Keto-what???

4031isaiah

So, I accidentally clicked a wrong button and stumbled across a post on the Keto diet.

After my kids were born, I exercised and point-counted my way down 34lbs. Not long after, I started having digestive issues that interfered with my body's ability to absorb nutrients and I ended up having chronic low iron, low blood pressure, black out spells, seeing white spots... you name it! My doctor told me to stop exercising until I got that under control, which wasn't too hard because I never enjoyed it to begin with.

Within months of not exercising, I was up about 40lbs and spent the last 6 years smashing my head against the yo-yo diet brick wall. I've counted points, counted calories, starved myself on Dr. Bernstein and tried HCG diet drops. In nearly every case, whenever I (inevitably) cheated, with the exception of the odd PMS craving, the stuff that would cause me to fall off the wagon and stay off were things like extra butter on popcorn, extra cheese or skin on/bone in roasted chicken thighs as opposed to the skinless/boneless grilled breast...

So when I starting reading some of the posts for this Keto diet, naturally it intrigued me.

Can someone please fill me in on the details of this diet? Is there a food list? Food rules? Meal plan? Having done Dr. Bernstein, I understand the whole concept of being in ketosis but without their medical expertise to test my levels I wouldn't know how to keep track of that on my own. Is there a process for that on this keto diet?

Christie

kirkor

The link from the top of the group page is a good one: http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
If you're familiar with tracking calories and macros, a lot of people find this calculator helpful: http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

4031isaiah

Ok, so, I guess I was hoping for a bit more of a response than that... I followed a bunch of links from this group and googled a bunch of stuff and I think I get it. I've been super low carb for a few day and yesterday was particularly bad heady, wise, but I'm already starting to feel less bogged down and I seem to be peeing a lot more. Is there anyone out there who can provide some guidance and inputs? I feel like I'm doing it right but am not 100% sure.

sirvivor007

Try reddit keto for a wealth of information. The FAQ alone is awesome. I can boil keto down to one simple concept. Eat less than 30g of carbs, hit your protein goal, eat fat until full. It really is that simple. No need for ketone strips or blood test or anything else. You may want a good multivitamin, extra potassium, magnesium and salt. Other than that eat what you like.

4031isaiah

Great info Sirvivor007! Will I know when I am in ketosis? Are there any tell-tail signs I should look for?

KnitOrMiss

You're already there being "bad-heady." You'll get adapted in 4-12 weeks, depending on how bad your metabolism was broken and how much repair is necessary.

Check out this group, too: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

The launchpad stickied post has a ton of links and information. I'm sorry that someone isn't giving you personal coaching information, but frankly, these questions are asked and answers dozens of times a month. Please try reading back the last two months of posts on this group for more information. I love to personally help people, but at the moment I'm tapped out. I hope this does not offend you, but we've all trudged our way through it...

ColinsMommaOC

This is the blog that helped me understand it the most. It is written by a woman so I think she gets how the diet affects women a little better.
http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2014/01/3-day-keto-kickstart-menu-plan.html

Good luck!

Schmeggly80

Hi Christie. I stick to a keto plan if you want to add me and check out my diary. I keep my carbs very low, max of 20g net each day (net carbs = total carb grams minus fiber grams) and aim for a macros ratio of 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs. My fat usually ends up landing around 75%. Note: I don't do dairy, other than the odd goat product as I have a severe allergy to cow dairy. I also highly recommend reading Gary Taubes' book "Why We Get Fat and What to do About It". Another resource that I found, for those days when I didn't feel like slogging through articles on the internets was YouTube videos by Stephanie Keto Person. She is a bit of a whack job but has a pile of good info. Here's a link to get you started if you don't feel like reading: https://www.youtube.com/user/fitsk8chick/videos?shelf_id=1&sort=dd&view=0

My most important two cents: Stick with it, even through the first days/weeks when you feel crappy!!! This is just your brain switching over to running on ketones instead of glucose. Your body will thank you once you get over that hump!

Schmeggly80

Oops that link didn't work and I don't know how to get rid of it. Search for Stephanie Keto Person on YouTube - that's what I was trying to accomplish.

4031isaiah

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

You're already there being "bad-heady." You'll get adapted in 4-12 weeks, depending on how bad your metabolism was broken and how much repair is necessary.

Ha ha ha! I think it's hilarious that you put quotations around my "bad heady" comment. I guess it does sound kinda silly. The truth is, It was acutally a typo. I was typing from my phone and it must have auto-corrected or something... I was actually trying to say " yesterday was particularly bad, headache wise".

It's much better today but I'm worried that it's because I screwed up so badly. I felt like my tastebuds needed a break from fat so I indulged in an apple and a nectarine. It wasn't until I completed my food diary tonight that I realized that I some how managed to consume 88 grams of carbs! Ugh! I was hungry and am running out of ideas for things to eat (mostly because I got excited and got started before I had done all of my research and before I was fully prepared with the right groceries).

Does it take long to recover from slip ups? It's not like I ate pasta or a bag of chips. It was just fruit...

mcpostelle

DittoDan has an excellent compilation on his blog. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DittoDan?month=201409 Hope this helps!

4031isaiah

mcpostelle wrote: »

DittoDan has an excellent compilation on his blog. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DittoDan?month=201409 Hope this helps!

Wow! Now that is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. It literally has EVERYTHING! Thank you so much!

m_puppy

You may also want to check out Phase 1 of Atkins for some food ideas. You definitely shouldn't be bored with the food this early in the game. For at least the first month, I wouldn't eat fruit. After that the occasional treat of berries shouldn't harm anything. You'll be so pleased with how good food is if you can cut out sugar.

tracy0919

Also, it helps to think of fruit as "natural candy" - it has lots of sugar. I try to keep my sugar down to no more than 10g a day because it makes me crave more and other sweet foods that I'd rather not eat. Also, it gets me on that "eat and hungry in an hour" cycle. Eating your protein and fat in whole foods keeps you full. So much so that I often forget about food, then realize eventually that I need to get some protein in.

4031isaiah

Thanks guys! Can either of you tell me what kinds of foods you eat on a regular basis?

m_puppy

Happily! Meat. There are lots and lots of recipes available online. Message me and I will send some of my favorites to get you started.

mcpostelle

4031isaiah wrote: »

Thanks guys! Can either of you tell me what kinds of foods you eat on a regular basis?

My diary is open if you'd like to snoop. I'm stricter than most keto'ers though. My meals consist of fatty meats (bacon, ribeyes, porks, and such), butter, HWC, eggs, olives, cheese, and once in awhile a vegetable.

4031isaiah

How well do you lose eating this way?

110challenge

Most people are VERY successful losing eating this way, which I personally would attribute largely to an unusual ability to have some resolve! It's unusual how easily we are sticking to this, and genuinely controlling our diets. My husband is losing INSANELY quickly (40 lbs in 6 weeks, was about 265 and 6'0") but his Dr isnt concerned which I'm a bit surprised about. We suspected that he might be gluten sensitive though. I'm down about 23 lbs in 6 weeks, was 259 (5'7").

Bulletproof coffee is a staple for us, we both start our day with it every day. We mix up the rest pretty often so that we don't get bored. Our snacks (not necessary, it's just a bit easier to hit our macros having some smaller things to fill in the gaps, we usually eat them with dinner or just after) are generally a garlic dip and celery, or hazelnuts, or hemp hearts, or an avocado. My husband usually eats 2-3 of these as he needs a few hundred more calories than me.

Dinner is often meat covered in sauce and some sort of veggie side for more bulk, we eat a lot of spinach salad. Once you aren't afraid of fat there's a world of delicious food available to you!

4031isaiah

Thanks for your input 110challenge! I think you hit the nail on the head... As much as I want this diet to work, I think I'm still afraid of fat. I totally get the theory behind it, it's just a whole new way of thinking that I haven't quite wrapped my head around yet. I friended you to keep in touch...

4031isaiah

Oh, and i meant to ask about the bullet proof coffee... I googled it and do you seriously just add a piles of butter to black coffee? I can't even imagine being able to stomach oily coffee...

ki4eld

4031isaiah wrote: »

Oh, and i meant to ask about the bullet proof coffee... I googled it and do you seriously just add a piles of butter to black coffee? I can't even imagine being able to stomach oily coffee...

I admit I can't handle bulletproof coffee, but I do use full-fat half-and-half or even heavy whipping cream. It takes very little of it to cream a full mug.

110challenge

hahaha re: bulletproof coffee, we were reluctant but yes, we do! Not salted, of course! We blend it in, and if you use coconut oil as well it has a really nice nutty flavour. I've had my coworkers try it, everyone has said it's the best coffee they have ever had.

You DO need to introduce fat slowly, there's an adaption process. Even starting probiotics a few days early and drinking our coffees VERY slowly we still had some difficulty transitioning.

I still drink my coffee slowly but I no longer take a daily probiotic (probably 3 a week or so now).

The first couple of weeks were kind of weird mentally, not in a bad way (I felt great very quickly) but having chicken with the skin on was weird for us - I normally wouldnt even eat dark meat! Salt is still an issue for both of us, we know we arent consuming enough salt and we supplement to keep the cramps at bay. In salts case it's as much the way it tastes as it is that for years it has been 'salt is bad' but I'm sure thats part of it too.

I obviously love losing weight, who doesnt right?, but for me I was sold when I found out how incredibly good I could feel eating this way. I wouldnt say I felt BAD before (it was a body image issue that motivated me to try this), sure I was tired a lot of the time but I have two young kids and a demanding job with long hours. I figured it was pretty normal. Plus hey, 260 lbs... you're going to feel tired. I WAS WRONG! Within the WEEK (significantly less, but I carb cut like crazy, like 10 a day the first week, I still rarely go over 15) I felt amazing. Just the way everyone explains it but it was better than I was expecting. I didnt realize how sore my joints had been until I suddenly felt so friggin limber, my mind was so clear (I wouldnt say I was foggy before), I felt alert all the time, but was still sleeping fine at night. My husband stopped snoring within days, too.

I was attributing so much general blah to my weight and the demands of my life, but it went away so quickly. I take it a bit for granted now, but I was AMAZED by it then, I felt the way I thought I would feel when I dropped like 80 lbs. I'm way more hands on with the kids (they like the rough and tumble kind of play, of course), and I'm not trying to sneak a nap during theirs so I'm getting my own time.

I'm not trying to sell you on it because I think its the kind of thing you need to know you want, and be ready to commit to (it's not a 'well I'll do it M-F but the weekends I'll eat the way I used to' kind of lifestyle), but if you're curious enough that you want to try it I'd continue to look into it. I researched it for almost a month before I put it in motion to ensure I was doing it safely, and even still I struggle to eat enough protein (that's a challenge of mine for the next two weeks, up my protein to safer levels!!). You know the general recommendation, too - it's always a good idea to consult your doctor. I admit that I didnt (my Dr wouldnt support it, she's a strong believer in carbs and grains) but my husband went to see his after he lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks and we were a bit alarmed, and got his blessing

mcpostelle

Personally I felt horrible on S.A.D but I also have enstrenuating circumstances with my metabolism. It's nice not collapsing everyday or constant migraines. If you've never eaten fats before then I would slowly introduce them into your diet. I'm lucky my mom's French so fatty rich foods were a staple in my life.

4031isaiah

mcpostelle wrote: »

Personally I felt horrible on S.A.D but I also have enstrenuating circumstances with my metabolism. It's nice not collapsing everyday or constant migraines. If you've never eaten fats before then I would slowly introduce them into your diet. I'm lucky my mom's French so fatty rich foods were a staple in my life.

What is S.A.D.?

4031isaiah

Holy smokes 110challenge! You just totally sold me! I too am a super busy full-time working mom with two kids 9&11...

I also often wake up tired and spend most of my day feeling scattered and foggy. I've cut out all processed carbs and sugar over the last few days but I'm having a bit of a tough time letting go of my fruit.

I'm still researching and learning about the actual Keto diet but I figured, even if I am not totally doing it right or in ketosis yet, cutting back on processed carbs and sugar can't hurt me until I get it together and figure it out...

I've added you as a friend. Would you mind if I had a look at your diary?

mcpostelle

4031isaiah wrote: »

What is S.A.D.?

Standard American Diet.

110challenge

No problem, I'm going to send you a PM

4031isaiah

mcpostelle wrote: »

4031isaiah wrote: »

What is S.A.D.?

Standard American Diet.

Oh. Ha ha! In my defence, I am probably not familiar with that acronym because I am Canadian.

110challenge

Also Canadian, also did not know what SAD was hahahaha

kirkor

4031isaiah wrote: »

Can someone please fill me in on the details of this diet? Is there a food list? Food rules? Meal plan?

@anbeav from /r/keto absolutely keto-calculator.ankerl.com/knocks it out of the park with this post:

Most find keto more satiating than other diets but everyone is different especially when transitioning as your body adjusts to using a new fuel source and your brain adjusts to fewer carbs (read: cravings)
General newbie advice -

• Electrolytes, electrolyte, electrolytes, follow the guidelines in the FAQ!
• Read the FAQ a few times
• Learn what you are doing, why you are doing it and how you are going to do it
• Read labels and ingredients and ask questions at restaurants; trust nothing, question everything, carbs are fairly ubiquitous
• Look before you eat - look up the information online or read the label before you put food in your mouth
• Follow the plan and let it work. Plateaus happen, accept it and KCKO (keep calm, keto on). Take measurements and pictures.
• Get rid of any foods you will not be eating
• Think about what you can eat and not what you can't eat - there's no need to feel limited on keto, yes an entire food group limited but you can eat as you otherwise would just exclude the carbs don't overcomplicate it - keto is nothing more than real food minus the carbs
• Avoid substitutes, fully embrace a new way of eating
• Commit to the plan and focus on the non-scale victories and benefit as well
• Read the FAQ and follow the electrolyte guidelines as well as drink a lot of water
• Plan ahead - plan your meals, snacks at home, at work, in the car
• Avoid ketosis anxiety - if you overeat carbs or fall off the wagon, get right back up, learn from it and move on. You will be back in ketosis before you know you weren't. No need to stress about it, focus on how you feel.
• It's not ratios, it's net grams

1. Limit to 20 net grams carbs
2. Meet your protein goal set based on activity and lean body mass
3. Eat fat to satiety unless eating at a high deficit

Here's my comprehensive grocery list (items in bold be top choices for my first shopping trip):

• Eggs
• Avocados
• Heavy cream, half and half, almond milk, coconut milk, sour cream, yogurt
• Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, butter, ghee, duck fat, tallow, schmaltz, bacon grease
• Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, green beans, kale, spinach, swiss chard, eggplant, lettuce, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, bok choy, spaghetti squash, fennel , brussels sprouts, collard greens
• Various hard and soft cheeses, cream cheese
• Nuts and nut butter
• Various salami and deli meat
• Meat: chicken breast, chicken thigh, whole chicken, pork shoulder, pork loin, pork belly, bacon, goat, lamb, steak (sirloin, ribeye, flank, hanger, flat iron, chuck), ground beef
• Fish: shrimp, crab, salmon, tuna, sardines, swordfish, mackerel, mahi mahi, cod, canned fish
• Bouillon cubes or bones for homemade stock

I would sit down, use the keto calculator in the sidebar to set your calorie and macros, plan your meals, add them to MFP, and start, you'll learn as you go
Meal ideas - http://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/o6vei/here_it_is_the_unofficial_tell_me_what_to_eat/
Keep it simple, try not to think of keto as particularly special, yes an entire macro group is limited but I just cook and exclude the carbs so don't limit yourself to keto-specific recipes - lettuce wrapped burgers, deli meat and cheese wraps, scrambled eggs, omelet, quiche, frittata, stir fry with cauliflower rice, salsa chicken with cauliflower rice, taco salad, fajita lettuce wraps, roasted chicken with asparagus, salmon with spinach and Hollandaise sauce, zucchini noodles with ground beef and marinara sauce, steak and mashed cauliflower, casseroles (Cavemanketo.com), mashed avocado and tuna, green salad with steak or chicken and dressing, pulled pork, braised chicken thighs, soups, stews, chili, pot roast, chicken cordon bleu, pizza chicken with pepperoni and sausage, sausage and peppers, cabbage and sausage, parmesan crusted chicken and broccoli, stuffed pork tenderloin, stuffed mushrooms or peppers, baked cod with tomatoes and feta, collard greens with smoked turkey or ham

https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/3i6zb7/keeping_my_calorie_deficit_from_preketo_will_it/cudtbzn