Just started Keto with time restricted eating, need tips and info

TimothyPhoenix
TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just started Keto a day ago. I feel like it's something I can do and need to do to lose weight and feel healthier.

I have read several lists of what you can and cannot eat so I'm pretty comfortable with that aspect of it.

I work an overnight shift which is 10 pm - 8 am, so I am starting off with a 10 hour eating window from 10 pm - 8 am.

Here are some questions I have about Keto though because I am seeing differing information depending on the source.

-Can you eat too much fat and calories on Keto
In some places I am seeing you should still eat in moderation, in others I have read that as long as you stick to the diet you can eat as much as you want.

-Can you eat too much protein on Keto
Again, I have seen yes and no answers to this.

-Should you simply keep your daily carb intake as low as you can, or is there a range of carbs per day you should aim for

-Should I just eat when I am hungry during my 10 hour eating window, or should I eat every so many hours


This is what I ate on my first day on the diet

10 pm
four scrambled eggs
four sausage patties

3 am
1/2 pound of grilled chicken breast cooked in olive oil with mrs dash salt free chicken seasoning
2 cups of brocolli florets

8 am
1 cup of cottage cheese
2 cups of cauliflower with 2 tbsp of butter

Any information, tips, help, and answers to my questions would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • pjcallie
    pjcallie Posts: 60 Member
    I started keto in September and am doin well. It’s a lot of work. Remember it is a body adjustment and takes time. If you have access to YouTube I suggest doing some research if you can find the time. Keto Christina channel inspired meZ. Thomas DeLauer is a science guy with a lot of the chemistry info
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    pjcallie wrote: »
    I started keto in September and am doin well. It’s a lot of work. Remember it is a body adjustment and takes time. If you have access to YouTube I suggest doing some research if you can find the time. Keto Christina channel inspired meZ. Thomas DeLauer is a science guy with a lot of the chemistry info

    Thanks. I found Thomas DeLauer last night and watched a bunch of his videos.
  • pjcallie
    pjcallie Posts: 60 Member
    Keto Christina list 100 pounds, became a professional, has written books, it’s doing podcasts. She is now a nutritionist. I binged watched her stuff as a nice variety to the Thomas delauer stuff. Christina is down to earth and “real”.
  • kcmcbee
    kcmcbee Posts: 179 Member
    May want to check out Dr. Greger on NutritionFacts.org also. Lots of great reliable I think info on these topics.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    You can't eat too much protein. Or rather, it doesn't matter if you do. Once you eat more than you need, the rest is poop.
  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
    Just a heads up, Thomas Delauer is a hack. He puts out some good info, but most of his stuff is bro science and quackery.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    TimothyPhoenix wrote: »
    I just started Keto a day ago. I feel like it's something I can do and need to do to lose weight and feel healthier.

    I have read several lists of what you can and cannot eat so I'm pretty comfortable with that aspect of it.

    I work an overnight shift which is 10 pm - 8 am, so I am starting off with a 10 hour eating window from 10 pm - 8 am.

    Here are some questions I have about Keto though because I am seeing differing information depending on the source.

    -Can you eat too much fat and calories on Keto
    In some places I am seeing you should still eat in moderation, in others I have read that as long as you stick to the diet you can eat as much as you want.

    -Can you eat too much protein on Keto
    Again, I have seen yes and no answers to this.

    -Should you simply keep your daily carb intake as low as you can, or is there a range of carbs per day you should aim for

    -Should I just eat when I am hungry during my 10 hour eating window, or should I eat every so many hours


    This is what I ate on my first day on the diet

    10 pm
    four scrambled eggs
    four sausage patties

    3 am
    1/2 pound of grilled chicken breast cooked in olive oil with mrs dash salt free chicken seasoning
    2 cups of brocolli florets

    8 am
    1 cup of cottage cheese
    2 cups of cauliflower with 2 tbsp of butter

    Any information, tips, help, and answers to my questions would be greatly appreciated.

    Keto or not, weight management comes down to calories (energy) and energy balance. If you consume more calories on a keto diet than your body expends, you will gain weight just like any other way of eating. Keto isn't magic...it's just one way some people choose to control calories.

    Eating windows don't matter either...again, it's just another way that some people choose to control calories. I did 16:8 IF from May through September to help control calories during BBQ/swimming season...it worked fairly well as I only gained 5 Lbs over the summer...but I did gain, so it's obviously not some kind of weight loss magic bullet.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I did keto for 2 years for migraine control, now I'm more LCHF...it's very easy for me to gain weight on keto, so it's ideal to still track food intake if you are trying to lose weight...the biggest thing for weight loss keto is keep carbs under your goal, keep protein over your goal, eat fat only as needed to feel satisfied and not hungry...some of the therapeutic versions of keto do require a high fat intake, but for weight loss the extra fat is not necessary, you want that fat to come off your body, not from consumption.

    Plus, get plenty of salt...I think 5,000mg/day is recommended for keto.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    JaxxieKat wrote: »
    Just a heads up, Thomas Delauer is a hack. He puts out some good info, but most of his stuff is bro science and quackery.

    He did lose over 100 lbs so I find it hard to believe he's a total hack. Some of his stories about the way he used to eat and feel before the weight loss are very relatable.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    I did keto for 2 years for migraine control, now I'm more LCHF...it's very easy for me to gain weight on keto, so it's ideal to still track food intake if you are trying to lose weight...the biggest thing for weight loss keto is keep carbs under your goal, keep protein over your goal, eat fat only as needed to feel satisfied and not hungry...some of the therapeutic versions of keto do require a high fat intake, but for weight loss the extra fat is not necessary, you want that fat to come off your body, not from consumption.

    Plus, get plenty of salt...I think 5,000mg/day is recommended for keto.

    I hadn't heard or read that. What's the reasoning for getting a lot of salt.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    You can't eat too much protein. Or rather, it doesn't matter if you do. Once you eat more than you need, the rest is poop.

    You can eat too much of anything and cause a problem.

    I think the OP is concerned about ketosis though. I do not know the answer on how much protein will knock a person out of ketosis. I do advise that you remember your primary goal is to lose weight not be in ketosis. Losing weight requires a calorie deficit not ketosis. If you feel it is important for some reason make that an additional goal.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    TimothyPhoenix wrote: »
    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    I did keto for 2 years for migraine control, now I'm more LCHF...it's very easy for me to gain weight on keto, so it's ideal to still track food intake if you are trying to lose weight...the biggest thing for weight loss keto is keep carbs under your goal, keep protein over your goal, eat fat only as needed to feel satisfied and not hungry...some of the therapeutic versions of keto do require a high fat intake, but for weight loss the extra fat is not necessary, you want that fat to come off your body, not from consumption.

    Plus, get plenty of salt...I think 5,000mg/day is recommended for keto.

    I hadn't heard or read that. What's the reasoning for getting a lot of salt.

    The reason for the salt is that when starting keto, you lose a good amount of water weight and with it, electrolytes. This causes the "keto flu" where people feel lethargic, sometimes have headaches etc. The salt helps minimize this. This is really some basic level stuff for people starting keto if they've done their research beforehand. Sounds like you are jumping in without having done that based on your posts and questions.

    You would be incorrect. I did a lot of research. Unfortunately you see a lot of variations on the program because a lot of people seem to have an attitude about it and want people to think that their way of doing it is the best. TD warned about this in one of those videos, calling people like that Keto Police and saying to ignore them. That is why I am here with a few questions, for help and feed back, not for someone to tell me I didn't do enough research in a condescending way.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Terytha wrote: »
    You can't eat too much protein. Or rather, it doesn't matter if you do. Once you eat more than you need, the rest is poop.

    You can eat too much of anything and cause a problem.

    I think the OP is concerned about ketosis though. I do not know the answer on how much protein will knock a person out of ketosis. I do advise that you remember your primary goal is to lose weight not be in ketosis. Losing weight requires a calorie deficit not ketosis. If you feel it is important for some reason make that an additional goal.

    I don't know it to be right or wrong, but everything I have read has indicated that the state of Ketosis causes your body to become a much more efficient fat burning machine. So while calorie deficit is certainly one way of losing weight, I think the hardcore Keto enthusiasts put far more emphasis on the changes your metabolism goes through as it relates to weight loss once you have reached ketosis. Not only is it supposed to be help you lose weight, but it is also said to transform your body into more lean muscle. Again, just what I have been told or read doing extensive research.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    TimothyPhoenix wrote: »
    I just started Keto a day ago. I feel like it's something I can do and need to do to lose weight and feel healthier.

    I have read several lists of what you can and cannot eat so I'm pretty comfortable with that aspect of it.

    I work an overnight shift which is 10 pm - 8 am, so I am starting off with a 10 hour eating window from 10 pm - 8 am.

    Here are some questions I have about Keto though because I am seeing differing information depending on the source.

    -Can you eat too much fat and calories on Keto
    In some places I am seeing you should still eat in moderation, in others I have read that as long as you stick to the diet you can eat as much as you want.

    -Can you eat too much protein on Keto
    Again, I have seen yes and no answers to this.

    -Should you simply keep your daily carb intake as low as you can, or is there a range of carbs per day you should aim for

    -Should I just eat when I am hungry during my 10 hour eating window, or should I eat every so many hours


    This is what I ate on my first day on the diet

    10 pm
    four scrambled eggs
    four sausage patties

    3 am
    1/2 pound of grilled chicken breast cooked in olive oil with mrs dash salt free chicken seasoning
    2 cups of brocolli florets

    8 am
    1 cup of cottage cheese
    2 cups of cauliflower with 2 tbsp of butter

    Any information, tips, help, and answers to my questions would be greatly appreciated.

    Keto or not, weight management comes down to calories (energy) and energy balance. If you consume more calories on a keto diet than your body expends, you will gain weight just like any other way of eating. Keto isn't magic...it's just one way some people choose to control calories.

    Eating windows don't matter either...again, it's just another way that some people choose to control calories. I did 16:8 IF from May through September to help control calories during BBQ/swimming season...it worked fairly well as I only gained 5 Lbs over the summer...but I did gain, so it's obviously not some kind of weight loss magic bullet.

    I realize everything you read or listen to isn't gospel. However, I am a bit more knowledgeable when it comes to time restricted eating than Keto. I know I did a 14 hour fast every day and 10 hour eating window for a month over the summer. Over those 10 hours I ate whatever I wanted and ate well and I lost 12 pounds. Back to my initial comment, people who are big into time restricted eating insist there is scientific proof that doing this gives your metabolism a huge boost and helps with weight loss.
  • TimothyPhoenix
    TimothyPhoenix Posts: 79 Member
    AlabasterVerve wrote: »
    For the sake of your long term success I think you should track your calories and weigh yourself daily for a couple of months until you can see the connection between what you eat and what you weigh. Be accurate, be diligent and you'll have invaluable insight you can apply to any way of eating you like.

    Calories always matter but many find themselves falling into an eating pattern that causes them to spontaneously eat less (even though it feels like they're eating more). Others think they're in a calorie deficit because they're losing water weight which is masking the fact they're weight stable or possibly gaining--and in the short term that is actually fine if it helps them adjust to the diet and in the long term they end up eating at a deficit. Those changes can be hard to spot or understand what is really happening if you've never tracked your weight and logged your food.

    There's a lot of shoulds and need-to's surrounding low carb but you can safely ignore most of it. You don't need to force feed salt, water or fat. Season your food to taste, drink to thirst and eat to your appetite (unless you have an eating disorder). If you feel poorly, especially in the beginning, more salt is almost always the answer but there's no need to force it for most (because we eat things like cottage cheese and sausage).

    Restrict your carbs, don't restrict your protein and keep the added fats to the minimum needed to make your food delicious and satisfying and you should be good to go. Best wishes to you.

    P.S.

    1. You can eat too much fat and calories.
    2. You're not going to eat too much protein and it's the one macro you shouldn't restrict.
    3. Carbs generally under 50g is all you need for ketosis. Some prefer as few carbs as possible and others like to eat every single carb they can up to their limit. Either is fine.
    4. Eat when you're hungry. Many find they gradually end up eating two meals a day.

    Thank you, all very helpful stuff.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    TimothyPhoenix wrote: »

    -Can you eat too much fat and calories on Keto
    In some places I am seeing you should still eat in moderation, in others I have read that as long as you stick to the diet you can eat as much as you want.

    -Can you eat too much protein on Keto
    Again, I have seen yes and no answers to this.

    -Should you simply keep your daily carb intake as low as you can, or is there a range of carbs per day you should aim for

    Since the Ketogenic diet is 70% fats, 5% carbohydrates, and 25% protein. Yes, you can eat too much, or too little, of any of the 3 macros.

    You lose fat by eating fewer calories than you burn so yes, you can eat too many calories on keto.

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