Every day I get emails from my lovely new keto squad, asking for tips and tricks, so I decided to start compiling them in one place. More importantly, I’d love for this page to grow, so please jump into the comments section and add your keto tips and tricks! I’ll also keep adding to the list as I discover new things.
- Ghee is the shizzy. I mean, butter is awesome, but ghee is amazing, especially if you throw it on steak.
- Take Omega-3! Seriously! You need to have more Omega 3 in your system than Omega-6 (all those fats you are consuming) otherwise all that oil and stuff will do you harm.
- Don’t drink alcohol unless you’re having a cheat day, because it literally stops your weight loss.
- Cream cheese is not your friend, to make anything half decent you need a ton of it and it usually has a decent amount of carbs.
- If you whisk up heavy cream and peanut butter (I like Teddie Flax PB) you can use less peanut butter to make more and create a creamy delicious mousse we like to call “Peanut Butter Delight” around here – add a little stevia if you want!
- Lemon water is awesome (helps your ph which gets screwy on keto and makes you want to drink more). I LOVE True Lemon packets.
- There are naturally low-carb dark chocolate chips out there that’ll solve any sweet craving.
- Cast iron pans will make all of your meat taste better.
- Toast coconut flakes to make keto cereal!
- Land O’ Lakes makes a whipped cream that’s sugar-free because it’s made with heavy cream. It has zero carbs and it’s amazing. Cool Whip also makes a heavy cream version that’s super low carb too, even lower than their sugar-free tub.
- Anything that’s “light” or “sugar-free” is usually still full of carbs, sometimes more than the original one.
- Don’t waste your time with low-fat anything, you need to have the highest percentage of fat in your diet, versus protein and carbohydrates otherwise, your protein will convert into sugar too.
- Don’t eat too much bacon when you start or you will grow to hate bacon. No really, I was the baconator and I can’t even smell it now.
- Make sure you’re digesting! If you’re not, you won’t lose weight and your belly will be mad at you.
- Drink boullion, or throw some coconut oil in your coffee if you need a boost. Or, if you prefer supplements, take probiotics or psyllium husk.
- Also, http://www.reddit.com/r/keto is a bible of good keto advice and stories.
- Drink a shitton of water. I hate drinking water, I practically have an aversion to fluids (other than wine), but this is a must. If you drink a lot of water you’ll lose more weight, period.
- Buy the pre-made boiled eggs in the bag to make quick and easy deviled eggs for a snack or breakfast! Most grocery stores and Walmart have them.
Now it’s your turn to make this list useful. Add your best keto tips and tricks to the comments!
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116 comments
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“Don’t eat too much bacon when you start or you will grow to hate bacon. No really, I was the baconator and I can’t even smell it now.”
Blasphemy!!!!
Heathen how dare you hate on the Bacon. Bacon is the word. Bacon is GOD!
I’m in love with this….its real and straight forward !! You made me Keto happy!!!
So glad I found this page…I was worried about maintaining the pH balance while in Keto. (Which I just entered for the first time yesterday, and feels AWESOME). Good tips Brotha, thanks alot.
I had my blood analyzed and that, beyond needing digestive enzymes because my body wasn’t used to so much protein, was the biggest thing the doc recommended. 🙂
Betaine HCI is good for digesting protein
Sorrry…Good tips SISTA…dont hate me, haha.
😛
Like boullion the cubes for soups and stuff? Throw a cube in water??
Yup! 🙂
What exactly does boullion cubes do?
From what Ive read it replaces salt thats lost.
Which bouillon do you recommend?
For making a cereal more like oatmeal, I heat the toasted coco & coarse ground flaxseed with heavy whipping cream, & vanilla liquid stevia.
Also,
Making pizza crusts out of almond & coconut flours can give your pizza a nutty taste so add a pinch of onion salt to the flour-egg mixture to give it a deeper flavour.
Sounds tasty!
Great tips!
Fantastic and true tips, but I must say that cream cheese has been a great friend to me. I eat certain items made with it (mini cheesecakes, alfredo sauce, etc.) and I’ve lost 60 lbs and still going down and down (under 10lbs to goal now!). I appreciate your advice, but this could vary from person to person. Still, great work!!
Agreed! I think the whole diet is really so dependent on each individual person. 🙂
Wow fantastic. Im on day 4 of Atkins using keto type stuff too and have lost 6 lbs. Some of which was befote with light commitment. And getting lost in Portland, Ore! Not bad for 55 year old lady!
The ratio that you are strong for is 3-1. 3 being fat, 1 being protein and carbs. Ease MCT into your intake. Macadamia nuts are a great way to round out the days intake. They are yummy plus add good fat to get to 3-1. And finally use my fitness pal. Have fun.
I’ve come to LOVE macadamia nuts!
Costco roasted macadamia nuts are heaven
Agreed!
I like them just cannot eat them because I’m allergic to them.
True Lemon says it has sugar though…..I was just about to buy some till I checked the ingredients.
Hmm.. well how about that? It says 0g sugar on the box, but it has two ingredients, crystallized lemon and then “organic evaporated cane juice”. It still says 0g of sugars in the nutrition facts, so it must be a tiny bit. I use real lemons when I can but I think I’ll continue to use this, it’s pretty much all that gets me to drink water. 😉
Yea I was excited when you mentioned it cause I am horrible and drinking plain water. Its lame that the FDA says “oh you can label it zero if its under 1 carb” boo to that. Maybe I’ll just count it as one and use it in my 32oz water bottle….
wait, two ingredients?? Dang the website lists more than that…..Im still gonna pick up some I think. And the lime too, I think it will be good in my cheater Mojitos. haha
Exactly how does one make those cheat mijitos??? Smile
I just checked and the unsweetened stuff has no sugar.
There is now a sugar-free version. The raspberry lemonade flavour is truly next level..
Try lemon oil! I use doTERRA 😊
Just make sure you are not using a plastic cup or bottle when using essential oils 🙂 Glass or steel only.
Lemon extract is great in water! 🙂 No sugar…No carbs…a little goes a long way!
I use organic…in case anyone wanted to know.
I use a lot of cream cheese, heavy whipping cream (HWC) and cheddar and I am losing consistently – bouncing up and down a wee bit but always going down over the coarse.
Some tips that help me:
I’ve always – and I mean ALWAYS – used sugar in my coffee. It’s been my biggest downfall when it comes to getting rid of my extra weight. But with plenty of HWC and a little unsweetened vanilla almond milk – I am actually drinking coffee with no sugar, no sweeteners, and loving it. (I once tried low-carb and saved enough carbs every day for a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee and I never could make it more than a couple of weeks – that little bit of sugar kept my cravings sky high.)
HWC makes the most fantastic sauce, all by itself, with no thickeners or anything. Brown up some meat and onions and whatever else you like and once it’s brown and cooked through cover it with as much HWC as you want – depending on how many people you’re cooking for and how much sauce you want. Let it cook down for several minutes – 30 or so at least – and it is sooo good. Add some cream cheese and/or shredded white cheddar to make it even more decadent. Along with the cheese(s), add quite a bit of homemade broth – chicken or beef, depending on the meat you’ve got in the pan – and make it creamy, cheesy soup.
Two great snacks:
Softened cream cheese, chopped green olives with pimentos and chopped green onion mixed together. Spread it on keto- friendly crackers or celery. Or wrap some in a slice of low-carb lunch meat.
Place a piece of Hormel original pepperoni in the bottom of a muffin cup. Pile on a finger-full of shredded cheese. I use Tillamook Medium White Cheddar. If you can find a low-carb pasta sauce, add about 1/2 teaspoon on top of the cheese. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and it’s all bubbly in the bottom of the muffin tin. Remove from the pan pretty quickly as it hardens after a bit. With the pasta sauce I found (4 carbs in a 1/2 cup) each little pepperoni tidbit was less than 1/2 carb.
Thank you! These tips are great!
I am a huge fan of heavy whipping cream. I really enjoy mixing it in with eggs and cheese to give the eggs a creamy factor and throw in some extra fats.
I use a drop of lemon essential oil in my water 🙂 also, magnesium supplements help to keep you “regular”, too.
JeanneCerrone Great tips!
@Raylene Thanks for sharing! Cream cheese is my nemesis! 🙂
What does HWC stands for?
LowSiJie Heavy Whipping Cream
Started this sometime in January. Felt really bad the very first and second day, but I was coming off of a, “Eat BIG because you are starting something Monday weekend”. (story of my life ) What I cannot get over is.. I am never hungry. One week a month I want more food than is normal, but I am not craving carbs to any point where I have to have something processed ( as was the case before). Before I literally felt crazy, like I had zero control. It is completely remarkable. Last night I treated myself to blackberries with fresh whipped cream. WOW!! Very satisfying! I think this is the one for me. Also. I know there are varying thoughts on alcohol. I will have red wine in moderation or vodka and club soda on weekends only, but am steadily slowly losing weight (18 lbs) and feel good. I leave for an all inclusive in a week and am not too worried about it. Having little stress is also what helps make this terrific. Thanks for the tips!!
I always have the same issue– I am NEVER hungry on keto. Sometimes I simply eat because I should. Pizza when I see other people eating it would normally make me almost beg for a piece but on keto? Nope. I’m too full.
I think keto is the first time I’ve actually been FULL.
CBA123 I love it for the same reasons! Isn’t it nice to have self control back? LOL. I find it reduces stress considerably too, much more calm, cool, and collected. I love this “diet!” 🙂
how to do that coffee and a coconut oil ? . how much amount of oil should i pour
joanvicente1234 I use about a teaspoon in an 8oz cup of hot coffee.
I started ketosis a week ago only to loose about 15 pounds. Nothing crazy. I work out every day and eat less…but I have gained 2 pounds. What am I doing wrong? Would I be better to quit?
Hi Bernadette, it’s hard to guess without knowing what you’re eating or if you’re in ketosis. It takes a few days to a week to get into ketosis, so I would give it a full month. I would also not use artificial sweeteners or overload on dairy in your first month, as those two things (and also alcohol) can hinder ketosis and weight loss. Are you using keto sticks, and are you in ketosis?
You should also measure yourself. Since muscle weighs more that fat, sometimes you do not see continuous results on the scale, but you can confirm with measurements that you are still on track.
Muscle does not weigh more than fat, muscle is more condense. A pound of fat and a pound of muscle is still a pound. However since its more dense you can put more muscle in place of where fat once was. 🙂
With that logic, bricks don’t weigh more than air cause “a pound of air…”
The obvious intent was that the same volume of muscle weighs more than fat.
Not enough to just be in Ketosis,, you must eat less calories and not too much protein.
I’m struggling to reduce my protein. What’s the secret? Started great and have stalled out on my weight loss. Keto sticks show I’m moderate to heavy and I’ve been in ketosis for about 3 weeks.
Check out the Dr. Eric Berg YouTube channel. He has thousands of videos on keto and medical issues and does an hour-long call-in show weekly. I’ve taken his health coaching course. So, following his protocols, I would say…you may be working out too much. Work out less; give yourself several days to recuperate between workouts. He has videos on this. Also, *absolutely* no sugar while you’re trying to lose weight. Basically you want to get healthy (first) in order to lose weight. You need a ton of cruciferous vegetables in your diet daily — 7-10 cups of vegetables — to get the potassium you need. And, are you doing intermittent fasting? That will help your body heal so it can lose weight faster. Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have insomnia? Get 8 hours of sleep a night and that will help too. It’s not the “just diet and exercise” idea we’ve been sold for decades; there’s more to weight loss than diet and exercise.
I just started on the keto lifestyle, and I love coffee throughout the day. Is it allowed to have sugar free/carb free flavored syrup and heavy whipping cream? It tastes exactly like the dessert coffee I used to treat myself to. If so, is there a limit throughout the day I should stick to? I love it so much and I’m afraid it is a no-no.
If you’re losing weight and staying in ketosis, then it’s fine for you. 🙂 Some people report that they stall when they have “diet” products, or too much cream but my mom has sugar-free syrup in her sugar-free hot chocolate all the time and continues to lose!
I am diabetic, what brand of sugar free hot chocolate does the mom use?
Are there any other supplements you should be taking other than the omega3s mentioned above?
Many people take magnesium as well, at least in the beginning while your body adjusts. A multivitamin can’t hurt on any diet. 🙂
I have lost over 70lbs through various ways over the past 9+ months, using keto for the last 10 or so. I have about 10 more left to go and really have really taken to the keto lifestyle. I love using all the tips and tricks I can find. Here are a few of mine: I use Lily’s 70% dark chocolate with sea salt (sweetened with stevia) for a treat, it is is amazing. A small piece goes a long way! For a more savory treat, I use Moon Cheese – crunchy bits of cheese that are very satisfying! Lastly, I use 1/2 frozen berries, a cup of crushed ice, a cup of water, a 1/4 cup of heavy cream, and a pinch of stevia (Trader Joe’s brand) – whip in a blender and it is delicious!
I find Stevia bitter, any advice?
It’s very bitter! Try an erythritol/stevia blend like Steviva 🙂
been trying to follow Keto since February. It’s the end of April and I’ve only lost 5 pounds. Can afford to lose 20 more. Also…. only had ketones show up once with ketostix so far, so I’m obviously doing something wrong! 🙁 ugh…. getting frustrated.
Hi Chris! What does an average day look like for you, food-wise? One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started keto was not eating enough calories. As soon as I increased by a few hundred, the weight fell off. Maybe that’s your case, or for some people drinking diet soda and consuming too much cream or protein could be the culprit.
I’m struggling to reduce my protein. What’s the secret? Started great and have stalled out on my weight loss. Keto sticks show I’m moderate to heavy and I’ve been in ketosis for about 3 weeks.
Wish I had this answer! I am having the same problem.
Possibly smaller portions? Some people tend to overeat steak and eggs because they’re the two most obvious sources of protein, but there’s a heck of a lot of protein in a large serving of steak (fat, too). Protein also takes longer to digest, which means the more you eat, the heavier you’ll feel for an extra day or so.
Lynn,
There is no secret. Just type in “keto recipes” in google or bing and check out the TONS of work done by others. I have found 100s of great recipes that give you the perfect fat:protein/carb ratio. Also, just showing moderate to heavy on ketone sticks is not enough. Someone in “mild” ketosis can show heavy on a stick if they aren’t drinking enough water. Someone that is following strictly can show no ketones if they are drinking a lot of water. Too many people rely on those ketone sticks religiously and they can be very deceiving.
Can you tell me how many grams of combined protein I should have a day? Most of my protein would be in my breakfast & lunch meals. I didn’t know too much protein can turn to carbs. Also, I read you should have only one serving/cup full of veggies a day and same with a salad, is this correct? So, should I have protein and salad at lunch and then protein and veggies for dinner? Seems like very little veg? One cup salad, can I pack the cup or is it a lose cup full? Soooo many questions.
I get into ketosis easily but then I’ll check my pee the next day and it’s not “as lavender ” (more pinky beige) and the thing is… I haven’t changed A THING from the day before !! What’s up with that?? Is it the time of day I check it? I try to do it between 6:00-7:00 . Does the time of day change the ketone levels?
The short answer is yes, the time of day does matter, also the longer you’re in ketosis, the less ketones you’ll emit in urine. The main goal is simply to be in ketosis not a level of it, so it’s OK if you’re not always in deep purple, you can be any shade to know that you’re either in or out. Hope that helps!
Just my quick tip. I love strawberries. I could live on them. I follow a strict keto diet all day so that I never take in more than 15 grams of carbs during the day and then in the evening I will take a cup of FROZEN strawberries( 10 grams, carbs) and two packets of Splenda and as much heavy whipping cream as I need and put them in my Ninja(blender) until it’s smooth like soft serve ice cream, which is exactly what I get. A large portion of strawberry soft serve ice cream. I have found if I want it creamier I can add a tablespoon of butter as well.
The benefits are numerous. Strawberries are a good source of potassium, manganese, and Vitamin C, they are low on the glycemic index so your blood sugar doesn’t spike and give you cravings and also has a compound that reduces inflammation which also helps reduce cortisol which helps enhance weight loss.
How much heavy cream do you use? This recipe sounds fantastic!!
Bone broth is my go-to for dinner since I pretty much meet my protein intake (1g per kg of goal weight) before then. I usually add my favorites spices–lemongrass, turmeric and black pepper, ginger, garlic, etc.– and some wakame or nori. Bone broth is a great source of sodium and magnesium, especially if homemade. Also, I suggest investing in a kitchen counter digital scale (100g of avocado has 9g carbs and is way smaller than I thought!)
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Does everyone count calories? I’ve been trying not to concentrate on calories too much and just trying to eat when I’m hungry. But I fear I am hindering my weight loss if I don’t watch my calories. I was in ketosis after 5 days (I’m on day 11) My first week I lost 7.8lbs. Just wondering if anyone had stalled weight loss due to high calories.
I keep Slim Jim’s in my bag.
Here’s a tip if you hate taking pills. I take a multi vitamin, fish oil, D3, potassium magnesium every day. I found that if I ate avocado or guacamole between eat pill they slide right down. Also for those who hate drinking water you can have flavored seltzer that counts for.water intake and I recently fell in love with teavana it’s zero calorie zero sugar mandarin mimosa is amazing cold or hot. Beach Bellini is also good.
Great TIPS!! Keto takes dedication.
I have 2 major complaints (been on Keto diet for 5 days):
1) dry mouth – OMGoodness its insane!
2) too much work planning meal around my non-keto family
I have lost 5.5 lbs in 5 days, so i am happy with my progress. I am about cheese’d out though, and i have never been a big cheese person anyway.
I have not ‘cheated’ big, i had a sip of regular Pepsi today, and it was AWESOME!
I said I would do ketgenic diet for 60 days, but I am seriously considering moving that down to 14 days.
Sounds like you were dehydrated when you wrote this. Did you stick with keto?
I have started the keto diet for seizure control . It has worked wonderfully. Along with that, I am more losing weight.
I am running into two issues
1) I am struggling to get enough calories when eating on when Hungary.
2) finding carb free foods that are not high in protein.
Suggestions?
Check out Dr. Eric Berg’s YouTube channel. He has thousands of videos answering your questions. To answer your second questions, carb-free foods not high in protein, you need 7-10 cups of vegetables a day, most of which are cruciferous & green leafy vegetables like kale.
My tip: For those who miss oatmeal, try noatmeal! Google it and find tons of recipes. My favorite recipe is below. It’s delicious, actually tastes a lot like oatmeal, is fully customizable, is healthy, takes no time to make, and is great for digestion! It also gives me the same stomach feel that oatmeal used to give me (that nothing else does)…that full, satisfied feeling. The macros are great, too!
Dry Ingredients
2 Tbsp Hemp Hearts
1 Tbsp Golden Flax Meal
1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp unsweetened Coconut Flakes or chips
1 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tsp Cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
5 Tbsp heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Water
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
5 drops Sucralose or 1 tsp Swerve
Mix dry ingredients. add wet ingredients and stir. Heat in microwave about 30 seconds
Btw, I’ve lost 230 lbs eating keto in two years. It saved my life, and I have no problem getting my macros right. It’s not easy at first, but after you learn your way around, it’s a breeze! I went from just under 400 lbs to my current 155 and started after menopause when I was 56. If I can do it anyone can! Just follow these great tips!
Wow, Maggy!! I’m glad I read all of the comments so I could see yours. This is incredible. You should be extremely proud of your strength and determination.
Fantastic achievement. I will remember this when I’m struggling. Take it one day at a time. I say I recommit to me every morning.
Amazing!! Congratulations!!
Great job Maggy!!!!
You are so right, Keto takes some research and preserverence but it does get easier and is soooooooo worth it. You have to make yourself a priority, I cook for a family and find for the most part I can cook 1 meal, I just choose not to eat the carb I fix them😃
I’m just starting out can you give me tips on what you did. You rock btw!!!!
I love reading all your comments. I am new to Keto, 52, in Ketosis, but daily struggle, any support would be awesome.
Terri,
You’ve got this!! My best advice is follow Keto blogs, Keto YouTube videos and educate yourself through them. Keep it simple to start. Make sure you are getting your sodium, sleeping well and if you feel tired or foggy try sodium and add fat. Best of luck😃.
Just found your website…great stuff, Amanda! You have been bookmarked… Don’t know how I’ll ever get tired of bacon, but it can happen. I’ll take caution. Thanks so much!
Thanks for reading! 🙂
You bet 🙂
I’m just starting out can you give me tips on what you did. You rock btw!!!!
Google Keto Calculator. Get your numbers right. Google Keto Meals, or when you want something google if its keto friendly. Stay in the right numbers for your carbs, fat and protein. And watch the weight melt away April.
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
Where do I buy the sticks that tell me my levels?
So glad I found this page! I’ve been on keto a week and have lost 4.5 pounds! I love that I’m not really hungry!!! 🙂 A couple of questions…can someone explain net carbs to me? And I seem to have fluid build up on my ankles…what would cause that? Thank you for all the tips!
Got mine at Target…called Ketostix
[…] main assumption of the ketogenic diet is to eliminate carbohydrates from the diet and replace them with fats. The diet should be implemented only under […]
Use a tracker http://www.cronometer is so fun! and easy
They dont spam your email when you sign up and its free
add your own foods and and get accurate numbers
I’m so confused and don’t know how much to eat. I’m not hungry all day after eating my two eggs for breakfast. How do I figure out how much protein I’m eating and how much fat and carbs. I have cut way back and not eating sugar, walking at least 1.5 miles a day for the last 17 days and not in Ketosis or lost any weight. Getting very frustrated
Hi Cheryl, there are a lot of ways people have invented to follow a ketogenic diet, so my suggestion is to pick one. I co-authored the 21-Day Ketogenic Diet Challenge (available on Amazon) which is a great step-by-step and includes a ton of recipes too. I would start there, but also it sounds like what I went through when so first started, which was not eating enough. As soon as I increased my calories I started losing. But definitely check out the book, it’ll help a lot with structure and guidance and includes excercise suggestions!
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
How about pork rinds?
[…] Looking for tips to help you stay on track? Check out my blog post, ‘A Never-Ending List of Keto Tips + Tricks’. […]
Supplementing electrolytes is not just important, but essential. There are lots of ways to get the electrolytes that you need on a keto diet, pick the one that works for you. You will feel better and getting into ketosis will be easier.
The key thing I wish I’d realised when starting keto…uk food labels are different to the us. In the UK, carbs are listed as net already, for the first few months I was taking the fibre off again 🙈
Recently, I’ve started making chicken bone broth, so easy to do. After I’ve made it I blend it with spinach, cream, garlic and chilli and it makes the most amazing soup!
For those who strenght training or for those who need more calories. TIP: 1000 kcal coctail.
1. 2 tbsp coconut oil
2. 4 tbsp healthy oil (flaxseed, pumpkin, cannabis or any else)
3. Full avocado
4. Protein shake
5. Water 0,5 l
6. Anything you want for healthier cocktail – spinach, any kind of seeds (chia for example). Sometimes its great to add coconut cream or coconut milk (almond milk works great too). The cocktail is nasty (unless You get the tasty protein shake, chockolate maybe) so it doesnt matter what You put in because its nasty either way. But You will get used to that. 1000-1200 calories. You can add mct oil or something You want, but the key are the first 4 ingredients.
Thanks for the blog!
thanks for sharing!