Nutritional Ketosis (LC/HF/MP) Challenge Anyone?

[Tatsnook]

Originally Posted by paulabob

Looks like we have the same goal! I'm sitting at my 4th day at 126.6. I don't fluctuate much (that's good) but I don't lose fast either (sigh, a pound a week is making me thrilled!). I'm sticking to 40-50 grams protein (though bumped up to 58 this weekend for my anniversary steak dinner), but suspect you have higher lean body mass than me...I'm a low muscle type.

I am not sure if i have leaner body mass than you or not, but i am deffinately shorter i am trying to stick to 50-55 grams of protein.

[paulabob]

Yeah, finally got a scale dip. Down to 125.8 now. I will likely sit at this weight for the next 4-5 days...it's my weird pattern. Ended up eating a bit extra yesterday, very hungry. That tends to be a sign I'm about to drop (LOL, or ovulate or get my period).

[loop4yah]

Good Morning everone!!

Paulabob: Congrats on your loss! Must feel great!

Mom2zeke: Are you only eating cream cheese for lunch and no meat?

Tatsnook: As of right now today being my second day trying this "bullet proof" coffee I
am really enjoying. I'll let you know how I feel about it after a week. If your
really curious google "bulletproof coffee" there are a lot of testimonials about it
especially in a lot of the paleo blogger sites! =)

[mom2zeke]

Good morning everyone! No loss or gain from yesterday, I am still at 156 this morning.

Congratulations on the loss paulabob!

loop4yah--For lunch I've been having salty chicken broth and cream cheese--no meat. I know it sounds weird, but it's working for me right now. I usually eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch for a while and then get sick of what I'm eating and try something new.

I've read about the bulletproof coffee but have never had the guts to try it. Maybe when I get tired of my current breakfast I'll give it a shot.

How is everyone else doing?

[mom2zeke]

I have to share this tidbit! I had an endo appointment the other day and my weight was down significantly from the last time I was there (even with weighing in the afternoon fully-clothed with boots on). After we talked the endo said something like "You should have lots of energy, you're young and thin." I especially appreciated the young part.

I was feeling so great when I left the office and then I looked at the slip that summarized the visit and the nurse had recorded my weight 20 pounds above what the scale had said! They type everything into a computer so you can't see what they're entering. According to their records I gained 8 pounds.

[RebeccaLatham]

Thanks for the congrats, all you who congrats'd me!

Still the same this morning. I realized that I had not tested my ketones and glucose since Sunday, so I did that. Ketones at 2.0 and glucose at 86, so still in ketosis.

There is another test that I do every day no matter what: I call it the "who's that in the mirror?" test and it is done looking at my naked profile in a full length mirror, upon first getting out of bed in the morning. The test has three components:

1) Do I look like me?
2) Does my belly stick out farther than my bosom?
3) Does the way I look put a smile or a frown on my face?

Until a few days ago, I failed the test every morning. Now, I am passing it. I don't mind looking in the mirror!

[RebeccaLatham]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I was feeling so great when I left the office and then I looked at the slip that summarized the visit and the nurse had recorded my weight 20 pounds above what the scale had said! They type everything into a computer so you can't see what they're entering. According to their records I gained 8 pounds.

I hope you told her to correct it!

[RebeccaLatham]

About eating less protein:

When I first started nutritional ketosis, I found it hard to eat only 54 grams of protein split into three meals, which is only 18 grams per meal. It really is only a few bites...

I am now eating only two meals per day, and it's going a long way toward letting me eat a more normalish amount of protein at a sitting. I start out my day with my regular oil and lemon juice cocktail, and then wait an hour or so to have an eggs breakfast. If I have to go to work earlier in the morning, I can't put off the breakfast.

Sometime during the day, I have a snack of some sort that is mostly fat, like a fat bomb or some macadamia nuts. This really holds me over until dinner without being hungry.

Then I have a normal dinner around 6 pm, which has enough protein in it that I am having a normal size portion.

After dinner, I do not eat anything for the rest of the day, and I do not get the munchies. I pretty much do not think about food for the rest of the day, unless, like last night, I see a movie (Godfather II) where they show closeups of a person slicing a beautiful cake and serving it up to people. Then I just heave a heavy sigh and put it out of my mind with no difficulty.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by RebeccaLatham

I hope you told her to correct it!

I didn't realize it until I was home and at that point it didn't seem worth making a stink about it. I'll let them know the next time I'm in.

Until a few days ago, I failed the test every morning. Now, I am passing it. I don't mind looking in the mirror!

What a great feeling!!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by RebeccaLatham

About eating less protein:

When I first started nutritional ketosis, I found it hard to eat only 54 grams of protein split into three meals, which is only 18 grams per meal. It really is only a few bites...

I am now eating only two meals per day, and it's going a long way toward letting me eat a more normalish amount of protein at a sitting. I start out my day with my regular oil and lemon juice cocktail, and then wait an hour or so to have an eggs breakfast. If I have to go to work earlier in the morning, I can't put off the breakfast.

Sometime during the day, I have a snack of some sort that is mostly fat, like a fat bomb or some macadamia nuts. This really holds me over until dinner without being hungry.

Then I have a normal dinner around 6 pm, which has enough protein in it that I am having a normal size portion.

After dinner, I do not eat anything for the rest of the day, and I do not get the munchies. I pretty much do not think about food for the rest of the day, unless, like last night, I see a movie (Godfather II) where they show closeups of a person slicing a beautiful cake and serving it up to people. Then I just heave a heavy sigh and put it out of my mind with no difficulty.

I think this is a great way to make the protein amount seem normal. I guess lunch for me with cream cheese would count more as a fat "snack" rather than a full meal. When I get tired of it perhaps I'll make some of those fat bombs.

[hippyatheart]

I had my weigh in this morning. In 3 weeks of personal training (while eating low carb) I have lost 5 pounds, two of which was water. I lost 3/4" off of my waist, 1/4" off my calf, and 1/4" off my arm. I actually LOST muscle whichis crazy considering the amount of weight I am pushing. I am now questioning my low protein intake. What I need to build muscle which ultimatly raises the metabolism is pprotein right? If I am weight training 3 times a week then I need protein to build muscle. I am going to try not tracking my protein and fat intake and only track carbs this month to see how that affects my LBM% and muscle tone. While I lowered my protein I did not experience any great loss so I have nothing to lose in trying right?

[hippyatheart]

P.S. My trainer pushed me today and I did 450 pound leg presses!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by hippyatheart

I had my weigh in this morning. In 3 weeks of personal training (while eating low carb) I have lost 5 pounds, two of which was water. I lost 3/4" off of my waist, 1/4" off my calf, and 1/4" off my arm. I actually LOST muscle whichis crazy considering the amount of weight I am pushing. I am now questioning my low protein intake. What I need to build muscle which ultimatly raises the metabolism is pprotein right? If I am weight training 3 times a week then I need protein to build muscle. I am going to try not tracking my protein and fat intake and only track carbs this month to see how that affects my LBM% and muscle tone. While I lowered my protein I did not experience any great loss so I have nothing to lose in trying right?

Woohoo, hippy, your results are impressive! Especially those leg presses! I've been reading the Eades' Protein Power book, and they stress that the amount of protein you need depends on how physically active you are, with a range they recommend of from .6 to .9 times your lean body mass. I fall in the times .8 or .9 range, in terms of my physical activity, and you would also go above the .6 level with all that resistence training. Since you didn't experience much better results when you lowered your protein, your plan for the next month sounds reasonable to me. If that doesn't work well for you, you can change things around the following month.

I have a friend who is a personal trainer and a membership at the Y, where I could get sessions with a personal trainer relatively easily. Your good results may encourage me to follow your good example this fall, when my work hours get more reasonable.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by RebeccaLatham

About eating less protein:

When I first started nutritional ketosis, I found it hard to eat only 54 grams of protein split into three meals, which is only 18 grams per meal. It really is only a few bites...

I am now eating only two meals per day, and it's going a long way toward letting me eat a more normalish amount of protein at a sitting. I start out my day with my regular oil and lemon juice cocktail, and then wait an hour or so to have an eggs breakfast. If I have to go to work earlier in the morning, I can't put off the breakfast.

Sometime during the day, I have a snack of some sort that is mostly fat, like a fat bomb or some macadamia nuts. This really holds me over until dinner without being hungry.

Then I have a normal dinner around 6 pm, which has enough protein in it that I am having a normal size portion.

After dinner, I do not eat anything for the rest of the day, and I do not get the munchies. I pretty much do not think about food for the rest of the day, unless, like last night, I see a movie (Godfather II) where they show closeups of a person slicing a beautiful cake and serving it up to people. Then I just heave a heavy sigh and put it out of my mind with no difficulty.

Thanks for the helpful tips about budgeting protein, Rebecca. I'm following a similar approach of most of my protein at breakfast and dinner, and a fat-heavy snack in between.

Congratulations also on your positive experiences with your morning mirror checks lately. That's a great way to start the day off, feeling good. I'm glad things are going so well for you under your current plan.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I have to share this tidbit! I had an endo appointment the other day and my weight was down significantly from the last time I was there (even with weighing in the afternoon fully-clothed with boots on). After we talked the endo said something like "You should have lots of energy, you're young and thin." I especially appreciated the young part.

I was feeling so great when I left the office and then I looked at the slip that summarized the visit and the nurse had recorded my weight 20 pounds above what the scale had said! They type everything into a computer so you can't see what they're entering. According to their records I gained 8 pounds.

Congratulations on that "you're young and thin" comment, Kristn. I'm too old to ever get a "you're young" comment again (except maybe in a context where everyone else was really, really old), but I hope I'll earn a "you're thin" comment again, someday.

Losing those extra 20 pounds that the nurse recorded should be the easiest weight loss ever, lol.

[mom2zeke]

hippyatheart--congratulations on the loss! svenskamae is right--make sure you get enough protein especially if you are working out hard! Since exercise helps get you to ketosis, it would make sense the you could balance it out with higher protein.

I think this is the potential beauty of the meter, you can raise things like protein or carbs and see if you're still in ketosis and what level knocks you out. Of course the darned strips are just too expensive! But if they were more reasonably priced it would be awesome to have this information.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

hippyatheartI think this is the potential beauty of the meter, you can raise things like protein or carbs and see if you're still in ketosis and what level knocks you out. Of course the darned strips are just too expensive! But if they were more reasonably priced it would be awesome to have this information.

Well said, Kristn. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my meter, so that I know if I need to cut something more (lower carbs? lower protein?) or if it's possible for me to be a bit more lenient (say, eating more protein on the days that I exercise), without getting out of ketosis.

I bought my meter and strips from American Diabetes Wholesale (and they are supposedly en route to me). The meter plus 10 ketone strips was $40, and a box of 10 more ketone test strips was $23 dollars. I don't know how that compares to the brand that you are using, but I think I can afford to do testing regularly at a cost of about $2.30/strip in future. I'm lucky not to be on a particularly tight budget, though; I know that would be hard to fit into many family budgets.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

I bought my meter and strips from American Diabetes Wholesale (and they are supposedly en route to me). The meter plus 10 ketone strips was $40, and a box of 10 more ketone test strips was $23 dollars. I don't know how that compares to the brand that you are using, but I think I can afford to do testing regularly at a cost of about $2.30/strip in future. I'm lucky not to be on a particularly tight budget, though; I know that would be hard to fit into many family budgets.

Hopefully you'll have your meter soon! I think we may have the same one, the Nova Max Plus? The strips don't seem as highly priced as the other meter strips. I have a stash of 15 right now. My budget is hampered by my junior in college and one who will start college as soon as his brother graduates. So while I can afford the strips, I have to be judicious.

Right now if I keep eating pretty much the same way I've been eating I think I'll stay in ketosis. If I change anything up I'll test to make sure that I'm still in the zone. I am going to buy a month's worth of strips when I get into maintenance. I have a feeling that it's going to be tougher to find the right spot to stay in ketosis, feel satisfied, and maintain.

Congratulations on that "you're young and thin" comment, Kristn. I'm too old to ever get a "you're young" comment again (except maybe in a context where everyone else was really, really old), but I hope I'll earn a "you're thin" comment again, someday.

I think the comment may have been in context as I was probably the youngest person at the office. The nurse even commented that I was taking the least amount of medication (2) of anyone that had been in that day. But it's true, anytime someone calls you young at 49 you take it happily!

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Hopefully you'll have your meter soon! I think we may have the same one, the Nova Max Plus? The strips don't seem as highly priced as the other meter strips. I have a stash of 15 right now. My budget is hampered by my junior in college and one who will start college as soon as his brother graduates. So while I can afford the strips, I have to be judicious.

Yup, I have a Nova Max Plus, also (or will have one soon).

I can understand needing to budget carefully with two children going to college. I work at a public university, and I know that tuition costs way more (after controlling for inflation) for students now than it did for me when I was in school. Undergrads whom I teach or work with as research assistants are unfortunately mostly graduating with a big burden of debt.

[Tatsnook]

Mom2zeke, hippyatheart, rebeccalatham, You are guys doing great!
Unfortunately, I fall off the wagon again :-( eating crap and drinking yesterday. Payback was last night, when I could not sleep because my stomack was hurting and sure, this morning I am 1.2p heavier.
I have a question about fat sources? I eat coconut oil and cream cheese. What other food are high in fat? Protein is easy, but for me it's hard to find other sources of fat than coconut oil, cream cheese and macadamia nuts. What food high in fat do you eat?

[RebeccaLatham]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

Thanks for the helpful tips about budgeting protein, Rebecca. I'm following a similar approach of most of my protein at breakfast and dinner, and a fat-heavy snack in between.

Congratulations also on your positive experiences with your morning mirror checks lately. That's a great way to start the day off, feeling good. I'm glad things are going so well for you under your current plan.

Thanks, and thanks to others who have given me an attagirl!

This morning, my weight has gone down another 0.6 pounds. My neck, waist and hip measurements did not change.

At this point, I have 8.3 pounds of body fat to lose and 1.5 pounds of lean body mass to gain. Seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel!

[RebeccaLatham]

Originally Posted by Tatsnook

I eat coconut oil and cream cheese. What other food are high in fat? Protein is easy, but for me it's hard to find other sources of fat than coconut oil, cream cheese and macadamia nuts. What food high in fat do you eat?

I eat butter, bacon grease, olive oil, MCT oil, sour cream, cream cheese, macadamia nuts, mayo, heavy cream and coconut oil.

You don't have to eat foods that are high in fat as long as you add some fat to the foods you eat. Think of vegetables as vehicles for fat!

[mom2zeke]

Good morning everyone! Everything is the same this morning for me. I had such a big loss last week and with TOM coming very soon I don't expect to see anything on the scale. I'm just following the plan since it's worked so well thus far.

Tatsnook--Rebecca gave a very comprehensive list! Remember to count your fat in fatty meats! I don't find that I need to add that much fat to get my percentages where I want them. A scoop of sour cream here, some olive oil there, add some avocado and mayo and I'm good. I'm not sure exactly what you're eating, but you may want to really increase the fat (keeping protein and carbs steady) for a few days so that you're not tempted to go off-plan. Once you're feeling nice and full you can tweak the fat to start weight loss.

Rebecca--Woo Hoo! It seems like things are really working for you right now! I am also at those last few pounds and it's so motivating to me. I can feel my patience waning though, I want to be at goal now! Ah well, my body will get there when it's ready.

How is everyone else doing?

[mom2zeke]

Tatsnook--I just had another thought. What if you made Rebecca's fat bombs (or another of that type of recipe) and just ate them when you were tempted to cheat. I bet they'd fill you up ASAP!

I'm actually thinking about getting the ingredients this weekend to make the fat bombs to bring into work for my lunch snack. Rebecca do you think that they would survive a 45 minute bus ride into work? And I'm thinking about substituting macadamia nut butter for the almond butter. What do you think?

[paulabob]

Surprised I had a loss 2 days in a row. Down to 124.6. Undoubtedly will stick to this # a long while, especially as ovulation weight will pack on (who knows when!).

Also second sour cream...great veggie dip and I make mexican dishes a lot for the family. I like the Daisy brand as it has the fewest fillers in it, and is thickest. Of course, you can visit a Mexican grocery store for the pourable kind...that is really scrumptious! It works great with anything really (I love it with pot roast too).

My blood sugar meter has revealed I'm totally free of prediabetes (yeah), going to test potato today and see how I do. I'm eating a bit higher in carbs than most of you ladies. Well, around 25-35 net carbs, mostly at lunch.

Congrats on all the losses.

I forgot that Sobe grapefruit drink was a sugar alcohol drink...while I can tolerate the carbs my tummy can't tolerate the sheer volume I had (in a 32 ounce Racetrac cup). My tum-tum is still complaining about that choice last night! Yuck!

[mom2zeke]

Yeah paulabob! I too was surprised at back-to-back losses last week. Like you, I usually lose and then am stuck for a while. Congratulations on the loss!

[paulabob]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Yeah paulabob! I too was surprised at back-to-back losses last week. Like you, I usually lose and then am stuck for a while. Congratulations on the loss!

Thanks, I am amazed I've lost these 8 pounds from my high point so quickly (5 weeks I guess?). It's super fast for me. Body fat finally dropped on my scale too, which I was getting worried aobut, but looks like an okay ratio to me. I know the closer I get to goal weight, the more lean body mass gets lost unfortunately (prolly wouldn't be true if I was lifting weights...but it's summer and the equipment's in the garage, so I'm not).

My size 9 "bootie" shorts are getting loose...they were super tight a month ago.

I'm so glad I tried lowering protein...it was really hard at first (I was super hungry and had some hypoglycemia). But worth it not to be doing another round of hcg.

I keep waiting for something to go wrong...and it's not.

[RebeccaLatham]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Tatsnook--I just had another thought. What if you made Rebecca's fat bombs (or another of that type of recipe) and just ate them when you were tempted to cheat. I bet they'd fill you up ASAP!

I'm actually thinking about getting the ingredients this weekend to make the fat bombs to bring into work for my lunch snack. Rebecca do you think that they would survive a 45 minute bus ride into work? And I'm thinking about substituting macadamia nut butter for the almond butter. What do you think?

The fat bombs are very melty pretty quickly! I take one in a little plastic container to work each day, and my drive is about 20 minutes. But as soon as I get there, I put it in the freezer until I need to eat it. I would suggest maybe putting it in a zip lock bag with an ice cube or two.

As far as using them for a "cheat" suppressor, I eat them as part of my scheduled food. If I ate them when I am tempted to eat, I would overeat them.

I find that when I am eating this way, I am not tempted to cheat. I feel pretty satisfied all the time.

[RebeccaLatham]

Originally Posted by paulabob

I keep waiting for something to go wrong...and it's not.

Boy, I know that feeling! Of course, it is based on my historical success, so it's not an unrealistic fear!

[loop4yah]

mom2zeke: Is there a specific reason you want to switch macadamia nut butter for the almond butter... Or is it more so a taste preference?