Keto/Low carb diet

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I am interested in doing a keto/low carb diet and have been tracking my food intake on my Fitbit for the last two weeks and have worked out at least 30 minutes 5x a week. For exercise I have done run/walk on a treadmill, Spin cycling and Kettlebell for weight resistance. I am down 9 pounds in that time which I love but am trying to figure out how anyone can follow a Keto diet.

With what I have tracked over the last two weeks I have only had what is considered Keto macro intake one or two days. For the most part I have had roughly equal Macro's each day which is still low carb since that is less carbs than the Atkins/40-30-30 diet.

I want something that is sustainable and a lifestyle change and wanted to know what those have done Keto what their results are and if it was sustainable and healthy? I am 6'2" 276 this morning down from an all time high of 296 back in April caused by being in Lockdown and aggravating my herniated discs from college football. I was supposed to get an epidural but insurance wouldn't cover it without 3 months of PT and none of the PT places would see me live at the time only people after surgery or car accidents. It was weird. Instead I was put on prednisone and muscle relaxants.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[stvnshnn]

What's your overall goal? To simply lose weight and feel better? Why do you think Keto would do this compared to a more balanced macro profile and reduced calorie intake? As you said, without some help and a good plan, eating Keto--and more specifically achieving ketosis and staying there--can be pretty difficult. Outside of a specific medical reason, it may be better for our outdoor pursuits and active lifestyles to include carbohydrates as a source of energy.
I have have two very successful "cuts" using the Renaissance Periodization app for fat loss. I know you didn't ask for other options, but this has worked for me to lose weight (22 pounds last go around) and maintain lean mass.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

What's your overall goal? To simply lose weight and feel better? Why do you think Keto would do this compared to a more balanced macro profile and reduced calorie intake? As you said, without some help and a good plan, eating Keto--and more specifically achieving ketosis and staying there--can be pretty difficult. Outside of a specific medical reason, it may be better for our outdoor pursuits and active lifestyles to include carbohydrates as a source of energy.
I have have two very successful "cuts" using the Renaissance Periodization app for fat loss. I know you didn't ask for other options, but this has worked for me to lose weight (22 pounds last go around) and maintain lean mass.

Frankly my only goal is to get below 15% body fat and be healthy. I was checked out with calipers last year at about 5 pounds lighter and my doctor came up with 23% body fat. My Cardiologist said he would love me to be under 200 but said that he would be happy if I was 215-225 because he said I would have to lose a significant amount of muscle to get to 200.

When I was in college I was measured with calipers for wrestling and each year I was about 11% weighing about 213lbs.

 

[Willie IV]

Have you ever considered consulting a professional dietician? I would highly recommend a phone call with Kyle Kamp of Valley2Peak Nutrition. Kyle has helped numerous hunters and athletes. I worked with him from April till November this year. He takes a very well rounded approach to weight loss and your overall goals. Very easy to work with. https://www.v2pnutrition.com/

 

[JoeDirt]

Im not Keto but low carb, Keto is hard to maintain because your body can make glucose out of many things like protein. For me to be in Keto I need to eat more fat than I want and really watch everything I eat. Thats where I fail and most do around diets.

I just do low carb. Low sugar, no bread, pasta, rice, beans. Ive lost 50lbs doing this, it has taken me awhile to figure out where and what to eat (service work) I now order off menu items when I eat out. I feel I can overeat and not gain a pound. I also didnt gain anything over thanksgiving which was surprising to me!

I would start making small changes in your diet keep chipping away at it. That way its not a diet but life changes that stick.

 

[JDBAK]

Having been down the lower, and progressively lower carb, to keto, to carnivore, to heavily meat based....here's my take.

1. Eat mostly animal products first, until you're full, then you're pretty much done. Maybe have some other stuff afterwards. Caveat...dairy might be a problem for most people
2. Eat when you're hungry, not before then, and not after. That might only mean 1 meal a day, or likely 14-16 hours of fasting per day.
3. Avoid sugar, refined carbs (particularly grains), and veg/seed oils

I don't particularly care if I'm in ketosis or not....but I probably will be most of the time.

The closer I get to carnivore, the less cravings. So it becomes quite easy to sustain.
I'm never hungry, yet its been really easy to get and stay lean (I was never in 40 years lean before this). Screw counting calories. Eat like a savage, eat fat and salt to taste.

That's been the easy way for me. On plant heavy keto, cravings were still an issue (though less so than as a carb addict). Now that I'm overwhelmingly animal based, eating is easy and intuitive. I went carnivore 2+ years ago. All the cravings for things I thought I needed has gone away (bread, sweets, fruit and even veg). If I really want the extra rocket fuel of carbs, I may have a few berries or piece of fruit. But generally I don't need that.

Hope that helps.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

Have you ever considered consulting a professional dietician? I would highly recommend a phone call with Kyle Kamp of Valley2Peak Nutrition. Kyle has helped numerous hunters and athletes. I worked with him from April till November this year. He takes a very well rounded approach to weight loss and your overall goals. Very easy to work with. https://www.v2pnutrition.com/

I had a widow maker heart attack at 43 just 7 months after winning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Pan ams. As part of my cardiac rehab I had to see a dietician and it was a waste of time. She asked a couple questions about my eating habits and family medical history and handed me a pamphlet to read. It went over basic nutrition and foods to avoid. Overall it was a waste of time.

I will look him up. Thanks.


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[Willie IV]

I had a widow maker heart attack at 43 just 7 months after winning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Pan ams. As part of my cardiac rehab I had to see a dietician and it was a waste of time. She asked a couple questions about my eating habits and family medical history and handed me a pamphlet to read. It went over basic nutrition and foods to avoid. Overall it was a waste of time.

I will look him up. Thanks.


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Wow, glad you survived that at such a young age!

Clearly she sucked as a dietician Your call obviously, but a quick chat with Kyle over the phone might convince you otherwise about the value of a Dietician and a solid nutrition plan. Doesn't cost a thing to have the first chat with him.

 

[hunting1]

Just an option or opinion but try the RP Diet app. I just finished the 75 day hard challenge and lost 15-lbs. Ate like a king, but did it right. It tells what to eat and how much based on work outs, how active your day, and your goal.

 

[LLB]

I went from 323 lbs in October 2019 to 198 lbs currently.

I cut out sugar, salt and starchy carbs. I eat lean protein (mainly venison), eggs, some cheese and all other vegetables. I eat 1 oz of raw tree nuts (no peanuts) daily. I use olive oil in my Italian dressing for salads. I drink coffee in the morning then water only the rest of the day. I'm also not fanatical about small pieces of potato creeping into a soup or beans in a chili. Or croutons in a salad I bought.

I use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories and I log everything. Enter your target weight and it will adjust your daily caloric intake automatically. I use the basic calorie intake and ignore any extra calories allowed for exercise.

I have a Garmin watch to track my exercise which currently consists of jogging/running every other day with walks on the days off (active recovery). I try to do 1 walk a week with a weighted pack. I do 4 basic body weight exercises, pushups, squats, bench dips and modified pullups.

By doing these things I have found that the diet controls my weight, the exercise keeps muscle tone. Even if I run 3 miles I don't really burn enough calories to justify eating a lot. Also I burn roughly the same amount of calories walking briskly as running, I just get the mileage done quicker running.

Hope this helps but I have no ideas for your injury. Good luck with your fitness journey .

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I went from 323 lbs in October 2019 to 198 lbs currently.

I cut out sugar, salt and starchy carbs. I eat lean protein (mainly venison), eggs, some cheese and all other vegetables. I eat 1 oz of raw tree nuts (no peanuts) daily. I use olive oil in my Italian dressing for salads. I drink coffee in the morning then water only the rest of the day. I'm also not fanatical about small pieces of potato creeping into a soup or beans in a chili. Or croutons in a salad I bought.

I use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories and I log everything. Enter your target weight and it will adjust your daily caloric intake automatically. I use the basic calorie intake and ignore any extra calories allowed for exercise.

I have a Garmin watch to track my exercise which currently consists of jogging/running every other day with walks on the days off (active recovery). I try to do 1 walk a week with a weighted pack. I do 4 basic body weight exercises, pushups, squats, bench dips and modified pullups.

By doing these things I have found that the diet controls my weight, the exercise keeps muscle tone. Even if I run 3 miles I don't really burn enough calories to justify eating a lot. Also I burn roughly the same amount of calories walking briskly as running, I just get the mileage done quicker running.

Hope this helps but I have no ideas for your injury. Good luck with your fitness journey .

Congrats on the amazing results. That's very inspirational!

 

[daddie63]

Yea it is. Good on you LLB

 

[Firemedic710]

Been eating keto 6 years now and carnivore for about a year. I second everything JDBAK said. Once you get fat adapted it’s the easiest and most satisfying diet to follow.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Question for the low carb folks, how low are you staying? Not refering to the people trying to be in ketosis, but the day to day low carb guys and gals. I have zero issues giving up 99% of carbs, but I do enjoy the convience of oatmeal.

Do you feel 60g a day is considered low?

 

[Kimber7man]

I’ve done low carb. Started at 30 net grams (total grams - fiber grams) per day for 4 weeks, then to 50-60 per day for another couple months. Then the basic lifestyle of 1/2 your weight in net grams per day - I stay below 100 per day to maintain 180 lb weight.

I started with the book Protein Power, it is a good one.

 

[grog24]

Few words of advice after doing this for two years:
1) The “keto flu” phenomenon is real but it goes away the 2nd or 3rd time (I cycle month on, two months off). Also, I have about one or two days of unquenchable hunger no matter how much I eat. almost starving and dizzy feeling (this is your glucose gas tank hitting empty).. push through!
2) you can’t keep cheating and make big gains, but also don’t Hyperventilate if you eat a cracker. Just keep thinking: meat, veggies, and small amount of fruit and keep a positive outlook.
3) your wait will drop like crazy the first week or two, but this will mostly be water weight unfortunately. Keep at it.
4)If you fail at this diet, if nothing else, CUT OUT soft drinks (and energy drinks/Gatorade) completely for good... also sweet tea (that was the hardest for me). Essentially no sugary drinks. This will do more for you than anything... I’ve seen different studies examining sugar intake, and some say in a single week, we take in more sugar than people did in a whole year from hundred of years ago. (don’t quote me on exact numbers but the concept was eye opening to me)
5) I ended up cycling between my keto diets and “normal” diets to keep my strength up. I noticed on sustained keto diet, I would feel better/healthier/cleaner but my stamina was way down and my overall strength. I personally wouldn’t be on keto if I was doing a backpack hunt or 40-50mi hike... but leading up to about two weeks ahead of time would be no issue. Others here seem to have no problem sustaining, it wasn’t for me.

Good luck! Keep up a good spirit!

 

[JoeDirt]

Few words of advice after doing this for two years:
1) The “keto flu” phenomenon is real but it goes away the 2nd or 3rd time (I cycle month on, two months off). Also, I have about one or two days of unquenchable hunger no matter how much I eat. almost starving and dizzy feeling (this is your glucose gas tank hitting empty).. push through!
2) you can’t keep cheating and make big gains, but also don’t Hyperventilate if you eat a cracker. Just keep thinking: meat, veggies, and small amount of fruit and keep a positive outlook.
3) your wait will drop like crazy the first week or two, but this will mostly be water weight unfortunately. Keep at it.
4)If you fail at this diet, if nothing else, CUT OUT soft drinks (and energy drinks/Gatorade) completely for good... also sweet tea (that was the hardest for me). Essentially no sugary drinks. This will do more for you than anything... I’ve seen different studies examining sugar intake, and some say in a single week, we take in more sugar than people did in a whole year from hundred of years ago. (don’t quote me on exact numbers but the concept was eye opening to me)
5) I ended up cycling between my keto diets and “normal” diets to keep my strength up. I noticed on sustained keto diet, I would feel better/healthier/cleaner but my stamina was way down and my overall strength. I personally wouldn’t be on keto if I was doing a backpack hunt or 40-50mi hike... but leading up to about two weeks ahead of time would be no issue. Others here seem to have no problem sustaining, it wasn’t for me.

Good luck! Keep up a good spirit!

Training yourself to not like sugar is hard. Its taken me awhile. I drink lots of unsweetened tea, kombucha (low sugar read the label), flavored waters...ect

Funny you cut out sugar, I cannot even stomach a soda. Glad that craving is gone. I eat a donut every few months and thats enough to keep me away for awhile.... yuk

I also tried some Keto ice cream but didnt feel that great after eating that.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

Have you ever considered consulting a professional dietician? I would highly recommend a phone call with Kyle Kamp of Valley2Peak Nutrition. Kyle has helped numerous hunters and athletes. I worked with him from April till November this year. He takes a very well rounded approach to weight loss and your overall goals. Very easy to work with. https://www.v2pnutrition.com/

I had a widow maker heart attack at 43 just 7 months after winning the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Pan ams. As part of my cardiac rehab I had to see a dietician and it was a waste of time. She asked a couple questions about my eating habits and family medical history and handed me a pamphlet to read. It went over basic nutrition and foods to avoid. Overall it was a waste of time.

I will look him up. Thanks.


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@Willie IV I appreciate your kind words, man! There are few compliments (in any profession) someone can get that means more than a referral. I appreciate that.

@Farmingdale's Finest I wish I could say your experience was one-off. Unfortunately, there are alot of folks who give that same report. I strive VERY hard to ensure that's not the experience folks have when they work with Valley to Peak.

I'm not going to try and sell you on why you should choose me over any of the other suggestions here. I would be more than happy to chat more with you if you do decide you're interested in formally working with someone. If not- good luck on whatever route you choose!

 

[jrm02]

I went from 323 lbs in October 2019 to 198 lbs currently.

I cut out sugar, salt and starchy carbs. I eat lean protein (mainly venison), eggs, some cheese and all other vegetables. I eat 1 oz of raw tree nuts (no peanuts) daily. I use olive oil in my Italian dressing for salads. I drink coffee in the morning then water only the rest of the day. I'm also not fanatical about small pieces of potato creeping into a soup or beans in a chili. Or croutons in a salad I bought.

I use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories and I log everything. Enter your target weight and it will adjust your daily caloric intake automatically. I use the basic calorie intake and ignore any extra calories allowed for exercise.

I have a Garmin watch to track my exercise which currently consists of jogging/running every other day with walks on the days off (active recovery). I try to do 1 walk a week with a weighted pack. I do 4 basic body weight exercises, pushups, squats, bench dips and modified pullups.

By doing these things I have found that the diet controls my weight, the exercise keeps muscle tone. Even if I run 3 miles I don't really burn enough calories to justify eating a lot. Also I burn roughly the same amount of calories walking briskly as running, I just get the mileage done quicker running.

Hope this helps but I have no ideas for your injury. Good luck with your fitness journey .

Congrats! That's awesome.

To the OP, about 3 years ago I decided to change my diet, and stop half-a$$ing my workout routine and lost 20 lbs of fat and gained 15 lbs of muscle over 20 months. I cut out processed junk, and focused on whole and minimally processed foods (there is such a thing as healthy carbs/fats). I didn't think I was eating that poorly, but once I actually started tracking what I was eating I quickly realized it wasn't great, and it was more than I thought (I tracked both calories and macronutrients). I'd recommend tracking everything you eat for a week or two (food, liquids, condiments), and then figure out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight (plenty of calculators are available online). Adjust from there; a general rule of thumb, you should be eating about 500 calories less per day than your maintenance level (you can get even more detailed by tracking macros; when I was focused on losing fat I was in a 40/40/20 split, carb/protein/fat).

It takes a little adjusting, but once you get going, I found it pretty easy to stick to the routine. It's been 3 years and I'm still going strong maintaining my change.

 

[dduarte85]

Black Friday 2018: 275lbs

June 2019: 165 lbs

March 2021: 198 lbs

Keto works, it’s quite simple really. Where it gets hard is keeping with it given the cultural and social value we place in food. Going to the movies, popcorn! Family has some event or celebration? Pizza and cake.

You have to be willing to deal with FOMO and being the weird dude that just eats meat.

I lost 110lbs insanely fast. It was a year of tracking / weighing all of my food and going a year of absolutely clean keto. However, at 165, I realized that’s just not maintainable for me. In addition to the nutrition, I wasn’t weight lifting but as an avid golfer (and childless husband) I was playing 36 holes a day 3/4 days a week (and waking)

now as a father and someone whose allowed some bad habits to creep in I’ve struggled to keep my weight below 200.

The hardest part is the after plan. Trust me, losing weight is easy and really makes the restriction piece seem easy when the lbs are flying off