Some questions on maintenence

(Todd Batitis) #1

As some here know from some of my other posts here and there, in March 2018 I was at 356 pounds (6’ tall, 51 years old) and started LCHP. That June I added daily 20:4 IF at 291 pounds and then a month later I switched to Keto and IF. For me this was 5% carbs/20% Protein and 75% Fat. Other than crazy cholesterol numbers because I likely have familial hypercholesterolemia it has gone smashing. I made the switch to IF and Keto for the health benefits, not the weight loss, but I knew that was going to come anyways.

So anyways, here I am and after seeing the heaviest weight on the scale at 387 (it likely ended up a little higher but I hadn’t weighed at that point) I am at 199. My DEXA scans I get every 3 months have shown my body fat go from 34.6% to 28.1% to 23.1% and I am expecting my next one in May to be around 20%.

Though I never truly had a weight loss goal, I recently set one. I only remember 185 when I graduated high school and felt I could stand to lose about 10-15 pounds then or at least tighten things up. With the excess skin now though, I felt if I could get to the 205 range or so I would be good and accept the skin weight as that “10-15 pounds”. The thing is, I am below that now and I honestly haven’t even been trying. I mean, it isn’t like I am working out or have been making a push for “those last few pounds”. I am simply eating, doing the IF and losing around 1-2 pounds per week all while eating 1800-2200 calories of keto per day.

So I set a goal of 187, which I feel is completely realistic, and will accept that the skin is what it is when I get to that point and that will be an even 200 pounds lost from my known peak.

My question is about making the transition to maintenance while continuing to eat keto and incorporate fasting for the mental, cellular and longevity benefits. I love eating 20:4 and even the times it ends up as 22:2 or even OMAD. Opening it up to more of a 16:8 or 18:6 on the weekends for the time my wife and I spend together has been working when I do it here and there but I don’t think I want to do that every day but at the same time I don’t want to just continue to keep slowly losing weight nor have my metabolism suffer for it.

I recently had an appointment with Dr. Ted Naiman for some light on the cholesterol numbers since my doctor was concerned even if he is thrilled about everything else. We know that Dr. Naiman is big on protein and his feeling is that I was eating too much fat and that I should be eating a lot more protein and suggested that I essentially flip my fat and protein macros for both cholesterol reasons and as importantly, to maintain muscle and fight off the sarcopenia effects.

Is that where the switch is? For me, the fat keeps me satiated well but clearly something likely will have to change. Any of you who have made the switch want to chime in? In some respects, the idea of changes to be on maintenance is as unnerving as the idea of eating fat is for so many people who are new to keto.

Thanks in advance!

(Alec) #2

Todd
Wish I had some good answers for you, but maintenance is my biggest problem. So no advice here, but I will be watching carefully to see what advice you get.

(Carl Keller) #3

I’m curious to know how this will affect your hunger and your effort to stop losing weight. Please let us know.

I’ve been in maintenance for the past seven or so weeks. The only things that have changed for me is that I went back to eating nuts and I’ve been having a bit of roasted carrots and sweet potato a few times a week. I feel like I’m around 120-140 grams of protein and slightly less grams of fat per day with my carbs at 15-30. My weight seems to be pretty stable.

BTW, your weight loss journey is an incredible one. 190 pounds lost is just mind blowing. Of all the weight loss stories I’ve heard about, yours is one of the most interesting.

(Ken) #4

If you’re comfortable with your eating habits and are still losing fat, just continue on until your body stops losing naturally. You don’t appear to have significant metabolic issues.

When did you start gaining fat? How old were you? Were you lean or fat as a child? You may just naturally carry a low fat level and your body is trying to get back to that point.

IMO, people who were naturally lean when young have an easier time with fat loss.

#5

I think whether increasing protein is a good idea hinges on whether you are insulin resistant or not, and if so, how your body reacts to high protein meals. If your insulin goes past the threshold that allows lipolysis (releasing fat from adipose cells) which is around 13 uIU I think, then it will be difficult.

Are you doing resistance training to improve muscle mass?

(Todd Batitis) #6

Likewise. Last night was a zero carb day just because that is how it worked out. I think I ended at around 190g Protein (current setting is 105g) and 112g Fat (current setting is 176). I definitely came home today and opened my eating window right away as I was pretty hungry but that could have just been an anomaly since work seemed to drag on forever LOL.

I listened to a few of the KetoHacking MD podcasts today that had Dr. Naiman on and another one with Dr. Ben Bikman discussing protein as they Jimmy and Dr. Limansky were doing a high protein test so to speak. Dr. Naiman talked about setting your protein - perhaps not when you have a lot to lose like when I started - at 0.8g to 1g per pound of IDEAL body weight. So if a healthy weight for me is 187 pounds it would look like 150g-190g. I will definitely be talking to him for more specifics when I go for my next appointment with him,

Thanks Carl. It is nothing I ever thought I would do. I always ate what I wanted and didn’t really care. When my wife’s blood sugar suddenly spiked to 400 after metformin just wasn’t enough, we both got going. I am the only one doing keto while she is struggling to do LCHP. When we met, we met playing Everquest and one night as we were chatting in game it was like a light switch was turned on and I knew that either I was going to Seattle or she was moving to Michigan and the latter was NOT going to happen LOL. At that time I had said, “I don’t think you understand what I am offering.” and she responded with “Yes I do. You are talking about the next 20, 30, 40 years.”

I can’t keep that promise if I eat myself to death before we make it to 20, something a close friend recently died from essentially at close to 600 pounds.

For me it is all about healthspan and working to push some things like HS-CRP and Fasting Insulin lower and lower. It is about getting my omegas right and testing to see if they are continuing to make progress.

The weight is nice, and I can do more now (including bowling which I thought was over for me) and it IS the thing everyone can see but truthfully my changes this last year have nothing to do with weight. That is just a happy side benefit. :slight_smile:

Thanks for the encouragement.

(Carl Keller) #7

Funny how an online game set off a chain reaction that led you to where you are now. :slight_smile:

I’m in that neighborhood of protein grams consumed per day and I’m 174 at the moment. It seems to be working well for me. Please continue to share anything new you learn from Ted Naiman. I’m an admirer of his work and you should consider youself lucky to be under his direction.

You’re quite welcome. Thank you for being an inspiration and sharing your story.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #8

Continue eating very little carbohydrate and eating to satiety. Your body will do the rest. In the maintenance phase, we have no more extra fat to burn off, so all our energy expenditure needs to come from what we eat. Eating to satiety will automatically ensure that we get enough food.