6 Months Keto Update: Maintainance, Set-Backs, Progress and More!

My 6 Month Keto-Versary is just around the corner! I’ve been meaning to update you guys on how the diet is working for me and managing it long-term for awhile, and 6 months is the perfect milestone! I can say for sure that I’m passed the point of thinking of keto as a fad diet and more now consider it a lifestyle. I’m no longer trying to lose weight, and am happy with my results. But overall I feel like the diet works amazingly for me, let’s me eat most of the types of foods I want, and allows me the flexibility to have long-term success. Here are a few things that have changed for me after staying on keto for 6 months!

I Adjusted My Macros

I use My Fitness Pal to track macros and when I first started my goal was 20-25 grams of carbs a day. That led to the quick weight loss I experienced in the first few weeks. Since my goal has shifted to keeping my weight stable, I increased my carb intake to around 30-35 grams on average. My carbs still mostly come from vegetables and berries, but I will occasionally have a glass of wine, or a few bites of a dessert that would normally be completely off limits. Which brings me to my next point . . .

I Cheat on Keto A Lot More

When I first started I was pretty hard core and dedicated to seeing results. Now that I no longer care about losing weight, I’m more liberal about having occasional cheats. Full on cheat days are still pretty rare, but I would guess I go over my carb goal on average once a week. I say guess because I don’t necessaily count macros on things I just have a few bites of, but I am guilty of picking at a few of my boyfriend’s fries or eating something saucy which is usually a no no because sauces tend to be high in sugar. I have also fallen off the wagon HARD a few times, indulging in carb-binges that I loved in the moment but regretted the next day. After maintaining a low-carb and basically no sugar diet for so long, overindulging can shock your body and leave you feeling sick, crampy, and withdrawn as you digest. I’m not saying the occasional bowl of pasta or plate of French toast isn’t worth it, but keep in mind how you will feel after!

I Stopped Weighing Myself

I haven’t set foot on a scale since April! Instead of worrying about my weight, I think more about inches I’m losing or gaining. My workouts have shifted to be almost exclusively strength focused, with special emphasis on core conditioning because I have ALWAYS wanted better abs. My workout mix typically includes a HIIT class, Ballet Barre, hot yoga and boxing or Krav Maga. I also started doing 10 minutes of ab work 4 to 5 times a week. I’ve been doing that regularly for about a month, following YouTube videos from Chloe Ting and MadFit and I love my results! I lost an inch on my waist after about 3 weeks of dedicated ab workouts, but gained back half an inch after a carb binge in San Diego last weekend! So yes, I learned that my progress can very quickly unravel and I may need to be more disciplined as I try to get more sculpted!

Intermittent Fasting Suddenly Got Really Hard

When I started keto I also regularly practiced Intermittent Fasting, usually eating between the hours of 12-8. I rarely got hungry before noon, and was sometimes easily able to go as late as 1:30 without even noticing. The only time I would eat past 8 is when socal obligations required me to, and usually when that happened I could easily start eating later in the day since I wouldn’t be hungry. But something happened after my move to LA! Maybe it was the sudden change in my normal schedule or adjusting to my new lifestyle, but for some reason keeping my fasting schedule has become such a challenge. I always think it’s more important to listen to your body than it is to follow arbitrary timing, so when my body tells me it’s time to eat I listen. However I have noticed that I start feeling ravenous around 10-10:30am, which is way earlier than I used to eat when I first started keto. I’m not sure what if any difference it’s making so I’m just keeping an eye on it and listening to my body.

I’m Taking More Supplements

When I first started, the only supplements I added to my routine was magnesium. I typically take a multi-vitamin, Omega 3, Collagen and Biotin anyway, so magnesium was just to make sure my electrolytes stayed balanced. However because of my increased carb intake and more frequent cheating, I figure adding in more keto focused supplements could help me stay on track. They can be expensive, so I will let you know if they are worth it in my next update, because right now it’s too early to say. But when I first started the keto diet I didn’t take any of the most commonly used supplements, like MCT Oil and ketone bases. My results were great, but your body does plateau, so I’m switching things up a bit to make sure it keeps working for me!

I Still Don’t Like Keto Desserts

I’ve found a few keto recipes that work for me, like zucchini lasagna, almond flour pancakes and cauliflower rice stir fry. However the dessert recipes are always disappointing! The textures and taste are just never good enough to really be satisfying. When I’m craving sweets, I’m more likely to just eat a bowl of berries and cream or a piece of Lily’s Chocolate. That usually comes in around 7 to 10 grams of carbs and is way more worth it than a cardboardy keto cupcake with 4 grams of carbs!

Let me know any burning questions about keto in the comments or on Instagram! And shop my look and some of my keto faves below!