know if you need anything else!
Wow, you look amazing! Did you evere reach a stall? I started keto on august 1st, and lost 18 lbs on the first month. Now, its been 2 months at the same weight and I keep IF, and barely eating some days. I keep counting my macros, and nothing!!! I don’t know what to do. I’m also beginning to feel tired all the time. I’m not sure if its the lack of calories, though. Any thoughts? Tia.
Hi Haydee, I have definitely reached stalls and in the instance, I switched up what I was eating. For instance, I find it very easy to make the same thing every day, so in those moments I would create something totally different with different ingredients. Are you working out at all? Also, definitely do not go too low on calories, that can make you stall and tire easily. I personally do not do IF because I need to eat all the foods lol
So the dr tells me to lower my cholesterol and that I am obese
Will the keto diet help in both cases?
Hi Roni, a keto diet can definitely help with both weight loss and lowering cholesterol! I have seen A TON of success stories with both weight loss and lowering cholesterol, but I am not a doctor or trained professional though, so definitely talk about the benefits with your doc!
Hi I’ve been on keto since may. Was doing great for say 4 months. I didn’t have a bunch of weight to loose but more about gut feeling better. I did loose a few but in the last month or so my weight has steadily gone up to now about 8lbs. I am consistently in keto but not comfortable in clothes as it continues to climb. Suggestions? I have also tried the intermittent fasting but found i was getting in enough calories. Any feed back would b appreciated.
Hi Trish, congrats on your success! It might be time to reaccess your macros & calorie intake. I would play around with your macros on a calculator and see if anything should change with your new weight and body composition. Let me know if that helps!
Hi Lauren. Are your recipes gluten and dairy free?
I’m allergic to both.
Thanks
Sam
Hi Sam, the recipes are gluten-free, but a few of them do have dairy in them – sorry! If you are looking for allergen-free recipes, I really love the recipes from this blog: https://laurenrabadi.com/HealthfulPursuit
How do I get he books sent to as a hard copy? there is no where to put my address
Hi Kelly, these are an instant digital download, so the ebooks will be emailed to you! You can access them on any device or a lot of people print them out or have Kinkos or Staples bind them into a cookbook too! The images are gorgeous and high res so it works out really well!
Hi. I do not like fish or seafood at all. Will these books provide a good selection of recipes to choose from?
I’ve been following you on Pinterest for years now! I’m really excited for you and have been lookin for a weight loss regime that’s right for me- I like your insight! Thank you!
You are so sweet Kelsea, thank you!
Hi! Lauren, I’ve been doing the Keto diet since Feb 12, I was losing almost a pound a day for the first two weeks and now ZERO!! For 2 weeks up a pound down a pound etc. Do you have any suggestions? When I check my urine ketones I’m in dark purple but there is no weight coming off? I’m confused. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Hi Nathalie, I would keep going! Usually the weight that falls off at the beginning is water weight. Keep going and you will definitely see results. Also be sure to calibrate your macros every so often to account for weight lost!
Hi Lauren.
Is there a macronutrient tracker that you use or can recommend to download?
Hi Tommie, I use MyFitnessPal for free!
Is the Keto diet good for a even a picky eater? I am afraid b/c I’m not big on the berries except strawberries.
Hi Melissa, I think it depends. If you are good with eating proteins, veggies and fats like avocado I think you will do really well!
Hi Lauren, good morning and I hope all is well. So, I’ve just purchased the bundle of books through Kindle. As I’m excited to start this journey the one thing I wish I had was a ‘starter’s grocery list’, just a list of the basic stuff. Especially in the dessert book there seems to be some unique items.
Do you have or know of such a shopping list?
Thanks for your help and I look forward to you keeping me company on this change of lifestyle adventure.
Andy
Hi Andy, so excited to be here for your Keto journey! I do have a grocery list that’s free and printable! Click here to head over to my Ultimate Keto Guide & Grocery List 🙂 Let me know if you need anything else!
Hello Lauren. You are the first person I’ve posted to on Pinterest. You’ve inspired me to post. I never really had a weight problem I couldnt manage my weight when i decided to until now. I stayed around 138 even after marriage and children for years. But now I’m having a real issue. I’m about 188 lbs and I’m not in my thirties anymore. I’ve just gone through a divorce. I have a special needs child that can be aggressive. I own a business that does well but is demanding. I live away from family and friends but can’t leave my livelihood. And i think I’m in menopause?! I’m very interested in Keto. What advice do you have for me? I’d love to lose 65 lbs in six months. I think it would change so much for the better. Just feeling as if i had some control over something! Thank you.
Hi Cee, my advice would be to keep it simple! Start out by eating proteins, leafy green veggies, nuts and seeds (like chia seeds, hemp hearts), get your fiber in through avocados, and don’t stress too much about it!
Hello Lauren! i started the Keto diet with some work friends in July and i lost 13 pounds in a month. I was very pleased with it! Unfortunately I started craving sweets again and stopped my diet. I had a hard time finding easy foods to make for me and my family. It seem like I was eating the same things over and over which became even harder to maintain. I can stay away from everything except sweets. I battle this everyday. What do you recommend in the Keto diet that could help me with this?
Hi Marie, have you tried any fat bombs? I offer some recipes on my site! They are sweet little bites of almost cookie dough like taste and are totally keto friendly! As for switching it up, switch it up! I mainly eat the same things but on random days Ill make a cauliflower pizza or eggplants lassagna. Those days of switching it up make the days of protein and veggies still good too!
Hi Lauren,
I am considering buying the whole meal plan but was wondering if the 28 day one would be better to see if I like it first. Suggestions? Also, if I buy the whole meal plan can I share the meals with friends and family? Did you exercise at all when you first started keto? Thanks!
Hi Deana, you can definitely share the plan, it is a PDF. I do exercise – I like to lift weights, walk and do pilates!