In need of some insight


(Jessica A) #1

Ok, so I searched some threads on here about snacking and saw a comment about avoiding snacking at all costs. But I’m also all about listening to my body so if I’m hungry during my eating window, but not yet ready to have a full meal, is there anything wrong with a keto friendly snack like hard boiled eggs or peanut butter on celery? I have no interest in stuffing my face with carbs because I know that would ruin the whole thing (I don’t even crave them anymore!), but I also feel that my weight loss is very slow going and I’m still peeing large quantities of ketones. So what I take away from that is that I’m not fat adapted yet?? I’m still confused about how long this adaptation phase usually takes, notwithstanding n=1. Either way I plan to stick with it because I’m still reaping all the other benefits of keto regardless of how much weight I’m (not) losing. What I also can’t figure out is seeing keto folks on Insta with incredible results within a month. Are these folks the outliers? The lucky ones who adapted very quickly?
I’m thinking of perhaps limiting my dairy intake. I’ve never had issues with dairy in my life and have been taking full advatage of all the HWC and butter, but could that perhaps slow me down? I’ve omitted dairy from my BFC and using full fat coconut milk and oil instead wondering if that would make a difference. Only 2 days of that so way too early to notice any difference.
I’m only on day 25 so I’m just being impatient let me know, lol. But I am very trusting in the process. Obviously my body is responding to this diet positively. For what it’s worth I have dropped about 5 lbs, but I don’t know if that’s good for 25 days in or if it could be better.
Anyway, thanks for reading and your insight is much appreciated :pray:


(TJ Borden) #2

Starting off, eat when you’re hungry. Snacks are fine, just try to keep it as high fat as possible. Once you’re fat adapted your appetite generally drops because your body starts happily using stored fat as fuel. From then on, it’s best to avoid snacking, but it comes naturally because you’re not hungry, and when you are hungry, you want to EAT, not just a snack, but a real meal. If you’re hungry a couple hours after a meal, you didn’t eat enough at the meal.


(Troy Anthony) #3

Everyone losses weight at different rates. If you hit a huge stall after a few months you might want to reevaluate and start experimenting with different variations. Overall health is a life long journey filled with all sorts of fun experiments based of different information you might come across that appeals to you. With some steady work, you will absolutely get it right. If you want to snack, snack. Just make sure they fit the keto macros. Eventually you might find you just aren’t as hungry all the time. One of the great benefits of this diet is that you will become in control of when and what you eat. It will become on your terms, not the habitual craving based eating most of us have been use to most of our lives. Set yourself up for long term success. Do whatever you need to right now to stick with it, including snacking. I know it might sound crazy, but try to have fun with it. Your body is an amazing and intricate machine and it’s a great adventure to get to know it. No advice you receive will be absolute. Take it, try it, find what works for you and have fun doing it! Lastly, there are no quick fixes. Losing weight too fast comes with its own set of problems. If you are moving towards your goal, just keep moving however slowly. Based off your results, 5lbs in 25 days and feeling good, you are doing just fine! Fat adapting is a process


#4

I am in my 2nd week and have lost 1.5 lbs. I am okay with it because as you say…I like the benefits of no more cravings…I was into starches big time! Especially breads…now you want find not 1 slice in my home.
I eat pork rinds if I find myself in a pinch…sometimes dipped into keto quacamole. I also might eat a tablespoon of almond butter or a few macadamia nuts.
There is always something…just be prepared for those times that might sneak up on you.:relieved:


(Robert C) #5

According to a quick search - 100g of peanut butter has 20g of carbs. I agree with @Baytowvin - as high fat as possible but would further that to say try for 0 carbs (fat bombs?). Try to keep any insulin increases at the meal times at each end (I assume where your meals are) of your window instead of distributing them throughout your window.


(Troy Anthony) #6

That’s awesome! That’s really quick to get rid of cravings, good for you. I use to get crazy cravings for anything that had bread and sometimes dessert cravings, but pasta, bread, yeah big cravings. After a couple weeks of keto I realized I wasn’t even thinking about food. Pretty amazing


(LeeAnn Brooks) #7

No sugar added peanut butter is a lot lower in carbs. You still have to go easy on it, but I like a tablespoon split on two squares of extra dark chocolate as a way to finish off a meal.


(TJ Borden) #8

You’re missing the point!!!

Someone AGREED with me. That’s what’s important here. :smile:


(Robert C) #9

Keto Reese’s(!) - but, alas, I know for me that no matter how much I wanted 2 squares and a tablespoon - it would be all squares left and all squares left divided by two tablespoons within the next couple of hours.


(Troy Anthony) #10

Just to add, if you are at a point where you are looking for something new to add and experiment with, try giving yourself an eating window. You could start with 12 hrs, so if you eat at say 8 am, don’t eat anything after 8 pm. There was an interesting study done (not sure who did the study, but I heard it referenced by Dr. Rhonda Patrick) and the study found the avg American eats in a 16-18 hr window. Basically start when they wake up and finish when they go to bed. Not hard to see where a metabolic disorder would begin mixing that with a crappy diet. The study also took mice and fed them in the two windows, one set 12 hrs, one eat in 18 hr. They ate the same amount and same diet and the first group lost body fat and put on muscle. Pretty insane. This was the first time I heard about the production of HGH with short term fasting like 10-12 hrs. We are also built to have a break from metabolizing food and it helps get hormones in balance. Many people take this further but a 12 hr window could be a reasonable starting place. Something worth playing with.


(Jessica A) #11

Oh goodness! I only eat pure peanut butter, none of that sugar added nonsense :stuck_out_tongue:


(Jessica A) #12

Yes! I have listened to Dr. Rhonda Patrick and Dr. Satchin Panda talk about time restricted eating. I’ve already done a couple days of 16/8. I can easily eat within a 12 hour window, though, if I don’t feel like going 16 hours fasting. As soon as dinner is over I don’t touch anything but water until the morning, unless I choose to fast, then I wait until noon. It entirely depends on my schedule, honestly.

Thanks for your feedback! I’m loving it!


(Troy Anthony) #13

Well sounds like you are killing it to me. Well on your way to whatever goals you have.


(Raj Seth) #14

make it a meal. dont snack. eat enough to satiety. you didnt eat till satiety on your previous meal. satiety is full full full full. not just full. eat till you can not imagine eating another bacon strip.

snacks just mean more more more eating opportunities. better to have 2 meals 2 hours apart, than a meal, then a snack 2 hrs later, then a meal an hour later


#15

This^^^
And, since you are accustomed to snacking, it will have to be learned. At least, it was for me. At first I felt over full, and it took some trial and error to learn how to eat a meal that would comfortably hold me to my next. I have found a short fast of 2-3 days a good way to break a snacking habit.


(Jessica A) #16

Hmmm I’m not a snacker. If anything I’ve unintentionally fasted more often than not over the years because I find feeding myself a pain in the ass, lol. However, I can add some context. I understand that eating a meal would be preferable, BUT I am mother and have two jobs. Time is not on my side.

Without sounding argumentative, what difference does snacking really make anyway as long as it’s keto and I’m within in my eating window? Time restricted eating is still in play, so why is snacking frowned upon?

At any rate my meals most certainly have me to the point where I can’t bear to put another piece in my mouth. But often I get to eat around noon, and sometimes I just cannot make it to 7. Perhaps I’m still being too conservative with my fats?


(TJ Borden) #17

Limiting the time windows in which you eat helps to limit/manage insulin response. So it really just depends on if you are insulin resistant and if reversing that and/or T2D/pre-diabetes is a goal or not.

If you’re not insulin resistant and are just trying to lose a couple pounds or are trying to get any number of other health benefits of keto, then keeping an eating window small probably doesn’t matter as mucb


#18

I was in the same boat…I would walk to the kitchen at work and grab a handful of cashews, or snack on a fat bomb (if I went to the trouble to make them) but I did slowly wean myself off of snacking and used coffee it’s in place. My 2 meals tasted sooo good after I cut snacking out completely. (Im not great at fasting yet). Weight started coming off as I quit snacking, so I consider this the ‘slow boat’ to fasting. :blush:


(LeeAnn Brooks) #19

It takes the body 3 hours on average to complelty digest a meal. Each time you add food, you remain in a digestive state where insulin levels are higher. Essentially the body needs a recoup time, which is why fasting is so beneficial.
Early on it may be difficult to go without snacking. But by adding more fat to your meals, you will naturally be able to go longer periods. When you become fat adapted, you will be able to go even longer.


#20

Okay. My misunderstanding then.