VVNo worries dude… here to help / share my experiences and keep firing the questions!
72 hour fast @ Disney - that will be a challenge, but you can opt for less carb options, even if you get them and don’t consume the burger or hot dog bun! Chicken wings without breadcrumbs are always a good call, you can add extra “keto points” for more butter and Franks Hot Sauce. Another trick is to load up on keto friendly foods before eating with the family, you’ll be tempted less
I’ve found eating out gets easier as you can have a large steak, add butter and eat. If you make clear to your server that you don’t want carbs, sometimes they think it might be a bad allergy and become concerned etc. now I never say I have an allergy, just insisted re no breads etc. if asked I just say it’s my diet choice. More informed restaurants now ask if you’re keto / paleo etc. what I don’t do is mispresent any allergies, they can draw their own conclusions!
Re data - the reason this woe works for me is the results I’ve seen. Like you I’m impatient and previous “healthy” eating was a slow grind. Once your rolling with this, it gathers momentum, you see results, reinforcing the approach, you keep motivated, so a reoccurring cycle.
I’m now tweaking my macro inputs to see my impacts to fine tune my keto approach as I think everyone is different and there isn’t one way to do keto. That’s based on how metabolic deranged I am, genetics, food choices etc. I’m of course using the basis of 20g carbs etc, but as I’ve mentioned I’ve upped those and still seen positive progress and I’m clearly still in Ketosis
So I just think you’re where I was a few weeks ago… your comments had great parallels to how I felt. So don’t be too hard on yourself, as a techie I know that troubleshooting an issue takes a logical approach, so I apply the same logic. Break a situation down into inputs / outputs / process / controls etc, change one variable and determine impact. I don’t see this any different than a challenge in work
Re ability / tracking - honestly it seems like you’re being too hard on yourself. There’s limited downsides to making an error imho, as you’re tracking the impact, so you stop / reverse and try something else. Try not to be too impatient, it probably took many years to get where you are, so don’t expect to unwind in days. You need to allow your body to catch up with this in my experience, I get ideas from many sources, but simplistically it’s about learning what works for you e.g I never really enjoyed breakfast, so skipping it was simple and not a hardship. Others might struggle with that, whilst I enjoy eating a late lunch or evening meal, but not too close to sleeping. My pattern won’t be for everyone, so again resist the comparison temptation if you can
BBQ so I cook all year round and have a passion for that. There’s no meal that can’t be improved with a BBQ approach. I have charcoal, pellet and gas. I use based on time and convenience. For many tears Xmas turkey and hams have been cooked on my BBQ. Not sure what you run but a rotisserie is a superb option for chicken or tri tips… simple seasoning (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder) either dry or in olive oil works well. Tweaking the amounts based on impact, but sometimes you just need smoke (hickory / cherry is a fav), maybe add salt / pepper!
BBQ mops are ACV based these days, with salt and pepper
Sauce… I’d aim for NC vinegar based ones. You can make your own, I prefer it thin to thick, as I want the BBQ to not be drowned in it. If you’re buying sauce, I’d go for Arthur Bryant’s if you can get it. The carbs are relatively low, I’ve even thinned it out with more acv, but that does change the taste profile!
The other thing I’ve noticed is the longer I avoid sugar based sauces, the more I don’t enjoy them if I do encounter them. Clearly our taste buds adapt based on inputs, which I knew, but it’s odd when you experience it!