New to keto - is this right?

(Roy) #1

Hi all, looking for help advice or reassurance! First 3 days I went low carb and moderate fat and high protein and lost 7lbs. I’m overweight but active at 16 5 when started. as I read more mid week I’ve been strict on the higher fat diet and have put on weight, 4lbs. am I going wrong or just persevere? Wee strips get delivered on weds so can start monitoring rough ketones then. Summarised last 3 days for advice or just reassurance! All home made cooking and tracked ingredients to the gram (my protein shake turns out has 20g carbs so have eliminated that going forward.

Thurs
Protein shake
Steak and broccoli in butter / broth
Snack Brie
Mixed kebab meat only chicken wings spinach
Exercise hour football
Macros in grams 34carbs 80fat 180protein 1600calories

Friday
Protein shake
4 turkey sausage spinach rocket avocado tomato
2 burgers no bun, cheese guacamole jalapeño spinach and rocket
Exercise 1hr gym
Macros 54c 80f 120p 1450 calories (turkey sausages turn out high carb, won’t buy again!)

Saturday
Cheeses eggs rocket
Turkey sausages salad
Steak cauliflower”mac and cheese”
Exercise 1hr gym
Macros 34c 120f 140p 1800calories

Saturday had what I think was the best keto calorie split 60% from fat 34% protein and 6% carbs

It feels strange eating so much fat, the cauliflower cheese was amazing! But disappointed on the scales this morning. I didn’t even exercise the first few days when lost weight. I have identified how to get carbs lower without the protein shake. Is everything else right? Even on basic calorie intake vs exercise I’d expect to lose weight which makes me think of all the cheese and cream in the cauli cheese!

Help/Advice appreciated!
Thanks :slight_smile:

(Kim) #2

Keep at it - keep calm and Keto on …
Build the behaviours.
In the beginning I tracked everything-look at packets / nutrition info etc
I try and keep to under 20g of carbs a day but I am sure there are other guidelines. I avoid going high protein-my goal is 0.6g/kg lean muscle.
Hope that helps, but my focus really is right behaviour-the rest will follow.

(Roy) #3

Thanks Kim. So was saturday about right? Other days along right lines if remove 20g carbs from the protein shake? Just had a coffee with full cream instead of milk, not ready for the full keto coffee yet, baby steps!

(Mike W.) #4

I would lower your protein and up your fat. I know it goes against everything you’ve been taught but high fat is key.

#5

Agreed, I see more and more people consistently giving the advise that it’s all about the low carb and not the high fat, in all the years I’ve eaten this way I’ve seen no shortage of peoples results being screwed up… then corrected by simply upping the fat and leaving the carbs where they were.

(Roy) #6

Thanks guys, and no need to worry where the fats come from as long as maintain the low carb? So not worrying about saturated etc? Cream in your coffee for example. Just had some sardines in olive oil and salad and Caesar dressing. Who needs bread :slight_smile:

(Mike W.) #7

I don’t worry about it, as long as it’s not vegetable oil etc.

(Ken) #8

You’re fine. The weight swings you experienced were not due to fat. The first drop was due to glycogen depletion. The gain was due to water retention, probably from to eating salty foods. Your body does not gain and lose fat that fast.

Your 60/35/5% macro on Saturday was fine. It’s untrue keto dogma that you have to eat low protein, 35% is good, especially if you’re training. One thing that I’d drop is the protein shake, it causes a fairly big insulin spike, you’re better off with real food. Initially, if you want to, you can eat more fat. It aids the adaption process, but the key is knowing to stop eating as you feel sated, you don’t need to eat more once you reach that point. The other key is to adjust your food intake to make sure you’re actually hungry by the next time you eat. Don’t worry about that until after the first two weeks. Focus on the adaption process during that time.

A normal, actual fat loss is between one to two pounds per week.

(jilliangordona) #9

Welcome! How are your hunger levels? Your calories seem low, which is why I ask. Beware of cutting calories as over the long term it can slow your metabolism.

Additionally, if I were you I would go ahead and send the ketone strips back. They aren’t accurate unfortunately, and even if you are spilling lots of ketones, it does not mean you’re body is using them! I would see if you can invest in a blood meter. Keto mojo is a popular one.

(Roy) #10

I heard that about the strips but thought they’d be a good start. Got a finger pricker on order from a friend who put me into this so will have that soon as well. Hunger levels okay, feel full after meals, normal hunger before next meal. Consciously trying to keep calories up, not easy on three meals a day even with cheese and oils etc!

(jilliangordona) #11

Trust me I know! I found it so hard to keep my calories up at first. The reason I ask is I experienced exhaustion after a while from not eating enough

#12

Saturated fat is a huge amount of what we eat, it’s NOT unhealthy. Stay away from trans-fats as much as possible, and if you can the “vegetable” oils are all garbage. Olive Oil (if real) is great for you, replace the seed oils when it comes to frying with beef tallow if you can get it, pork lard is great for baking and cooking. Coconut Oil is also good for cooking, but I feel it doesn’t offer the nonstick part like all the others do. It’s good at higher temps but seems to do best at the lower ones.

#13

Why not vegetable oil? (new to keto and lots of learning taking place)

(Cristian Lopez) #14

Its really really bad for you!