Testing Blood Ketones? Post your results here!

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I think you might need to be retested. You need free T4 and free T3 results to see what's going on. Your TSH is in range--but over 2.0 you should definitely have the frees tested! My doctor treats anyone with symptoms and a TSH over 2.0 (but this will be controversial with many doctors).

Thanks!

I did have the free T4/T3 tested, but I can't find those results. It's been a year, so it wouldn't hurt to have it tested again I guess. Now, to find a Dr. who reads b/w the lines w/thyroid stuff. any suggestions on finding someone?

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by shelley

As Kristn said....wrong tests!! You need FT3 and FT4. Interesting that Kristn's doc treats with symptoms over 2. Everyone I know that feels optimized and is ON meds feels best with a TSH under 1. Docs freak out if they don't understand this. I too would get re-tested. You can do it for $75 without a doc these days. A local lab, but doing the ordering online. I don't think I can give a website as I've already been warned by the administrators once and don't want to do anything wrong. Maybe I can post it in a PM??? Don't know.

please PM me- let me know if you can't for whatever reason

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

please PM me- let me know if you can't for whatever reason

I think that you can't order your own tests in NY. But perhaps someone knows a work-around.

[JMCM1]

Sophie, google healthcheckusa. You can order a thyroid panel where you can get the FT3 and FT4 - or if you are able, just ask your doctor to order the test.

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I didn't mean to confuse anyone. Shelley--I meant that she will treat TSH over 2.0 with symptoms if you're not already on thyroid hormone. After treatment my TSH is way below 1.0--barely registers and it's not a problem.

And to further the confusion I was referring to my old GP, not one of my new doctors. I was already treated when I first saw them so I don't know what level they start treatment at. I do know that my endo thinks that if you're untreated your TSH (normal) range should be between .8 and 1.3. Once you're being treated TSH is meaningless.

Kristn, I wonder if your doc would work w/me long distance...my naturopath did. In any case, i'm on the hunt for a good thyroid doc I guess (what is their professional title?)

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

I think that you can't order your own tests in NY. But perhaps someone knows a work-around.

OH! Sorry.
Google stopthethyroidmadness.
There is a wealth of information there and possibly a resource for your state.

[sasonnier]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

OH! Sorry.
Google stopthethyroidmadness.
There is a wealth of information there and possibly a resource for your state.

thanks! will do

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

Kristn, I wonder if your doc would work w/me long distance...my naturopath did. In any case, i'm on the hunt for a good thyroid doc I guess (what is their professional title?)

As others have said, stopthethyroidmadness is a great resource. They also run a Yahoo group "Natural Thyroid Hormones." That group has a list of "good doctors" in different areas. I know there are some in NY because I sent the list to my sister in Brooklyn. If you don't want to join the group I can send you the list via email if you feel comfortable enough to pm me your email address.

I don't know if my doctor would work long-distance. But I know that doctors can't give you prescriptions unless they examine you. It would be great if you could find someone nearby. I know I had a lot of visits when I was trying to get things straightened out.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

But I did not know that once we are treated TSH is meaningless! Good to know.

Sadly, most doctors don't get this! You have to find one who treats by how you feel and your free levels. They are very hard to find!

.
I think I found a good doctor who is helping me optimize my thyroid.

Again, so hard to find!! I'm so happy that you're working with a good one.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by UnstrungHarp

Just a quick check in today... Ketones were at a new low this morning (.3) after two consecutive days of .4. My diet has been basically the same for the past week other than I've been even more diligent to keep protein and carbs in range (around the middle rather than at the max). It's making me so sad to see these low numbers after seeing higher ones a few weeks ago when I used up my first box of strips. I am considering changing my daily test time just to see if my numbers are higher (I need the psychological boost). Maybe mid day, like...now?

My weight has stayed the same throughout TOM, which as of today is now over...but at least "the same" means I've stayed at my new low for a few days without creeping up. Trying to stay positive!

Great to hear from you Lindsay! I'm sorry that your ketones are registering low. Have you considered a change to your macros? Are you doing anything different than you were a few weeks ago?

Congrats on staying at your new low through TOM--that's an accomplishment in itself!

[Myles]

Originally Posted by shelley

Well, I listened to my new personal trainer/nutritionist at the gym who was happy I was doing a high fat/moderate protein and low carb eating plan, but said my carbs were too low. I had another LC nutritionist tell me the same thing. To keep my carbs under 5%, but that I needed to have 1-2 cups of green salad and 1 cups of veggies each day. So, with 2 of them telling me this, I added them back in. And, I upped my calories a lot. Yesterday I had over 2,000 (instead of the 1200-1400 I was aiming for and gaining weight on!) I kept my protein the same and my macros are still in the 80-83/14-17/under 5 range.

Today my ketones remained at .9 which surprised me. And my fasting BG went down once again...this morning down to 83!!! That's an all time low for me since starting this. I am taking a bit of berberine.....about 25% of the recommended dose, and have been doing that for 3 days. I think I'm having side effects of "discomfort" in my tummy, but then again, think it might be becuase I forgot to have my salt the last few days and have been slacking off on the water! We'll see if this continues. Oh...and I also lost 1.4# from yesterday to today! Go figure. I nearly doubled my calories, added in salad/veggies and things are finally moving in the right direction. I've always said that nothing my body does is "typical".

Good stuff Shelley! I remember one time i was doing a diet ( during my yo-yo days - i dont remember if it was low carb or if i was doing low fat - possibly low fat cuz i remember being really hungry) - and i wasn't losing..and just staying the same and getting mad, so out of emotion and frustration i went to burger king and had 2 whoppers with cheese and bacon for lunch (with the buns and the ketchup yes)...then the next day i was down like 3 lbs.... it blew my mind. I think our bodies really our against us. Maybe this is why JUDDD works so well, i duno - wonder if this can be applied to NK without something so drastic as JUDDD

[Buffy45]

Just got home from a holiday party. This is the first time since I started NK back on Sept. 3rd that I ate things I knew I should not. Started out with salad with ranch, some cheese off the cheese plate I brought, skipped the bread, had a fruit salad that did have some sugar in the dressing, and grapes, and a teeny bit of the chicken spaghetti, but, they brought in the dessert and I just gave in, had a medium size serving of that and it was full on carbs. I just tested and my ketone reading was .3 and BG 92, so I think I will be ok as long as I am full throttle back on plan tomorrow. This happened one other time when I ate something I didn't realize was carby and my ketones tested .3 so I am hoping it won't knock me out to where it takes me several days to get back in. Had even eaten some meat before I went, not sure what came over me?

[Myles]

you're human, that's what happened

i'm going to be organizing our work annual christmas luncheon like i do every year, and there are always lots of booz and several hundred dollars worth of chinese food. That's going to be a tough day.

[sasonnier]

Got my requisition form to get my FT3 and FT4 checked (TSH also)- hope to go early next week to get the blood work done! anything else I should get checked while I'm going?

[UnstrungHarp]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Great to hear from you Lindsay! I'm sorry that your ketones are registering low. Have you considered a change to your macros? Are you doing anything different than you were a few weeks ago?

Congrats on staying at your new low through TOM--that's an accomplishment in itself!

Thanks

Well, I had another yucky .3 reading this morning, and my weight was up 2-3 pounds. Regarding the weight gain, I am consoling myself with the fact that my legs are extremely sore from my workout 2 days ago (Tuesday was "Body Beast: Bulk Legs!"). So maybe tomorrow that will be gone.

About the ketones, I tested two more times yesterday to see if I was above .5 at any time, and I was. Midday, several hours after yesterday's morning workout and 4 hours after lunch, I tested .6. And at 9pm (about 3.5 hours after dinner), I tested .8. So those were "okay" readings but nowhere near as high as I wish they were, considering they were later in the day and after another tough weight training workout ("Body Beast: Bulk Arms!").

I have gone back through my food log in detail to see if I could find a pattern, but there is some crucial data missing because of not having any ketone strips from November 25 to December 6. I've got to order another batch today so there will be no more gaps in my spreadsheet! The best I can do is look at what I ate the day before my highest morning reading (which was 1.1). But that day was very similar to many other days when my reading the next morning was lower (protein 70g, total carbs 23g, fat 170g). There are only two noticeable differences between that day and any typical day now: my workout was not heavy lifting (light weights were involved, but it was more of a cardio-focused circuit workout), and I cooked my eggs in a tablespoon of coconut oil. It was not long after that when I started my new heavy weight program ("Body Beast!!") and I eliminated coconut oil because I was afraid it was the cause of my bathroom troubles.

Since I'm only using one day as the pattern, I'm not convinced that I've got enough data to make an informed decision on what to do differently. But, I can do a similar cardio-focused circuit workout today, try the coconut oil in my eggs again (staying home so I'm never far from the bathroom), ensure that my macros are very close to what I listed above, then see what happens tomorrow morning.

One other thing to note: I've had a problem with headaches during the past few days, which I usually expect at the very beginning and very end of TOM. But this time, the headache persisted pretty much the whole time, and one day it was the worst headache I can ever remember having. I even had a headache last night, and TOM had been gone for at least a full day. I do not feel bad in any other way, but I'm still wondering if this could have something to do with the fact I do not supplement with any kind of sodium (I never add salt to my food and I haven't had any broth). Are headaches a symptom of sodium depletion? It's been a few weeks since I had the "induction flu" feeling of being weak, tired, sleepy, etc. in the afternoons, so I figured all that was behind me. My workouts are going great, except for that day when I had the monster headache, so I just assumed sodium wasn't a problem for me. Just trying to pin point a reason for the headaches....hopefully there won't be another one today, but maybe I should try the broth thing to be safe.

Sorry for the long post....

Hope everyone else is doing better and figuring out what works for them!!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

Got my requisition form to get my FT3 and FT4 checked (TSH also)- hope to go early next week to get the blood work done! anything else I should get checked while I'm going?

Vitamin D!

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by Buffy45

Just got home from a holiday party. This is the first time since I started NK back on Sept. 3rd that I ate things I knew I should not. Started out with salad with ranch, some cheese off the cheese plate I brought, skipped the bread, had a fruit salad that did have some sugar in the dressing, and grapes, and a teeny bit of the chicken spaghetti, but, they brought in the dessert and I just gave in, had a medium size serving of that and it was full on carbs. I just tested and my ketone reading was .3 and BG 92, so I think I will be ok as long as I am full throttle back on plan tomorrow. This happened one other time when I ate something I didn't realize was carby and my ketones tested .3 so I am hoping it won't knock me out to where it takes me several days to get back in. Had even eaten some meat before I went, not sure what came over me?

Buffy--I agree with Myles, you're human! My experience has been it's not the cheat (as long as it's not a regular thing) but what we do afterwards that makes a difference. You're back on plan and this was just a blip on the radar. I will be very interested to hear about what happens with your ketones. I plan on going off-plan for one meal on my birthday in a few weeks and I'm curious about how that will effect my readings. You can be my guinea pig.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by UnstrungHarp

Thanks

Well, I had another yucky .3 reading this morning, and my weight was up 2-3 pounds. Regarding the weight gain, I am consoling myself with the fact that my legs are extremely sore from my workout 2 days ago (Tuesday was "Body Beast: Bulk Legs!"). So maybe tomorrow that will be gone.

I'm hopeful that the extra pounds will be gone soon!

About the ketones, I tested two more times yesterday to see if I was above .5 at any time, and I was. Midday, several hours after yesterday's morning workout and 4 hours after lunch, I tested .6. And at 9pm (about 3.5 hours after dinner), I tested .8. So those were "okay" readings but nowhere near as high as I wish they were, considering they were later in the day and after another tough weight training workout ("Body Beast: Bulk Arms!").

With the workouts that you're doing they should be higher. I wish we all had a lab that we could do extensive testing in. I was really never good at science in school but now I wish I had pushed through and learned more.

I have gone back through my food log in detail to see if I could find a pattern, but there is some crucial data missing because of not having any ketone strips from November 25 to December 6. I've got to order another batch today so there will be no more gaps in my spreadsheet! The best I can do is look at what I ate the day before my highest morning reading (which was 1.1). But that day was very similar to many other days when my reading the next morning was lower (protein 70g, total carbs 23g, fat 170g). There are only two noticeable differences between that day and any typical day now: my workout was not heavy lifting (light weights were involved, but it was more of a cardio-focused circuit workout), and I cooked my eggs in a tablespoon of coconut oil. It was not long after that when I started my new heavy weight program ("Body Beast!!") and I eliminated coconut oil because I was afraid it was the cause of my bathroom troubles.

Have you tried MCT oil? I know that it's not recommended by Phinney and Volek, but perhaps it wouldn't give you the tummy troubles that you're experiencing. I think this may be part of the puzzle.

Since I'm only using one day as the pattern, I'm not convinced that I've got enough data to make an informed decision on what to do differently. But, I can do a similar cardio-focused circuit workout today, try the coconut oil in my eggs again (staying home so I'm never far from the bathroom), ensure that my macros are very close to what I listed above, then see what happens tomorrow morning.

I would give it a few days to really see if it's making a difference. Sometimes just one day isn't enough.

One other thing to note: I've had a problem with headaches during the past few days, which I usually expect at the very beginning and very end of TOM. But this time, the headache persisted pretty much the whole time, and one day it was the worst headache I can ever remember having. I even had a headache last night, and TOM had been gone for at least a full day. I do not feel bad in any other way, but I'm still wondering if this could have something to do with the fact I do not supplement with any kind of sodium (I never add salt to my food and I haven't had any broth). Are headaches a symptom of sodium depletion? It's been a few weeks since I had the "induction flu" feeling of being weak, tired, sleepy, etc. in the afternoons, so I figured all that was behind me. My workouts are going great, except for that day when I had the monster headache, so I just assumed sodium wasn't a problem for me. Just trying to pin point a reason for the headaches....hopefully there won't be another one today, but maybe I should try the broth thing to be safe.

Drink the broth and get extra sodium!! Especially with your workouts this is very important.

Sorry for the long post....

Hope everyone else is doing better and figuring out what works for them!!

Not too long at all. We're all here to help you figure it out!

[mom2zeke]

My ketones were .9 this morning, weight holding steady.

I'm not getting the 1.5 or above that I was hoping for, but I feel very good about where I am.

I do wonder if there's a seasonal variation in ketones also? I'm up here in the dark North and my ketones definitely got lower starting in the fall. Now whether or not that was caused by the change of seasons is unknown. I guess I'll just have to keep testing through spring and summer to get some data on this.

How's everyone else this morning?

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by goolash

you're human, that's what happened

i'm going to be organizing our work annual christmas luncheon like i do every year, and there are always lots of booz and several hundred dollars worth of chinese food. That's going to be a tough day.

Buffy Myles is right. You are a human.
I have gotten through the last 6 months, when among friends and not wanting attention to my food, by eating 1 bite. No telling what I would have done in a party setting like that. Food is such a social thing.

Myles my full-on favorite, don't want to prepare it myself, never eat noodles and rice food is Chinese food. If I find I have some kind of Stage 4 cancer someday (I'm a cheery person!) I'm going to eat Chinese food, brownies and drink good wine.

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by sasonnier

Got my requisition form to get my FT3 and FT4 checked (TSH also)- hope to go early next week to get the blood work done! anything else I should get checked while I'm going?

Yes - Vitamin D as Kristn said.

I've been taking between 3,000 IU & 5,000 IU/day for the last 3 years. My vitamin D level tested mid-range last month.

So great your got going on the FT3 & FT4 & TSH! Good job.

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

With the workouts that you're doing they should be higher. I wish we all had a lab that we could do extensive testing in. I was really never good at science in school but now I wish I had pushed through and learned more.

Pretty sure you're going to get extra credit with the NK experiments!

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Drink the broth and get extra sodium!! Especially with your workouts this is very important.

I was astonished how extra sodium was needed for this way of eating. So sorry about the headaches. Our Buffy has had several days of them - allergies.

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Not too long at all. We're all here to help you figure it out!

I wish I were more help. This is my guilty reading pleasure. Thanks all of you for posting! I would post more info but I'm still waiting for thyroid optimization and Christmas to be over.

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

My ketones were .9 this morning, weight holding steady.

I'm not getting the 1.5 or above that I was hoping for, but I feel very good about where I am.

I do wonder if there's a seasonal variation in ketones also? I'm up here in the dark North and my ketones definitely got lower starting in the fall. Now whether or not that was caused by the change of seasons is unknown. I guess I'll just have to keep testing through spring and summer to get some data on this.

How's everyone else this morning?

Happy reading what you've all written!
When Jimmy Moore gets back into full swing, I wonder if he would be willing to funnel more of your questions to Phinney and Volek?
He's surely as interested in these answers.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

Myles my full-on favorite, don't want to prepare it myself, never eat noodles and rice food is Chinese food. If I find I have some kind of Stage 4 cancer someday (I'm a cheery person!) I'm going to eat Chinese food, brownies and drink good wine.

Judy--my once a year birthday indulgence is Chinese food and chocolate cake with ice cream! This year I have the choice to go to any high-end restaurant I want, but my indulgence will still be Chinese food. I let myself order and eat anything I want. I love it so much and we have a fantastic Chinese place near us (DH lived in Taiwan for a number of years so he's very picky).

[mom2zeke]

Lindsay--if you don't mind, would you post your usual daily menu here? You may have done this before but I have lost track. Maybe someone will see something that may be getting in the way of ketosis and/or losing.

[JMCM1]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Judy--my once a year birthday indulgence is Chinese food and chocolate cake with ice cream! This year I have the choice to go to any high-end restaurant I want, but my indulgence will still be Chinese food. I let myself order and eat anything I want. I love it so much and we have a fantastic Chinese place near us (DH lived in Taiwan for a number of years so he's very picky).

Note to self: After horrible diagnosis, visit Kristn and her DH for awesomely awesome Chinese food binge.

Honestly I don't even think about eating off-plan. Being in ketosis (as I have often droned incessantly) just turned off my hunger switch. I'm not at goal, and I do not exercise at all, but I feel so well and after my thyroid tweaking I expect to get to goal easily.

My birthday is in February, however, and I believe I could see one meal of eating whatever I want! Thanks for the idea.

[UnstrungHarp]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

I was astonished how extra sodium was needed for this way of eating. So sorry about the headaches. Our Buffy has had several days of them - allergies.


I wish I were more help. This is my guilty reading pleasure. Thanks all of you for posting! I would post more info but I'm still waiting for thyroid optimization and Christmas to be over.


Happy reading what you've all written!
When Jimmy Moore gets back into full swing, I wonder if he would be willing to funnel more of your questions to Phinney and Volek?
He's surely as interested in these answers.

I'm definitely going to start the broth once I get the chance to pick up some at the grocery store. I found a can of chicken broth in our cabinet, but I don't like the fact that it has MSG, corn syrup, etc. - not to mention 1g carbs (from sugar!) per cup. Will any/all bouillon cubes have the same problem?

I know how you feel about wanting to help out more...I rarely ever have any good advice for anyone here but I sure do ask the questions and soak up info from everybody else's posts!!

Wouldn't it be awesome if Phinney/Volek could use us as case studies/research subjects?? I'm willing to be subjected to all manner of tests and to send in my food/weight/ketone/workout logs! Where do I sign up???

(That has to be a world record for the use of slashes in a single paragraph.)

[Buffy45]

Morning!
I have been blessed I think, I got up to a reading of 0.7 for ketones this morning! And, no desire to cheat today, that is my biggest fear is to lose this tight control I have had over my eating. Scale bounced up though, but that could have happened on any given day. Whew, glad that is passed and I didn't do anymore damage. I could not even think about having that dessert in my house, OMG it was good.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement!

Lindsay, you might have to join Shelley and be our 2nd little science experiment. The past 2 weeks I have had headaches but they are due to a sinus infection, but, when I first started NK I did not really feel the best for about 6 weeks. I suffered from headaches quite often during that time. Gradually got better as my body adapted.

I don't know if you have the time to make this with the holidays and all, but I make a yummy chicken broth that gives you the sodium you need, lots of fat and just plain tastes good. Take a cut up chicken, put it in the largest pan you have, I use one chicken for an 8 qt stockpot. Add lots of sea salt, pepper and at least 1/2 lb butter, fill up pot with water and simmer gently on the stove for hours, or until the meat falls off the bones. Don't boil your water away, simmer slowly to preserve the broth. When done, strain on the broth and you can freeze some in smaller containers. Pick the meat from the bones, this I freeze in 4 oz portions. This part is the time consuming one. When I warm up the meat it is usually pretty moist but you can always add a little butter at that time so that it is not dry.

Hope this helps and we are here to try to help you.

[mom2zeke]

Originally Posted by UnstrungHarp

I'm definitely going to start the broth once I get the chance to pick up some at the grocery store. I found a can of chicken broth in our cabinet, but I don't like the fact that it has MSG, corn syrup, etc. - not to mention 1g carbs (from sugar!) per cup. Will any/all bouillon cubes have the same problem?

I use the Pacific Foods Organic Free Range Chicken Broth in a box and I add more salt (1/4-1/2 tsp). They all have a few carbs and 1 per cup is pretty good. I haven't found any good bouillon cubes so far.

[UnstrungHarp]

Originally Posted by mom2zeke

Lindsay--if you don't mind, would you post your usual daily menu here? You may have done this before but I have lost track. Maybe someone will see something that may be getting in the way of ketosis and/or losing.

Sure! One thing I have to add is that I do not weigh my food (no kitchen scale or anything). So, my ounce measurements may not be precise, but I am definitely trying to be accurate or even overestimate.

Nearly every day starts out like this:

- 3 cups of coffee with 1 tbsp HWC and 2 packets of Sweet & Low each.
(After this, I usually go to the bathroom! Then I do my workout.)

- 30 minutes to 1 hour post-workout: 3 strips of bacon topped with 2 tbsp cream cheese; 3 eggs cooked in the bacon grease and 1 tbsp butter, then mixed with 2 tbsp of sour cream (my mouth is watering now because I haven't eaten yet and this sounds so yummy... )

- After the above meal, I postpone my "treat" as long as possible or skip it completely: one serving full fat Greek yogurt OR 2 squares of Lindt dark chocolate (70%...can't handle 85%)

- Some time later in the afternoon, I'll have instant decaf coffee...typically 2 cups with the same add-ons as the morning regular coffee (1 tbsp HWC and 2 Sweet & Lows per cup)

- Dinner is where all the variation happens. Last night, we were at the Mexican restaurant where we typically go twice a week, and I got the Mexican omelet as always. My info on the ingredients comes from the menu and me eyeballing it: 3 eggs, ham (4-6 oz?), 1 tbsp sour cream, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup Mexican cheese.

- For an alternative dinner example, eating at home: meat, such as 70/30 ground beef (4 to 6 oz) and 1/2 cup to a full cup of green beans (according to the can, 1 cup of the green beans = 10g carbs, 4g fiber). The meat could be pork chops, roast, or even chicken, but if it's chicken, I eat less (...dat protein!).

- After dinner, I have whatever other treat I didn't have earlier in the day (either the Greek yogurt or the dark chocolate) or nothing, if I don't really want it. Most days, including yesterday, I do have it.

- I rarely snack between meals, but if it's an odd day and I feel hungry for some reason, I would choose a serving of plain almonds.

And if I calculated yesterday correctly, my macros for the day were:

- Calories: 1794
- Protein: 71.5
- Carbs: 28
- Fiber: 3
- Fat: 148

Ratios: 77% / 16.5% / 6.5%

Thanks in advance for reading all this and helping me out!!

[Buffy45]

Lindsay, your menu sounds great and very very good, makes me hungry LOL.

Here is what I would try though. I would cut out most all of your extras just for the time being. I would eat meat/eggs/fat and your coffee to help push you further into ketosis. Once you get into deeper ketosis, then add some of those things back in like the greek yougurt, the lindt bar, the green beans, almonds, etc. Those things are all allowed and your menu is very well planned, just might be a little too many carbs to allow you to get deeper into ketosis. That is just my idea or what I would try if I were you. I am by no means an expert on this but once I got firmly into ketosis and stayed there, my appetite really dimished and I sometimes was eating as many calories as you, but more of them were from fat, not veggies, etc. Anxious for some of the others to chime in and see what they say. I guess what I am suggesting is kind of a meat/egg few days.