Calories and fat - not getting there

(David Cooke) #1

I have read through the forum and can’t find anything that helps.
Been on what I call Keto for 10 weeks now, sometimes going slightly over the limit with my carbs but generally being a good boy. SO… although protein and carb levels are OK, I just can’t eat enough (satiation) to get my calories up above starvation level and my fat levels are generally too low.
For example today fat 78 gm out of an aimed at 158 and 1082 calories out of an aimed at 1890. I eat a hearty breakfast, couldn’t finish my beef lunch and managed two eggs and an avocado for dinner. Believe me, I can’t eat any more and I feel fit although very tired.
I started this for health reasons and really don’t want to lose much more weight. I was never a big eater.
I am thinking of a series of 24 hour fastings, and in between eating more carbs (and calories), is that a mistake?

(Florencia) #2

Hey David ,
As far as I know our carbs should always be around 20gr, even if you fast, I do Intermittent fasting myself but my carbs are always maximum 20gr.
You need to definelty eat more fat…I use butter and olive oil to cook, eat fatty meat and avocado…that should do it!
Good luck!

(David Cooke) #3

Thanks. I cook with lots of lard and can’t eat enough to get those levels up.

(Florencia) #4

How many calories a day are you aiming to eat?

(David Cooke) #5

1890 as I mentioned above.

(Janelle) #6

Cheese, avocado, bacon, MCT? Just trying to think of fatty calorific things. Make things with almond flour? That adds to the calorie count.

(Florencia) #7

Have you tried Bullet proof coffee, that would help you reach the fat levels in no time!

(Allie) #8

Hearty breakfast you say, but what is it generally? The calorie count you’ve given seems low for the foods you’ve listed.

How much protein? Could you maybe swap out some protein for more fats?

(David Cooke) #9

1 egg, 4 slices bacon cooked in lard, 1 tomato, mushrooms.coffee with cream … 274 calories
I then take the kids to school, come back and run 1 mile.
Apparently at my age (70) I should be taking more protein than the usually recommended 0.8 gm / Kg so I’m not willing to reduce that figure, and wouldn’t know how to. I follow the keto recipes recommended and the macros don’t work.

(Carl Keller) #12

Fatty meats cooked in lard or good oils can get your fat intake up fast.

5oz sausage = 38 grams of fat
8oz ribeye = 44 grams of fat
10 oz pork steak = 54 grams of fat
1 tbs butter = 11.5 grams of fat
1 tbs mayo = 10 grams of fat
1 tbs walnuts = 4.5 grams of fat
1 tbs coconut oil = 13.5 grams of fat

If you are full on 1000 calories and can’t eat any more, it will be difficult to eat good carbs (rice, whole grains, fruit) and eat more. There’s 9 calories in a gram of fat. 4 cals in a gram of protein and 4 in carbs. The easiest way to get caloric intake up is to boost the fats. Have you tried nuts? Almonds, macadamian, walnuts, sunflower seeds are all high in fat… you just have to watch the carbs and not eat too many of them.

(Running from stupidity) #13

You might be about the only person on earth who would describe that as “hearty,” I suspect.

#14

Stay calm.
Throw in some nuts.
Try the keto taco shells and desserts…
You will be fine.maybe some whipped cream on your coffee or hot keto coco.

(David Cooke) #15

I have worked with farmers and labourers all my life and I never saw one that ate a breakfast at all, let alone a 6am sitdown. Thanks for your encouraging words though.

(David Cooke) #16

This is the problem I love nuts even though they are an expensive option. The carbs content is not negligible. Cheese is also expensive.

(Running from stupidity) #17

I didn’t mention breakfast?

(Frank) #18

You’re 10 weeks in so you are most likely fat adapted. The reason you just can’t seem to eat enough calories is because your body is eating the fat off itself. Whether you want to lose the weight or not is irrelevant. This is what seems to be happening. Your likely getting the 1900 calories, just not off the plate.

(David Cooke) #19

The more I get into this stuff the more amazing it seems, a real untaveling of mysteries!
I’m thinking that you are right, now my problem may soon to be stop losing weight!
thanks

(Frank) #20

Your metabolism is smarter than you are. The weight loss will slow down and stabilize. I usually get really hungry around these phases. Feed the machine when it’s hungry. As long as your feeding it good fuel the weight will stay relatively stable and then it’s up to you where to go from there. Some choose to pack on muscle at that point. Others, like me, are happy with a lower body mass which takes stress off of joints.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #21

Try this: eat as much as your body wants you to eat, and then stop. Wait till you are hungry before eating again. Put the calorie counter down and don’t look at it. At ten weeks in, your satiety signals are likely to be reliable. As long as you keep your carbohydrate under 20 g/day, you will not be spiking insulin and will not be suffering detrimental effectst to your health.

So many obese people lose weight when they eat a ketogenic diet that the temptation is to think of it as a weight-loss diet. It is not. It is a weight-normalization diet. One of the most frustrating consquences of this fact for a lot of people, especially women, is that they never lose poundage, because for every pound of fat they lose, they gain a pound of muscle or bone. If you are conditioned to believe that low scale weight is an indicator of health, this is pure hell. So take comfort in the fact that your body may well put on some lean mass if it needs to, and it might also clear out some excess fat, if you have any. I put it to you that body composition is a datum much more relevant to your health than the reading on a scale.

#22

Hi David,

“Very tired” - not surprised, we do need to eat more to have more energy. If you don’t eat enough your body thinks there is a famine going on out there and it will slow your metabolism down. You won’t be in the mood for dancing.

Went I first went on keto I was also subconsciously worried about eating too many calories so I was holding back. The tiredness made me reevaluate everything.

Then I went the other way, too much food and wondered why I stopped losing weight and could not sleep at night due to excess energy … (and yes volume of food matters. Counting carbs matters the most but overall volume matters as well).

As for fasting, I don’t know I don’t do it.

So it’s a juggling act, not too little (or you will slow the metabolism down) and not too much (or you will stop losing weight). Like others have said butter, olive oil and avocados are a very easy way to bump up the energy supply.

Use a good app to help you count everything you eat (especially carbs).