What is going on? Is keto not working for me?
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Late to this thread but just wanted to offer up two suggestions:
Stay away from the "frankenfoods"! It's it's in a wrapper put it down! When you first start or hit a spot that you can't budge from I've always found it best to eliminate bars, low carb breads and sweets, sometimes even protein powders. In other words clean, natural foods ONLY for as many days till that scale moves.
Protein days! (Egg days!). This is something I've carried over from a low carb diet many years ago. This helps kick your body into ketosis faster. You can do this for 1 to 3 days if needed. But this is zero carb. Protein only. I save this trick for days that I messed up and find myself kicked out of ketosis.0 -
I found some foods I like early on in the program, and eat nearly the same diet every day. 3 eggs and a sausage (Aidells smoked chicken with habanero and jack cheese) for breakfast. Tuna, spinach, mayo and Parmesan cheese crisps for lunch. 2 eggs, another sausage, made into tacos with high fiber-low carb tortillas with white queso. Fits my macros perfectly with a 200-ish calorie deficit. Weekends I use trying out different keto recipes, will occasionally go over on calories but it keeps me interested. I may find something that can enter the daily rotation.
Plan your meals, do some research to find items you like that you can eat consistently. Weekends stick to macros, but be willing to change the diet up a bit to keep it interesting and don't worry as much about calorie deficit.1 -
If you are drinking alcohol your body will burn that before burning fat or Ketones. Although alcohol is not listed as a carb is has a big impact on your liver and it is metabolized differently. Check this out.
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Watch out for Gin & Tonic as tonic is full of sugar even though it tastes bitter. And no bar I've ever been to has diet tonic, that's only available in the grocery stores.2
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saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 that makes some sense.....so I figure my protein for maintenance (since that is based on lean body mass and doesn't really change) then lower my carbs to 20 or less (which I already did) and fill the rest with fat? What happens on those days I'm starving and end up eating 2000 calories or more!?(and of course both protein and fat macros go up cuz I'm not eatin' carbs! ) and at the other end of the spectrum...what happens if I'm not hungry and say I hit my protein macros and don't really eat much else and say my calories only come in at 900 for the day....then what happens? Am I going to screw up my metabolism or is that when I use my body's fat as fuel?
And what happens if I eat too much protein cuz I'm not paying attention? Like today.....I did fair on calories, but protein was 77 grams (apparently should have been closer to 70-72) carbs good at 18 total grams & fat 116 grams
My experience: if I want a snack, I'll make sure it's mainly fat, so I keep carbs low, and protein low. If you're not hungry, don't eat, if you must eat, add fat.
I used to track really carefully, then, when I approached my goal weight, I had learned what I could eat to stay within a good pattern. All the while sticking to <20g total carbs and sensible protein, the rest is fats. Because, if you stop the insulin spikes, you stop the craving (simplistic explanation, but that's how it worked for me). At first I didn't even bother that much about calories, that came later. The first thing that had to happen was that I had to learn an entirely new pattern of eating, so that I could sustain it in my life.
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@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements2 -
ProCoffeenator wrote: »Late to this thread but just wanted to offer up two suggestions:
Stay away from the "frankenfoods"! It's it's in a wrapper put it down! When you first start or hit a spot that you can't budge from I've always found it best to eliminate bars, low carb breads and sweets, sometimes even protein powders. In other words clean, natural foods ONLY for as many days till that scale moves.
Protein days! (Egg days!). This is something I've carried over from a low carb diet many years ago. This helps kick your body into ketosis faster. You can do this for 1 to 3 days if needed. But this is zero carb. Protein only. I save this trick for days that I messed up and find myself kicked out of ketosis.
I don't any "frankenfoods" at all....unless you consider salami and pepperoni "frankenfoods". I did get some Russell Stover Dark Chocolate pecan caramel candies and had a few the first week or so.....then I read that maltitol can raise your insulin.....so they are just hanging out in the fridge. No alcohol since I was informed that can affect my weight loss/ketosis by someone in this group. I don't even make sweet fat bombs. I have only made fat bombs once in the 2 months I've been doing this....very little change in my measurements (I don't have a scale here) I weighed myself one time at my son's home over 4th of July weekend, but that's it. I fugure my body is healing on the inside....so I'm just going to keto on..
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I have found that relaxing my mind (e.g. sitting still for 5 minutes and listening to a golden oldie, watching the water from shore, etc.) helps stave off mind hunger. As the hunger cues become more obvious, less food is needed for satiety. As I am less hungry, I eat less fat and burn my own stores.2
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lithezebra wrote: »I think you should consider what your weaknesses are. Mine is fat, as much as it was ever carbs. I just lost 6 pounds eating moderately low carb, with more vegetables, higher protein, and cutting back on heavy whipping cream. That didn't happen when I was netting 20 grams of carbs/day and eating more fat. I haven't been drinking anything but water.
There a few days when I'm not very hungry.....but others where I am more hungry...I'm still trying to figure it all out...when I cut back on fat, I get hungry....I actually just upped my calories a few weeks ago to see how that goes. I figure once my body heals and I get more fat adapted, then I can lower my calories0 -
saltysailors wrote: »lithezebra wrote: »I think you should consider what your weaknesses are. Mine is fat, as much as it was ever carbs. I just lost 6 pounds eating moderately low carb, with more vegetables, higher protein, and cutting back on heavy whipping cream. That didn't happen when I was netting 20 grams of carbs/day and eating more fat. I haven't been drinking anything but water.
There a few days when I'm not very hungry.....but others where I am more hungry...I'm still trying to figure it all out...when I cut back on fat, I get hungry....I actually just upped my calories a few weeks ago to see how that goes. I figure once my body heals and I get more fat adapted, then I can lower my calories
That's how it worked for me. It took me about 3 months to make that change.0 -
saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
@saltysailors every little bit of change is good! Are you taking measurements and weighing? Maybe take some pictures for reference.. I really wish I had. I spent the past 5 years or so AVOIDING the camera.... eeek!
Just keep the positive attitude, carbs low and keep hitting your protein requirements and the rest will fall into place.
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For me, as soon as I eat too much cheese or milk, I start gaining!1
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dmariet116 wrote: »saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
@saltysailors every little bit of change is good! Are you taking measurements and weighing? Maybe take some pictures for reference.. I really wish I had. I spent the past 5 years or so AVOIDING the camera.... eeek!
Just keep the positive attitude, carbs low and keep hitting your protein requirements and the rest will fall into place.
Excellent advice, @dmariet116 !
I might also suggest giving this a try:- Keep a calorie target derived using a 10-15% calorie deficit on one of the keto-calculators (see the LCD Launch Pad for links); and
- Set a strict daily "lockdown" calorie ceiling around 200 higher, which you never exceed. (Going into lockdown earlier in the day, if triggered, will also give you a longer fast before your first meal the next day.)
Good luck!4 -
saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
What's your goal caloric intake?
Don't be afraid of a swing of a few hundred calories (I'd say up to about 400-500 either way). Don't force yourself to eat if you're not hungry, and don't force yourself to "starve" if you are. Odds are very good that you'll even out over the course of a week or two to your daily goal.
The body is a running tally. It doesn't reset each day like the calculators do. As a result, longer spans of time tend to be more accurate for things like intake trends.
The same goes for weight loss trends. Even in the best of circumstances that I managed to do for myself, the scale would not move for weeks at a time. It would literally take a solid month before I'd get a "woosh" on the scale and "suddenly" drop about 5 pounds. Week to week? No movement, or possibly even an increase. If I just went by the week-to-week numbers, I would have given up long before seeing the results that were actually happening.2 -
I have found that relaxing my mind (e.g. sitting still for 5 minutes and listening to a golden oldie, watching the water from shore, etc.) helps stave off mind hunger. As the hunger cues become more obvious, less food is needed for satiety. As I am less hungry, I eat less fat and burn my own stores.
You are my goddess...teach me to relax my mind...I couldn't do that if I was in a coma. I wish I could, I just can't. Rowdy is forever telling me "you think too much". About everything..good, bad, indifferent...sigh.0 -
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I have been doing measurements, no pictures...I kind of avoid the camera.....I only weighed myself once at my son's house over 4th of July weekend....I don't have a scale at this home! I will take a picture...ugh!dmariet116 wrote: »saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
@saltysailors every little bit of change is good! Are you taking measurements and weighing? Maybe take some pictures for reference.. I really wish I had. I spent the past 5 years or so AVOIDING the camera.... eeek!
Just keep the positive attitude, carbs low and keep hitting your protein requirements and the rest will fall into place.
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Dragonwolf wrote: »saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
What's your goal caloric intake?
Don't be afraid of a swing of a few hundred calories (I'd say up to about 400-500 either way). Don't force yourself to eat if you're not hungry, and don't force yourself to "starve" if you are. Odds are very good that you'll even out over the course of a week or two to your daily goal.
The body is a running tally. It doesn't reset each day like the calculators do. As a result, longer spans of time tend to be more accurate for things like intake trends.
The same goes for weight loss trends. Even in the best of circumstances that I managed to do for myself, the scale would not move for weeks at a time. It would literally take a solid month before I'd get a "woosh" on the scale and "suddenly" drop about 5 pounds. Week to week? No movement, or possibly even an increase. If I just went by the week-to-week numbers, I would have given up long before seeing the results that were actually happening.
I keep changing my goal calorie intake! I think initially I had it way too low at 1300 and I was hungry all the time while I was trying to get fat adapted....then I upped it to 2000 after I read you need it higher while in that phase...( but I had already been working at it 4-5weeks, so I might have messed that up) the I went down to 1400, but I kept going over (just a little, but it drove me crazy for MFP to keep red flagging me) so I upped it back to 2000 just to keep me mentally positive! Finally.....I finally am getting to the point where I am not feeling as hungry. I think I was having too much protein at once with carbs. While I am trying to keep the carbs at or below 20, sometimes I hit 24 ( these are total, not net) I was trying to make sure I hit my protein, but what I didn't take into account was that if I skipped a meal when I tried to make up the protein....I think it was not being utilized, but turning to glucose??? But I don't want to lose muscle....I want to lose fat! I do notice now that my calories vary from 1400-1500 on one day then 1900-2000 on another...but I feel like the variety is a good thing....keeps my body guessing so it won't further slow down my already SLOW metabolism! I am 2-1/2 months into this WOE and still have only minutely measurable changes.....but progress is progress...not matter how small1 -
dmariet116 wrote: »saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
@saltysailors every little bit of change is good! Are you taking measurements and weighing? Maybe take some pictures for reference.. I really wish I had. I spent the past 5 years or so AVOIDING the camera.... eeek!
Just keep the positive attitude, carbs low and keep hitting your protein requirements and the rest will fall into place.
Excellent advice, @dmariet116 !
I might also suggest giving this a try:- Keep a calorie target derived using a 10-15% calorie deficit on one of the keto-calculators (see the LCD Launch Pad for links); and
- Set a strict daily "lockdown" calorie ceiling around 200 higher, which you never exceed. (Going into lockdown earlier in the day, if triggered, will also give you a longer fast before your first meal the next day.)
Good luck!
I can try that....I sure wouldn't want to hit that "lockdown" calorie ceiling early....if I were to hit it at say 1:00, I would be starving way before I went to bed! I thought you weren't supposed to "go hungry" either.....eat when hungry, until start to feel satisfied, not stuffed, and don't eat if not hungry!dmariet116 wrote: »saltysailors wrote: »@dmariet116 That's what I did this week....I just ate mainly fat with carbs under 20 (most days (one day was 21 and another was 24), but boy oh boy my calories are nearly 2000. Some days they are only 1500-1600. I am working on not counting calories, just keeping my protein moderate an my carbs low. Yesterday, I added even Kerrygold butter to my chicken bouillon...LOL!!!
All this, yet.....still only miniscuile changes in measurements
@saltysailors every little bit of change is good! Are you taking measurements and weighing? Maybe take some pictures for reference.. I really wish I had. I spent the past 5 years or so AVOIDING the camera.... eeek!
Just keep the positive attitude, carbs low and keep hitting your protein requirements and the rest will fall into place.
Excellent advice, @dmariet116 !
I might also suggest giving this a try:- Keep a calorie target derived using a 10-15% calorie deficit on one of the keto-calculators (see the LCD Launch Pad for links); and
- Set a strict daily "lockdown" calorie ceiling around 200 higher, which you never exceed. (Going into lockdown earlier in the day, if triggered, will also give you a longer fast before your first meal the next day.)
Good luck!
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Love-Hate relationship with cheese and cream *sigh*