Should I lower carb intake

(Cynthia Anderson) #1

Okay I’m ready to consider cutting carbs to less than 20g for at least 4 out of 7 days.

My issues
I still like 1/2 serving of chips with my sandwiches.
I like pb&j sandwiches (10g carbs)
Tortilla 4g
Pb. 4g
Sugar free jam 2g
Bulletproof coffee
4T half n half. 4g
10pkg Splenda 5g

I don’t like stevia and can’t afford expensive sugar alternatives.

I’ve tested blood ketones twice and they showed ketosis but I don’t remember the number.

I don’t like broccoli cauliflower or brussel sprouts.

I don’t have a lot of time to cook
I can’t afford a lot of special food.
I do okay all day but have carb creep in the evenings.

I currently eat 50g or less of carbs most days. I am in ketosis but barely.

Is there any benefit to to going lower carb or since I’m in ketosis I’m good.
I consistently blow .4 or better in my breathalyzer.

I feel good. I have more energy. People keep telling me I’ve lost weight even though I haven’t.

I don’t get sick from getting too hungry anymore. The one exception was after an unintentional 26 hour fast. I knew I needed to eat but I was busy. I got so sick I couldn’t eat. The next morning I was fine.

Been keto 2 months
No yoyo dieting
Not diabetic
5ft 6 in
175 lbs
Lost 5 lbs since starting keto

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #2

My issues
I still like 1/2 serving of chips with my sandwiches. swap out celery slices or pork rinds which ever fits your budget

I like pb&j sandwiches (10g carbs) ditch these, or find ketoed versions of them low carb bread, peanut butter, 0 carb jam, try this open faced.

Tortilla 4g I eat those but not on a daily basis, they are a treat food for me

Pb. 4g If you like it, it has protein too, I hate the stuff, use almond butter instead.

Sugar free jam 2g ok, could be used for the ketoes p&j sandwich

Bulletproof coffee this should be ok

4T half n half. 4g switch this to cream, even that you might want to switch to teaspoons, not tablespoons, that 4 gr doesn’t sound right to me

10pkg Splenda 5g not the best choice but if it keep you from eating sugar keep it.

Eat greens, lettuce, spinach, kale, swiss chard, or cabbage daily if you don’t like cauliflower or broccoli or brussel sprouts. You can make fake pasta out of zucchini, just cut thin longways strips to the thickness you like then cut the slices longways again in the thickness you like, since you seem to be on a tight budget, if you can afford one a zoddle maker makes quicker work of this task, but this will work if you don’t want to buy an device for doing it. I started doing mine this way then moved up to a zoddle maker because we eat them a LOT.

Try to go to 20 grams or 30 net carbs, one of those should help with the weight loss. but keto isn’t about weight loss it is about weight normalization. It heals your body from years of abuse so you are healthier.

Good luck with your Journey.

(Candy Lind) #3

I’m not trying to criticize, I’m just saying what’s worked for me.

I ditched ALL the breads/wraps when I started keto. Those grain-based fake foods are not good for you! Even “low carb” tortillas have too many carbs, and not “good” ones. Save your carbs for nutrient-dense foods. I have occasional keto replacements for bread, but not often. And I’m not sorry I did.

And ditch the chips. They are a habit you need to break if you want to live long and in great health. There are plenty of healthy foods out there that crunch.

(Cynthia Anderson) #4

I have cut way back on the chips. I used to eat chips for a snack. I used to eat a whole serving or more with my sandwiches.

I am trying to ditch the chips entirely.
Last night I had a salad instead of a sandwich.

I am trying to get used to pork rinds.

I don’t think I can ditch the tortillas just yet. I don’t eat them daily.

My stevia leaves came in and I was able to cut my Splenda use in half.

I am currently making stevia extract.
I also bought 2 stevia plants. I have to wait for them to grow.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #5

Since the point of eating a ketogenic diet is to lower insulin levels and promote fat-adaptation, it makes no sense to avoid lowering carbohydrate. The lower your intake, the better. I started by eliminating only sugar and sweets, but I quickly started feeling so good, I went full keto, almost without thinking about it. (It was also very hard to find tasty low-carbohydrate bread.) These days I feel so much better that it is fairly easy to avoid excess carbohydrate—and those times when I give in to the cravings bring their own punishment that makes it really not worth it!

(Robert C) #6

Just looking at the first 3 I’d say your best bet is to stop thinking of carbs you like and start thinking about non-carb foods you can now have. Try a 180 degree turn in your thinking. Here’s why…

Trying to substitute things into the above will become only semi-palatable quickly.
Lo-carb bread and lo-carb jelly might get your carbs lower but you better like the IDEA of having a PBJ sandwich because you probably won’t like the TASTE. Cut the carbs in half on your tortilla and you’ll be near cardboard or purchasing expensive pre-made vegetable based or spending time trying to make them yourself.

Keto alternatives…all quick and easy without baking or special prep - just throw in a pan with oil for a few minutes…
What about a couple of eggs fried in real grass fed butter (well the cow was grass fed) with avocado sliced on top? (Yes - add bacon!)
A 20%+ (fat content) fried hamburger patty pre-rubbed with some spice, topped with melted blue cheese and some sautéed arugula or spinach?
Pan fry a ribeye.
Shorten overall cooking time by making 5+ meals at a time and just reheat later.

You can say you don’t like certain vegetables - not really important for ketosis.
What will not work well for keto is “I don’t have a lot of time to cook”.
The problem with that statement is that you are restricted to things that can sit on shelves for a long time and then be consumed without prep - essentially almost all is not real food or very pasteurized or very processed.

So, my suggestion is to allow that to be your one “give” to try to make keto a lifelong diet.
Stop substituting fake foods for lower carb versions of fake foods and instead make that investment to learn how to cook at least these basic sorts of dishes. That feeling of being self-sufficient is really good!

(Laurie) #7

I agree with what @RobC said. Would give two hearts if I could!

(Cynthia Anderson) #8

Ok I’m going to bed. I had 30g of carbs today

(Running from stupidity) #9

+, oh, I dunno, a couple of billion or so. +1 was massively insufficient.