Ask Kimmer!

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by ahowell

194.8 last thurs morning, this morning 190.2
woohoo thanks kimmer!!!!
I wanna be 150-160 by July 15Th....beat me silly guys, dont let my slide :P

Now, now, flaggelation isn't part of the low carb experience, LOL!

Joanna, here's the link:

Kimmer's Fitday

[cristaljoy]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

What soy are you eating? Quantities? Carbs?

I understand no insurance (boy, do I understand), but is there a county clinic where you can be seen? A local university medical department? You might contact the local welfare office and ask about clinics for non-insurance people ... usually the same places that accept Medi-Cal/Medicare.

i asked you earlier if instone pudding was acceptable and you gave the ok, so i've been eating one can a day about 5x a week cause it's so low in cals and so high in protein

my can of vanilla reads 100 cals, 1 carb, and is made with soy protein isolate, whatever that is

soy would be so convienent for me cause i don't like meat very much

i just don't want to be losing less than i could if thats possible

oh and thanks for the tips on getting my thyroid checked; i've been putting it off and putting it off!

[Kimmer]

Cristal, I think it's fine as a meal replacement -- especially if you're not very hungry. Naturally you're taking a Centrum type vitamin each day, right?

[cristaljoy]

naturally

thanks so much for all your help

[Antigone]

Hi Kimmer,

I just want to ask if its possible to stay in the same weight for five days? Last week I started high protein/low carb/low fat, I was 215 on Monday last week and I was 201 last Monday. But I've been in the same weight since. The scale isnt moving down anymore. What do I do about it? I've read threads here saying that to break a stall, you should "carb up". Is this true?

[NCBeachboy]

OK, Kimmer. I have been doing low cal/low carb this week. Per fitday, I have avg. about 700 cals/20 carbs a day (that is NOT net carbs). I have lost a pound a day since I started.
However, tonight my wife asked me to check the chicken she was roasting in the oven. I thought I was done eating for the day, but man I couldn't help it, it smelled so good that when she took it out I had a leg and thigh. It was still 20 minutes before 7pm, so I had just a little time to eat it.

My question - can you go DEEPER into ketosis after eating something like that? I've had a stomach ache all night and we went somewhere and I brushed my teeth before leaving. Coming home my wife said that my breath smelled like death.

I know I was in ketosis as I have been steadily losing taking advantage of the total lack of hunger, but I wondered if eating straight chicken could take you deeper.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Antigone

Hi Kimmer,

I just want to ask if its possible to stay in the same weight for five days? Last week I started high protein/low carb/low fat, I was 215 on Monday last week and I was 201 last Monday. But I've been in the same weight since. The scale isnt moving down anymore. What do I do about it? I've read threads here saying that to break a stall, you should "carb up". Is this true?

Don't "carb up", you're just making life hard for yourself.

OK, you lost 14 pounds in a week, right? Congrats by the way! That was a sure sign you were "over" on carbs and once your glycogen was depleted (0 carbs for a few days), you lost the flood of water ... plus fat!

You shouldn't be the same since Monday. What are you eating? What kind of protein? How many carbs? From where? Are you measuring/weighing or guessing portions?

If you "carb up" you might cry.

[Antigone]

Most days I have 2 eggs "fried" using spray-on vegetable spray (0 carb) and dinner is usually chicken or steak cooked using the Foreman's grill and salad (lettuce, cucumber). I don't use dressing coz I like my veggies plain. Chicken marinade is the SBD ginger-garlic-lemon marinade. For the steak, it's the SBD marinade also. I do 1/2 hour of taebo everyday. I also drink diet soda and every morning I have coffee with 2 tbsp of half and half

[Antigone]

Oops regarding portion control, chicken is usually half breast, steak is around 4 oz. Salad is around a cup.

[khaikhai]

Kimmer this might be a stupid question, but I dont know much about steak and different cuts. What kind is the best? The ones I have in my freezer say: TIP Steak, flank steak, and Underblade steak!! Are these types of steaks???

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by NCBeachboy

OK, Kimmer. I have been doing low cal/low carb this week. Per fitday, I have avg. about 700 cals/20 carbs a day (that is NOT net carbs). I have lost a pound a day since I started.
However, tonight my wife asked me to check the chicken she was roasting in the oven. I thought I was done eating for the day, but man I couldn't help it, it smelled so good that when she took it out I had a leg and thigh. It was still 20 minutes before 7pm, so I had just a little time to eat it.

My question - can you go DEEPER into ketosis after eating something like that? I've had a stomach ache all night and we went somewhere and I brushed my teeth before leaving. Coming home my wife said that my breath smelled like death.

I know I was in ketosis as I have been steadily losing taking advantage of the total lack of hunger, but I wondered if eating straight chicken could take you deeper.

LOL, you poor guy! Seduced by a roast chicken. You're not the first man to succomb to its wiles.

Your breath smells like death and, as we know, that's a good thing, but it's not from eating the chicken. Ketosis doesn't vary within a couple of hours, but adding calories in any event isn't going to push things along either.

Since you began on Monday and are losing 1 pound per day we can assume you were at least a 'little' over on carbs beforehand. As I've written, it can take 3-5 days to get all the way into deep 'real' ketosis.

You're at Day 4 and skidding into Ketosis Home Base apparently! (That was my best sports metaphor, I know cars not baseball).

By all means go ahead and have some chicken! What was that, an extra 300 calories maybe? Lean protein to boot (and you're a guy, it almost doesn't count)! How sweet that your wife is helping you by making delicious, legal, low fat low carb recipes.

Ketosis is accomplished by "severely restricting" carbs. When you cut carbs hard, your body is forced to use the glycogen in your liver for quick energy. When that's gone (3-4 days), it begins tapping body fat for ketones (known as ketosis). Eating more protein or fat doesn't help achieve that, the fat percentage has to rise automatically via the carb cutting.

On the other hand, if you overeat protein the excess converts to glucose so you're shooting yourself in the foot. You didn't do that though.

Good job Sir!

Keep doing what you're doing and your body will simply amaze you with it's ability to dump fat.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by khaikhai

Kimmer this might be a stupid question, but I dont know much about steak and different cuts. What kind is the best? The ones I have in my freezer say: TIP Steak, flank steak, and Underblade steak!! Are these types of steaks???

Yes, they are and all are good for losing weight.

Flank is among the leanest, tip is also good (great for long cooking recipes) and underblade has a bit more fat (trim it), but cooks out pretty easily.

Enjoy!

[khaikhai]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

Yes, they are and all are good for losing weight.

Flank is among the leanest, tip is also good (great for long cooking recipes) and underblade has a bit more fat (trim it), but cooks out pretty easily.

Enjoy!

Oh good news, I wasnt sure if I should be eating them or not!! But now I know!!!

[Bearski84]

Kimmer I had a quetion (naturally)
Our bodies burn energy in this order alchohol, carbs, protein, dietary fat, body fat but where and how in this list do calories play a role?
Also if a calorie is the amount of energy it takes to raise water 1º at sea level then in what way can we make a comparative measurement of a carbohydrate? I know it's kind of a wierd question but I've been wondering for a few days not for any real reason either but since I spend so much time not eating now I have a little bit more free time on my hands to ponder the mysteries of the unknown (well unknown to me anyways) lol

BTW I attribute all of my weight loss to you. Everyday I see myself in the mirror and evertime I see those numbers on the scale go down and I feel great about myself, I know it's all because of you!
So THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart Kimmer!

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Bearski84

I know it's kind of a wierd question but I've been wondering for a few days not for any real reason either but since I spend so much time not eating now I have a little but more freetime on my hands to ponder the mysteries of the unknown (well unknown to me anyways) lol!

Well, welcome to my world, lady!

It's when you're really focused on what you doing and why, that you start asking questions. Then you might do strict experiments with such precision that Nasa should take notes. Finally, it all starts falling in place and that's when the lightbulb goes on! BTW, when I was water fasting I really had time to ponder the questions of the universe, LOL!

About calorie equivalents, I know what you're asking and I don't know. In my mind I couldn't come up with a correlation except that if you need 1000 basal calories per day, and you drink 600 calories of wine, and then make a plate of grilled chicken and salad your body will take the 400 calories from the salad, then chicken ... and if you're "over" 1000 calories, you don't lose and extra calories contribute to body fat.

I'm in a hurry because my kids need the computer. I hope that made some kind of sense.

And YOU are the hero. You're the one doing the hard work, making the hard choices, exercising some self control. You.

[MaryN]

Hi Kimmer and everyone,

I am enjoying this thread. Have been on three days of low low carbs and plenty of protein and have lost 4 lbs. I know that low carb works because I did a type of it several years ago at a weight loss center, lost 54 lbs, kept it off for two years and got careless. I gained about 30 lbs back and decided to try some other diets in the mean time and since then I've gained another 10 lbs. I tried to do mostly vegs and fruits. I was always hungry and didn't feel well at all. I went back to mostly meats and esp beef these three day and feel wonderful. Hope this keeps up. I have lost some of the bloat off my face already. It's just so interesting. Thanks for all the good advice.

[daisymae]

Kimmer ...... a question about your *facial* routine. I am doing the routine you suggested a year or so ago in another thread:

AM: Wash face
Vit. C serum
Sunscreen

PM: Wash face
Wait a while, then put on Retin-A ( pea-size )
Wait a while, then put on glycolic acid or aha

I have been doing this routine for about 5 weeks. I have always had good skin, but I'm trying to *reduce* wrinkles

Right now, I'm still red, flaky, and my wrinkles look worse than before = skin is looking pretty bad......but I know that everyone says to wait several weeks and I will see great improvement.

So ..... my question for you: I know that you said you've been using Retin-A, etc. for about 14 years ( I think ). Do you do the same routine EVERY day ?? Do you skip days ?? Do you still have flakiness, etc. or did that finally stop ??

I'm willing to keep this up for the "long haul," but I'm just curious as to what I might expect as the years go on.

THANKS for any info. you can give me.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by daisymae

Kimmer ...... a question about your *facial* routine. I am doing the routine you suggested a year or so ago in another thread:

AM: Wash face
Vit. C serum
Sunscreen

PM: Wash face
Wait a while, then put on Retin-A ( pea-size )
Wait a while, then put on glycolic acid or aha

I have been doing this routine for about 5 weeks. I have always had good skin, but I'm trying to *reduce* wrinkles

Right now, I'm still red, flaky, and my wrinkles look worse than before = skin is looking pretty bad......but I know that everyone says to wait several weeks and I will see great improvement.

So ..... my question for you: I know that you said you've been using Retin-A, etc. for about 14 years ( I think ). Do you do the same routine EVERY day ?? Do you skip days ?? Do you still have flakiness, etc. or did that finally stop ??

I'm willing to keep this up for the "long haul," but I'm just curious as to what I might expect as the years go on.

THANKS for any info. you can give me.

I never skip a day because I've seen first hand the miracle of Retin-A. It did help that I started at 30, although I wish I had started way earlier. I'll be 48 soon and have no wrinkles at all (eyes, face, neck, forehead). Naturally it helps that I avoid the sun as much as possible (mostly because of heat, LOL).

What strength Retin-A are you using? .1, .05, .01? Straight or Renova? Which AHA?

You should not still be peeling. Tell me what you're using and I'll tell you what I think OK?

[daisymae]

I'm using .1% regular Retin-A (strong one) ( purchased in Mexico by a friend ) and 10% Alpha Hydrox ( in red-topped jar) I also try to *gently* exfoliate each morning and evening.

I don't use the Obaji system ( which is similar to what I'm doing) ..... but the Obaji "experts" say that there has to be 3 six-week cycles for your skin to finally look its best.

After my first 2 weeks on the *regime* my skin looked much better ( after a layer of skin *peeled* off in pieces), but now back to the peeling, flaking, reddness, etc. Maybe I'm wanting too much too soon.

Yes..... I wish I had started years ago !! As I said, I've always had good skin ( no blemishes), but I'm 57 now, and all I really want is just to *minimize* lines...

Everyone who says that they use Retin-A, etc. for years also say that they have beautiful skin. Yours sure looks great in your picture.

Thanks for your help.

[mzflowers]

OHHHHH... New question!!!

How can I get Retin-A??? I have wrinkles and they are getting bad!!

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by daisymae

I'm using .1% regular Retin-A (strong one) ( purchased in Mexico by a friend ) and 10% Alpha Hydrox ( in red-topped jar) I also try to *gently* exfoliate each morning and evening.

I don't use the Obaji system ( which is similar to what I'm doing) ..... but the Obaji "experts" say that there has to be 3 six-week cycles for your skin to finally look its best.

After my first 2 weeks on the *regime* my skin looked much better ( after a layer of skin *peeled* off in pieces), but now back to the peeling, flaking, reddness, etc. Maybe I'm wanting too much too soon.

Yes..... I wish I had started years ago !! As I said, I've always had good skin ( no blemishes), but I'm 57 now, and all I really want is just to *minimize* lines...

Everyone who says that they use Retin-A, etc. for years also say that they have beautiful skin. Yours sure looks great in your picture.

Thanks for your help.

Keeping in mind I am not a doctor, here's what I'd do (actually, it is what I did).

The rash red stuff is a reaction to the strength of the Retin-A. I also use the strongest .1% and when I first began I had almost a chemical burn with peeling. I was sure I had ruined my skin. You would think I would have gone to a doctor, huh? Doh!

1) Stop using the Retin-A for 3 days.

2) Apply 2% hydrocortizone cream (like Benadryl) to all red/flaky areas, twice a day. Skip sunscreen & AHA for the 3 days.

3) The night of Day 3 (or 4, depends on how you look), apply the AHA and let it sit overnight.

4) The next morning, apply another layer of AHA, wait 15 minutes and then shower. Apply a soap type cleanser (bar soap is fine) and rinse the AHA off, you should feel LAYERS of skin starting to rub off ... but wait.

5) Now, rub your hands with the soap cleanser, apply cleansing grains (I like St. Ives Apricot Scrub) to your fingertips and rub all over your face ... up to the hairline, special attention to your nose, cheeks and chin. You'll feel a ton of dead skin coming off. Rinse.

6) While rinsing in the shower, go over your face again with your fingertips and feel for any loose skin and repeat the cleansing grains.

7) Dry your face, apply your usual morning stuff.

8) At evening do your usual night stuff but apply the Retin-A over moisturizer, then apply hydrocortisone cream over the Retin A for 3 days. Keep up with the exfoliation.

The hydrocortisone stops the reaction and it's almost as though your skin is "immunized" for future Retin-A.

Thank you for the compliment on my skin. I owe it all to Retin-A, sun avoidance and Oil of Olay adding sunscreen to their fomula way back when.

Mzflowers, there are several internet sources for Retin-A. I buy mine in Mexico also (courtesy of a friend). It's about 75% less than the US and no prescription is needed.

[ahowell]

What the heck…
My fave place is off the grill..there is a website with nutritional info

They said a Caesar salad with croutons no dressing is 391 cals…no way!!
I eat it without croutons and their croutons are packaged with the label saying 35 cals, 4 carbs, that leaves 356 cals..the salad is about 4 cups loose romaine lettuce and shredded parmessean..that’s it..
I put it in fitday for 4 cups romaine and even generously said 5 tablespoons of cheese and its 135 cals!!
Where are these cals coming from that the resaturant says?????? Theres no dressing already on it.
The dressing is prepacked at 170 cals per little tub..i ate one tub. I fitday’d the 5 oz tips and came out at 279, and they say 275, so that’s pretty accurate..so according to fitday ive had 580 cals so far today and that was lunch..according the restaurant ive had 801?????

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by ahowell

What the heck…
My fave place is off the grill..there is a website with nutritional info

They said a Caesar salad with croutons no dressing is 391 cals…no way!!
I eat it without croutons and their croutons are packaged with the label saying 35 cals, 4 carbs, that leaves 356 cals..the salad is about 4 cups loose romaine lettuce and shredded parmessean..that’s it..
I put it in fitday for 4 cups romaine and even generously said 5 tablespoons of cheese and its 135 cals!!
Where are these cals coming from that the resaturant says?????? Theres no dressing already on it.
The dressing is prepacked at 170 cals per little tub..i ate one tub. I fitday’d the 5 oz tips and came out at 279, and they say 275, so that’s pretty accurate..so according to fitday ive had 580 cals so far today and that was lunch..according the restaurant ive had 801?????

Hmmm, a mystery?

My Fitday numbers say 105 calories for 5 tablespoons of shredded parmesan cheese. Is there anything else usually added to the salad that they're including (anchovies, tomatoes, egg)?

If there's an ingredient list for the salad it should show what's included. Good girl being so diligent! Wow!!!

[ahowell]

Caesar Salad (includes croutons) 391 25 14 57 1426 8 1 3% 24% 36% 4%
*Does not include dressing. Includes cheese
theres nothing on it except romaine, parmessean, then they give a package of croutons and dressing.

whats funny is they dont list the caesar with sirlon together but they do with a house salad and that has tomatos and carrots and chedder.

Garden Fresh Salad w/Sirloin Tips 437 25 14 135 428 10 3 16% 22% 45% 33%

so why is a house with sirlon only 437 but with a ceasar i take 391 +275 for the tips=666

totally crazy...i think its wrong

[Kimmer]

Ahowell, if you add the calories for the tips, parmesan and romaine together it comes to about 400 calories ... they must have worded it wrong (or typo).

So, you had a great lunch!

[elyseelyse]

Kimmer - do the "rules" for m/e vary if you have fifty vs. fifteen lbs to loose? I want DH to do this (he won't - but I want him to).

[RITA04]

Kimmer - What should my calorie intake be ?