All Animal April (Advanced Experimenters)
FIT_Goat
Posts: 4,224 Member
Note: This challenge is for those who are comfortable with low-carb and are interested in some self-experimentation. There is no, proven, benefits to weight loss over keto or other low-carb plans.
For the month of April, eat only from the Animal kingdom. This means no plants or salads, no vegetable oils, and so on. I am willing to be flexible on the vegetable oils, but they can be problematic. If you're all about your coconut oil, you can keep what you're comfortable with. Technically, if you're stuck between quitting and having a little mayo (made with vegetable oil), then go with the mayo. It's should not cause you any issues. You just don't need them.
Dairy is allowed, but could cause problems. In particular, cheese can cause constipation in large amounts. This can usually be rectified (hehe) with a little extra fat or a nice pot of full strength coffee. It is best to keep the amount of cheese reasonable. Most people won't see any issues with 1-2 ounces a day. Some don't have problems even with 2-3 times that much. Dairy can also cause slower weight loss, stalls, or even slight gains. It is delicious and adds some variety. I would encourage most people to not be worried about problems with dairy, but just to take it easy and be aware that it is a primary suspect for these sorts of issues.
Basics
Weekly Check-In Should Include
Yeah, it's a simple check-in, but it is also a simple lifestyle. Check ins should be more of a personal narrative, although you are welcome to report hard numbers as well. Share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Even going from keto (20 grams of carbs) down to 0 grams is a big step. It's a lot bigger than going from 70 grams to 20. It's about as big as going from the standard American diet to keto. Why? I don't know. But, those last 20 grams are a big step.
Don't fear salt, especially the first couple weeks. Salting things will help if you experience a lot of water weight loss. You can supplement, if it makes you comfortable. Some people may choose to track calories and macros, others may not. This is an advanced experiment and you get to determine what protocols are important for yourself.
For the month of April, eat only from the Animal kingdom. This means no plants or salads, no vegetable oils, and so on. I am willing to be flexible on the vegetable oils, but they can be problematic. If you're all about your coconut oil, you can keep what you're comfortable with. Technically, if you're stuck between quitting and having a little mayo (made with vegetable oil), then go with the mayo. It's should not cause you any issues. You just don't need them.
Dairy is allowed, but could cause problems. In particular, cheese can cause constipation in large amounts. This can usually be rectified (hehe) with a little extra fat or a nice pot of full strength coffee. It is best to keep the amount of cheese reasonable. Most people won't see any issues with 1-2 ounces a day. Some don't have problems even with 2-3 times that much. Dairy can also cause slower weight loss, stalls, or even slight gains. It is delicious and adds some variety. I would encourage most people to not be worried about problems with dairy, but just to take it easy and be aware that it is a primary suspect for these sorts of issues.
Basics
- Eat only from the animal world (meat, eggs, high-fat/low-carb dairy).
- Eat nothing from the vegetable world whatsoever (very small amounts of spices may be added, they are not ‘food’).
- Drink mostly water, coffee, or tea. Drink nothing sweetened in any way.
- No sweeteners.
Weekly Check-In Should Include
- Short description of how it's going for you. Anything you think is important or you want to mention.
Yeah, it's a simple check-in, but it is also a simple lifestyle. Check ins should be more of a personal narrative, although you are welcome to report hard numbers as well. Share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Even going from keto (20 grams of carbs) down to 0 grams is a big step. It's a lot bigger than going from 70 grams to 20. It's about as big as going from the standard American diet to keto. Why? I don't know. But, those last 20 grams are a big step.
Don't fear salt, especially the first couple weeks. Salting things will help if you experience a lot of water weight loss. You can supplement, if it makes you comfortable. Some people may choose to track calories and macros, others may not. This is an advanced experiment and you get to determine what protocols are important for yourself.
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On it Boss0
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OH MAN! I just fell in love with vegetables! 4 months ago I would've been totally in! Good luck y'all!0
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Count me in, but with so many social functions coming up this month...I will watch my dairy intake, but will allow myself an occasional vodka and soda with my meat.0
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I'm in - just enjoyed some strawberries and heavy cream as a "good bye plants" snack. I plan our family dinners two weeks in advance, but most of the upcoming week looks compatible (I'll have to have something else on chili night, but no problem). Grocery store had a great BOGO sale on meat today, so I'm stocked up and ready to go. Glad I'm in an area of the country where the produce is still pretty sad this time of year
. Don't feel like I'll be missing much, and I'll appreciate those local spring veggies all the more next month! I will "cheat" on my husband's birthday - he's requested a carrot cake and that was already going to be a planned cheat for me. I've got some home rendered lard in the freezer and I save bacon drippings, so cooking oils shouldn't be an issue. I already don't track, but estimate that I usually eat 50-80g of carbs per day, so this will be a big drop for me... A little nervous, lol. 0 -
Count me in, gotta kick the diet DP habit!0
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I'm so freaking ready! I went to Costco and stocked up. I had some strawberries and cream also as my goodbye. I am looking forward to this. I have been hovering at 156, and I'd like to lose about 8 pounds. I have been this weight for months, so I am ready to shake things up.
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tlflag1620 wrote: »I'm in - just enjoyed some strawberries and heavy cream as a "good bye plants" snack. I plan our family dinners two weeks in advance, but most of the upcoming week looks compatible (I'll have to have something else on chili night, but no problem). Grocery store had a great BOGO sale on meat today, so I'm stocked up and ready to go. Glad I'm in an area of the country where the produce is still pretty sad this time of year. Don't feel like I'll be missing much, and I'll appreciate those local spring veggies all the more next month! I will "cheat" on my husband's birthday - he's requested a carrot cake and that was already going to be a planned cheat for me. I've got some home rendered lard in the freezer and I save bacon drippings, so cooking oils shouldn't be an issue. I already don't track, but estimate that I usually eat 50-80g of carbs per day, so this will be a big drop for me... A little nervous, lol.
That's huge! My learning: don't forget the butter n other fats. I feel fab (day 5) but would be grumpy if I had done this a few months back when I was still getting used to adding fats. Really impressed you are going cold turkey, so to speak n jumping straight down. Good luck!!0 -
I started early so today is day 14 for me. Week one I lost 3lbs and a few bits of inches in various places. Week 2 has been less productive, my body seems to like my current weight and I'm not seeing any real change, my trend weight has flattened right out.
I have been feeling positive about the changes in diet, even before I turned to keto I would have been happy to live on meat and cheese for the rest of my life. But today I just feel a bit flat and like I don't want to do this any more, not really that I want to start eating other foods, more that I don't want to be bothered eating anything, even though physically I feel hungry. I guess this is just a low and it will pass. I have tried cutting out my BPC this week and have been struggling to hit my fat goal without it, so maybe that's my answer right there. I've also been eating mostly cheap cuts of meat for the higher fat content but maybe tonight I'll try something a bit more tasty like a big fat rib-eye with plenty of butter.0 -
I'm hoping a tablespoon of Butter in my coffee will count in the dairy...I forgot!! But I am excited to get into the All Meat April!!0
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I'm in. Drinking only water too, which will be a big change. I put away the AeroPress last night.0
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Time2LoseWeightNOW wrote: »I'm hoping a tablespoon of Butter in my coffee will count in the dairy...I forgot!! But I am excited to get into the All Meat April!!
Butter is high fat dairy. It is totally allowed.0 -
Posting my day one stats:
5'7" female
SW: 149 lbs
Waist (at narrowest point)- 27.5"
Hips (at widest point)- 37"
Thigh (at widest point)- 22.5"
GW: 140-145 lbs, no real time frame, but it would be nice to lose 2-3 lbs this month
The fam is having chili tonight, but there's leftover chicken and pork chops in the fridge, so I plan to eat that, probably shmeared with some butter.
@SamandaIndia : Thanks! I've been eating at this level (50-80g) for about three years now. I'm not too worried about getting enough fat (when I used to log I hovered around 100g per day and I don't think that's changed) so much as I'm worried about missing veggies and nuts, but I think my almond habit has been slowing me down, so this will be a nice way to test that theory
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I'm in. I started on Monday. It's going well. The scale is moving in the right direction. Tonight we have a kid's birthday party with pizza and cake. I will eat my meat and butter before I go.
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I've got company over tonight and am planning salads for it (right now, it's a lettuce blend, black and green olives, dressing, and a variety of meats to top it; I'm still debating whether I'll be the weirdo with meat salad or if I'll do a little lettuce, and I'll likely have at least a few olives, because olives are awesome), but other than that, I'm in. I forgot to do a weigh-in this morning, but my current weight is swinging between 252 and ~256. I'm hoping to see that move downward.
I've got a bunch of steak already cooked up, too. 0 -
I haven't been weighing in a while but I suppose I'll do a before and after at least.
I am an IF'er too btw, for years now.
Weight training will continue, at least 2 days a week but often a 3rd shorter session. Do cardio once or twice a week.0 -
I need to take measurements but here are my current stats
F 5'4"
Scale weight 134.4
Trend weight 135.4
Keto for 11 months
Day 1 of AAA going great!0 -
My stats:
37 F
5'6
This morning weight 156.8
I'd love to lose 8-10 pounds by mid July. I hope this will get me motivated again. The carbs have been slowly creeping in. I have been reading Gary Taubes "Good Calories, Bad Calories". I feel pretty solid about this challenge. I definitely need to be more mindful of what I eat.0 -
Time2LoseWeightNOW wrote: »I'm hoping a tablespoon of Butter in my coffee will count in the dairy...I forgot!! But I am excited to get into the All Meat April!!
Butter is high fat dairy. It is totally allowed.
Thanks, Fit_Goat!
Habits!! Ugh!! I forgot again a few hours later. While I was talking to a friend , I keep small containers of sunflower seeds in my purse and before I thought about it, I had chunked back a "mouthful of 'em....lol It wasn't until later that I even thought about it...I'm not stressing though , the rest of the day has been easy. So I know it will be easier to remember.
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Well, I've hit my first hurdle. Hubs was in a rare mood for Mexican but started complaining about how I can't eat anything there. Then I said yes I can, I get fajitas.. Oh dang! I'll have to look at the menu, cuz I'm doing this no vegetable thing...
Well, then he yells to my son that we aren't going now because I'm too much of a freak.
Now he's grumping and I looked at the menu and said I would just ask for extra meat and less peppers/onions and just eat the meat, then he said that's stupid to pay for food in not going to eat...
Then he started in about why I'm not eating vegetables. I made up something about how my belly hurts after so I'm experimenting to see if there's any improvement with my digestion...
He teases me sometimes about eating differently but has even cut back on carbs himself after all the success I've had. I'm kinda surprised at his extreme response tonight. Must just be in a mood.
Anyway, I'm not budging. I refuse to eat food just because it's on my plate. I also told him he could go with our son and I would be fine with that. He's too grumpy to even talk to right now! He's being bratty!0 -
I had to update because things took a crazy turn...
So, then after confirming that we were eating at home, I said I was cooking sausage, bacon and eggs then and asked if he wanted pancakes.
He then asked me to stop offering him "fattening foods", initially, I thought I was about to get a lecture about bacon and sausage, then as he went on, he was saying that if I don't offer to make pancakes, then he won't want them and to stop offering food like that for him. Because it was just going to make him fat...
Lol
Well, I didn't see that one coming!0
