How To Eat Carbs And Still Lose Fat On a Low Carb Diet

woman smiling eating food

So you tried low carb, keto, maybe dabbled in some carnivore too & now you’re ready to add some carbs back in…⁣

Yikes, right?!

It’s normal to be a little scared & anxious after seeing results on a low carb approach to your nutrition, but feeling you need to switch things up.

I’ve felt that too! But after pushing through the fear & embracing more vibrational, functional eating, you’ll strengthen your trust muscle with each experience & season of experimentation! It’ll help you find your sustainable lifestyle approach to look & feel your best!

⁣Y’all know I’m an advocate for meat-based, protein-focused nutrition for my Crohn’s & health preferences if you’ve been here a while. If you’re new, WELCOME! Pumped to have you here in this safe space of love, wellness, & learning!⁣

I’ve lost 60lbs & put my bulimia & Crohn’s disease in med-free remission via a flexible carnivore diet approach & kept it off for over 4 years!

weight loss before and after katie kelly carnivore
Tap photo for a blog guide I documented just for you on how I lose the weight & gained health!

Y’all should also embrace that nutrition isn’t one size fits all! I fully support a no diet dogma approach & support trying new things to find YOUR WAY. ⁣

⁣So say low carb worked short term, maybe you lost a few lbs, maybe you tried it for a reset, a medical condition — whatever. ⁣⁣

For most, yes, you’ll lose weight initially, primarily because of water loss & more food awareness (quality & quantity). Most don’t stick with the low carb/keto/carnivore diet long-term unless they’re on it for a specific reason or it fits their lifestyle/preferences appropriately. That’s ok too!⁣

⁣⁣The most common reason people fail to stick to any diet regimen: “real life” & social situations ends up “getting in the way.” Adherence & consistency are the keys to any success plan. ⁣🤷‍♀️You ultimately make the decision to stick to your commitments to yourself or not.⁣

⁣⁣You can incorporate carb cycling just like you incorporate fat cycling, it’s the same concept just utilizing a different macro as a fuel source. I have a blogs on resetting your insulin & leptin resistance here and specifically how to carb & fat cycle here.

Regardless of why you stop, there are things to know to help ease your transition.

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⁣⁣MAIN POINTS

1.) Have a plan⁣

2.) Get familiar with portion sizes⁣

3.) The order you eat your food matters

4.) Focus on whole foods over processed⁣

5.) Go slow⁣

6.) Expect fluctuations⁣

Things I believe in no matter what diet:

  • ⁣⁣NO diet dogma & eating for HEALTH
  • Cyclical, seasonal eating
  • Quality, Quantity, When, & What you eat matter
  • Variety & nutrient density
  • Eating for efficient digestion & absorption
  • Experimentation & fun = learning & results!
  • Optimal protein centric meals
  • Eating for strength, health, & functionality
  • Loving your life & being kind to others!
  • Self love living + an abundance mindset!

Take it slow, you got this! ⁣ No need to exclude or be dogmatic about any food choices or diet as long as they help you be your best!⁣ 

⁣Here are some more gut friendly, gluten free, low fiber, low fodmap options that worked for me.

Great options for pre or post workout carbs. I keep mine post workout in the form of plain rice cakes mainly if I feel I need a carb refuel after heavy training or high intensity cross training or cardio. These tend to be easy on the stomach with minimal bloating & gut issues for most.

Let’s dive in further!

Regardless of why, there are some things to know to help ease your transition. ⁣⁣

1.) Have a realistic plan

One of the biggest problems with dieting altogether — lack of clarity/planning. Most people end up falling back into bad habits. What’s your why? What’s sustainable & realistic for you? What’s your relationship with food, self-awareness, and your body image? Your story matters & your results hinge on all of these details.

2.) Assess portion sizes

⁣Quantity, quality, when & what you eat all matter. With any form of restriction, especially carbs, once you allow them, you’re more likely to go ham. Make sure you’re a moderator (not an abstainer) & comfortable & ready to add them back in. Measure & weigh your portions! Check nutrition labels for anything you’re sensitive to.

It’s all about balancing blood sugar. Food order & when you eat matter. Sugar & carbs spike your blood sugar more than any other macro (protein & fats are the other 2 macros).

meal timing pyramid

Tips:

  • Don’t eat your carbs naked (by themselves): pair them with a protein like ground beef or grilled chicken or a fat of your choosing like bacon fat, butter, or a nut butter if you aren’t sensitive to those. It acts as a buffer & slows your blood sugar spike. If you can eat fiber & non starchy veggies, these will help buffer the spike as well, but not as efficiently as protein & fats.
    • Examples: white rice & butter & ground beef, rice cake & peanut butter, grilled chicken and sweet potato, etc.
    • When eating a meal, eat your protein & fat first, veggies if you eat them next, then your starchy carbs. You’re less likely to overeat as well because protein & fats are more satiating.
    • I time my carbs if I’m going to eat them after my workouts. That’s when I refuel my body & it uses the carbs more efficiently vs storing them as body fat. Also reduces your cortisol levels & helps with recovery. Choose sources that serve you best mentally & physically. I personally avoid anything treat-like or sugary, including fruit to prevent binge eating tendencies & gut issues. High fiber, fruits & veggies, & sugar are huge gut irritants for me. You may be able to eat them and that’s ok! Do you!

3.) Quality Matters

Rather than going straight for processed options like chips, pasta, doughnuts, & cupcakes, go for whole-food, non-starchy vegetables first like your greens, then white rice, potatoes, gf oats, fruit, etc. Again, choose things that are not physical or mental triggers for you.

4.) Go Slow

Keep it easy on your GI system: choose gluten free, cook food thoroughly, & go low fodmap if you’re one that struggles with any G.I. distress. Start with adding carbs in at 1 meal/d for a few weeks & assess how you respond. If you’re good, add a serving into another meal. White rice is usually a safer, gut friendly option.

5.) Expect Fluctuations

You might have weight & blood sugar fluctuations — it depends on how your body metabolizes carbs, your diet, exercise, etc. Much of the weight changes are water weight initially. Pair carbs with protein & fat to help control those blood sugar spikes. With every gram of carb, you get 4g of water.⁣ Bloating & constipation could happen because of the re-introduction of fibrous foods, drink your water! You may have more energy or less. You might feel hungrier. Again, we’re all bio individually different. Have patience.

Supplements to Help With Carb + Nutrient Utilization & Body Goals

I was tired of struggling with post-meal blood sugar spikes when eating carbs and grappling with insulin sensitivity issues. NuEthix Formulations has a wonderful profuct, Slin-Trol™, the glucose disposal agent designed to assist your approach to managing blood sugar levels.

Slin-Trol™ enhances your body’s ability to efficiently utilize glucose, ensuring it is directed towards muscle cells rather than being stored as fat.

DIRECTIONS: As A Dietary Supplement, Take 1 Tablet With Carb Containing Meals To Improve The Nutrient Partitioning Of The Meal And To Possibly Minimize Fat Storage.

I take mine prior to my largest meals & walk 10-15 minutes after eating for better digestion.

Utilyze is a dietary supplement designed to support digestive wellness and nutrient absorption.

It contains a blend of digestive enzymes that target the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the body, which can improve overall digestive function and help with nutrient absorption.

Utilyze comes in convenient travel packets and aims to support overall health and wellness through improved digestion. This supplement is gluten-free, non-GMO, and suitable for adults of all ages.

DIRECTIONS: As A Dietary Supplement Take 1 Packet With Larger Meals 2 To 3 Times A Day.

Cort-Eaze is a natural supplement designed to help with stress and anxiety relief. It contains a blend of herbs and nutrients that work together to promote a healthy stress response and support adrenal function. I use it for recovery & cortisol balance, which can affect your sleep, digestion & ability to build muscle & lose fat.

Some of the key ingredients in Cort-Eaze include ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, and magnesium, all of which have been shown to help reduce cortisol levels and support overall mental and physical well-being.

DIRECTIONS: Take Two Capsules Daily. I take mine post workout & before bed. One post workout & one before bed.

Helpful Educational Resources

eating carbs on low carb

EXCELLENT article on food sequencing and balancing blood sugar here

Take-Home Message

Watching glucose spikes is particularly important if you have diabetes or a handful of other medical conditions. Your treating doctor or dietitian will advise how to modify your meals or food intake to avoid glucose spikes. Food ordering & timing may be part of that advice.

For anyone wanting to live a healthier, leaner, stronger life, consider removing sugary beverages & foods, processed food, & focusing on protein/meat-based foods as the foundation of your meals. Add fiber, proteins or fats to carbohydrates to slow gastric emptying and flatten glucose spikes. Walk 10-15 after meals & shoot for 10k steps per day. Lift 3-4x per week and watch your body & well being change!

If you found this blog helpful, join me on Instagram for daily inspiration & subscribe to our newsletter community here! I would love to have you!

If doctors had told me years ago they didn’t know what was wrong with me it would’ve saved me years of suffering

@mikhailapeterson made a post today about how much time & suffering would’ve been saved if doctors would’ve just told us they didn’t know what was wrong & we were gonna have to figure it out for ourselves.

I wasn’t diagnosed with Crohn’s until 2018. I was 35 years old. I had lived 35 years with doctors telling me to eat more fruits, vegetables, & fiber when those were the exact things basically killing me. 

Eating nothing but meat was frowned upon & frankly considered f*cked up & a shade of disordered eating, which is not. It saved me.

If you told me 2 yrs ago I could eat this many calories (2,000/d) & be happy, & maintain this level of leanness & health, I would’ve told you you were full of sh*t.

I understand what y’all are goin thru trying to figure out what food & fitness will give you the feeling & body you’re seeking. I know what it feels like to not know what to eat. I included my symptoms & a list of trigger foods along with all the many shapes & sizes of my 55lb weight loss journey in this post to help you.

I also understand what it feels like to not have the money to invest in someone to help you, which is why I created a 354 page Meat & Macros guide which you can find in the link in my IG bio at a reduced price because I want to help as many people out there as possible.

I simply want to remind you to listen to your gut, to your intuition & don’t be afraid to go against the grain, literally & figuratively if it feels right to you.

I love you guys & wish you the happiest of Fridays! ❤️

Oxox⁣

Coach K 

I used to be hungry all the time: what I learned about hunger

Confessions of another dirty bathroom photo…

I ate 63g of carbs yesterday.

I used to be hungry all the time.

I hate sharing my food.

Other things I don’t share are toothbrushes & wieners but those stories probly aren’t IG appropriate & sure to spark conversations that’ll go down the gutter rather quickly.

Been throwin in some 2 a days the last couple weeks on days I have evenings free to experiment. Been craving carbs after my workouts in the evenings, so I honor my body & listen to her. My carbs of choice are rice cakes, easily tracked, portable, & don’t typically cause gut issues in moderation with my Crohn’s disease & autoimmune needs. Quantity varies, I am able to moderate these now. So far so good.

They help me with recovery, lower my cortisol, & help me sleep. Transparently sharing my experiences – go your own way. I stick to meat & eggs for everything else, rice cakes only post workout after an evening WOD with the 5:30 crew. I don’t crave them when I don’t need them. Rest days & days I stick to my morning workouts I don’t want them. Proud of my body & mind for supporting me in intuitive, nurturing ways compared to my self sabotaging self years ago.

Went back to CrossFit & Beats class more regularly. I realized how much more enjoyable & effective my workouts are with community. Being more social was a 2022 intention of mine, Its fed my soul & stoked my hunger in more ways than one & got me thinkin…

I remember being hungry all the time even after a huge meal, I still wanted dessert. I noticed my friends were able to eat smaller portions & be satisfied. I felt ashamed. As I aged & became more self aware, a sense of amazement & awakening crept over me…  

Did this mean that the bottomless hunger I felt wasn’t physical hunger after all? Could I sit down at a meal & push away my plate, full & satisfied, without the urge to overeat?

I could, but only after I figured out that I wasn’t only hungry for food. I was hungry for enjoyment & satisfaction, & not just in my belly, but in my whole life.

Somewhere as a kid, between farm chores, playing with My Little Ponies & going on my first diet, I lost track of the idea that I was allowed to enjoy my body, my food, & just being alive. I decided that always feeling hungry & vaguely dissatisfied was part of growing up.

I had to learn the bigger lesson – that hunger isn’t simply about filling our bellies, but about something deeper: a hunger for connection, enjoyment, & love.

From my own experience & awakening of learning to feel full, body & heart, I hope you find ways to satisfy your inner hunger. To be continued in another post at some time, let this be a conversation starter with yourself.

oxox Coach K

Lilbitoffit Crispy Airfryer Chicken Nugget Recipe

AirFryer Chicken Nuggs! 🍗 

The kids love these! ✅ 

Tap to save post on Instagram!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1lb ground @perduechicken (yes the brand matters 👋 chicken snob. It tastes best)
  • 2oz cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • Dash of salt (I rarely measure 👀)
  • Pork Rinds for the coating (I prefer Epic brand baked pork rinds but use what you want. I find it takes about 2-3 bags of the small Epic packages & about 3/4-1 bag of the regular sized pork rind bags)

DIRECTIONS 

  • Mix ground chicken, egg, cream cheese, & salt in a large bowl
  • Crush pork rinds up
  • Roll chicken into a “meatball” or use a spoon or scooper to scoop & coat the meatball with the crushed pork rinds (warning, it’s sticky af. That’s chicken for ya)
  • Place meatball or nugget (however you wanna shape your chicken) in the air fryer. Space evenly. Spray your basket if you need to.
  • Airfry for 10 mins at 400°
  • Flip your nuggs & cook for another 5-10 minutes at 400°, depending on your desired crispiness or texture. I like mine CRISPYYYY so I do 10.
  • ENJOY!!