30 Days of Only Ground Beef
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PaleoInScotland wrote: »I only lasted a couple of days eating [pork belly] only. I had absolutely intolerable indigestion. [. . .] clearly not having the 10-15 grams worth of carb foods in my diet and some very basic variety of foods made it hard on my digestive system.
This conclusion about carbs doesn't follow, unless you added back just the carb sources and continued with only pork belly. It could easily apply to a diet of mostly pork belly being hard on your digestive system. Pork wouldn't be my recommended meat for most people. I know a lot of people who have problems with pork products. Or maybe it was the lack of the carbs. Indigestion isn't a completely rare adaptation issue for people moving to meat only diets. It does pass.
I wouldn't even recommend most people do one type of meat only. There's really no benefit for it over eating a mix of meats. My benefits are coming from removing dairy. I could probably get the same results with a mix of meat. I will probably continue to not have dairy through April, even after I add back in other meats.I won't be getting back on the scale until something begins to happen in the bathroom department. TMI, but I've not had a bowel movement since beginning the challenge six days ago! I'm sure the traveling I did right before beginning has some to do with it. I have increased my magnesium supplement to assist with this. I don't feel bloated, yet, but am looking forward to things moving along again. I don't normally "go" everyday (normal can be two times a week for me), but six days is pushing it for me. So, the scale will wait since I don't like to weigh when I know I have what I consider to be extra on board!
I know you're not worried, because you're not bloated or uncomfortable, but it's also very likely there isn't much left in there anyway. A diet like this will produce very little waste, on the order of 5-6 times less waste than a mixed diet. Is it possible that you have a few extra pounds that will work their way through? Yeah, but I wouldn't let it keep me off the scale. You might be shocked, when things get moving, about the lack of volume. I've even had moments where it was like, "that can't be everything."
Not suggesting it's the carbs specifically that's minimising the indigestion as much as its just having more hitting my stomach acid than meat and fat. I've always had a sensitive stomach, I can't have just bacon and black coffee, the two just don't mix for me, it's got to be one or the other, just adding some scrambled eggs to the mix and putting some cream in my coffee makes it all digestible for me with no problems. Perhaps my body would adjust eventually, but I'm not one to endure unnecessary torture0 -
And my smiley face cut off my post
I had also said that I totally respect you guys for toughing it out.0 -
FamedSuperPanda wrote: »
Would you be able to link those? I love the simplicity and starting a no dairy, no flour, no sugar detox next week. Was going to do all grass fed though but it is pricey. The studies you reference on the Arctic would have had deeper nutritional profiles in their meat. Not sure that impacts the results. Concerning or no? Thanks!
I wish I could. I haven't been able to find them. They are buried in a previous discussion. The short answer is that they nutritional profile is very, very close for both. It is close enough that, if meat is all you're eating, you're getting a super-abundance of all the nutrients you need. Even things like omega-3, which appear in lower percentages in commercially finished beef are present in ample amounts, if you're eating the fat. It might be a smaller amount by percentage, but it's the same amount because there is more fat overall.
This concern is not new (that commercial beef is less nutritious than wild animals) and has been addressed before. The main thing to understand is that the muscle meat alone has more than enough to sustain you in great health, even from the grain-finished beef. Plus, it tastes a lot better.0 -
Thanks @FIT_Goat and @glossbones for how you are spicing the mince. I added some butter after I cooked the last batch. Yum.
Surprisingly, not hungry (queue opportunity for an "I told you so" from Fit Goat ) Yesterday I had BPC, 5 scallops (left overs from over enthusiastic shopping for my pre challenge dinner) and 265g of beef mince plus the butter and philadelphia cream. Today will be a BPC then beef mince n butter day. Meantime, reading "Bulletproof diet" which is interesting.
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Lunch today was a 630 gram burger (about 22.2 ounces).
The pictures don't do it justice. This was a beast!0 -
That's beautiful.
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Sounds interesting! Good luck!0
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Ha! I made a 16 oz burger in the skillet. Now I want one of those (that's a perfect size for my day). Maybe Thursday when I run out of precooked dinners. We have a pizza spatula, I'll probably try it!0
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16 and 22 ounces? You should just call them beast burgers. LOL Wow. 0
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Oh my gosh. I'm in awe.0
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http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/FIT_Goat/view/day-19-30-ground-beef-826985
Today is up. I am pleased. I posted a new high score with my calorie count, over 3,300! Have I mentioned that I like to eat?
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@FIT_Goat and @glossbones I am really impressed with your resolve.
I really struggle with mince boredom, even on day 1 and so far I have had 3 mince days. I am dodging potential histamine causing spices like paprika which may not be helping. If you need them, what tactics do you have to avoid feeling deprived and still enjoy rather than dread more mince?
Right now I feel like a 2 year old who is punished for something she can not comprehend. Thus I am making the choice to stick to meat challenge but going broader than beef mince. Today I made egg drop soup with beef broth n some mince which I enjoyed. Tomorrow I am finding lamb or steak. @PaleoInScotland posted a photo and a lamb roast that has inspired me. I feel good so keen to continue just not as restrictive as you. Meat means no histamines so also fits with Dr instructions, as long as I do not eat bacon n other processsed meats.
I feel like doing the scene from movie Bill n Ted's most excellent adventure.... "we're not worthy.... we're not worthy". Keep up the inspiring work 0 -
I just remind myself it's temporary. All the rest of the LCHF menu is waiting for me on the other end. I don't want to become so obsessed with what I'll add back that I overeat when this month is up. I'm going to very carefully add food back in, with similar intake goals, so that I know the only thing I'm changing is the ingredients.
And I haven't needed to spice my burger meat. In fact I added salt a couple times but didn't enjoy it.
I was nauseated the past couple of days, and had beef bone broth Saturday night then beef bouillon broth yesterday. That solved it, so I figure the sodium is needed but I just can't tolerate it in my ground beef.0 -
I'm starting today. I'm reluctant to use today's weight as my starting weight. After this weekend, my scale literally did not recognize me this morning. It thought I was my husband. Ugh. I'll admit to some Easter candy on Saturday and Sunday. I only have one 6 oz burger planned for dinner tonight. Based on the low calories, I'm thinking I should make it two. After looking at @glossbones's I see she's earing way over on calories and still losing. I'll try and go for 2 6oz burgers tonight. Not sticking with just ground beef. I stocked up on steak and chicken thighs, too.0
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By "over on calories" are you referring to the calorie goal of 1100 I have set in MFP? I've never used that as an actual calorie target. It's just so I could set my carb and protein macros (outside of this month). I'm aiming to meet or exceed my calculated TDEE, which is between 1600 (according to my Fitbit) and 1900 (according to online calculators). So a day like yesterday (1879 calories) looks bad when you compare it to my MFP settings, but it was really about on target for what I wanted to do this month.
Having said that, I have gained weight for the past two days. I also wasn't feeling well, so it could be related. I also drank a LOT of coffee and neglected water (it was increasing the queasiness I felt).
I'm interested to see what happens now that we're back to the work week and I can get back to my usual.
I have two 11.125 ounce patties prepared for today. I'll eat one early afternoon, and the other early evening. I'm drinking a cup of beef bouillon this morning to get my sodium up, then I intend to drink 34 ounces of water, finishing before lunch so there isn't a lot of water in my stomach when I eat my meat. If I can eat early enough I'll drink another 34 ounces before I leave work and that'll be my water for the day unless I get thirsty after dinner in which case I might drink up to another 24 ounces).
If I keep feeling queasy, I might switch from ground beef to steaks, just for reduced chance of contamination in my meat. Not ready to invest in a meat grinder for home use. But we'll see. I imagine that re-hydrating and reducing the coffee intake will be all I need.
Today is rainy, so I may skip the trip out to get coffee at lunch. If I do go out, it'll be to go to whole foods to order a birthday cake for my husband, so I'd probably drink their coffee. Might also see what they have in the way of bouillon (for higher quality, though I don't totally hate the Herbox I'm drinking).
I'm more than half way through this challenge now, and very happy, nausea notwithstanding. I also love how cheap it is to eat this way. I might just keep on with this reduced menu afterward. I'd probably just add eggs and bacon for breakfast, then join my family for the more complicated dishes only on the weekends.
So I've decided that, at the end of this, I will eat beef in any form, and test the following ingredients (in this order) to try and find out what I can and can't tolerate:- Eggs
- Butter
- Lemon (once I get here I can make myself hollandaise sauce, that's not a coincidence!)
- Pork (bacon, then sausage)
- Chicken
- Coconut
- Hard cheeses
- Soft cheeses
- Almonds (mostly the meal/flour, that's really the only way I eat almond anything)
- Vegetables (asparagus, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, broccoli)
For each of these steps I plan to use the same TDEE goal. Obviously depending on the ingredient my macros will change. I will eat each ingredient at least once per day in addition to beef/coffee, and maybe try to do something like make that ingredient 25% of my daily calories. I dunno. I do expect to see something like almond flour give me trouble at that level, but maybe I'm blaming the almond flour for what the mozzarella/cream cheese does (since I usually eat it in the form of fathead pizza).
Not sure how long to play with each ingredient. @Karlottap do you have any advice? I know you've carefully re-introduced ingredients in the past.0 -
I would think a week for each new food added @glossbones, to try to see if there is a true reaction to it. Some would say more, but my experience has been within a week.
I am beginning day number eight! It's not been that hard so far. But I think it would be very hard for someone who isn't meativore already! I haven't missed any foods yet!
I finally dropped my vacation weight, plus another 0.4 pounds! So technically I have lost 0.4 pounds so far!0 -
I would think a week for each new food added @glossbones, to try to see if there is a true reaction to it. Some would say more, but my experience has been within a week.
Yeah that's sort of my thought. I definitely react fast when I do things right. Thanks! That means I can actually get up to a normal menu again before Christmas.
Congrats on your weight loss! Wow is it really eight days for you already??
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^^ I didn't think your calorie goal was really 1100, but I know you're on the smaller side so I wasn't sure what you were actually aiming for. Hope your queasiness goes away.0
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glossbones wrote: »Not sure how long to play with each ingredient....
I would advise at least a week too. Most food sensitivities need minutes to 72 hours to show a reaction. The problem is that sometimes multiple exposures are needed before symptoms are obvious. That could be an issue if you are a slower reactor (72 hours) and need a few food exposures before symptoms start. A week, or even two, before adding another possible problem food is your best bet, especially for the foods you suspect the most as being a possible problem.
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ChoiceNotChance wrote: »I know you're on the smaller side...
Most food sensitivities need minutes to 72 hours to show a reaction. The problem is that sometimes multiple exposures are needed before symptoms are obvious. That could be an issue if you are a slower reactor (72 hours) and need a few food exposures before symptoms start. A week, or even two, before adding another possible problem food is your best bet, especially for the foods you suspect the most as being a possible problem.
I think I generally react within a 12 hour window. Aspartame will give me a mouth full of canker sores by dinner if I ingest it at breakfast. Reactions might even be stronger with everything but ground beef and coffee out of my system. A nice clean slate for higher contrast results. I think three days should honestly be plenty for me, but a week seems like a safe bet.
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