“I’m Beginning to Become a Believer”

Over 165,000 people have signed up for our free two-week keto low-carb challenge. You'll get free guidance, meal plans, recipes, shopping lists and troubleshooting tips - everything you need to succeed on low carb.

Here are new amazing stories from the people who've taken the challenge:

Feedback

What I liked about the challenge:

• It gave a good menu plan. That helped a lot.
• The shopping list was also a very big help.
• Very nice that you can change the # of servings and have the shopping list and recipe change with it.
• I've lost most of my cravings. This is big.
• I like the idea of cooking at dinner and then using leftovers for lunch. Good idea that helps when you have to cook every meal.
• I used to race mountain bikes and I'm getting back into it after 4 years away. However, one of the big things about this diet is that I can ride longer before I need to eat. I'm still trying to figure out how to do distance rides (anything over 3 hours) and how to eat after that. I did a 5½-hour ride this weekend and had to eat Gel packs (AKA sugar) at the end of three hours. I ride up 12-hour races so trying to figure out how to fuel the remaining hours. Nonetheless, I'm able to eat much fewer carbs during that ride and my energy is much more stable. This really is a big deal for me, as I have really struggled with keeping the glycogen levels up in the past.

What didn't go well:

• Although I strictly followed the diet, I didn't lose much weight.
• Yes, I did watch the 5 most common things that go wrong and I didn't do any of them.
• Yes, I did watch the list of 18 things.
• Yes, I read all the comments I could.
• Still struggling.
• I'm on my 4th week. This week I'm going dairy free to see if that helps.
• In the recipes, a couple times it said, "add all the ingredients" so I did only to find out later that the butter was for the frying pan and not to be added to the dish.
• Some of the ingredients were either: 1) Hard to find 2) Very expensive.
• Also, sometime you buy a spice or curry paste, etc., and then not know when you are going to use it again. This can get very expensive.

Thanks,
David

Hi,I did like this challenge. Both my husband and I tried it. My husband was very successful with it, he lost 8 pounds (4 kg). I started out good and lost 3 pounds (1 kg) in the first week, but then slowly gained it back. I stayed away from candy and everything. Stuck strictly to the meal plan with only a few peanuts, berries and whipped cream a few times.

I got very constipated. I didn't have a bowel movement for six days. I think that is partially why I didn't lose any more weight.

Regardless, I signed up for the membership and hope to be more successful going forward.
Ingrid

Good morning.

Below is a description of how my 2-week challenge went. I'm probably going to provide too much information but for the sake of realness (and possibly finding out what I did wrong), I'll provide as much detail as possible.

To begin, I'm 5'0″ (152 cm), 31 years old and my average weight is 137-139 lbs (62-63 kg) depending on the day. When I was 21 or 22 years old, I weighed a whopping 193 lbs (88 kg) (which at 5'0″ (152 cm) was terrible). Over the course of 5 years, through diet and exercise, I got down to 114 lbs (52 kg)... which lasted for about a week. Life stuff happened and over the course of 1 year I gained 30 lbs (14 kg) back. Over the past 3 years, I've been struggling to get back down into at least the 120s (54 kg) with no luck.

I thought I'd try the keto 2-week challenge to see if it would work for me. The week I started was the week I also started my menstruation (this is the TMI part) so I was pretty bloated. Also, I was coming off a month of having house guests, and subsequently, eating out multiple times a week for that month. As a result, on my first day of the diet I was up to 143 lbs (65 kg).

I followed the diet for 6 days before I had the guts to weigh myself (started on a Monday and weighed myself Saturday). When I did, I was happy to find I'd dropped to 136 lbs (62 kg). Six pounds (3 kg) in 6 days! But I wasn't sure if the weight loss (plus all my physical symptoms) were due to my period ending, or the diet. Either way, I'd been doing the weight loss/diet thing long enough to know 6 lbs (3 kg) in 6 days is not actually fat, but bloat and water weight, but I went with it.

I weighed myself again on Sunday. We had a party on Saturday night and I was really proud of myself for sticking to the diet and not eating any of the fun party food, but was disappointed and frustrated to learn I gained two pounds (1 kg). Back up to 138 lbs (63 kg). Bummer. But I had one more week and I thought "hey, 6 pounds (3 kg) in 6 days, maybe my body is just adjusting" so I kept on going.

I weighed myself again during the second week (it was Tuesday) and was kind of happy to see I was back down to 137 lbs (62 kg)... Still not 136 lbs (62 kg), but I'd take it. However, by Saturday I was still only 137 lbs (62 kg)... Didn't lose anything during the second week. Again, I was disappointed and frustrated since I'd tried so hard and succeeded in staying on the diet.

During the first week, I'd decided I was going to give the diet a try for a month because I thought 2 weeks wasn't long enough to see real results. So now, I'm on the Tuesday of my third week and back up to 138 lbs (63 kg)! I feel like beating my head against a wall. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I reduce my portion sizes? Do light exercise (right now, all I'm doing for exercise is walking dogs for a few hours 3 times a week at a shelter where I volunteer. I have too many injuries to exercise hardcore like I used to). Should I take a break and do a little carb cycling with healthy carbs? Or should I just suck it up and finish the 4 weeks as is?

Mentally, aside from the disappointment, frustration and feeling like I want to give up on yet another diet plan, I feel normal. I know people reported feeling mentally "clearer" and better overall, but I feel the same. I was never a big caffeine person. I don't drink soda, coffee, tea, juices, alcohol or anything. I've always just drank water. I've also never been a big snacker. I used to eat a small 100-150 calorie snack (usually string cheese or half a serving of natural peanut butter) to get me through till the next meal, so thankfully the keto diet hasn't been too big of an adjustment for me in that respect. I do appreciate the fact that I'm not hungry between meals. I can usually go 5 or 6 hours between meals before I start to get hungry, which is why I always fail on previous diets (hunger).

Perhaps the problem is how I'm cooking the meals. I HATE cooking every single day. Traditionally, we cook 2 or 3 meals on Sunday and eat the leftovers during the week to avoid having to cook every night. I did the same with this diet. I would expand the recipe by 8 servings, cook 2 or 3 of the meals for that week, divide the 8 portions (4 for me, 4 for my husband) and we eat them until it runs out and we cook again a few days later. Maybe this is the reason I'm not losing anything? We pick and choose what looks like something we would like to eat instead of following the day by day menu. I'm not sure if those specific foods were chosen to be eaten that order for a reason, or if they are designed that way to provide variety.

I only miss one thingm which is the the option of going out to eat at restaurants. My husband and I love trying new places together, but I thought it was a small sacrifice for progress. Only, I'm not seeing any progress and am questioning why I'm giving up things I enjoy for nothing.

I'll finish this third week out, and if I'm still stuck at 137/138 lbs (62-63 kg) at the end, I think I'm gonna call it good and eat a bowl of steel cut oatmeal.

Rachel

I enjoyed the easy and tasty recipes on the plan. I have not watched them all yet, but I really like all the videos. Most of us (including me), go on diets or change their eating without knowing why. I think I stick with LCHF because I understand all the why's.

Laurie

I just started the challenge on Monday and so far the recipes are great and the shopping list proved very helpful! I started off doing Atkins and, while the weight melted off my son, it's been more difficult for me. I'm finding so far that these recipes and tips are helping infuse variety and flavor into a previously boring and dull menu. I'm excited to see how well I do at the end of the challenge. I'm beginning to become a believer, especially after struggling for nearly all my life trying to get control of my weight. I WILL be a success story!

Summer

I absolutely loved it! I recently had a baby boy and need to lose what I gained with pregnancy. This was the perfect diet for me! I really love how you guys had a section on breastfeeding women because I'm breastfeeding my son and wanted to be sure to still get what we both need!

I will confess I cheated from Monday till yesterday and I don't feel good! I actually felt healthier and lighter while doing this, I think I needed to cheat to realize it's not worth it! I also lost 6 lbs (3 kg) so thank you! I'm going to watch my carbs for the rest of my life and live healthier after feeling what it can do and seeing it!

Thank you,
Sybil

Every SINGLE recipe was incredible. I love to cook and am always trying out new recipes. My entire family agreed that these recipes were some of the best dinners I've ever made!

Roy

I am recommending this to everyone. I found the challenge very easy to do, as well as delicious. I lost about 5 lbs (2 kg) without being hungry and also had no cravings for things like carbs or sugar.

I have no other recommendations to improve the challenge, although would like to see an app and also ongoing daily emails for the free month trial after the challenge is over.

Best regards,
Natalie

I was really surprised by the fact that I didn't feel hungry! The recipes were easy to make and I lost 4 lbs (2 kg) in the two weeks. I intend to continue with the keto diet until I have lost at least another 14 lbs (6 kg).

Janice

Yes. As called "challenge", I had one day a real challenge for me. Wanted toast and honey? No idea why, because as a coeliac the gluten-free bread is like sawdust. Didn't give in. Am out of ketosis though and wonder why with that. I'm far from daunted. Lost 2 kg (4 lbs) in the first week.

Yours sincerely,
Glenys

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PS

Do you have a success story you want to share on this blog? Send it (photos appreciated) to andreas@dietdoctor.com. Let me know if it's OK to publish your photo and name or if you'd rather remain anonymous.