Keto Diet with Intermittent Fasting

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by Cujet
A balanced diet is always going to be the right answer. Start the day with Lucky Charms, skim milk and a Diet Coke. Lunch should be 2 slices of pizza, at least one with veggies and a Diet Coke. Dinner should include fried chicken mashed potatoes and Diet Coke. Along with a bit of rum or bourbon later on.

:0

 

[StevieC]

Update:

Down almost 134lbs total since starting. I have had a couple breaks here/there during periods of stalling in the weight loss (normal) and during the holidays to mix it up with my metabolism. (Really reminded me of how terrible I feel eating carbs versus staying away from them... Hard to fathom until you have done it this long).

I've found that 48 hour fasts with 48 hours of normal eating 3 keto meals a day seems to keep my weight loss efficient and moving forward versus the one meal a day.
By doing it on 2 days & 2 days it's never the same days each week which helps keep it mixed up and not routine for the body in terms of activity at work and on the weekend.

Anyway... Still going strong with it and blood work has never been better. My daily blood sugar sits around ~4 (~80) still
and my A1C as of 2 weeks ago was sitting at 4.9 (87)!

 

[dave123]

Originally Posted by StevieC
Update:

Down almost 134lbs total since starting. I have had a couple breaks here/there during periods of stalling in the weight loss (normal) and during the holidays to mix it up with my metabolism. (Really reminded me of how terrible I feel eating carbs versus staying away from them... Hard to fathom until you have done it this long).

I've found that 48 hour fasts with 48 hours of normal eating 3 keto meals a day seems to keep my weight loss efficient and moving forward versus the one meal a day.
By doing it on 2 days & 2 days it's never the same days each week which helps keep it mixed up and not routine for the body in terms of activity at work and on the weekend.

Anyway... Still going strong with it and blood work has never been better. My daily blood sugar sits around ~4 (~80) still
and my A1C as of 2 weeks ago was sitting at 4.9 (87)!


Awesome job what is your current weight and waistline height.
Are you seriously going 48hr with no food other than water black coffee or tea??

 

[StevieC]

Dave,

Yes 48 hours no food, just black coffee & water. I worked up to this with one meal a day which really trains your body to run on fat stores when food is not available. I used to get a headache if I would miss a meal but that was when I was eating carbs. Whether I miss a meal or multiple days now I feel the same steady energy flow because the body easily switches over to using fat stores instead. (Keto community calls it being fat adapted)

Since transitioning to Keto, then one meal a day keto and now 48 hour fasting cycles, I'm not hungry at all and I feel like I could even do 5 days fasting with 2 days of eating (weekends). I haven't done this yet but I have done a couple of 3 day fasts to see if I could do longer than 48 hours and it's not hard for me.

I haven't gone longer because I don't want my body to start storing calories in times of deficit and right now 2 days on and 2 days off seems to work to keep it out of this mode and keep the weight falling off. I also have to keep it at 48 hour fasts minimum during the fasting period to keep glycogen levels depleted so it's forced to convert fat to ketones. This is more so because I have a bit of metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes before I started. Normally one meal a day works well for most but the type-2 diabetics require a longer fasting period between meals to make it work or so goes the reading I've done on the subject. (It seems to be working for me so in my case it's validated)

I'm at 340lbs now (down from 475) (I don't look like this at all, I'm 6'2" but I carry it really well. I probably look like I'm 200 at the most).
Current waist line is 50" down from 62" when I started. I'd like to get down to ~200lbs.

Most of this weight was put on in the year I was recovering with a back injury that left me unable to walk most of the day. Bad on me that I let it get this bad during that year but it was tough not to indulge being home all day with nothing to do in a stationary position in front of the TV / Computer. Oh well, live and learn and I'm fixing it now...

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted by Pew
Originally Posted by javacontour

You can get off the couch, sit in your car, drive 5-10 miles and get take out, or donuts and a slushee, or whatever.


Within a mile radius I have for fast food:

2 McDonalds
1 taco bell
1 wendys
1 KFC
1 Arbys
1 Panera Bread
1 Culvers
1 Noodles & Company
1 Firehouse subs
1 White castle
2 Dunkin Donuts
1 Starbucks
A Bajillion pizza places

Forget adding in another mile, that'll make the list too [censored] long. I lost probably lost the most weight in the past few months when I got my tints because I couldn't roll down my windows LOL.

Fast food joints are killing us

 

[CourierDriver]

The positive trend in some ways of eating is the reversal of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Check to see if your diets have these characteristics..something to think about.

 

[vavavroom]

Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by dave1251
Hmmm acetone.

It is a byproduct of ketone metabolism as opposed to glucose.

It tapers down as time goes off as your body adjusts the levels of ketones you need. It's why when you first become fat adapted you have really bad breath and the pounds drop off like mad and then it slows down to 0.5-2lbs a week for most. I'm lucky and have never dropped below the 2lbs a week except for some intermittent stalls which I now chalk up to hidden things in foods I was consuming not realizing it was creating an insulin response and pausing or knocking me out of Ketosis temporarily.

I have a blood meter now and keep tighter control. Strips are darn expensive though.

You have been losing at least two pounds per week over the last 6 months? How much more weight do you have to lose to arrive at the desired target?

 

[StevieC]

About 140 more pounds to go and it's higher than 2lbs a week because I had some break periods in there for about 3 weeks in total for the holidays and other occasions.

 

[blupupher]

Good to hear this Stevie.
I started Keto first part of October last year. Down ~50 lbs so far.
So far I have not had any slip up or stalls. I initially started watching macros and all that, but lately I have just been making sure to keeps my carbs low (normally am below 10 carbs/day).
I know my protein is probably higher than it should be. Most formulas say I should be ~ 2500 calories, 200 g fat, 190 g protein, 20 net carbs per day. Most days I am around 1800 calories, 180 of both fat and protein, and 10 of carbs.
No real health issues aside from morbid obesity and sleep apnea. BGL is fine, BP is fine. No heart issues. At 5'11" and 375, my BMI was 52% when I started (now 325 lbs and 45%).
If I can get down to 225 I will be ecstatic. My weight gain was over 20+ years, and have always been overweight.
At my current rate, that will be in about another year, but even if it takes longer, it is worth it.
I actually have my annual checkup next month, interested to see what all my labs are. I know my fasting BGL had been in the high 90's to low 100's before, they are now in the 70's (wife has a glucometer that I check with every once in a while, there is a family history of it).

I am not treating this as a diet, it is a change lifestyle and how I eat. My kids asked me how long I was going to do this, I told them forever. And that is my plan.

Funny thing is so many people talk about how much better they feel, how much more energy they have and such, but I still feel no difference, but never really felt bad before.

 

[StevieC]

I know I don't have the 2pm "I need a coffee" crash any longer like I used to have all the time when I was eating carbs. Even after the first couple of weeks that disappeared so I know it wasn't the weight that did it, it was the diet.

As for labs, I'm finding that the 2 days eating 3 meals a day keto foods doing lazy keto where I just make sure carbs are as non-existent as possible and not worrying about fat percentages as much so long as they are higher than protein percentages is far more effective when combined with 2 back to back complete days of fasting.

A couple of Keto Guru's said that after 16 hours on a fast is when the benefits start to kick in and you really ramp up the fat burning from there so by keeping it on for 2 days you are benefiting from fast fat burning for 1 day and 8 hours past the 16 hours to ramp it up and then eating for 2 days thereafter mixes it up for your body to keep the metabolism high because it doesn't feel the need to change the rate at which you are burning fat because you are never on the fast long enough for it to figure it out.

This is also supposed to be amplified for Type-2 diabetic folks because our blood glucose levels stay higher all the time by default because we have developed the problem metabolizing circulating glucose. Which will get better over time by using this diet to deplete the body of its glycogen stores and retrain the insulin sensitivity of the the cells but in the interim the 2 days on 2 days off helps burn more fat than would otherwise be more stubborn to get rid of because with conventional 16:8 intermittent fasting and Type-2 you are never really in the optimal fat burning window because of the delay of the Type-2 has on it than someone that doesn't have type-2.

So essentially a 16:8 for a normal person is 16 hours of fat burning and 8 hours of metabolizing what is eaten is a lot less fat burning for someone with Type-2 because the blood glucose depletion takes longer in folks like us pushing the fat burning window further out.

Just FWIW.

 

[blupupher]

I don't do planned, specific fasting, there are just times I don't eat for 18-24 hours because I am not hungry or just busy doing stuff and don't think about eating.
I often find I eat a late lunch (2-3 pm) and don't eat again till lunch the next day at noon or so. I rarely eat breakfast (I have never been a breakfast person), so even if I eat at 6PM and then eat at noon, that is an easy 16 hr fast. Heck, I ate lunch/dinner @ 4PM yesterday and did not each lunch today till 2.

If I get to the point that I stop loosing, i will probably look more into doing specific fasting periods. I work with a few that fast only days they work (3 12 hr shifts a week, not necessary in a row). and having a 36 hr fast has helped them.

My biggest issue is I have not changed my routine at all. I don't exercise more than before. I still am on my feet and walking all day at work (a 10,000 step day is normal in 12 hours, if not a lot more, plus a lot of standing). I think if I actually made myself do more physical activity I would loose even more. Maybe I will once a little more weight comes off.

 

[PimTac]

I've been dealing with type 2 diabetes for several years now. I don't follow a keto diet but I watch my carbs. I have discovered one idea that helps me with my weight and low carbs but gives me nutrition.

In a blender I add 4oz of cold coffee , 2oz of 2% milk, and one scoop of Jarrow Formulas Whey Protein. I use the chocolate flavor to give me a mocha drink. This will tide my late morning hunger and with a small lunch is plenty for me. I have experimented with adding 15ml of MCT oil as well to this before blending.

The carb count is 8gm and the amino acid and protein intake is boosted by this recipe.

Just a suggestion and you can use any good brand of protein powder. I do find that Jarrow makes some very good and consistent products.

 

[StevieC]

Thabks Pimtac

 

[SatinSilver]

I picked up some roasted flax seed at Aldi last week for around $2/bag. Then ground it up in a coffee grinder and put it back in the back. Lots of health benefits and really makes you feel full like nothing I've ever had before since it has so much fiber plus protein and omega-3s. Then put it in oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, etc... Eating it straight makes me feel like I'm eating sawdust.

I'm 5'10, 198 lbs and want to get down to 170 since that's my ideal weight.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
I picked up some roasted flax seed at Aldi last week for around $2/bag. Then ground it up in a coffee grinder and put it back in the back. Lots of health benefits and really makes you feel full like nothing I've ever had before since it has so much fiber plus protein and omega-3s. Then put it in oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, etc... Eating it straight makes me feel like I'm eating sawdust.

I'm 5'10, 198 lbs and want to get down to 170 since that's my ideal weight.




I've heard a lot of good things about flax. We have some of that as well. I should add some to my drink

 

[StevieC]

I just take a tablespoon of lemon flavoured wild caught cod liver oil for A/D/Omega 3 a day and it helps me get my fats for Keto when I might be eating lean chicken.

Also keeps you regular as well and much more pleasant on salad or even straight than eating flax seed.

I read somewhere too that Fish Oil based Omega 3s are superior to Flax seed based.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by StevieC
I just take a tablespoon of lemon flavoured wild caught cod liver oil for A/D/Omega 3 a day and it helps me get my fats for Keto when I might be eating lean chicken.

Also keeps you regular as well and much more pleasant on salad or even straight than eating flax seed.

I read somewhere too that Fish Oil based Omega 3s are superior to Flax seed based.




Generally speaking that is correct but there are Omega 6s and Omega 9s that are plentiful in plant based sources. I take fish oil that has a balance of EPA and DHA as these are important factors.

 

[53' Stude]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
I picked up some roasted flax seed at Aldi last week for around $2/bag. Then ground it up in a coffee grinder and put it back in the back. Lots of health benefits and really makes you feel full like nothing I've ever had before since it has so much fiber plus protein and omega-3s. Then put it in oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, etc... Eating it straight makes me feel like I'm eating sawdust.

I'm 5'10, 198 lbs and want to get down to 170 since that's my ideal weight.


I add that to plain 0% FAYE (correct spelling of this yogurt for whatever reason is censored) a long with fresh fruit for a breakfast

 

[ZZman]

I don't understand these extreme diets. Do you lose weight? Yes. Are you likely to be able to stay on them for long? No.
Carbs are delicious. No food should be off limits. But moderation in eating and exercise is key. It is calories in vs calories out.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted by ZZman
I don't understand these extreme diets. Do you lose weight? Yes. Are you likely to be able to stay on them for long? No.
Carbs are delicious. No food should be off limits. But moderation in eating and exercise is key. It is calories in vs calories out.


What about the ketogenic diet is extreme? It could be argued that using millions of square miles of our land to plant seeds to grow grasses like wheat, corn, barley and rice is extreme and highly unnatural. Prior to the invention of agriculture I'd have to presume that humans had been eating meats of varying sorts and foraging for low glycemic, above-ground vegetables and massive amounts of leafy greens since there'd been humans.

Agriculture is extreme!

The point is well made, though, that if we cut out ANY single macronutrient we're bound to lose weight. Eating steak while training my body to use fat instead of carbohydrates as my day-in, day-out source of fuel sounds like a winner to me.

(In the interest of disclosure, I spend about a month per year in ketosis; and have just finished my dinner of steak and spinach salad with avocado and walnuts and goat cheese minutes ago.)