The excuses we all say
I have heard every one of them in my DMs, and I have said most of them myself:
- "I'll start Monday." Then Monday has a birthday cake in the office.
- "I'll start after the kenduri." Then there is another kenduri.
- "I'll start when I have time." Time with children, work and a home never arrives on its own.
- "I'll start when my body gives me a sign." Often the sign has already come: the afternoon crash, the tight rings, the knees on the sejadah.
- "I'll start when Ramadan comes." Because fasting feels like a built-in reset.
None of these make you a weak person. They are gentle ways of putting off something that feels big. The problem is that the body does not wait with us.
Your body is already counting
Every week of waiting is another week of the same plate. Rice that rises fast and crashes fast. Teh tarik in the afternoon. Kuih at four. The swelling, the tiredness and the short temper do not pause while we decide when to begin.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6412)
We lose them not in one day, but in the quiet weeks of "later".
The body responds to what is on the plate at each meal, not to the date on the calendar. One steady meal tonight already means one less spike and crash tomorrow afternoon. Small changes start working from the very first plate.
Why starting before Ramadan helps Ramadan
Many sisters plan to "fix everything" in Ramadan. But a body used to rice and sugar three times a day often finds the long fast hard: the headaches, the weakness by Asar, and then an iftar that swings the other way.
A body that is already used to steady meals of protein and good fats usually walks into Ramadan calmer. The fast feels lighter, and the energy for Tarawih is easier to find. Starting now is not instead of Ramadan. It is a gift to your Ramadan.
This is food and mechanism, not medical advice, and I am a keto coach, not your doctor. If you take medication for diabetes, especially insulin or sulphonylureas, cutting rice can lower your sugar too far, and fasting needs your doctor's plan too. Speak to your doctor before changing how you eat, and never stop or change your medication on your own.
Real, not perfect
The reason we wait is often that we imagine starting has to be total: a new shopping list, a new routine, a whole new life by Monday. It does not.
My own 40kg began with one decision: I broke up with rice. Everything else came after.
If you can control your nafs by controlling your fork, there is nothing in this dunya you cannot do. And the fork can start with one plate.
Three things you can do tonight, for free
You do not need to buy anything from me to start. These are yours, tonight.
1. Make tonight's dinner your first plate.
Keep the lauk, add vegetables, and leave the rice off. That is your start.
Why: the body answers each meal as it comes. A steady dinner tonight means calmer sugar overnight and less craving tomorrow.
2. Write down the excuse you say most.
Just one line on your phone: "I always say I'll start ..."
Why: naming the excuse takes away its power. Once you see it written down, you can recognise it the next time it whispers.
3. Make a sincere niyyah before you sleep.
Intend that you are caring for this body so you can worship Allah with strength, and ask Him to make it easy.
Why: "Actions are but by intentions" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1). When the reason is bigger than the scale, the start lasts longer.
May Allah make it easy for you, Amin.
If you want someone to cook it for you
The hardest part of starting is the cooking, every day, on top of everything else. That is why I cook.
Kyla With Keto is Singapore's first and only halal keto nasi campur. Heritage Malay and Indonesian dishes, protein at the centre, cooked fresh daily with zero artificial preservatives, served on konjac instead of a rice mound. My kitchen starts on a Monday too. This time, let it be real. I do the heavy lifting. You eat.
The kitchen is here when you are ready, sister.
The 4 Week Metabolic Reset is where the real change happens. I cook every meal, you eat, and I walk beside you the whole way with private WhatsApp coaching, biiznillah.
Open The Kitchen PayNow only . 88844708 . No credit card, our deen forbids riba.Or comment HEAL on @kylawithketo and I will open the right door.
Questions sisters ask me
Is it better to start keto on a Monday?
There is nothing special about Monday. The best day to start is the next meal you eat. One plate built on protein and good fats tonight is a real start.
Should I wait until Ramadan to start eating healthier?
You do not need to wait. Many sisters find Ramadan far easier when their body is already used to steady meals, because the long fast and the iftar plate become less of a shock.
Do I have to change everything at once?
No. Start with one swap, such as removing the rice and keeping the lauk. Once that feels normal, add the next habit.
What if I slip after starting?
Slipping is part of the journey. Go for a walk after the meal, make the next plate protein and good fats, drink water, and forgive yourself. One meal does not undo your progress.
Can I start keto if I take diabetes medication?
Speak to your doctor first. Cutting rice and sugar can lower your sugar quickly, and your medication may need to be adjusted under their care. Never stop or change medication on your own.
The plate is the effort. Allah is the Shafi. Biiznillah.
Coach Kyla is a certified keto coach, not a medical doctor. This article is educational and is not medical advice. If you have type 2 diabetes, PCOS, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, or any other condition, take blood thinners, or are pregnant or nursing, speak with your doctor before changing how you eat, and never stop or adjust prescribed medication on your own.