We say "missteps" instead of "mistakes," and that's because if you are learning from something, it's not so much a mistake as it is an opportunity - every accidental carb, every Thanksgiving dinner, every bogus health shake we've ever experienced as individuals. We can all benefit from the lessons we've learned as a community. We're going to share with you some of your most fascinating, helpful, and hilarious answers to the question, “What would I tell my pre-keto self?" And we'll reveal why we picked the favorites we chose in the end.
1Start Your Exercise Routine Gently
Self-proclaimed, super-sedentary bookkeeper Jillian P. says, “I spent the first few weeks doing keto while still basically sitting or lying down most of the day. My job is all computer-based, so I rarely walked around and was seriously lazy, tbh. Anyway, after I hit the 4-week keto-plateau, I assumed it must be because I'm not exercising. I jumped onto my husband's treadmill out of desperation and ended up putting so much strain on my unadapted joints that I developed shin splints."
Jillian went on further: "I wish I could go back to that day where I freaked out and say, Jill, patience is a virtue. Remember, your body needs time to adapt to everything, including intense exercise and the keto lifestyle, long-term." What Jillian brings up is actually a very good point. If you are obese, for example, start your exercise routine gently, get to know your body's limitations, and respect them. As you change and transform through keto, you will gradually be able to turn up the heat.
Must Read: 8 Out Of 10 People Trying The Keto Diet Will FAIL Because They Don't Have This
2Share The Lifestyle Subtly
Miguel D., a keto lifestyle enthusiast, also shared his heartfelt testimony. It highlights a whole new angle that most of us have never even considered. He says, “I clumsily tried to make my girlfriend go keto with me for her brainpower during exams, and it backfired in my face. Do NOT suggest your girlfriend goes on a diet without explaining the context first!"
He further explains: "Past me should have just low-key put keto documentaries on the TV and waited for her to come up with the idea herself." First off, Miguel shouldn't have felt bad for caring about his significant other's health! Apart from the rocky delivery, his intentions were noble, especially if his girlfriend could really benefit from ketosis.
3Seize The Opportunities Of The Moment
Meanwhile, we feel like a lot of people can relate to the story of Lauralee M. She says, “I'm mad that I started so late in life. If I just got myself into the low-carb thing when I was in my twenties, I could have been a whole different person by now. Would I have been better at my job, looked better on my wedding day, or had more confidence? I can't think like that now, and I know it's just hard."
It resonates with so many people, “what could have been," but it's not even remotely close to as important as “what is" and “what will be." Lauralee echoes a sentiment that reminds us all that we are human. It also implies that we must truly seize the moment if we want to take control and make a positive, lifelong change.
4Give Ketone Supplements A Try
Cassandra S. is a flight attendant for a major international airline, and she explains that she's sometimes on duty for up to 18 hours straight with little downtime between flights. This is what she went through: “I had just started eating the ketogenic way because co-workers told me it would help me stay full of energy and focus and be more friendly to the passengers, lol. I did keto really excitedly for the first while, and everything was fine until December rolled around."
She further says: "Often, I had to work long hours, and I started to get really tired by the end. My co-worker said I should try taking exogenous ketone supplements on long shifts to tide me over, but I was skeptical of using them because I didn't know what was in them. One night, I got up from my seat to make an announcement and felt lightheaded and woozy to the point where I actually slumped over. It was embarrassing and kind of scary if I'm honest; it happened obviously because by the time hour 10 rolled around, I had no more keto food left on the plane."
5Continue Researching About Keto
Cassandra S. had many more things to say. "There were a few more times that a similar thing happened, and I was seriously considering whether keto was even something I should be doing. That's the regret I hate the most, putting my body through that exhaustion for so long because I never bothered to research the solution."
"I would go back to November Cassandra and say, hey, read up about it, then decide if ketone supplements are the right choice. Nearly 8 months later and since giving ketone salts with goBHB a chance, my performance at work and how I feel has hugely improved. I can give myself an energy boost so easily wherever I am, and I haven't come close to fainting on a passenger since!"
We have learned a lot from the testimonies of Cassandra, Lauralee, Miguel, and Jillian. Surely, we can't thank them enough for sharing their experiences with the rest of us in the keto community. They may have had regrets along the way, but they certainly did not back down. They continued on their keto journey despite the missteps they've been through.
Ardella Sanchez is a graduate of Missouri University Science & Technology, where she received her Bachelor of Science in education. Finding the ketogenic diet was a welcome (although not easy) end to a lifetime of struggling with weight loss. She now lives happily with her vegetarian husband in Rolla, MO.
