Introduction: Greetings to you all! How do you do it?

DonPendergraft

I've been contemplating making a change to a HFCL keto diet to lose weight and keep it off, improve overall health and to improve athletic performance by making my body prefer fat as preferred fuel source. I've proven that you can be 50 and almost 200lbs and run ultramarathons, but I know it would be sooo much better at 170! I've read "The Art and Science of Low Carbobydrate Performance" and am currently reading "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living".

Before jumping in, I would really like to figure out if this is something that I can do for the long haul. I can do anything short term. I've got a good deal of self-discipline. But part of me hates the idea of not drinking another beer lest I get knocked out of ketosis. But oh well. I think a large part of it is also that I don't really cook and my wife doesn't either really. And we don't eat out. So we eat what can be quickly prepared. Make a shake for breakfast. Pack some fruit, veggies, sandwiches and energy bars to take with me to work. Forage when I get home. Easy stuff. When investigating this, I see lots of recipes for stuff and I'm thinking, yeah that's not going to work. I can do cheese eggs I guess. But I can't just eat protein. I would like to limit that to no more than 150g/day.

I can promise if I do this, I will be the only family member of 6 doing it (I've got a wife and four kids). I fear being super hungry and not seeing a damn thing I can eat and then making bad choices. Or looking at cans of tuna and not wanting to go there...again.

Anyone else who has had struggles like this been successful?

Lastly, I'm also waiting to jump in for a practical reason. I can't afford the keto-flu this close to a race. I run a lot. I have a 50 mile trail race in less than 3 weeks. While it would be great to be fat adapted for the race, it would be stupid to sabotage training leading up to the race and also to make it my first long run using the new fueling method. As a rule, I never do anything for the first time on race day. Bad idea. So I'm thinking right after the race I make the switch and hold on for dear life. I hope to finish the book before then and learn as much as I can in the meantime!

GSD_Mama

I don't think it is as complicated as you made it out to be. You don't have to be In Keto state to lose weight. You can drop junk food and sugar and lose weight without sacrificing a lot. I do it for myself, I don't involve my family into my lifestyle, but I do cook though
If you don't eat much and don't want to cook, you can dedicate couple days a week and prep meals in advance so you don't cook everyday. I hated cooking with all my heart but now I really enjoy it and experiment with different foods. Yes, you can live on meat and eggs and cheese and some veggies. This diet is not about high protein but rather high fat, such a misconception.
Don't do it before your marathon. But do it when you are ready and discuss it with your family so everyone is on board.
The benefits outweigh the first few struggle days of Keto flu.
Best of luck!

Lrdoflamancha

Given what you said in your post... I dont think LCHF is really do-able long term for you. I dont think it equates to the snatch and grab kind of eating. Also being one of 6 would really make it tough. I was one of 4 for a week and that was damn near impossible.

FIT_Goat

I am the only one in my house that does it. I rarely cook anything more complicated than scrambled eggs. And, it takes mere minutes to throw together a good low-carb meal. I think it's even faster since there are fewer long-cooking sides. Snacks include nuts, pre-cooked bacon, hard-boiled eggs, sardines, pork rinds, etc. There's grab food, if you want that sort of thing. You may not want it. Most people don't really snack once they adapt.

JPW1990

I've been solo in my house about 15 years. I rarely do ketofied recipes, just once in a while for variety. My staples are eggs, tuna, string cheese, avocado, tomato, celery, low sugar peanut butter, mushrooms, spinach, bell pepper, chocolate, berries, cream, and butter. That and whatever meat is on sale or defrosted that week. I do have things like xanthan gum and almond flour, but that's for fun, not day to day. There's plenty of normal food that's lc or even zero carb. I would recommend adding some people and checking their diaries. Most probably eat mostly like you already do, just more butter and less juice.

DonPendergraft

Thank you for all of the input! I don't think it will hurt anything to give it a shot for 6 months. Hopefully it will be a part of a healthier new me!

GrannyMayOz

I'm glad you've decided to give it a go and I'm sure you'll benefit.

As to cooking. I don't cook either. My husband makes our main meal each day (brunch) and then he goes to work. For my evening meal I grab some stuff, chop it up and stir it together into a bowl. It might be some salad things, or cooked crumbled bacon, chopped boiled eggs, pepperoni slices, cheese, butter (yeah, chopped) Greek yogurt or sour cream. Anything I can grab that's pre-cooked or can be eaten raw.

Mistizoom

There are plenty of grab and go keto-friendly foods. I am doing about the least amount of cooking I have ever done at the moment. Protein shake for breakfast, lunch might be cottage cheese and pre-cooked bratwurst or other sausages, greek yogurt, hamburger (pre-cooked if you like), hard-boiled eggs, sometimes a frozen Atkins meal, fat bombs. Supper lately is just some cooked meat, chicken, beef or pork usually. Sometimes fish. If you need snacky items nuts, low carb protein bars, beef sticks, pre-cooked bacon, cheese, are all good.

vanhavely

You could try to find a few 3 compartment microwave safe plastic dishes with lids and make a few meals in advance. Freeze until ready to eat. My Aunt does this all the time

FatToFit12

My husband has lost 40 lbs so far with a LC lifestyle. He did not cut out beer or his diet dr.pepper. He did limit himself to 2 dr.peppers a day starting out, and has now cut back to 1. With the beer he doesn't drink everyday, or even every weekend, but having a few now and then has not stopped his weightloss.

jddnw

Cooking is not that hard. Read this and see if you don't want to try it.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Pan-Fry-the-Perfect-Steak/

totaloblivia

Salad is your friend! Rocket with tinned mackerel in olive oil with olives and feta, salad with boiled eggs and tuna in oil, watercress with bacon bits and chorizo....etc....

Sajyana

I'm going to address the beer.

BEER

You can drink it. There are plenty of low carb beers available. I have some in my fridge that are just 6 carbs per 330 ml bottle. It's doable.

Here, I made it easy for you. lowcarbediem.com/atkins-low-carb-250-beer-comparison-chart/

Cheers

tmdalton849

i am finding it pretty easy. lots of great suggestions above. i wouldn't worry about the hunger issue. if you are eating plenty of fat you won't get "hangry." i don't really have any low blood sugar moments anyone.

i will say you are probably right not to want to start adapting right before a race (if you are planning to go fully ketogenic). i am in the middle of week three and though i have been able to keep up with moderately intense workouts, i have been tired, and am just now starting to feel my energy rev. up again.

another factor that people tend to ignore is sleep. to keep cortisol down and assist a healthy metabolism, it's crucial to get enough quality sleep on a regular circadian schedule (at least 8 hours, in bed by 10pm).

good luck!

p.s. feel free to look at my diary for ideas. i have been able to keep close to a 5c/15p/80f ratio for my macros, and under 20 net carbs a day.

i will adjust after a month or so, adding in more healthy carbs as i see how things go from an energy and weight loss/body composition standpoint.

tmdalton849

oh - here's a super easy fast breakfast - one of my 'go to's:

protein shake:

two raw pastured eggs
handful or two of spinach
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup coconut mik
1-2 tbs coconut oil

blend and flavor as you see fit
i use a combo of any or all of the following:

3-4 drops liquid stevia
ceylon cinnamon
vanilla
oh - and sometimes ice!

DonPendergraft

tmdalton849 wrote: »

oh - here's a super easy fast breakfast - one of my 'go to's:

protein shake:

two raw pastured eggs
handful or two of spinach
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup coconut mik
1-2 tbs coconut oil

blend and flavor as you see fit
i use a combo of any or all of the following:

3-4 drops liquid stevia
ceylon cinnamon
vanilla
oh - and sometimes ice!

Sound really interesting - and easy (which is key!). I will file this away for when I start.

glossbones

Take the time before your race to read up on the various recipes people have posted. Some are ridiculously simple.

I'm the only one in my household eating this way. If you all tend to be grab and go, it can be even easier because you don't have to worry about what everyone else is eating. Figure out what works for you, let the rest of them worry about themselves. We're approaching Summer (at least where I am), so it's about to be grill season. Throw meat on, cheese and bacon on top, and you're done and barely any dishes to clean up. Make enough for two meals and reheat quickly next time.

Get a rotisserie chicken on grocery day, peel the chicken off, and fry it up in Coconut Oil with some pepperjack cheese melted over top whenever you get hungry.

Usually if my husband and I start making our separate dinners at the same time, I'm almost done eating before his is ready to plate. It can be a laborious meal prep if you enjoy it, but it's not a given.

I also think you'll find that you aren't as hungry as you're accustomed to being, after just a few weeks on this WoE. I have eaten three meals in the last two days where I realized, half way through, I was only eating out of habit, not hunger, and saved the rest for later. I didn't even want breakfast this morning, and I'm probably going to have chicken broth (made in moments with a bouillon cube and water from the coffee maker at work) for lunch. Maybe some macadamia nuts before I go out tonight, and some pre-prepared strawberry fat bombs when I get home.

As has been pointed out, you can have some kinds of beer, but watch how your results may fluctuate and adjust to remove any "old me" treats if they seem to hinder your progress.

rungirl1973

I started out by thinking I was only going to cut pasta and bread from my diet because I tend to overeat those things. I wound up here, LCHF.

I do still drink beer, very occasionally. I'm not a beer snob, though. I've always preferred light beer.

I don't run ultras, but I do run marathons.
My daily energy is more constant, I don't get that mid-afternoon slump that I used to get. The only problem is that my race performance has suffered. I'm slower on the longer distances. For right now, I've decided that losing the last few pounds is far more important to me than race performance, but I will probably experiment with the ratios when I get closer to my goal.