Protein Challenge

(Kristen Quinn) #1

Hello Newbies:
Today was Day 5 on Keto and 3/5 days I’ve gone over my protein allotment. Recipes are so great and I’ve dog-eared lots of recipes in many of the books I purchased, however, I do not always have time to meal prep/cook. Being so new to “moderate protein” this has been challenging for me to change my mindset, and I read that too much protein can keep you from ketosis.

Currently, fat is not really making me feel all that “full”, at least not like protein. Is anyone else having this challenge?

I started off so strong today but here it is 7pm and I went over calories, protein and fats today – yet my net carbs were only 11 --and I’m hungry. Any insight, tips, meal ideas would be helpful. [It’s difficult to say but using food as medicine for several years is a difficult habit to break.] I equate chewing as eating, so drinking yummy Bulletproof coffee makes my brain ask “Where’s the food?”

Thanks for the support everyone!
Kiki

(Hoteski) #2

If your still hungry that to me suggests your not having enough fat.

(Kristen Quinn) #3

I went over in fat today as well. My period started yesterday so I’m wondering if that caused such a huge overage.

(TJ Borden) #4

When you’re starting out, don’t worry about going over on fat, actually I’m not a believer that you ever really need to track fat.

Keep carbs to 20 or less, moderate protein, and eat fat to satiety. If you’re hungry, eat more fat. Even after our feel like you’ve eaten all you think you need, it’s common to have a hunger and/or an “empty” feeling because your body is looking for the carbs it’s used to getting. When that happens, EAT MORE FAT.

Once you get through carb withdrawal (aka keto flu), the next goal is fat adaptation. That can take several more weeks to get to. Once you’re fat adapted your appetite will drop significantly because your body will start using stored fat for fuel. At that point you can worry about tracking fat macros if you want to, but I still don’t thing it’s generally necessary.

(Hoteski) #5

Periods always plays havoc with wanting foods, it will be less thou the longer you stay on keto and like baytowvin mentioned after a few weeks your hunger will drop significantly. You will find after a few weeks the amount of foid you eat will be less and natural fasting will start to happen.

I’m nearly 4 months in and eat once a day and feel no need to eat the rest of the time.

(Kristen Quinn) #6

Thank you for taking the time to write such a meaningful reply. I’m not trying to sound dense but when you say eat more fat do you mean eat straight up coconut oil, or a shot of EVOO, or MCT, or something that is truly all fat? I appreciate the insight and support!

(Chris W) #7

Counting calories in the early stages is not helpful, some would say its counter productive. Going over is something that happens, your body has the ability to turn excess protein into glucose if needed. Some things you can do to make sure this does not effect keto is exercise, and make sure your carbs are very low. The glycogen stores in your body will be depleting if they have not already and this is part of the hunger, once your body keto adapts you will not have that issue any longer.

I also believe in the first few weeks eat to the full macros on protein and fat, and then add fat until full. In the first few weeks there is a lot happening with your body, let it sort and it will start to give you cues that are more understandable.

(Kristen Quinn) #8

Gosh, it’s difficult to imagine me only eating once a day, lol, but I look forward to getting through these phases to achieve better health and much needed weight loss. Thanks, Henny. I had a feeling that my period was causing the increased hunger so I’m curious to see how the week will be after my cycle ends. I appreciate your insight!

(Chris W) #9

Fat can be butter, EVO, MCT or coconut oil, and animal fats. Some simple coconut oil fat bombs work for me, 1 part butter, 2 parts coconut oil, and about 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder per cup, and some salt. You can add sweetener if you like and I add peanut butter (but its got some carbs). I would discourage the sweetener for a few weeks to not make you desire sweet things it worked for me.

Edit I pour those into silcone ice cube molds for easy measure counting. Also avocado, either the whole fruit or like I do in guacamole. I like to dip cheese sticks in it, I buy the wholly guacamole cups easy to measure and eat.

(Kristen Quinn) #10

Thanks, Chris! Much appreciated. I love avocado but I know there are carbs there so I’ve already had my allotment for them today. This type of feedback is so helpful as I’ve read so many books and online stuff, it’s nice to get specific answers.

(Renee Slaughter) #11

I too ate more fat in the beginning. Cheese sticks, Bleu cheese stuffed olives ( found those on sale at Target) OMG goodness. Pecans and a pepperoni or some kind of lunch meat. Then it all went away. So depending its generally 2 meals a day. Someday one and a snack. Sometimes fasting. It’s a good life.

(Kristen Quinn) #12

Hi Renee, when you say it “all went away” was that because you fat adapted and didn’t need the extra fat? I didn’t think of olives!
PS: I don’t keep nuts in the house as I do not have the will power to only eat a few.

(Chris W) #13

One thing to keep in mind is that the macros are guides, they are not hard and fast you must stop at this line only guides. The food labels are equally not as specific as you think, but again they are guides. If you use feedback in the form of strips, blood, or breath measuring you can understand how your macros actually impact keto in the short term. For instance I carry a cheap breathalyzer with me, I knocked myself out twice this week now, but the last two days I have been traveling and I won’t say I don’t care but its not bugging me either. Mainly because I had a really delicious dinner of ribs yesterday eating out on the road. Another thing I have noticed is that I actually enjoy my food more now then when I was a sugar burner, that aside I know that my carb limit is around 55g now its dropped a little as I have gotten leaner. I normally treat the carbs like a tank I don’t want to fill, I don’t try and figure out how to fill it without going over. N=1
KCKO

(Renee Slaughter) #14

Yes as I became a little more used to burning fat for fuel the hunger, the cravings it just went away. I’m still not completely fat adapted. I can only fast for about 40 hours and only if I push it. I understand from some of the stars of keto that can take longer like 8 months or even a year. I’ve been keto for 4 months.

(Renee Slaughter) #15

This Chris. I actually look forward to a good meal now than ever. I’m not in the kitchen breakfast , lunch and dinner. Trying to come up with a variety of dinners. It’s a release. Now I’m excited about a new recipe or just steak and cheesy mushroom sauce. So good.

(Chris W) #16

I just had the fattiest ribeye steak I have ever had upon request. I added salt, butter, and it had blue cheese crust on top. This is something two years ago I would have picked the fat off of and ate most of the meat and ate dry ate all the fries. Fries went to my daughter, and the dinner roll. Now all the flavors came out and I enjoyed every single bite, to Kristens end I did not finish all the fat, but I had most of it, my stomach told me that’s enough so I stopped. Did I have too much protein today, after a quick review yes most likely. But I also would be willing to bet tomorrow I will not have to eat or be hungry at all. I have been doing 3 days of feast as of late and that would fit the pattern, even though my body was out of keto this morning I was when I went out for dinner tonight. My metabolism is racing from feasting, perfect time to fast.

(Chris W) #17

I did not try to EF until 5 months, I was IF accidentally which I just morphed into a window pretty easily starting around 2-2.5 months While driving I have been catching up on the pod casts, one of the things that has really hit home was feast-fast cycle (#58 and salt(#71). This I was sort of practicing already but now it seems even more clear to me.

I did a 48 hour EF first that was a break in, the 18 hour mark was hard for me, I suggest if that is a problem to make sure you are sleeping at 18 hours so for me I eat at 12pm and I am sleeping at 18 hours. I did this on my
my second which was 72 hours and I was starting to get cold and well I had a really nice looking rack of ribs waiting for me. I have had issues re feeding I have not found a good way to come out of the fast yet.

I am not metabolically deranged to any extent although my family history puts me at being diabetic so I consider myself one. Blood tests in a few more weeks will show if my markers went down.

KCKO

(Renee Slaughter) #18

I’ve heard that maybe I started extended fasting too soon. Several old timers didn’t start for 5 or 6 months. I’ve got a couple of 36 he fasts planned for next week. Maybe l will try the Zorn Fast in May instead. Something to think about.

(Chris W) #19

Yes be fully fat adapted, you will know. My hunger schedule went to nearly zero, and I could keep functioning all day. I did my first one after my weight loss or more to the point my body fat loss stalled probably had been fat adapted for well over a month. My weight has been steady for a while, but I am gaining muscle. The thing is the second one I felt amazing, when I hit the 48 hour mark. I was only taking bone broth, salt and the first day a diet soda.

(Hoteski) #20

You can if your body tolerates it. Or you can just cook in butter, olive oil on your salad. Bacon any fat your tastebuds and body is happy to have . It doesn’t need to be shots of fat . Just add some more to your food . Mayo avacado fatty cuts of meat . Have some fish and a pop s nob of butter on it on the plate . Keep it simple . In iceland we like boiled fish and put butter on the fish once on the plate . Simple yet very tasty. I tried MCT oil. My body didn’t agree with it. I can’t get my head around eating coconut oil because I have mixed raced girls and I use it on their hair and skin. Just have enough fat on your plate so your satisfied not to the point of being sick. If I have a protein shake before gym I’d have it with almond milk, maca powder ashwaganda drops and olive oil. If you do use protein shakes make sure it’s got the highest protein lowest carbs as some of them are very high in carb . I use gold standard whey protein powder but only if I go gym. Otherwise I’d have chicken with butter and some sort of veg as my meal. I only eat once a day but it’s taken me 3 months to get to that point. My fat consumption has reduced as I go along as I don’t feel I need as much now and I’m using the fat in my body now . The fat reserves that my body so kindly stored to keep me going . I’ve lost 32 LP so far since Christmas and have 54lp to go . The first month had frustrations , weight stalls , confusion about what to eat . Then it switcher to fat burning mode and it’s been pretty easy since .