Am I doing Keto right?

SereneRose

Hey all!
I'll admit I'm not the angel I should be on Keto at the weekends but I don't go nuts but during the week I'm eating low carb and high fat and i've been at this since 3rd Sept and in that time i've only managed to lose 7lbs. I do Turbo Fire 4x a week and I'm lifting with Chalean Extreme (just completed Push phase) I've increased my water intake and take a multivitamin.

Any advice what I'm doing wrong is appreciated as I'm bouncing around the same numbers and can't get past 220.
I've read that keto is supposed to help with pcos but I'm working hard but not seeing the result.

Also I cut out soda months ago not even diet, don't take sugar in tea and I'm set at 1200 calories a day and sometimes eat above when hungry after exercise.

Thank you.

Edit to say diary is now public.

SHBoss1673

are you talking about a ketogenic diet?

Since you haven't listed what you eat, nor do we have access to your diet log, no idea. Is there a reason you are on a ketogenic diet? They're very difficult to maintain, and not something people would normally do just for fat loss.

SereneRose

Yes a ketogenic diet. It's been recommended by gp due to my insulin resistance/pcos and to get as much fat off as possible.
I have no problem cutting carbs as I have a little indulgence at the weekends and try not to go over 50g on days I do eat more and try to stay under 20g.

SHBoss1673

Yes a ketogenic diet. It's been recommended by gp due to my insulin resistance/pcos and to get as much fat off as possible.
I have no problem cutting carbs as I have a little indulgence at the weekends and try not to go over 50g on days I do eat more and try to stay under 20g.

Ketogenic diet means ketogenic all the time, low carb and ketogenic are two different things. A ketogenic diet means almost no carbohydrates at all, and comes with a long list of side effects, 50g may or may not bring you into a ketogenic state, that's different for everyone. My recommendation, go to a registered dietitian and confirm that this is the right thing to do, GP doctors don't normally receive nutrition training and may not be the right person to discuss your dietary requirements with. If the RD tells you that this is the right idea, then go buy some ketosis strips from a pharmacy and use them. Also I'd do some research into ketogenic diets and the side effects. Be very wary of dehydration, it's very dangerous and easy to reach when on a ketogenic diet. Also, the way you reach ketosis is important, I.E. certain groups require a high fat diet to help with medical conditions (like people with epilepsy) and others use more of a high protein diet.

Essentially I'm saying, once in ketosis, you should try to stay in ketosis, there's no taking off weekends, it's an extremely strict way to lose weight, if the factors are there for it to be the preferred method for you, then do your research into it as it takes a lot of effort to do it right.

SereneRose

Thank you.
I have ketostix and found I can usually enter ketosis in about 4 days but this time finding it quite difficult and only showing traces. I've been researching online and besides my weekend blips thought I was doing ok as I read about others doing a refeed at weekends if that's not right I will eliminate that and be stricter.

I've seen a nutritionist and she advised a low GI diet which I did not find worked and was hard for me to follow, I prefer to cut something completely so I will do no carbs except veg/nuts from now on.

Keto_Keith

You can find amazing amounts of information, support, facts and myths at www.reddit.com/r/keto

SHBoss1673

Thank you.
I have ketostix and found I can usually enter ketosis in about 4 days but this time finding it quite difficult and only showing traces. I've been researching online and besides my weekend blips thought I was doing ok as I read about others doing a refeed at weekends if that's not right I will eliminate that and be stricter.

I've seen a nutritionist and she advised a low GI diet which I did not find worked and was hard for me to follow, I prefer to cut something completely so I will do no carbs except veg/nuts from now on.

research proves out that low carb/ketogenic diets do not lose any more fat than other types of diet over the long term (6 months or more), if there's a specific reason to do it, no problem but I wouldn't do it just because it's popular, have real, scientific reasons. 4 days sounds about right for entering ketosis, but think about what you are doing if you are re-feeding, ketosis changes your metabolic system from a carbohydrate burning metabolism to a fat/protein burning metabolism. This puts stress on the body, if you are constantly doing this, you'll have a very difficult time of it as hormones govern mood and energy levels (as well as how we burn energy) IMHO if you're going to do it, choose the method and stick to it.

Things to keep in mind.

When looking for research on it, make sure you look at both sides of the coin. Don't just take research from pro-ketosis places, find opposing viewpoints as well.

remember that when you enter ketosis, your body immediately loses some water weight, and when you stop, you immediately regain that water weight. This makes weighing in weekly futile. Keep that in mind as you continue.

SereneRose

I understand now so each time I refed I was messing my body around as it had to keep switching from fat burning to carb/glycogen burning system. Luckily I don't suffer from the carb flu symptoms and found I could still exercise at same intensity and lift 3x a week.
So all i've done is add back the water weight I initially lost, I did notice a big burst of water weight gone and didn't count that then I lost consistently upto 7lbs now I'm bouncing around. Looked over what I was eating when I began and admittedly I was stricter. I've locked the scale away this week and only weighing in once every 2 weeks.

Also I look on reddit/keto for info thanks for the suggestion, the men's losses on there are crazy high.

SHBoss1673

I understand now so each time I refed I was messing my body around as it had to keep switching from fat burning to carb/glycogen burning system. Luckily I don't suffer from the carb flu symptoms and found I could still exercise at same intensity and lift 3x a week.
So all i've done is add back the water weight I initially lost, I did notice a big burst of water weight gone and didn't count that then I lost consistently upto 7lbs now I'm bouncing around. Looked over what I was eating when I began and admittedly I was stricter. I've locked the scale away this week and only weighing in once every 2 weeks.

Also I look on reddit/keto for info thanks for the suggestion, the men's losses on there are crazy high.

the irony of a ketogenic diet is, the more muscle mass you have, the higher the initial weight loss will be (caveat to that is the muscle mass needs to be active mass, I.E. in use). Because muscle requires glycogen, the body stores more glycogen when it's active, thus, when you remove glycogen reserves from the equation, you lose an equivalent amount of water weight.

Take a peek at this: it's from an RD and MD and basically covers the basics of things to know when in ketosis.

http://www.lowcarb.ca/articlesa/article212.html

SereneRose

Thank you, been very helpful. I decided to take on chalean so I don't burn the little muscle I have do you think that could be going against me and to increase the cardio more?

SHBoss1673

Thank you, been very helpful. I decided to take on chalean so I don't burn the little muscle I have do you think that could be going against me and to increase the cardio more?

I wouldn't speculate, I don't know your situation. But in general, unless I have a really good reason, I would never tell someone to forego resistance training. While you probably won't build much in the way of lean mass, it will help to keep it from being canabalized as fuel.

Dave198lbs

Thank you, been very helpful. I decided to take on chalean so I don't burn the little muscle I have do you think that could be going against me and to increase the cardio more?

when you have your weekend "blips" does that take you out of ketosis? if so, it is the blips messing up your progress, not lack of or not enough of cardio

PrimalNorth

Yes, weight loss in the first 10 days can be assumed to be a good 60% water weight. After that talk of weight loss being water is simply myth not fact.

A truly ketogenic diet is a difficult path to walk but you are not alone. At Primal North most of my readers are below 20g a day TOTAL carbs and its not without difficulty, and its even more difficult for people going on it for "medical reasons" rather than desire to reach specific goals. Medical compliance with ketogenic diets is much lower than self initiated compliance.

I am speaking from experience here, in fact I keto adapted and spent 12 weeks on a zero carb ketogenic diet eating only meat and then ran a half marathon as a test to ensure I was fully keto adapted.

If you are doing a ketogenic diet for reasons of diabetes or insulin resistance, or for any reason at all, the absolute best resource today is the "Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" and if you want to exercise too then please check out the "Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance"

To opimtimize nutrition in your new lipid based metabolism, a good but heady read is "Primal Body, Primal Mind" by Nora Gedgaudus. Truly a masterpeice.

Those three books will give you all you need to do keto and fully keto adapt for maximal health. But reading only the first will ensure you have the basics correct and can ignore all the "bro science" and rumors and unfounded myths about this way of eating you will encounter.

When you first go keto, I recommend going fast and hard and get over that Atkins flu as soon as possible.

For me the Atkins flu lasted 6 weeks. For most its 3 weeks of low energy.

After that you will adapted and feel boundless energy and a clarity of thought you will never believe until you experience it.

Most keto studies with negative outcomes do not go beyond 3 weeks, they are designed to fail because it does take 3 to 6 weeks to fully make the switch from burning sugar to burning fat as your primary fueling source.

Some other tips -

-Salt is now your friend as you cycle water faster and more effeciently. Drink your 8 a day and add in a good solid 1/2 tsp a day each morning of salt. I recommend himalayan pink salt for its nutrient content and natural iodines

-magnesium, each night, 400mg will relax you and is needed to optimize. If you are mag deficient going in you will know from getting the "low carb cramps" in your muscles, this is also a sign your muscles are learning to use ketones over sugar for energy

-50 mg of potassium a day, 100 mg if you are doing regular exercise, will be very helpful, again as you cycle water faster

-I would not exercise at all until the low carb flu goes away and you keto adapt, you will feel worse for it. Take an exercise holiday and get the diet right

-It is paramount you eat LOTS of natural fat. In the absence of carbs, fat is healthy for your body (except omega 6 veg oils), most nutritional ketosis practitioners strive for less than 4% calories from carbs, 13% from protein, and the rest FAT with a whole lot of satured. This is a hard pill to swallow after a lifetime of conditioning regarding saturated fat, but after my 12 weeks of zero carb mostly saturated fat diet I had my labs done, a full panel, and my results are online for the world to see. Universally people on ketogenic diets done right improve all health markers.

-Don't believe the BS about muscles needing carbs, once you adapt its not true, and remember, most carbs are a type of KETONE, and this bit of fact is something most people do not even know and speak from ignorance

-Recommend you avoid HIIT training for 3 months then resume it very slowly to max of twice a week with a rest day after. This diet is ideal for endurance work and strength training but lousy for daily HIIT. Liver glycogen refills at a very slow, even steady pace on this diet but that is not suited for daily HIIT training

PrimalNorth

One last world

Keto adaptation is NOT something you can cycle in and out of as body builders will recommend.

Bodybuilders are already insulin sensitive, I would bet you are insulin resistant in a big way.

Keto cycling has a completely different impact on someone insulin resistant and it will NOT assist you.

If you cannot keep to this diet, I recommend you go to the simpler low carbohydrate diet of about 75g a day of TOTAL carbs (yes, include fiber) and add in an extra 25 gram for each hour of moderate exercise (taken after excercise).

This may give you a lot of the same benefits but its a simpler path to walk.

If you cannot be consistent with ketogenic approach, this is a good approach.

SereneRose

Thank you PrimalNorth and SHBoss both been very informative.

Yes when I have my weekend blips I am knocked right ourt of ketosis and then spend the next 4 days trying to get back into it only to blow it all the following weekend. I do not get the carb flu symptoms which is why I don't realise I'm knocked out unless I test with the stix and most likely that is a negative which is making it easier to cheat, I assume if I felt the effects I would be a lot more consistent.
I have often wondered what supplements are best to take with this diet so I went with a multivitamin for safe measure but will try to incorporate those mentioned above.

Regarding exercise I have been doing TF HIIT and not felt any ill effects and I aim to get in an hour of high intensity exercise 4x a week which would be Chalean and Turbofire on the same day (unless it's not a lifting day) I have looked on bodybuilding.com and paying attention to what they say about carb loading at weekends which obviously now was not in my favour especially when PCOS does not do well with carbs.

I'm going to go back to basics where it all began, eggs, meat, fish, veg and nuts, that's where it's at.

Last question reg milk, I don't like it much but have a small amount in my sugarless tea, i've read that our bodies are not adapted for it, is that true?

SHBoss1673

Thank you PrimalNorth and SHBoss both been very informative.

Yes when I have my weekend blips I am knocked right ourt of ketosis and then spend the next 4 days trying to get back into it only to blow it all the following weekend. I do not get the carb flu symptoms which is why I don't realise I'm knocked out unless I test with the stix and most likely that is a negative which is making it easier to cheat, I assume if I felt the effects I would be a lot more consistent.
I have often wondered what supplements are best to take with this diet so I went with a multivitamin for safe measure but will try to incorporate those mentioned above.

Regarding exercise I have been doing TF HIIT and not felt any ill effects and I aim to get in an hour of high intensity exercise 4x a week which would be Chalean and Turbofire on the same day (unless it's not a lifting day) I have looked on bodybuilding.com and paying attention to what they say about carb loading at weekends which obviously now was not in my favour especially when PCOS does not do well with carbs.

I'm going to go back to basics where it all began, eggs, meat, fish, veg and nuts, that's where it's at.

Last question reg milk, I don't like it much but have a small amount in my sugarless tea, i've read that our bodies are not adapted for it, is that true?

ahh, that's been overstated a lot. As we age our bodies don't process milk as well as when we are infants, but that being said, unless you have an intolerance for lactic acid, then a small amount is probably fine. I, for one, try to do at least 8 oz of 1% milk per day, but I am not on low carb, and I have been at maintenance for about 3 years now so...

Helloitsdan

Yes, weight loss in the first 10 days can be assumed to be a good 60% water weight. After that talk of weight loss being water is simply myth not fact.

A truly ketogenic diet is a difficult path to walk but you are not alone. At Primal North most of my readers are below 20g a day TOTAL carbs and its not without difficulty, and its even more difficult for people going on it for "medical reasons" rather than desire to reach specific goals. Medical compliance with ketogenic diets is much lower than self initiated compliance.

I am speaking from experience here, in fact I keto adapted and spent 12 weeks on a zero carb ketogenic diet eating only meat and then ran a half marathon as a test to ensure I was fully keto adapted.

If you are doing a ketogenic diet for reasons of diabetes or insulin resistance, or for any reason at all, the absolute best resource today is the "Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" and if you want to exercise too then please check out the "Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance"

To opimtimize nutrition in your new lipid based metabolism, a good but heady read is "Primal Body, Primal Mind" by Nora Gedgaudus. Truly a masterpeice.

Those three books will give you all you need to do keto and fully keto adapt for maximal health. But reading only the first will ensure you have the basics correct and can ignore all the "bro science" and rumors and unfounded myths about this way of eating you will encounter.

When you first go keto, I recommend going fast and hard and get over that Atkins flu as soon as possible.

For me the Atkins flu lasted 6 weeks. For most its 3 weeks of low energy.

After that you will adapted and feel boundless energy and a clarity of thought you will never believe until you experience it.

Most keto studies with negative outcomes do not go beyond 3 weeks, they are designed to fail because it does take 3 to 6 weeks to fully make the switch from burning sugar to burning fat as your primary fueling source.

Some other tips -

-Salt is now your friend as you cycle water faster and more effeciently. Drink your 8 a day and add in a good solid 1/2 tsp a day each morning of salt. I recommend himalayan pink salt for its nutrient content and natural iodines

-magnesium, each night, 400mg will relax you and is needed to optimize. If you are mag deficient going in you will know from getting the "low carb cramps" in your muscles, this is also a sign your muscles are learning to use ketones over sugar for energy

-50 mg of potassium a day, 100 mg if you are doing regular exercise, will be very helpful, again as you cycle water faster

-I would not exercise at all until the low carb flu goes away and you keto adapt, you will feel worse for it. Take an exercise holiday and get the diet right

-It is paramount you eat LOTS of natural fat. In the absence of carbs, fat is healthy for your body (except omega 6 veg oils), most nutritional ketosis practitioners strive for less than 4% calories from carbs, 13% from protein, and the rest FAT with a whole lot of satured. This is a hard pill to swallow after a lifetime of conditioning regarding saturated fat, but after my 12 weeks of zero carb mostly saturated fat diet I had my labs done, a full panel, and my results are online for the world to see. Universally people on ketogenic diets done right improve all health markers.

-Don't believe the BS about muscles needing carbs, once you adapt its not true, and remember, most carbs are a type of KETONE, and this bit of fact is something most people do not even know and speak from ignorance

-Recommend you avoid HIIT training for 3 months then resume it very slowly to max of twice a week with a rest day after. This diet is ideal for endurance work and strength training but lousy for daily HIIT. Liver glycogen refills at a very slow, even steady pace on this diet but that is not suited for daily HIIT training

Wall of text crits you for 9749 damage! You die!
TL:DR

OP if you get tired of restricting carbs you could look into intermittent fasting and lifting heavy weights.
This works for breaking insulin resistance and on lift days you can kill carbs.
I have people eating upwards of 300+g carbs on lift days and losing fat.

SereneRose

[/quote]

Wall of text crits you for 9749 damage! You die!
TL:DR

OP if you get tired of restricting carbs you could look into intermittent fasting and lifting heavy weights.
This works for breaking insulin resistance and on lift days you can kill carbs.
I have people eating upwards of 300+g carbs on lift days and losing fat.
[/quote]

Thanks but I must add I have been lifting heavy before Keto and have for 8 weeks, I began lifting 5lbs and can now lift 20's and squat 25's for me this is lifting heavy yet my loss still stalled and with pcos eating more carbs is not advised so I'm going to cut carbs totally from my diet and see what result that brings.