For those of you doing low carb high fat (keto diets)

What are some meals that have worked for you? I'm in my second month of low carb high fat diet and I'm wondering if what I'm eating is stalling my weight loss. (after losing 18lbs, im at a two week stand still). I decided today was the day i start fresh and count carbs instead of estimating, get rid of my "im missing out" attitude, and go full force. What are some meal plans that work for you?

Replies

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    If you weren't counting carbs, is it far to conclude you weren't counting calories from fat and protein as well?
  • rle2512
    rle2512 Posts: 44 Member
    fair to conclude,I've been guesstimating....

    Should also add, I am currently 158 lbs 5'8" want to lose 20 more lbs on this diet before i start maintaining, the 1st 20 came off right away.

    lastly, I've been experimenting with intermittent fasting, sooo I'm a bit confused of how much i need of WHAT (ie protein,fat,carbs) in the one meal i eat.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I eat very simple and probably rather boring to most people..............

    Breakfast: eggs and bacon or eggs and sausage..........coffee with unsalted kerrygold butter and coconut oil and a splash of coconut milk.

    Lunch: leftovers from the previous night or salad such as grilled chicken caesar salad, no croutons and add slivered almonds.

    Supper: green veggie and meat (steak and sauteed collard greens, baked chicken and green beans, broiled pork loin and cabbage or brussel sprouts).
  • rle2512
    rle2512 Posts: 44 Member
    I eat very simple and probably rather boring to most people..............

    Breakfast: eggs and bacon or eggs and sausage..........coffee with unsalted kerrygold butter and coconut oil and a splash of coconut milk.

    Lunch: leftovers from the previous night or salad such as grilled chicken caesar salad, no croutons and add slivered almonds.

    Supper: green veggie and meat (steak and sauteed collard greens, baked chicken and green beans, broiled pork loin and cabbage or brussel sprouts).


    paleopath, do you eat cheese? I've seen alot of low carbers with mixed opinions on cheese. If im lacking in results should i cut it out?
  • You can google 'taste' and check out some low carb recipes, there is a yummy Moroccan lamb one!

    I eat salads with nuts, olive oil, cheese and eggs, oh and avocado!

    Make things like steaks with creamy sauces, tacos in lettuce, burgers without the bread etc!

    Good snacks are almonds, kabana and cheese etc. each week I make either a keto cheesecake or some dark choc & almond cookies and have double cream with it, that's my breakfast! I find that the first few days in are easier if I eat a lot of food (while keeping carbs down) and don't stress about going over my daily limit-you get less carb flu and your hunger settles after a day or two. You also then don't feel like your missing out!
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    There's a list of suggestions over at Diet Doctor you can try. I think they're great suggestions but it ultimately it comes down to calories and most of the suggestions are just cutting out higher calorie foods.

    http://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight

    If you like the foods you're eating maybe it's time to count your calories accurately to lose the last of the weight you want to? I'm not saying not to do keto -- I eat LCHF myself and have no plans of stopping -- but you can do keto and count calories both. Best wishes. :smile:
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I eat very simple and probably rather boring to most people..............

    Breakfast: eggs and bacon or eggs and sausage..........coffee with unsalted kerrygold butter and coconut oil and a splash of coconut milk.

    Lunch: leftovers from the previous night or salad such as grilled chicken caesar salad, no croutons and add slivered almonds.

    Supper: green veggie and meat (steak and sauteed collard greens, baked chicken and green beans, broiled pork loin and cabbage or brussel sprouts).


    paleopath, do you eat cheese? I've seen alot of low carbers with mixed opinions on cheese. If im lacking in results should i cut it out?

    On occasion when I can get raw milk cheese................its kind of expensive. And we do eat some different italian cheeses.

    How much cheese are you eating??? Maybe cut down the amount, but don't cut it out.

    Also...............you lost 18 pounds in 2 weeks??? It is common after losing that much in a short time to not lose any more.........your body has to "catch up" so to speak.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,425 MFP Moderator
    fair to conclude,I've been guesstimating....

    That is 100% of the cause of your stall. It's very easy to under estimate calories in. The best thing to do before changing 10 different things is to get a good food scale and be accurate in your logging for 4-6 weeks.


    But for low carb - meats, dairy and veggies.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    fair to conclude,I've been guesstimating....

    That is 100% of the cause of your stall. It's very easy to under estimate calories in. The best thing to do before changing 10 different things is to get a good food scale and be accurate in your logging for 4-6 weeks.


    But for low carb - meats, dairy and veggies.

    Hard to over eat on protein, fat and vegetables...............

    And 2 weeks is not a stall.

    For a true plateau the rule of thumb is 30 days or at least 4 weeks without losing any pounds or inches.

    I have never owned a food scale and always guestimate because I don't calorie count and I have never had an issue with eating this way and not being able to lose weight..........

    Weight loss is not linear, so it will appear that at times a person isn't losing weight, but that isn't necessarily true.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,425 MFP Moderator
    fair to conclude,I've been guesstimating....

    That is 100% of the cause of your stall. It's very easy to under estimate calories in. The best thing to do before changing 10 different things is to get a good food scale and be accurate in your logging for 4-6 weeks.


    But for low carb - meats, dairy and veggies.

    Hard to over eat on protein, fat and vegetables...............

    And 2 weeks is not a stall.

    For a true plateau the rule of thumb is 30 days or at least 4 weeks without losing any pounds or inches.

    I can easily go over my 2500 calorie day per limit on protein, fats and veggies. In fact, I was doing it when I was eating paleo for 6 months. It's all about eating calorie dense foods.. not living off of chicken.

    But agree 2 weeks is not a stall but not measuring will definitely make it easy to go over.. and many studies already document that.
  • oc1timoco
    oc1timoco Posts: 272 Member
    One of my favorite breakfast is.
    2 eggs and 9 tbs. of egg whites
    3 oz. of grilled salmon, chopped
    1 cup of chopped bell peppers, onion and jalapeno.

    Scramble it all up together. I guess you could put in cheese but cheese and fish don't work for me.
    If you don't have a scale and your guessing try this. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/fix-a-broken-diet There is a part in there showing how to use your hand to measure out your food. Surprisingly accurate.
  • rle2512
    rle2512 Posts: 44 Member
    I count calories for the most part, I don't usually go over 1,000. I'm doing 1 meal a day on this intermittent fasting, which was working for about a week, the last 8 lbs of what ive lost so far, but now im at a stand still...i just need to be patient but its hard to stick to it with little results, i wanna get back on track before christmas.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    So how much do you have to lose? A two week period with no weight loss on the scale is normal, even longer. The scale sucks, get rid of it if it makes you crazy. I think I am doing awesome (I judge by how I FEEL, not the number on the scale) and I have many weeks with no loss, but my clothes still get looser.

    BTW, under-eating will not help. True story. You have no reason to under-eat unless you want to be lethargic and unhealthy. You will NOT lose weight faster in the long run. It's not a race. I love intermittent fasting too, but I don't use it to under-eat.

    I hope you find a way to shift your focus from weight loss to health. Dieting is a fail, a permanent keto lifestyle based on whole foods is a win.

    Edit: just found your weight. At 5'8 and 158 you are already in the healthy weight range for your height. I don't agree that you need to lose 20 pounds more, but not my business. What I can tell you is that your weight loss is going to be EXTREMELY slow because you are not over-weight. I now lose 2 pounds per month if I'm lucky and I am ecstatic about all the positive changes I see in my health and body. Have you considered strength training instead of focusing on the number on the scale?
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    I count calories for the most part, I don't usually go over 1,000. I'm doing 1 meal a day on this intermittent fasting, which was working for about a week, the last 8 lbs of what ive lost so far, but now im at a stand still...i just need to be patient but its hard to stick to it with little results, i wanna get back on track before christmas.
    You need to re-evaluate your plan. What you're doing is not ok. You want to lose weight fast so you decided to go keto? But wanted to lose weight even faster so started intermittent fasting and dropped your intake to 1,000 calories. And now you're looking to cut out even more food? That's a problem and I'd encourage you to stop dieting and speak with your doctor.
  • rle2512
    rle2512 Posts: 44 Member
    I didnt cut out calories i researched intermittent fasting and decided to give it a try. When i eat more than 1000 calories i gain, i cant imagine i need more. Also, i wasnt looking to cut out foods, i was looking to switch up the food im eating to get better results. I do believe the last 10 or so lbs will come off slow and i am 100% fine with that. I have alot of fat on my body still, thats what i want gone.


    I want to keep this diet long term, I enjoy the extra energy i have and fewer cravings. I just get discouraged with little results.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    Although I'm not doing keto, I'm low carb.

    Breakfast

    2 eggs
    2 small turkey pepperoni sticks
    2 white button mushrooms
    28g of soy cheddar cheese loaf

    Lunch

    2 cups iceburg lettuce
    some form of protein (sandwich meat, eggs, nuts)
    1/2 bell pepper
    2 tbsps dressing
    1 tbsp bacon bits

    Supper

    meat
    steamed veggies

    Snacks

    1 cup almond milk
    1 women's formula multi-vitamin

    I also drink a lot of herbal tea and water with lemon juice in it. If I have room in my carb count, I will splurge and have a sandwhich with whole wheat bread or some wraps.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I didnt cut out calories i researched intermittent fasting and decided to give it a try. When i eat more than 1000 calories i gain, i cant imagine i need more. Also, i wasnt looking to cut out foods, i was looking to switch up the food im eating to get better results. I do believe the last 10 or so lbs will come off slow and i am 100% fine with that. I have alot of fat on my body still, thats what i want gone.


    I want to keep this diet long term, I enjoy the extra energy i have and fewer cravings. I just get discouraged with little results.

    Someone doesn't understand body composition...
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    There's a list of suggestions over at Diet Doctor you can try. I think they're great suggestions but it ultimately it comes down to calories and most of the suggestions are just cutting out higher calorie foods.

    http://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight

    If you like the foods you're eating maybe it's time to count your calories accurately to lose the last of the weight you want to? I'm not saying not to do keto -- I eat LCHF myself and have no plans of stopping -- but you can do keto and count calories both. Best wishes. :smile:

    ^^^^ this!

    And you do need to be diligent about measuring and recording your foods. Inaccurate measures provide uncertain outcomes.

    Also, you need to be reasonable about weight loss targets. For example one or half pound per week is reasonable, while ten pounds would be a recipe for disaster (and dangerous to your health).

    Don't put yourself on a very restrictive, and unhealthy calorie deficit. And yes, LCHF does work for some people (like me),. Also, I eat REAL FOOD, no gimmicks, powders, pills, etc. I hope you find what works for you. Good luck.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    I didnt cut out calories i researched intermittent fasting and decided to give it a try. When i eat more than 1000 calories i gain, i cant imagine i need more. Also, i wasnt looking to cut out foods, i was looking to switch up the food im eating to get better results. I do believe the last 10 or so lbs will come off slow and i am 100% fine with that. I have alot of fat on my body still, thats what i want gone.


    I want to keep this diet long term, I enjoy the extra energy i have and fewer cravings. I just get discouraged with little results.

    Wrong. You do need more food than 1000 calories. You do not gain fat on 1000 calories but you are most definititely destroying lean body mass and slowing your metabolic rate (which slows weight loss!!!).

    You will NOT continue to have "extra energy" and your fat loss effort will stall if you persist in undereating. And you will get sick.

    Throw away the scale if you are going to base all of your success on a number that says nothing about your health.

    Yeah, you want "better results" than your already rapid weight loss.....

    Re-read the post by AlabasterVerv. Honestly, as a ketogenic person, I get very annoyed when this lifestyle is so badly misundertood and used to promote poor health instead of ideal health.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,425 MFP Moderator
    I count calories for the most part, I don't usually go over 1,000. I'm doing 1 meal a day on this intermittent fasting, which was working for about a week, the last 8 lbs of what ive lost so far, but now im at a stand still...i just need to be patient but its hard to stick to it with little results, i wanna get back on track before christmas.

    If you arent measuring how do you know you only eat 1000 calories? Even for the best of us, guessimates would be off by 400 to 500 calories. Also, unless you have severe metabolic issue there is no chance you would maintain at slightly higher than that.

    BTW, only eating 1000 calories is definitely a bad plan. Large deficits lead to muscle loss. Muscle is what makes you lean and fit.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I count calories for the most part, I don't usually go over 1,000. I'm doing 1 meal a day on this intermittent fasting, which was working for about a week, the last 8 lbs of what ive lost so far, but now im at a stand still...i just need to be patient but its hard to stick to it with little results, i wanna get back on track before christmas.
    You need to re-evaluate your plan. What you're doing is not ok. You want to lose weight fast so you decided to go keto? But wanted to lose weight even faster so started intermittent fasting and dropped your intake to 1,000 calories. And now you're looking to cut out even more food? That's a problem and I'd encourage you to stop dieting and speak with your doctor.

    +1
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Wrong. You do need more food than 1000 calories. You do not gain fat on 1000 calories but you are most definititely destroying lean body mass and slowing your metabolic rate (which slows weight loss!!!).

    We've already established the OP wasn't counting calories, which means the "1000 calories" thing is out the window.
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  • FitnessMeagan1105
    FitnessMeagan1105 Posts: 57 Member
    bump