Author Topic: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge  (Read 95227 times)

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #100 on: January 24, 2018, 03:27:30 PM »
How long does it take to become fat adapted?

I've been confusing fat adapted with ketosis and assuming that they happened at the same time.

2-4 weeks is what I’ve typically seen but everyone is different.

Ok, that's helpful.  I might not be adapted yet.  I started 2.5 weeks ago but one week of that was my cycle, so I won't count that.  I'll assume it's going to be 4 weeks.

Thanks Harbinger!

How do you know when you're adapted?

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #101 on: January 24, 2018, 03:47:57 PM »
Not sure if there’s really a clear sign.

Also worth noting that many women experience weirdness with their cycles as they lose weight because of the way estrogen and related hormones are stored in fat. So don’t be surprised in the future.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #102 on: January 24, 2018, 07:30:23 PM »
Thanks @HarbingerofBunnies.

Today my 2-4 pm energy slump was better.  I distracted myself with something new and interesting and the time flew by.  I think knowing that food is not an option has been helpful.  I'll see if I can designate that time as my gym time for a while.  It's an awkward time to go to the gym, but if I'm just sitting around at home, why not?  And I would be in a fasted state, so that might help with the weight loss.  The hurdle will be making myself go when I feel so sluggish and tired.  I'll try tomorrow. 

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #103 on: January 25, 2018, 09:31:48 AM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #104 on: January 25, 2018, 06:56:30 PM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

Dude - you're making me jealous!  :)

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #105 on: January 26, 2018, 08:43:49 AM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

Dude - you're making me jealous!  :)

Haha, it's slowing down now. I can bloat and retain water like a champ when I go off plan!

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #106 on: January 26, 2018, 10:55:38 AM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

Dude - you're making me jealous!  :)

Haha, it's slowing down now. I can bloat and retain water like a champ when I go off plan!

I forget - are you fasting?  Or is this just from keto and exercise?

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #107 on: January 26, 2018, 11:34:03 AM »
Well, I weighed in today expecting to see a big loss on the scale and was pretty shocked to see only a 1 lb loss for the week. 

I can see that I'm losing a lot of weight - my face is slimmer, my tummy has gone down quite a bit, and my clothes are all loose.  My pants were all starting to slide down in the waist so I dug out some pants that used to be too tight and they fit.  And I had to downsize my bathing suit too.  I thought for sure the scale would reflect it as well.  Plus I've been fasting! 

I've been exercising quite a bit more, so I guess some of that could be muscle gain, although my exercising is very low impact - walking, swimming. 

I'm trying to NOT get discouraged and to just keep going forward.  The scale is only one metric... yada yada...

Positive affirmation:  I've lost 10.5 lbs in 3 weeks without feeling hungry or deprived.  I feel good, I look good.  I'm stronger.  I'm healthier.  I'm happier.  Yes, I'm HAPPIER.  This is a big success!  Enjoy it!  Don't let trivia get in the way of enjoying all these wonderful accomplishments.  Don't be a fool.  :)

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #108 on: January 26, 2018, 11:42:32 AM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

Dude - you're making me jealous!  :)

Haha, it's slowing down now. I can bloat and retain water like a champ when I go off plan!

I forget - are you fasting?  Or is this just from keto and exercise?

No fasting for me. I tried fasting on a 20/4 schedule, but it wrecked my blood sugar and insulin levels. Eating every 4 hours or so keeps me in a much better mood and drops fat from me more quickly. My usual pace for weight loss is 10 pounds a month with keto, but the first week it always a ton if I've been eating everything in sight.

To better explain how much I can eat, it isn't unusual for me to eat 10k-12k calories in a single day if i'm not watching it. In the old days, I was very poor and literally would dumpster dive for food. Once I got a decent job, I felt entitled to eat as much as I wanted whenever I wanted, and that still plagues me. But yeah, a big celebration day (like last weekend) might look like this:

Breakfast tacos:
6 fried eggs
2 sweet potatoes
1 avocado
6 corn tortillas

lunch is something like
4 homemade soft pretzels
8 oz homemade beer cheese
20 oz homemade bratwurst with homemade sauerkraut

Dinner is often a large Detroit style pizza plus another large new york style pizza.

Plus 8-12 beers.



wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #109 on: January 26, 2018, 11:58:50 AM »
Dropped 13 pounds this week. Granted last weekend was a big birthday bash, but I'm still down a few more pounds from where I started.

Dude - you're making me jealous!  :)

Haha, it's slowing down now. I can bloat and retain water like a champ when I go off plan!

I forget - are you fasting?  Or is this just from keto and exercise?

No fasting for me. I tried fasting on a 20/4 schedule, but it wrecked my blood sugar and insulin levels. Eating every 4 hours or so keeps me in a much better mood and drops fat from me more quickly. My usual pace for weight loss is 10 pounds a month with keto, but the first week it always a ton if I've been eating everything in sight.

To better explain how much I can eat, it isn't unusual for me to eat 10k-12k calories in a single day if i'm not watching it. In the old days, I was very poor and literally would dumpster dive for food. Once I got a decent job, I felt entitled to eat as much as I wanted whenever I wanted, and that still plagues me. But yeah, a big celebration day (like last weekend) might look like this:

Breakfast tacos:
6 fried eggs
2 sweet potatoes
1 avocado
6 corn tortillas

lunch is something like
4 homemade soft pretzels
8 oz homemade beer cheese
20 oz homemade bratwurst with homemade sauerkraut

Dinner is often a large Detroit style pizza plus another large new york style pizza.

Plus 8-12 beers.

Holy moly!  You can pack it away.  But it seems like your body needs larger amounts of food.   

Now that I'm on keto, I'm shocked at how quickly I fill up.  If I try to eat more I'm in pain for a long time - like 6 to 8 hours.

How did you know that your insulin and blood sugar levels were off?  Do you test?  I suspect I have insulin issues because of how high my weight is (192 right now on a 5'2" frame).  I'm wondering if I should do testing, but I'm afraid of finding out that I have diabetes, which runs in my family.

Regarding the eating mentality, I can relate.  I grew up very poor and food was the one thing that my parents used to show love and affection.  Which makes sense since they grew up very poor.  But unfortunately, it got to the point where I turned to food for everything.  Whatever the problem was, food was my answer.  And since food is now plentiful, the problems began and only got worse.  The best thing about fasting has been learning to go about my day without food as my constant companion.  Strangely, I feel a sense of peace and relief.  I guess I'm ready to let it resume it's rightful role in my life.  But dang, it's taken a long time!  :)

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #110 on: January 26, 2018, 12:31:52 PM »


Holy moly!  You can pack it away.  But it seems like your body needs larger amounts of food.   

Now that I'm on keto, I'm shocked at how quickly I fill up.  If I try to eat more I'm in pain for a long time - like 6 to 8 hours.

How did you know that your insulin and blood sugar levels were off?  Do you test?  I suspect I have insulin issues because of how high my weight is (192 right now on a 5'2" frame).  I'm wondering if I should do testing, but I'm afraid of finding out that I have diabetes, which runs in my family.

Regarding the eating mentality, I can relate.  I grew up very poor and food was the one thing that my parents used to show love and affection.  Which makes sense since they grew up very poor.  But unfortunately, it got to the point where I turned to food for everything.  Whatever the problem was, food was my answer.  And since food is now plentiful, the problems began and only got worse.  The best thing about fasting has been learning to go about my day without food as my constant companion.  Strangely, I feel a sense of peace and relief.  I guess I'm ready to let it resume it's rightful role in my life.  But dang, it's taken a long time!  :)

I completely relate. As to the testing, I do test. Back in 2008 I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes when I ended up in the hospital from a combination of working 100 hours weeks and having the flu. My fasting blood sugar was around 340. I was recently taken off the diabetes registry since I've had my bloodwork under exceptional control for a long time now, and Keto was definitely how I got there. Within about 6 months of keto, my bloodsugar was under control,and 3 months later I was off all my medications, including my cholesterol ones. Now I tinker around with it to see how I can optimize performance without getting too chubby.

Bird In Hand

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #111 on: January 26, 2018, 01:46:49 PM »
OP, there are many possible reasons why weight loss can be slow on keto or low-carb.  3 weeks in, it's too early to make any conclusions.  Much of the 10lbs you lost so far is likely water loss from depleting your glycogen (you probably knew that).  Going forward you should be in fat-burning mode and you should see pretty consistent weight loss -- mostly fat.  Doing modest aerobic type exercise will require more calories, and your body should be getting that mostly from your fat stores.  Yay!  And if you decide to increase your muscle mass with resistance training -- highly recommended btw -- the fat will start to come off even faster (of course I'm sure you knew all that as well).

One thing I didn't see in the thread -- forgive me if I overlooked it -- is that sometimes a low-carb diet can be hell on your thyroid.  This is going to vary by person, but there is generally a positive relationship between carb intake and thyroid function (up to a point).  If you get a thyroid panel done while on keto, don't be shocked to see a higher-than-expected TSH.  If you have previous history with hypothyroid, don't be surprised if it gets worse on a low-carb diet.  If you hit a brick wall with fat loss on keto, you might ask your Dr. to run a full thyroid panel.  For a lot of people, a hypothyroid condition makes it very hard to lose fat.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #112 on: January 26, 2018, 01:54:36 PM »
A lot of people I know go through periods where they lose a lot in inches but it doesn’t show up as much weight loss on the scale. Go with physical appearance and subjective feeling of health more than just a number.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #113 on: January 26, 2018, 02:29:23 PM »
Thanks guys!  Logically, I know that it's not a big deal. 

Regarding the thyroid, I had mine checked a while back and it came back fine but it's worth keeping an eye out.  Thanks!  I think it's true that the water weight came of quickly and now the fat weight will be much slower.  I'm 50, and female, so it might come off very, very slowly.  Probably the fasting stories gave me some unrealistic expectations. 

I've regained my sense of optimism.  Mainly because when I look in the mirror I look so much better than I did 3 weeks ago.
And.... I just came back from a Costco trip during lunchtime and there was all kinds of samples out, smelling good, looking good, and I just walked on by!   And these were things that I would've justified in the past (buffalo wing bites, steak bistro salad, etc).  In the past it would also have been hard not to buy something from the hot food kiosk since I haven't eaten anything today. 

Part of what helped is that I was shopping for a splurge dinner for tomorrow:  pork baby back ribs, mushrooms and asparagus.  It's going to be a nice day and we'll be grilling.  I'm experiencing delayed gratification.  :)


northener80

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #114 on: January 26, 2018, 02:39:04 PM »
Thanks guys!  Logically, I know that it's not a big deal. 

Regarding the thyroid, I had mine checked a while back and it came back fine but it's worth keeping an eye out.  Thanks!  I think it's true that the water weight came of quickly and now the fat weight will be much slower.  I'm 50, and female, so it might come off very, very slowly.  Probably the fasting stories gave me some unrealistic expectations. 

I've regained my sense of optimism.  Mainly because when I look in the mirror I look so much better than I did 3 weeks ago.
And.... I just came back from a Costco trip during lunchtime and there was all kinds of samples out, smelling good, looking good, and I just walked on by!   And these were things that I would've justified in the past (buffalo wing bites, steak bistro salad, etc).  In the past it would also have been hard not to buy something from the hot food kiosk since I haven't eaten anything today. 

Part of what helped is that I was shopping for a splurge dinner for tomorrow:  pork baby back ribs, mushrooms and asparagus.  It's going to be a nice day and we'll be grilling.  I'm experiencing delayed gratification.  :)

Delayed gratification is the best! :)

northener80

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #115 on: January 26, 2018, 04:02:52 PM »
Yesterday I made a great find, mustachian even! 1kg of pure (99,3% peanuts, 0,7% salt) organic peanut butter for less than $8! :)

Our food spending has really gone up a bit since starting keto. Anyone else experiencing that?

Some staples are fairly cheap: eggs, butter, bacon, but at least here and this time of year the fresh vegetables do cost an arm and a leg... Salmon, shrimp, cheese and good quality meat kinda breaks the budget though :P But then, if there is one thing that it's really worth spending more for it is your health and happiness.

Bird In Hand

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #116 on: January 26, 2018, 05:16:49 PM »
Our food spending has really gone up a bit since starting keto. Anyone else experiencing that?

Some staples are fairly cheap: eggs, butter, bacon, but at least here and this time of year the fresh vegetables do cost an arm and a leg... Salmon, shrimp, cheese and good quality meat kinda breaks the budget though :P But then, if there is one thing that it's really worth spending more for it is your health and happiness.

We don't follow a keto diet, but we do something close to paleo.  We optimize our food for health, not $$, and it shows: yearly grocery bill is $15k+ for a family of 5.  Tons of fresh produce, local meat and seafood from farmer's markets, etc.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #117 on: January 26, 2018, 05:23:25 PM »
Yes, our food spending is up, some because of increased meat consumption, some because my kids are getting bigger. As I optimize the garden and get my rabbitry dialed in, it will possibly go back down slightly and then inevitably creep up because of the kids. My oldest is still just a tween (11) so we've got the biggest eating years ahead of us.

Many non-Mustachian ketoers report lower grocery budgets on keto because they're no longer buying so much processed/pre-made food but I expect the typical Mustachian would always see a rise.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #118 on: January 27, 2018, 10:22:50 AM »
My food bill seems to be going down now that I'm fasting because I'm just not eating that much food.  And the food I'm eating the most is not very expensive - eggs, romaine.  I bought some avocados and spinach for the potassium and I discovered two things: I'm not a big fan of cooked spinach (you're supposed to eat it cooked for the potassium), and I like avocado but mainly in guacamole with chips!  If I eat it with food it's so rich, I have a hard time finishing one per day.  I've enlisted dh to help me finish them as they are starting to all get soft.

I did a 24 hour fast yesterday and after dinner I went to the gym and swam for an hour.  I'm fairly shocked at my energy levels despite the fasting.  I'll do 20/4 fasts this weekend since they're so easy. 

To keep me focused on the important stuff, I'm going to be posting my nutrition, exercise and energy levels. 

Meals: 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Snack - macadamia nuts and pistachios
Soup - bone broth, shrimp, spinach, avocado, green onions, cilantro, serrano pepper, lemon juice, evoo
Salad - romaine, eggs, caesar dressing, pistachios

Note:  this was a longer/later eating window than I've become accustomed to and I was still fairly full when I started my swimming at 8:15 pm.  The swimming went fine but I did have some heartburn overnight which I haven't had since starting my diet.  I used to get heartburn from fat or acidic food like tomatoes.  So I'll need to keep an eye on that.  My guess is that I didn't give my body enough time to digest the fairly fatty foods I ate in a relatively short time.  Or it could be the nuts.  I haven't had nuts in a while and just bought these a few days ago. 

Exercise:
Walking - 2 miles
Swimming - 1 hr

Energy level: very good all day

p.s.  I weighed myself this morning hoping for one of those multiple lb loses on the scale and my weight has gone up!  So I'm choosing to see it as muscle gains.  Historically, I do gain muscle very quickly.  And I'm seeing continued daily improvement, especially in my tummy area which is where I carry most of my weight.  I have a ton of energy, so I think my metabolism is gearing up too.

MEJG

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #119 on: January 28, 2018, 06:28:18 AM »
jane X,

I've read and heard from multiple sources (first hand reports, not studies) that women tend to lose more slowly than men at first and most chalk it up to hormonal variation, which make sense to me.

The second thing I've hear a LOT is to make sure you're FEASTING when you're eating, since you're fasting.  You don't want to fast some days and then have low calorie eating days.  Eating large amounts of good fats is really needed for most people.  Until you are well keto adapted your body isn't very efficient at accessing your store body fat, so you can indeed be calorie deprived even if you have plenty of calories on your body to burn.  Also if your insulin is high you actually cannot get to your body fat stores.  So if you have insulin resistance and you haven't yet dropped your fating insulin levels <15 you may not be ABLE to pull from your body fat well. Plus good healthy saturated fats help with hormone balance and production.

The food you listed on 1/27 would be waaaaaay to few calories and fat for me, or for most people I know.

So now, in the beginning, I would focus on eating lots of good fats, keeping carbs low, and making sure when you fast you fast and when you eat you FEAST.  Megan Ramos at IDM says it all the time, make sure you switch it up, and don't be afraid of eating fat.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #120 on: January 28, 2018, 08:23:43 AM »
3 lbs and 4 months apart. I've felt subjectively slimmer especially over past month or so but was curious if I could see it objectively. (I'm terrible at remembering to take tape measurements.) I don't see much change in the front view, but the profile seems significant. Anyone else?

There's also other things that the pics can't capture, like veins popping in my forearms, etc.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #121 on: January 28, 2018, 12:02:50 PM »
3 lbs and 4 months apart. I've felt subjectively slimmer especially over past month or so but was curious if I could see it objectively. (I'm terrible at remembering to take tape measurements.) I don't see much change in the front view, but the profile seems significant. Anyone else?

There's also other things that the pics can't capture, like veins popping in my forearms, etc.

@HarbingerofBunnies - this whole time I've thought you were a woman.  What is that male body doing here???!!!  :)

I do see a difference in the after photos - you look a bit emaciated.  Plus you clearly need to get some sun.  :)

Seriously though, I do see a difference and it looks like you lost maybe 10-15 lbs, not 3.  Your tummy looks very flat compared to the before photo.  Congrats on the weight loss!

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #122 on: January 28, 2018, 12:10:19 PM »
jane X,

I've read and heard from multiple sources (first hand reports, not studies) that women tend to lose more slowly than men at first and most chalk it up to hormonal variation, which make sense to me.

The second thing I've hear a LOT is to make sure you're FEASTING when you're eating, since you're fasting.  You don't want to fast some days and then have low calorie eating days.  Eating large amounts of good fats is really needed for most people.  Until you are well keto adapted your body isn't very efficient at accessing your store body fat, so you can indeed be calorie deprived even if you have plenty of calories on your body to burn.  Also if your insulin is high you actually cannot get to your body fat stores.  So if you have insulin resistance and you haven't yet dropped your fating insulin levels <15 you may not be ABLE to pull from your body fat well. Plus good healthy saturated fats help with hormone balance and production.

The food you listed on 1/27 would be waaaaaay to few calories and fat for me, or for most people I know.

So now, in the beginning, I would focus on eating lots of good fats, keeping carbs low, and making sure when you fast you fast and when you eat you FEAST.  Megan Ramos at IDM says it all the time, make sure you switch it up, and don't be afraid of eating fat.

Hi @MEJG - interesting you said that about my food intake on 1/27, because that day I felt pretty stuffed.  I don't think I could've eaten more without being in pain.  I'll have to think about it and see if the composition of my meals could be tweaked for better nutrition.

I too have read, and experienced, the differences between men and women in the weight loss and metabolism department.  And age too!  I keep reminding myself that I'm not going to lose at the rate that a young person would and that the hormonal issues will add another layer of difficulty.  I stopped looking at the progress pics of men and young women on reddit/keto because I know it will mess with my expectations and results.  Thank you for the reminder.  I need to hear it often.

I'm going to look up Megan Ramos, I don't know who she is.  It will be good to have some new stuff to read.  Thanks!

I had a carb fail yesterday and I'm doing an experiment today to gain some insight about it.  I'll post more later.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2018, 12:28:43 PM by jane x »

northener80

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #123 on: January 28, 2018, 12:47:04 PM »
I seem to be a bit stuck now in the 3-4 week plateau. Actually weighed in two punds heavier than four days ago. This might really be down to more gym visits, at least I would hope so :).

Today I went deep into the rabbit hole of DNA and nutrition and actually started studying my 23andme results. Found out I'm breaking down caffeine quickly, which I kinda knew already. I also found out one good thing and one not so good.

First the good: remember this WHO report that came quite recently, warning of the 20% relative heightened risk of colon cancer from eating more meat (5% to 6% in absolute risk). Turns out around 60% of caucasians are not affected by it, and my gene is of the right kind there, so even more meat eating for me it is!

The not so good: is about the APoE4 gene, I've got one of the two, so heterozygous for that, means increased risk for developiing Alzheimer's disease. One of the worst diseases really, but it's not all dark, as Alzheimers seems more andm ore likely to be yet another metabolic disease heavily influenced by insulin, even called Type 3 diabetes now.

If anything this will just make me double down on keto or long-term at least very low carb. It's a tricky question about how much you want to know about what is in your DNA, it can be quite hard to face the results. So far I'm happy I went for it, but I fully understand and support my wife not wanting to know all the details.

Today's foods: started off with very meaty lams sausage, ajvar, eggs and olives for brunch. And minced meat with cauliflower and garlic butter for dinner. Ready for another 24h fast.

MEJG

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #124 on: January 28, 2018, 01:15:17 PM »

I'm going to look up Megan Ramos, I don't know who she is.  It will be good to have some new stuff to read.  Thanks!


Megan Ramos works with Dr. Fung with the Intensive Dietary Management program.  If you like podcasts look up The Obesity Code Podcast (Fung and Ramos) and 2 Keto Dudes- and excellent keto podcast from 2 regular guys.  Well they're both software developers and totally into the science :)  I would start at the beginning with either.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #125 on: January 28, 2018, 01:34:01 PM »
@HarbingerofBunnies - this whole time I've thought you were a woman.  What is that male body doing here???!!!  :)

Lol, I think that's a first for me, then again before I changed my username to this one I often had a picture of myself as my profile.

The not so good: is about the APoE4 gene, I've got one of the two, so heterozygous for that, means increased risk for developiing Alzheimer's disease. One of the worst diseases really, but it's not all dark, as Alzheimers seems more andm ore likely to be yet another metabolic disease heavily influenced by insulin, even called Type 3 diabetes now.

If anything this will just make me double down on keto or long-term at least very low carb.

Yeah, one thing that motivates me to get my weight under control in my 30s and stick with keto or some other low-carb variant is that I have strong family history of type-II diabetes on both sides of my family, but especially my mom's side and I seem to have a lot of my genes from my mom, we share very similar body type, etc.

rulesofacquisition

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #126 on: January 29, 2018, 10:14:46 AM »
OK, I spotted this thread last night just browsing and I am so in!

I am a carb junkie, mainly Dr. Pepper and various forms of bread, oh delicious, crusty bread... Carbs make me feel like crap and I know my blood sugar is all over the map from eating like this. DH also has some fatty liver issues and we both need to lose weight. We don't eat out too much, or prepackaged stuff, but the carbs are there and we need to make a change.

It's hard to get the rest of your life, financial and otherwise, in order when you feel like shit.


brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #127 on: January 29, 2018, 10:18:01 AM »
Went out with some friends on Saturday to a whiskey bar. Much whiskey consumed, an extra large pizza, and heroic amounts of water. Back on track sunday though. My waist has come in 1.5  inches since I started this a few weeks ago. Not bad.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #128 on: January 29, 2018, 10:18:37 AM »
OK, I spotted this thread last night just browsing and I am so in!

I am a carb junkie, mainly Dr. Pepper and various forms of bread, oh delicious, crusty bread... Carbs make me feel like crap and I know my blood sugar is all over the map from eating like this. DH also has some fatty liver issues and we both need to lose weight. We don't eat out too much, or prepackaged stuff, but the carbs are there and we need to make a change.

It's hard to get the rest of your life, financial and otherwise, in order when you feel like shit.

Welcome @rulesofacquisition!  Glad you can join us.  Bread is my weakness too.  The hardest part is the first few days, but you'll be so glad you did it.  Are you reducing your carbs gradually or going cold turkey? 

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #129 on: January 29, 2018, 10:25:31 AM »
Went out with some friends on Saturday to a whiskey bar. Much whiskey consumed, an extra large pizza, and heroic amounts of water. Back on track sunday though. My waist has come in 1.5  inches since I started this a few weeks ago. Not bad.

Ahhhh brute, you make me laugh!  On Saturday I had a cinnamon raisin bagel, a small pear, and a cup of hot cocoa and was feeling guilty.  You just put everything into perspective!  Thank you.  :)

I was afraid the carb fail would derail me the whole weekend but I was fine on Sunday.  I figure that I was actually hungry on Saturday and just didn't know it.  When I actually logged in the food, minus the carby stuff, I saw that it was very low carb and low calorie as well.  It just felt so decadent and rich that I assumed it would be enough to meet me needs.  My body knew differently and got its needs met another way.

Maybe I need to do my measurements so that I don't get so hung up on the scale. 

rulesofacquisition

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #130 on: January 29, 2018, 12:45:25 PM »
OK, I spotted this thread last night just browsing and I am so in!

I am a carb junkie, mainly Dr. Pepper and various forms of bread, oh delicious, crusty bread... Carbs make me feel like crap and I know my blood sugar is all over the map from eating like this. DH also has some fatty liver issues and we both need to lose weight. We don't eat out too much, or prepackaged stuff, but the carbs are there and we need to make a change.

It's hard to get the rest of your life, financial and otherwise, in order when you feel like shit.

Welcome @rulesofacquisition!  Glad you can join us.  Bread is my weakness too.  The hardest part is the first few days, but you'll be so glad you did it.  Are you reducing your carbs gradually or going cold turkey?

The hope is that there isn't much bad stuff left in the house (except the 150 lbs of free rice I have vacuum sealed) so I plan to do cold turkey, I have tried reducing and I just won't stick to it.

northener80

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #131 on: January 29, 2018, 02:03:55 PM »
OK, I spotted this thread last night just browsing and I am so in!

I am a carb junkie, mainly Dr. Pepper and various forms of bread, oh delicious, crusty bread... Carbs make me feel like crap and I know my blood sugar is all over the map from eating like this. DH also has some fatty liver issues and we both need to lose weight. We don't eat out too much, or prepackaged stuff, but the carbs are there and we need to make a change.

It's hard to get the rest of your life, financial and otherwise, in order when you feel like shit.

Welcome @rulesofacquisition!  Glad you can join us.  Bread is my weakness too.  The hardest part is the first few days, but you'll be so glad you did it.  Are you reducing your carbs gradually or going cold turkey?

The hope is that there isn't much bad stuff left in the house (except the 150 lbs of free rice I have vacuum sealed) so I plan to do cold turkey, I have tried reducing and I just won't stick to it.

Welcome here! And good for you, going cold turkey is really the only way to do it if you like most of us is a carb addict. I'm three weeks in now and mostly over it, but walking through the bakery area in the super market still gets my mouth watering. With an addiction like that there might really be no middle way for a long long time while breaking it.

Personally I tried for the better part of the last ten years or so to reduce sugary stuff and keep it at an "ok" level... yeah didn't work. I would get the cravings and get a big bar of chocolate or whatever seemed like it would give me the "hit" I needed several times in a week. Now on keto those cravings are slowly but steadily going away.

Wish you the best, keep us posted on your progress.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #132 on: January 29, 2018, 02:52:42 PM »
Yeah, that’s why I personally don’t do cheat days (intentional cheat days, that is) because it just resets the carb cravings clock.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #133 on: January 29, 2018, 09:32:04 PM »
I had my first stumble today.  :(

This weekend I feasted in preparation for some 36-48 hour fasting and I triggered something that brought back the carb and sugar cravings.  I was trying to make sure that I got enough fat and nutrients and ate more than I normally do; I was making myself eat even though I didn't feel hungry.  This morning I woke up feeling stuffed and having gained 2 lbs on the scale.  And I was bloated and sluggish.  I thought for sure I would have no desire for food since I still felt full. 

But within a couple of hours I was having very intense food cravings and I gave in to them.  In a matter of a few hours I had 2 bagels, hot cocoa, lasagna and chocolate cake.  The first bagel was very tasty and satisfying, but all the food that followed just felt compulsory and disappointing.  The craving felt like a bottomless pit.  By 2:30 I felt very sick to my stomach and was able to stop eating.  I took some activated charcoal to help with the tummy upset and I've been on water only since. 

I'm doing my best to take this as information to help me move forward on my long-term goals.  A one-day stumble is not a big deal.  The challenge is to keep it as a one-day stumble.  I'm going to fast for at least 48 hours in order to get my system back under control.  Right now the thought of food sounds painful and horrible, but I don't know how I'll feel tomorrow.  Tomorrow will be the real challenge. 

I'm hoping that removing food completely from the recovery process will be helpful.  I've been finding that on the days when I know that I won't be having food, I'm able to relax and forget about it completely.  But the fasting I've been doing has been after I was already on keto and the food cravings had completely disappeared.  This fast will be completely different.  I will need to remind myself often of the fact that I've done this length of fasting already, and that my body does well on it. 

Wish me luck.

MEJG

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #134 on: January 30, 2018, 04:31:38 AM »
I had my first stumble today.  :(
... and having gained 2 lbs on the scale
...
But within a couple of hours I was having very intense food cravings and I gave in to them.  In a matter of a few hours I had 2 bagels, hot cocoa, lasagna and chocolate cake.

Hi Jane!

What did you eat while feasting?  I ask because for you to have carb cravings so hard I would expect there might have been too many carbohydrates the day before, esp considering a 2lb overnight gain which indicates water weight i.e. glycogen storage.

Keto feasting that I wouldn't expect to start off that type of spiral might include:
Bacon topped with fatty cheese :)
Steak with a fatty sauce like hollandaise
Pulled pork
Veggies with extra butter and/or cheese
Avocados
BP coffee, or BP hot cocco, and extra cup if you usually have only one.
Salad with dark greens, veggies, avocado and lots of olive oil or a very fatty keto friendly dressing. 

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #135 on: January 30, 2018, 12:01:39 PM »
Hi @MEJG - Let's see the day before I had the following:

1pm - about 12 macadamia nuts

3pm - 4 grilled pork baby back ribs; asparagus and mushrooms sauteed in evoo

6:30pm - 3 ribs with the same veggies as above; 2 small bowls of romaine with caesar dressing (I was trying to eat a lot of food here to really 'feast' and I was ok after the first bowl of salad but painfully full after the second)

I logged my food and my net carbs were at 18 and calories at 2034.  This is much higher calorie than I'm used to, but the carbs were right within range.  The fat and protein ratios were good - 178g fat, 93g protein


A couple of other things stand out from that day, Sunday:

1.  My energy and stamina were impacted quite a bit.  A couple of days before, on Friday, I had about half the food as this day after breaking a 24 hour fast and I went to the gym after dinner and did laps for an hour.  I was surprised, but I was very energetic.  On Sunday, I went to the gym after dinner as well, but was only able to do 40 minutes and I really dragged for the last 20. 

2.  Sunday I was pretty active - I did a 2 mile walk, a 25-min Jillian Michael's Shred workout, and then the swimming after dinner.  So it appears that my insulin (?)/carb cravings gets spiked with too much food regardless of my activity level.


Right now I'm on hour 20 of my fast and I feel fine, no cravings or hunger at all.  I'm going to continue the IF through February and see how I do.  That will give me a month to work out any kinks.  Then in March, I will switch to the Atkins Induction and compare results. 

My cycle is due on Mon/Tues so that might also have something to do with the extra cravings.  Oh, and I'm going to look up the nutrition on those pork ribs.  They were the pre-seasoned uncooked ones that Costco sells, and I think maybe the seasonings might have had some part in the cravings.

ETA:  I looked up the ribs and they don't seem to be a problem carb-wise.  I do remember reading in the Atkins book that excess protein turns into glucose.  Possibly my eating window was too small for my system and the amount of food I ate. 
« Last Edit: January 30, 2018, 12:49:30 PM by jane x »

MEJG

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #136 on: January 30, 2018, 12:59:51 PM »
Hi Jane!

Yeah, that day before looks good!!!  I've read about 1 -1.5 grams of protein per kg of lean body mass (so not your total weight now but your lean mass now).  Hormonal cycles can def impact my cravings.  I think keeping track of it and monitoring will help you work it out as you move forward.


wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #137 on: January 30, 2018, 01:13:58 PM »
Thanks MEJG - it's weird because ribs don't have all that much meat on them.  So I'm still kinda shocked that I got triggered. 

I'll just keep truckin' along. 

northener80

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #138 on: January 31, 2018, 02:02:54 AM »
Feeling great on keto! I have such a level of energy and clarity of mind that I really can't remember ever having before. I end up doing some exercise 5-6 times in a week now without even pushing myself, I actually want to... it's weird somehow

A small victory today also, tried on a pair of really nice pants I bought in an outlet store about 1.5 years ago in San Antonio. At that time I bought them with the thought that they were too tight, but would fit perfectly once I got back to the weight I should be. Well here we are, 1.5 years later and they fit perfectly now! I can start wearing them.

Dragonswan

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #139 on: January 31, 2018, 09:27:08 AM »
Hey Jane X, I wondered what happened to you.  You started a similar thread last year to help out with low carb food ideas.  Glad to hear things are going well.  Tonight's low carb dinner will be pan-seared shrimp and roasted green beans.  For desert, 1/2 cup pecans (8 gm carbs).

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #140 on: January 31, 2018, 09:50:17 AM »
Salmon with a garlic dill marinade topped with shredded cucumber mixed with full fat greek yogurt  for dinner here.

Dragonswan

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #141 on: January 31, 2018, 11:03:33 AM »
Aww gees.  Now I'm craving lamb chops so I can have my Greek feta yogurt sauce.  There's always the weekend for such indulgence.

Dulcimina

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #142 on: January 31, 2018, 12:05:03 PM »

The not so good: is about the APoE4 gene, I've got one of the two, so heterozygous for that, means increased risk for developiing Alzheimer's disease. One of the worst diseases really, but it's not all dark, as Alzheimers seems more andm ore likely to be yet another metabolic disease heavily influenced by insulin, even called Type 3 diabetes now.

If anything this will just make me double down on keto or long-term at least very low carb. It's a tricky question about how much you want to know about what is in your DNA, it can be quite hard to face the results. So far I'm happy I went for it, but I fully understand and support my wife not wanting to know all the details.

Today's foods: started off with very meaty lams sausage, ajvar, eggs and olives for brunch. And minced meat with cauliflower and garlic butter for dinner. Ready for another 24h fast.

As an ApoE4 heterozygote, you should monitor your blood lipids closely and pay attention to your saturated fat intake.  I'm trying to get a handle on how serious high LDL is if you are not dealing with inflammation from high sugar intake, but I know mine went up dramatically on keto. (I started keto to address some blood sugar issues, so I have the baseline numbers.)

I'm also reading that fish oils can have some paradoxical negative effects.

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #143 on: January 31, 2018, 12:25:50 PM »
Hi @Dragonswan!  I'm sorry I disappeared from that summer thread.  I wasn't able to get off the carbs and was too embarrassed to keep posting.  It's a shame too, because that was a very positive and encouraging thread.  Oh well.  I remember your amazing meals.  And that you went to France!  I hope you had an amazing time.  Although how could you not, right?

I'm feeling annoyed at my whiney sounding posts about my hiccups but I'm going to keep posting to a) keep a record for myself so that when this happens again next month I won't be surprised or discouraged, and b) as helpful information for anyone else who might be going through the same thing.

Ok.... Yesterday I was on hour 25 of my fast when I got very hungry and started craving eggs.  I ignored the hunger.  Then my eyes and brain zoomed in on the bagels on the counter and I knew it was time to break the fast before the carbs broke me.  I was able to eat very low-carb and feel satisfied the rest of the day.  This morning I felt hungry when I got up so had some scrambled eggs.

I'm still holding about 3 lbs of water retention and know that it will grow in the next week.  I've already started getting the lower back ache that always precedes my cycle.  It's clear now that all of the cravings and weight gain is cycle and hormone driven.  I just didn't realize that my body began preparations that far in advance. It has always felt like the changes happen overnight or within a couple of days, but now I see it builds up slowly over 7-10 days. 

Fasting is on hold for at least the next two weeks.  I've reverted to the Induction phase, relying on regular low-carb meals to keep me feeling satiated and craving-free. 

These hormonal issues make things challenging, but there's no way around it.  My goal for the next two weeks is to just keep myself well-fed, relaxed, and happy.  I'll continue my exercise efforts as best I can within the limits of the hormonal swings and aches and pains.  The primary goal is to avoid stress, and to remove it promptly if it makes an appearance. 

Sorry for the long post.  Just need to vent and release.  Last night I started feeling anxiety about a light fixture I just ordered, and this morning I feel a bit teary and shaky, so the emotional roller coaster has arrived as well.  yay.  :/

« Last Edit: January 31, 2018, 12:36:46 PM by jane x »

brute

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #144 on: January 31, 2018, 12:34:09 PM »
Good work escaping the carb cravings and eating some eggs. They save me fairly often.

I had a miserably stressful workday Monday and ate like an idiot when I got home. So it goes. Back on the wagon, back to where I was before I ate everything. With the superbowl coming up, I'll be eating a bunch of junk too, but after that it's clear sailing. We're on schedule to hit my goal weight by mid May.


MEJG

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #145 on: January 31, 2018, 01:04:13 PM »
Good on you for finding the pattern!!!! and for addressing the cravings with good food!

Dragonswan

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #146 on: January 31, 2018, 01:53:41 PM »
Don't get discouraged.  The key to getting through my cycle without chocolate is to plan a decadent meal - like lobster stuffed shrimp or grilled steak with some luscious compound butter.  You can do this!

And yes, France was great. It was easier to eat low carb there (although I wasn't trying to).  I didn't have to be worried about being tempted by pasta dishes.  Just meat, veg, cheese course and desert.  They had some strong version of Bleu formage I swear they could use to cure pneumonia - and I indulged!

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #147 on: February 01, 2018, 10:38:46 AM »
@brute - sorry you had a crappy day at work.  I love your positive forward-moving attitude though.  I hope your week has gotten better.

Yesterday was a good low-carb day!  For a brief moment the bagels caught my eye on the counter so I grabbed them and stuffed them in a drawer.  Out of sight, out of mind.  Having regular meals again is working really well. My energy is good, cravings have gone away, and I feel satiated all day. 

Food: 
scrambed eggs for breakfast
seasoned beef over wilted spinach and romaine for lunch
omelette for dinner - seasoned beef, mushrooms, spinach

Exercise:
2 mile walk
30 mins of laps in the pool
30 mins of soaking in the jacuzzi... :)

Tomorrow I'll be going to Costco to shop for my decadent weekend meals.  Today I'm taking myself out for a late breakfast to meet up with a friend.  No hash brown, waffles, sugar or bread! 

frugalkristen

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #148 on: February 01, 2018, 07:00:24 PM »
jane x - You have inspired me to try a low carb diet.  I've never done this before but I've lost 6.5 pounds in 10 days!  Thank you!

wildbeast

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Re: Keto & Low-Carb Challenge
« Reply #149 on: February 01, 2018, 09:12:56 PM »
Welcome @frugalkristen!  I'm so glad you've joined us.  Low-carb is great, isn't it?  I saw a lot of people on the losing weight thread who talked about being hungry all the time and I know that would be me if I tried a low-fat/low calorie diet.  I just find low-carb so much easier.  And CONGRATS! on your awesome weight loss.  You'll have to share some of your daily meals with us.


Today was a so-so day, eating-wise.  I was out of the house most of the day and ate two meals out.  I haven't eaten out in over a month and I missed eating at home today.   

Meals:
breakfast - bacon and eggs @ Denny's
lunch - Cobb salad @ Red Robin
dinner - hodgepodge of scrap leftovers that needed to be finished up @ home:  macadamia nuts, very small piece of lasagna, romaine with caesar dressing, a bite of cheddar cheese, tea with cream and splenda

My day was a tiny bit over my carb goal, 26 carbs, but not a big deal.  The last couple of days were very low-carb. 

Exercise:
2 mile walk
25 mins Shred
30 mins swimming
30 mins jacuzzi


Dh and I have a standing date once a month at a restaurant to help us connect.  In January, I wasn't feeling great on our day so we skipped, but I want to be able to eat out on occasion and know that I'm eating low-carb.  I thought it would be fun to see what some of the restaurant favorites are for inspiration.  So please share!

What are some of your favorite low-carb restaurant dishes or meals?
« Last Edit: February 01, 2018, 09:31:02 PM by jane x »