Intro (Keto)
KeithBarrows
Posts: 34 Member
While I am not new to MFP I have rarely looked in the forums. Wanted to say hi and introduce myself.
Hi!
I am 6'2", male and my ideal weight is 195-210. I am 60, almost 61, recently diagnosed with high blood pressure (Apr of 2021) and was immediately put on meds, the DASH diet, told to lose weight, cut my salt in half, etc. I did and over the next 6 months, on an average 1500 cal/day intake I gained weight! I went from 240 to over 260! And what sucked even more is I was losing weight until the meds and salt decrease were prescribed!
Enter Keto 2 weeks ago! A co-worker suggested it to me. I had looked at it briefly in the past and had this idea of chugging oil and eating meat. As in, that was the whole diet. My wife and I have done low-carb in the past and were moderately successful with those diets. South Beach was our primer, This time around, with other areas of health taken care of, we are exploring the Keto lifestyle. And are hungry for good, nay, great resources!
I am just hitting that "Keto Flu" stage, have supplements on order and have lost 5+ pounds already with no other changes outside of Keto. My salt intake is back to the RDA levels but I am having a hard time meeting the potassium RDA - so far. The supplements I am adding in are Calcium/Magnesium, Zinc, CoQ10 and a pharmacy grade "multi-vitamin + minerals" supplement packed full of phyto-nutrients. So - any good potassium supplements?
Feel free to chime in with thoughts, suggestions, etc.
-kb
Hi!
I am 6'2", male and my ideal weight is 195-210. I am 60, almost 61, recently diagnosed with high blood pressure (Apr of 2021) and was immediately put on meds, the DASH diet, told to lose weight, cut my salt in half, etc. I did and over the next 6 months, on an average 1500 cal/day intake I gained weight! I went from 240 to over 260! And what sucked even more is I was losing weight until the meds and salt decrease were prescribed!
Enter Keto 2 weeks ago! A co-worker suggested it to me. I had looked at it briefly in the past and had this idea of chugging oil and eating meat. As in, that was the whole diet. My wife and I have done low-carb in the past and were moderately successful with those diets. South Beach was our primer, This time around, with other areas of health taken care of, we are exploring the Keto lifestyle. And are hungry for good, nay, great resources!
I am just hitting that "Keto Flu" stage, have supplements on order and have lost 5+ pounds already with no other changes outside of Keto. My salt intake is back to the RDA levels but I am having a hard time meeting the potassium RDA - so far. The supplements I am adding in are Calcium/Magnesium, Zinc, CoQ10 and a pharmacy grade "multi-vitamin + minerals" supplement packed full of phyto-nutrients. So - any good potassium supplements?
Feel free to chime in with thoughts, suggestions, etc.
-kb
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Replies
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Try No Salt for potassium. I add it to water, to food, etc. About a tsp. Spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans are all rich in potassium.1
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Sorry, meant 1/4 tsp for the No Salt! I'm tired.1
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A lot of the Keto recipes I've found so far, like Keto Chili, have NO beans in them. Trying to figure out why. I think it is because beans tend towards too many carbs - maybe? I like my chili with kidney and pinto beans. May have to mess with the recipe to add enough in to know they are there but not so many it takes me out of the keto state.0
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Could be. But kidney beans are also high in fiber as well, so some people count net carbs which is the total carb amount minus the fiber amount. One cup of kidney beans has 110 grams of carbs, with 41 grams of fiber, so it would net 69 grams of carbs. Of course, you are not going to eat 1 whole cup of kidney beans. So you'd have to adjust accordingly.1
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@KeithBarrows if you want yummy keto recipes ...I recommend ketopots.com and wholesomeyum.com these 2 I use often and no disappointments with their recipes4
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I cringe when I see folks who are on heart meds seeking on-line advice or even suggestions regarding supplements (or sodium intake but I wont "go there".... at this time). @KeithBarrows you mentioned above you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and were immediately placed on medication. That said, the person you need to be discussing potassium supplementation with is your primary care provider. Many heart meds alter potassium levels and it is dangerous to be messing with your potassium whether you are on meds or not. There is reason the FDA so heavily regulates potassium supplements limiting them to 100mg.
You're likely getting more potassium than you think. It was added to the food labels in 2016 with a manufacturers 2 year grace period that changed a couple of times. Many, many, many entries in MFP are inaccurate. I just looked up Greek yogurt as an example and of the 1st 10 entries I clicked on for nutrients....8 showed 0 potassium. It likely has about 200mg+/- per cup.
Here's a short little article that addresses some points. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-i-take-a-potassium-supplement3 -
...the person you need to be discussing potassium supplementation with is your primary care provider...
I hear you there. I do not, yet, have a PCP. I have a Cardiologist and that is it. Fairly new to Florida, have had a hard time finding a PCP that can address my wife's needs (EDS) and take us both on. Cardiologists? Almost a dime a dozen down here it seems. But - it is a retirement state.
Speaking of the cardiologist, not a single blood panel, no interest in my history (I have 15 years of records from Colorado), and months between appointments. I am a bit disappointed in the process so far. But, 3 or 4 more weeks before we finally get in with a PCP - and then the interview begins. We are quite picky about *how* a doctor approaches medicine.
So no - not looking to jump right into supplementing potassium. I am looking for info.
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Avocados should be plentiful in Florida and are potassium rich, but also high in fiber so ok for most folks on keto. Beans are high in carbs, so keto recipes usually keep them to a minimum. You can decide how much your body can handle by how you feel after eating them, or by measuring your blood glucose or ketones (if you want to go that far). If they cause you high insulin swings, you will soon know it. kcko!1
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Thanks @camtosh.
Part of my challenge with keto diets is my pickiness over veggies. I have a small handful that I either get a mild allergic reaction (most of the nightshade family) or just plain cannot stand (60+ years of a habit is hard to break). For some reason, avocados are one I never learned to like but I eat small amounts hidden in dishes - but no guac on my nachos! lol
My wife and I ordered a Ketone Blood Meter and it arrived about an hour ago. First readings this morning:
Me - 1.7
Wife - 2.2
My first 30 years of life I was blessed with a "eat any and all that you like" and never gained weight. In fact, I was under weight until I was 23 and went to Marine Corps Boot Camp. There I lost 10 lbs, then gained back almost 25 lbs in muscle. For the next 14 years, still living the see-food diet, I never fluctuated more than +/-4 lbs. After I got out and started on the long out of state contracts, eating at Dennys 2-3 times a day for 6 months straight I gained 30 lbs! Got out of the travelling part and maintained that weight on a see-food diet for the next 20 years. It's been the last 10 where I noticed weight starting to go on.
Enter my journey into lifestyles - South Beach followed by low-ish carbs followed by high-ish protein, etc. All of them, even when I was at a 40% calorie deficit, never allowed me to lose weight unless I added 4-6 hours in the weight room each week. I started Keto just 10-12 days ago and with no other change am satiated *AND* losing weight! 6 or 7 lbs so far. And yes, I know most of this is shedding water weight, but I am losing it - finally! I can beat the meds weight gain gambit!
Sorry for rambling.
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Salad with a dressing to cover up the vegetable taste works for me. I grow alot of my own sprouts with fenugreek sprouts the one I consume most often for its nutritional value. Fenugreek is not very palatable because it is bitter but smothered in dressing makes it all good.0
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Salad with a dressing to cover up the vegetable taste works for me. I grow alot of my own sprouts with fenugreek sprouts the one I consume most often for its nutritional value. Fenugreek is not very palatable because it is bitter but smothered in dressing makes it all good.
Something you can try with bitter tastes is to add salt to the mix... like get the fenugreek slightly damp (so the salt will stick) and then lightly salt it before eating.
Nobody is quite sure how the salt works like that, but the current theory is that it partially blocks the bitter receptors on the tongue and thus decreases the amount of bitterness that you experience.1 -
Hi KeithBarrows: you could always add a can of Eden Black Soy Beans to your chili - they are 8g total carbs per 1/2 c with a 7g fibre count making them only 1g net. As long as you don't have an issue with soy (at least these are organic so non-GMO.)
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KeithBarrows wrote: »A lot of the Keto recipes I've found so far, like Keto Chili, have NO beans in them. Trying to figure out why. I think it is because beans tend towards too many carbs - maybe? I like my chili with kidney and pinto beans. May have to mess with the recipe to add enough in to know they are there but not so many it takes me out of the keto state.
My daughter had the idea to use a mixture of ground meat and chuck roast cut into bean sized pieces and it works great in chili!0 -
You need to stop thinking so hard about this, and treating Keto as a diet which doesn't meet your dietary needs.. you may not meet the RDA's but RDA's are set up for people who eat a regular diet.. there are interactions which require one vitamin or mineral to be present to absorb another, and when you cut down on Iron from plants for example, the belief is that you do not need as much Vitamin C, which is not easy to get on Keto, or very low carb.
I am eating Carnivore.. NO plant foods, not even OLIVE oil.. I only say this to explain that I am a heart patient, and I get all my vitamins & minerals tested.. I get 0-8 grams of carbs a day, from eggs, cheese etc., but the rest is butter, mayo, meat, fish, fowl, and water.. so in theory I should be low in many nutrients, like Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium etc. I'm not.. for whatever reason, I am right smack dab in the middle of all my ranges.. even stuff like Phosporus, and Chloride, which I don't pay any attention to. They test for every nutrient.
You have a cardiologist, so I'm guessing that is for HBP.. I have congestive heart failure, and have had it for 20 years.. I did the diabetic diet they prescribed, and listened to 1500 mg, and I did it the best I could, with disastrous results. I was low in many nutrients, and then started low carb 10 years ago. I can't say I have been perfect.. I've only lost 100 lbs., when I need to lose another 100.. so 2 steps forward, 1 step back, but I stuck to it 80% of the time, and my nutrients all fell into range. I just finished 60 days on Carnivore, took a short break, and doing more on that WOE.. and I was tested last week.. all perfect.
I'm not saying low carb will meet your nutrition needs. I have no idea if you are eating enough variety, or even know which foods provide which nutrients.. you may be low in potassium, or magnesium, or calcium. I was stunned when i was in range for this, and it was a big worry. No calcium in fats, or meats.. but I was in range. I get about 20-40 % of the RDA for Calcium daily.. not even close.
What I AM saying is get a PCP, and have them do lipid panels, blood panels, and test EVERY vitamin & mineral, and see IF you are low in anything, and do it again in 3-6 months, whatever insurance allows... you will likely find that if you eat Keto, you will have to suppement LESS. Don't assume you need MORE.
You can also try Conometer.com, and they have a more detailed breakdown of the food you eat, with a lot more nutrients, and if you meet the RDA's.. I was surpised at how many I was over 100% of the RDA, without eating ANY plant food.. but even that had me low most days, in several important vitamins & minerals.. BUT, when they tested my blood, I have no nutrient deficiencies.. that is rare for their HEALTHY patients, not because low carb is superior to a regular diet, but think about how much nutritionally empty calories you ate before. The food on Keto is all real food, as long as you avoid the " Keto products ", and is very nutritious.. so I would test, and see IF you are low in anything, before starting supplements.
I do take potassium, but it is because I am high doses of diuretics due to my CHF, and the need to control water weight, so I can breath better.. that drains electrolytes because I pee so much, BUT only potassium is an issue.. I get a prescription, and it is in range.. has been for 20 years, and my kidney function is fine. Sounds like you simply have a BP pill, so you aren't leaching electrolytes out from diuretics. So you have no reason you should be low in anything, unless you aren't consuming enough.
That is why you need to test.. my Magnesium, and Sodium are perfect, despite being on diuretics, but not my Potassium.. let the test determine what you supplement, not just a gut feeling about Keto being less nutritious. This should also be done by your doctor.. you both need to discuss the test, and determine if you can solve any existing deficiencies with a little extra of a type of food.. or need a pill, for example.2 -
Also want to address beans.. a good source of potassium.. although I would try salmon.. 6 ozs equals 23% of the RDA.. or an avocado ( 21% ).. a cup of white button mushrooms has 12%, and a cup of cooked tomatoes is 11%.. Those are foods most people eat, and are Keto-friendly.
Keto simply means it's low enough to keep you in ketosis.. we kind of have some rules, which define a WOE we CALL Keto.. some rules.. but the reason, is to be in ketosis, end cravings/hunger, so you can eat the proper number of calories.. simple concept, but with rules, we get people who think of Keto ONLY as what the rules allow.
So the easiest way to do Keto, is to simply eat meat and veggies.. low starch veggies.. add some fat and you are good to go.. Keto, the diet, allows some other items, which can easily kick you out of ketosis.. but they trust you to eat them in proper amounts.. most people hear they can have a food, and run with it, or they have a NUMBER, which they think keeps them in ketosis.. BUT, ketosis is a bidily function, not determined be any set number. it varies for ALL of us.. so what we really need to know is what kicks us out of ketosis, and that is VERY complicated.
If I had to give a number which made sure you were in ketosis, I would say less than 20 grams.. almost anyone will be in ketosis if they stick to this level daily for a week or so.. some people get into ketosis quickly, others take 2 weeks.. the lower you go, usually the quicker you get into ketosis, and it's easier to STAY there if you don't try for the MOST carbs you can consume and do so.. usually that leads to being kicked out of ketosis. Most people hear 20 grams, and think.. I can eat 19 g!!.. why not 15 g, or 10 g?? Because we are looking at the easiest way to do it.. and then if you get kicked out of ketosis, it failed you, and you can start eating carbs again.
So what about NET carbs, and fiber? Well, this was so people could eat more carbs.. A 1/2 cup of beans has 18 g of carbs, and 8 g of fiber.. so 10 NET carbs.. I could toss that into some GB, with some tomatoes, and have a chili! Of course, in the can, there are 3.5 servings.. what do you do? How do you use 28.57% of a can? How do you measure the beans, when an extra 10% of a cup, adds 2 g of carbs. You are very likely to over-consume foods which are high carb in small servings. Plus, if you manage to get it right, it's still 40-50% of the carbs you CAN eat.. why not more greens, and low starch veggies, so you can get CUPS of veggies, for the same as a 1/2 cup of beans?
So with NET cabrs, the theory is that you eat 40 grams.. about half is the beans, but along with the other half, you get 15 g of fiber.. maybe you ate raspberries.. also high fiber.. 15 g of carbs in a cup, 8 g of fiber.. those 2 add up to 33 g of carbs, and 16 grams of fiber.. so only 17 g NET carbs.. a few more with a couple eggs, and the rest meat & fat, and you have 20 NET carbs.. so you are in ketosis, right? Nope.. you might not be, because while fiber does not get absorbed, total carbs still matters for many of us, because OTHER things affect us as well.. I can't lose weight if I eat sugar alcohols, for example.. others eat tons of SF jell-o.. I can't.. and if ALL you think about is a number, then you may THINK you are in ketosis, and are not ever in ketosis, because maybe your body only gets into ketosis when you are at 15 TOTAL grams a day. Other may be able to eat 25 grams, NET or TOTAL, and stay in ketosis, but your body doesn't care what OTHERS need to stay in ketosis.
In the end, the lower you go, the more likely you stay in ketosis. I doubt half the people on Keto, are in ketosis.. many use the junk products with all sorts of ways to trick " the body into thinking you are eating good, but all it does is make them THINK they are in ketosis.
IF you want to test the upper boundaries.. then test, and confirm you are in ketosis, before assuming you are.. try all the foods you think are OK.. high fiber, foods with sugar alcohols, and other lab tricks which allow the manufacturer to list a lower carb amount on the label. If they don't bother you, then enjoy.
I know SO many people who ate 35 grams of carbs on Keto, and 20-25 NET carbs, and had huge cravings, because they were never actually IN ketosis, so got no protection from it, and of course, they eventually ate what they craved, because we are human. That is the #1 sign you are IN ketosis.. most people stop getting cravings.. you may hear a lot of people say that isn't true for them, but I'd be willing to bet, it's because theyeat too many carbs, and are NOT in ketosis.
So in the end, if the goal is ketosis and you can only eat 20 NET carbs and STAY in ketosis, then by eating 2/7ths of a can of beans.. you can have no more carbs.. maybe 2 eggs??
Beans are frowned upon for this reason.. just too heavy in carbs.. much better to eat a couple cups of greens, and add in a cup or 2 of low starch veggies, and fruits, maybe some nuts, seeds, or cheeses..
With a wide variety of low carb foods, instead of 1 serving of a high carb food, even one with fiber.. you will almost certainly end up with better nutrition, as well as being far more likely to stay in ketosis.3 -
KeithBarrows wrote: »
Enter my journey into lifestyles - South Beach followed by low-ish carbs followed by high-ish protein, etc. All of them, even when I was at a 40% calorie deficit, never allowed me to lose weight unless I added 4-6 hours in the weight room each week. I started Keto just 10-12 days ago and with no other change am satiated *AND* losing weight! 6 or 7 lbs so far. And yes, I know most of this is shedding water weight, but I am losing it - finally! I can beat the meds weight gain gambit!
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I think keto works so well because one has to give up gluten products. I tried for ten years to lose weight while eating gluten, and couldn't lose much or keep it off. As soon as I gave up gluten, I started to lose weight and kept it off (124 pounds gone).
I personally can't do keto as it makes me hyper, but I do lower carb and gluten free! It's a lifesaver!
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