How do you track your macros?

(Sarah Peller) #1

I have been trying to get into ketosis for 4 months. I had a brief period where I got into it by accident - basically exercising a ton for a whole weekend - but then I lost it again. I’ve been trying to get back into it for 2 weeks. I think my extreme difficulty here is tracking my macros. I don’t understand how other people do it. It seems so incredibly hard and time consuming and confusing to me.

I’ve been using an app called Carb Manager on my phone, but it is painfully slow and takes me so long to track foods, that I just don’t have time for it.

I’ve tried My Fitness Pal recently, but I can’t seem to find information that I need on there…

How do other people go about tracking? I understand how to make a recipe, enter the info, estimate that it will be so many servings, and then eat 1 serving each time. That seems to work most of the time. But that just tracks what I’ve already eaten. How do I determine what macros are left in my meal or in my day and use these apps to figure out what I still need to eat?

I’m totally at a loss and almost ready to give up. I hope some people have some wisdom for me…

(Amanda) #2

I love Cronometer. I can access it from my phone and from the computer. I have only ever used the free version and it does everything I need, and it has a reliable data base.

I used an app called Stupid Simple Keto to start. But I found the info on Cronometer more reliable and I am able to create foods I eat regularly and log them.

(Bob M) #3

I don’t track. I eat mainly meat and vegetables. Sometimes true “keto” recipes, but a lot of meat and vegetables, moving more toward meat (and eggs) and fewer vegetables. Eat dairy sometimes.

Other than that, I avoid anything sweet, avoid anything processed, avoid any store-bought item with seed oils. Don’t eat these never, but avoid them. If there’s anything (like yogurt or fat bombs) I know I will overeat, I only buy/make them on rare occasions.

#4

I was using Carb Manager when I first started about 8 weeks ago. It was helpful. But I stopped tracking a few weeks ago.

(Sarah Peller) #5

I would like to not track as well. But I don’t know how to get into ketosis, other than going to the city and dancing for a full weekend, which is the only method that has ever worked for me…

I am so perplexed as to what I am doing wrong. Maybe meat and veggies only would be helpful, but I think I eat way too many veggies and not enough meat…

(Sarah Peller) #6

Does Cronometer help you determine how many carbs/proteins/fats you still need to eat in your meal or day?

(Bob M) #7

How are you testing for ketosis?

If you’re using the urine strips, those will work for some. I found they ceased working after a short time, and I had to use blood ketones or breath. And those also are not without their faults.

If you’re eating meat and vegetables, you’re in ketosis.

(Sarah Peller) #8

I have a breathalyzer and some urine strips. They seem to work, I think?

I don’t just eat meat and veggies - I eat a lot of dairy. I think I probably eat way more fat than I need each day. I really like to cook and I really like sweets, so I’ve been cooking keto meals and making sweets that have euryithritol or monk fruit sweeteners in them. I wonder if these desserts are keeping me out of ketosis??

#9

How do you know you’re not in ketosis? A few days of carbs below 20g, and you should be at some level of ketosis. You really only need to track carbs for that, and you could even do that with pencil and paper, or notes app on your smartphone.

Just keep your carbs down, and you should be in ketosis. Make sure you’re not snacking or eating around the clock as well.

#10

Once you have been eating in a ketogenic way, these will only reflect how much your body is expelling in ketones. You need a blood meter to check the level of ketones in your blood.

But, then again, you don’t need to chase ketones. What results have you experienced over these months?

(Sarah Peller) #11

Well, ever since I tried cheating a couple weeks ago, I’ve felt awful… Headaches every day, feeling kind of sick, and also emotionally inward and depressed. I was full of creative energy just before I tried cheating. But I feel like crap now. That is one of the reasons why I think I might not be in ketosis, along with the fact that my breath meter and urine strips are also saying that I am not.

(Sarah Peller) #12

Can you check blood ketones with a blood glucose monitor? I have one, but have been unsure if it’s the right thing to use…

(mole person) #13

Not unless it’s one that is also designed to accept keto strips.

#14

You need to stop relying on your breath meter and strips though. It’s doing your head in.

There’s really no secret. Just cut your carbs at or below 20g, consistently, daily. You’ll be in ketosis. Eat when hungry, stop when full.

Last weekend, I had about 1/3 of a loaf of banana bread that my boyfriend’s (ex-boyfriend’s?) mother made for my birthday. I also had a couple of shots of bourbon. I didn’t check blood ketones or glucose until two days later when I was back home. Blood ketones were actually ok, maybe a little lower at about 1.2 or so. My blood glucose was a little higher at about 110. So, I decided not to eat until my blood glucose was back to no higher than normal 80s. I also took bitter melon and berberine to help things along. Blood ketones are still in the 1.2-2.5 range.

But the point is, it doesn’t matter. I’m even down about a pound or so from the weekend.

Just KCKO. Your stressing about it is going to raise cortisol and make things worse.

#15

This. ^^^^ But, tbh, you can probably get better info by tracking your blood glucose than your pee stix.

(Sarah Peller) #16

what numbers are you looking for on the glucose meter?

(Sarah Peller) #17

You’ve got that right. I am totally stressing out and making things suck.

#18

You should do some research on it for yourself. Most say fasting glucose should be below 100. I like mine 80-85 or lower. I’m ok if it’s in the 90s, but don’t prefer it there. Two hours post meal, it should be back to the same and should not sky rocket within those two hours. If it dips really low after your meal, you are probably looking at excessive stimulation of insulin.

A blood ketone meter will show you your level of blood ketones, which is what you seem to be concerned about. But even then, when your body is using ketones better, they will stay in the lower range.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #19

Eat less than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, and you will be guaranteed to be in ketosis. Limit yourself to leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, in small quantities. Stay away from all grains and all sweets. Put cream in your coffee, not milk, which has sugars in it. Fruits are iffy, so stay away from them until you are certain you are in ketosis.

You are probably already getting enough protein, so you don’t need to be worried about that. As for all the calories you are no longer getting from carbohydrate, replace them with calories from fat.

The idea of a well-formulated ketogenic diet is to keep your insulin level low by keeping your blood sugar low. Fat hardly increases your insulin level at all, whereas carbohydrate above a certain level will increase your insulin to the point where you will remain metabolically unhealthy and will be unable to metabolize any excess fat you may have stored in your body. So fat is much safer to eat than carbohydrate, for anyone who wishes to be slim and healthy.

I know, eat fat to lose fat sounds strange, but it’s true. And stay away from the “vegetable” oils. The polyunsaturated fatty acids in them are bad for you. Cook with butter, lard, tallow, and bacon grease; use olive, coconut, and avocado oils, which are fruit oils and much healthier, in place of the vegetable oils.

(Amanda) #20

Yes, it does per day. You can set it up with the ratios that you want and it will give you your targets and tell you how much you have used up as you go. It tells you in both gs and %.