The Sunday Surveys of 2020
Senza’s keto polls are an interactive way to share and learn from our collective experiences. Here’s a round-up of the topics we covered in 2020. Send us your ideas for surveys to run in the new year!
FEBRUARY
NSV Time
What non-scale victory (NSV) - any positive change other than weight loss - have you experienced since starting keto? So many life-changing health improvements were mentioned, we had to create a word cloud and a slideshow to capture them all!
Favorite Keto Sweeteners
Stevia edged out monk fruit, followed by erythritol; some keto'ers said they take a pass on any of these options, and allulose got just a few of the remaining votes:
MARCH
Keto Advice
What's one piece of advice you wish someone had told you before you started keto? Salt your food... Don't stress... Bacon is kind of expensive... this was some of the heartfelt advice shared across the Senza community:
When do you talk about keto?
- Every chance I get
- Only if they ask
- Never
What keto food did you stock up on this week?
As the pandemic unfolded, we faced unexpected shortages. Senza's community wisely stocked up on protein. Our favorite response of the bunch:
Fish, Deer, Elk
How do you cook bacon?
We'll take our bacon any which way it comes, but for most Senza users, the stovetop skillet is the way to go. Interestingly, there were no votes for air fryer or microwave; oven-baked came in a distant second:
Favorite Keto Food Swaps
Cauliflower Rice and Zoodles were voted most popular Keto Food Swaps. Plus, many creative ideas to replace pasta, rice and baked goods:
APRIL
Which macro-nutrient is top-of-mind for you right now?
For most of the Senza community, learning how to eat very low carb was the top priority back in the spring. But almost 20% had moved along the journey to fine-tune their protein and fat intake for optimal results:
What's the next thing you want to learn to cook?
As we settled into long weeks of quarantine, the Senza keto community was getting ready to tackle some tasty new dishes.
When do you plan meals?
When it comes to planning what to eat, most of us were winging it during the pandemic. Flexibility was key to cooking at home, day after day.
Which hot sauce do you prefer?
Frank's Red Hot won the hot sauce wars, in a most decisive vote!
MAY
How long do you plan to do keto?
It was amazing to see 48% of the Senza community committed to reaching a goal, while 37% were staying with keto for the foreseeable future.
Kitchen Essentials
What's one kitchen appliance or gadget that you could not live without right now? "The pressure cooker is saving my life every day!" These are the appliances and gadgets that Senza users appreciate most:
How do you feel about cheat days?
One-third of Senza users plan higher carb days with intent, while the majority accepts occasional slip-ups as an inevitable part of the journey. We say, go with what works best for you!
What are you looking forward to this summer?
Here are some of the things our community was looking forward to as we rolled into summer 2020:
How do you do coffee? ☕️
How fun it was to learn how the keto crowd feels about coffee: Three cheers for cream... and we love it plain, bulletproof and many other ways too!
JUNE
How do you feel about fasting?
This survey generated a record number of responses. A majority of the community already had discovered the powerful combo of keto and fasting, and many were curious. To learn more about fasting, see "The Basics of Fasting with Senza."
JULY
Who does keto with you?
More than half of Senza users practice solo keto, while one-third do keto with a family member.
What's one new food you've discovered since going keto?
So many new foods discovered since going keto: Avocado, cauliflower, almond, radishes top the list, but lots of interesting foods were shared.
Have you ever not eaten a food because you didn't want to log it?
75% of respondents said they've chosen not to eat a certain food to avoid having to log it. The remaining 25% are not influenced by the pressure of the food journal.
AUGUST
How do you tell when you're in ketosis?
Most of us track NCs to know if we're in ketosis. Many also test with urine strips at first to confirm the body is producing ketones. It was fascinating to see how we all approach keto differently.
How is keto trending in your world?
44% of Senza users see keto becoming more popular around them, while 30% report keto is trending about the same.
Which ingredient(s) do you avoid?
The Senza community is well aware of the issues with aspartame and wheat. Less understood are problems caused by maltitol, soy and vegetable oil.
Can you guess the all-time most frequently logged food in Senza?
Fun fact: The Senza community had logged more than 48 million journal entries by August 2020. Here are the top 5 foods of all time:
SEPTEMBER
Where do you buy most of your keto food?
20% of Senza users buy most of their keto food somewhere other than the supermarket. Eating healthy is easier when you avoid in-store advertising and the risk of falling back on old shopping habits.
How many times have you started and stopped keto?
Many Senza users are starting keto for the first time. Some will choose keto for life; others will start and stop periodically. There's no one way to go about it, do what works for you!
NOVEMBER
How do you order keto burgers?
Ordering keto burgers can feel strange at first, but the Senza community is comfortable asking for "no bun" or "lettuce wrap." Try it next time you're eating out!
Can you guess the longest streak of consecutive days logged in Senza to date?
Not one, but two Senza power users had logged 937 days in a row at the time of this survey! We sent Keto Care Packages to both, as well as to the user who guessed closest.
What's your strategy for the holidays?
Nervous about navigating the holidays? You're not alone! See how your keto peers were planning to proceed, and read our tips on The Planet Keto Blog.
DECEMBER
What habit do you want to create or change in the new year?
Answers are still coming in for this latest keto poll, and results will be coming soon. 😀
Look for new Sunday Surveys to appear in your Senza Feed most weekends. We look forward to hearing from you!
Content provided by Senza is not medical advice. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only.