Ketogenic Way of eating... (7 Viewers)

[Schmendr1ck]

Also, I'm four weeks in and down 20 lbs as of today. I'm also getting ready for my first planned cheat since I'm headed to SQM Wednesday night until Sunday morning. My plan is to stay keto Wed-Thu, let myself cheat Fri-Sat, and back to keto on Sunday.

I figure it will take about four days to recover from two days of cheating, maybe three if I fast for a day, but that's fine. I've said it in this thread before, but planned cheating is a tool I use to limit the high carb foods I love without giving them up entirely. It's not "pure" keto to some people, but it works for me.

 

[Undream]

I've been keto'ing for the past 5 weeks. down 11 pounds (196->185, I'm 6'1") I usually go on for 1 month every 2 years, just enough to basically not worry about what I eat the next 23 months. Kind of excited, I'm breaking my diet this coming weekend, heading to New Orleans for a long weekend.

The "minute muffins" Schmendr1ck mentioned are pretty versatile. I've slightly modified some of the recipes found online, and have gotten it to a point that I use it as Toast (put peanut butter on it), and even use it as a pizza crust. It comes out amazing. This entire plate of pizza is 7g :

let me know if anyone wants the recipe

 

[Irish]

This entire plate of pizza is 7g :

View attachment 249777

let me know if anyone wants the recipe

Defintely! Post it up.

 

[saleen121212]

So what weight loss per month is standard for you guys/gals? I had heard/read about the insanely fast weight loss and how losing 10lbs due to water weight and other factors in the first week is pretty common, after 9 days I am only down 3 which I dont know if I should be discouraged or happy about... I have a lot to go from there and my goal is 100 pounds in 7 months

 

[Undream]

So what weight loss per month is standard for you guys/gals? I had heard/read about the insanely fast weight loss and how losing 10lbs due to water weight and other factors in the first week is pretty common, after 9 days I am only down 3 which I dont know if I should be discouraged or happy about... I have a lot to go from there and my goal is 100 pounds in 7 months

I wouldn't be discouraged. 2 pounds a week is about how quickly I lose weight on Keto. Others can lose 5 a week. Your starting size and metabolism rate definitely comes into play. If you're a huge guy 300+ pounds, it will come off FAST. Already starting at a lower weight and it can sometimes feel like nothign is happening--but it is!!

 

[Irish]

So what weight loss per month is standard for you guys/gals? I had heard/read about the insanely fast weight loss and how losing 10lbs due to water weight and other factors in the first week is pretty common, after 9 days I am only down 3 which I dont know if I should be discouraged or happy about... I have a lot to go from there and my goal is 100 pounds in 7 months

I lost 7 lbs the first week, averaged about 5 lbs a week the first month, 4 lbs/week the second month, 3 lbs/week the third month, and have leveled off to 1-2 lbs a week thereafter (pretty much coasted through the holiday season and maintained).

One thing I've learned with regards to the scale is don't freak out if you get an odd number, especially up front as your body and digestive system adjusts to the new fuel source. Many folks loose a bunch of weight up front because of the water loss associated with the diet - it sounds like you're compensating to avoid the keto flu (good thing) by drinking a ton a water, a gallon of water weighs like 8 pounds. I wouldn't get discouraged, you're still in the early stages.

Even on keto, 100 lbs in 7 months is a very ambitious goal. The general rule of thumb for "healthy" weight loss is ~2 lbs a week. I lost about 65lbs in a 7 month time frame and I've heard of others in the ~80lb range. Most that I've heard or read about that have lost a 100+lbs have done so over a year or more.

 

[Undream]

Oh, crap! Almost forgot. Here's the recipe:

2 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon avocado oil. (heard of people using butter and stuff too, this works well for me though as its easy to mix in)
1 packet of sweetener (optional)

Get a small "loaf shaped" foot storage container. mines like 4" x 2.5" or something. smaller works well because it makes the loaf thicker and you can slice it like bread

Beat eggs till they are uniformly yellow, then add ALL other ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Microwave for 2 minutes.
plop out your "loaf"
Slice very thin if you want to use as pizza crust (1/8" maybe?), maybe a little thicker if you want to use it for toast.

kinda need a toaster oven to toast (they might fall apart if you try it in a slot toaster).

Theres a lot of moisture in these, so, they can take a full "dark" toasting cycle, and then maybe even some more.

Heres some step by step instructions with pics:

https://imgur.com/a/cMzZJzf

Lets face it, it's not bread. But, after being on keto for a while, if you haven't tried a bread replacement recipe like this... you'll quickly work it into your diet It scratches the itch, no doubt.

 

[BGinGA]

So what weight loss per month is standard for you guys/gals? I had heard/read about the insanely fast weight loss and how losing 10lbs due to water weight and other factors in the first week is pretty common, after 9 days I am only down 3 which I dont know if I should be discouraged or happy about... I have a lot to go from there and my goal is 100 pounds in 7 months

I generally lose about a pound per day for the first 30 days, then taper off to around 4-5 lbs per week. After 60 days, I revert to a less strict diet to maintain that weight level.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

So what weight loss per month is standard for you guys/gals? I had heard/read about the insanely fast weight loss and how losing 10lbs due to water weight and other factors in the first week is pretty common, after 9 days I am only down 3 which I dont know if I should be discouraged or happy about... I have a lot to go from there and my goal is 100 pounds in 7 months

Generally speaking, most people who start keto will shed 5-10 pounds in the first couple of weeks. Your body has glycogen (glucose) reserves bound up with a lot of water. When you reduce your carb consumption, you'll burn through most of the glycogen, and your body will get rid of the associated water.

This big initial loss doesn't happen for everybody, but if it doesn't happen, it can be an indicator that you're eating too many carbs and not getting into ketosis. Are you tracking everything you eat? Many foods have a lot of hidden carbs; if you're not strict it's really easy to eat more than you think you are. Also, are you tracking calories, protein and fat too, or just carbs?

Once you've settled into ketosis, the weight you lose will vary based on a lot of factors. I think the big ones are age, individual metabolism, how much weight you have to lose, and the caloric deficit you're eating. As others have said, if you're severely overweight, you'll probably lose faster than someone who just has a few extra pounds to get rid of. Also, like any other weight loss plan, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn - the bigger that deficit, the faster you'll lose.

I agree with other posters - 100 pounds in seven months is an extremely aggressive goal. You can lose weight pretty quickly in the beginning, but long-term, you probably don't want to plan for more than about two pounds per week.

 

[saleen121212]

Some additional facts to help
Age - 29
Weight - 345
Height - 5'11
Currently trying to eat less than 25 carbs a day, not sure where hidden net carbs would be coming from
I'll admit I need to be better about tracking, I am usually just to busy running around to track.

Idea of a current meal plan I am eating:
breakfast - https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/low-carb-breakfast-casserole/ (with mushrooms added)
Snack - small handful of almonds, and half an avocado a day
Lunch - 2 Brats, onion, bell pepper, some sauerkraut
Snack - Salami, cream cheese, banana peppers.
Dinner - Ground beef in low carb tomato sauce with cabbage served over cauliflower rice (unstuffed cabbage rolls)
Other snacks to hit calorie goals - no carb pork rinds, sliced cheese, maybe some olives, some pepperoni

I am hitting about 2100-2300 calories per day which based on what I have read is pretty low for me. The low carbs and calorie reduction alone should be shredding the weight off. If not in ketosis I wonder what I could be doing wrong.

Next week I want to try to simplify breakfast since casseroles are difficult to track.

 

[saleen121212]

I generally lose about a pound per day for the first 30 days, then taper off to around 4-5 lbs per week. After 60 days, I revert to a less strict diet to maintain that weight level.

See these are the kind of results I was hoping to see to keep me motivated. My friend who is a lot smaller than me lost a significant amount of weight in 3 weeks and had to buy new clothes. Any other tips/tricks or meal ideas would be super appreciated. What macros do you aim for? How do you track it?

 

[CantSpellPoker]

Some additional facts to help
Age - 29
Weight - 345
Height - 5'11
Currently trying to eat less than 25 carbs a day, not sure where hidden net carbs would be coming from
I'll admit I need to be better about tracking, I am usually just to busy running around to track.

Idea of a current meal plan I am eating:
breakfast - https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/low-carb-breakfast-casserole/ (with mushrooms added)
Snack - small handful of almonds, and half an avocado a day
Lunch - 2 Brats, onion, bell pepper, some sauerkraut
Snack - Salami, cream cheese, banana peppers.
Dinner - Ground beef in low carb tomato sauce with cabbage served over cauliflower rice (unstuffed cabbage rolls)
Other snacks to hit calorie goals - no carb pork rinds, sliced cheese, maybe some olives, some pepperoni

I am hitting about 2100-2300 calories per day which based on what I have read is pretty low for me. The low carbs and calorie reduction alone should be shredding the weight off. If not in ketosis I wonder what I could be doing wrong.

Next week I want to try to simplify breakfast since casseroles are difficult to track.

I am not an expert, but from what I have read, the following foods from the ones you have listed have "hidden" or "more" carbs than you would think:

1. Almonds
2. Onions
3. Bell Peppers (especially if they're red/yellow/orange)

Now, obviously, none of these have A LOT of carbs, but when you're trying to stay around 20g per day, it adds up quickly. From what I've read, pecans and Brazil nuts are really the only nuts that you can eat in any quantity. Bell peppers should be green, if you eat them at all.

 

[BGinGA]

See these are the kind of results I was hoping to see to keep me motivated. My friend who is a lot smaller than me lost a significant amount of weight in 3 weeks and had to buy new clothes. Any other tips/tricks or meal ideas would be super appreciated. What macros do you aim for? How do you track it?

I don't track shit. I just eliminate (or minimize) sugars (hidden ones are everywhere), as few carbs as possible (no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes), lots of green vegetables (mostly green beans, broccoli, asparagus), beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, and cheese (watch processed cheeses for sugar). I eat 2x per day until I'm full. Lots of water and coffee throughout the day and evening. Amazing how many condiments have added sugar. so don't go slapping just anything on your burger.

Best pasta substitute I've found is broccoli -- I make a mean cajun chicken non-pasta dish over broccoli with cream sauce, Tony's seasoning is your friend. I always have a stash of pre-cooked bacon strips and hard-boiled eggs on hand for snacks. Some nuts are okay for snacks, but check the label. Sugar-free chocolates and butterscotch candies resolve my sugar fix issues.

 

[saleen121212]

I am not an expert, but from what I have read, the following foods from the ones you have listed have "hidden" or "more" carbs than you would think:

1. Almonds
2. Onions
3. Bell Peppers (especially if they're red/yellow/orange)

Now, obviously, none of these have A LOT of carbs, but when you're trying to stay around 20g per day, it adds up quickly. From what I've read, pecans and Brazil nuts are really the only nuts that you can eat in any quantity. Bell peppers should be green, if you eat them at all.

1. Almonds I eat have 2 net carbs per 1/4th cup and I eat like 7 total
2. I have to admit I did not realize how many carbs were in an onion but I am also not eating that much (I will cut this back as there is some in the breakfast, lunch and dinner lol)
3. Bell peppers are green and I have about 5 tiny slices with the brats

Even if some hidden carbs are sneaking in can't keto be acheived under 50 carbs as others have stated here? I am shooting for 20, but onions shouldn't sling me too far over that right, a whole onion has about 10 or less net carbs.

 

[BGinGA]

Snack - small handful of almonds, and half an avocado a day
Lunch - 2 Brats, onion, bell pepper, some sauerkraut
Snack - Salami, cream cheese, banana peppers.
Dinner - Ground beef in low carb tomato sauce with cabbage served over cauliflower rice (unstuffed cabbage rolls)
Other snacks to hit calorie goals - no carb pork rinds, sliced cheese, maybe some olives, some pepperoni

Of those listed above, I'd first ditch the tomato sauce, low-carb or not. Can't imagine that it doesn't have sugar.

 

[saleen121212]

I don't track shit. I just eliminate (or minimize) sugars (hidden ones are everywhere), as few carbs as possible (no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes), lots of green vegetables (mostly green beans, broccoli, asparagus), beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, and cheese (watch processed cheeses for sugar). I eat 2x per day until I'm full. Lots of water and coffee throughout the day and evening. Amazing how many condiments have added sugar. so don't go slapping just anything on your burger.

Best pasta substitute I've found is broccoli -- I make a mean cajun chicken non-pasta dish over broccoli with cream sauce, Tony's seasoning is your friend. I always have a stash of pre-cooked bacon strips and hard-boiled eggs on hand for snacks. Some nuts are okay for snacks, but check the label. Sugar-free chocolates and butterscotch candies resolve my sugar fix issues.

Good lord lol, I wish I could lose 30 in 30 without even tracking lol. This is the strictest I have ever been on a diet which is why I am so pissed to not have immediate results, but I want to give it a lot more time before trying something else. Adjustments might be needed or my body might not be all the way in ketosis yet somehow.

Side note - my wife is Cajun so Tony's is a staple.

 

[saleen121212]

Of those listed above, I'd first ditch the tomato sauce, low-carb or not. Can't imagine that it doesn't have sugar.

2 grams sugar and 2 grams carbs in 1/4th cup I think. Also I have only eaten that once (last night), all tho that is the dinner plan for the week. Dinner is probably the most carb heavy with cali rice, cabbage and tomato sauce, again I might need to simplify these recipes for easier tracking, or just heavily track everything in the dish and divide it by the portions.

 

[Irish]

Some additional facts to help
Age - 29
Weight - 345
Height - 5'11
Currently trying to eat less than 25 carbs a day, not sure where hidden net carbs would be coming from
I'll admit I need to be better about tracking, I am usually just to busy running around to track.

Idea of a current meal plan I am eating:
breakfast - https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/low-carb-breakfast-casserole/ (with mushrooms added) (3+1)
Snack - small handful of almonds, and half an avocado a day (2+1)
Lunch - 2 Brats, onion, bell pepper, some sauerkraut (8+8+2+2)
Snack - Salami, cream cheese, banana peppers. (0+1+1)
Dinner - Ground beef in low carb tomato sauce with cabbage served over cauliflower rice (unstuffed cabbage rolls) (0+4+2)
Other snacks to hit calorie goals - no carb pork rinds, sliced cheese, maybe some olives, some pepperoni

I am hitting about 2100-2300 calories per day which based on what I have read is pretty low for me. The low carbs and calorie reduction alone should be shredding the weight off. If not in ketosis I wonder what I could be doing wrong.

Next week I want to try to simplify breakfast since casseroles are difficult to track.

The breakfast casserole you linked is only 3 carbs (and looks tasty ), but note that recipe makes 12 servings - are you cutting that up into twelve pieces and only having one piece for breakfast? This is one of the pitfalls I see a lot of people fall into - these recipes often publish very few carbs, but you have to be careful on the portion size.

Some potential "hidden" carbs in there:

Onions - a small to medium onion can have 10-15 carbs
Pepper - a small to medium onion can have 5-10 carbs
Almonds - these are usually a pretty good snack (2-3 carbs per serving), but again be wary of portion size - that's for a very small handful. I love almonds, it's hard for me to control eating lots of these lol
Brats - these are usually pretty good, but check the package. Some are more meat, some are more filler. I had one of these the other day, they were 4 carbs each - two of them would be 8, that's half your daily carbs.
Tomato sauce - even the low carbs ones have carbs, and again, check the portion size. Get a scale like the one Tommy just recently posted for his chips.

You drinking only water? Any coffee/tea? Cream/S&L or splenda? Those add a few carbs - again, it's only 1 or 2, but they all add up.

Honest assessment - unless your portion sizes are pretty small, if I had to guess, I would say you're probably in the 35-60 carb range (~maths above). Still in the keto range, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of the reasons you weren't seeing the more drastic drop.

edit to add - just trying to help, these are pitfalls that a lot of people run into so don't be discouraged. Once you ID all these little carb hikers, it becomes routine. Getting there is the challenge.

 

[krafticus]

I need to read this thread. I had lost 26 pounds in 3 months, but then Christmas happened, and I fell back into all of my old (bad) habits. I can't seem to get back on track. (gained about 10 of it back) When I first started, I had no temptations really. now, almost all of them are back. (still haven't had any soda in 6 months)

Mark

 

[saleen121212]

The breakfast casserole you linked is only 3 carbs (and looks tasty ), but note that recipe makes 12 servings - are you cutting that up into twelve pieces and only having one piece for breakfast? This is one of the pitfalls I see a lot of people fall into - these recipes often publish very few carbs, but you have to be careful on the portion size.

Some potential "hidden" carbs in there:

Onions - a small to medium onion can have 10-15 carbs
Pepper - a small to medium onion can have 5-10 carbs
Almonds - these are usually a pretty good snack (2-3 carbs per serving), but again be wary of portion size - that's for a very small handful. I love almonds, it's hard for me to control eating lots of these lol
Brats - these are usually pretty good, but check the package. Some are more meat, some are more filler. I had one of these the other day, they were 4 carbs each - two of them would be 8, that's half your daily carbs.
Tomato sauce - even the low carbs ones have carbs, and again, check the portion size. Get a scale like the one Tommy just recently posted for his chips.

You drinking only water? Any coffee/tea? Cream/S&L or splenda? Those add a few carbs - again, it's only 1 or 2, but they all add up.

Honest assessment - unless your portion sizes are pretty small, if I had to guess, I would say you're probably in the 35-60 carb range (~maths above). Still in the keto range, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of the reasons you weren't seeing the more drastic drop.

edit to add - just trying to help, these are pitfalls that a lot of people run into so don't be discouraged. Once you ID all these little carb hikers, it becomes routine. Getting there is the the challenge.

I definitely appreciate the help and wanted honest feedback so this is great!

I only drink water 98 percent of the time, sometimes a diet tea or black coffee with some heavy cream
Brats I checked 10 packages before buying a pack with 1 carb per brat (who knew so many random meats had carbs added, gross)
I eat a little more than a portion of the breakfast casserole, maybe like 1.5 servings because I tend to be hungry in the morning.

I did just mock an add up on everything for the dinner and realized it is around 10 carbs per serving which is double what I was hoping for, another reason my tracking/recipe game needs to be upped. I would like to aim for 5 net carbs per meal or less, that leaves 5-10 carbs for all the snacks throughout the day also. Today I will be eating 2 brats with just sauerkraut to make up for the carb heavy dinner. I believe the kraut has 2 carbs per cup and I wont need nearly that much, this should limit my lunch carbs to 3 and breakfast carbs to around 5.

 

[Irish]

@saleen121212 - hitting average carbs is one tracking method, but don't feel you have to get locked into that approach. I often go no-carb for breakfast (hello bacon & eggs), so I have a little more latitude for lunch & dinner.

 

[saleen121212]

@saleen121212 - hitting average carbs is one tracking method, but don't feel you have to get locked into that approach. I often go no-carb for breakfast (hello bacon & eggs), so I have a little more latitude for lunch & dinner.

I would love to do just bacon and eggs for breakfast, but they dont reheat very well, my problem with bfast is I leave the house at 7 and get to work then eat at 830ish. If I eat at 615 it wont hold me over very long so I try to bring something to eat at work, on the weekend I am all about bacon and eggs.

I wonder if there are any no carb shakes or alternatives I could do for breakfast at work with some bacon on the side.

 

[saleen121212]

What are some great recipes you guys use and if anyone is willing to share what a typical full day of eating looks like for them that would be awesome also!

 

[CantSpellPoker]

I was dicking around last night trying to find an app to track my eating and came across this one. It’s called “Carb Manager.” I’m sure there are lots just like it. I mocked up what a typical day might look like and they’re pretty good about having a lot of foods and different portion sizes/measurements to choose from.

I don’t eat breakfast, mostly because I’m at my desk by 6 AM and once i get rolling with work, there’s no stopping. I’m also not hungry in the morning.

Need to find a repeatable/easy lunch that I can make at home beforehand. Today I ate 2 of the “egg muffins” I posted yesterday and they were good!

EDIT TO ADD: These daily carb/fat/protein/calorie etc. totals are based on my personal info. and weight loss goals that I punched in. Yours may vary.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

I am not an expert, but from what I have read, the following foods from the ones you have listed have "hidden" or "more" carbs than you would think:

1. Almonds
2. Onions
3. Bell Peppers (especially if they're red/yellow/orange)

Now, obviously, none of these have A LOT of carbs, but when you're trying to stay around 20g per day, it adds up quickly. From what I've read, pecans and Brazil nuts are really the only nuts that you can eat in any quantity. Bell peppers should be green, if you eat them at all.

+1 to most of the above, but I think most nuts are very keto-friendly - typically 2-3g net carbs per 1 oz (28g) serving.

I avoid cashews and pistachios as I believe they're a good bit higher, but most any other kind of nut is okay.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

I don't track shit. I just eliminate (or minimize) sugars (hidden ones are everywhere), as few carbs as possible (no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes), lots of green vegetables (mostly green beans, broccoli, asparagus), beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, and cheese (watch processed cheeses for sugar). I eat 2x per day until I'm full. Lots of water and coffee throughout the day and evening. Amazing how many condiments have added sugar. so don't go slapping just anything on your burger.

Best pasta substitute I've found is broccoli -- I make a mean cajun chicken non-pasta dish over broccoli with cream sauce, Tony's seasoning is your friend. I always have a stash of pre-cooked bacon strips and hard-boiled eggs on hand for snacks. Some nuts are okay for snacks, but check the label. Sugar-free chocolates and butterscotch candies resolve my sugar fix issues.

I'm not surprised you do well even without tracking. Cantankerousness burns a TON of calories.

We seem to work about the same way, other than tracking. I usually don't eat breakfast, just black coffee and water. I'll occasionally have a keto coffee (add coconut oil and butter, blend until creamy). I've been a die-hard black coffee drinker all of my adult life, but this really hits the spot on those rare mornings when I wake up hungry.

I have a love affair with broccoli and spinach when I'm eating keto. I seem to eat one or both every single day - lots of fiber, filling, low calories, and tastes good (raw or with keto-friendly sauces or butter).

I also always have a stash of high quality 75%+ dark chocolate. It has sugar, but much less than a typical chocolate bar, and it only takes a small amount to satisfy. Usually about half of a 1 oz serving is enough for me, and that's typically 4-5g net carbs.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Of those listed above, I'd first ditch the tomato sauce, low-carb or not. Can't imagine that it doesn't have sugar.

Yep, tomato sauces have a good bit of natural sugars, so even the "no added sugar" types usually have 8-10g per serving.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

I would love to do just bacon and eggs for breakfast, but they dont reheat very well, my problem with bfast is I leave the house at 7 and get to work then eat at 830ish. If I eat at 615 it wont hold me over very long so I try to bring something to eat at work, on the weekend I am all about bacon and eggs.

I wonder if there are any no carb shakes or alternatives I could do for breakfast at work with some bacon on the side.

I sometimes will make small "quiches" to take to work - scramble some eggs, mix in crumbled bacon or sausage and cheese, then bake in a well-buttered muffin pan until done. You can stick these in the fridge for several days, take one or two to work and reheat them in the microwave.

 

[krafticus]

I don't think the Keto diet would work for me. I'm a type 2 diabetic, and I fear a change as drastic as this would cause my sugars to just flat out crash. Crashing sugars can be recovered with a quick high sugar blast (I usually have orange or apple juice). Having that kicks the carbs through the roof. Still going to try some of these ideas, and create a food plan that works best for me.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

What are some great recipes you guys use and if anyone is willing to share what a typical full day of eating looks like for them that would be awesome also!

I use myfitnesspal as my daily tracker. It's a great tool with a huge database of foods and is pretty easy to use. One thing you have to be careful of though: the database is populated by users, so individual entries can sometimes be unreliable.

I try to eat by hunger, so I don't really have a typical day. I do tend to eat a bit more on the weekends and a bit less on work days, but I try to focus more on weekly trends rather than "HOLY CRAP I ATE 100 CALORIES AND 3 GRAMS OF CARBS TOO MUCH TODAY!"

This is Friday (about 2300 calories and 34g net carbs):

Note that I had half a beer and about a quarter ounce of dark chocolate - high carb foods, but very small portions to keep the impact low. I also had a couple of Quest bars, where I normally try to have no more than one per day. I must have been dealing with some cravings this day.

Here's a typical work-day log for me: no breakfast, under my calorie target and net carbs in the 20-25g ballpark.