A Week of Keto: Spoilers, Nobody Died

Killit_and_Grillit

Well, I had an injury that put me down a few months and as the family cook...we have been eating mostly takeout the entire time. My wife is in her sisters wedding next month and has wanted to drop a little weight before standing next to a bunch of 20 year olds so it was crunch time. 

Then I had a brilliant idea last week inspired by a @MeatChurch IG post. “Babe, maybe we should try Keto”.

For those of you unfamiliar, it’s very low carbs, moderate protein, and high fat. It’s unconventional compared to most traditional diets but I have had some friends see drastic results. 

Besides, you can eat bacon, cheese, and occasionally drink so even if we saw marginal results, no harm, no foul, right?

So, week 1 is down and nobody has killed anyone. Lots of water and green leafy stuff. But been able to stay relatively full and still eat decent food. 

Smoked Gouda Burger and truffle salted Eggplant mushroom and Parm. 


Buffalo chicken breast with blue cheese crumbles and dressing on a bed of spinach


Mexican creamy chicken soup


Avocado BLT salad with sriracha ranch dressing 


Portabella Mushroom Pizza


And of course, Friday night chicken wings. 


Week 1 Verdict: My wife is miserable but hanging in there (she has a much higher metabolism than I do). I think this diet is more suitable for men. I’m just excited to not be eating salad and shakes for a month. 

More to follow. 

ColtsFan

Great job! After my 3 day juicing adventure last weekend I've gone Paleo as an experiment. Kind of like keto only dairy isn't permitted. 

Like you, it hasn't been terrible I think the 3 day cleanse really helped me with the cravings  

Keep at it! 

Lit

We have been doing somewhat Keto for a couple months. The kids teachers noticed a big difference right away with their attention span when we took carbs away. We cheat some but I do intermittent fasting during the week I try to only eat 6 hours out of the day and if you want to drop weight do the Keto 6 hours a day and you’ll drop a pound a day. Your food looks way better than mine I eat chicken breasts with  avocado and tomatoes basically all week long. 

Killit_and_Grillit

@Lit is that the I. Fasting concept? I was briefly  looking at it earlier. 

Can you do like Bulletproof coffee in the morning so your insulin doesn’t spike but you still get fat and then eat a late lunch and early dinner?

westernbbq

Just started this program last week after my annual napa valley trip, you know so i could hit the ground crawling...


Carbs from green leafy veggies, mostly lean protein, limited dairy.  Last sumday i weighed in at 294.  As of this AM, im  svelte 285....so ill stick with it for another week and see if the stored reserves are really being burned off

Theres  a 49 dollar program of detox from the green smoothie girl,   i got that too and will do that if the keto program doesnt work...

Mild headaches , minor cravings gor sugar but not bad,  no booze tho

Killit_and_Grillit

@westernbbq I haven't checked the scale but I know I've dropped that much, if just from getting my water intake stabilized and cutting calories by 2/3. 

I couldn't imagine how to cut dairy and getting all that fat in. I'm trying some new ideas but it and Ghee seem to be the supplement to MCT and coconut oil. (Also my new kiddo has a dairy allergy so my wife and I haven't been eating hardly any cheese. She quit breast feeding this week so it was like vacation!).

I say limited booze but there is a caveat to that. It says you can have vodka or whiskey, but no beer, wine, mixers, etc. We had friends over last Friday and I had 3 vodka and sodas...I woke up at 3am with the worst hangover. (and anyone who knows me would say that would typically be a light Friday night). No carbs and drinking do not mix well. 

YukonRon

I tried this new thing called "exercise" which is a byproduct of walking out 9 month old, 80 lbs puppy, which is still growing.

I have lost about 30 pounds since December, while doing a minimum of 2.5 miles per day.

I still eat like a starving lion.

Killit_and_Grillit

haha, @YukonRon I'm up to three trips up and down the driveway before icing and copious amounts of anti inflammatory. I've got to go back to the doctor next week and see if I can at least start using an Elliptical or something. All this sitting still has been driving me mad. 

EDIT: I need to see if they are gonna have these at the Costco Road Show.

YukonRon

Killit_and_Grillit said:

haha, @YukonRon I'm up to three trips up and down the driveway before icing and copious amounts of anti inflammatory. I've got to go back to the doctor next week and see if I can at least start using an Elliptical or something. All this sitting still has been driving me mad. 

Adam, I feel for you brother. I know exactly what you are going through. I was laid up a year and a half with the rebuild of my leg.

Fortunately, I had no appetite, but in the process of learning to walk again, which, like you, my mobility was limited, my intake on food was all the wrong things, and I gained about 40 pounds.

It has been relatively recent, about last July, that I will say I have recovered enough to get back out in the real world again on a regular basis, without pain meds, and the ice after each attempt.

I know how frustrating this has to be for you. It was for me. Just heal up, get some PT, and with this diet you are on, it will melt away pretty quickly.

All this, for that wedding.....smdh. Bless you brother.

EggbertGreenII

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Well, I had an injury that put me down a few months and as the family cook...we have been eating mostly takeout the entire time. My wife is in her sisters wedding next month and has wanted to drop a little weight before standing next to a bunch of 20 year olds so it was crunch time. 

Then I had a brilliant idea last week inspired by a @MeatChurch IG post. “Babe, maybe we should try Keto”.

For those of you unfamiliar, it’s very low carbs, moderate protein, and high fat. It’s unconventional compared to most traditional diets but I have had some friends see drastic results. 

Besides, you can eat bacon, cheese, and occasionally drink so even if we saw marginal results, no harm, no foul, right?

So, week 1 is down and nobody has killed anyone. Lots of water and green leafy stuff. But been able to stay relatively full and still eat decent food. 

Smoked Gouda Burger and truffle salted Eggplant mushroom and Parm. 


Buffalo chicken breast with blue cheese crumbles and dressing on a bed of spinach


Mexican creamy chicken soup


Avocado BLT salad with sriracha ranch dressing 


Portabella Mushroom Pizza


And of course, Friday night chicken wings. 


Week 1 Verdict: My wife is miserable but hanging in there (she has a much higher metabolism than I do). I think this diet is more suitable for men. I’m just excited to not be eating salad and shakes for a month. 

More to follow. 

Man, that's some tasty lookin' grits. I think I could thrive eating like that.

Tarpon65

Keto diet works very well for me as well.  Good luck and the food looks delicious.

Killit_and_Grillit

YukonRon said:

All this, for that wedding.....smdh. Bless you brother.

@YukonRon dude I could give 1 $hit about my SIL dressing up like a princess and prancing around Nashville. 

I just had to find a time to get my wife on board so I wasn’t doing thhave impulse control issues! And her eating French bread and biscuits in front of me just wasn’t gonna play.

I couldn’t even imagine 18 months immobile. I did 2 years of recovery on my shoulder but I could still walk and do stuff. 

mlc2013

Killit_and_Grillit : first good luck on your new adventure and I hope it works for you and becomes a lifestyle change for the better. I have done the low cab diet for a few years (pre BGE) before falling off the wagon about a year ago and it worked wonders for me 295 to 220 in a year and stayed at 220-230 would go up and down 10 lbs depending on time of the year for 3-4 years. I too had a medical situation knock me out for 6 months end of last year where I ate everything in sight Im currently 240 trying like hell to get back on track but can't seem to find the incentive although I feel like a fat ass (loss a lot of muscle tone, i was never ripped but now im all flab) and have less energy and get tired sooner then I did when I ate little to no carbs. After my body adjusted to the new fuel (protein and fat instead of carbs) it thrived I had great energy a new found spring to my step and started to get muscle tone (something I haven't seen since high school), if this works for you its a great lifestyle.  As far as the vodka soda giving you a hang over (been there done that) try changing the vodka stay away from potato vodkas I found and please don't stone me but the cheaper vodkas mixed better with the club soda and gave me less of to no hangover. I always drank either kettle or ciroc or goose or belvedere in that order of preference I now drink SMIRNOFF i have no idea why that is but im not complaining as my average bottle cost is less then half of what it use to be. Another vodka I have been drinking lately is crop cucumber vodka with a lime and soda a weird combo but surprisingly refreshing and no headaches (for me at least). I have never tried Keto (well I really don't even know what it is so maybe I have but didn't realize it). The one thing I can tell you once i got over the carb and sugar cravings maybe the first week or so it was very easy to stay on the only food I could never find anything for was dessert (I always ate fruit although it has carbs in it I just can't understand how fruit could be bad so I never counted it ie berries and melons mainly no apples or bananas), but the moment I cheated I was like a crack head addicted too carbs and sugar and I still can't beat the cravings so I urge you to stay away if this is a new life style for you as Im having a hell of a time shaking it. I know it worked for me and Im pretty sure it'll work again for me and ill feel great again but I just can't make the plunge. The egg isn't helping but I promised myself I will not make a pizza or bake bread in it the moment I do i know there will be no turning back for me. I found a small bakery called josephs bakery online https://www.josephsbakery.com where I buy there wraps and pitas for lunch or breakfast on the go it probably taste like cardboard but Im so use to it I actually like it my biggest problem in the beginning was how to eat a sandwich or food on the go as i normally eat my breakfast and lunch while running around like a maniac and this was my answer Im sure they are other breads or wraps out there that are just as good or better I just don't know of them. Anyway sorry for the rant and I wish you luck and if you have any question I would be happy to try and answer although I think your doing better then I ever did with the cooks you posted above.

dmchicago

Looks like you're on the no paragraph diet as well.

JFWY.

YukonRon

Killit_and_Grillit said:

YukonRon said:

All this, for that wedding.....smdh. Bless you brother.

@YukonRon dude I could give 1 $hit about my SIL dressing up like a princess and prancing around Nashville. 

This I know and believe....

RedSkip

@Killit_and_Grillit. There is a very large Keto community on Reddit.

r/keto (general)
r/ketorecipes (when you need ideas)
r/xxxketo (women’s sub - nothing xxx)
/ketogains (lifting)

Best of luck, it works! Hardest part is getting around the how dependent the Western world is on carbohydrates. 

“Fat is for keeping full, it’s not a requirement.”
”Carbs are a limit - 20 grams”
”Protein is a must, hit your macro.”

There are several keto macro calculators out there, do a search and update it every 3-4 weeks.  

Stalls can last months, but then you get a “whoosh”.

FearlessTheEggNoob

Tito's vodka has always been good to me.

I drink about 2-3 cans of sparkling water a day to quash my cravings for soda.

Lit

Killit_and_Grillit said:

@Lit is that the I. Fasting concept? I was briefly  looking at it earlier. 

Can you do like Bulletproof coffee in the morning so your insulin doesn’t spike but you still get fat and then eat a late lunch and early dinner?

I tried bullet proof coffee but the MCT oil kills my stomachs. I usually just drink lots of black coffee and try to only eat between 10 and 4 but it doesn’t always happen. If you can handle the bullet proof coffee it really gave me lots of energy.

Gulfcoastguy

FearlessTheEggNoob said:

Tito's vodka has always been good to me.

I drink about 2-3 cans of sparkling water a day to quash my cravings for soda.

La Croix Apricot became my friend when I found myself justifying Soda if it had real sugar instead of cornsyrup. I haven’t been able to do aspartame for about 4 years now.

Killit_and_Grillit

@mlc2013 @FearlessTheEggNoob yeah I went with Tito’s, usually I feel nothing.  (My sister calls it “breakfast food”). I think it was lack of carbs and dehydration. I finally figured out balancing my magnesium and potassium. 

@Gulfcoastguy my beer fridge is nothing but water and Key Lime La Croix now. No doubt. 

@lit I have had the MCT for a few days. Haven’t felt anything but I haven’t fully dosed yet. Time will tell. 

@RedSkip I’ll check those out. I have a calculator that has been great so far. Lets me build my own stuff and has a database of food and meals. 

My goal has been to come up just shy on fat and protein and keep my carbs to 15 grams or less until I get adjusted and go from there.

jeffwit

Killit_and_Grillit said:

@Gulfcoastguy my beer fridge is nothing but water and Key Lime La Croix now. No doubt. 

That’s one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. 

thetrim

Not bad.  I started the same thing this week while on the road for work.  I’ve been ok w the discipline.  I have sucked down a few suds the last couple of days.  Back on the wagon tomorrow.  

Look up a recipe for roasted turmeric  cauliflower and roasted radishes. Those are two good Ones. 

westernbbq

@Killit_and_Grillit, thanks for the encouraging words.  The common denominator of all these diets is no sugar.  In my office theres a bowl of candy bars.  Trick or treat sized ones .  Im a sucker for almomd joys so i used to grab 5 at a time and have them gone by the time i got off elevator to my car.   Last year i stopped completely, started walking 3 miles 4x a week and changed nothing else . Dropped 30 lbs in six weeks incredible   fell off the wagon last holiday season and was off until last week

Really looking forward to stickig with program and feeling healthy again
@YukonRon, that is awesome progress .  Keep it up!    

I want to eat like a starving lion too and this week my exercise regimen is going up on the intensity scale.

FearlessTheEggNoob

You should open a keto restaurant in Austin. With food like that I bet you would make bank.

YukonRon

westernbbq said:

@Killit_and_Grillit, thanks for the encouraging words.  The common denominator of all these diets is no sugar.  In my office theres a bowl of candy bars.  Trick or treat sized ones .  Im a sucker for almomd joys so i used to grab 5 at a time and have them gone by the time i got off elevator to my car.   Last year i stopped completely, started walking 3 miles 4x a week and changed nothing else . Dropped 30 lbs in six weeks incredible   fell off the wagon last holiday season and was off until last week

Really looking forward to stickig with program and feeling healthy again
@YukonRon, that is awesome progress .  Keep it up!    

I want to eat like a starving lion too and this week my exercise regimen is going up on the intensity scale.

What works for me is high protein low carbs, but I have to up my K. Got some extream hills here in the Highlands, and hitting them at a great pace, burns down the fat in a hurry. Back that with low or Na free drinks, (flavored or just plain water), keeps it burning. No white carbs is key.

Stay at it.
KSA

Killit_and_Grillit

@westernbbq dude I am a sugar whore. We literally dumped everything out and both work from home except office meetings. 

I remember the office days. I can’t say no. And I’m a slave to Almond Joys. I’m already fantasizing about taking them out of my daughters Halloween candy for my cheat day. 

caliking

Dude, fancy diet shenanigans aside, those are some great looking plates! That avocado BLT salad is calling out to me. 

westernbbq

I'll keep you guys posted.  what is really cool is that tonite I made some amazing salsa.  I'll post in a separate header.  u can eat this stuff like a soup.  freaking outrageous...and super healthy too

Eggcelsior

I've done just intermittent fasting coupled with exercise. I still eat whatever I want. I don't drink soda and don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I'm sure that helps. In the past year, I'm down 40 something pounds. I eat "normal hours" on the weekend and try to eat between 2-8pm during the week.That will often turn into 5pm due to work. I run on my lunch, usually 4 miles. That helped eliminate a lot of eating out on my break.

dmchicago

Eggcelsior said:

I've done just intermittent fasting coupled with exercise. I still eat whatever I want. I don't drink soda and don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I'm sure that helps. In the past year, I'm down 40 something pounds. I eat "normal hours" on the weekend and try to eat between 2-8pm during the week.That will often turn into 5pm due to work. I run on my lunch, usually 4 miles. That helped eliminate a lot of eating out on my break.

40 lbs?

WOW!

Nice job.

SonVolt

I'm on my 3rd week of low-carbing it, trying to drop some weight before our beach trip in Sept. I looked into Keto but the "moderate to low protein" scared me off. If I'm cutting out carbs - one of my favorite foods groups - I'm going to absolutely gorge myself on the proteins to make up for it.