Category: Care for Your Body

🫀 Care for Your Body

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As I explored keto, there were certain books that stood out more than others at different stages of my learning. One of the earliest that helped me find my footing was Keto Answers by Anthony Gustin and Chris Irvin.

What I appreciated most about this book was how clearly it was laid out. The structure made it easy to find answers to common questions, and the use of clear headings meant I could dip in and out without feeling lost. Rather than needing to read it cover to cover in one go, I found it accessible as a reference point when particular questions arose.

I also found the writing style straightforward and easy to understand. The tone felt approachable rather than overwhelming, which made it easier to absorb new information at a time when the subject still felt unfamiliar. That clarity helped reduce some of the uncertainty that can come with encountering a lot of new terminology and ideas at once.

In many ways, this book helped lay a foundation for me. It didn’t answer everything, nor did it need to. Instead, it gave me enough understanding and confidence to start asking better questions, which naturally led me to look for other books and perspectives as my learning continued.

I’m sharing this not as a recommendation or review, but as part of my own journey of understanding. At that stage, having a resource that felt organised, readable, and accessible made a real difference to how comfortable I felt continuing to explore the topic.

🫀 Care for Your Body

Looking back over my experience so far, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that reducing carbohydrates has been less about following a fixed set of rules and more about developing understanding. Taking time to read, reflect, and notice how my body responded has felt far more valuable than trying to be exact or perfect.

I’ve learned that appetite awareness matters. Feeling less hungry and more settled around food has made changes easier to sustain, and it’s helped me step away from constant decision-making or reliance on willpower. Simplicity has also played a significant role. Focusing on whole, natural foods and familiar meals has felt more supportive than trying to manage complexity.

Another key learning has been the importance of flexibility. While principles can be helpful, I’ve found that treating them as guides rather than rigid rules has allowed me to adapt without losing confidence. This has made the process feel more realistic and less pressured, especially over time.

I’ve also come to appreciate the value of learning gradually. Reading widely, comparing perspectives, and allowing questions to remain open has helped me feel more grounded. Rather than looking for definitive answers, I’ve found it more helpful to build a broader picture and accept that understanding can evolve.

This reflection isn’t meant as a conclusion or a set of takeaways for others. It’s simply where I am at the moment — a pause point in an ongoing process. For me, approaching dietary change with curiosity, patience, and self-awareness has been just as important as the changes themselves.

🫀 Care for Your Body

As I’ve continued learning about keto, I’ve found it helpful to be clear — at least for myself — about what this approach represents and what it doesn’t. Having that clarity has made it easier to engage with the topic thoughtfully, without feeling pulled into extremes or rigid interpretations.

For me, keto is a way of better understanding how my body responds to different foods, particularly carbohydrates. It has encouraged me to pay closer attention to appetite, energy levels, and overall wellbeing, and to make choices that feel supportive rather than reactive. It’s also prompted me to slow down and learn, rather than assume there is a single “right” way to eat.

At the same time, keto is not something I see as an identity, a rulebook, or a solution that applies universally. I don’t view it as a test of willpower or discipline, nor as something that needs to be followed perfectly to have value. I’ve also become more aware that people’s needs, circumstances, and responses to food can vary widely.

Holding these distinctions has helped me stay grounded and realistic. By seeing keto as a framework for understanding rather than a set of instructions to obey, it has remained a useful and flexible tool rather than a source of pressure.

I’m sharing this perspective simply to describe how I relate to keto myself. For me, keeping a sense of proportion and openness has been key to engaging with the approach in a way that feels thoughtful, balanced, and sustainable.

🫀 Care for Your Body

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As the initial enthusiasm settled, I became more aware that lasting change depends less on motivation and more on whether something feels manageable in everyday life. For me, sticking with changes over time wasn’t about perfection, but about creating conditions that made those changes easier to maintain.

One of the most helpful factors was keeping things simple. By focusing on familiar foods and meals I enjoyed, I reduced the sense of effort involved and obtained a digital food scale. Batch cooking also played an important role, as having suitable food already prepared removed the need to make decisions when I was tired or busy. This helped prevent situations where convenience might otherwise override intention.

Another important aspect was allowing flexibility within a broader framework. Rather than viewing any deviation as failure, I found it more helpful to see changes as part of an ongoing process. This mindset made it easier to continue without feeling discouraged if things weren’t perfectly consistent.

Above all, paying attention to how I felt — physically and emotionally — helped reinforce the changes I was making. Feeling more settled around food, with fewer cravings and less internal negotiation, made the approach feel sustainable rather than forced.

I’m sharing this not as a formula for others, but as a reflection on what supported me personally. For me, sticking with changes became much more achievable once I focused on ease, understanding, and self-compassion rather than strict rules.

🫀 Care for Your Body

Some links in this post are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.

As I explored keto further, I found that reading widely was one of the most helpful ways to build understanding and confidence. Rather than relying on brief online summaries, books allowed me to slow down and engage with the reasoning behind different approaches.

What stood out to me was that some authors communicated complex ideas in a way that felt clearer and more practical than others. While there are areas where opinions differ, I found it reassuring that many of the core principles were consistent across reputable sources. Reading more than one perspective helped me see the bigger picture and avoid taking any single view in isolation.

Some books I have found particularly helpful include Keto Answers by Anthony Gustin and Chris Irvin. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Volek and Phinney, Fat for Fuel by Joseph Mercola, The Fast 800 Keto recipe book by Dr Claire Bailey, and End Your Carb Confusion by Eric Westman. Each offered something slightly different — from practical guidance to a deeper explanation of the science — and together they helped me form a more balanced understanding.

I’m not listing these as recommendations or endorsements, but simply as part of my own learning journey. Reading thoughtfully and comparatively helped me feel more grounded and less overwhelmed, and it reminded me that understanding often develops gradually rather than all at once.

🫀 Care for Your Body

A personal, reflective account of exploring keto. Learn how small, manageable changes helped me eat low-carb without stress, with practical day-to-day insights and helpful resources.

If you’re curious about keto but feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice, you’re not alone. I’m not here to push an agenda or promise quick fixes – just to share what I’ve learned, what has helped me personally, and resources I’ve found genuinely useful.

A Personal Approach

I’ve been interested in eating keto for a few years now. It began quite simply, with me cutting back on carbohydrates, and gradually evolved from there. It wasn’t a sudden or rigid decision, and I didn’t follow any plan at first. It was more a process of noticing what helped and what didn’t.

There was some uncertainty along the way, and I did a fair amount of reading and listening. I tried to stay open-minded and to pay attention to how my own body responded, rather than following rules rigidly. As I read more, I came across the idea of eating lower carbohydrate and higher fat, often referred to as keto. What appealed to me was the emphasis on real, unprocessed foods rather than constant restriction.

I began to realise that some foods I had assumed would be fine were actually higher in carbohydrates than I’d expected. That led me to look for simple ways to reduce these and to choose alternatives that suited me better. This wasn’t about cutting things out completely, but about making small, manageable changes over time.

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Day-to-Day Experiences

Most meals included a source of protein, some healthy fats, and vegetables that were lower in carbohydrates. I found that this combination left me feeling more satisfied and less inclined to snack. Over time, I noticed I didn’t always need three meals a day, and because I wasn’t as hungry, I could go longer between meals. I also found it helpful to have suitable snacks with me, just in case I wanted something.

Keeping food choices simple reduced the mental effort around eating, which I appreciated. I also noticed my energy felt steadier through the day, without the same peaks and dips. And if there were days when things didn’t go as planned, I tried not to be hard on myself.

This gentle approach helped me build habits without stress or pressure.

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Who Keto May Not Suit

Keto isn’t for everyone. People with certain medical conditions or specific dietary needs may need professional guidance, and some may find restricting certain foods stressful. For me, it was about paying attention to my body and adjusting gently, rather than following rigid rules.

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Helpful Books and Resources

Along the way, I also found a few books especially helpful in understanding both the practical and psychological side of nutrition and habits. These included guides on healthy eating, meal planning, and lifestyle adjustments that supported my journey. Having resources like these made it easier to make small, sustainable changes over time, here are some of the books :

• Keto Answers by Anthony Gustin and Chris Irvin – a very practical guide for beginners.
• The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Volek & Phinney – excellent for understanding the science behind low-carb living.
• Fat for Fuel by Joseph Mercola – focuses on using fat for energy and overall wellbeing.
• The Fast 800 Keto by M. Mosley – useful for combining intermittent fasting with keto.
• End Your Carb Confusion by Eric Westman – clear advice for simplifying low-carb eating.

This page will grow over time as I continue learning and adding resources that may help others who are exploring keto.

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Closing Thoughts

Overall, exploring keto has been a gradual and personal journey rather than a strict regimen. The most important thing I’ve learned is to approach it with curiosity and patience, paying attention to what works for me without pressure or perfection. If you’re considering it, I hope this gives a sense of what it can look like day to day, and encourages you to experiment gently in a way that suits your lifestyle.

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🫀 Care for Your Body

I didn’t arrive at the idea of keto suddenly or through a dramatic decision. Instead, it grew out of a gradual process of paying closer attention to how my body responded to different ways of eating, and a desire to understand those responses more clearly.

I had already begun reducing my carbohydrate intake and noticed that I was feeling better overall. I also found that I was losing weight more easily than I had on previous diets, which was encouraging. However, after a while, that weight loss stalled. Rather than simply becoming frustrated, I realised I wanted to understand why this might be happening. In particular, I began to wonder what the optimal amount of daily carbohydrates might be for me, and whether adjusting this further could help improve my weight loss in a sustainable way.

This post isn’t intended as advice or a recommendation for others. It’s simply an account of the questions that led me to explore keto more thoughtfully, and the starting point for learning more about how carbohydrate intake can affect weight, energy, and overall wellbeing.

🫀 Care for Your Body

When I began reducing carbohydrates, the changes to what I ate happened gradually rather than through a strict plan. I wasn’t trying to follow rigid rules, but I did notice that certain patterns started to emerge as I aimed to stay as close to keto as possible.

It quickly became clear that focusing on whole, natural foods made things much simpler. Many processed foods contain added sugars, and I also became more mindful of how much sugar is naturally present in fruit. To make things easier day to day, I started batch cooking so that I always had something nutritious available. This helped me avoid reaching for foods that were higher in carbohydrates when I was tired or short on time.

I also increased my protein intake and added healthy fats to my meals, which made them feel more satisfying. Vegetables were mostly in the form of salads, and I chose to omit foods such as potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta. Rather than feeling restrictive, this shift felt more like a simplification of what I was eating.

I’m sharing this not as a template for others, but as a reflection on how my eating habits naturally adapted as I explored keto. Paying attention to these changes helped me feel more prepared and supported, rather than relying on willpower alone.

🫀 Care for Your Body

When I began reducing carbohydrates, I paid close attention to how my body responded rather than focusing on targets or rules. I was interested in noticing changes as they happened, even small ones, and trying to understand what they might mean.

One of the first things I noticed was that I felt less hungry. My appetite felt more settled, and as a result my cravings were easier to manage. Alongside this, I noticed an improvement in my mood, which was unexpected but very welcome. Within a few days, I also became aware that my face looked less puffy, which suggested to me that some of the changes might be related to reduced water retention.

In the first few days, however, I did feel more tired and slightly flu-like. I understood this as my body adjusting to a change in how it was fuelling itself, and that phase passed after a short time.

I also found myself feeling much thirstier, which led me to drink more water. As I was eating fewer processed foods, I became aware that my overall salt intake had dropped as well. I chose to supplement with Celtic salt, as I understood it to contain a broader range of minerals than more refined salts. This felt like a practical response to the changes I was making. Another noticeable change was that my urine had a different smell, which again seemed to reflect how my body was adapting.

I’m sharing these observations not as guidance, but as part of my own learning process. Noticing and responding to these changes helped me feel more confident and attentive to what my body needed, rather than trying to follow a rigid approach without reflection.

🫀 Care for Your Body

When I first began reading about keto, what struck me most was not so much contradiction, but the sheer volume of information available. It quickly became clear that this is a subject that benefits from careful reading and understanding, rather than quick summaries or rigid rules.

As I explored different books and resources, I noticed that some authors were more practical and clearer in their explanations than others. While the underlying principles were often similar, the way they were presented varied, which sometimes made it harder to see how everything fitted together. There were also some differences of opinion around details such as daily carbohydrate limits, the distinction between net and total carbohydrates, and how much dietary fat was appropriate. Alongside this, there was a quiet concern about “doing it wrong”, especially in the early stages when everything felt new.

What helped me was recognising that keto is not something to rush into blindly. Instead of focusing on exact numbers straight away, I found it more useful to concentrate on understanding the reasoning behind different approaches and to notice how my own body responded. Taking that slower, more thoughtful approach made the information feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

I’m sharing this because I think it’s easy to feel that confusion means you’re missing something, when in reality it may simply reflect the depth of the subject. For me, accepting that learning takes time helped me move forward with more confidence and less pressure.