Should I eat more?

(Brian Sweeney) #1

Hi! I’m new here! I think I am eating too few calories, but I’m just not hungry. I am taking a multivitamin just Incase I’m missing out on some key nutrients, but I was hoping someone would be able to tell me if I’m doing damage to my metabolism.

Some background info about me. I am a chef, and up until mid October I ate… a lot! I was always hungry, or always wanted to eat. After starting on a keto diet and doing 16:8 intermittent fasting I find my self not hungry like at all. I’m not sure how many calories I was eating before, but now that I’m tracking everything I find myself around 12-1500 Cal per day. I also exercise 2x a week and that brings my total calorie intake for those days down to around 700. I am shedding weight and I am still able to lift the same amount in the gym, and ride just as far on my bike. I am trying for <20g of carbs a day but sometimes I hit around 30. This is week 3 for me and I’m down 20 lbs.

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Am I hurting myself? Should I eat more calories to help my metabolism?

(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

If you’re eating and satisfied, still loosing weight at a reasonable rate then things are working right. The amount of food sounds a little low but if you have enough body fat to supply the difference by burning that your probably okay. If you’re hungry listen to that and eat more. You don’t lower your calories by exercising, you burn a little more. You also raise your BMR and will start to burn more fuel when relaxing because of the increase in muscle mass. Your losses will probably slow down and might need to change things up. You never can arrive at a perfect kcal measurement for your metabolic and activity needs. It should come naturally or you should work towards just eating till you aren’t hungry without over stuffing your self with that extra piece of chicken. II quit portioning meals now and only eat to satiety. So listen to your body. It’s really great that you fell into IF so easily. You can try squeezing that 16/8 down to 18/6 if it fits your schedule over time. I’m at about 19/5 most days but I live with some flexibility now that I am in maintenance.

:cowboy_hat_face:

(Jack Bennett) #3

If you’re not hungry there’s no need to force yourself to eat unless you suspect that you’re genuinely not getting enough, or observe other symptoms (e.g. feeling weak, light headed, etc).

Compared to my N=1 experience at a similar size (~200 lb) I will say that I would probably feel extremely hungry on that level of energy. I tend to eat around 2x that much (2500-3000 kcal) in an OMAD approach, and I’m satisfied for the day.

(Brian Sweeney) #4

It’s great to hear from someone in the industry! This one’s been killing me: how do you do your line check? I’ve been relying on my sous for the past couple of weeks, but at some point I’m going to have to taste the roux thickened sauces/soups, the fruit compotes and the sweet chutneys. As a kitchen leader, do you have any strategies?

(Brian Sweeney) #5

I guess I’ll keep going the way I’ve been going. I just finished my last meal of the day (1/2c roasted Brussels Sprouts with olive oil and Parmesan, two grass fed beef hot dogs wrapped in butter lettuce with Dijon and cheddar cheese.). And I’m at 1300 Calories. I could cook up a few slices of bacon for an extra 1-200 Calories… maybe i will!

(Piglets = Bacon Seedlings) #6

Brian… cooking up a few slices of bacon is ALWAYS the right thing to do!!!

(Full Metal KETO AF) #7

So I’m guessing you’re referring to my Sous Chef badge. They used to hand that out to forum members who posted their recipes which I do from time to time. However back when I was working it was in kitchens and as a baker too. All I can suggest is giving yourself a break for prep day. Taste your food. You don’t have to eat it, just check for seasoning. As good as sticking to your fasting window is sometimes life gets in the way. Be a little flexible and enjoy life. This has to be a sustainable thing and not giving yourself a tiny bit of flexibility makes KETO harder to stick with in the long run. Just limit your indulgence to the actual holiday and don’t fall into “gotta eat all the leftovers” syndrome. Enjoy the holidays. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Brian Sweeney) #8

Oops sorry about that. I’m a noob :woozy_face: thanks for your help!

(Ian Patey) #9

Remember the first rule. Eat when you are hungry. If you are not hungry, don’t eat. It’s hard, but you can try not worrying about calories. I eat protein and fat, track carbs only (<20g) and things are going great.