Keto diet macros and nutrition help

htecky76
htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
edited November 21 in Food and Nutrition
I do not know how to friend anybody or do anything on here as I am new to this site, but I'm wondering if anyone can help me please. I am on day 5 of this keto diet and everyday when I fill in my diary my saturated fats are too high my cholesterol is too high and other things are off. I'm not falling in where I'm supposed to and I don't know why. I set my macros to 5% carbs 20% protein and 75% fats with a calorie intake of 1360. I've only h ad breakfast and lunch and my cholesterol is at -41g and my saturated fat is at 5g. My vitamin C and vitamin A are both super high (guessing from supplements) yet my sodium and potassium are both very low. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm staying good with my macros though. I have done a ton of research on this and currently refer mostly to the "ruled me keto" site and books. That's where I got the macro calculator. please I am only looking for help not people to cut me down for doing a low carb diet. I have looked at a lot of these discussions for the past two days and I see a lot of insults so I am just asking for help from anybody else who is doing the same thing or has had the same trouble.
Thank you!!

Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    To be honest, I've never looked at saturated fat or cholesterol. I know it will be high since I'm eating a lot of fat...

    I just took a look and my saturated fat is two to four times higher than the recommended level, 40-90 daily for me. That makes sense since I'm eating about 120g of fat per day. 5 g of saturated fat at breakfast sounds fine. :)

    My cholesterol has been between 101 and 780mg. I exceed MFP's guideline about half of the time.

    I wouldn't bother looking at the details of the fats unless you want to make sure your trans fats are low. Your fats are going to be high since you are most likely eating over 100g of fat per day. I wouldn't worry. As someone in ketosis, you know that eating fat doesn't make you fat. Eating too much does. Similarly, eating cholesterol does not raise cholesterol.

    Vitamin C is water soluble so you can go higher on that without concern.

    The best sources of vitamin A are from animals and organ meats (according to my doctor). Unless you blood levels are A are high, I wouldn't worry.

    My sodium levels are low on MFP too but I forget to add a dash of salt so that's fine. My potassium is low too but I take a supplement for that (from before I went LCHF) so I'm not worried.

    I honestly don't think you are doing anything wrong, but I am pretty new to keto so take my words with a grain of salt. Try the Low Carber Dailey forum in the groups. They are very helpful over there.

    Best wishes!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I set my macros to 5% carbs 20% protein and 75% fats with a calorie intake of 1360.

    You are doing perfectly fine. :) The numbers you list here are the only ones you want to pay attention to. :star:

    (sometimes people get distracted by all the extra data available to us.) :)
    It is o.k. to have high cholesterol numbers -- that is pretty much the point of keto.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    You said that much better than me. :)
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    Thank you both do much. I was seriously concerned that I was missing something important. :)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    An open diary would help (Settings, bottom left, set to public). But in general the sat fat etc numbers are set for a "traditional" diet and don't reflect LCHF practice.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    I opened my diary; although there are only 2.5 days of entries as I just found the app. I can tell you it's been almost exactly the same all week. Well minus my "starbucks passion tea lemonade - unsweetened". Serious reality check when I found out it had EIGHTEEN carbs and they are ALL sugar. So that was on it the first two days.
    Thank you for your help.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited July 2015
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I opened my diary; although there are only 2.5 days of entries as I just found the app. I can tell you it's been almost exactly the same all week. Well minus my "starbucks passion tea lemonade - unsweetened". Serious reality check when I found out it had EIGHTEEN carbs and they are ALL sugar. So that was on it the first two days.
    Thank you for your help.

    Your coming in quite a bit below your target calories at 1000 calories or just below. That may not be a safe idea in the long term. Your goal of 1360 cal sounds reasonable - you appear to be missing out on one entire (small) meal.... I'm not a nutrition expert, and am pretty new, but that popped out at me.

    Perhaps try cutting down the oil or butter in one meal and applying it to an additional small meal like avocado, nuts, small burger patty, or some fish. I don't think you need to be so low to lose.

    If you like, you can take a look at my diary. My calories are set at 1400 something but I usually eat somewhere between 1200 and 1800, and some days are even higher or lower if I'm not hungry or I eat out. I have 30-40 lbs to lose, and am losing about 2 lbs a week right now (I am early in my weight loss efforts so it is coming off fast at the moment).

    If you look at mine, remember I am new too so it may not be the ideal diet... I'm pretty sure it's not. LOL

    Best wishes.
  • N200lz
    N200lz Posts: 134 Member
    Wow .... and I thought I was tight on the carbs :)
    Yeah, you're going to be seeing some significant results.
    Careful on the re-entry phase.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    edited July 2015
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I opened my diary; although there are only 2.5 days of entries as I just found the app. I can tell you it's been almost exactly the same all week. Well minus my "starbucks passion tea lemonade - unsweetened". Serious reality check when I found out it had EIGHTEEN carbs and they are ALL sugar. So that was on it the first two days.
    Thank you for your help.

    Your coming in quite a bit below your target calories at 1000 calories or just below. That may not be a safe idea in the long term. Your goal of 1360 cal sounds reasonable - you appear to be missing out on one entire (small) meal.... I'm not a nutrition expert, and am pretty new, but that popped out at me.

    Perhaps try cutting down the oil or butter in one meal and applying it to an additional small meal like avocado, nuts, small burger patty, or some fish. I don't think you need to be so low to lose.

    If you like, you can take a look at my diary. My calories are set at 1400 something but I usually eat somewhere between 1200 and 1800, and some days are even higher or lower if I'm not hungry or I eat out. I have 30-40 lbs to lose, and am losing about 2 lbs a week right now (I am early in my weight loss efforts so it is coming off fast at the moment).

    If you look at mine, remember I am new too so it may not be the ideal diet... I'm pretty sure it's not. LOL

    Best wishes.

    I will definitely look at yours; I am open to any advice or ideas.... aND I truly appreciate it!!! Unfortunately I am running out now so I will have to do it this evening, but I wanted to reply to what you said about the meals because maybe you can offer some advice. I cannot figure out how to add calories without adding carbs; even my salad has 3 carbs and no real calories, meat will also put me over... possibly on my protien too. It's so confusing!! The butter and oil I do just to get my fats, I choke down a tbls of oil every day to make it, I even added in the "no-no-bad" salad dressing. Lol On a side note, I cannot eat nuts I have an allergy to most of them so I avoid all of them because I found out the hard way a lot of times they are packaged near or around ones that can hurt me.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    edited July 2015
    N200lz wrote: »
    Wow .... and I thought I was tight on the carbs :)
    Yeah, you're going to be seeing some significant results.
    Careful on the re-entry phase.

    I don't know if you know of the "repot me keto" website and books but I used their matrix calculator and in order to lose weight I have to have a 20% deficit which has my carbs at 5% which that's all it allows me. I have verified it on a couple other sites too. I wish it was a little bit different just because I'm having trouble coming near my calories!! hunger isnt really a problem for me because I'm used to eating once a day or every other day. I know when I say that the question becomes, "well how did you get so big if you never eat", but I am a huge carb freak!! I lived on pastas and breads and starbucks coffee. I know this about myself now, so once I started looking at my carb intake I just about died!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Meat will add calories with next to no carbs, as will butter, oil, eggs, hard cheese etc.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    Your coming in quite a bit below your target calories at 1000 calories or just below. That may not be a safe idea in the long term. Your goal of 1360 cal sounds reasonable - you appear to be missing out on one entire (small) meal.... I'm not a nutrition expert, and am pretty new, but that popped out at me.

    Perhaps try cutting down the oil or butter in one meal and applying it to an additional small meal like avocado, nuts, small burger patty, or some fish. I don't think you need to be so low to lose.

    If you like, you can take a look at my diary. My calories are set at 1400 something but I usually eat somewhere between 1200 and 1800, and some days are even higher or lower if I'm not hungry or I eat out. I have 30-40 lbs to lose, and am losing about 2 lbs a week right now (I am early in my weight loss efforts so it is coming off fast at the moment).

    If you look at mine, remember I am new too so it may not be the ideal diet... I'm pretty sure it's not. LOL

    Best wishes.[/quote]

    I looked at your diary and it gave me a couple ideas if simple, small things I can use to up my calories without messing up my macros. Thank you. Just one question though... what does
    Keto = mod/large BG 4 mean?
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    htecky76 wrote: »
    N200lz wrote: »
    Wow .... and I thought I was tight on the carbs :)
    Yeah, you're going to be seeing some significant results.
    Careful on the re-entry phase.

    I don't know if you know of the "repot me keto" website and books but I used their matrix calculator and in order to lose weight I have to have a 20% deficit which has my carbs at 5% which that's all it allows me. I have verified it on a couple other sites too. I wish it was a little bit different just because I'm having trouble coming near my calories!! hunger isnt really a problem for me because I'm used to eating once a day or every other day. I know when I say that the question becomes, "well how did you get so big if you never eat", but I am a huge carb freak!! I lived on pastas and breads and starbucks coffee. I know this about myself now, so once I started looking at my carb intake I just about died!

    Foods low in carbs: dill pickles, asparagus, pork rinds, kale, romaine, cucumbers.
    When you lower carbs, you increase oils/fats. Things like bacon and olives are good for that:)
    Make sure that you are eating enough protein. <3
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    htecky76 wrote: »
    Keto = mod/large BG 4 mean?

    Ketone reading off a pee strip - Moderate / Large
    Blood glucose 4.0 mmol/l at a guess
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited July 2015
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I looked at your diary and it gave me a couple ideas if simple, small things I can use to up my calories without messing up my macros. Thank you. Just one question though... what does
    Keto = mod/large BG 4 mean?

    I have been using Ketostix to check if I am (probably) in ketosis or not since I am still fairly new to this WOE. They are small strips that you use to test your urine for ketones. They are at the pharmacy and are usually used for diabetics to check for ketoacidosis - a life threatening condition for diabetics.

    Keto = mod/large is how I measured that morning. I am usually measuring trace or small ketones.

    BG is my fasting blood glucose. I was measuring as a prediabetic before I changed my diet. 5.6 to 6.9 ( I believe) is prediabetic measurements in Canada. I like to keep my daily blood glucose measures, and fasting BG, in the 4's as much as possible.

    Best wishes. I' m glad I helped a bit. :)

    Oops. I didn't see yarwell's post. That. LOL. My answer was long winded.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    htecky76 wrote: »
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I opened my diary; although there are only 2.5 days of entries as I just found the app. I can tell you it's been almost exactly the same all week. Well minus my "starbucks passion tea lemonade - unsweetened". Serious reality check when I found out it had EIGHTEEN carbs and they are ALL sugar. So that was on it the first two days.
    Thank you for your help.

    Your coming in quite a bit below your target calories at 1000 calories or just below. That may not be a safe idea in the long term. Your goal of 1360 cal sounds reasonable - you appear to be missing out on one entire (small) meal.... I'm not a nutrition expert, and am pretty new, but that popped out at me.

    Perhaps try cutting down the oil or butter in one meal and applying it to an additional small meal like avocado, nuts, small burger patty, or some fish. I don't think you need to be so low to lose.

    If you like, you can take a look at my diary. My calories are set at 1400 something but I usually eat somewhere between 1200 and 1800, and some days are even higher or lower if I'm not hungry or I eat out. I have 30-40 lbs to lose, and am losing about 2 lbs a week right now (I am early in my weight loss efforts so it is coming off fast at the moment).

    If you look at mine, remember I am new too so it may not be the ideal diet... I'm pretty sure it's not. LOL

    Best wishes.

    I will definitely look at yours; I am open to any advice or ideas.... aND I truly appreciate it!!! Unfortunately I am running out now so I will have to do it this evening, but I wanted to reply to what you said about the meals because maybe you can offer some advice. I cannot figure out how to add calories without adding carbs; even my salad has 3 carbs and no real calories, meat will also put me over... possibly on my protien too. It's so confusing!! The butter and oil I do just to get my fats, I choke down a tbls of oil every day to make it, I even added in the "no-no-bad" salad dressing. Lol On a side note, I cannot eat nuts I have an allergy to most of them so I avoid all of them because I found out the hard way a lot of times they are packaged near or around ones that can hurt me.

    I saw low-fat milk in your coffee, you can use heavy whipping cream. It is about 100c per oz and is all fat, so it takes out the two carbs from the milk. Actual whipped cream is about 3 mins work with a whisk and tastes GREAT on berries and other treats.

  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    edited July 2015
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I looked at your diary and it gave me a couple ideas if simple, small things I can use to up my calories without messing up my macros. Thank you. Just one question though... what does
    Keto = mod/large BG 4 mean?

    I have been using Ketostix to check if I am (probably) in ketosis or not since I am still fairly new to this WOE. They are small strips that you use to test your urine for ketones. They are at the pharmacy and are usually usXTed for diabetics to check for ketoacidosis - a life threatening condition for diabetics.

    Keto = mod/large is how I measured that morning. I am usually measuring trace or small ketones.

    BG is my fasting blood glucose. I was measuring as a prediabetic before I changed my diet. 5.6 to 6.9 ( I believe) is prediabetic measurements in Canada. I like to keep my daily blood glucose measures, and fasting BG, in the 4's as much as possible.

    Best wishes. I' m glad I helped a bit. :)

    Oops. I didn't see yarwell's post. That. LOL. My answer was long winded.

    Thank you so much for the information!!!! I will look for the strips. I think it would help me.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    Foods low in carbs: dill pickles, asparagus, pork rinds, kale, romaine, cucumbers.
    When you lower carbs, you increase oils/fats. Things like bacon and olives are good for that:)
    Make sure that you are eating enough protein. <3 [/quote]

    Thank you. I didn't even think about pickles OR olives. I picked up some pepperoni and chicken today that I'm gonna slice up for a snack to up my proteins.

  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    htecky76 wrote: »
    Keto = mod/large BG 4 mean?

    Ketone reading off a pee strip - Moderate / Large
    Blood glucose 4.0 mmol/l at a guess

    Thank you!
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    Sounds like a sodium overload...
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    I saw low-fat milk in your coffee, you can use heavy whipping cream. It is about 100c per oz and is all fat, so it takes out the two carbs from the milk. Actual whipped cream is about 3 mins work with a whisk and tastes GREAT on berries and other treats.

    [/quote]

    Thank you!! That is a good idea.
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    edited July 2015
    Sounds like a sodium overload...

    What sounds like it is a sodium overload?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Probably the pickles, bacon and olives. Increased sodium is usually helpful if you are in ketosis though.

    How is the diet going? Were you able to sort your macros out to your satisfaction?
  • madrevillalba
    madrevillalba Posts: 5 Member
    .
    htecky76 wrote: »
    I do not know how to friend anybody or do anything on here as I am new to this site, but I'm wondering if anyone can help me please. I am on day 5 of this keto diet and everyday when I fill in my diary my saturated fats are too high my cholesterol is too high and other things are off. I'm not falling in where I'm supposed to and I don't know why. I set my macros to 5% carbs 20% protein and 75% fats with a calorie intake of 1360. I've only h ad breakfast and lunch and my cholesterol is at -41g and my saturated fat is at 5g. My vitamin C and vitamin A are both super high (guessing from supplements) yet my sodium and potassium are both very low. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm staying good with my macros though. I have done a ton of research on this and currently refer mostly to the "ruled me keto" site and books. That's where I got the macro calculator. please I am only looking for help not people to cut me down for doing a low carb diet. I have looked at a lot of these discussions for the past two days and I see a lot of insults so I am just asking for help from anybody else who is doing the same thing or has had the same trouble.
    Thank you!!

  • madrevillalba
    madrevillalba Posts: 5 Member
    I am having been dong Jeto fir a month now . I keep it simple, 1cup of salad and two cups of any mixed vegetables, keeping low on the protein
  • htecky76
    htecky76 Posts: 32 Member
    edited July 2015
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    Probably the pickles, bacon and olives. Increased sodium is usually helpful if you are in ketosis though.

    How is the diet going? Were you able to sort your macros out to your satisfaction?

    Ya I looked at pickles and olives today. Very little calories and low carbs, so they'd make a nice snack when sodium levels are low and feeling dizzy.
    I think I have my macros figured out. I can't seem to get them just right but I'm getting really close now!!
    How is yours going?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    htecky76 wrote: »
    Sounds like a sodium overload...

    What sounds like it is a sodium overload?

    Ignore it. Carb eaters retain more sodium than keto dieters and some stress about it and "water weight".
This discussion has been closed.