Low Carb Diet

[JeanetteLW]

 Congratulations Deborah, you are trending in the right direction for sure. Down to 166 That's great!
I haven't been anywhere near that since 1977 :-(
It looks like what your are doing is working for you.

  Hugs,
    Jeanette

[Brooke]

Yes. Congrats Deborah.

One thing I want to warn you about is the ketostix. They do not measure how many ketones that are in your body, rather they measure the excess ketones that are not being used and therefore excreted through urine.

I tell you this as it is possible to get a dark purple color after kicking yourself out of ketosis. If you were to have a carb heavy meal the liver would stop producing ketones and your body would switch back to using glycogen. The ketones that were ready to be used are than excreted through urine.

The color of the stix is also highly dependent on hydration. The more water that is in your body the lighter the color.

If you are going to use them I would suggest still counting your carbs and measure the ketones at the same time everyday (like right when you get up).

You can opt for the much more expensive and much more reliable blood ketone test strips if wanted/needed.

Also if you're at 61 net carbs but high level activity you are probably fine. The recommendation for new dieters is under 20 net grams of carbs but many find once adapted they don't get kicked out of ketosis until they reach 50 net carbs (with sedentary lifestyle).

I hope you're able to stop the yo-yo effect!

I know with this diet for me it's really hard to game weight (good thing) and pretty easy to stick to once your in the routine.

I have ended up losing 110 lbs over about 20 months.

Highest was 245 lbs. Now maintaining at 135 (5'9")

Good luck!


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[Gertrude]

I would think 100g of carbs is low. 20? I couldn't go that low and I like protein. When I lifted weights, I would try to get 250g of protein a day. It's not easy without going to whey. I was probably eating 3000-3500 calories a day and I'd lose a pound or two a week. The thing is that without enough t , I can't do that work out anymore as my t has dropped too much and recovery sucks. So now it's just walking as I had my neck fused 5 years ago and the Doc said no more lifting. The side effect has been that I've ballooned. When I try the high protein or vlcd, I tend to get bad muscle cramps everywhere and I can be drinking 3 quarts of water a day, but no more. I think maybe the slower route of burn a little more eat a little less might be smarter.


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[Deborah]

Right now my protein target is 100 to 140g per day (max of 1g per lb of lean body weight).  More than that works against the diet.  I generally keep my net carbs below 70g and the rest is fat, around 165g.  Usually I eat around 2300 to 2400 cal, sometimes more, and I am still steadily losing weight.

All that fat does allow for some really good cooking too with liberal use of butter, sour cream, cream cheese, regular cheese, and rich salad dressings.  Also, because it eliminates grains and sugars I end up eating a lot more vegetables every day than I used to.  I had a whole head of broccoli cooked then fried in bacon grease and topped with blue cheese dressing along with my breakfast and a humongous salad with all sorts of stuff and 4 tbs of blue cheese dressing along with supper.  All of that plus my gummy vitamins is only 50g net carbs.

Added to all that was a three egg cheese omelet topped with sour cream and hot sauce, four slices of bacon, and 10 oz of corned beef left over from last night.  That still leaves me 500 cal under my goal today if I get hungry again before bedtime.  Usually I do have some pork rinds, cheese, and almonds before bed.  If I'm feeling deprived I have some 86% cacao dark chocolate. 

So, I did have to give up some things but got some other things in return.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Gertrude]

I have no idea what my lbm is now, maybe 190? It was 210 6 years ago. Thing is I've never been a cardio freak. I hate cardio. Loved iron though. My wife loves carbs. I'm half Italian and she likes pasta more than I do. I find if I cut out bread, pop, alcohol and dairy, Diet works better. I have to reconsider.


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[Deborah]

I hate cardio. Loved iron though.

LOL.  I'm the exact opposite.  I love running, especially really early in the morning when everyone else is still sleeping.  If I'm doing it right I find it an infinitely relaxing way to start the day.  Although I did spend some time with the barbells I never really liked doing that.



Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Gertrude]

LOL.  I'm the exact opposite.  I love running, especially really early in the morning when everyone else is still sleeping.  If I'm doing it right I find it an infinitely relaxing way to start the day.  Although I did spend some time with the barbells I never really liked doing that.



Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

Like most, probably do what works best for us. If I hadn't hurt my neck, I would have done the strongman competition in the Iowa state games. The year before I watched and there was no one in my weight class. I wanted to do a George foreman late in life thing, but bad disks, stenosis and bone spurs caught up with me. Too much stress from farmers walk with 150s in each hand. Maybe it was for the best.


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[Rayna]

LOL.  I'm the exact opposite.  I love running, especially really early in the morning when everyone else is still sleeping.  If I'm doing it right I find it an infinitely relaxing way to start the day.  Although I did spend some time with the barbells I never really liked doing that.

I also love running, and have begun cross dressing while doing it. I mostly run trails.

As for weights, I can't do it on my own. But I've found a class at the YMCA called Body Pump. It's a worldwide program, offered at many types of gyms. Mostly women in the classes but it kicks my butt. All free weights and body weight, done to music. I've done it for 2 1/2 years now, twice a week at lunch, and it has really made a difference. But my T is naturally low at age 64 and I don't build.much muscle mass. Have gotten some nice pecs which substitute for boobs lol.
Randy

[RavenMoon]

2,500 calories a day? That sounds like a lot. I do 1,560. This was picked by the MyFitnessPal app.

I also don't eat meat. I eliminated almost all snacking, and no soft drinks, etc.

I've lost almost all my extra weight. My ex wife even said "how did you get thinner than me?!" lol I'm only 5'5" so when I gain weight I look stumpy. But I've been feeling great and a woman I met on Saturday thought I was about 30. She said "I'm older than you." I said I'm twice that age. Lol.


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[Deborah]

I track everything on MyFitnessPal also.  Around 2400 is still giving me weight loss.  I'm 5'11" though and run 5 miles every morning but Friday and then walk enough more to get 20,000 steps per day.  It adds up.  Fortunately I enjoy doing that and it gives me lots of uninterrupted time to listen to audiobooks and podcasts.

Way to go on losing that weight. :-). I know it feels so much better having it gone.  It's like aging backwards.  LOL


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Inarasarah]

Way to go Deborah!!  Your hard work is paying off

I have managed to break through the 185lbs barrier this week when my weight dropped to 183.  I am getting closer to my goal of 175lbs.  Running and watching my diet has been a key for me.

[RavenMoon]

I track everything on MyFitnessPal also.  Around 2400 is still giving me weight loss.  I'm 5'11" though and run 5 miles every morning but Friday and then walk enough more to get 20,000 steps per day.

You are losing weight on 2400 calories because of the exercise. That reduces the net amount of calories you ingested.

I get about 2,500 steps a day just going to work. On some weekends I walk about 15 miles. [emoji3]


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[Deborah]

I just finished up week 5 with this low carb diet and I have to say that I'm a believer now.  My average net carbs this week were only 42 g and I've been feeling very good.  My sugar intake was 16 g which is only 10% of the average US diet.  Best of all, I increased my daily eating to average 2560 cal and still lost nearly a pound, now 2.5 lbs below my goal weight.  My running pace also is back where it was when I started except at a lower heart rate and easier perceived exertion.  I never would have believed this would be possible at such a trivial carb intake. 

The biggest challenge I'm having is actually finding enough fat to eat while limiting carbs and capping protein at 140 g.  That leaves me at a little over 200 g of fat per day.  Eggs, cheese, butter, coconut oil, avocado, olives, fatty fish, sour cream, and full bodied salad dressing have become my friend.  Green vegetables also.  I'm actually eating more of that than I was on a normal diet.  My hunger problem has also largely resolved itself.  I wouldn't say I never get hungry but it is such that my daily food intake is very consistent and I don't go to bed hungry.  This is unlike my previous diets where I would end up with huge diet swings at least once a week to try and satisfy that sugar monster. 

This also seems to be addressing my biggest concern which was getting rid of the love handles that have plagued me my whole life.  They have measurably gotten smaller so hopefully they will continue that way until they are gone.  I gave up trying to grow my hips and have concluded the answer is shrinking my waist instead.  (Growing my hips worked but unfortunately it meant growing my belly also)

An unexpected effect has been on my sleep.  That was already very good but it has significantly improved with my overnight heart rates dropping much lower than they had previously.  They are already back to lifetime low ranges and seem to be on a steady decline, almost a daily improvement.

If you haven't tried it, a tablespoon of Irish butter in a cup of dark roasted coffee first thing in the morning is really good and is like a shot of rocket fuel to start the day.  :-)


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Brooke]

Hey Deborah! First congrats on getting to your goal weight!

Low carb I've found resets my hunger calibration. I actually know whether I'm physically hungry or just wanting to munch.

I've also noticed the same thing with endurance during exercise. The lack of energy until I was fully fat adapted. I again think it has to do with energy accessibility.

In regards to food if you're up for cooking check out ruled.me for lots of good recipes. Also google "fat bombs" for ways to easily supplement your fat.

I use crazy cups k-cups for a variety of flavored coffee that I can use for the bulletproof coffee.

Also >-bleeped-< has a good keto sub>-bleeped-<, as well as ketogains and ketorecipes.

As summer is coming quick I started making homemade ice cream

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2016/08/best-new-low-carb-ice-cream-recipes.html

Pretty much a frozen fat bomb.

Congrats again!


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[Colleen_definitely]

Another awesome treat:  take heavy cream, some sugar free instant pudding of whatever flavor you prefer, toss it into a stand mixer or use a hand mixer and make mousse.  1/4 package of pudding worth (which is a LOT of mousse) is only about 7 grams of carbs if you use the Jello brand.

Fluffy, chocolaty (or half chocolate, half cheesecake flavor for me) fat bomb.  Oh yes.

[Deborah]

Staying in this eating mode has now become very easy.  I tried an experiment at work the other day in the late afternoon after not eating for about eight hours.  There was a box of donuts next to the coffee so I opened the box and looked at them; chocolate and frosted and sprinkled.  In a previous era I would have eaten at least two or three of them and wanted more.  This time I was able to look at them dispassionately, close the box, and walk away with absolutely no craving.  The sugar monster is gone!  Yaaaay!!!!!!

The weight loss had stalled and even began to creep back up for some reason over the past two weeks.  It was a mystery.  Then suddenly since Thursday five pounds have magically disappeared.  (It's not dehydration either as my average sodium is over 7 g with 25 glasses of liquid each day; I sweat heavily when I run) That leaves me at five and a half pounds under my original goal weight of 165.  I'm still eating quite a bit, averaging about 2600 cal per day, but with carbs further reduced to about 35 g net per day.  So I'm going to stay on this track and see where it leads in the long term.  My theory is that everything should eventually even out at some "mythical" ideal weight and body composition.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Brooke]

Hey Deborah- congrats on giving your sugar monster the boot!

In regards to the stalled weight lost I and others have noticed on low carb:ketogenic diets similar scenarios.

The theory is that your body likes to keep you at the same weight until it feels safe again.
If you lose several pounds of fat you're body will try and keep itself at a stable weight until it recalibrates- usually with water retention. After recalibrating it will let the water go and on the scale you'll see a big drop.

I call this the whoosh cycle.
Lose weight, retain water, whoosh, repeat. The part where you're retaining water can feel like a plateau. What I have resorted to is just taking measurements in different areas. There have been times where my scale hasn't moved in weeks and yet I've dropped an entire pant size.

As I'm sure you know while on a low carb diet you're body doesn't usually retain much water. The above hypothesis seems to fit as I've seen the scale drop 4-5 lbs in a 48 hour period. Don't think it's possible given my lifestyle for me to lose 2 lbs of fat a day.

I totally get the mythical weight and body composition. I'm having the habit of hitting goals and then still not liking what I see in the mirror, set another goal and repeat. What's funny is I'm hitting goals I never would have dreamt possible even a year ago.


~Brooke~

[VeronicaLynn]

I've also noticed the same thing with endurance during exercise. The lack of energy until I was fully fat adapted. I again think it has to do with energy accessibility.

I started back on keto a few days ago. It seems to have the opposite effect on me, I'm able to push myself way further with my morning walk with occasional jogging, could have pushed myself even further today but was not wanting to get sunburned again like the first day. I am a bit exhausted after one of these long walks, but at the same time full of energy. It's a kind of weird feeling actually.