Keto diet

[Poki]

Did a search and didnt find anything on a basic keto diet. Starting one with new year, not a resolution. Was something i was gonna start couple months ago, but pushed off do to holidays and food.

Basic premise is the standard 1200-1400 calories for women and 1600 for men to lose weight. 20-30 carbs a day goal, lots of fat and between .6 and 1.2 grams protein for body weight depending on activity level. Lots more info i will post later as well as anything i learn.

Goal is 30lb weight loss, no time frame set. Also posting meals, for anyone that does a keto feel free to critique anything or add anything.

Lunch today is chipotle bowl

Steak, cheese, tomatoes, hot salsa, guac, and lettuce. Online shows 3 net carbs for this meal and about 500 calories, guac adds alot of healthy mono fat.

 

[Poki]

 

[ceecee]

Look at Pinterest, there's tons of stuff. I also saw some paleo/keto type meals at Walmart in the freezer section. They look pretty good, that would be nice when you're short on time

 

[Norrsken]

My body definitely responds better to a lower carb diet, it seems. People all over the world have had wonderful results on the Keto/Atkins diet.

 

[thepink-cloakedninja]

Hey there! Freshman (well technically sophomore) nutrition major here, but I've only taken two nutrition-related classes so I'm by no means an expert! xD

Against Keto Diets
Diets that bring about ketosis for weight loss are highly scrutinized in the nutrition science world. So basically all your scholarly, peer-reviewed journal peeps frown on it, as do the textbook writers, clinical dietitians, and the like. Right now, they are all touting the balanced diet, a mix of your fruits, veggies, whole grains, fats (preferably the majority of which should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated), lean meats, nuts, lentils, etc., etc. Keto diets, according to these people, are too high in saturated fats, and too low in fiber (from your whole grains and fruits), and they believe that they raise LDL cholesterol. Additionally, the initial weight loss seen from keto diets is actually not fat, but from the water your body uses to store (I believe it's called glycogen) its carb reserves. Also, carbs are touted by the nutrition scientists to be the best fuel for exercise.

For Keto Diets
The book Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes makes a compelling case for the keto diet. According to this book, the composition of fat found in meats is less than 50% saturated fat, and then the rest is composed of I think polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The saturated fat will raise both LDL and HDL cholesterol, and the unsaturated fats will lower the LDL cholesterol, which results in a net gain of HDL and a loss of LDL. The keto diet is excellent for weight loss, according to him, as he states that insulin levels are responsible for obesity, and the keto diet manages insulin levels by limiting carbs. For his evidence of high insulin supporting obesity, he cites diebetics, studies performed on rodents, and a handful of human examples. However, this book makes zero use of double-blind studies which are the hallmark of good science, cites personal testimonies, and uses a few rare and odd examples such as a woman who got a burn on her hand, had skin transferred to her hand from her abdomen, and then that spot on her hand got really fat. I forgot what point he was making with that, but using examples such as this one to support your statements is bad science. Also, this book makes very good points about how saturated fats came to be condemned. Gary Taubes states that the saturated fat hypothesis originated from a man named Ansel Keys who studied 7 different countries and their diets to come up with the hypothesis that saturated fats cause heart disease. However, Keys is thought to have picked countries to support his hypothesis, such as saying, "hey look at this nation who eats lots of fiber and unsaturated fats! They have good health! And this country over here who eats lots of butter has bad heart health!" and then ignored the countries who ate lots of meat and had good heart health and the countries who didn't eat lots of meat and still had bad heart health. The American Heart Association was at first very much against Keys and his hypothesis but eventually swung over to his side due to the board members who wanted to at least do something about the obesity crisis, instead of just telling people that they didn't know what to do.

A couple other books that talk about saturated fat ...

The Gap Psychology Diet and Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health both talk about how saturated fats are wrongly condemned. Neither books however, talk about keto diets, and the Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health talks about gluten and casein contributing to mental disorders WHICH IS SO VERY VERY WRONG (I can give you evidence for this if you want).

Long story short, I would definitely recommend you do a lot more research before embarking on this keto diet. For weight loss, the recommended steps are to first talk to your doctor about it, and then follow through with talking to a dietitian if your doctor recommends it. Choose a diet plan that you can stick to for the long-term. Only 5% of dieters manage to maintain their weight loss for more than a five-year period because they view their lifestyle changes as only short-term. YOu need to be making lifestyle choices that will last you the rest of your life. Be wary of fad diets (like the keto diet) that promise fast and easy results. Only choose the keto diet if you really think you want to maintain these lifestyle choices for the long-term, otherwise you could end up weight cycling which is worse for you than just staying the same weight (its a heart-disease risk and when you gain back the weight a lot of it will settle around your abdomen). Lastly, it's recommended to lose no more than 2 pounds a week.

A few more quick points:

1. Experts have been wrong before about nutrition-related info (and lots of other things). For example, bananas were once touted as the cure for celiac disease (dietetics history is funny).
2. And I forgot the rest of the points I was going to make ... I might come back later if I remember.

 

[Poki]

[MENTION=30445]thepink-cloakedninja[/MENTION]

Thanks for the info. This is actually my third attempt at Keto diet. First was way back when Atkins became popular. I made it three days with a headache and gave up. I didnt know what the hell i was doing at all. I grew up on skim milk, whea bread, low fat food, skinless boneless chicken breasts, ground turkey. So when it said to eat a high fat diet i bout starved myself because i couldnt figure out what to eat. I went to just a standard diet and read up on it alot. Pretty much 40/35/25 protien/carb/fats macros 1500-1600 calories. Lost 40-50lbs pretty quickly and pretty much have hovered between 160lbs-180lbs for years. Put on weight in last 2 years and wanna get it off.

Second time i did better, but quit after a week from minor headaches because i still had a hard time food wise. I dont like most greasy food so a keto diet is actually hard for me to figure out. I have heard ALOT of good results and positive feedback from people who do it which is why i keep trying. I am not talking diet websites, i frequent exercise websites...t-nation and bodybuilder.com being some of the most popular ones.

I will have to read what you wrote a couple times to get it all in and learn not just what you wrote, but areas to expand knowledge.

Not really looking for some quick and easy fix. I am currently researching good go to foods for fat. Some of my current ones are avacados, eggs, nuts, cheeses, coconut oil. I will be adding in salmon and tuna to the mix. I have no headaches this time around. Lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, dices tomatoes, etc are go to vegetables (easy on tomatoes). Still researching more. GF is big on vegetables and we are doing it together. We do get bacon, and red meat, and sausage. But the goal is to NOT ONLY eat those things. I dont wanna drown everything in butter. I actually feel good. Only been a week and 5lb loss i have seen is something typical i see with any diet first week. I dont generally have issues losing weight. All i do is watch what i eat. Pretty much wanting to give Keto a try again. When i add carbs back in I plan to stick with low glycemic index as well for blood sugar control as well.

Its a lifestyle change, slowly add in carbs as we hit desired weight.

 

[ceecee]

You might find some good recipes here.

Rehabilitated Fat Boy – IG: @UserName_DopeAF

Under the menu and his instagram has stuff too.

Shaun (@username_dopeaf) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[Poki]

Have been reading that not all saturated fat is the same either. Butter and dairy much better then red meat.

Also that saturated isnt as bad as it has been made out to be. Its still below most others types, but not as bad as made out to be.

 

[Poki]

You might find some good recipes here.

Rehabilitated Fat Boy – IG: @UserName_DopeAF

Under the menu and his instagram has stuff too.

Shaun 👑 (@username_dopeaf) • Instagram photos and videos

Nice

I just tried a keto mousse and it was pretty good. Its basically butter, cream cheese, truvia, cocoa powder, and whipped heavy cream. Will attach later, to able to now. Not much food and 330 calories, but its good and for the size it holds you over pretty good.

 

[ceecee]

Nice

I just tried a keto mousse and it was pretty good. Its basically butter, cream cheese, truvia, cocoa powder, and whipped heavy cream. Will attach later, to able to now. Not much food and 330 calories, but its good and for the size it holds you over pretty good.

I think he has a realistic outlook to the whole thing. And a salad a day, which everyone should do regardless of their diet. My husband did low carb for awhile a couple years ago, I wish I had known about that site then. I think he recommends using European butter like Plugra or Kerrygold and grass fed beef too, better kinds of saturated fat.

 

[thepink-cloakedninja]

[MENTION=30445]thepink-cloakedninja[/MENTION]

Thanks for the info. This is actually my third attempt at Keto diet. First was way back when Atkins became popular. I made it three days with a headache and gave up. I didnt know what the hell i was doing at all. I grew up on skim milk, whea bread, low fat food, skinless boneless chicken breasts, ground turkey. So when it said to eat a high fat diet i bout starved myself because i couldnt figure out what to eat. I went to just a standard diet and read up on it alot. Pretty much 40/35/25 protien/carb/fats macros 1500-1600 calories. Lost 40-50lbs pretty quickly and pretty much have hovered between 160lbs-180lbs for years. Put on weight in last 2 years and wanna get it off.

Second time i did better, but quit after a week from minor headaches because i still had a hard time food wise. I dont like most greasy food so a keto diet is actually hard for me to figure out. I have heard ALOT of good results and positive feedback from people who do it which is why i keep trying. I am not talking diet websites, i frequent exercise websites...t-nation and bodybuilder.com being some of the most popular ones.

I will have to read what you wrote a couple times to get it all in and learn not just what you wrote, but areas to expand knowledge.

Not really looking for some quick and easy fix. I am currently researching good go to foods for fat. Some of my current ones are avacados, eggs, nuts, cheeses, coconut oil. I will be adding in salmon and tuna to the mix. I have no headaches this time around. Lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, dices tomatoes, etc are go to vegetables (easy on tomatoes). Still researching more. GF is big on vegetables and we are doing it together. We do get bacon, and red meat, and sausage. But the goal is to NOT ONLY eat those things. I dont wanna drown everything in butter. I actually feel good. Only been a week and 5lb loss i have seen is something typical i see with any diet first week. I dont generally have issues losing weight. All i do is watch what i eat. Pretty much wanting to give Keto a try again. When i add carbs back in I plan to stick with low glycemic index as well for blood sugar control as well.

Its a lifestyle change, slowly add in carbs as we hit desired weight.

That's great, good job then! And adding fish is awesome! If you choose fatty fish caught wild and eat it about 2 - 3x a week then that will be enough to meet all of your omega-3 fatty acid needs! Though do be careful not to overdo it on fish as you could give yourself mercury poisoning.

Hmm ... good sources of fat ...

Well, nuts are always good! They have unsaturated fats, and a quarter cup of nuts daily is enough to meet your vitamin E needs (and vitamin E is awesome as it is an antioxidant) and some nuts like walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids. They are an incomplete protein though, so you'll either have to find a non-carb food that has the nuts' missing amino acids, or just get enough protein from other sources. Peanutbutter is pretty good, too. You could dip carrots or celery in it, or just eat it plain. *nodnod*

Another good fat is yogurt. I'm not sure if you like eating plain, unsweetened yogurt, but you can use it as a sour cream replacement, or add some garlic and onion powder, lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste and use it as a veggie dip, and if you add some milk you can use it as a homemade ranch dressing. If you can, try to get yogurt that contains live probiotic cultures to strengthen your gut's beneficial bacteria. *nodnod*

Plant oils are a great source of unsaturated fats! A great salad dressing I use is equal parts olive oil and then either balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and a squirt of mustard. Um, farmers in Crete a long time ago used to drink a cup of olive oil for breakfast so if you get desperate you could always copy them. xD Don't cook with any plant oils that are liquid at room temperature though, because their unsaturated fats are extremely fragile, and the heat could turn them into trans fats.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

So many diets sound dangerous to me. Not to mention most are downright expensive...

 

[nonsequitur]

[MENTION=30445]thepink-cloakedninja[/MENTION]

Thanks for the info. This is actually my third attempt at Keto diet. First was way back when Atkins became popular. I made it three days with a headache and gave up. I didnt know what the hell i was doing at all. I grew up on skim milk, whea bread, low fat food, skinless boneless chicken breasts, ground turkey. So when it said to eat a high fat diet i bout starved myself because i couldnt figure out what to eat. I went to just a standard diet and read up on it alot. Pretty much 40/35/25 protien/carb/fats macros 1500-1600 calories. Lost 40-50lbs pretty quickly and pretty much have hovered between 160lbs-180lbs for years. Put on weight in last 2 years and wanna get it off.

Second time i did better, but quit after a week from minor headaches because i still had a hard time food wise. I dont like most greasy food so a keto diet is actually hard for me to figure out. I have heard ALOT of good results and positive feedback from people who do it which is why i keep trying. I am not talking diet websites, i frequent exercise websites...t-nation and bodybuilder.com being some of the most popular ones.

I will have to read what you wrote a couple times to get it all in and learn not just what you wrote, but areas to expand knowledge.

Not really looking for some quick and easy fix. I am currently researching good go to foods for fat. Some of my current ones are avacados, eggs, nuts, cheeses, coconut oil. I will be adding in salmon and tuna to the mix. I have no headaches this time around. Lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, dices tomatoes, etc are go to vegetables (easy on tomatoes). Still researching more. GF is big on vegetables and we are doing it together. We do get bacon, and red meat, and sausage. But the goal is to NOT ONLY eat those things. I dont wanna drown everything in butter. I actually feel good. Only been a week and 5lb loss i have seen is something typical i see with any diet first week. I dont generally have issues losing weight. All i do is watch what i eat. Pretty much wanting to give Keto a try again. When i add carbs back in I plan to stick with low glycemic index as well for blood sugar control as well.

Its a lifestyle change, slowly add in carbs as we hit desired weight.

I'm not doing keto, but there are a few people in the fitness community who I know who are, they're devotees of it. The headaches are common when you're going from any diet that is high-carb to low(er) carb. Your body prefers to metabolise glucose; when you cut off glucose as a source of energy your body needs to produce more enzymes/molecules to break down fatty acids to provide your energy needs. Until then, you're basically unable to generate enough energy to sustain your usual activity levels. You can avoid the headaches if you slowly reduce the amount of carb that you take, and use low GI carbs to come down "off" the glucose-heavy metabolism. Or you could do it cold-turkey. The "low-carb flu" goes off after at most a couple of weeks for most people. I wouldn't recommend cold-turkeying it for most people because it feels terrible and they might not adhere to the diet, but it seems that you're fine with it this time.

Different bodies process different types of macros differently. One reason why people would go strict keto is to reduce epileptic fits. It also helps to increase insulin sensitivity for people who are pre-diabetic/diabetic, because you're no longer on the insulin yoyo. There are 2 camps with regards to saturated fat - either it makes absolutely no difference because your body raises HDL to transport it out - or it's terrible because it clogs your vessels. I'm not in either camp - it's fine in small amounts, but the foods that contain a lot of saturated fat (e.g. red meat) also contain a lot of oxidants and pro-inflammatory stuff - which will harden your blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and cause heart disease. It's also 9 kcal/g so it's a lot more energy dense than carbs or protein (4 kcal/g), so you will need to watch how much you consume if you want to lose weight (you'll need a net calorie deficit). The exception here is coconut, because the fatty acid chain length isn't as long (it's called "medium-chain triglycerides") and apparently the water contains minerals and antioxidants. But the calorie rule still applies.

The early weight drop is all glycogen and water - the most important thing is to keep it off. I personally wouldn't do keto because it's difficult to adhere to if you are travelling/busy (it's also the reason why I don't do carb-cycling, which would reduce body fat more quickly). The main thing is how sustainable it is, and if you're going to go back on low-glycemic anyway there's really not much point in doing strict keto. When you start eating carbs again you're going to put back on the water weight. Might as well do something less restrictive (low carb + low glycemic) and focus on "good" foods to eat. Would also recommend that you don't cut weight too fast - i.e. don't lower your calorie intake (for an active male) to less than 1800kcal/day. It can end up depressing your metabolism, which means that it'll be hard to keep it off.

For me, a permanent lifestyle change is much better than a diet, so I just try to stuff as many vegetables into my day as possible, and focus on lean protein sources and healthy fats. When I work out I add a bit of low GI carbs in too, and when I'm craving sweet stuff I have fruit. I minimise red meat - no matter how you cook it, it'll contain compounds that are carcinogenic (cause cancer). Not much point in losing weight and getting ripped if you're gonna make yourself sick doing it - either with heart disease or with cancer. Main thing is to focus on health, eat as many colours of fruit/vegetable as possible, cut out processed food and get enough protein/fat. Carbs (except fibre) are optional, and can be used to help you to work out better. The main thing is that it should be something that complements your health and that you can stick to long-term. Weight loss should happen on its own.

 

[Poki]

Tonights dinner is sauteed cabbage and hamburger patty with salt pepper parsley in a creamy tomato sauce.

Hamburger Patties with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Fried Cabbage - Diet Doctor

 

[Litsnob]

I'm a keto and low-carb eater as well. I don't track whether or not I am in ketosis but I usually eat very low carb because my body responds best to that. There is lots of good advice and info here which I can't really add to so I'm just chiming uselessly to say keep at it. People seem able to tolerate different carb levels both for losing and maintenance and you will figure out what works for you. There is lots of info on the internet though the usual precautions apply re. checking sources. Low-carb means different things to different people so be aware of that too. If you are using low-carb sweeteners, be aware that sugar alcohols, which are most easily recognised as ending in -ytol, can cause stomach upset but it varies between individuals.

 

[Poki]

Last night was a eggplant pizza, interesting, but good. Would do it again. Simply cut eggplant in slices, either round or the funky oblong add olive oil, season with garlic, salt, etc. Bake it for a bit. Add a low carb pizza sauce, cheeses and pepperoni and throw it back in oven until cheese is all melted and gooey.

Tonight was blackened chicken alfredo with broccoli instead of noodle. Came out really good. I do miss the noodles, but not to bad. Alfredo and broccoli went good together.

I dont really miss the bun on burgers though, they are just as good bunless.

Quick go to breakfast at this point is 3 eggs, half a tomato, avacado, and sometimes a little bacon or sausage link.

I am down 9 lbs so far from the start, 24 more to go. Pretty much keep water with me at all times. Drink about 3-4 route 44 sonic cups of water a day. So far no headaches, or anything. I am eating less because i am getting full faster from the dietary fiber and fat.

GF made some cream cheese pancakes as well, dont know the recipe right now. Can probably google it, but it was almost crepe thin and we just munched on them didnt need any sugar free syrup or anything.

Also started doing cardio, 40min 4-5 times a week on elliptical. Burns about 500 calories in the 40 min. Goal is to get back up to the 800 callories in 40min i used to be at. But starting slow. Starting to add in body weight exercises as well.

 

[entropie]

Keto prolly is the best diet of all since you keep your insuline level low, whats the best fatburner. Excersing hard tho every day is a good alternative as well. 45-60 mins weightlifting and 20-30 mins HIIT do the trick, 3 times a week. You see it with diabetes patients who have to supplement less insulin after hard workouts (most carbohydrates are burnt in the muscles then).

Keto normally is necessary, if you want to loose that last pounds. Like in my case, I want to loose like 10 lbs. For greater diets like loosing 30 lbs, a normal calorine deficit is enough as well.

One hint on keto: dont eat too much chicken. Or look for more expensive bio chicken. Lots of chicken is full of antibiotics thats not too good. I'ld rather go with good quality whey protein to keep the proteine intake high.

I keep fingers crossed and join you in in the diet. Want to go from 210 to 198 lbs. I do it with weightlifting and HIIT, 3 times a week, plus one day climbing or bouldering. Calorine intake I set at 2100 kcal, with roughly 143 g CH, 53 g Fat and 270 g proteines.

 

[Ursa]

Lots of chicken is full of antibiotics thats not too good. I'ld rather go with good quality whey protein to keep the proteine intake high.

Administration of antibiotics in the United States is strictly regulated. Most chickens are not given antibiotics unless they are legitimately ill from bacteria. Anyone purchasing chicken should look for labels as to how antibiotics were used. In most cases, they are not a problem.

Whey protein shakes are not regulated by the FDA. Nor are any supplements or any other shakes. The FDA is shitty like that, and this is because of the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1994.

Just stating information for anyone reading in America.

 

[entropie]

Administration of antibiotics in the United States is strictly regulated. Most chickens are not given antibiotics unless they are legitimately ill from bacteria. Anyone purchasing chicken should look for labels as to how antibiotics were used. In most cases, they are not a problem.

Whey protein shakes are not regulated by the FDA. Nor are any supplements or any other shakes.

]Just stating information for anyone reading in America.

Ya thats strictly regulated here as well, like Dieselgate. I dont trust regulations no more.
I try to supplement proteine also a lot via vegetables like beans, nuts or soja.

Regarding whey that is a decision ofc. We have some young startup companies 8i.e. foodspring - finest fitness food) here, who do a lot for healthy foods and healthy sports and I decided to trust them. They sell whey especially for vegetarian bodybuilders and it doesnt look like the one you get from less serious bodybuilding stores. Most often has no taste at all, but with milk and six eggs its great

 

[Ursa]

Ya thats strictly regulated here as well, like Dieselgate. I dont trust regulations no more.
I try to supplement proteine also a lot via vegetables like beans, nuts or soja.

Regarding whey that is a decision ofc. We have some young startup companies 8i.e. foodspring - finest fitness food) here, who do a lot for healthy foods and healthy sports and I decided to trust them. They sell whey especially for vegetarian bodybuilders and it doesnt look like the one you get from less serious bodybuilding stores. Most often has no taste at all, but with milk and six eggs its great

I decided to research German laws, and they seem very similar to the laws here in the States. This means that supplements are actually not regulated - at least not very well:

How safe are food supplements?

Food supplements are foods. They must be safe. Manufacturers and distributors are responsible for ensuring that food supplements do not harm health and do not mislead the consumer through their appearance or claims. However, in contrast to medicinal products food supplements do not go through any official marketing authorisation procedure during which actual health safety must be proven. The product offering on the German market is monitored by random checks of the official food control bodies.