Started a Ketogenic Diet 14-10-2018


(Matthew) #1

Hi all,

I am thankful to be part of this online community and I would be greatful for any advice or thoughts you might have about the effectiveness of this diet and / or what I might consider to take out and put in.

I started a time restricted modified Ketogenic/Carnivore Diet on Sunday last weekend. After much research online I decided to give it a try. I was also upping my exercise intensity and trying to withdraw from Alcohol (binge-drinking).

So what is this modified diet? My diet is low carbs, very low sugar (morning coffee with light sugar, and greek yoghurt 11gms) extremely high proteins (lots of cow, poultry, fish, lamb) and moderate fats.

Time restricted eating 9am- 7pm. 2 litres of water per day. A snack inbetween maybe a low carb fruit.
Breakfast 9am- Greek Natural Yoghurt (everyday), Alternating days between:

  1. Arepa, cheese and 2 eggs (normally boiled)
  2. Arepa, cheese and canned tuna.
    Coffee

Lunch - 3.00pm Very large portion of any one of cow, poultry, fish, lamb. Cooked in olive virgin oil and sometimes additional tablespoon of butter. Served with a side dishes alternating days between low carb veges and salads.

Dinner - 7pm Avocada, cheese, handful of suitable nuts and sometimes a little leftover from Lunch.

Side effects after 5 days - Minor Constipation and pronounced fogginess in the mornings. Quite bloated after lunch meals. Thankfully, I don’t feel much hunger between meals.

Although I have a fairly athletic build and at my optimum weight for height, I have been a binge-drinker and smoker for the majority of my adult life. Since starting the diet I haven’t drunk alcohol. I used to drink on average 3 nights a week (12 beers on average a session). I gave cigarettes away at least 2 years ago but I do occasionally chew on nicotine gum. My exercise habits have been mainly low to moderate throughout the years although as a youngster up until my early 20’s I was extremely fit. I have practiced yoga since 2003 but fairly sparingly. Since January this year I have been doing a lot more cardiovascular and strengthening exercise. For the past 2 weeks I have increased my moderate to high intensity routines to 4 or 5 times a week, and I want to keep it there. I workout mainly before preparing my lunch or before breakfast.

I want to get blood labwork done next week so I can compare those to another set I will do after a 3 month trial on this diet.
My main concerns are how my liver and insulin levels will react to coming off alcohol and starting a high protein and moderate fat diet. I have been a hefty carb and extremely high sugar consumer my whole life up until now. I am also considering whether I need to lower the carnivore aspect to basically follow the Ketogenic proper. I am reticent to do so after the plethora of surprisingly postive first person accounts about the all meat and water diet. I was thinking of a best of both worlds scenario.

I am also using this post as a way to track my progress and I hope I can come back to it regularly to update y’all on my progress and ask any specific questions going forward. I am looking forward to reading other people’s accounts and interacting with you on the road ahead. Thank you so much for reading and don’t hesitate to chime in to help this newbie.
Bye for now.


(Robert C) #2

Just on the “time restricted feeding”. I would step that up a notch or two - your current plan seems like it would keep insulin high all day (so have little positive effect but a high perceived effort).

  • A notch would be zero snacks between meals - you are trying to lower insulin and every food intake raises it some amount.

  • Another better notch would be to knock off either breakfast or dinner. I would suggest dinner (you just put the dinner foods into the other meals). It would give you 4 awesome extra hours of low insulin and avoid completely the nighttime eating (along with the desire to wash it down with a beer or 7).

These are difficult until you are fat adapted (hint, lower protein and raise fat to make that happen faster).


(Empress of the Unexpected) #3

I agree with RobC. And would add, I would personally avoid any sugar (as it might set off cravings), and wait until later to introduce the greek yoghurt. Also, you might want to wait to introduce fruit until you are fat adapted.


(Matthew) #4

I think barring one day I haven’t had snacks in between. So I’ll keep off them.

This is the tough part considering my binge-drinking past. I would get cravings to drink when I was hungry in the late afternoon early evening. So I would drink alcohol to essentially replace a meal. I have never had the urge to drink when I’m full…ever…So I’m afraid in the early goings if I cut out the small dinner amount those cravings could return.
However, I might try what you suggested tomorrow and move my dinner portion to lunch and see how I go.

Ok, by trying what you suggested I will also lower my meat intake …
Despite watching numerous videos on the Ketogenic diet I am still unable to discern how one consumes a lot of fat. For example, if Fat were to constitute 60% of your diet what would you actually need to eat to reach that daily marker. I’m truly baffled. I’ve read about coconut oil, but how is that consumed and where is it bought? What other fats could one consume to have an enriched fat diet?

thanks by the way :+1:


(Empress of the Unexpected) #5

Avocados, bacon, olive oil on salads, nuts, seeds, butter on vegetables. I am in California, so all stores sell it - but it does not agree with me. I usually get my fats from whole foods. Also, fatty meat.


(Matthew) #6

I would have thought the cravings be more acute if I came off sugar all together. For example, 36 beers a week down to nothing. How will the body cope with that? Or am I missing something?


(Robert C) #7

More fat and less protein - here is an example. To make your 2 eggs:

  • Heat a table spoon of coconut oil in a pan for 3 minutes
  • Add a tablespoon of hot pepper (to taste) infused olive oil to the 2 eggs and mix
  • Throw eggs in the heated pan and scramble to desired done-ness
  • Top with an ounce of sour cream

Have that one time and your boiled eggs will only exist as a memory.
Really satiating - up the egg count and it could be your lunch.


(Empress of the Unexpected) #8

You can gradually cut down on the sugar and fruit!


(Robert C) #9

More acute only in the short term. Continuing to have sugar keeps the chronic desire for it alive - even at some low level - leading to more longer term chances of falling off of the wagon.

Imagine being at a birthday party and being offered cake and the ONLY reason you think you might take it is to not insult the host (that you know took all afternoon to make it). Imagine it looks like a really well made, almost professional grade, cake and having to desire to taste it at all.


(Matthew) #10

Except for Bacon and Olive Oil on Salads I have followed the rest. I will incorporate bacon and olive oil on my salad from tomorrow. Regarding bacon, when and how much do people eat of it? The same goes for nuts, avocado and butter on vegetables. How much olive oil do people put on their bowl of salad? Is is a tablespoon? more?
It makes me laugh, but I never thought I would eat bacon again in my life although I always found it delicious. It had been given such a bad wrap on the health front.
Thanks for helping me out btw


#11

What’s the time restricted part of it? When you’re sleeping. Your eating all day


(Matthew) #12

This is fantastic. I’ll have to go out tomorrow and buy Coconut oil and a bucket load of eggs

Hot pepper is a condiment like Oregano? What is infused Olive Oil? Excuse my ignorance, I’m a still a little ignorant in the kitchen.
…

What I’ll do then is cut the Greek yoghurt out and instead prepare three eggs according to your recipe. :grinning::+1::egg::egg::egg:


(Matthew) #13

You make a convincing argument. Ok I’ll cut the sugar from my coffee and no more natural yoghurt.


(Matthew) #14

Listen Dr Rhonda states about the 9 hour restriction in mice

As I mentioned above I will try intergrating the dinner part into lunch…Cheers


(Robert C) #15

It takes a week or two but eventually, you look forward to bitter black coffee (and your desire for better quality goes up).


(Matthew) #16

Funny you say that, the other day I had my first coffee I can remember without sugar and I really noticed the flavour for the first time. But when I tried it with my instant cafe at home it tasted like crap. So yeh, I’m going to invest in a good coffee perculator and even better coffee. I shouldn’t have any problems being a Colombian resident and all!


(Robert C) #17

I like very hot oil so I put a heaping couple of tablespoons of cayenne pepper and about 8 ounces of olive oil into a glass container. I stir a couple of times and start using it the next day when the oil is a devilishly deep red. You can use any dry powder - like a general Mexican seasoning mix - you’re going to throw away the bottom part after you’ve scooped all of the clear colored oil from the top. I consider it a good way to get flavor and avoid any carbs that may be loaded into some of the commercial mixes.


(Robert C) #18

To avoid wasting money and get the best cup easily (my opinion) you might want to get a pour-over setup. Chemex or a pour-over that sits on a mug and a goose neck water heater (much cheaper than the descent to good regular coffee makers). Also, grind the beans just before making the coffee - I use the Rok grinder - hand crank (so very quiet) and has the high end burrs found on much more expensive electric grinders.


(Matthew) #19

Great Rob, thanks for clarifying. I’ll incorporate it into my evening preparation for breakfast see how she tastes. But I’m perplexed unless I’m mistaken 8 ounces is 16 tablespoons of olive oil? For one breakfast??? Is that right?


(Empress of the Unexpected) #20

Are you tracking with any type of app? I love Chronometer. It has three keto settings. Some people actually go on a bacon fast. Nuts can stall some people - I eat a handful every other day. Butter is basically a free food on Keto. For two cups of salad I use two tablespoons of olive oil. I eat a half avocado every few days. My staples are spinach and broccoli. And bacon. But, I am at maintenance weight, so don’t need as much fat as people getting started.