If you're looking for a successful version of the keto diet
SnowFlinga
Posts: 124 Member
My weight loss goal is 40 lbs. (that will get me back to where I was in college and I'm now approaching 50 years old). I started my dieting a month ago and I have lost 20 lbs. in the past month following a "finely tuned" version of the keto diet that I had developed last year through a lot of experimentation (trial and error). With my renewed effort this year to lose weight, I did not need to figure things out again as I felt I had stumbled upon the right mix of foods that work for me.
With the thought that this version of the keto diet may work for others I've decided to post what I'm doing as it may help someone else. I wish I had read a post like this when I was first trying keto last year. It could have saved me a lot of time and aggravation.
Some may find this diet boring due to lack of variety. I find the lack of variety simplifies things and takes out the guess work. It makes shopping easy and makes for quick meal prep. If you're the type of person who just has to have variety in their diet and likes to spend "quality time" during meal prep then this probably isn't going to be your thing.
I try to strictly stick to the keto macro ratios of 80% fat, 17% protein, 3% carbs. I calculate my TDEE and my BMR and ensure that I never eat less than my BMR caloric requirement and try to achieve at least a 20% caloric deficit below my TDEE. I have also calculated my required protein intake based on my Lean Body Mass (LBM). So there's some science behind how I arrived at what I eat each day. By keeping things simple & straight forward, I do not struggle to find ways to meet my macro goals.
So here's what I eat each and every day:
BREAKFAST (macro ratio of 76% F : 22% P : 2% C)
2 Egg Omelet w/ 1 oz. cheddar cheese, 1 oz. crumbled bacon, 2 cups of fresh sauteed spinach leaves
* Omelet is cooked in 1 tbsp of bacon grease and served with 1 tbsp of melted butter over top
* 1 oz. sausage or Spam may be substituted for the bacon
* 1 oz. cream cheese may be substituted for the cheddar cheese (increases fat:protein ratio)
LUNCH (macro ratio of 80% F : 16% P : 4% C)
1 Avocado w/ 2 tbsp salsa and 2 slices bacon or 2 oz. dry salami
* 1 tbsp of salsa is put into each half of a whole avocado and the scooped out with a spoon
* bacon or dry salami is the protein source, but other items could be substituted (i.e. liverwurst)
DINNER (macro ratio of 75% F : 22% P : 3% C)
4 oz. of a protein source (73% fat ground beef, steak, fish, etc.)
1 oz. of hard cheese
1 cup of a cooked green veggie
Bone Broth (great to have on hand as it's quick to heat up and filling)
DESSERT(macro ratio of 96% F : 2% P : 2% C)
1 oz. Macadamia Nuts w/ 1 tbsp coconut oil
* Crush the nuts and mix well with the coconut oil
* Eat slowly as this is very rich!
* I find that this dessert is incredibly critical for my success as within minutes after eating this I can't even think of eating anything else - it's just so satisfying.
* I also believe that the MCT fats provided by coconut oil are an important component of a keto diet
SNACKS
* Olives (I like the jalapeno & garlic stuff olives from Costco, but I mix in other varieties as well)
* Pickles ( I never eat more than one per day as I find too much salt to be a bit of an appetite trigger)
* BP Coffee w/ Mocha protein powder (have to be careful with protein powders as it's easy to overdo it)
You should notice that there aren't any "creations" in my diet (recipes that attempt to replicate some carb laden meal without the carbs), nor do I use any artificial sweeteners.
With this diet I have lost weight faster and more consistently than ever before in my adult life. Of course the rate of loss will not maintain as high a level as you get closer to your goal weight. I have found that for me the loss rate should work out to something approximately like this:
Weeks #1-4: 4 lbs/week on average
Weeks #5-8: 3 lbs/week on average
Weeks #9-12: 2 lbs/week on average
That's 36 lbs. possible lost in 12 weeks. I'm currently heading into week #6 so it will be interesting to see if my forecast remains true. I base this on my weight loss effort last year and all of the data I had collected.
Note that I maintain a daily blood ketone level of 3.0 - 3.5 as long as I keep both my protein level and calorie intake in check. My fasting blood glucose level is normally in the mid 70s to low 80s. When I'm not doing the keto diet I struggle to keep it below 100.
So that's it. I hope it provides some insight or incentive for the keto "pals" on this forum.
With the thought that this version of the keto diet may work for others I've decided to post what I'm doing as it may help someone else. I wish I had read a post like this when I was first trying keto last year. It could have saved me a lot of time and aggravation.
Some may find this diet boring due to lack of variety. I find the lack of variety simplifies things and takes out the guess work. It makes shopping easy and makes for quick meal prep. If you're the type of person who just has to have variety in their diet and likes to spend "quality time" during meal prep then this probably isn't going to be your thing.
I try to strictly stick to the keto macro ratios of 80% fat, 17% protein, 3% carbs. I calculate my TDEE and my BMR and ensure that I never eat less than my BMR caloric requirement and try to achieve at least a 20% caloric deficit below my TDEE. I have also calculated my required protein intake based on my Lean Body Mass (LBM). So there's some science behind how I arrived at what I eat each day. By keeping things simple & straight forward, I do not struggle to find ways to meet my macro goals.
So here's what I eat each and every day:
BREAKFAST (macro ratio of 76% F : 22% P : 2% C)
2 Egg Omelet w/ 1 oz. cheddar cheese, 1 oz. crumbled bacon, 2 cups of fresh sauteed spinach leaves
* Omelet is cooked in 1 tbsp of bacon grease and served with 1 tbsp of melted butter over top
* 1 oz. sausage or Spam may be substituted for the bacon
* 1 oz. cream cheese may be substituted for the cheddar cheese (increases fat:protein ratio)
LUNCH (macro ratio of 80% F : 16% P : 4% C)
1 Avocado w/ 2 tbsp salsa and 2 slices bacon or 2 oz. dry salami
* 1 tbsp of salsa is put into each half of a whole avocado and the scooped out with a spoon
* bacon or dry salami is the protein source, but other items could be substituted (i.e. liverwurst)
DINNER (macro ratio of 75% F : 22% P : 3% C)
4 oz. of a protein source (73% fat ground beef, steak, fish, etc.)
1 oz. of hard cheese
1 cup of a cooked green veggie
Bone Broth (great to have on hand as it's quick to heat up and filling)
DESSERT(macro ratio of 96% F : 2% P : 2% C)
1 oz. Macadamia Nuts w/ 1 tbsp coconut oil
* Crush the nuts and mix well with the coconut oil
* Eat slowly as this is very rich!
* I find that this dessert is incredibly critical for my success as within minutes after eating this I can't even think of eating anything else - it's just so satisfying.
* I also believe that the MCT fats provided by coconut oil are an important component of a keto diet
SNACKS
* Olives (I like the jalapeno & garlic stuff olives from Costco, but I mix in other varieties as well)
* Pickles ( I never eat more than one per day as I find too much salt to be a bit of an appetite trigger)
* BP Coffee w/ Mocha protein powder (have to be careful with protein powders as it's easy to overdo it)
You should notice that there aren't any "creations" in my diet (recipes that attempt to replicate some carb laden meal without the carbs), nor do I use any artificial sweeteners.
With this diet I have lost weight faster and more consistently than ever before in my adult life. Of course the rate of loss will not maintain as high a level as you get closer to your goal weight. I have found that for me the loss rate should work out to something approximately like this:
Weeks #1-4: 4 lbs/week on average
Weeks #5-8: 3 lbs/week on average
Weeks #9-12: 2 lbs/week on average
That's 36 lbs. possible lost in 12 weeks. I'm currently heading into week #6 so it will be interesting to see if my forecast remains true. I base this on my weight loss effort last year and all of the data I had collected.
Note that I maintain a daily blood ketone level of 3.0 - 3.5 as long as I keep both my protein level and calorie intake in check. My fasting blood glucose level is normally in the mid 70s to low 80s. When I'm not doing the keto diet I struggle to keep it below 100.
So that's it. I hope it provides some insight or incentive for the keto "pals" on this forum.
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Replies
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Thanks for this. Can you tell us what the absolute values are eg carb grams, protein grams etc and how many calories this adds up to? I lost consistently my first 6 weeks too. I've hit a stall, but that is more psychological than anything else. Fear of success!0
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Thanks for sharing. Reads a bit like a sales pitch
but I'm glad you found a plan that works! 0 -
Thanks for sharing what works for you! I'm new to the LCHF lifestyle and trying to learn more. The question I'm left with after reading your post is can you maintain this diet plan over the long haul and if not, how do you avoid weight gain when you either add foods or change up your macros?0
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I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks0
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Thanks for sharing what works for you! I'm new to the LCHF lifestyle and trying to learn more. The question I'm left with after reading your post is can you maintain this diet plan over the long haul and if not, how do you avoid weight gain when you either add foods or change up your macros?
No, this version is not for the long haul (at least not for me), but tuned specifically for the fastest weight loss I can tolerate. This diet allows me to cut back on calories without ever feeling hungry (which I believe is the crucial element to being able to stick to a diet).
My investigation/experimentation last year proved to me that once I arrive at my goal weight, as long as I do not reintroduce "bad" carbs into my diet I can eat a much more "relaxed" diet as far as the macros are concerned. I can overeat protein for weeks without gaining much weight (if any). I can take my calories upwards of 500-1000 over my TDEE without much damage at all. However, I cannot lose weight readily when I do those things so that's why I developed this version of the keto diet. Call it the "weight loss phase" version, not the daily maintenance version.
Last year I also learned that once I lose the "power" of nutritional ketosis my will power goes right out the window. I went to a wedding in the Fall, fell out of ketosis, and proceeded to gain back the 30 lbs. I had lost over the next 4 months! Now I know. Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way. I knew that going back into it this time that I needed to study the data I had collected and discern what really worked and what didn't. The biggest change was probably dropping the salads I used to eat at lunch and replacing them with the avocado w/salsa & bacon lunch. Last year I would be ravenous by dinner time. This time around I could almost skip dinner and be just fine. I'm maintaining much higher levels of FBK this time around and I attribute higher levels of blood ketones to a higher degree of feeling satiety all day long. Higher levels do not necessarily provide faster weight loss. I've lost weight just as easily at 1.5 as 3.5.
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totaloblivia wrote: »Thanks for this. Can you tell us what the absolute values are eg carb grams, protein grams etc and how many calories this adds up to? I lost consistently my first 6 weeks too. I've hit a stall, but that is more psychological than anything else. Fear of success!
Breakfast - F:43.8g P:29.0g C:3.7g Calories:537.0
Lunch - F:36.5 g P:9.0g C:4.6g Calories:421.6
Dinner - F:42.3g P:28.0g C:4.4g Calories:517.0
Dessert - F:38.0g P:2.0g C:2.0g Calories:360.0
TOTALS: F:160.6g P:70.0g C:16.7g Calories:1835.6
Note my current caloric requirements:
* BMR: 1650
* TDEE: 2250
I re-calculate my BMR and TDEE after each 5 lbs. lost. They must be adjusted downward as you continue to lose weight.
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sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
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That's all helpful thanks0
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SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
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I wish I had hydrostatic available where I am. Unfortunately I can only use the "guesstimate" of my LBM based on my body fat %. I'm amazed at how far off the estimate was from your actual measurement.sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
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sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
That is CRAZY how far off it was... Do you know if there is a way to look at were hydrostatic weighing locations are? I'd love to see if there is one anywhere near me. Most of my doctors are in Oklahoma City, so I imagine there would be one there if anywhere in Oklahoma. Tulsa would be my only other guess. LOL0 -
SnowFlinga wrote: »
I wish I had hydrostatic available where I am. Unfortunately I can only use the "guesstimate" of my LBM based on my body fat %. I'm amazed at how far off the estimate was from your actual measurement.sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
Yes, and I suspect it is way off for many of us. And the body fat scales some use at home are really dependent on hydration levels. Sometimes the hand-held bio-impedence machines at gyms and doctor's offices are a bit more accurate. Calipers are good when the person knows how to use them properly, and really only account for subcutaneous fat, and no visceral fat. DEXA scans are the best, if you have a tech that can actually read it for body fat %. I've never found a place near me that does that.
So, what method are you currently using to determine your body fat %?KnitOrMiss wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
That is CRAZY how far off it was... Do you know if there is a way to look at were hydrostatic weighing locations are? I'd love to see if there is one anywhere near me. Most of my doctors are in Oklahoma City, so I imagine there would be one there if anywhere in Oklahoma. Tulsa would be my only other guess. LOL
Yes, it is crazy. Why calculate for 32% body fat, when it's 21%? Doesn't make sense does it?
I found that universities often do this sort of thing in their sports medicine departments. I got mine done at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. It's not that expensive and gives me good solid data to go on. I like solid data versus guessing. I found them by googling hydrostatic weighing and my city name.
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I should clarify that the keto calculator thinks my body fat (not lean body mass) is possibly 32% based on my height, age, and weight. It was 21% on March 30 via hydrostatic weighing.
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sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »
I wish I had hydrostatic available where I am. Unfortunately I can only use the "guesstimate" of my LBM based on my body fat %. I'm amazed at how far off the estimate was from your actual measurement.sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
Yes, and I suspect it is way off for many of us. And the body fat scales some use at home are really dependent on hydration levels. Sometimes the hand-held bio-impedence machines at gyms and doctor's offices are a bit more accurate. Calipers are good when the person knows how to use them properly, and really only account for subcutaneous fat, and no visceral fat. DEXA scans are the best, if you have a tech that can actually read it for body fat %. I've never found a place near me that does that.
So, what method are you currently using to determine your body fat %?KnitOrMiss wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »SnowFlinga wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »I'm interested in the part where you speak of calculating your protein needs on our lbm. How do you know your lbm, and where is the calculator? Thanks
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
Thanks. That is the one I use, too. However, it cannot tell you how much lean mass you have. It guesstimates, and in my case very poorly. It says possibly 32% with my current stats. That is why I wanted to know how you know your lbm. I got mine through hydrostatic weighing. It was 21% on March 30th.
That is CRAZY how far off it was... Do you know if there is a way to look at were hydrostatic weighing locations are? I'd love to see if there is one anywhere near me. Most of my doctors are in Oklahoma City, so I imagine there would be one there if anywhere in Oklahoma. Tulsa would be my only other guess. LOL
Yes, it is crazy. Why calculate for 32% body fat, when it's 21%? Doesn't make sense does it?
I found that universities often do this sort of thing in their sports medicine departments. I got mine done at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. It's not that expensive and gives me good solid data to go on. I like solid data versus guessing. I found them by googling hydrostatic weighing and my city name.
The last time I used one of the hand measuring thing, it said 45%, and per my FitBit tracking weight since then, apparently I should have lost 5% body fat by then. My at home scale that has the fat tracking through the feet goes up and down between 44%-49% body fat. According to the chart estimates by picture, I should be well over 50%.... So where is the real number? I stick with 45% calculation and determine protein on a sliding scale - and then eat to hunger....0 -
http://www.mercy.net//sites/default/files/vendor-resources/hydrostatic_weighing.pdf
This place is in Oklahoma City. $35 is less than it cost me. Hydro still has a bit of an error rate, but they all do except autopsy, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
The lady who did my last hydro weighing used the hand-held as well to check against each other, and they were:
21.03% hydro
20.5% bio-impedence
Pretty darn close.0 -
sljohnson1207 wrote: »http://www.mercy.net//sites/default/files/vendor-resources/hydrostatic_weighing.pdf
This place is in Oklahoma City. $35 is less than it cost me. Hydro still has a bit of an error rate, but they all do except autopsy, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
The lady who did my last hydro weighing used the hand-held as well to check against each other, and they were:
21.03% hydro
20.5% bio-impedence
Pretty darn close.
Awesome. I know where Mercy is. I've taken a friend there for heart testing that they just do out of pocket, too. They're more of an independently run location.... I'll see if I can get in! 0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »http://www.mercy.net//sites/default/files/vendor-resources/hydrostatic_weighing.pdf
This place is in Oklahoma City. $35 is less than it cost me. Hydro still has a bit of an error rate, but they all do except autopsy, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
The lady who did my last hydro weighing used the hand-held as well to check against each other, and they were:
21.03% hydro
20.5% bio-impedence
Pretty darn close.
Awesome. I know where Mercy is. I've taken a friend there for heart testing that they just do out of pocket, too. They're more of an independently run location.... I'll see if I can get in!
Great! I'd be interested in you following up in PM about your experience, or on the forum, if you wish. Just a tip: Be sure to follow all their instructions regarding clothing, when to eat/drink, when to exercise, etc., so you get the best data possible.
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sljohnson1207 wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »sljohnson1207 wrote: »http://www.mercy.net//sites/default/files/vendor-resources/hydrostatic_weighing.pdf
This place is in Oklahoma City. $35 is less than it cost me. Hydro still has a bit of an error rate, but they all do except autopsy, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that.
The lady who did my last hydro weighing used the hand-held as well to check against each other, and they were:
21.03% hydro
20.5% bio-impedence
Pretty darn close.
Awesome. I know where Mercy is. I've taken a friend there for heart testing that they just do out of pocket, too. They're more of an independently run location.... I'll see if I can get in!
Great! I'd be interested in you following up in PM about your experience, or on the forum, if you wish. Just a tip: Be sure to follow all their instructions regarding clothing, when to eat/drink, when to exercise, etc., so you get the best data possible.
Awesome. I'm all about the data, so definitely. And I don't mind sharing most of my health related crap publicly, because I never know who it will help. It's some else's casual posts that always gets me jumpstarted! LOL0 -
So I'm now about 6 weeks in and down 25 lbs. I feel like I've discovered the cure for cancer.
I thought my weight loss would slow down, but I'm down 5 lbs. in 5 days. It's almost like I can feel the felt melting away while I'm sitting at my desk. 1 -
Awesome!0
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SnowFlinga wrote: »So I'm now about 6 weeks in and down 25 lbs. I feel like I've discovered the cure for cancer.
I thought my weight loss would slow down, but I'm down 5 lbs. in 5 days. It's almost like I can feel the felt melting away while I'm sitting at my desk.
Obviously that should have been "feel the fat", not the felt! Damn spell check...
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This discussion has been closed.