I’ve never been one for extreme diets or restrictive eating plans. Atkins? Not on my radar. Whole30? I’ll pass. Paleo? Let’s leave that in the Stone Age. But something about the ketogenic diet—keto—caught my attention. Its straightforward approach and clear rules made it feel more manageable. With a wedding on the horizon and a goal to shed a few pounds, I decided to give it a go.
Here’s what happened when I cut carbs for 30 days—how I made it work, the wins and hurdles, and the lasting lessons I learned about keto and weight loss.
How I Followed the Keto Diet Plan?
I knew success wouldn’t happen by accident—I needed a clear strategy. Four key things helped me get started on the right foot:
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Setting a specific goal
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Creating a simple, flexible plan
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Zeroing in on just one thing: keeping my carbs low
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Having a friend to keep me accountable
Before diving in, I spent a few weeks doing my homework—researching the keto diet, following keto-focused Instagram accounts for inspiration, and putting together a plan. That last step turned out to be the most crucial part of my success.
I used an online keto calculator to set my daily goals for calories, carbs, and fat. I mostly stuck to the recommendations, except for fat. The calculator suggested over 200 grams of fat per day, which felt nearly impossible without adding ghee to my coffee or sipping coconut oil like a smoothie. Can it be done? Sure. But it wasn’t realistic for me. Instead, I focused on cutting carbs and let the rest naturally fall into place.
To stay motivated, I asked a friend to join me as an accountability partner. She had done keto before and had great results, so having her as a sounding board for my endless questions—and a source of support—made a big difference. It helped keep me committed and on track.
Challenges I Faced on the Keto Diet:
Eating Only 20 Grams of Carbs a Day Is Hard
The keto diet is technically a high-fat, low-carb (HFLC) approach—but let’s be honest, it’s really extremely low-carb. Most plans recommend just 20 grams of carbs per day, which is surprisingly little. Some people follow the net carb method (subtracting fiber from total carbs), which gives them a bit more wiggle room. But for my 30-day experiment—and to keep things simple—I focused on total carbs.
My daily target was 20 grams: about 2 at breakfast, 5 at lunch, 3 for snacks, and 10 for dinner. In reality, I often ended up under 30 grams, which felt like a solid win.
The key to staying on track? Planning—relentless, weekly planning. Every weekend, I mapped out all my meals, snacks, and even condiments for the week ahead. Knowing exactly what I was eating helped me manage cravings and avoid impulsive choices. Honestly, if you take one thing away from my experience, let it be this: planning is everything on keto.
The Food Is Repetitive
I ate plenty of bacon, cheese, eggs, and meat—mostly steak and chicken. For someone who usually leans toward a more plant-based, whole-foods approach, starting each day with processed pork products was a major shift from my usual routine.
This Can Be a Very Low-Calorie Diet
Sticking to around 20 grams of carbs per day naturally cuts your calorie intake, too. That’s because carb-heavy foods often make up a big chunk of what—and how much—we eat. So when you drastically reduce them, your overall calories tend to drop as well.
Surprisingly, even with all the fat and protein in the mix, I sometimes struggled to eat more than 1,200 calories a day. My target was 1,800, but I rarely hit it. That kind of calorie deficit alone is enough to trigger weight loss, regardless of the low-carb factor.
I Came Down with 'Keto Flu'
If you’ve browsed keto blogs or forums, you’ve probably come across the term “keto flu.” For me, it was very real—though not everyone goes through it.
As your body transitions from burning carbs to burning fat for fuel (producing ketones), you might feel a wave of fatigue, brain fog, or irritability. My bout of keto flu lasted just one day, and once I pushed through it, those symptoms never returned.
My Biggest Successes on the Keto Diet Plan
Although my initial goal was to lose 10 pounds, I surpassed it sooner than expected—shedding those 10 pounds in just three weeks and reaching a total loss of 15 pounds two days before the wedding.
It’s important to keep in mind that with any low-carb diet, you’ll likely see a quick drop in the first few days due to water weight loss. After the wedding weekend, when I went back to eating carbs, I gained back about 4 pounds as that water weight returned.
I Had More Energy—but Not Every Day
While on the keto diet, I enjoyed a steady flow of energy and didn’t experience the usual mid-afternoon slumps. That said, working out was sometimes challenging. Without carbs, your body relies on fat for fuel, which can leave you feeling drained during exercise because it takes more effort to convert fat into usable energy. But that’s completely normal—just push through and try again the next day.
I Learned to Be Very Creative in the Kitchen
Eating out while sticking to keto can be a real challenge—especially after the third time you have to ask the server to hold the onions on your chicken fajitas. Honestly, it might make you want to avoid restaurants altogether. Luckily, I’m an adventurous cook who enjoys experimenting with new recipes.
With keto, your ingredient list is much simpler, so I dove into blogs, Instagram, Pinterest, and other sources to find reliable recipes. Then I put on my thinking cap and created several dishes that I genuinely loved.
I recommend writing down your favorite recipes and using a meal-tracking app (I used MyFitnessPal) to log ingredients and see if a recipe fits your plan. It takes a little extra effort compared to a typical meal plan, but the results are well worth it.
I Eat Less Sugar Now
Sugar is off-limits on the keto diet, and most no-carb sugar substitutes just don’t work for me.
That doesn’t mean the cravings disappeared overnight. In those first few days, I found myself longing for a peanut butter cup, soda, or even a simple banana. That’s when having an accountability buddy really made a difference. Interestingly, when I returned to my regular eating habits, many of the foods I once enjoyed felt way too sweet to finish.
Lessons That Stuck After My Month on Keto
While I didn’t stick to the keto diet long-term—let’s be honest, I can’t eat that much bacon every day—I do plan to cycle back to it a few times a year. At the very least, this month-long experiment helped me cut back on sugar and refined carbs.
That said, it’s crucial to check with your healthcare provider before starting keto. It’s not suitable for everyone, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have certain health conditions like blood sugar disorders, heart disease, or liver problems.
But if you’re generally healthy and looking for a weight loss boost, keto could be the jump-start you need. Just be prepared—you might develop a serious love for bacon.
