katrados wrote: »

Hello everyone, is this a Keto meal?

https://tasty.co/recipe/bacon-bbq-chicken-loaf

Planning to cook that for lunch tommorow wondering also how to count the calories.

Looks good. Does anyone know what BBQ sauces are low sugar? I can't seem to find any in my local stores.

@xDaniDragonflyx

I think I've heard that Stubbs BBQ sauce is pretty low. I've seen it at Aldi and Walmart.

xDaniDragonflyx wrote: »

katrados wrote: »

Hello everyone, is this a Keto meal?

https://tasty.co/recipe/bacon-bbq-chicken-loaf

Planning to cook that for lunch tommorow wondering also how to count the calories.

Looks good. Does anyone know what BBQ sauces are low sugar? I can't seem to find any in my local stores.

Here's a recipe i found for Carolina style sauce.

1 Gallon Cider Vinegar
1 1/3 Cups Crush Red Pepper
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Salt

I make a pint or quart at a time. It is thin so sometimes i thicken it.

Like to take a pint and a hunk of pork in instant pot, pulled pork for a week.

xDaniDragonflyx wrote: »

katrados wrote: »

Hello everyone, is this a Keto meal?

https://tasty.co/recipe/bacon-bbq-chicken-loaf

Planning to cook that for lunch tommorow wondering also how to count the calories.

Looks good. Does anyone know what BBQ sauces are low sugar? I can't seem to find any in my local stores.

This is a sugar free bbq sauce if you don't want to create your own:

G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free Honey Flavored BBQ Sauce
G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free Hickory Flavored BBQ Sauce

I've been able to get them at Albertson's (which is also Safeway) and it's also on Amazon in more than just these 2 flavors and I've been impressed. Be aware the Honey is very sweet tasting.

d_dc_lady wrote: »

My NSV for this week - these shorts that barely fit me 30 lbs ago. Right picture is probably around 185-190lbs and I am struggling to suck in my gut. Left is today at 158. Small changes add up, sometimes slowly, but it's so worth it.

fanncy0626 wrote: »

I have officially lost 70 pounds today! I have dropped 10.8 pounds since my three-week Keto challenge that started April 2. My husband has dropped 16.2 pounds since then. Love this way of eating!

Congratulations to you both! What great work.

fitzma1121 wrote: »

Hi, everyone. Just joined this group hoping to ask some questions. I started keto a few weeks ago, and only found MFP 2 weeks ago. I used an online calculator to determine my macros and so far am comfortable with the guidelines. I'm satisfied after meals, with no desire to snack, my energy is good, and I'm down 7 lbs.
I'm wondering about times when I can't hit all my macros exactly. I tend to get a bit OCD about numbers, and when faced with a situation where I'm short 3 grams of protein, but anything I have on hand to add to hit that number will push me a few grams over in fats, I play with the diary forever, trying to make choices that fit, but I'm wondering if I'm making this too complicated.
In the above example, is it better to hit protein target even if fat is slightly over, or hit fat total even if protein is slightly under? Do 2-3 grams really matter either way? How close to these numbers do I really have to be? I'm religious about my carbs, because I don't want to fall out of ketosis.

For me, I aim to be at or below my carb limit, at or a few grams above my protein goal, and eat enough fat to be satisfied and not hungry between meals. For me, that means I almost never eat all of my allotted fat grams, but am generally within 10-20 grams of it. It seems to be working fine - I’m down 15 pounds in less than 6 weeks.

fitzma1121 wrote: »

Hi, everyone. Just joined this group hoping to ask some questions. I started keto a few weeks ago, and only found MFP 2 weeks ago. I used an online calculator to determine my macros and so far am comfortable with the guidelines. I'm satisfied after meals, with no desire to snack, my energy is good, and I'm down 7 lbs.
I'm wondering about times when I can't hit all my macros exactly. I tend to get a bit OCD about numbers, and when faced with a situation where I'm short 3 grams of protein, but anything I have on hand to add to hit that number will push me a few grams over in fats, I play with the diary forever, trying to make choices that fit, but I'm wondering if I'm making this too complicated.
In the above example, is it better to hit protein target even if fat is slightly over, or hit fat total even if protein is slightly under? Do 2-3 grams really matter either way? How close to these numbers do I really have to be? I'm religious about my carbs, because I don't want to fall out of ketosis.

@fitzma1121

I know this is going to sound hard if you're OCD...BUT... No, 2-3 grams really don't matter, whether fats, proteins, or carbs. For 3 grams of fat, that's roughly 29 calories. for 3 grams of protein or carbs, that's 12 calories. Since calorie science is imperfect, you're well within the margin of error.

Carbs should be a relatively firm limit, but not so much that you freak out over 3 grams of carbs... This can be anywhere from a "zero" carb plan to 50 grams of carbs a day (or more if you time them with workouts) to maintain ketosis. Most folks start around 20 grams of carbs (which is based on a medical ketogenic diet, for seizure control and such) and work up towards finding the highest amount of carbs they can have (lots of green veggies!) while still losing weight, usually ending up around 50 grams of carbs (which is based on a nutritional ketogenic diet - for metabolic repair and health improvements/weight loss).

Protein should be a MINIMUM GOAL RANGE to maintain your existing muscle mass, support bodily functions, and allow your skin and such to slowly shrink with you, when possible. Limits to protein may come from kidney issues, damaged metabolism, etc. It is nearly always preferable to go OVER on protein. This is a good source of satiety, as well as the "safe" place to go over on calories.

Fats, especially while in the fat burning phases of your dietary plan, should fill in to satiety. Since your calorie deficit is filled in by burning stored body fat, your ENTIRE CALORIE DEFICIT should come out of this category (not spread out - it doesn't make any sense that you get to eat less carbs or protein just because you want to lose weight, does it?!) since you'll be replacing any deficit with burned body fat. Fats fill in to satiety, and later, once body fat is burned, they will be your main source of energy (they will be the whole time, just some will come from storage, some from diet - the BODY decides how much)...so how much fat you need to eat will increase as your weight goes down, as will your deficit shrink, eventually. Phinney and Volek have a great chart showing this. If you aren't hungry, you can nearly always stay under on fats. There will be few limited exceptions, but it won't hurt to go over here or there on fats, because it will just mean you're burning less body fat on any given day...


So no, you don't need to hit those macros exactly. They're all a moving target... If you're hungrier on any given day, eat more, and start with protein, if you can. If you're less hungry any other day, eat less - but again, aim for that protein first if you can. The body can convert anything it needs from other macros, but some of those conversions are more efficient than others. If the body is way under on protein for several days in a row, it will metabolize your muscles for an easy protein source...hence why we try to stay at a minimum set protein level when we can.

Hunger naturally rises and falls - stress, sleep, activity, hormones, and so many factors affect your calorie needs each day. You'll be in the same ballpark usually, but you will be hungrier some days and less so on other days. Start listening to your true hunger signals again, when you can!

Hopefully this isn't too overwhelming! I'm sure I missed something, so everyone else can fill in any details I missed. If any of this doesn't make sense, let us know, and someone can describe it in another way so that you can understand it better. Good luck!

Oh, and - if you cannot stand seeing red numbers on your diary, make sure to edit all your totals to be a bit higher than what you need so that you don't have to see them. If they don't bother you, then set them at your targets!

@ skctilidie

Love the NSVs!

Hey! I started the Keto diet on 09MAY2018 and for the most part it has been going very well. I am doing Keto to hopefully help with my PCOS and weight loss. Common with many women who have PCOS, I carry weight around my mid-section, so I am hoping to see a difference in my waist/hip ratio as a result of this diet.
So, I started eating Keto on a Wednesday, and that following Sunday morning I could tell I was experiencing the "Keto flu" and my body had made the metabolic shift from burning carbs to fat for fuel. Oh my was that an unpleasant feeling! My muscles felt super weak, I was exhausted, headache, and very irritable. My husband had run out to purchase a Keto electrolyte replenisher powder called Ultima (they come in small, individual packets, and he found them at Sprouts grocery store) when I was feeling that awful. I had the Ultima drink (lemonade flavor) and a few sliced strawberries, and within an hour or so I felt SO much better! I highly recommend these electrolyte drinks on this diet, and if you can be prepared with them before you make that initial plunge into ketosis I think it would ease a lot of the "flu" symptoms. I have stayed in some degree of ketosis (ranging from mild to large) ever since, and I stay within 1,500 calories everyday (I target 1,300 for weight loss though).

I am 152.5lbs today, down from 155lbs when I started 12 days ago, and I am looking to lose at LEAST 20lbs total. Any seasoned keto-ers who could tell me if 2.5lbs in 12 days when just starting the diet is good progress? Considering how restrictive/extreme the diet is, I feel I should have lost more, but that may just be American in me, wanting everything fast, fast, fast!

I have to say though, I genuinely have not felt hungry on this diet, however, I have had cravings. The cravings are more palate-related or textural though. Like, I would LOVE to have any type of juicy fruit! So all those summer time peaches, mangoes, pineapple, etc at the grocery store this time of year are very tempting. I haven't really missed bread, potatoes, or pasta...but on my first cheat day, I am soooo having a slice (or 3). Cheat day!? Yes, I do plan on having a cheat day maybe every 3 weeks or so (longer if I can). My research shows that while it does kick you out of ketosis, it does help many keto-ers stick with the diet. And through fasting and getting back on the keto diet, most can get back into ketosis within 24-36 hours.

The biggest challenge with keto I think is nailing the macros ratio. I was finding it impossible to eat as much fat as I needed to while keeping my protein consumption down. As many of you have probably read through your research, protein consumption on keto should be moderate at the most, because if your body identifies protein as a major source of fuel, it will burn protein/muscle mass. So I was resorting to consuming MCT oils only at some points during the day (and that's not very tasty). However, I stumbled upon Perfect Keto prodcuts and their MCT Oil Powder in chocolate flavor has saved me completely! An easy and super delicious way to get your fat grams up without increasing your protein. I swear guys this is so delicious! It tastes like a super, decadent chocolate milk, and it goes great in shakes too.

Anyhow, I would love to hear everyone's feedback! What have been your greatest challenges on Keto? How did you overcome them? What do you love about Keto? What are your favorite recipes and foods on Keto? Any tips?

Thanks for reading/listening ;-)