Shocked!
MKknits
Posts: 184 Member
I started keto last Tuesday and really it's been pretty easy going for me. I was already eating low carb so this switch just meant cutting back and measuring my veg while adding fat to them and more fat to most meals. I've kept my net carbs at or below 20 most days with yesterday hitting 25 (but my stomach was bothering me and I only had probiotic gummies with 4 grams of carbs to take, I have better ones and new digestive enzymes coming from Amazon). Weighed today and since Tuesday I'm down 10lbs! I'm shocked. I'm morbidly obese so the large loss is great but I do realize it will slow down. I know it's early but I feel like after years of struggling with various programs I may be onto something that will work longer term for me. Plus I'm feeling pretty darn good, better then I have in years.
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That is amazing! I love that with low carb/ keto I don't feel the hunger and fatigue that I would on a lower calorie diet. I do miss some stuff, bananas, pizza. But I'm working on modifications, low carb pizzas, and learning about nutritional values which helps me realize that if I eat a quarter of a banana if I miss it so much then it won't be the end of the world. It will probably slow down but I think you will continue to lose very effectively.0
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Its the greatest things since sliced bread... lol.. I am amazed also, just because its all fitting into my life, my favourite desserts are always cream based, now I am eating full organic cream everyday and losing, fatty lamb shanks yesterday a favourite of mine... and the vege restrictions just take all the "thinking " out of it, I dont spend my time peeling carrots etc... anymore usually on a diet I have every vege under the sun in my kitchen beans soaking cooking lentils hours on end... juicing- this eating plan for me is very simple.... but the real benefit is the mental clarity and emotional stability... I feel so emotionally calm.4
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Agreed. Just cutting calories makes me irritable.kiwiapplepear wrote: »Its the greatest things since sliced bread... lol.. I am amazed also, just because its all fitting into my life, my favourite desserts are always cream based, now I am eating full organic cream everyday and losing, fatty lamb shanks yesterday a favourite of mine... and the vege restrictions just take all the "thinking " out of it, I dont spend my time peeling carrots etc... anymore usually on a diet I have every vege under the sun in my kitchen beans soaking cooking lentils hours on end... juicing- this eating plan for me is very simple.... but the real benefit is the mental clarity and emotional stability... I feel so emotionally calm.
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Awesome!
I'm glad it's working so well for you.
Keep an eye on sodium. If you start getting tired, headaches, nausea, moody or muscle pain/cramps, then it's time to supplement with more sodium. Upwards of 3000-5000mg of sodium per day.0 -
This is true, when I feel like this I take a pinch of Himalayan sea salt and it helps so much. I first read it on the bulletproof blog. Hypertension runs in my family so I'm wary of salt but this had no negative effect right after.Awesome! I'm glad it's working so well for you.
Keep an eye on sodium. If you start getting tired, headaches, nausea, moody or muscle pain/cramps, then it's time to supplement with more sodium. Upwards of 3000-5000mg of sodium per day.
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Yes I have been drinking a cup of chicken bullion daily and heavily salt most meals. Also I eat an avocado daily for the potassium and just picked up lite salt at the grocery store today because I was getting charley horses in my calves while sleeping (hate that and used to eat a banana a day to keep it from happening so I know that is a potassium issue). I did get headaches and achey a few times this week but a cup of broth always seemed to help. I think I need to start supplementing for magnesium as well probably.
I don't feel deprived on this plan right now...and no matter what else I've done I've struggled with feeling like I can't eat the food I want. For example last night DH was eating ben and Jerry's, on any other WOE I would feel like it was unfair that I couldn't eat a pint like he does. I was hungry though so I got a few salami and cream cheese rolls and 5 olives and I was totally satisfied and had no desire to eat the ice cream.
A week in on any other WOE I would already be working to convince myself and those around me that this would work this time. With this one I don't need to try and convince anyone for he first time I truly feel confident that I've found my WOE (although after a few moths once I'm fay adapted I may do a higher carb day every 2-3 weeks just to make sure I don't get tired of this).3 -
Yes I have been drinking a cup of chicken bullion daily and heavily salt most meals. Also I eat an avocado daily for the potassium and just picked up lite salt at the grocery store today because I was getting charley horses in my calves while sleeping (hate that and used to eat a banana a day to keep it from happening so I know that is a potassium issue). I did get headaches and achey a few times this week but a cup of broth always seemed to help. I think I need to start supplementing for magnesium as well probably.
I don't feel deprived on this plan right now...and no matter what else I've done I've struggled with feeling like I can't eat the food I want. For example last night DH was eating ben and Jerry's, on any other WOE I would feel like it was unfair that I couldn't eat a pint like he does. I was hungry though so I got a few salami and cream cheese rolls and 5 olives and I was totally satisfied and had no desire to eat the ice cream.
A week in on any other WOE I would already be working to convince myself and those around me that this would work this time. With this one I don't need to try and convince anyone for he first time I truly feel confident that I've found my WOE (although after a few moths once I'm fay adapted I may do a higher carb day every 2-3 weeks just to make sure I don't get tired of this).
Hey @MKknits - I also get Charlies Horses while sleeping, so often I can often feel the twinge of the muscle before it turns. those who get them probably know what I am talking about. With your Chicken bullion, is that a proper broth mix or is it like a stock, which is basically a powder that you add hot water to. I used to just up my water intake to avoid the cramps, but might have to start having some broth to up my salt intake.
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Good on you. I feel the same about it. Its just no problem. So so easy. I never feel hungry and no sugar cravings. I also feel I can do this long term without feeling like I'm on a diet. It's just a better way of eating. My weight loss has been effortless. 8 kg in 8 weeks. Having some blood work done tomorrow, but feeling really well.0
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@the_new_mark_2016 I use the powdered bullion because I like the taste better and it has a lot more sodium then the boxed pre-made version. The Knorr brand is the brand I like the taste of best - it tastes like the flavoring in chicken ramen noodle to me.1
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@the_new_mark_2016 I use the powdered bullion because I like the taste better and it has a lot more sodium then the boxed pre-made version. The Knorr brand is the brand I like the taste of best - it tastes like the flavoring in chicken ramen noodle to me.
I, too, suffer from night leg cramp (both on and off LCHF). I have found a magnesium supplement helps. Doesn't entirely cure them but they are not as frequent nor as strong.1 -
Yes I have been drinking a cup of chicken bullion daily and heavily salt most meals. Also I eat an avocado daily for the potassium and just picked up lite salt at the grocery store today because I was getting charley horses in my calves while sleeping (hate that and used to eat a banana a day to keep it from happening so I know that is a potassium issue). I did get headaches and achey a few times this week but a cup of broth always seemed to help. I think I need to start supplementing for magnesium as well probably.
@MKknits - Leg cramps are much more of a magnesium issue than potassium, but it's always been marketed as potassium issue. Potassium is often not needed to be supplemented unless you're dumping electrolytes, it is present in chicken and a lot of other meats... It's not required to be tracked on nutrient labels.
But with magnesium, don't get oxide. Look for glycinate, taurate, citrate - chelated forms if possible. Health stores or amazon, etc. are great sources.0 -
@KnitOrMiss (a fellow knitter perhaps?) I have MagCalm I bought a few years ago to help with IBS issues, is that one okay?1
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I started keto last Tuesday and really it's been pretty easy going for me. I was already eating low carb so this switch just meant cutting back and measuring my veg while adding fat to them and more fat to most meals. I've kept my net carbs at or below 20 most days with yesterday hitting 25 (but my stomach was bothering me and I only had probiotic gummies with 4 grams of carbs to take, I have better ones and new digestive enzymes coming from Amazon). Weighed today and since Tuesday I'm down 10lbs! I'm shocked. I'm morbidly obese so the large loss is great but I do realize it will slow down. I know it's early but I feel like after years of struggling with various programs I may be onto something that will work longer term for me. Plus I'm feeling pretty darn good, better then I have in years.
Are you checking for presence of ketones in your blood or urine? Sudden drastic changes in diet promote rapid water weight loss, whether the diet is effective long term or not. Expect it to level out after several weeks, then you can really monitor your progress and know that you are burning your fat instead of just losing water weight.
I am very happy you feel great, but don't get discouraged if you don't keep losing at this weight.
Yes, digestive enzymes, and consider something like bone broth too:-)0 -
Personally, I don't think you need to test. I think it is easy to tell by how you feel:
- not hungry (or hangry) all the time
- are losing weight but not feeling deprived (you will have periods of stalling, but even then, it is normal to see changes in body composition/measurements during those periods)
- find yourself going under calorie goal but not being hungry (not everyday, but not unusual)
- feel more focused (could be partly because you are not so focused on food)
You can spend the money on ketostix, but I think it is better to spend it in other ways.
Now, if you are diabetic, there are some reasons you may want to get a tester for blood ketones. I am still researching this, but it seems there could be some usefulness there.2 -
cstehansen wrote: »
Personally, I don't think you need to test. I think it is easy to tell by how you feel:
- not hungry (or hangry) all the time
- are losing weight but not feeling deprived (you will have periods of stalling, but even then, it is normal to see changes in body composition/measurements during those periods)
- find yourself going under calorie goal but not being hungry (not everyday, but not unusual)
- feel more focused (could be partly because you are not so focused on food)
You can spend the money on ketostix, but I think it is better to spend it in other ways.
Now, if you are diabetic, there are some reasons you may want to get a tester for blood ketones. I am still researching this, but it seems there could be some usefulness there.
Well I was hangry last night but this time shift had me feeling like it was 7 when I started supper at 6 - so I ate my supper while I cooked the kids their supper - I was also a bit hangry though because in the process of making them their spaghetti I managed to spill the entire spaghetti pot full of water all over the kitchen before I got it to the stove.
I feel like maybe over the weekend I didn't drink enough water as well and I'm noticing water makes a big difference in how I feel.0 -
I'm with @cstehansen. I don't think you need to test. Keep doing what you're doing and unless you're unlike the masses, you'll be in ketosis. You can take that with a grain of salt if you like since I have never bothered with "the sticks" but I believe I have been in ketosis except on the 3 occasions (in 7 months) I went severely off plan for a sugar binge. Go severely off plan and you'll experience the differences.
It is my personal opinion/experience that even on a ketogenic diet old BEHAVIORS still want to rear their ugly head. It is also my experience that real, physically hungry days happen. Those days are just not as frequent.1 -
@kpk54 Yesterday was also a hungry day for me - but I partially blame that on having a salad with romaine for lunch. I find romaine to be a worthless food for me and should have just brought spinach to make my own personal salad with (we had a group lunch to honor a coworker that involved lasagna and chicken ceasar salad - the salad is all I ate and it just wasn't filling even when I added full fat dressing, cheese and bacon).0
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Look at your fat intake, if you are hungry. Carbs should be low, fat high, and protein at a moderate level, so no muscle loss. It is hard when you first start to eat all the fat, but once you get over that, your hunger should be much more in control.0
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@kpk54 Yesterday was also a hungry day for me - but I partially blame that on having a salad with romaine for lunch. I find romaine to be a worthless food for me and should have just brought spinach to make my own personal salad with (we had a group lunch to honor a coworker that involved lasagna and chicken ceasar salad - the salad is all I ate and it just wasn't filling even when I added full fat dressing, cheese and bacon).
Well there ya go. A good reason to BE hungry. Not enough food energy. Hopefully you were either able to fight through it in the afternoon or had something filling in your classroom stash to satisfy the hunger and did not succumb to obsessive eating when you got home. I'm guessing you handled it well or at least learned something from the experience and will make adjustments in planning. 0 -
@KnitOrMiss (a fellow knitter perhaps?) I have MagCalm I bought a few years ago to help with IBS issues, is that one okay?
@MKknits - yes, ma'am, I'm a fellow needle artist, though on a temporary time off, due to some injuries.
I've heard lots of good things about MagCalm and SloMag and the like. Try it and see how it goes. From what I recall, it is pretty decent, though once it is gone you might seek out a better form for you. Magnesium is a threshold medicine - you'll know you hit therapeutic doses when you aren't sprinting to the bathroom in an emergency fashion, but that the cramps are gone. The whole water/sodium/magnesium/potassium balance is delicate, so if you aren't getting your water it, it will be difficult to keep this all managed.
THIS is a decent explanation of the basic types of magnesium, though they may differ in reaction for you. I personally take Doctor's Best Brand Chelated Magnesium Glycinate, and I love it...other forms may work better for you...and where you can easily get it (I order from Amazon) may impact what type you choose as well.0 -
@kpk54 Yesterday was also a hungry day for me - but I partially blame that on having a salad with romaine for lunch. I find romaine to be a worthless food for me and should have just brought spinach to make my own personal salad with (we had a group lunch to honor a coworker that involved lasagna and chicken ceasar salad - the salad is all I ate and it just wasn't filling even when I added full fat dressing, cheese and bacon).
Well there ya go. A good reason to BE hungry. Not enough food energy. Hopefully you were either able to fight through it in the afternoon or had something filling in your classroom stash to satisfy the hunger and did not succumb to obsessive eating when you got home. I'm guessing you handled it well or at least learned something from the experience and will make adjustments in planning.
Yes I did pack a few snacks - I try to do that daily just in case. So I had 1oz of macadamia nuts that I ate right after the salad and 2 salami cheese rolls I ate around 3. That held me until supper mostly but I was really hungry at supper - but I just loaded up on fat because most of my carbs had been used yesterday already (grass fed burger with cheese and avocado, and 1/2 cup of cauliflower topped with cream cheese and bacon).1 -
The most accurate way to see if you are in ketosis is to eat way off plan for a day and you will see how badly your body rebels with feelings of being bloated, unpleasant bathroom excursions and feeling of being unable to get full. I don't recommend this, but just thought I would throw it out there. 0
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cstehansen wrote: »The most accurate way to see if you are in ketosis is to eat way off plan for a day and you will see how badly your body rebels with feelings of being bloated, unpleasant bathroom excursions and feeling of being unable to get full. I don't recommend this, but just thought I would throw it out there.
no thank you! My stomach issues are so much better now doing this. I don't know if it's because I'm sensitive to gluten or sugar really dislikes my sytem...but either way eating keto I'm having way less issue stomach wise then I've ever had before...and I love it! 1 -
cstehansen wrote: »The most accurate way to see if you are in ketosis is to eat way off plan for a day and you will see how badly your body rebels with feelings of being bloated, unpleasant bathroom excursions and feeling of being unable to get full. I don't recommend this, but just thought I would throw it out there. no thank you! My stomach issues are so much better now doing this. I don't know if it's because I'm sensitive to gluten or sugar really dislikes my sytem...but either way eating keto I'm having way less issue stomach wise then I've ever had before...and I love it!
Then I guess you have your answer without the need for such a painful experiment.0
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