October Nutritional Ketosis Thread!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

Nice surprise on my scales this AM, a new low and a little over 1 1/2 lb loss since weighing yesterday. Wow, to me that is pretty much a whoosh! 194.4

Woo hoo Buffy!!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by omatic

Two days in a row at 1.9 BK

Isn't it great to see those numbers!! Congrats!

[SouthernGirl61]

Originally Posted by tablis

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and have been lurking and gaining from all your knowledge by looking things up over the years. Finally decided to join.

Inro: I've been on Atkins for years. About 14 probably. With a few breaks for pregnancies etc. Lost 80+ lbs twice-after pregnancies. This last time I kept it off for a few years but then I had a period where I had to travel for a long time and I didn't manage to keep up with preparing protein for myself. I gained it ALL back in seriously record time. Like crazy fast. And- I was eating what is generally thought to be healthy foods not "junk" and limiting carbs just not the way I can at home.

Since then Atkins does not work for me. I was just on induction for 6 mos + and lost zip. I thought maybe I was working out too much. I just finished a six week leptin reset and still nothing other than I feel weak from not working out at all.

I found you guys bc I want to make LCing work for me. Any other WOE makes me feel awful. I haven't managed to lose on Atkins lately but at least I'm not gaining and I have the other benefits of ketosis ie: energy, clear thinking, absence of cravings etc; which are quickly lost on any other WOE. But I sure would like my body back too.

I have been reading for awhile and trying to catch up on all the information in these NK threads. I also attempted to understand the difference between this and the 80/15/20 thread. Hoping that one of these LC approaches will work for me. Not sure which one to choose so I kind of attempted to combine the two.

I started a ****** account- Until now I just counted carbs and didn't worry about protein etc per atkins classic. And I found what I hope is the right range for protein. And I have a couple of questions. Please excuse me if they've already been addressed, I want to be sure I'm doing this correctly and if I wait to catch up on the thread I will waste a lot of time .

1) As I understand it some of you (mom2zeke-I think posted) believe that 80/15/5 may be too much fat in the ratio for some ppl to lose weight. Can you tell me from your experience what IS a good ratio to use? My Protein range is either, 40-75 or 54-90 as far as I can tell tell using two formulas I found on here. my goal weight is 110 lbs. I'm only on the third day and I was using 80/15/5 with 60gms of protein 13 net carbs bc I thought that since it is between 65 and 85% fat I would be filling the requirements of both 80/15/5 and NK at the same time and have more chance of success. Now I want to adjust bc of the fat warning and am not sure what to aim for.

2) Are the macro percentages I'm getting on ****** the ones I should be using or should I be adjusting to reflect %net carbs. If yes is there another tracker that does it according to net carbs bc that would be a pain to figure out. For example, I tend to need some non- carb fiber for regularity as soon as I limit vegs. In the past, if I took psyillium husks I didn't count them at all bc they have no net carbs. I noticed that if I log it into ****** it totally skews my carb %ages. Should I be logging it in or not? I wanted to track and see if it works but I wonder if it should be counted towards %ages at all. Once i'm doing this I want to be doing it exactly.

Thanks for your patience and continued success to all!

Welcome! Be prepared to tweak it around for what works for you. Age and Height play into this as well. I am 5'4", age 51, goal is 120, I count protein and limit it at 60g a day, min 56 (for me)....count carbs, under 20 is goal. I rarely count fat, because I am a bad tracker, not a good example at all. mentally I keep up with what I do, same most days, so I think I am totalling about 1600-1700 calories a day. There are great helpers here to get your macros down to what works for you.

[SouthernGirl61]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

My ND did a comprehensive hormone test which was very enlightening!

Yep, that's the test I just emailed them I want the orders for. GYN "was not concerned"....I bet if HE had these issues there would be more concern!!!! Sorry guys!

[SouthernGirl61]

Originally Posted by paulabob

Thanks all I'm doing better today. Had a nice clean day yesterday. Glad it's Halloween, something fun for the kids tonight! (and candy isn't my temptation so that's okay too!).

Hope today is better for you and your kids! I love the trick or treaters, my white german shepard hands out candy with me and the kids love her!

[theLossgirl]

Hi Everyone!

I have missed so many posts but I'm jumping back in today. Hope everyone is doing great!

[tablis]

WOW! Thank you guys (mom2zeke,cathyclackley,buffy45, southerengirl61) so much for the quick and helpful responses. Now I feel like I know what I'm doing.

I don't have a meter yet. Have to work on that. I used to use ketostix a lot at the beginning when I lost a lot of weight. It was great but I found that over time even when I felt like I was in ketosis the stick didn't turn purple and even when it was purple I didn't necessarily lose !?!
One thing that is scaring me is 20 total carbs... I've always counted net carbs and thought that was hard yipes. Does that mean no pysillium husks even though they have zero net carbs? Which magnesium do you recommend? I have one from solgar that is calcium+magnesium+boron and has 133 mg of mag. Is that ok?
Thanks all and I hope you are all where its dry and safe!

[tablis]

Hmm now that I think about, the first time I did atkins was according to the 72 plan-
where he didn't discuss net carbs. I lost very quickly then... Actually, I don't think net carbs were
in DANDR either- which is what I had the second time around I think. Maintenance for a few yrs
was with with Atkins for Life which definitely allowed the net carb calculation...
Maybe net carbs are my problem and not that my metabolism 'changed'.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by SouthernGirl61

Yep, that's the test I just emailed them I want the orders for. GYN "was not concerned"....I bet if HE had these issues there would be more concern!!!! Sorry guys!

Well even my "holistic" 50-somthing female GP blew off my concerns about this!

I'm glad you're following up on this. I am of the mind that I only have so much time left on this earth and I don't want that time spent in misery if there's a solution to the problem.

[mom2zeke]

Paula--I'm glad that you're doing better and back on track. I have felt the school losses with my kids and it's been devastating for all of us. Just hearing about the loss of a child is difficult for me, never mind if it's someone in your school community.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by tablis

WOW! Thank you guys (mom2zeke,cathyclackley,buffy45, southerengirl61) so much for the quick and helpful responses. Now I feel like I know what I'm doing.

I don't have a meter yet. Have to work on that. I used to use ketostix a lot at the beginning when I lost a lot of weight. It was great but I found that over time even when I felt like I was in ketosis the stick didn't turn purple and even when it was purple I didn't necessarily lose !?!
One thing that is scaring me is 20 total carbs... I've always counted net carbs and thought that was hard yipes. Does that mean no pysillium husks even though they have zero net carbs? Which magnesium do you recommend? I have one from solgar that is calcium+magnesium+boron and has 133 mg of mag. Is that ok?
Thanks all and I hope you are all where its dry and safe!

I use calcium citrate. You should build up your dosage slowly because if you take too much at first you will be running to the bathroom. I wouldn't want to take a combo pill for this as you may find you need more magnesium and less of the other supplements over time. I currently take 800mg magnesium at bedtime.

I find the meter quite reassuring and helpful but I know not everyone uses one. The ketostix register a different ketone and like you have found they will stop registering even when you're in ketosis via blood ketones so it's hard to accurately track.

Originally Posted by tablis

Hmm now that I think about, the first time I did atkins was according to the 72 plan-
where he didn't discuss net carbs. I lost very quickly then... Actually, I don't think net carbs were
in DANDR either- which is what I had the second time around I think. Maintenance for a few yrs
was with with Atkins for Life which definitely allowed the net carb calculation...
Maybe net carbs are my problem and not that my metabolism 'changed'.

Net carbs can be a slippery slope, especially when people start netting things like sugar alcohols. I would suggest being strict and then once you're losing try adding things back to see how they effect your losses.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by theLossgirl

Hi Everyone!

I have missed so many posts but I'm jumping back in today. Hope everyone is doing great!

Welcome back!

[One maur time]

Dear Tablis
No doubt you will hear from more experienced posters soon! Welcome to this NK thread.
Maureen

[One maur time]

Dear Omatic
Fantastic!!
Maureen

[jillybean720]

Happy Halloween, all! It's our first Halloween in our current house, and I'm thinking we may get a lot of trick-or-treaters since it's a nice, walkable neighborhood, and I live right near an elementary school. I have a big bag of candy ready and waiting to be handed out, and I have not touched a single piece! I'll have to send any leftovers to my husband's office (only 4 other people in my office, and 3 of them have their own trick-or-treating aged children, so I won't be able to pawn it off there!).

Originally Posted by SouthernGirl61

Hi Jilly. Welcome to this thread.

Thanks - I'm thinking this may actually be a better fit for me since I can almost never get my fat % up to 80+ due to my higher personal requirements for protein. I see others aiming for max of 40-65g protein daily, whereas I aim for a MINIMUM of 120!

Anyway, as I mentioned in the other thread, probably dropping off for a bit since I'm having major tummy troubles, so not tracking my intake right now (staying low in carbs still, but trying to find out what's going on with my insides these last few days).

Of course, I'm pretty addicted to reading here, so I'll still be "around"

[jillybean720]

Oh, and tablis, I have not found any free food trackers that calculate net carbs versus total for the purposes of percentages. I only subtracts out fiber when counting net since I don't trust sugar alcohols, so, like Buffy mentioned, I just sort of peek at the fiber if my total carbs seem unusually high for the day. I base my percentages all on totals, though.

[mom2zeke]

jillybean720!

I'm sorry to hear about your tummy troubles. Hopefully you'll be feeling better soon.

Are you tracking ketones at all? Are you able to stay in ketosis at 120 grams of protein?

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Net carbs can be a slippery slope, especially when people start netting things like sugar alcohols. I would suggest being strict and then once you're losing try adding things back to see how they effect your losses.

Good advice!!

[clackley]

I do net carbs otherwise I wouldn't be able to have lovely avocados or shirataki noodles. Anything with nut flour would also be prohibitive. Maybe this is an issue that I should reconsider given that I am still stalled? Or maybe I should break down and buy a ketone meter.....

[jesship]

Happy Halloween everyone! So I was starving getting back on plan yesterday and ate a lot but I kept carbs good and protein ok (a little high for me). My numbers were:
cal 1868
fat 174
pro 67
carbs 20
sooo... 83/14/3
My bk were 1.2 this morning. Calories and fat are way high for me (i'm only 5'0), but just getting back into the swing of things

[tablis]

tx for the advice and welcome.
just made a batch of fat bombs! really getting into this

[sutton_02]

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and advice. Such a great group!

Buffy, congrats on the woosh!

Tablis, MCT oil will also get things going. I don't get much fiber at all, but between 400mg of magnesium citrate every evening and MCT oil occasionally, I have no problems with irregularity. But just as you should ramp up slowly with the magnesium, take it slow with the MCT oil as well. A while ago, I was raving about the thermogenic effects of MCT oil to my hubby, and without consulting me, he went all gungho the next morning, and had two tablespoons with his already fatty breakfast. Poor guy ended up spending most of his morning at work in the men's room. I felt bad for him, but couldn't help but laugh. Now, he won't even touch the stuff - calls it "devil oil."

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by sutton_02

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and advice. Such a great group!

Buffy, congrats on the woosh!

Tablis, MCT oil will also get things going. I don't get much fiber at all, but between 400mg of magnesium citrate every evening and MCT oil occasionally, I have no problems with irregularity. But just as you should ramp up slowly with the magnesium, take it slow with the MCT oil as well. A while ago, I was raving about the thermogenic effects of MCT oil to my hubby, and without consulting me, he went all gungho the next morning, and had two tablespoons with his already fatty breakfast. Poor guy ended up spending most of his morning at work in the men's room. I felt bad for him, but couldn't help but laugh. Now, he won't even touch the stuff - calls it "devil oil."

Just like my DH, if a little is good, then a whole lot must be better

[Buffy45]

Originally Posted by jesship

Happy Halloween everyone! So I was starving getting back on plan yesterday and ate a lot but I kept carbs good and protein ok (a little high for me). My numbers were:
cal 1868
fat 174
pro 67
carbs 20
sooo... 83/14/3
My bk were 1.2 this morning. Calories and fat are way high for me (i'm only 5'0), but just getting back into the swing of things

Yep, that's what you have to do to get back in the swing, eat until you are full, just make sure it is LC. When I first started back, Judy kept saying she could barely eat enough, just not hungry. I just couldn't think I would ever get that way but now, there are days I have to struggle to get enough calories in. Not all days though, other days I am hungrier.

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Are you tracking ketones at all? Are you able to stay in ketosis at 120 grams of protein?

I've actually never in my life measured for ketones. I should clarify, though, the reason for my protein being high. I actually had weight loss surgery about 3.5 years ago (a procedure called Duodenal Switch), so I don't absorb all the nutrients from my food. By now, I do believe I absorb all the calories, as my surgery was slightly modified resulting in lower than normal malabsorption, but when I don't have extra protein by way of whey isolate protein shakes (high bioavailability), my hair starts falling out. Surgeons recommend aiming for at least 100 grams of protein daily, and I shoot a little bit higher since my protein level dropped quite a bit during my pregnancy early this year. It's now back up to normal, but that's with the higher intake. I also take vitamin/mineral supplements 4 times per day as a result of my surgery.

That's also why my weight goal is not very low. I have a lot of excess skin hanging around to deal with since I have previously weighed as much as about 325 pounds. I will likely never reach a "normal" weight for my height.

[tablis]

[QUOTE=Tablis, MCT oil will also get things going. I don't get much fiber at all, but between 400mg of magnesium citrate every evening and MCT oil occasionally, I have no problems with irregularity. But just as you should ramp up slowly with the magnesium, take it slow with the MCT oil as well. A while ago, I was raving about the thermogenic effects of MCT oil to my hubby, and without consulting me, he went all gungho the next morning, and had two tablespoons with his already fatty breakfast. Poor guy ended up spending most of his morning at work in the men's room. I felt bad for him, but couldn't help but laugh. Now, he won't even touch the stuff - calls it "devil oil." [/QUOTE]

Thanks for the warning! lol. what's mct oil? coconut?
yipes if yes bc i had 2 tbsp just now....lol

[tablis]

oops how do you guys do those quotes?

[Buffy45]

Tablis, don't go too high quickly on the CO either, you won't like the results. Increase it slowly.

See the quote button on the lower right of the post, click that and it will put that post in your reply.

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by tablis

oops how do you guys do those quotes?

See the buttons at the bottom right of every post? The first one says "quote".
Click that and it automatically opens up the Reply to Thread area with your quote the first thing you'll see.

Buffy you got that answer here first! Thank you.

I am concerned about 2 Tbsp. of coconut oil when you haven't been used to it.
It can make you feel nauseous - nauseated - I never know which is correct.
It will pass...

[webwoman100]

Alrighty, it's been 2 weeks since trying NK.

I got my meter. My reading was 2.4NK

Here are some things I noticed in the last two weeks:
1. After my first day I immediately started noticing that I felt more "circulatory." My hands and feet are warmer.
2. After a couple of days I noticed I could breathe through both sides of my nose!!!!!
I have been seriously struggling with clogged up and painful sinuses and in the mornings I was blowing and blowing. Then one day POOF! I could BREATHE!!!!!! It is AWESOME!
3. It is a weird feeling to eat high amounts of fat. I feel like the fat gram police are going to find me and put me in jail at some point.
4. I LOVE BACON
5. First 2 days I was sooooooo tired......ugh.......ugh
6. For the first week I would be tired about every other day.
7. Second week I noticed that I was no longer tired. In fact, I didn't have my usual afternoon slumps! There were times I would want to go home from work mid-afternoon and take a nap. NO MORE!
8. I had taco chips one night and they weren't that great. I mean I feared that if I ever ate a carb again I would become an uncontrollable beast. But nope. Ate some and then got right back on track.
9. I don't lose weight every day. Some days I"m up a pound some days I'm down a pound but I've lost 10 .lbs total.
10. First few days I pee'd a river!!!!!
11. It took a while to figure out some standard "go-to" meals that were high in fat and mod protein, low-carb.
12. I find that it is way easier for me to overdo the protein than it is the carbs. That's a surprise.
13. Now, I get so full so fast! I mean last night I had 6 chicken wings smothered in garlic cream sauce. I was SO FULL!!!! Seriously??? I used to be able to eat a dozen wings and the french fries and the soda and the nacho appetizers and the dessert in one sitting! Now, I'm full on 6 wings????? You gotta be kidding me!
14. My blood sugars are trending down down down. This is doing for me what those stupid drugs never could.
15. Within the first 48 hours all my cravings went away!!! I mean there is Halloween candy in my house! There are butterfingers in my house people!!!! And I don't even want them! i haven't even looked at them! SHUT UP! Now, I feel guilty about handing them out. I am thinking I need to hand out stix of cheese. LOL.
16. My clothes are looser. My middle tire is definitely shrinking.
17. Macadamia nuts are a gift.
18. It seems like you have to really figure out what percentages are best for you and getting you the results that you want. This is definitely an individual thing.

Cons:
1. CONSTIPATION - any suggestions in that regards would be most helpful. This is further proof I am full of it. LOL!!

So far so good!

Karen