Any "oldie" want to analyze what I'm eating and tell me what to change?

#1

Hi, friends! First time posting, though I’ve been lurking for a while.

Anyone want to give a look at what I’ve been eating and tell me what you think?

I’ve been reading about LCHF diets for a while, and made several sporadic attempts last year to stick to the diet, but didn’t manage—I think due to the fact hat I was living in NYC and eating out a lot! But I moved to the country and now cook for myself, and since the first of the year I’ve managed to stick to low carb/keto really well (I think, anyway!) And for whatever reason I’m finding it easier this go-round.

That said, I’m not noticing much change—not just in weight, but in measurements, clothes sizes, energy, etc. It’s only been a month, so I suspect you all might tell me just KCKO! But I figured I’d throw this out there, in case I’m missing something.

Here’s a pretty typical two days:
Day 1:
Breakfast: 2 cups black tea with heavy cream, ghee, coconut oil
Lunch: Tuna fish salad (tuna, onion, mayo) on a bed of lettuce, with a tomato with homemade green goddess dressing (i.e. garlic/onion mayo), plus carrots with Boursin cheese
Dinner: Pork chop (local, with lots of fat), brussels sprouts and beets and cauliflower baked with olive oil, a (small) wedge of acorn squash
1 can “spiked soda” (2 g carbs)

Day 2:
Breakfast: 1 cup black tea with whole milk, 2 pieces whole-milk mozzarella, a handful of Kalamata olives
Lunch: Pork chop, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower leftovers
Dinner: A large piece of pan-fried tuna steak with ginger and garlic, drizzled with olive oil; butter-fried snap peas; a small wedge of winter squash
1 can spiked soda

I’ve never eaten soda or fries or processed foods, really, and never much liked sweetts; the major thing for me to give up since January 1 was bread (I used to eat bread and cheese for breakfast) and pasta (spaghetti is a good family dinner). So there’s that.

Any thoughts/advice?

Thanks, all!

~Em

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #2

Hi and welcome. It would be helpful to know how much you need to lose. Remember, ladies and those with less to lose will see slower results and you realize you’re still in early days so you may not see results for a little while for that reason.

I think you’re eating some higher carb veggies and cutting those out would lower your daily count. Speaking of, are you carb counting? Many people start by keeping carbs under 20 grams a day. I see carrots, squash and sugar snap peas. The more starch the more carbs. Add them up.

Also, adding fat to the coffee might be unnecessary, depending on why you’re doing it. If it’s to add fat for the sake of adding fat, it isn’t necessary.

What’s your appetite like? Are you eating three square meals because you “should” or because you’re hungry? I eat three meals but I’m hungry and it suits me best and while I am losing weight, it’s slow and that’s fine by me.

#3

Drop the beets

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #4

Well, aren’t you the clever one. KCKO! :grin::grin:

You seem to be doing fine. Just double-check how much you’re getting in the way of veggies. Try to stay strictly under 20 g a day in the carb department, so as you get your insulin nice and low. Be sure to eat enough, by eating when you’re hungry, stopping eating when you stop being hungry, and not eating again until you are hungry again. That way you can be sure to be giving enough calories to your body to coax it to part with some of the fat I presume you are eager to get rid of. Give things at least another four weeks; by then you are most likely to be fully fat-adapted, and should probably see some results.

(Sergio Diaz) #5

I’m my experience I don’t need the square meals, I have a cup of black coffee with coconut oil in the morning and don’t eat anything until I get home and cook dinner around five in the afternoon, seems to Mee that you are eating the right things, but you might be overeating.

(Cindy) #6

I wonder if you’ve ever gotten into ketosis with those items that I’ve bolded. 1 cup winter squash has 18 g carbs. 1 c snap peas has 10 g carbs. Then you add in brussel sprouts and cauliflower (both good keto veg, but still have some carbs), however much whole milk you use (3 g carbs per 1/4 cup), and you’re well over 20 g/day.

Same for day one. Tomato, carrots, beets, acorn squash, the brussel sprouts and cauliflower are all going to add up to significant carbs.

#7

Cw2001 covered it pretty well. I’ll add that I also avoid onions now, except green, and only use garlic powder (not cloves of garlic) sparingly

ETA: also, how many olives are in a handful? they can add up. First thing I did on Keto was get a scale and weighed everything so I knew exactly how much everything was. I can eye things now, but only because I know what my ‘handful’ is.

(Cindy) #8

Yeah, there’s a lot of “little” carbs there, included the spiked soda. VERY easily for all those little amounts to add up.

(Tammy Kidd) #9

Cw2001 yes covered it pretty well. Have you considered IF (intermittent fasting)? I find it helps to mix it up, 2 meals a day then one meal the next day. With all the food you are consuming (carbs) you aren’t letting your body burn off stored glucose. Just a suggestion!

(Jane) #10

I know everyone here hates pee sticks but they
ARE helpful early on to confirm you are producing ketones and a lot cheaper than a Keto Mojo and ketone test strips.

Just a thought.

#11

I agree w/ pee sticks, they were useful for me in the first 6 months, and were also a great incentive when I would see the pink–purple to keep on ketoing on

(Butter makes everything better) #12

Yes, Keto test strips are a must, they let you know where your at, if your efforts are putting you in keto. They are cheap and you can get them at most stores in the pharmacy dept. Or you can order them on line. They give me incentive!:grinning:

(Jane) #13

After 15 months of keto they aren’t quite as exciting

:wink:

(Bob M) #14

After a while, they don’t work. When I started getting negative results with the urine strips when both breath and blood showed ketosis, I gave up on the pee strips.

(Butter makes everything better) #15

Yes that makes sense, for now being only 13 days in, they help motivate me. I know that I’ll switch to the prick of a finger blond test once my body is utilizing the ketones… May I ask a question, you’ve been keto quite a while, I was wondering when or if you have experienced the improvement in your brain, that I have heard about. If so what was your experience?

(Jane) #16

I didn’t have much brain fog to begin with so didn’t notice much difference. I am an engineer so my brain is always in technical mode anyways - even when laying out my garden plot on AutoCAD (not kidding).

Everyone is different and I saw big improvements in other areas and I wasn’t really expecting anything except loss of appetite and weight loss.

My skin looks so much better, hair coming in darker, joint pain much less. I know my Avatar is small but I just turned 60 and not wearing any makeup on my skin (just a touch of eye makeup) and I don’t dye or color my hair.

(Butter makes everything better) #17

Thank you sharing your experience! Very helpful, I have alot to look forward to! You look really good. I am 62 were close in age.

(Dan Quibell) #18

I think you would start seeing some great results if you cut the fatty coffees and the dairy.

Get carbs under 10-20 net, understand that calories do
Matter on keto and that a deficit is required to tap into bodyfat for fuel.

In short, since you mentioned weight loss you want less carbs and less fat both are energy sources, both will prevent you from burning bodyfat.

(Charlotte) #19

Me personally… I was on adderall and after 2 months of keto I was able to quit taking it. That’s just me though. I have had a vast improvement in focus, energy, health, abd weight loss. Keto overall for me has been a great success in every way and I’m just shy of 12 weeks. After I knew keto was a sustainable choice for myself I invested in a Keto Mojo and quit the stix. It was crazy to see how different the results were when I got my meter. The meter was worth it.