Ketogenic Diet

Any Permies doing Keto?

I went on a high carb bender for the last 3 months and now I'm back on the wagon, trying to stay in keto.

After reading about how a settlement in a cave in Morocco, 15,000 years ago ate a very high carb diet, mostly of acorns, and suffered from many of the high carb related illnesses of the SAD diet, I decided low carb trumps paleo. If I'm going to eat acorns, it's going to be processes by a pig first!

For weight loss, I think keto trumps low carb but I'd love to get a discussion going.

There are so many versions of even this limited diet! Some just go by the Atkins Induction rules, some count calories, some just count macros, some abstain from caffeine, alcohol, dairy, nuts, mushrooms, some don't. How about you?

Just 5 days ago I transitioned from a high protein high fat low carb paleo diet to a high fat low protein low carb paleo diet so I'm currently running on more ketones than before.
I didn't realize I was eating too much protein until I did some research which lead me to start counting my calories. And when I became more meticulous with my calorie intake I noticed more sustained energy without crashing afterwards. I no longer need stimulants (green tea etc) as I did when I was doing high protein, the reason behind this is half of all protein is converted into glucose (which is another word for carbs), so if you consume too much protein you're body may not be making any or enough ketones because it's getting the energy from the glucose.
Anyways I'm also more mentally sharp and relaxed than before and I can go a whole day eating only once without feeling any hunger. This diet is super affordable and I've never felt better. It's a keeper.

Hey chuey, are you checking you ketones or glucose? I've been very strict so far and I'm actually seeing results in urine testing (and a little weight loss). Haven't bought a glucometer yet. I think my mistake last time was using those Atkins bars with malitol that can still spike blood sugar.

I don't think half of protein is glucose but all protein over 30% converts to glucose. I recommend tracking with a program like myFitnessPal to see what your percentages are. For someone new to a ketogenic diet it's supposed to be around 5-10% carbs, 15-20% protein, and 70-80% fats.

Good luck & post some results.

There's a very interesting podcast with Terry Wahls discussing the benefits of ketogenic diets and how to maintain nutrient density on them.

Here's the link - How To Maximize the Nutrient Density of a Low Carb Diet

Thanks Burra.
Here's a long video of Dr Terry Wahls describing how she reversed her MS and suggests it would work for other inflammation diseases like Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and Dementia.


This certainly could be cross-posted in the Food as Medicine thread.

I think she has refined her protocol to go full on ketogenic (I only had time to watch half the video so far but I have listen to many interviews of hers). I've found better success with this diet than low carb or paleo because I can actually test to see if I'm in compliance.

I bought her book, Minding my Mitochondria, a couple of years ago. Somewhere I have a half-written review that I never got around to finishing. My own diet is a kind of keto version of her protocol. But apparently her new book The Wahls Protocol has a version of the diet which she calls Wahls Paleo Plus which is ketogenic. I've just downloaded the kindle version and will report in due course.

I'd love to hear your results. Also, if you're testing ketones, blood sugar, what your macros are (percents of fat, protein, carbs), and what foods you've eliminated.

An interesting part of that video, which she repeated twice, is that some people with gluten sensitivity do not have gut issues, the sensitivity shows up as neurological problems. Very interesting because I don't have digestive issues with gluten.

I've eliminated grains & potatoes & obviously other foods that will knock me out of ketosis. For the time being, I'm still drinking coffee, dairy, and occasionally artificial sweeteners - mostly erythritol. I'm also making a greater effort to eliminate seed oils.

I've lost some weight, my energy is better, & I'm spontaneously doing some IF. Much less hunger on this diet/WOE.

I'm not even sure where to start describing my experiences with keto.

I first tried it ten years ago when I'd given up trying to sort out whatever was causing my weird little crazy sessions that kept landing me in hospital, and tried this weird fad diet in an attempt to shift the surplus 100lb I was carrying. I lost 28lb the first week and the craziness, which it turned out were hypoglyaemic episodes, just disappeared. I lost the 100 lb over the next year or two and life seemed awesome. A few years later I started nursing the old man round the clock, which was mega stressful, slipped off the diet and put that 100 lb back on. When he died I went back on the diet, lost the first 40 lb and then had a major setback when I tried a medication to control my endometriosis and it caused a mega pulmonary embolism. I spent a couple of years in limbo, putting the weight back on again and losing crazy amounts of blood and getting very run down until six months ago.

So six months ago I recovered enough to put myself through the 'three days of hell' that it takes for me to battle the food cravings long enough to get into ketosis and started again. I always start out at 20 grams of carbs (net, but this side of the pond we only ever count net), whatever protein I feel like and as much fat as I need to keep my satisfied. I use keto stix to measure the urine for ketones, and I can say that I'll only lose weight if I'm on the third shade of pink, but I'll feel fantastic at anything from the second shade of pink. Once I've been in ketosis for at least a week my energy starts to come back, and my brain gradually becomes capable of more and more rational thought as the weeks progress. I eat loads of greens basically, with eggs, cheese or meat. One day a week, if I've been stable in ketosis with no cravings, I'll do a 'fruit day' where I eat nothing but whatever fruit I want for the whole day. This satisfies any cravings I have for sweet stuff and seems to trigger the loss of a couple of pounds if I've been 'stuck' for a while. It only works for one day though.

The longer I'm in ketosis, the more stable I get and I find I can switch to counting calories and allow a bit of fruit into my diet on a daily basis. By the end of last year I'd also managed to include beans in my diet, and some ryvita (crispbread/cracker made of rye) and I was still stable and losing weight. I lost over 50 lb in that six months. Then I experimented coming off the diet over christmas. We also had two guests who came bearing sweet treats, so really I had a week off the diet. And it ended up hitting me much harder than I thought and, as I'd relaxed and almost forgotten how to deal with the mood swings, I ended up suicidal by christmas eve. It took three weeks of battling to get back into ketosis. I had to give up the beans and ryvita and eventually go right back to the 20 grams of carbs eating almost exclusively greens and protein, to stablise myself again. I'm also still trying to balance my electrolytes and magnesium levels, presumably still messed up after losing a pint of blood every two or three weeks for the last couple of years, so everything is in a constant state of flux with my diet, adding stuff I need and removing stuff that unbalances things.

I'm going to study that chapter about the Wahls Paleo Plus tonight and probably tweak things again.

Sounds like you are much better off in ketosis. If I can loose the weight I want, I may try to only be in ketosis during winter months which would mimic millions of years of evolution. Guess what, even orangutans are in ketosis all winter!

Despite going very high carb over the holiday season, I didn't have too much trouble getting back in and avoided the "keto flu" possibly by tracking my macros (I use My Fitness Pal & try to keep at 5%c, 15%p, 80%f), upping my sodium, and eating high fat foods if I had a craving.

I've been listening to many podcasts on topic and really enjoyed reading Jimmy Moore's Keto Clarity (on kindle).

There is most definitely a permaculture slant here, Jimmy Moore has even interviewed Joel Salatin, and most people stress the benefits of grass-fed livestock and even butter from grass-fed cows. And of course, the conventional wisdom is wrong!

Last quick tip, when you get really "keto adapted" the sticks may stop turning pink/purple but you'll still be in ketosis if you haven't changed anything. It hasn't happened to me yet.

Cj Verde wrote:Last quick tip, when you get really "keto adapted" the sticks may stop turning pink/purple but you'll still be in ketosis if you haven't changed anything. It hasn't happened to me yet.

They've never stopped changing for me either. I figure it must be different for different people. I do stop testing after a while though - if I feel fine and the weight is doing what I want, I won't waste money on sticks. I also cut them in half so I get two tests per stick.

Terry Wahls encourages people to take up gardening to get their nutrients. Here's a little video of her demonstrating square foot gardening. I wonder if we could sweettalk her into doing a book promotion...

I was trying to go Ketogenic in November...ran into struggles trying to balance nutrient needs, food sensitivities, holiday challenges, and naturopath and D.O. both being discouraging about it. I would like to try again if I can muster the determination....

Tina Paxton wrote:ran into struggles trying to balance nutrient needs

How so?

Is there anything specific you're try to address by going keto?

For sure November can be a tricky time to start this WOE.

Cj Verde wrote:

Tina Paxton wrote:ran into struggles trying to balance nutrient needs

How so?

Is there anything specific you're try to address by going keto?

For sure November can be a tricky time to start this WOE.

The aim of going keto is to lose weight. I am obese and despite all efforts, I can not lose weight. I lost an initial 40 pounds going Paleo AIP but then stopped. This is what happens with every diet I try...works for awhile then it stops and in most cases it begins to reverse itself in total defiance of all the laws of physics. Going Paleo was to address both this issue but also fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalances, psoriasis/rosacea, neuropath, etc.

According to a IgG blood food sensitivity test I am gluten intolerant, (no surprise) but also beef, cow milk/cheese, chicken eggs. I tend be chronically deficient in magnesium and zinc.

So...when I started trying to go keto...I was already not eating potatoes (no nightshades on Paleo AIP) so my carbs were already fairly low and it seemed like to get to below 50 was impossible while still eating veggies. I read Wahls Protocol but either I wasn't doing something right or I was calculating wrong because I seemed to always come out too high (for keto)...

I'm inclined to dismiss the IgG food sensitivity testing with the exception of the gluten issue because I KNOW that is an issue from simple self testing. I really need to red meat or I end up eating too much chicken which throws my Omega 6:3 ratio too far toward 6.

Tina Paxton wrote:...my carbs were already fairly low and it seemed like to get to below 50 was impossible while still eating veggies. I read Wahls Protocol but either I wasn't doing something right or I was calculating wrong because I seemed to always come out too high (for keto)...

I think Keto was the final finesse to the Wahls Protocol so the earlier ones may not be so compliant. For some people, Paleo or plain old Low Carb is not enough.

My goal, ATM, is 20 carbs. I know that seems crazy low but try it for like 3 weeks. I think the big benefit to Bullet Proof Coffee is how easy it is to get the fat in! If I have 2 cups in the morning (pre & post feeding the animals) I am not at all hungry till dinner. I try to eat 2 oz of some kind of protein too, just to keep it balanced. Coconut oil really is supposed to help get you in ketosis.

My version of BPC is 8 oz coffee, 1 TBSP coconut oil, 3 TBSP cream & then I do use erythritol and or SF caramel syrup. I use a whisk to incorporate the oil.

For dinner some kind of protein but not more than 4 or 5 oz and then a leafy green veggie. Somehow incorporate lots of fat in that meal.

I take magnesium at night, Potassium, D, and a multi vitamin in the morning.

Test your urine & track your macros. I can't guarantee you'll loose weight but if you're in ketosis you will not be hungry and you should get some relief to some of your other issues. My rosacea is much calmer.

Physics has nothing to do with our weight. Biochemistry is much more complicated. Women 50+ are the most complicated of all. Women in ketosis often try to eat too few calories which doesn't work.

Good luck & if you haven't read one of Gary Taubes books, he does a create job of explaining why physics is the wrong model for body weight.

Bullet Proof Coffee -- I have read about it and listened to youtube vids about it (listen while at work). My only problem is...I hate coffee. Does it have to be coffee? Can I do Bullet Proof Tea? I'm thinking the videos gave a reason for coffee versus tea but I just don't like coffee and definitely would not like it without sweetener. And, I can't do artificial sweetener--I get migraines.

So, basically, your breakfast is Bullet Proof coffee, you have no lunch, and you eat dinner. You are do low protein/low carb/high fat then?

I believe Wahls Protocol Plus calls for medium protein/low carb/med fat...but I'd need to review that to be sure. I can't go low protein...I did that when I tried raw vegan for 2 years and eating only 10% protein caused serious health issues for me so I want to be sure I don't go too low in protein. I do understand the issue that excess protein (above basic metabolic needs) can be converted to glucose for energy. Such a balancing act!

15% protein but you could go as high as 25%. Excess protein can be converted to glucose but you don't want that - it'll knock you out of ketosis.

I wonder if you had enough fat doing raw vegan? Also, I'm not sure you can compare non-animal protein to animal protein.

As for BPC, some people use tea for sure.

Sometimes during the day I will have a cup of broth with butter and a hit of tobasco.

So, lately, yes BPC for breakfast but sometimes 2 eggs with cheese & maybe a little meat. As you may know, some people have issues with the corn or soy in the chicken feed, not really the eggs.

Cj Verde wrote:15% protein but you could go as high as 25%. Excess protein can be converted to glucose but you don't want that - it'll knock you out of ketosis.

I wonder if you had enough fat doing raw vegan? Also, I'm not sure you can compare non-animal protein to animal protein.

As for BPC, some people use tea for sure.

Sometimes during the day I will have a cup of broth with butter and a hit of tobasco.

So, lately, yes BPC for breakfast but sometimes 2 eggs with cheese & maybe a little meat. As you may know, some people have issues with the corn or soy in the chicken feed, not really the eggs.

My fat intake on raw vegan was also too low. Essentially, after a 16 month period of amazing health, I crashed and have never been able to fully reverse what I did to myself then.

Okay, I'll have to try some BPT (Bullet Proof Tea) then. I can sip on bone broth through the day and then eat dinner....or have a late lunch and have broth for dinner....

Yes, I use to think it was silly to think that what the chicken ate could trigger someone's allergies but I think it is more true than not. Also, duck eggs make a good replacement so I'm aiming to develop a flock of chickens and ducks who do not eat commercial feed so thus no soy, no corn, no wheat, no crap.

According to the Wahls Protocol Paleo Plus, one should eat 9 servings of veggies a day...that can be expensive buying from the store...I need to get better at growing a veggie garden!

Tina Paxton wrote:
According to the Wahls Protocol Paleo Plus, one should eat 9 servings of veggies a day...that can be expensive buying from the store...I need to get better at growing a veggie garden!

I really am getting like 1 serving/day but I'm not trying to follow the Wahls Protocol. I did buy a cabbage yesterday for less than $2 and that could easily last me 4 days! Same with broccoli.

Consider just focusing on ketosis first. It does makes sense right now, when our bodies would historically be in ketosis anyway.

(Warning - massive off-topic jump incoming...)

Tina Paxton wrote:The aim of going keto is to lose weight. I am obese and despite all efforts, I can not lose weight. I lost an initial 40 pounds going Paleo AIP but then stopped. This is what happens with every diet I try...works for awhile then it stops and in most cases it begins to reverse itself in total defiance of all the laws of physics. Going Paleo was to address both this issue but also fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalances, psoriasis/rosacea, neuropathy, etc.

So I have a couple things that may or may not be relevant to your situation.

First - have you ever been tested for heavy metal toxicity? The reason I ask is that heavy metals and other toxic inorganic compounds are stored in body fat if you take in more than your body is capable of scrubbing from your system. If you keep being exposed to them the body's best defense is to layer on more fat to store the toxic goop in. Then when you start to eat a different kind of healthy, you might lose fat for a while, but that can dump all the previously bound-up goop straight into your system. Your body can handle some of it, but the rest is in danger of poisoning you. So it gets locked back up in fat again to stop you from dying. People who've lost a fair amount of fat in a relatively short space of time can sometimes develop depression or similar mental imbalances 6-12 months after they first lose the weight. That's usually caused by heavy metals being deposited in the remaining fatty tissue - including the brain.

Second - if you have the money for genetic testing, I'd highly recommend getting it done and having your results interpreted by a knowledgeable health practitioner. I'm thinking specifically of the test for MTFHR polymorphism, which is known to contribute to some or all of the issues you describe, but there are many other gene defects that could be the culprit. We got hubby (lifelong history of asthma and depression, plus two decades of obesity) tested for MTFHR polymorphism and he came back as having a defect. Now that we know that and have started treating it, his depression is better than it's ever been and he's slowly starting to shed the excess fat. We're saving up for 23andme testing for our daughter and myself, since we both have issues with gluten and a few other things that could be exacerbated by untreated gene defects. Oh yeah, fun fact - most gene defects that I've come across can ONLY be treated through diet and nutrition.

Sorry for going so completely off topic on ya'll, but I thought the info might come in handy for anyone struggling with weight and auto-immune issues.

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:
First - have you ever been tested for heavy metal toxicity? The reason I ask is that heavy metals and other toxic inorganic compounds are stored in body fat if you take in more than your body is capable of scrubbing from your system. If you keep being exposed to them the body's best defense is to layer on more fat to store the toxic goop in. Then when you start to eat a different kind of healthy, you might lose fat for a while, but that can dump all the previously bound-up goop straight into your system. Your body can handle some of it, but the rest is in danger of poisoning you. So it gets locked back up in fat again to stop you from dying. People who've lost a fair amount of fat in a relatively short space of time can sometimes develop depression or similar mental imbalances 6-12 months after they first lose the weight. That's usually caused by heavy metals being deposited in the remaining fatty tissue - including the brain.

I'm trying to remember if that was one of the labs done last year or was on the plan for future... but, in either case, I strongly suspect, as does my naturopath, that what you describe is an issue in my case. It seems from all evidence, that my body is storing toxins in the fat as it can not process or purge them especially when I lose weight quickly causing a major dump of toxins into the blood (something I am very aware of via the pain and "sluggy" feeling I develop as well as an increase in depression and hormonal imbalances).

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:Second - if you have the money for genetic testing, I'd highly recommend getting it done and having your results interpreted by a knowledgeable health practitioner. I'm thinking specifically of the test for MTFHR polymorphism, which is known to contribute to some or all of the issues you describe, but there are many other gene defects that could be the culprit. We got hubby (lifelong history of asthma and depression, plus two decades of obesity) tested for MTFHR polymorphism and he came back as having a defect. Now that we know that and have started treating it, his depression is better than it's ever been and he's slowly starting to shed the excess fat. We're saving up for 23andme testing for our daughter and myself, since we both have issues with gluten and a few other things that could be exacerbated by untreated gene defects. Oh yeah, fun fact - most gene defects that I've come across can ONLY be treated through diet and nutrition.

I don't have the money for the testing, unfortunately. How is your husband treating his MTFHR polymorphism? ...yes, nutrition is a key medical "procedure" for healing many things.

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:Sorry for going so completely off topic on ya'll, but I thought the info might come in handy for anyone struggling with weight and auto-immune issues.

Sometimes rabbit trails are valuable fact finding missios.

Edited to add: I found this on a webpage: "Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant and detoxifier. People with MTHFR anomalies usually have low glutathione, which makes them more susceptible to health challenges related to stress and they are have a more difficult time detoxifying heavy metals and other toxins. "

I KNOW, from lab testing that was done, that I have low glutathione.

Edited again to add: I've done some research and found that 23andMe does testing for $99. They don't do "health" screening but still their testing, so I'm understanding, includes the MTHFR gene. Then, there is another company that can take that raw data and for $20 give a basic interpretation.

Tina Paxton wrote:
I don't have the money for the testing, unfortunately. How is your husband treating his MTFHR polymorphism? ...yes, nutrition is a key medical "procedure" for healing many things.

Tina Paxton wrote:Edited to add: I found this on a webpage: "Glutathione is the body's primary antioxidant and detoxifier. People with MTHFR anomalies usually have low glutathione, which makes them more susceptible to health challenges related to stress and they are have a more difficult time detoxifying heavy metals and other toxins. "

I KNOW, from lab testing that was done, that I have low glutathione.

Edited again to add: I've done some research and found that 23andMe does testing for $99. They don't do "health" screening but still their testing, so I'm understanding, includes the MTHFR gene. Then, there is another company that can take that raw data and for $20 give a basic interpretation.

Depending on your naturopath's training, they may be able to do the interpretation for you. Ours does it all the time - it's one of the reasons I chose him. In many ways, if you can afford it, the 23andMe testing in superior to most other screens. For instance, in Australia at least, the "standard" MTHFR test (what we got for DH) costs $65 and only tests for the two most common polymorphisms (C667T and another I don't quite remember right now). Whereas 23andMe tests for ALL the currently known defects - I think there's about 20? Plus they test for other known defects - MTHFR isn't the only one out there, it's just one of the most prevalent (occurs in 40-60% of the population).

Hubby is currently taking N-Acetyl Cysteine specifically for the MTHFR defect - it's an amino acid that the body then transforms into glutathione. Unlike some other forms this one can is easily absorbed and crosses the blood-brain barrier (important for DH since we're most focused on treating his depression ATM). He's also strictly avoiding all synthetic forms of folate (folic acid) - it's actually toxic to people with the gene defect. I'm trying to get more leafy greens into him as a natural folate/folinic acid supplement. Slow going but it's paying off.

Interestingly, the ketogenic diet is probably one of the better ones for treating this defect as it naturally cuts out all the problem foods - grains, fruit juice, (most) processed crap - and boosts animal and plant forms of folate (especially if you're mainly eating greens as your vegetables).

I'll start a new thread and list/copy out all the MTHFR resources that our naturopath gave us, so that way other people can stumble on it and I can stop this giant derailing

I just found this video on beating cancer with ketogenic diets. I haven't watched it yet, but I wanted to post it here before I lose it...

This one is interesting too. It has a lot of stuff about the use of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), such as the ones you get in coconut oil, and to a lesser extent olive oil. Apparently they break down in the liver directly to ketones, so instead of going through the 'three days of hell' to get into ketosis, I should be able to kickstart things by eating a lump of creamed coconut and be back in within ten minutes. Which is awesome news for me! Also, use of MCTs means that you can eat substantially more carbs without going out of ketosis.

From what he said, and jiggling the figures, it seems that if you were on 20g of carbs a day, you should be able to manage 80g, which for me would mean I could eat a whole load more veggies. I mean, I *like* cabbage and spinach and green salads, but just occasionally it would be nice to have a bit of pumpkin too!

I had heard that the military was looking into getting some soldiers into ketosis to even out their hunger/blood sugar. It makes total sense.

I'm still adjusting to not being hungry & trying to figure out what eating routine makes sense. I used to need a snack ever few hours & it's weird to not need that little sugar boost.

Also, the jury is out on how beneficial ketosis is if it is diet induced (MCTs, coconut oil) verses low carb induced. I'm doing both ATM.

Very high performance athletes are experimenting with cycling in and of ketosis so you might be able to time your pumpkin consumption to your benefit.

At least it's not a taboo subject any more.

I think it would depend very much *why* you want to be in ketosis. I need it to keep my brain functioning and to keep the blood sugars stable - I want to stay in it permanently, at least for the foreseeable future! I should think that if you wanted it for control of epilepsy or cancer or MS, then I think I'd want to stay in permanently too. For athletes or just for losing weight or general health, then I don't see the problem in moving in and out of ketosis.

As for using MCTs to stay in it, it seems to help me. It doesn't seem to help me lose weight, but it helps my energy levels and stability, which is more important for me. For losing weight, I still need to watch *everything* I eat. Grabbing a bit of creamed coconut isn't exactly good for the calorie intake, but if it helps to stabilise me, keep me functioning, keep me exercising and keep the appetite under control, then it's worth it, for me. I can see, though, that it's soon going to turn into a marketing gimmick and people will just stuff their faces with coconut fudge and fail to lose weight.

Burra Maluca wrote: I can see, though, that it's soon going to turn into a marketing gimmick and people will just stuff their faces with coconut fudge and fail to lose weight.

There are a number of "food porn" sites for low carb/paleo/keto diets. I'm trying to stick to "real food" until I loose a little more weight but I am going to attempt a very low carb chocolate chip cookie today & hubby has threatened to make me a low carb cheese cake (which he liked) for my BIG birthday today.

I'm slightly optimistic about some new recipes - we've relied on grains for the last several thousand years - maybe it is time for a new look at relying on other ingredients. Kind of like how we've relied on fossil fuel driven agriculture and need to apply other [permaculture] techniques.

I did make "cauliflower rice" the other night with my homegrown porterhouse steaks. Hubby was so thrilled I made cauliflower (the first time in 22 years???) that he didn't complain there was no starch.

Cauliflower rice is awesome.

My boys are learning to love salads too, which is awesome. They had two green leafy salads today, and they chose the second one themselves. I seem to be getting addicted to a very basic coleslaw, with shredded cabbage, a dollop of dressing a sprinkling of bacon or chopped duck meat or whatever I have around. Olive oil has MCTs in it too, albeit in a much lower dose. I'm imagining that in time I'll be able to drop the creamed coconut, but at the moment I'm taking all the help I can get!

Oh, and happy birthday!

I've been on this attempt at ketogenic for a week now. I do a Bulletproof Tea with breakfast -- tea, coconut milk, coconut oil, maca powder (I need to get some grassfed/pastured butter) plus a couple eggs fried in coconut oil. I've moved lunch to 2pm and lunch is my largest meal with some type of greens and/or cauliflower and a meat and bone broth for the beverage. Dinner is something small like avocado with tuna or broth and meat and veggies.

I have not lost any weight so far. I've not tested my urine to see if I'm in ketosis yet.

Am I on the right track?

Goals: weightloss, reduced inflammation

Tina Paxton wrote:

Am I on the right track?

Goals: weightloss, reduced inflammation

Sounds good. Depends a bit on the 'veggies'. I find it's worth actually counting them for a while, and testing to check if you are actually 'there' or not.

Tina Paxton wrote:
I have not lost any weight so far. I've not tested my urine to see if I'm in ketosis yet.

Am I on the right track?

Goals: weightloss, reduced inflammation

You might want to track your macros & calories just to see if you're on track. I found I was eating too much protein early on. Moving lunch back because you aren't hungry is a pretty good clue things are on track.

You know where I feel reduced inflammation? My gums! I'm sure it's better in other parts of my body but it's just really noticeable there.

Brain fog is a thing of the past and my emotions seem calmer too.

These are benefits to keep your eyes open for. Not sure how long it would've taken me to notice them if someone hadn't mentioned them first.

FYI, last time I was at Costco they had an amazing deal on Coconut oil. Worth the membership, even. I'm using it a lot and really need to pick up some more!

Mother found a great deal on a delicious coconut oil that actually tastes like coconut oil at Sams Club. And, yes, it was a good enough deal to warrant us getting a membership (mom went with a friend).

I do need to check my macros to be sure I'm getting the right balance. I need to be sure I get enough protein (I've had problems with too low protein before) while not too much. I am keeping the protein portions down but checking the macros is a great idea.

The first place of healing I always see is my skin...then body pain....and YES brain fog!! Having a clear mind to think and function is so important to me after having been so fogged for 3 years that I couldn't function.

I was seriously surprised that the Bulletproof Tea actually kept me satisfied (no shakes, no hunger pangs) for so long. Even at 2pm I'm not like OH I GOTTA EAT ***NOW*** like I used to be by noon. Most evenings, dinner is very small because I'm barely hungry.

Today, we had great weather so I ate breakfast (bulletproof tea and 2 fried eggs) and spent the next 5 hours working out side in the sunshine doing some very labor intensive work (at least for me). Even then, I wasn't hungry until about 2ish. I ate a small sample of the beanless chili Mother made for the Chili Cookoff at church tonight. Then, at church I had some more.

I did not experience the lack of hunger and brain fog on a plain old low carb diet. They are huge benefits and are making up for the slow weight loss. I didn't realize how much they effected me till they were gone.

Tina, I think you want to shoot for 4 oz of protein or less per meal.

The movie Fat Head may or may not belong in this thread but the followup most certainly does, AND it looks like yet again, this path leads to homesteading:



Full move:

Cj Verde wrote:I did not experience the lack of hunger and brain fog on a plain old low carb diet. They are huge benefits and are making up for the slow weight loss. I didn't realize how much they effected me till they were gone.

Tina, I think you want to shoot for 4 oz of protein or less per meal.

My brain fog is mostly affected by gluten and grain consumption. As long as I stay off those, I am good...could be better and hope to be because I'm not where I was before the nightmare began.

Oh, I definitely eat less than 4 oz of protein per meal.

Hey Burra, I actually thought of you when watching this one:

Towards the end (about 44 minutes) they talk about women in ketosis and how they sometimes have a hard time with it and can be better of taking a day a week where they carb load & eat fruit!

Cj Verde wrote:Towards the end (about 44 minutes) they talk about women in ketosis and how they sometimes have a hard time with it and can be better of taking a day a week where they carb load & eat fruit!

Haha - he must have secret cameras watching me to see what I do!

But seriously, that's one of the reasons I like to experiment on myself so much. Just occasionally I'm gonna discover something that works that no-one else has tried yet.

For the last 2 weeks my blood sugar has been kind of high (120) for NO GOOD REASON! This has been pissing me off to no end because when BS is high, ketones are low. It turns out that your period can effect BS in either direction. I'm finally back down to normal (82) but I have been stalled in weight loss this whole time. Sigh...

At least I know the reason now & I'm posting this in case anyone runs across the same issue. No wonder they tend not to do medical studies on women, we're way too complicated!

I have a confession to make. I gave up the experiment. Other than reducing my appetite, it wasn't doing anything for me. I was gaining, not losing weight. I was moody. So, I decided to go with what Mark Sisson calls the "sweet spot" for weightloss -- 50-100g of carbs a day. Actually, I've kinda given up on losing weight. For me, now, the "sweet spot" is where my face doesn't look like I have the plague (rosacea and psoriasis) and I otherwise feel well and energetic.