Another new forum member

(Dave Jay) #1

Hi , I am new to this forum. I have been trying to go Keto for about a year now. I have really had very little guidance, but what I have been doing is less effective now. I understand I should be 70% fat. I have been too much protein. But now I am trying more fat. This morning for example one chicken thigh plus a heaping tablespoon of coconut oil. I do not test if I am in ketosis but have ordered some test strips from amazon.
I don’t eat many carbs, some steamed broccoli with butter but mostly meat with added fat. Still gaining weight.
But also drink red wine socially eg: super Bowl party last night.
Any idea where I am going wrong?
Thanks Dave

#2

Maybe you can tell us more about what you eat every day. Sounds like you had some success and then it stalled. Give us the numbers, the breakdown, how long, when etc and I am sure we can provide input.

(Dave Jay) #3

Thank you for your help. I year ago stopped eating all processed carbs and root veggies. Mostly meat and green veggies. No dairy, or sugar. Still had wine or low carb beer a couple times a week.
So lost a little weight but most importantly didn’t gain any weight during our winter away in Florida.
This year in Florida I am eating mostly protein during the day with green vegetables once a day.
But have gained 6 pounds the past month.
I am trying to add a lot more fat( coconut oil and butter and olive oil). Breakfast - heaping tablespoon of Coconut oil with chicken is an example.
Still having wine once or twice a week.
So slices of meat with butter is my norm.

I have never tested my self to see if I am in ketosis.
Is there any another info I could provide.?

#4

If your objective is to lose weight there is no reason to eat fat just for the sake of eating fat. Let your body use some it’s own fat. If you keep your carbs low, moderate your protein and just enough fat to keep you satisfied it could possibly provide you the bump you need.

#5

Are you tracking what you eat (at least for a bit), what about your macros?

Have a look here:

Gauge where you should be and then really track for a bit what you are actually eating. I am still not clear. The devil is in the detail.

Also, lots of other people in the same boat as you. Scroll through some threads!

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/c/newbies

(CharleyD) #6

Do you restrict the time during the day that you are eating? If you were to lump all the food you would normally eat into one or two meals, while the sun is up, you’d keep the area under the normal insulin curve lower than if you grazed all day long. You could lose weight even while eating the same amount of food per day, it’s that powerful.

How is your stress/cortisol and sleep hygiene? They go hand in hand. If you’re stressed, it’s hard to sleep, and if you don’t sleep, your cortisol levels stay up, keeping blood sugar high and provoking insulin. Which ends up giving your sugar cravings as you ride the glucose roller coaster.

Are you making sure to keep the bedroom dark, quiet or masked with pink noise, cool and maybe a touch of breeze?

Just some things to try other than overhauling your pantry. :thinking:

(Dave Jay) #7

Lately I am sleeping very well. I guess I was wrong in my assumption that I could eat all the protein I wanted and as long as I kept my carb intact low.
I was adding fat because I read 70% calories should be from fat. I will stop adding so much extra fat and try to reduce my meat intake.
Regarding wine, seems to me that red wine is low carb… 8oz cab sav is about 6 grams. A low carb beer can be 3 grams carb.
Anyway let me try your suggestions and see if the weigh starts dropping off.
Thanks everyone for the input.

(CharleyD) #8

I would not say that’s wrong. If you’re eating complete protein, like a whole food meat you’re getting all the amino acids you need. The Insulin response is much lower for protein than for carbs but there is a response, and the beauty of intermittent fasting is that we now know it’s better for you to have fewer times to eat, than it is to nibble all day.

Also throwing it out there, once you’re a couple months in at least towards fat adaptation, you can deliberately restrict the fat you eat and with a low insulin level, you’ll eat your own fat. So at that point, no need to be obsessive about adding fat. That you’re a year in tells me you may benefit from this the most.