Keto is very hard for me, for some reason. I can't stop craving sugar and I end up overeating calories by trying to get the sugar craves reduced by eating more meat, vegetables, nuts, cheese etc! Almond flour, sweeteners, chocolate, wine are all permitted but they seem to make me just want to eat more of everything!
Do some research into Intermittent Fasting (IF). It's the alternative route to keto and it doesn't have any food restrictions. You can eat "anything" in IF and still achieve keto. Anything including high carb foods, sugar/sweets, even junk foods..... Ofc in MODERATION, NOT over-indulging in these things!
It would still be better if you avoided junk foods. Yet it won't hurt either if some friends came over for some binge w/e and brought junk food with them. Go ahead and eat than looking weird!
I personally do IF with 2 meal a day diet. No snacking in between (water and other zero calorie drinks are allowed like black coffee or tea without sugar. Zero or very low calorie soup is also allowed between meals). My first meal is greater in quantity because I also do strength, HIIT, and cardio/endurance (running and cycling) exercises in the morning during the fasting window before the first meal. 2nd meal is less in quantity to have less calories floating around when I sleep.
I sometimes eat snacks but the snacks are taken within the first or 2nd meal. Everything within the first and 2nd meal. I've been curious with keto diet but unable to try because I find it too expensive without the cheap carbs and flexible choices for meeting daily calories.
It's actually easier to do IF with exercise in the fasting window. Aiming to burn not more than 700 calories in exercise. Exercise will help jumpstart your body into keto mode and stimulate release of glucose into the blood. Both helps reduce or even kill the feeling of hunger.
Because you're already in keto diet, it might be relatively easy for you to transition to IF diet. But don't go nuts on carbs and sugar yet. Increase the quantity slowly because your body may have become less efficient at metabolizing carbs and sugar, you may end up with high blood sugar.
It gets worse if you haven't been exercising lately as your insulin resistance may have increased... So even if you switch to IF diet, don't indulge in carbs and sugar yet, as you may end up high blood sugar. Slowly increase your intake of carbs and sugar.
I've not really lost any weight for a good 6 months and I want to lose more plus build more muscle .....why do women seem to self sabotage more than men?
I think it's the hormone levels!
2 meal IF with exercise in the fasting window got me down to borderline underweight.... My weight stabilized once I did. Having bigger muscles won't actually help you lose weight by burning more calories at rest. Most people will just over-compensate their calorie intake as they burn more calories. If you're just aiming to have stronger muscles, you can do it without growing bigger muscles. It's actually harder to grow muscles than just make them stronger.
I'm now able to lift weights off the ground twice as heavy as I did before strength training for few months. My power output in cycling have substantially increased as well. Yet, my muscles did not get visibly bigger and I didn't gain any weight.
The key to losing weight is making yourself feel less hungry even if you're not eating like during fasting. Ketosis do help and the right amount of exercise.
The key is to find an exercise or an exercise routine you will love doing and you're set!
