Keto Day 3 and way under macros and calories
MakingItHappen2017
Posts: 37 Member
Hi all. I am on day 3 Keto and just not hungry. Below are my remaining macros (grams) and calories for today. Is it a bad idea not to eat? Don't really want to fast until I hit a plateau. I am 225lbs and wanting to loose maybe 50-60lbs
Carbs 13.
Fat 63.
Protein 56.
Calories 833
3
Replies
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peanut butter2
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http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
The above link is to a good thread for advice on switching to keto.
The suggestion of nut butter is also a good idea. Or even just some nuts or cheese. ;-) Or, since protein is an issue, full fat greek yogurt or cottage cheese. (Full fat greek yogurt mixed with nut butter is delicious -- has carbs, but you seem to have some extra, and has more protein and especially fat.)
More seriously, and for a longer term plan, you definitely do need more protein. I did keto for a while and liked it, do low carb most of the time, and if low carb is new to you and a huge change transitioning more gradually might be easier. A plan definitely makes it easier.
My plan for keto was to have a standard breakfast (for me, 2 eggs, smoked salmon, vegetables, in the form of a vegetable omelet, maybe avocado on the side). Then other meals I structured around a good source of protein (again, important, and remember that fatty meats like bacon and sausage often do not have lots of protein, so you won't want to rely just on them) and vegetables. (I think vegetables are really important, yes, they have carbs, but not that many net carbs, and you can go into keto above 20 g of carbs anyway.) If you cook the veg in butter or oil or make a salad with a dressing including olive oil and maybe some cheese on the salad, things like that, there are more calories and fat. Toss on some nuts or seeds too. You can also increase portions of your protein sources, of course.
Snacks (or a side, if you don't want to snack -- I personally do not) of (again) seeds, nuts, nut butter, cheese, hard boiled eggs, olives, stuff like that, add calories and fat. Also, many of these foods (salted nuts, cheese, olives) will be higher sodium which can be helpful when trying to avoid keto flu (so are magnesium and potassium and keeping vegetables in your diet and even coffee can help with that).
A couple of days at low cals don't matter if you pay attention and eat more when hungry and don't let it go too long, but some lose appetite on keto, and some just don't know what to eat, get too hungry, and then can't stick to plan and overeat. And in any case low protein isn't good.6 -
Any suggestions on what to eat post workout (hiit)?0
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You def need more protein than that in a caloric deficit. aim for 0.8 grams per lb of goal weight. so if your goal is 160, that would be a min protein of 128 grams. not getting enough protein while in a deficit will lead to a larger % of your weight loss coming from lean muscle, not just the fat you want to lose.0
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Sonrisayvives wrote: »Any suggestions on what to eat post workout (hiit)?
start your own thread5 -
I am 4 months in on Keto and I started at 230. My experience was much like yours at the start. I was having trouble hitting my macros, consumed little calories, and lacked appetite, but I forced myself as I didn't want to be nutrient deficient either.
My suggestion is meal plan ahead of time and get a food scale to weigh your portions. Enter your meal into myfitnesspal ahead of time, you may discover that you actually can have a slightly bigger portion than you though. If you like to cook, there are several good Keto Cookbooks on the market and I have become more adventurous with what I try to expand my pallet, but also so that I don't get bored with the same bacon, eggs, and cheese everyday.
I detest avocados, but have forced myself to make them become a major staple of what I consume not only for the healthy fats but some fiber as well. I discovered that Macadamia nuts are full of fats and low in carbs and a good way boost my fat intake.
If I discover I am really low on my fat macros specifically, I look for stuff I can easily consume that will help boost my numbers at least closer to my daily fat goal.
Good luck and stick with it, it really works, don't get discouraged when the weight loss slows!1 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
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My suggestion is meal plan ahead of time and get a food scale to weigh your portions. Enter your meal into myfitnesspal ahead of time, you may discover that you actually can have a slightly bigger portion than you though.
I detest avocados, but have forced myself to make them become a major staple of what I consume not only for the healthy fats but some fiber as well.
Entering my meals into MFP ahead of time is the only way I can make sure I am getting enough nutrients on keto. Maybe after more experience I won't have to, but this is a very good suggestion for beginners!
Also, I felt like I was the only one who detested avocados! It's the texture, they're just so terrible...haha
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You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
In a deficit, nothing is converted to fat. Protein is needed to retain muscle and many find it helps with satiety.2 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
no - the OP needs more protein, not just fat (their fat is set to 120g a day) - at 80g protein a day, she is not getting enough to really prevent the loss of lean muscle mass (with 56g protein remaining, it means the OP has literally eaten 24g of protein for the day)3 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
I missed that hte 56 grams of protein is left... not sure what the intake goal is but should be 100+0 -
Bulletproof coffee is your friend. I get about 40-50 grams of fat per cup. Butter, heavy cream (find one with no carbs and no carrageenan) and MCT or coconut oil. I have at least one a day. more if I find I'm low on fats. also ensure you are cooking your veggies with oils and/or butter, no need to skimp. A lot of people say to go easy on cheeses, but you can find low to no carb cheeses with a high fat count. Hope this helps.3
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You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
I missed that hte 56 grams of protein is left... not sure what the intake goal is but should be 100+
intake goal is only 80g of protein...at 225lbs currently and a weight loss goal of 50lbs (end weight 175lbs) - then 100g at the minimum (140g would be .8g/overall final goal)0 -
A few things that work for me...
Fish has both protein and good healthy fat. I personally love salmon and grilled shrimp but there are so many options....easy to come by for home or restaurants. Each fish is different on the fat/protein content. I keep a cheat sheet so I can use it to tweak my macros. My LDL/HDL love me for it.
Cooking/baking is not for everyone but there is a low carb cheese cake, made with philly cream cheese that I love. Not bad on calories, high fat with some protein. I keep slices in freezer so I can grab one when my schedule affects my keto meal plan. About 16 servings from the one cake...and the freezer option is wonderful. I make it once a month...but I cant keep my families hands off them. You would never know it is low carb. If you have a mind to make one...email me. Will send it to you.
Another idea...Keto low carb pancakes with sugar free syrup. The fluffy recipe, not the flat cream cheese recipe. Love them and with real butter in them and on them, great on the fats but also contains some protein.0 -
It's normal to not be hungry when starting keto. Fasting or eating under your calorie goal once and a while won't hurt you. Just judge how you feel. If you feel weak, dizzy, nauseated, exhausted, etc. - force yourself to eat more. Nuts and nut butters are an easy way to boost calories.1
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PS - normal macros for keto are around 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs. OP's protein goal is fine for keto purposes.1
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BTW...depends on your location but if you have butcher shops...look at various sources of your meat. I actually eat bison, goat and lamb and get Reindeer sausage shipped in from Alaska. Really lean meats and they work great in almost any recipe that uses beef. Cant tell you how much I love bison steak but requires extra attention when cooking. Goat stew is so much better, to me, than venison. You may need to up your fat sources because they are lean...but think outside the box.0
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We can tolerate a few days with little food, even fasting, if necessary. But restricting food intake for no good reason, unavoidably followed up by binging, is a bad idea. Aim to eat regularly and sticking to a somewhat consistent calorie intake. Also log correctly - if your logging is off, you might even not have a calorie deficit. It's smart to come up with a diet plan that ticks all these boxes:
- an appropriate calorie goal for your height, weight, sex, age and activity level
- balanced nutrition
- food you like
- easy to stick to0 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
Um, look at her diary.
94 g of fat today, 117 yesterday -- that's totally fine for keto at the calorie goal she has.
But 44 g of protein yesterday, 52 today -- TOO low. No risk of that pushing you out of keto, or any good goal for a deficit (.8 g per lb of a healthy goal weight, say) doing so, and at keto keeping protein up is even MORE important for preserving muscle. (Source for this are some studies discussed at the calorieproper site I have linked often.)
The way goal setting works with keto is keep carbs below a particular number (under 50 g is usually sufficient, so OP has tons of room to spare with 20), keeping protein at a good number to preserve muscle mass and help with satiety, and filling in the rest with fat. You use body fat to fill in the rest of the deficit (as with any diet), so at a deficit the overall percentage of fat from diet can be less anyway.0 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
In a deficit, nothing is converted to fat. Protein is needed to retain muscle and many find it helps with satiety.
And this.0 -
PS - normal macros for keto are around 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs. OP's protein goal is fine for keto purposes.
her current goal (80g) is at 21% - while not far below the recommended %, it is below the recommended - 92g would get her to 25% - but even with that - eating only 30-40% of the daily goal - yes the OP needs to take in more protein0 -
You def need more protein than that in a caloric deficit. aim for 0.8 grams per lb of goal weight. so if your goal is 160, that would be a min protein of 128 grams. not getting enough protein while in a deficit will lead to a larger % of your weight loss coming from lean muscle, not just the fat you want to lose.
Not this! you need more fat that is too much protein..3 -
JustKeepTryin wrote: »You def need more protein than that in a caloric deficit. aim for 0.8 grams per lb of goal weight. so if your goal is 160, that would be a min protein of 128 grams. not getting enough protein while in a deficit will lead to a larger % of your weight loss coming from lean muscle, not just the fat you want to lose.
Not this! you need more fat that is too much protein..
Why? (I mean, sure, it's quite likely OP's goal is less than 160, so her target protein would be lesser in that case.)
See http://caloriesproper.com/protein-ketosis-and-lean-mass/
This idea that eating a moderate protein goal like .8 g/lb of a healthy goal weight will kick you out of ketosis is not based on anything solid (and also this idea that it MATTERS whether one is in ketosis is puzzling if one just just low carbing to lose weight and help with satiety).0 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
This is a common misconception. It's not true.
sci-fit.net/2017/ketogenic-diet-fat-muscle-performance/It has been said that eating a lot of protein will kick you out of ketosis because of gluconeogenesis [Footnote explanation: when protein is turned into glucose]. In spite of this claim, protein intakes from 122 to 176 grams (1.1-2.2 g/kg) per day did not prevent ketosis in several studies.0 -
You need more fat, not more protein. Too much protein and your body will convert it to sugar to use as energy (gluconeogenesis), rather that burning fat, which is the point of ketosis.
You do realize that fat can be converted to glucose through glucenogenisis right? I dont know how those who follow keto don't recognize that as well.
OP, Id aim for some fatty cuts of meat, oily fish or some hard cheeses. Personally, getting more proteins and fats will help with calories and support muscle retention. If your goal is a lean body over a skinny body, protein is very important. Also to note, maintaining muscle means faster decreases in fat mass and body fat % reductions.0 -
I agree with the others. More protein.
For keto'ers, protein is a goal you want to hit or exceed. You want to maintain your lean tissue.
Carbs a ceiling you want to stay under (mostly).
Fats fill in the rest. If not hungry, eat fewer fats and rely on body fat for fuel that day. If hungry, eat more fat and protein.
For example, a not hungry day could be 15g carbs, 85g protein, and 56g fat. A hungry day could be 20g carbs, 90g protein and 110g of fat.
If not hungry for a few days, don't sweat it. Eat less on those days, but try to get in your protein.
Snacks of fish is a good idea. Perhaps poultry. Protein powder is an easy trick to getting more protein if you find it hard.
Good luck.0 -
Thank you to all that took the time to reply to my post. It is very much appreciated. With all the info on the internet things can be quite confusing and conflicting. Your advice is awesome.
Please please correct me if I am wrong, but I take from this:
1) It’s okay to be under calories sometimes
2) I need to increase my protein - how many grams should I be eating? ( Really hate all the macro calculators I have tried and I have tried lots)
3) Carbs target is all good
4) Fat — Is this too high? Do I have to hit target to get a good weight loss or is this not necessary?
Thanks again everyone for you help!0 -
protein - aim for .8g per goal lean muscle mass - i.e. if your overall goal is 150lbs with 20% BF - then goal protein should be - (150*.8)*.8 = 96g protein1
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MakingItHappen2017 wrote: »Thank you to all that took the time to reply to my post. It is very much appreciated. With all the info on the internet things can be quite confusing and conflicting. Your advice is awesome.
Please please correct me if I am wrong, but I take from this:
1) It’s okay to be under calories sometimes
2) I need to increase my protein - how many grams should I be eating? ( Really hate all the macro calculators I have tried and I have tried lots)
3) Carbs target is all good
4) Fat — Is this too high? Do I have to hit target to get a good weight loss or is this not necessary?
Thanks again everyone for you help!
For keto I think what nvsmomketo said is correct:
Try to stay at or under your carb goal (I think you don't need to be as low as 20g to do keto and that it's hard to get adequate vegetables on 20 g or less, but that's just my thing, don't mind me, as you didn't ask about that, I just hate that super low carbs are promoted as if vegetables are bad).
Try to hit your protein goal (I'd aim for somewhere between .65 and .85 g/lb of a healthy goal weight).
Eat fat to satiety. That means you don't have to hit any particular number and if you are lower than intended on a day or two, no matter.
I don't think you have this problem, but I would make sure that you are not consistently coming in way low on calories or way low on fat, as the idea is a high fat diet, not a high protein diet (but your 90-120 g amounts seem like plenty to me).1
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