New to Low Carb? Feeling Lost? "Paralysis by Analysis?" READ THIS.

Hey Everyone,

As promised, here’s the follow-up to my post on taking an Information Vacation from social media if you're feeling overwhelmed and panicky from confusing keto information coming at you from all sides. Since there will no doubt be loads of people new to this diet in the new year, I figured this was a good time to put this out there.

If you’re new to low carb, or maybe haven’t even started yet, this one’s for you.

If the reason you haven’t started yet is that, despite being an intelligent, grown adult, you can’t seem to make sense of the eight thousand pieces of conflicting information you’ve read about low carb and ketogenic diets, this one is definitely for you.

If you have already started, and still can’t make sense of the eight thousand pieces of conflicting information you’ve read about low carb and ketogenic diets, this is also for you.

You are not alone!

Here’s a quick list of words and phrases extracted from emails I receive from people looking for help with low carb or keto:

• Confused
• Overwhelmed
• Conflicting info
• Stalled
• Frustrated
• No idea what to do!
• Totally lost!

  

If you’re brand new to all this, I have to be honest: I don’t envy you. As I mentioned in a recent podcast interview (probably my most fun and controversial one yet), getting started with a low carb diet was much easier 17 years ago, when I first gave it a try. Back then, the internet existed, of course, but the contingent of people talking about low carb was much smaller. There were only a handful of low carb chat rooms and forums, virtually no blogs, and if I recall correctly, neither podcasts nor YouTube even existed. So there was a lot less information available to newbie low carbers, but ironically, that was a good thing. Because now, while it’s wonderful that low carb and keto have become so popular, and there are more blogs, books, Facebook groups, podcasts, and YouTube channels than anyone can keep track of, unfortunately, for every good, reliable, accurate piece of information about these ways of eating, there are four pieces of nonsense and falsehoods that have to waded through first.

Like I said, I don’t envy the newbies.  

When I was brand new to this, around the year 2000, I had two main sources of information: the bulletin boards at LowCarbFriends.com (which I’m delighted to see still exist, as I haven’t logged in in about nine years), and Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. (Linking to the 1997 version because the one that got me started—the 1992 version, with the blue cover—is apparently no longer available.)

That’s right: the Atkins book.

Atkins

The original “Atkins book,” Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution, was published in 1972. Over four decades ago, and I dare say few people have improved on it in the forty-plus years since. Every low carb or keto book that’s come out since then—every single one—has been little more than a slight variation on what the good doctor put on paper all those years ago.

In 1972, and then throughout the 1980s and 1990s, when updated versions of the Atkins book came out, there were no blood or breath ketone meters. MCT oil wasn’t available to the general public. There were no fat bombs, nobody was dumping 4 tablespoons of butter in their coffee, nobody was afraid to eat protein, and nobody who was using low carb for weight loss thought they had to follow the same kind of medically therapeutic diet as a child with epilepsy, with 80% of their calories coming from fat. And you know what?  

People did wonderfully.

People got great results.

The Atkins book was my own first introduction into the world of low-carb, and all these years later, I think it’s still a fabulous way for people dealing with obesity, type-2 diabetes, PCOS, cardiovascular disease, or any other condition stemming from insulin resistance, to start, especially if they feel overwhelmed by the hurricane of conflicting information out there now. Everything was so much simpler back then, and that was a good thing. (People who want to use a ketogenic diet as therapy for a neurological or neurodegenerative disorder might need a slightly different approach.) 

Yum.

So if you are suffering from “paralysis by analysis,” and you are so confused and uncertain that you don’t even know how to start, start there. That is my best piece of advice for you. Read the book and follow the plan as written. There are foods you can eat and foods you should avoid. There’s a systematic way to navigate the introductory “induction” phase, a period of ongoing weight loss, and a long-term maintenance phase. Just doing that will get you most of the way to where you want to be. (Seriously, read the book. If you think you know what "the Atkins diet" is all about, but you haven't read the book, I can almost guarantee you're working from stereotypes and misinformation.) 

Low carb and keto are so, SO much simpler than people make them out to be. I understand that you are feeling completely overwhelmed, and I don’t blame you. But I assure you, there’s no need to be scared, confused, or worried. This is all much, much simpler than people on social media would have you believe with all their acronyms, rules, and crazy calculations. This is a way of eating. It’s just food, not blueprints for the space shuttle. ;-)  I know it can seem like insanely complicated physics sometimes, but you absolutely don’t need to be a rocket scientist or have a PhD to figure out what to eat. I promise. It’s actually pretty simple.

Here’s a helpful comparison. (At least, I hope it’s helpful.)

Let’s say there’s a little boy who’s just learning how to ride a bike. He’s seen snippets of the Tour de France on TV, and maybe somewhere in the back of his mind, he’s thinking about racing someday. And ever since that little seed was planted in his mind, his thoughts have been going in a hundred different directions: What kind of racing bike will he need? What’s the best nutritional strategy to support that kind of physical exertion? Will his competitors be doping? Is he going to need to dope just to keep up with the pack? Should he train at a high altitude to strengthen his lungs? Who will his sponsors be?

And sure, if this kid really wants to be in the Tour de France someday, at some point, he’ll have to find answers to those questions. But for right now, when he’s just starting out learning to ride, NONE OF THAT MATTERS. This kid—this beginner—needs to master none of that in order to get on a bike and start pedaling.

In case my metaphor was too nebulous, here’s what I’m saying, straight up: if you’re confused or overwhelmed by low carb or keto, take a breath, stay calm, and just start. You don’t need to know anything about ketone meters, MCT oil, fat bombs, gluconeogenesis, making “keto” cookies, cake, or muffins from almond and coconut flour, or anything else, in order to take what is by far the most important and most effective step: eliminating sugar and starch from your diet.

If you do nothing else but that, you’ll be about 85% of the way to success on low carb. All the rest is just fluff.

You can think about your ratios of omega-6 and omega-3 fats after you’re off the blood sugar rollercoaster. If you have limited funds, you can think about spending a bit more to buy grass-fed meat and pastured poultry and eggs from a local farmer instead of regular supermarket food after your insulin levels come down a bit. (For the most part, though, regular ol' supermarket food is just fine!) You can measure your ketones sometime down the line if you want to—but most people don’t need to measure ketones. You can consider adding in some intermittent fasting after you’re well adjusted to your new fat-based metabolism (being “fat adapted”) and you can go comfortably for several hours without eating. You can get a degree in advanced calculus and figure out your fat, protein, and carbohydrate “macros” if you’ve been on the diet for a while and aren’t getting the results you were hoping for.      

But for the purpose of putting your game face on and just starting, NONE OF THAT MATTERS. What matters is that you stop eating sugar and starch.

You don’t have to start perfectly; just start.

(Caveat: If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are taking insulin or other medications to help manage your blood sugar or insulin levels, or if you’re taking blood pressure medication, you will need to be monitored by a physician. This way of eating is so effective for type 2 diabetes that it is recommended that you reduce your insulin dose by half on the first day. [With physician’s clearance, of course.] Type1 diabetics will also need to alter their insulin boluses. If you have infertility due to PCOS, you might want to shore up your birth control regimen unless you are specifically looking to get pregnant, because “unexpected” and “surprise” conceptions have been known to occur in women with PCOS who go keto or low carb. ;-)  This diet is effective for radically improving health, and sometimes it does so very quickly. Be prepared for this. But as long as all the doctor stuff is taken care of, you can start. See my note at the end of this post for advice on finding a keto-friendly physician.)

I wrote a short blog post about this a while back, where I pointed out that there were only three things—three things—needed for a low carb diet: 1) water; 2) foods that are low in carbohydrate; 3) possibly electrolyte supplements (sodium, magnesium, potassium). That’s it.

Ketone meters, MCT oil, fat bombs, coconut flour, liquid stevia, erythritol, a Fitbit®, an InstantPot®, and seven hundred other things might be nice to have in your arsenal, but none of them—not a single one—is required. (Kind of like the kid and the bike: special cycling shoes, a bike-mounted water bottle holder, ergonomic cycling clothes and other gear would be nice for him, but he doesn’t need any of that to get his bum on the bike and pedal.)

I’m partial to Atkins, because, as I said, it’s how I got started, and I honestly don’t think anyone has done much to improve on it. But times have changed—even if human physiology and biochemistry have not—and I recognize that people might be looking for something a bit more up to date. In that case, I recommend The New Atkins for a New You, written by three current-day prominent low carb researchers and clinicians, at least one of whom I know worked with Dr. Atkins, himself.   

And if you’d prefer not to shell out even two dollars for a used copy, you can get started 100% free by checking out the basic low carb get-started guide from DietDoctor.com, one of the top low carb sites in the world:

• Basic food list: what to eat and what to avoid
• More great info – if you like visuals and want a bit more detail on what’s in the bullet above

Beware the Keto Flu

During the first few days of a dramatic reduction of carbs from your diet, you might feel dizzy, light-headed, nauseated, get headaches (severe ones!), and experience other unpleasant issues. This is called “keto flu” or “induction flu,” and it’s totally normal. You need to understand that it’s totally normal, and be prepared for it. For people who are brand new to low carb or keto, I advise arranging your schedule so that you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything important on days 2 and 3 of this major dietary change. (If you work Monday-Friday, start on a Friday so days 2 and 3 fall on a weekend. If you have some other kind of schedule, arrange it accordingly. I know parents of young children never really get a day off, but at the very least, try to clear your calendar of major social obligations. Don’t plan to coach your kid’s basketball team on day 2, or play chauffeur to your preteen daughter and three of her friends as they gallavant all over town.)

No need to get fancy-schmancy pink, black, or red salt.
Regular ol' table salt is fine.
What you need is the sodium, and that's in all salt.
Since you'll be using a lot of it, you might as well
get a good one, but don't make yourself crazy over it.

Some people don’t experience keto flu, but most do, so you want to be ready for it. The way to ward off or minimize the headaches, dizziness, and other stuff is to get more salt. Be generous with your salt shaker! Do not be afraid of consuming more sodium. In most people, high blood pressure has zero to do with salt/sodium intake, and everything to do with chronically high insulin. (If what I just said is a surprise to you, read here for more on this topic.)

If you experience leg cramps or muscle stiffness not attributable to over-exerting yourself at the gym or in some other physical activity, supplement with extra magnesium and potassium.

The reason for these recommendations is that when you cut way back on carbs, and your insulin levels come down, it changes the way your kidneys hold on to electrolytes. And even when people eat a well-formulated, nutrient-dense ketogenic or low carb diet, it can sometimes still be difficult to get adequate amounts of these from food alone. This goes double for people who work out a lot and sweat a lot. The more you sweat, the more of those electrolytes you lose, especially sodium.

Here’s a helpful guide to the keto flu, so you can be prepared and sail through just fine:

What About Exercise?

Don’t make me talk about the kid on the bike again. If you’re not just new to low carb, but also new to exercising, don’t worry about doing the perfect workout; just do something.

If the most exercise you’ve gotten in recent memory is lifting a half gallon of ice cream out of the freezer, then guess what? Just walk. No gym membership required, and no fancy equipment to buy. Walking is free, and all you need is a pair of sturdy shoes. (Or, if you talk to the growing crowd of barefoot walkers, you don’t even need that!)

Would high intensity intervals be good for you? Probably.

Would lifting weights be good for you? Probably.

But if you’re at a point where a hardcore workout is so far off your radar screen it’s in another solar system, then just doing anything will be an improvement over doing nothing.

I’m not a personal trainer, so I’ll leave it there. Of course there are strategies that are more effective than others for losing body fat and building muscle mass. But if you’re brand new to exercise, or are getting back on the proverbial horse after years or decades of being away, you can worry about mastering the details later. For now, just move. The results you may be looking for in terms of blood sugar control and body composition—“looking hawt”—will come overwhelmingly from your diet, anyway. Exercise can help, but you know what they say: “Abs are made in the kitchen.”  ;-)  Plus, if you feel like you don't even have the energy to exercise, or joint pain and/or mobility issues hinder your ability to be more physically active, give yourself a few weeks to get adjusted to low carb. Once you're off the blood sugar and insulin roller coaster and you become “fat-adapted,” you’ll likely start noticing you’re more energetic overall, and you’ll have the desire to start moving more. (Read more about this here.) 

The same is true for joint pain: the dramatic change in diet should help with joint pain and muscle stiffness, and you’ll be able to incorporate more physical activity into your life when those aches & pains are reduced. And the same may occur with obesity, too. If you are currently very obese, perhaps you can walk. Or maybe you can lift heavy things. It’s not required that you engage in high-intensity activities or movements that will put a lot of strain on your joints. Let the diet do its thing for a few weeks or months first. Many people are not able to exercise at first, and that’s fine. When your aches & pains are less, and when you’ve lost a little weight so the strain on your joints is less, then you can start moving around a bit more. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t exercise at first. It’ll come in time. Like I said, the dramatic change in diet is where most of the results come. Exercise can help, but the diet is the primary thing here. 

To any readers out there who are physically disabled, and conventional “exercise” is not possible, no worries! Like I said, your results are gonna come primarily from diet. If you’re disabled or have an injury that prevents you from engaging in certain types of movement, you are welcome here, and you’ll still do great.

P.S. Are you balking at my recommendation for the good ol’ Atkins diet? Have false characterizations led you to believe that Atkins is nothing but bunless bacon cheeseburgers? 

Well:

1. Even if it was, so what? Sounds like a pretty yummy and effective plan, actually. But…
2. It isn’t nothing but beef and bacon. Not by a longshot. When I hear someone say that, I know that not only have they never actually read the good doctor’s book, but they have likely not even flipped through it and casually skimmed. Possibly they’ve never even held a copy in their hands. Because Atkins was adamant about vegetable consumption. Not starchy veg, of course, but salad greens, mushrooms, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower… You don’t have to eat vegetables if you really don’t want to, but if you are following the actual Atkins diet, as written, you will be eating plenty of vegetables, and possibly even small amounts of fruit, mainly in the form of berries, especially in the ongoing weight loss and maintenance phases. If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to write a follow-up to this post, wherein I can introduce the basic Atkins approach and describe the three different phases, because I am beyond tired of the ridiculous falsehoods I’ve been hearing about it. Those of us—the thousands, possibly millions—of people worldwide engaged in the low carb, keto, LCHF, or Banting movement—whatever your preferred word for it—owe Dr. Atkins a debt of gratitude, and I’m tired of hearing his name and his plan denigrated, even by people in our own community.
3. I just re-read the book, to remind myself of all that Dr. Atkins had to say, and I am pleasantly surprised stunned at how far ahead of his time he was. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution is a treasure trove of simple, uncomplicated, straightforward instructions on how to implement a low carb diet in a sane, rational way, so that you can sustain it for the long term. (And he walks you through the gradual, systemic reintroduction of certain carbs in case you don't want to spend your whole life at induction levels of carb restriction, since this is not necessary for most people.)  I disagree with him on a couple of very minor issues (for example, he promotes the use of soy protein), but those are almost negligible compared to the gold mine the book is in general.   

Find a Low Carb/Keto-Friendly Doctor or Nutritionist:

 If you’d like to find a physician or nutritionist friendly to low-carb, keto, and Paleo ways of eating, I recommend searching on these sites: 

• Paleo Physicians Network
• Re-Find Health
• Low Carb Doctors
• International Low Carb Listings
• United Kingdom – Real Food GPs
• Australia & New Zealand - Low Carb Doctors
• Australia & New Zealand – Low Carb Nutritionists & Dietitians

P.P.S. If you want the angels to sing and for roses, rainbows, and unicorns to surround you for all time, then please, for the love of all that's holy, learn how to use an apostrophe when applied to dear Dr. Atkins' name. His name was Robert Atkins. He created the Atkins diet, it is the Atkins book, and the book title is Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution.

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.