Ask Kimmer!

[elyseelyse]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

Well, how's our ballerina?

Nope, no different. You eat according to appetite and when your carbs are very, very low you don't feel like eating much ... whether you're 500 lbs or 150 lbs.

I'm ok, thanks. The kids are just getting over the flu - so its been a rough week (broke the dryer doing so much wash. ). I'm, tryin' to stop throwing a pity party for my hard-to-loose middle and focus on taking the lbs off slower if that what it takes. In the spirit of complete discloser the lbs flew off in the beginning. I remember in the blink of any eye going from 157 to 134. Then - everything has been a fight. But someone gave me the advise on another thread to stop second guessing everything and give LC 1 year b/4 I panic and focus on re-evaluating. So - that is what I am doing now.

Hows life treating you lately? I wish I lived in CA - Boston is great, just not CA. . . . . . . .

[tita2005]

It seems a little chilly there now. Is it supposed to warm up? I hope so!


Theresa

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by RITA04

The only meat I have been eating is turkey bacon and chicken breast. and I have 3 c. of salad, and eggs. or 1 c. that is what I have been eating for the last couple weeks. but I am still not sure what my calorie intake should be.

You don't need a minimum number of calories if you have excess body fat ... that's why it's there.

Are you losing OK?

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by tita2005

It seems a little chilly there now. Is it supposed to warm up? I hope so!Theresa

Sunday it's going to be 78-82 until Wednesday, then back to low 70s.

Chilly? This is my perfect weather!

[Total80sKid]

Hey there!

Hope all has been well with you and your family.

Just had a couple quick questions.

Yes, ive falled off the wagon again and again and am at 214 still lol.

anyays, i was wondering. realistically, if i stayed 100% true to meat, eggs and veggies for 60 days straight, how much do you think i would lose? just guess, i know ur not psychic lol.

im 5'8 and male and id guess my ideal weight would be somewhere between 150-155, so just take a guess if u would be willing.

also, do you think id lose faster by sticking to the plan 100% everday, or by mixing it up by good quality carbs maybe once or twice a week to trick my metabolism, like a cup of brown rice a couple times a week? or do you think, from your experiance, that sticking to meat, eggs and veggies all the way through would be quicker?

im aiming to be 155 by my 28th bday, june 27 and PRAYING there is a way in heaven that i could hit 168 by june 1.

let me know what you think if u arent too busy.

love ya and miss talking to ya!
tony
xoxo


Kimmer's response:

Hon, how have you been! I miss you too!

Now have you EVER seen me advise someone to "mix it up"? Nope, because it just drags you back to the starting gate.

If you stuck to plan for 60 days you could lose 60 pounds, no lie.

But, would you do me a big favor and post this on the Kimmer thread? There's a few guys in your situation and it might help them to know there's other guys in the same boat.

Love,
Kimmer

[NCBeachboy]

Actually, I was going to ask the same question, but I was no where near this aggressive. I was going to ask if stayed on plan (presently 700 cal/>20g carbs), if you thought I could be at 159 by Labor Day weekend?

Well, that is my new goal based on this week and I ama gonna do it.

Hey, Total80sKid, I'll be watching how you do, hope you don't mind a stalker.

[Antigone]

Still 201. Yesterday all I ate was a cup of tamarind soup with a slice of milkfish, 4 oz of grilled pork, and 1/8 of a half chicken breast plus diet soda. I wonder if there's anything wrng with me.

[daisymae]

Thanks so much Kimmer for your reply. I will try your suggestions about my face.

I'm a lot like you .... all or nothing .... which is why I started with the STRONGEST Retin-A, etc. Your post(s) about your skin routine (last year) is what finally made me decide to do somthing about my facial lines.

Again, thank you for taking your time to share with all of us.

[DEDIKAYTED]

Hi Kimmer!

I'm kinda new to this site. I have been reading, reading, and re-reading as many of the "Kimmer" threads as possible. I've become VERY frusturated with being between 153 and 160 pounds, month to month, tried several different things to "mix" things up, and all I do is bounce between 153-160...

So I've landed here.

I started the 3-day experiment today.

Breakfast: 4 medium eggs w/ cooking spray
Lunch: 4 oz tilapia (cooked about 1lb fish in pan with 1tb lowfat butter & 1 tb olive oil)
Dinner: New York Strip Steak & lobster from Outback Steak house


Was this ok for the first day? I guess I could probably take away some more fat??

I can't wait to feel like I don't want to eat. I didn't feel ravenous today, but I still know I haven't felt that real ketosis feeling yet... (though my pee does smell like ketones)

I hope I haven't talked you to death. I just want to make sure that I'm doing this the best possible way. I've cooked my food for tomorrow.

Breakfast: eggs... should I just do egg whites to save fat?
Lunch: baked tilapia w/ crab meat (no breading, just seasonings)
Dinner: Ground Turkey BREAST burger (1 gram fat per serving)

Is it possible for me to go too low in fat?

Thanks a bunch!

[flintchick]

Hi Kimmer.. I've been "stuck" at 141-143 for a while now. I've been trying to devise the perfect approach to lose it once and for all. I've been reading everything.. this is what I've come up with in a nutshell

Everything I put into my mouth is used for energy before body fat . Body fat is the Last resort for fuel. So calories do count. So do carbs, because they cause your body to produce insulin, and will cause the body to want to feed fat cells and maybe trigger cravings, making the diet difficult to stick with.
Say if I really want alcohol, I can have it but I may have to skip dinner to allow for the calories. If I enjoy being stuffed full, I may want to fill up on low cal bulky veggies (like cooked cabbage) in spite of a possibly going over the carb limits, because I will feel full and wont pig out on high cal/low carb pork rinds or cheese instead, which would result in more calories than I care to try to burn off. Same with salad dressings.. I want my salads to taste good, so that requires more than a Tablespoon of dressing for me, so if I use low cal dressing, even though the carbs are higher, it's better in the long run because the calories are less than full fat. Whether the calorie is from carb, fat, alcohol, protein or whatever, you still have to burn it off.
So it seems that the real point of keeping carbs down is to help decrease your appetite enableing you to stick to a calorie defecit diet with greater ease.
Am I getting this right? It's feeling like an aha! moment right now.
But I do realize that bread, sugar, full carb pasta and potatoes are forever off my list while I'm trying to lose weight.

[Antigone]

And also have you experienced having menstrual period delays when you started low carbing?

I attribute this week-long stall to my not getting my period yet. It's supposed to come last week. Maybe I am retaining water. I hope that's just it. I hope my metabolism isnt messed up yet.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Antigone

And also have you experienced having menstrual period delays when you started low carbing?

I attribute this week-long stall to my not getting my period yet. It's supposed to come last week. Maybe I am retaining water. I hope that's just it. I hope my metabolism isnt messed up yet.

Have you ever used birth control pills? Many women with TOM problems did at some point and some of the hormones are stored in body fat. When you begin melting body fat, some of the hormones are released back into your system ... kind of like taking extra birth control pills ... and TOM schedules get messed up.

I never had a problem, but I also never took birth control pills (IUD).

[Thx.Dr.A.]

Kimmer, I'm just getting impatient and frustrated because I have two important goals looming. Can you tell me what to cut or change?

I did lose two pounds this week. I should be encouraged, right? I'm afraid it's not going fast enough to meet my goals, because the last several weeks I only lost 1 to 1.5 lbs per week and I was eating just like I am now.

Current weight, 150
Goals: 140 on 6-8-06, family reunion
130 on 7-21-06, four year LC Anniv celebration

I'm being really careful about my Fitday entries. I'm weighing, measuring, double checking everything. This week my calories averaged 800 and my carbs averaged 10 per day. Calories are from chicken and beef. Carbs are from half n half and brocolli.

I read the Water Fast threads. I know this would speed things along but I haven't been able to stick with it in the past, so it's not something I'm going to try right now.

Any suggestions? Just cut the totals?

[RobinB]

Originally Posted by Kimmer

Have you ever used birth control pills? Many women with TOM problems did at some point and some of the hormones are stored in body fat. When you begin melting body fat, some of the hormones are released back into your system ... kind of like taking extra birth control pills ... and TOM schedules get messed up.

Interesting! Didn't know that, but it makes sense.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by flintchick

Hi Kimmer.. I've been "stuck" at 141-143 for a while now. I've been trying to devise the perfect approach to lose it once and for all. I've been reading everything.. this is what I've come up with in a nutshell

Everything I put into my mouth is used for energy before body fat . Body fat is the Last resort for fuel. So calories do count. So do carbs, because they cause your body to produce insulin, and will cause the body to want to feed fat cells and maybe trigger cravings, making the diet difficult to stick with.

Say if I really want alcohol, I can have it but I may have to skip dinner to allow for the calories. If I enjoy being stuffed full, I may want to fill up on low cal bulky veggies (like cooked cabbage) in spite of a possibly going over the carb limits, because I will feel full and wont pig out on high cal/low carb pork rinds or cheese instead, which would result in more calories than I care to try to burn off.

Same with salad dressings.. I want my salads to taste good, so that requires more than a Tablespoon of dressing for me, so if I use low cal dressing, even though the carbs are higher, it's better in the long run because the calories are less than full fat. Whether the calorie is from carb, fat, alcohol, protein or whatever, you still have to burn it off.

So it seems that the real point of keeping carbs down is to help decrease your appetite enableing you to stick to a calorie defecit diet with greater ease.

Am I getting this right? It's feeling like an aha! moment right now.

But I do realize that bread, sugar, full carb pasta and potatoes are forever off my list while I'm trying to lose weight.

Bread, sugar, pasta and potatoes will never be in your diet in the same quantities as before, though.

You've got it pretty much down. It's a balancing act between carbs and calories. Your salad dressing example is perfect ... low calories but higher carb brand A or high calorie but lower carb brand B? I also like more than 1 tablespoon for salad so I opt for low cal higher carb types.

Regarding alcohol, if you're planning on drinking then a lower calorie day will help, although you don't want to forego dinner nutrition in favor of aldehyde. My brother-in-law's technique is to alternate drinks with water. He doesn't need to lose weight, he's just trying to avoid a DUI (unsuccessfully, I might add).

There's a large variety of menus that come in low calorie and would allow for occasional imbibing (that's occasional!)

Here's one that comes in at 600 calories:

Kimmer's Fitday

Breakfast: Ham scramble (ham (3 oz), eggs (2), sweet pepper (.5 medium), mushrooms (1 cup raw), onion (.5 medium), herbal tea

Lunch: Broiled chicken (4 oz), raw spinach (2 cups) & tomato (1 Roma) salad w/ low cal dressing (2 T), steamed asparagus (6), diet soda

Dinner: Spicy shrimp fajitas (shrimp (8 medium), onions (.5 medium), peppers (.5 medium), mixed greens (1 cups) w/ low cal dressing (2 T), sparkling flavored water

** Chicken broth used for poaching & sauteeing **

Calories: 605
Carbs: 26
Protein: 71

Edit: Someone wanted percentages (added)

Carbs: 12%
Protein: 47%
Fat: 36%

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Thx.Dr.A.

Kimmer, I'm just getting impatient and frustrated because I have two important goals looming. Can you tell me what to cut or change?

I did lose two pounds this week. I should be encouraged, right? I'm afraid it's not going fast enough to meet my goals, because the last several weeks I only lost 1 to 1.5 lbs per week and I was eating just like I am now.

Current weight, 150
Goals: 140 on 6-8-06, family reunion
130 on 7-21-06, four year LC Anniv celebration

I'm being really careful about my Fitday entries. I'm weighing, measuring, double checking everything. This week my calories averaged 800 and my carbs averaged 10 per day. Calories are from chicken and beef. Carbs are from half n half and brocolli.

I read the Water Fast threads. I know this would speed things along but I haven't been able to stick with it in the past, so it's not something I'm going to try right now.

Any suggestions? Just cut the totals?

Is your Fitday public? Post the link and I'll take a look.

Be careful with 'averages'. As an example, 2 days at 50 carbs and 2 at 0 carbs averages 25 which some would think as reasonable. Weight loss will be at crawl because the high carbs days cut ketosis out. They'll have to start over or contend with 2 pounds a week. Maybe.

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by DEDIKAYTED

Hi Kimmer!

I'm kinda new to this site. I have been reading, reading, and re-reading as many of the "Kimmer" threads as possible. I've become VERY frusturated with being between 153 and 160 pounds, month to month, tried several different things to "mix" things up, and all I do is bounce between 153-160...

So I've landed here.

I started the 3-day experiment today.

Breakfast: 4 medium eggs w/ cooking spray
Lunch: 4 oz tilapia (cooked about 1lb fish in pan with 1tb lowfat butter & 1 tb olive oil)
Dinner: New York Strip Steak & lobster from Outback Steak house

Was this ok for the first day? I guess I could probably take away some more fat??

I can't wait to feel like I don't want to eat. I didn't feel ravenous today, but I still know I haven't felt that real ketosis feeling yet... (though my pee does smell like ketones)

I hope I haven't talked you to death. I just want to make sure that I'm doing this the best possible way. I've cooked my food for tomorrow.

Breakfast: eggs... should I just do egg whites to save fat?
Lunch: baked tilapia w/ crab meat (no breading, just seasonings)
Dinner: Ground Turkey BREAST burger (1 gram fat per serving)

Is it possible for me to go too low in fat?

Thanks a bunch!

A wonderful first day for the Kimmer Experiment! I'm guessing you won't have steak & lobster every day, LOL? Did you have a salad? I love their caesar salads ... to die for! The dressing is the best part and I'm sure it's a zillion calories.

Remember it can take 3-5 days to get into 'real' ketosis, but it will happen (and then the weight loss!) Hang in there a couple more days.

I'd have whole eggs. They're low in calories anyway. I wouldn't worry about going too low in fat. Every protein has 'some' fat ... and if you're eating whole eggs, they're 62% fat!

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by NCBeachboy

Actually, I was going to ask the same question, but I was no where near this aggressive. I was going to ask if stayed on plan (presently 700 cal/>20g carbs), if you thought I could be at 159 by Labor Day weekend?

Hon, you'll be there way before Labor Day! Way before.

Just be sure your entries into Fitday are accurate (especially if you're eating beef, there's a million entries) and don't under estimate 'fats' ... salad dressing, cheese, butter. Skip hot wings for now.

[prairiemom]

Kimmer, just wanted to say thanks for your advice throughout this site. I read your posts for a week before I started. It helped me get focused on dumping this fat at last. I started Kimkins and Curves at the same time on March 20th. I've dropped from 251 to 228 as of this morning and lost inches bigtime! Easter (and 2 other cheats) tripped me up for a few days and I've stalled up to a week once (week 4 to 5) but then dropped a bunch quickly. Even with my lapses I've lost 23 pounds in 40 days - I'm not unhappy, believe me!Thanks so much for shareing. I firmly believe I will get to goal this way and even if I give in to temptation once in a while, success is so fast after achieving ketosis it pushes me to get back in the ring and keep going. I'm so glad you decided to share your personal journey with lowcarb.
Cherylee

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Antigone

Still 201. Yesterday all I ate was a cup of tamarind soup with a slice of milkfish, 4 oz of grilled pork, and 1/8 of a half chicken breast plus diet soda. I wonder if there's anything wrng with me.

Is your Fitday public? Give me the name and I'll take a look.

What are you weighing your meat with? An 1/8 of a chicken breast would be about 1 oz, is that right?

[Thx.Dr.A.]

Kimmer,

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=jroden307

I use a food scale for beef, measuring cup or spoons for liquids, or in the case of chicken, I only eat plain baked wings, so I choose the large wing selection in Fitday.

I'm obsessing so much, I even bought a new bottle of Ketostix this week. I've been dark maroon every 3 hours all week.

So I know I'm in Ketosis. As long as I stay in Ketosis, I'm losing fat, right? Even if the scale doesn't move?

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by prairiemom

Kimmer, just wanted to say thanks for your advice throughout this site. I read your posts for a week before I started. It helped me get focused on dumping this fat at last. I started Kimkins and Curves at the same time on March 20th. I've dropped from 251 to 228 as of this morning and lost inches bigtime! Easter (and 2 other cheats) tripped me up for a few days and I've stalled up to a week once (week 4 to 5) but then dropped a bunch quickly. Even with my lapses I've lost 23 pounds in 40 days - I'm not unhappy, believe me!Thanks so much for shareing. I firmly believe I will get to goal this way and even if I give in to temptation once in a while, success is so fast after achieving ketosis it pushes me to get back in the ring and keep going. I'm so glad you decided to share your personal journey with lowcarb.
Cherylee

Oh my goodness! What incredible success!!!

You should be so very proud of yourself! I'm glad you're taking advantage of the "girl power" at Curves. I don't go but I've heard nothing but good stuff.

Your kids are depending on you. Good mom!

[Sherri14]

Just wanted to say thanks to Kimmer and a friend of mine, iluvgreys for helping me out. I have been mostly a "lurker" for about a year, and am needing inspiration! Kimmer, your advice and work is helping me tremendously. Thanks!

[DEDIKAYTED]

A wonderful first day for the Kimmer Experiment! I'm guessing you won't have steak & lobster every day, LOL? Did you have a salad? I love their caesar salads ... to die for! The dressing is the best part and I'm sure it's a zillion calories.

Remember it can take 3-5 days to get into 'real' ketosis, but it will happen (and then the weight loss!) Hang in there a couple more days.

I'd have whole eggs. They're low in calories anyway. I wouldn't worry about going too low in fat. Every protein has 'some' fat ... and if you're eating whole eggs, they're 62% fat!

Thanks for replying Kimmer. No, I didn't have any salad because I thought I couldn't have any vegetables during the 3 day experiment. I love their salad and sauteed mushrooms, but all I had was the steak and lobster.

I did weigh myself before I went to Outback (I never weigh in the afternoon, but I thought I should go ahead and weigh myself so that I can have some idea where I was when I started the experiment. I honestly wasn't going to weigh at all because of TOM, but anyway I was 160 before going to Outback. After this morning's walk, I got on the scale and it read 156.2. I probably was lower than 160 yesterday morning, but who knows, I guess I did go down some. I'm so excited.

I was thinking of doing the 3-day experiment until TOM is over (like around the middle of the week or maybe even the end of next week. You did say that if you stay on the 3-day experiment, it will lead to the most aggressive weightloss right? So this means stay away from all carbs (including vegetables) until I want to go to Kimkins???

[Kimmer]

Originally Posted by Thx.Dr.A.

Kimmer,

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJ...wner=jroden307

I use a food scale for beef, measuring cup or spoons for liquids, or in the case of chicken, I only eat plain baked wings, so I choose the large wing selection in Fitday.

I'm obsessing so much, I even bought a new bottle of Ketostix this week. I've been dark maroon every 3 hours all week.

So I know I'm in Ketosis. As long as I stay in Ketosis, I'm losing fat, right? Even if the scale doesn't move?

Dark sticks don't mean ketosis, they also register excess dietary fat (maybe your cream)?

If you started Monday it can take 3-5 days to get rid of the carbs you had in your system before and this weekend could be the turning point.

These are my comments and I know you said you're measuring carefully:

* I'd skip chicken wings for now (lots of fat, not much meat)
* I'd skip eating the fat on steaks
* Measure your coffee cup, most are 12-16 oz (6 oz are the tiny cups from china sets and Fitday's default)
* Chicken wing 1 oz? That's Fitday's default, how much was yours?
* Cream .4 cup, how did you figure?
* Broccoli florets, .3 cup would be about 2 florets, is that right?
* Beef 2 oz is that right? (what do you do with the rest of it out of curiosity?)
* Any chance of ditching the cream and/or coffee?
* Is your beef actually top sirloin and not something higher calorie like ribeye?