Introduction
One thing I see a lot of people, especially newbies, on here and elsewhere doing is worrying about how they’re going to go about implementing the diet.
I understand completely that you want to ensure you reach your goals and progress is not delayed, but you also need to be aware that overthinking it and making it more complicated than it needs to be simply puts up a bigger wall in front of you than there needs to be, and when you do that there’s a really good chance that you’ll end up becoming demotivated and fed up of implementing something that requires a lot of work.
About Me
I started off at 291lbs (132kg) and 8 months later I am 216.8lbs (98kg) by keeping it simple and I have found the diet itself incredibly easy because I allowed it to be easy and made the diet fit my life as opposed to trying to build my life around the ketogenic diet.
In addition to this I’ve had scans done and I’ve lost next to no muscle mass and I have been eating protein like there’s no tomorrow and have not worried about gluconeogenesis.
I let my body work it out because it will create what it needs to survive and will use the protein wisely for the direct functions required, and then use fat for other energy expenditure. I have since transitioned to pretty much a zero carb diet with a very small amount of cheese (small amount of carbs) and I’m feeling great.
I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to worry that you are entering the abyss, and I also want you to know that you’re getting advice from someone who has gone through the process and is constantly working to try and maximize the benefits I obtain from this diet.
Advice
For those with a lot to lose:
The most important thing I can tell you is that your mental game is everything. You need to be disciplined and have the right focus to obtain results. You will be told by many people to start lifting straight away. If you struggle with being disciplined and focus then I will tell you that this is not a great idea.
You are better off focusing on one goal first and that is losing the weight, and predominantly the fat. You can achieve this simply by eating enough protein or more than enough protein, and by keeping your carbs and fat levels low. Once you have the self-control instilled in your mindset and being, I would then recommend introducing exercise at a weight closer to your healthy weight.
For example, if you are currently regarded as obese then work your way down to the overweight range first and then start lifting weights as you continue your journey down towards a healthier BMI category. Constantly reevaluating your situation is important to ensure you maximizing the benefits you obtain.
Focus on one goal - e.g. lose body fat. Then focus on another goal. Outlining that one goal in your mind and instilling it so it becomes part of who you are is what matters most. Even if you end up somewhat skinny fat it’s better than being fat and you also have time on your side to readjust your goals and then work on implementing them.
If you feel a burst of energy then sure, go and do some exercise as it’s only going to be of benefit but do not dwell on it or put yourself down for not doing it. You have time and need to be patient. Rome was not built in a day and the body you want to have won’t be either. Just do the right thing, the simple thing, repeatedly every single day and eventually you will have that body.
For those with less fat to lose, I’m really sorry but I can’t help you as I have not reached that point, and I’m not going to start talking about something I have no clue about whatsoever. I would just be talking out of my ass about something that I have no experience of.
My Routine
It is arguably boring but effective, and it is very simple:
- 6:30am - wake up and do some exercise before having a shower etc. (no breakfast)
- 9.00am - go to work and fast throughout the day
- 1.00pm - I don’t eat lunch so use the hour to do something more productive but I do take the break available
- 5.00pm - fasting window opens (one meal a day - eat between 1000-1200 calories)
- 11.00pm - fasting window closes (I usually have stopped eating before this time)
- 11.30pm - Go to bed and sleep (no distractions - sleep is important)
During that window I will eat a variety of meats, some eggs and a very small amount of cheese. Exercising in the morning not only helps boost your metabolism throughout the day but also helps you enter the process of autophagy quicker maximizing the benefits you obtain.
Other Tips
- Intermittent fasting will help a lot especially with the cravings in the long-term
- Transitioning to one meal a day (OMAD) will help a lot
- Eat within a window in the evening after work (something to look forward to when you get home)
- Focus on doing your exercise in the morning before work to boost metabolism throughout the day
- Stop worrying so much about too much protein (gluconeogenesis is demand-driven)
- Your body can make enough glucose to function and survive
- Carbs are not a goal and fat is eaten to satiety - if you have body fat, use mostly that
- Do you research on the science side - check the ketoscience subreddit - it’s great
- Ignore the naysayers - they haven’t experienced the diet and it’s merely projection of their own issues
- Remember that research can be paid for so look in depth at the report (the media haven’t a clue how to interpret most studies and simply come to their own conclusions based on the agenda they wish to push - the vast majority of them have no understanding of the scientific method at all)
- Fiber - you will be told you need this yet you don’t - my diet has barely any fiber in it and my numbers are perfectly fine - fiber, and increased frequency of using the bathroom is associated with a higher risk of diverticulitis new studies have found.
Final Heads Up
Don’t preach to others who are not interested - you are wasting your own time and energy doing so because the cognitive dissonance people have is incredible - the majority of people are sheep and if they’re told low fat is good for them, they’ll do that.
They will try to tell you you’re wrong, it’s dangerous, that you need carbs and everything else but it’s not your job to convince them. You should only focus on yourself. I hear this all the time and I just sit there and smile.
I even have some vegan friends who suffer from issues like leaky gut and diverticulitis and yet they continue to tell me my diet is unhealthy. There’s just no winning with some people so don’t bother trying. All of your headspace and mental game needs to be focused on you.
Please feel free to respond here! Happy 2018 and good luck. I’m planning on a trip to onederland in the next few months!