Please help - hungry and frustrated

#1

Please help! I have just started the KETO diet and I am really struggling at keeping my protein and fats under the allowable limit (according to an app calculator). It is only lunchtime and I have already exceeded the limit, and am still very hungry. A overview of today so far:

Breakfast: 2 frittata muffins (egg, bacon, small amount cream/milk and cheese). They are closer to cupcake size than muffins.
Lunch: 2 cups spinach with one chicken thigh, dressing of oil, lemon rind, tsp mustard and parmesan cheese.
Snack: 1 small handful mixed nuts (mostly hazelnuts and cashews) and one more frittata
Exercise: 45 minute boxing fitness class. (medium to high intensity)

I should note my primary intention on this diet is not to lose weight but rather to see if it improves my energy and general wellbeing. I maybe wouldn’t mind loosing 1-2 kg to help bring out some more muscle definition but it isn’t the driving force. I have a sedentary job but am quite active otherwise and do have a fast metabolism - but I input my activity level as well into the app so it should have taken that into account.

I am very frustrated because I feel like what I have eaten is barely enough to sustain me and yet I have exceeded my fats and proteins for the day (I am still under on the net carbs) AND I still have dinner to go!

Is it okay to eat more proteins and fats if my net carbs are still under? Am I doing something wrong? Does the hunger go away? I just struggle to see how a person who is active can possibly be healthy if I stick to the limit is says on fats and proteins. Even for someone who isn’t as active as me its seems restrictive (keeping in mind I have exceeded with dinner still to go - if I was still on track with room for dinner it may not be so bad)

Todays stats so far:
Net Carbs: consumed 14g of 22g limit
Fat: consumed 109g of 82g limit (this seems a fairly low limit?)
Protein: 70g of 66g limit

Any help would be greatly appreciated - I am happy to push through discomfort but I want to make sure my body is getting adequate fuel.

(TJ Borden) #3

Use your app to track carbs (early on it can help identify hidden carbs you didn’t know were there) and to get learn what grams of protein look like. Other than that, ignore it.

Stick to the basics:

  • 20 grams of net carbs
  • moderate protein scaled to lean body mass
  • fat to satiety

Especially early on, there is not fat limit. If you’re hungry, eat; and EAT FAT. It takes time for your body to adjust to burning fat for fuel, and once it does, you’ll find yourself less hungry and you’ll end up eating less as your body begins to use stored fat for fuel.

Protein is a rough figure and is debatable. Generally, if you figure somewhere between .8-1.5 grams per kg of lean body mass, you’re fine. It’s nothing to sweat over. Some days will be over, some under. The main thing to focus on is keeping the carbs low and the fat high.

Above all, KCKO

#4

Thank you so much baytowvin! I was going to go mad if I have to stick to that small amounts of fats and protein. The fats especially got me confused as it’s a high fat diet so didn’t understand how I could be over! Glad there is a bit of room for movements on that part!

(Cheryl Meyers) #5

This is likely why you are feeling hungry. Go easy on exercise for a few weeks until you are more fat adapted and your body is adjusted to this way of eating. Then you can ramp up the exercise again. Exercise makes you more hungry.

#6

Yes, you can eat more. Like all ways of eating whether it be carbs, fats, vegetarians or vegan the way we eat for weight loss isn’t really the way we do it for muscle gain and high intensity exercise. As it’s been said, you don’t really have a fat limit so ignore that. I wouldn’t even worry about pushing your carbs up to 30g or so if you need it, you’re still going to hit ketosis unless you’re really metabolically screwed up which is seems you’re not. Making the switch can be hard and small things help. Also, don’t become afraid of protein, we need it, many people are made to fear it which is crazy. Yes, there are some people who are sensitive to it at lower levels and they need to watch their intake but for people putting on or maintaining a descent level of muscle we need to have it up there. A boxer could burn off a lot of muscle with their intensity without having a higher protein intake to keep their muscle around. It does take a while for the body to adapt to fat as a fuel even after you make the switch and start making ketones. MCT oil in the diet can help energy pre-workout (or boxing in your case) but can also be rough on the system until you get used to it. There is also exogenous ketones which your body will burn 100% whether you’re fat adapted or not. They’re slightly overpriced but not much worse than half the overpriced pre-workouts on the market. May be something to consider if you feel like you’re loosing the energy battle before you adapt. I like to have them around for the days like today when I pull myself out of bed at 4am by my face to force myself into the gym. In about 20min I’ll be ready to run up a wall. Keep in mind, it’s energy, it’s not going to burn the fat off any faster in most cases but will get you through things that we used to slam carbs for.

(Ken) #7

You shouldn’t worry about restricting calories initially. Just follow a lipolytic macro of at least 60% fat and 5% or less of carbs. Eat to satiety. Focus on the adaptation, you can tweak for fat loss after a couple of months if not losing. A one pound per week is a reasonable loss over a couple of months.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #8

Keto rule #4: if hungry, eat fat. Never go hungry.

(the cheater) #9

I did a little math and if you have a high metabolism and are active (outside of your job) and do 45 minutes of exercise a day, there’s no way that 1090 calories are enough. Also, your macros are bit off, as far as I’m tracking; you’re at 22g carbs, which is about 8%, then you are at 24% protein (good) but only 68% fat.

If I were in your position, I would 1) nearly double my calories or at least bump them up to about 1700 or so, lower my carbs to 20g or less, and make sure that I had just enough protein (lean body weight in KG x 0.8g protein) and the rest in fat.

I’m not surprised you’re starving, love. You need more food. Good luck!

(marty) #10

Drink water to your heart’s content while not eating. Dehydration can make you think you are hungry. Drink and wait 10 minutes and ask yourself if you are still hungry. KETO means living off your FAT stores and if you are here it means you have Fat to lose. I know I do.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #11

One had to be fat adapted before that happens, which typically takes 6-8 weeks.
One should not starve oneself before fat adaption takes place. And arguably after as well. Keto works by limiting insulin production through what we eat and how often we eat, not through restricting calories.

(Alan Williamson) #12

A person counting calories will be hungry a lot. It is crazy. Eat fat and protein until you are full. No problem. Insulin level will fall then health improves and a person gets lean. The key is to lower insulin. No sugar, no grains.