Hey all, new here. I’ve read a ton and am trying to put everything I’ve read into practice. I’m struggling with fat consumption vs protein intake.
I’m 5’11 250 lbs and would like to get to about 180.
I’m logging all foods, drinking a gallon of H2O per day, and vigorous excercise for 45 mins per day burning on average 600 calories via excercise as measured by a chest strap monitor.
I am injesting calories at 1750 or less per day, trying to keep a deficit.
I’m 5 days in an here are my average daily macros.
Fat 84.9 g
Carbs 32.3 g
Fiber 10.8 g
Protein 210 g
That’s a lot of protein. It’s kinda early to know what the right amount would be for you. If it was me I would look at where the carbs are coming from and drop that if possible first. If you are insulin resistant drop your protein down too, maybe to 1-1.5 gram per kg lean body mass. Then just eat fat to satiety. Like if you are hungry eat something fatty.
Just getting through the first few weeks keeping the carbs low and eating fat to satiety is the best thing to focus on really. You can always sort out the protein later.
What are you using to track your food? I found it much easier to choose what to eat once I knew my percentages. Carbs were hard for me to manage until I broke it down. Now I’m averaging fewer than 20 grams per day (less than 5%) but I don’t think I’d be doing as well without MFP tracking everything.
Appreciate the reply, why no exercise and also why not calorie counting. I did log a 7 lb loss this week, assuming all water, but if I don’t track the macros, how do I have a good barometer of fat/protein, carb consumption?
Both are based on my own experience and that of many others.
Both the exercise and the calorie counting probably come from the notion that you have to ensure that you take in fewer calories than you burn, the so-called Calories In / Calories Out model. While that may eventually become important, it is not important and can be self-defeating at the outset.
While it seems logical that exercising, and thus burning calories, will help you lose weight, when you’re first becoming fat adapted you probably don’t want to confuse your body with signals that it needs to hold on to excess energy. My largest weight loss period came when I was not exercising at all beyond an occasional bike ride. In any event, most people find that at the beginning of keto, exercise is at best irrelevant.
Not tracking calories to get away from the idea that you might need to reduce the amount you eat to get below some arbitrary figure. When starting keto you’re not concerned with limiting calories, you’re concerned with training your body to burn fat as a fuel. If you limit calories or go into calorie deficit your body is likely to reduce your basal metabolism to compensate, which is not what you want to achieve.
I know a lot of peeps say don’t track/count/weigh but how else would you know? I tracked and journaled, and weighed my food consistently for years…Yes freakin’ years (lol), now I have a pretty good idea what’s in foods, what not to eat, what fat looks like, what protein portion are… ect.
Looks like your protein is too high. Make fat bombs, butter in your coffee, olive oil, and of course…Bacon!!!
I think it is a good idea to track protein and carbs or maybe just carbs if you aren’t used to knowing how much is in what foods, at least for a while until you get a good feel for it. Especially if you are eating things like nuts or anything that comes in a package. I suppose the way to ensure the carbs are truely always low without tracking Is to eat full on carnivore or only leafy greens, meat, hard cheese, and fat.
I found it very helpful and enlightening to track my food the first couple of months because I found so many sneaky carbs that added up.
How are you getting so much protein? I eat nothing but meat and animal products and I don’t even eat that much protein.
Are you using any protein powders or are you eating only lean meat like chicken?
Right on the money. My routine and a high level overview of my week is below.
Wake and eat 1 scoop protein with 12 oz water
Core Exercise/body weight and resistance training for 45 mins (more for stress relief than weight loss)
Breakfast: 2 eggs, t bs butter, and 1-2 cups of spinach and 2 oz ham
lunch is 7 oz of grilled chicken breast with 1 tbs olive oil and either a cup of asparagus or broccoli sautéed in olive oil
dinner has been a protein either chicken, ground beef (80/20) or shrimp with an added oil/butter and an above ground vegetable
plus a gallon of water ever day
I measure, weigh and log everything. Highest gross carbs this week was 36 on Tuesday. I cut out the spinach and ham with breakfast this morning and today’s lunch was 6 oz of chicken breast and a full avocado. so I am trying to adjust.
Honestly. I think it’s silly to cut the spinach or worry about the carbs. 32g is totally fine. I don’t even understand why that’s even a question.
Forget the protein powder. It’s not a real food item.
Why not just eat breakfast like the one you listed before the workout? Or just eat after if you’re short on time.
Another question. Is your workout routine also new or have you been doing that for some time now? If it’s new, it’s no a terrible idea to at least not go at it real aggressively while adjusting. If it’s not new, then I don’t know why it would be an issue. Your body is already used to the exercise. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t feel your at the same level for a while. You’ll get back there.
If you’re going to eat lean meats, you may need to reduce the portion a bit and definitely add some source of healthy fat. 1tsp olive oil isn’t much. Or buy something like chicken thighs and eat the skin too. Problem solved. Adding avocado was a great idea too.
It sounds like you’re drinking a lot of water. You’ll need a lot of sodium to keep hydration balanced. Like 3000-5000mg. That’s more than just salting your food. Add some to water. Not so much that it’s a strong salt taste but enough that you know it’s there. You need to replace sodium on keto. The more water you drink, the more active you are and the more you sweat, the more you need. Some even need way more than 5g.
Honestly, doesn’t sound like you’re pursuing a ketogenic weight loss diet. Sounds like you’re pursing a body-building Atkins diet. Which is, of course, fine if that’s what you’re intending to do.
I really appreciate all the feedback. Thank you!
I can cut the protein powder easy enough, and just drink water with BCAA’s. That was simply habit prior to work outs and mostly for hydration, and to guard against burning protein during the work outs. The fitness piece was a way of life for a long time but due to change in work, I basically took the second half of 2105 “off” so its a “re-launch” if you will.
I was stuck on the carb count of 20, and realistically it didn’t take that many vegetables to exceed that, that why I removed the spinach, but I didn’t want to really because I need the fiber. I food prep for the work week on Sunday’s and can easily change to higher fat content proteins- thighs, ground beef etc. the portion size is to feel “satisfied”. I do salt the food-not aggressively, and I do take daily supplements of fish oil, magnesium, niacin, and a multi vitamin. My average sodium intake contained in the food alone this week was 2,734 mg, so i think im close. although i did experience some muscle cramping earlier in the week.
@larry I appreciate all the direction! I am trying to conform and live the keto plan, and this is week 1 for me. That’s why I am reaching out to the forums. Full disclosure In 2012 I was at an all time high of 260# , had a heart attack (literally) and worked my way down to 180, I kept it off with a 10 pound fluctuation until 2015 when a job role changed, and extensive travel derailed me. I was able to lose the weight with Keto principles- Low carb, higher protein but moderate fats. I read a lot about ketosis, listen to podcasts etc and Once reduced the carbs to below 50 g the weight really fell off. so that’s my story, Im a work in progress and hoping by heeding the advice that I come to learn over time, i’ll get back there. Clearly i still have a lot to learn!
I was able to lose the weight with Keto principles- Low carb, higher fat but moderate protein. Fixed
You’ll get there! It is a learning curve at first, but with the guidance of others it will become second nature. Plus, you actually asked for help instead of lurking and making a mistake or two and then becoming discouraged and bailing on keto thinking it doesn’t work.
OK so reading through the comments I would make the following points:-
I agree. That is a LOT! I would cut the powders straight away - you just don’t need them. I would also switch and lean meats to fatty alternatives. I see that you are really going for this but get an inkling that maybe you still hold on to a bit of fat phobia? It is hard to give up (speaks from my own struggle!). Fatty cuts will improve the fat:protein ratio but will also be more satisfying. Unless you really don’t like them, I would do this straight away too. Chicken thighs with crispy skin have way more flavour than breast.
Decent range for you considering you are exercising.
I don’t agree with stopping exercise if it is a routine you are used to. I would, however, ease up if you are feeling tired or it feels harder than usual. If your body says, “I need a rest” listen!
Tracking is a great idea in the beginning to get you used to what portion size equates to what carb count. Once you get a feel for carb content you can quit it if it is a drag. A lot of people love to track however and there is no doubt that it is a useful record to have. Most will list calories so you can’t really avoid that element but I would not use them as any kind of measure right now - it is such a trigger of the bad old CICO days!
If you are counting total carbs, I really wouldn’t worry too much. The carbs you are eating are great. If you stick to leafy greens in the main, I really wouldn’t worry about the <20 goal too much. <20 is a great general level to give people as it will pretty well guarantee they get in and stay in ketosis. Carbs vary though with their impact so do what feels good for you.
I really would not recommend that - ugh, I feel a bit queasy just thinking about it! If you need something pre workout, go for a high fat snack like a small handful of macadamias or some MCT or coconut oil maybe? Many people workout fasted but that is when they are fat adapted. Do what feels right.
Actually, needing the fibre is a bit of a myth. However, if you like your veggies, keep them at the level you like, at least for now.
I think you will find you are more satisfied on a smaller portion if it is a fatty cut. Try it and see.
and that is a level that a number of people can work well at. You could be one of the lucky ones. If you find you are coming unstuck, simply try dropping the carbs a bit.
Sound like you are off to a great start though. Keep it up. x
@daisy thank you for the detailed feedback. After some minor adjustments yesterday I was at 55% fat, 36 % protein and 9% carbs. I am a bit stuck on the CICO culture, and have tried to meet the macro percentages within a 1700 calorie daily. My fat intake has increased with the feedback received here so far, while carbs have been under 50 but not yet consistently at 20.
I’m a tracker, details guy in order to keep accountable and to chart progress. Inches, weight, body fat % all of it. I bought keto stir today as a baseline, and understand the feedback regarding reliability but it gives me a starting point. I’ll get there.
One thing I think is weird, I am craving milk like crazy! Any thoughts there?
It is hard to let go of - I get it. Try and think back to all the times you have relied on calories as a measure of what you can eat. The times I would manipulate what I ate so that I could get a Magnum within my daily carb allowance was way too often! What happened in the end was that I went mental and ate two boxes in one sitting! Focusing on WHAT you are eating is way more important than calories and I would not adjust what you are eating to fit any kind of calorie target.
It is a lot easier IMO to use grams rather than % to work out what you eat each day. Set a carb level - your current consumption seems fine to me because of the type of carbs you are eating. You might want to work out at some point what the net carbs are. Work out the protein range for your height, activity level etc. and try and stick reasonably within it. Then eat fat to make sure you are not hungry. It is way easier to do this if you start with fatty cuts of protein, especially if adding fat still makes you wince a bit!
Try for a while to eat to how you feel. Yes record and track but don’t eat to the tracking numbers, eat to what your body is telling you and see what happens.
No idea re milk other than a sugar craving (lactose).
