Christi TerjesenWhen I first started keto, I thought it was mostly about giving up bread, pasta, and sugar. I was wrong.
The longer I’ve lived this lifestyle, the more I’ve realized keto isn’t just a way to lose weight. It’s helped me understand how my body responds to food, pay more attention to nutrition labels, and feel more in control of my energy and appetite.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, and there are several things I wish someone had told me when I was getting started. Here are the biggest ones.
1. Electrolytes really matter
I used to skip electrolytes, thinking they were just another thing people were trying to sell me.
When people talk about the “keto flu,” they often act like it’s just something you have to suffer through. The headaches, brain fog, fatigue, muscle cramps, and feeling generally awful are almost communicated like a humblebrag.
For me, the first few days can be rough. I often get light-headed, and one time I even threw up.
What I didn’t understand is that a lot of those symptoms are tied to electrolytes. When you cut carbs, your body sheds water. Along with that water goes sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you don’t replace them, you’re probably going to feel it.
Now I always keep zero-sugar electrolyte packets around, especially when I’m getting back into ketosis. They make a huge difference. For me, they’re worth it.
2. Exogenous ketones do not push your body into ketosis
This one confused me when I first started. I actually like using exogenous ketones when I’m transitioning back into keto because they can help with energy while my body is making the switch.
But they’re often misunderstood.
Exogenous ketones are simply ketones you consume from a supplement. They can raise the ketone levels in your blood, which is great, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your body is producing its own ketones yet. Nutritional ketosis happens when your liver starts making ketones because carbohydrate intake is low and your body is burning fat for fuel.
Supplements can help support the transition, but they don’t replace the process your body must undergo to become fat-adapted.
3. Keto works better as a lifestyle than a diet
This was a major mindset shift for me. Keto became easier when I stopped thinking, “I can’t have that,” and started thinking, “I don’t want that.” That one change matters.
“I can’t have that” feels restrictive. It makes you feel like you are missing out. “I don’t want that” feels empowering. That’s a choice based on how you want to feel, how you want to fuel your body, and your ultimate goals.
The other part of the shift was focusing on abundance instead of restriction. My kitchen is stocked with all the foods I truly enjoy: steak, eggs, bacon, avocados, cheese, nuts, butter, and wine. I wasn’t depriving myself; I was choosing foods that keep me satisfied, on track, and happy.
Keto is sustainable when it feels like something you choose, not something you suffer through. And when you focus on what you can have instead of what you can’t, it becomes a lot easier to stick with long term.
4. There is a learning curve
When I started keto, I quickly realized carbs were hiding in more foods than I thought.
Most people know to avoid the obvious bread, pasta, and sugar. But some vegetables and ingredients can add up quickly. Garlic, onions, beans, whole milk, and below-ground vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and beets contain more carbs than I realized.
These foods aren’t “bad”. But it does mean you need to understand portion sizes and how they fit into your macros for the day.
There is also a learning curve in understanding the difference between total carbs and net carbs. Many keto foods are marketed based on net carbs, which subtract fiber and sometimes sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrate count. Learning how to read nutrition labels and calculate net carbs helps you avoid accidentally going over your carb target. The good news is that it does become second nature.
5. The internet overcomplicates keto
When I first researched keto, it felt overwhelming.
Macros. Clean keto. Dirty keto. Fasting windows. Carb cycling. LDL levels. Supplements. Tracking apps. Conflicting expert advice everywhere.
It can make keto feel like a full-time job to learn and maintain. But at its core, keto is simple: lower carbs, prioritize protein, eat healthy fats, and opt for real food.
You do not need to make it complicated to get results. Even just a 24-hour fast or cutting out processed foods can be a great entry point.
The important thing is to get started. For me, following a meal plan or a trusted keto cookbook simplifies decisions.
6. Keto is real food
One thing I’ve noticed lately is that there’s a growing emphasis on eating real, minimally processed foods, and keto fits naturally into that approach.
Keto is not only bacon and avocados or recreating every high-carb food with a low-carb version.
Keto can be incredibly diverse and delicious: Eggs. Meat. Fish. Chicken. Leafy greens. Broccoli. Zucchini. Cauliflower. Avocado oil. Butter. Nuts. Cheese. Berries in moderation. It’s typically the perimeter of the supermarket, not the inside aisles.
Real food. Simple meals. Fewer ingredients. The more I focus on real food, the better I feel. And when I’m eating out, I opt for meat and vegetables.
7. Cravings change over time
Sometimes, it seems carbs are everywhere.
Fries, dessert plates, chips, sugary coffee drinks, kid snacks, tailgating beers – it can feel like you are constantly battling what’s in front of you. But over time, your cravings can change.
Foods that once felt impossible to resist may start to lose their appeal. You may begin to notice how certain foods make you feel tired, bloated, hungry, or foggy.
Eventually, the choice becomes less about willpower and more about preference. Juice tastes overly sweet. One bite of cheesecake is enough. And the good news is that after you’ve become keto-adapted, cravings subside significantly.
8. Testing changes the game
Testing glucose and ketones can completely change your keto experience by taking you from guessing to knowing.
Instead of wondering whether you’re in ketosis, testing gives you real-time feedback. You can see how your body responds to different foods, drinks, sweeteners, meals, stress, sleep, and exercise.
One thing I learned through testing is that not every “keto-friendly” food works for me. I discovered that zero-sugar products like Coke Zero and vanilla sugar-free syrup at Starbucks still affect my glucose and ketones. That doesn’t mean everyone needs to avoid them. But it does underscore the need to pay attention to how your own body responds.
That feedback loop can make keto easier to stick with because you’re not relying only on the scale or how you feel that day. You have objective data showing what’s working and what may be slowing you down.
It can also make the process more fun. There’s something motivating about seeing my numbers improve and challenging myself to stay consistent. For me, that little competitive element helps keep me focused – I don’t want to disappoint my husband.
Final thoughts
If you’re thinking about trying keto, don’t worry about doing everything perfectly on day one.
Most of what I’ve learned came from trial and error. The important part was that I started.
Eat real food. Stay on top of your electrolytes. Pay attention to how your body responds. And give yourself time to adapt.
The longer I’ve been on this journey, the less keto has felt like a diet and the more it has felt like a powerful tool to understand my body and help me feel my absolute best.
Christi Terjesen is the Head of Marketing at Keto-Mojo and speaks from her personal experience in her 10-year keto and low-carb journey.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical guidance. Every person’s body responds differently to dietary changes, foods, sweeteners, and exercise. Consult your physician or a qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take prescription medications.
