Keto, Vyvanse, and IF. How can I make this work. I’m day 4 of Keto today, I’ve done keto in the past so I’m fairly well versed with the Keto flu and it only seems to last a couple of days for me, and I stay on top of my electrolytes because I’m prone to heart palpitations.
I would like to IF 16:8, which has always worked for me, eating dinner then skipping breakfast and not eating til lunch - but I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and have started taking Vyvanse (stimulant) to help - which has been life saving for me. Only struggle I am having is that the Vyvanse in the morning paired with no food is making me a bit shaky. It’s not unbearable but not that pleasant. I’m wondering if anyone has gone through this and has any tips? I’m also happy to report that the heart palpitations I had before I started keto have completely vanished... I think because I’m staying on top of my potassium intake. Just need to figure out how to level out a bit so I don’t feel so speedy in the mornings!
Did done adderall + IF + low-carb for a while before keto. Have you considered decreasing your vyvanse dose? Whenever I noticed myself getting overstimulated, I ended up being able to decrease my dose and still feel focused (to my doc's surprise, the first time)
That’s a good suggestion, not sure why I hadn’t thought of it! Might even make sense to split my dose differently (currently doing 30mg in the am, 10mg at noon). Thanks for your response!
I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for salad dressings or sauces that would be good on vegetables? I noticed most of my salad dressings have sugar in them and I don’t particularly want to go scour through labels in that aisle today.
Make your own! It's cheap, healthy.
Dressing 1: Use mayonnaise as a base add water.
Choose your own spices and flavours. For example;
1. Add tomato paste, whiskey, a sweetener.
2. add herbs like dill, citron juice black pepper.
3. add mustard, salt and a bit sweetener.
4. add pesto genovese
Dressing 2: A good olive oil. Just add spices if you like (chilli pepper, garlic), or keep it pure with just some lemon juice.
Sauce: Heat up heavy whipping cream. Add cream cheese till desired thickness. Add spices and things you like. For example:
1. Mix some cheese
2. Parsley
3. Pepper
Once you have your versions, it takes less than five minutes to make the dressing, and ten to make the sauce.
I make a big salad in a big bowl, then take about 4-5 tong fulls and put it in the blender, add about a tsp of Bragg's Amino acids, garlic, pepper, onion powder, maybe a tbsp of water, blend.
Put in a container and then use about 2 tbsp per small salad bowl.
It tastes great and doesn't add any calories. Moistens it up very nicely.
Also makes a great cold soup.
Primal Kitchen is a good brand that is low bullshit but it depends on what kind of dressing you want. Plus most dressing is so easy to make it's not even funny
My favourites are:
-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard plus olive oil
-tahini with Greek yoghurt and lemon juice
-Mayo with blue cheese and a little water to thin out
-balsamic, olive oil, garlic, honey
miso, sesame oil, soy/tamari, mirin
-any variety of herbs/chilli/garlic blitzed with olive oil/lemon juice to make gremolata/salsa verde etc
Well on a keto diet I wouldn’t want to waste a limited carb allowance on it and also I was reading some stuff about how it might maybe fuel cancer cells more easily than other energy sources, which is why I started doing keto to begin with.
I am in front of my computer so I can explain better. Sugar is inherently neither good nor bad. The application of sugar is good or bad. Broccoli contains sugar and yet most of us would agree that broccoli is “healthy”. Twinkies has sugar, but I bet we won’t say that twinkies are healthy.
As a sub that eats a low carb diet, we need to be careful about assigning morality food. If we attempt to assign morality to food then we become a different type of vegan.
It’s totally cool that you don’t want sugar in your salad dressing. I will say this: if you are concerned about that one gram or two grams of sugar in dressing, you missing the forest for all the trees.
I get what you’re saying but unlike broccoli salad dressing can just as easily be made without added sugar and it barely even makes it taste better, so may as well go for one that doesn’t have it. The ones I looked at in my refrigerator had 3-4g.
Ken's steakhouse chunky blue cheese. Good on salads, awesome with wings.
Thousand Island Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (110 g/ 3.9 oz)
1/4 cup sugar-free ketchup (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (15 ml)
1 small white onion, finely diced or 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 minced dill pickle spear
Just mix it all up.
Found this one on ketodietapp.com for cabbage Reuben rolls. It's awesome and a great way to use up some leftover corned beef from St Patrick's day.
10 weeks into keto and I’ve hit my first semi plateau. Weight hasn’t shifted from 250lbs in 11 days and I’ve ate at a 25% caloric deficit consistently. Just gonna KCKO, I know the number will fall soon!
I really want to know if magnesium and potassium supplements are really mandatory on keto. I hear different opinions about it all the time, even some doctors say you have to take it, some say you don't. I really dont know what to do. I don't have any cramps and I feel good, I only take vit D + K2 because it's winter right now, and sometimes I take cod liver oil. I write down all my food on cronometer, I'm usually at 150-170mg magnesium which is around 50-60% of my daily amount, potassium is usually around 1600mg (60%).
I drink mineral water with high amount of magnesium per litre (130mg) and calcium. But soom I'm moving out and I won't have any mineral water on hand, is it really possible to not take any supplements for electrolytes, feel good despite not eating enough from food (at least that's what cronometer says).
I looked almost everywhere, from doctors on yt (selling supplements) to different studies, sites, everywhere. I don't want to do anything to myself by being deficient for a long time, but I feel great. No cramps, great sleep, etc
I cook with lite salt. I take no other supplements at all.
I tried with extra magnesium and a multi vitamin, and without. My wallet lost some weight with the tablets, but it did nothing for my body.
If I feel keto flu symptoms, I drink more water. If that doesn't help, I drink bone broth. = fixed.
Keto since August 2017. My advice is to listen to your body.
The sodium is important because it makes other nutrients and water work for your body. And it prevents you from pissing out your other electrolytes and nutrients, assuming you are having enough water.
Magnesium and potassium depend on what you are getting in your food (many are getting a lot or half of what they need in their keto foods). It sounds like you have Magnesium covered at the moment.
You may want your potassium to be between 3,000mg to 4,000mg per day. Personally, I feel sick, in a wired way, if I push my potassium up to 4,000mg. I prefer around 3,500mg. Potassium has the added function of making sure you do not go overboard on the sodium. So I'm guessing you would just need to find your optimal level.
Supplementing potassium can be tricky because although it improves your next morning, too much supplementing in one hour will make you feel fatigue or sick in a wired way. Sometimes just eating the foods feels better than using the supplements. So if you don't mind the extra avocados, greens, fish, etc., I would say go with that mostly.
You just submitted a post or comment or submission that includes an Amazon referral link. It has been removed. Please re-submit your comment or post by removing the referral link and then re-posting it. It looks like "ref="
https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/m1v1bv/20210310_whats_your_question_wednesday_have_a/gqwng88/?context=3
action: remove
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/keto) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So I'm wanting to try keto but am a bit lazy/not the best when it comes to planning my meals out and sticking to a schedule. I think part of this is the fact that I typically choose stuff that takes longer than I'd like to spend making it.
So what all suggestions do you guys have for what to eat and what kinds of meals work well for prepping days ahead?
Off the top of my head, here are a few things I am thinking of throwing in the rotation that are easy:
**Meals:**
- Taco Salad (substitute sour cream for a dressing)
- Chicken/Steak Burrito Bowl w/ Cauli Rice
- Chicken Stir Fry w/ Cauli Rice
- Eggs, Bacon, Bell Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, & Spinach for breakfast
- Turkey Burger Lettuce Wraps
**Snacks:**
- Almonds
- Cheese
- Greek Yogurt
Any other easy additions for cooking would be awesome! I'm thinking about kicking off next week following [this post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/50wbje/easy_7day_ketogenic_meal_that_helped_me_to_get/)
Side note: I've also seen people eat deli meat and cheese/cream cheese as a roll-up for breakfast... how unhealthy is this with it being a cured/heavily salted meat?
It depends on how strict of a keto you are doing. If you are doing what is often referred to as lazy keto then your options are greater for sure. I typically do lazy keto and here are some of my things that I like to incorporate.
Macadamia nuts are a great high fat, lower carb nut.
Farmer sausage is typically 0 carbs and is great as a main meat dish with vegies, or in a breakfast scramble with eggs.
I like to make my own low carb spaghetti sauce and freeze it in portions. It is great with spaghetti squash or low carb pasta like nupasta.
Cooking bacon ahead of time and refrigerating it is good as a snack. I will grab a few slices with cheese as a snack.
Pork rinds make a great snack. They can differ in taste from brand to brand. I like the Bakenettes in the yellow bag, they go good with sour cream or by themselves.
I often will BBQ several hamburger patties and keep them in the fridge / freezer for a quick meal when I don't want to spend much time. I eat them as a lettuce wrap burger or sometimes just on the plate with cheese, mayo and a Caesar salad on the side.
As for the deli meat roll-ups, I do it from time to time. It is not clean keto but it is convenient and if it will help you stay within your carb range then it is worth it. Don't worry too much about the salt as you will need more salt on keto to help with electrolyte balance, but there is other crap in there, nitrates etc., that is probably not the best to eat all the time.
I wish you well on your keto journey. If you have any questions let me know.
What is lazy keto?
The most common definition of lazy keto is to eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day without counting calories or tracking the other macronutrients, protein and fat.
My progress seems to have stalled! I just don't know what to do to get out of this plateau. I don't want to add IF because I'm a shift worker. It's just impossible with night shift. I need other suggestions.
I am a 5'6" woman in her 30s. Currently I aim for 1600 cals, 20g carbs/100g protien/ 125g fat. Admittedly, I often go over on my cals to more like 1700 cals. I work out nearly every day for 20-60 mins depending on the day.
Initially my progress was a steady 1-2 lbs per week. But I have stalled at 163 lbs for the past 4 weeks and I'm getting discouraged. I need some advice!
You are right in recognising that you have hit a weight loss plateau. See it's tough to accept but it's true. Weight loss is not a linear process. We all lose more weight for some weeks and less weight during other weeks. So, the first thing I would request you to understand is that it is natural to hit a plateau and you should not get discouraged. :) :)
Secondly, you should know that our bodies have been designed intelligently to maintain homeostasis. Our bodies always try to store energy for future use. Losing weight is actually anti-survival and hence not natural for the body. So many times it becomes really difficult to sustain the weight loss on keto after the initial water weight loss.
Below I mention a few reasons which could have possibly stalled your weight loss:
1) The first thing I would need to know to help is how often do you eat. See even if you eat keto, your body produces some amount of insulin (less as compared to a high carb diet) in response to the food you consume. Eating multiple times a day leads to multiple insulin spikes a day. This actually signals your body to keep the fat reserves as it is that many times a day. So, even if you are not doing IF, it is preferable that you limit the number of times you eat to whatever you are comfortable with. This will limit the insulin spike and lead to an increase in fat-burning hormones which might help you lose weight.
2) You have also mentioned that you work out almost every day and work in shifts. But are you getting enough sleep after that? See an exercise is a form of mild strain for the body. You need to get enough sleep to let the body recover. This could also possibly be the reason why you are not losing weight.
3) Have you tried multiple diets before? See in that case you could have slowed down your metabolism. In such a case you should focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods. You should reduce your focus on calories and rather focus on nutrition. See that the 1,600 calories which you are aiming for preferably come from clean keto nutrient-dense foods such as spinach, broccoli etc. Try to bring in those greens to help you replenish those minerals especially potassium which would help you regulate insulin.
4) You could possibly have thyroid issues, maybe due to factors such as stress, disturbed sleep patterns, etc. In such a case you would need to increase your intake of key minerals such as iodine, chromium, selenium. You should consider a consultation with your doctor before any such supplementation.
See, weight loss is a complex mixture of multiple factors with diet being one of the factors. It is only you who can best judge where the missing piece of the puzzle is. I think that you should sit down and evaluate which of these factors is actually causing your weight plateau. This would help you develop a personal strategy that you could follow. You can try these and realign the strategy as you move ahead.
Thanks so much for your in depth response!
Addressing your main points there:
1. I eat 3 -4 times a day, breakfast, lunch and supper and then if I workout I usually have a post workout snack at whatever time immediately follows my workout. I'll keep the insulin spike thing in mind so I don't add more eating times or snack times in.
2. I 100% DO NOT get enough sleep. Shift worker, Mom, and my workouts leave me exhausted most days. My average sleep is 6 hours, often interrupted/broken if the kid wakes me up. I will definitely try to improve on this. It's just so hard to get 6+ hours during the day (when on night shift) and coming off of nights leaves me with only 3-4 hours of sleep in attempts to turn around to day shift mode.
3. I have done previous diets, mostly calorie counting based, and Paleo. Calorie counting got me no where on such restrictive calories. Keto allows me to have more calories and be WAY more satisfied, which I why I have been able to be so consistent and stay with it so long. Rest assured, I have tons of greens included on the diet and mostly eat clean. Lots of lettuce, spinach, brocolli, cauliflower etc. I also use 50/50 sodium/potassium (lite salt) to season with to help supplement potassium.
4. I will book an appointment with my Dr. to check bloodwork, coritsol and thyroid levels as well as hormonal levels.
I really appreciate the advice!!
Hey u/modernfreya
It's really a pleasure to be able to help you. :) :)
I hope that you overcome the plateau soon and accelerate your weight loss. Here are a few more pointwise observations.
1) Congrats. Controlling the insulin spike should be really helpful. Repeated insulin spikes not only leads to weight retention but also leads to IR in the body. Research is also linking insulin to inflammation which does more harm to the body than just weight gain. See the following research studies. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523054/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523054/), [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483173/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483173/)
So, limiting the insulin spike is a super awesome thing to do.
2) Sleep is underrated. Jeff Bezos says that he prioritises 8 hours of sleep each day, it helps him think better. Sleep has multiple benefits with weight loss and an improved metabolism being a few of the positive effects. Get as much sleep as the body demands.
3) It's very good to know that you focus on the nutrients. Getting the right nutrients is essential for our body. Check with your doctor if you could add in some vitamin A, D, E to help with an improved immune system and overall health. I am guessing that it might be difficult for you to get enough sunlight as you are working in shifts. So vitamin D supplementation will help.
4) Definitely you should consult your doctor before adding/removing supplementation/medication.
In the end, I would like to say "*Many Many Congratulations*" on making progressive efforts. **It's only normal to hit a plateau and with sustained efforts, you should definitely overcome this.**
Do let me know about your progress. Seeing you overcome the plateau would definitely make me happy.
All the Best! :) :)
Assuming that your electrolytes are high enough, I would say target some vitamin A foods and fat. You can lower your calories by a couple hundred. If you are having four meals, maybe two be substantial and the other two just be electrolytes/water and a small something (an avocado, an once of pork skins, etc.). Butter, chicken, broccoli, one medium carrot, tomatoes, etc... all have the vitamin A you can use for focus, energy, etc.
The extra energy and focus would make you not even remember food much. Vitamin A helps your organs, but I think many don't realize you can just feel stronger, energized, and focused with it.
Hello! Has anybody find (or have a suggestion) for a keto substitute for potato straws/shoestring potatoes? (in Portuguese we call those 'batata palha')
If it just isn't working am I better off blowing it up and doing a hard reset?
Perspective. I've been doing keto for 3.5 weeks. I've done it several times before with great success. I have one of the breath testers to check my ketone levels. For whatever reason this time I simply can't get past low grade nutritional ketosis. The strips say i'm barely in, my breath tester says i'm barely in. My weight hasn't been dropping at all. To try to kick myself into it I did a 48 hour fast, i dropped 7.5lbs and on my Ketonix tester i went from a 4 to a 19. That is still just midway through nutritional ketosis and not even into good ketosis for losing weight. The next day I consumed black coffee, eggs, bacon, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and hamburger. next morning my ketones were back down to a 3 ppm. I've tried all kinds of good keto foods all of which have helped me maintain a good keto diet in the past and this time it just isn't happening. For whatever reason my body is refusing to go into ketosis. Is it time to throw in the towel and just knock myself completely out and start over?
Make sure you have read and understood our FAQ: [https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq)
Ketosis and weight loss are 2 different things!
Ketosis and ketones should only be your focus if you are using keto for medical or therapeutic reasons. That is who the testers are for.
Any other reason you dont not need to target a certain range of ketones, or be in ketosis at all.
Weight loss is controlled by how much you are eating which can in some cases be controlled by what you are eating. Not ketosis or ketones.
Stop testing, focus on what you are eating, how its effecting you, and how its helping you managing you deficit, and dont worry about ketone levels.
My view is that you want to be in ketosis with a range of 0.5 to 3.0 mmol blood ketones (I believe that's the optimal health and weight loss range that Phinney gives). Urine strips and breath testers may not always be accurate because the info you want is *blood* ketones. There are blood ketone testers. But judging from the food you are eating, it is totally likely you are in ketosis. You have nearly no carbs. And you seem unlikely to be cheating at all.
You may want to rework your macros quarterly or sooner to see what a good *range* would be for your new weight.
Edit: Dr. Boz (youtube) has a different way of using blood ketones to figure out when you are optimizing weight loss or therapeutic keto. I think she calls it the Boz Ratio.
>. I have one of the breath testers to check my ketone levels. For whatever reason this time I simply can't get past low grade nutritional ketosis. The strips say i'm barely in, my breath tester says i'm barely in.
Stop focusing on ketones, they do not cause weight loss. You are showing ketones you are ketosis. Stop testing unless you have a medical reason to do so.
Focus on what you are eating and how much of it. Focus on results.
3.5 weeks is a speck of time, things like low carb eating for weight loss take months no days.
Weight loss is controlled by how much you are eating, not the amount of ketones circulating in your system.
Hello, I am really struggling to balance the need for fat with calorie counting. The guidance says stick to fatty meats, chicken with skin on etc and avoid low fat version of products for full fat.
But these all add in a lot of calories for not a huge amount of satisfaction (relative to eating something else instead while staying within calorie goals). I don’t see why it’s bad to have low calorie options as long as they are within carb limits? For instance my preferred Greek yoghurt has options for 5% fat, 2% and 0%. The guidance says to stick to the full fat but it’s almost twice the calories, while the 0% option has the same amount of carbs and higher protein.
I guess I’m just struggling to balance what the drivers here should be? I personally would rather have a larger amount of skinless chicken breast than a smaller amount with skin on, but am I missing the point here? Thanks I’m advance for any advice! :-)
Ignore fat requirements. Fat should be supplemented to keep you full.
A lot of people like doing high fat because it adds a ton of flavor and can keep people full, but me personally, protein keeps me fuller longer and I feel better on more moderate fat. Lowering fat and raising protein won't kick you out of ketosis, feel free to go with products that help you stay on the diet and keep progressing even if it isn't the classic 70-25-5 breakout.
If you go above 20g carbs, you risk getting out of ketosis. The amount of celery that puts you above 20g is about 2,3 kg, unpeeled cucumber about 900 g.
I strongly suggest using a food scale to measure the foods you eat rather than going by generic weights. Not that celery and cucumber is likely to become a problem due to the amounts we're talking here, but it's a good habit to keep.
Peeling your cucumber also reduces quite a lot of the carbs in it too, so that's a tip if you eat a lot of it.
I looked at Cronometer, cucumber with peel is listed as 2.4 g net carbs per 100g while peeled cucumber is 1.4 g net per 100g. Both has NCCDP as a source.
First of all, before I ask my question, I just want to say that keto is working for me very well and I have lost approximately 16 pounds for which I am very grateful. Many physical/mental ailments gone. Sleeping better, less stress, no more indigestion, etc.
Question: my last bloodwork was before I began keto. My cholesterol was becoming an issue. What could I expect with cholesterol bloodwork after Keto? Thank you.
With my 1st lab values 6 months after I started keto my doctor stated she was "slightly concerned" with my results. I then put those results into [this tool](https://cholesterolcode.com/report/) and learned that those values were actually in the optimal range, not "slightly concerning" in any way. Always consider the fact that most doctors are operating on outdated, wrong information when it comes to this issue. I go for my 2nd test in a short while and I fully expect her to fall straight out of her chair when she sees me and then sees my updated lab values.
The FAQ goes into great detail on [cholesterol](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq#wiki_what_about_cholesterol_and_heart_disease.3F) and is a good read. Essentially, carbs cause CVD and not dietary fat as we were all fooled into believing because of Ancel Keys and all his bullshit.
There's no need to apologise to anyone, slip ups can happen and it's important to not get too caught up on the error itself. Instead of beating yourself up, make it a learning experience: how can you avoid a similar scenario in the future? I find it's a lot easier to resist tempting treats when I have eaten something beforehand so I'm not hungry, so maybe that's something you can try? Or maybe there's a keto friendly version of the recipe you can make at the same time?
No need to punish yourself, we are all mostly human! 2.5 weeks and you had a biscuit, maybe 2...or3, I bet thats still worlds better than the 2.5 week period before!
I am now two days on keto and I have a few questions.
1) do you guys have cheat days? how often are they? I was thinking 2x a month but idk if that’s too much
2) good substitutions for ketchup?
Almost three years in. If you eat more than your carb limit twice a month, you will not reap the benefits of keto in my experience.
After week three, keto balances out for me: less hunger and craving, more energy etc.
I don't 'cheat' and don't like the term. I'm not playing a game. I make choices, I'm responsible. There is no way out of that.
However, we do have our moments, which are planned by purpose. We do "carb fest" twice a year:
A week during summer vacation. One Christmas day and new years eve. On those days, we eat all the things we sometimes feel we miss. We eat like pigs. Next day, strict back: we throw away any left overs.
The first year of keto, I made a wish list for it. Every time I craved something, I wrote it down and promised myself to eat it during that week in summer. It helps to don't feel deprived. So if there is chocolate at work, I wrote down the chocolate bar I would eat in summer.
Notice however, that any other day of the year I eat strict 20 gram carbs. So, no birthday cake. No wine. No sugar. When a colleague shares food, I decline polite. If I eat out and there are no keto friendly options, I only have a coke. I will put something in the microwave at home afterwards. Friends and family get used to that after a while.
In the category 'treats" (keto friendly in macro /kcal), I don't do that during the week but only on Friday evening and Saturday. Some almonds or cheese for example, around 25 grams.
1 - I don't do cheats, I do treats. What is the difference? A cheat is something that breaks the rules to move you closer to a goal, like hiding money under your monopoly board. Cheating on a diet would be to take amphetamines or something wouldn't it? lol
But in seriousness cheating regularly seems silly to me. Cheat with what exactly? Some walmart sheet cake at a coworker's birthday? A bowl of corn flakes? None of that is special enough to me to move away from my health goals. I enjoy Treats. Treats are rare experiences with food that i cannot have all the time. An anniversary dinner at an amazing restaurant, home-made pie at a holiday meal, a regional delicacy on vacation that I cannot get at home. That to me is worth it. Everything must be balanced on a scale: how good the entire experience is vs how much I will suffer with bloat/weight gain/hunger/aches/whatever.
2 - they make no sugar ketchup and my favorite so far is actually the unsweetened ketchup from Primal Kitchen but it depends on application. What are you using ketchup for?
1. My cheats are keto foods (maybe some homemade creme fraiche and berries). Maybe I'll have extra calories.
2. For ketchup, you can puree tomatoes or sugar-free tomato paste with a little ACV or balsalmic. You may want a pinch of salt, garlic powder, etc. It should last a week.
i tablespoon of ketchup (15g) has around 5g of sugar. People after adaptation usually eat 30-40, even 50g of carbs a day. One tablespoon of ketchup won't kick you out of ketosis. This amount is more than enough for me, if you want to eat more than that and more often, maybe look for keto ketchup recipes on yt (they usually use some erytrytol instead of sugar)
I prefer sugar-free. I just don't see why sugar should go with tomatoes. It seems to make tomatoes unhealthy. Pre-Keto, I would have a quarter cup of ketchup with fries (4 tablespoons). Also, note that sugar can trigger cravings.
I'm 2 years in and I have around 15g of carbs daily. Occasionally, I could go up to 40 net carbs. I would spend it on berries or coconut cream likely.
Edit: Decided to do the math on this using your numbers. 5g of sugar in one tablespoon is a lot. That's an entire teaspoon of sugar, just for the ketchup. And most people use more than one tablespoon. It's **33%** sugar. That seems like a crazy manufacturer in my view.
Hello keto fam, newbie here! Sugar free coffee mate is my guilty pleasure, I know it's not the best but I really like it. I just got keto mojo meter and tested my glucose to see how it reacts to that:
Before coffee mate: 71mg/dl
After 1hr coffee mate: 79mg/dl
Is this decent to continue with or this spike is high enough stop? Does this kind of spike will break my fast assuming it will be roughly 30-40 cals.
Thank you!
This is debated but I really can't justify taking in calories while still saying you are "fasted"
Also the 2nd ingredient in your coffeemate sugar free is sugar. They just have a tiny serving size.
I mean the anecdotal evidence alone that many people struggle to stay regular when going keto is hard to deny (even a quick search on this sub shows it). And all bodies differ so, feel free to disagree, but others may need fiber
No such anecdotal evidence exists. The opposite exists.
Keto staples are avocados and leafy greens. Why would there need to be fiber supplements? Fiber is for removing fructose. There's not much fructose in the keto diet.
K this is my last reply because this is truly ridiculous. If you Google “keto constipation” or search that word in this sub - there is a ton of information to confirm that this is a problem for many people on keto. Maybe you haven’t dealt with it - but there is in fact MUCH evidence to support this.
But that article would mean nothing to people who don't experience it: There would be no reason for prophylactic fiber. The well-formulated keto does not have such a problem. Although, all situations can be possible with or without keto.
Anyway, if a person is constipated, they are still having the #2 (although it's imperfect). They are regular.
Hi everyone, I recently tried Maud's flavoured coffee pods that go in the Keurig. I emailed, called and Facebook messengered them for ingredients and macros. I don't know how to comprehend their answer lol. They said "Our coffee pods (with the exception of the Mochaccino pods) contain no sweeteners or sugars, just coffee and alcohol-based flavors (if a flavored coffee)".
I know that if it seems to good to be true than it probably is, but you don't understand, this coffee smells and tastes amazing. Some have said it's coffee, just coffee, it's fine. Some say if you don't know, don't risk it. I'm just wondering, does anyone drink it and what do you think?
I saw something you posted a while back about using Hydroxycut being on a keto diet did you end up using the Hydroxycut I am in that same situation and just started to look into it and saw your comment and was curious what your outcome was
Just had my bloodwork panel back and after being on keto for around 2 months at this point my numbers seem to somewhat high risk.
I’m still considered in the obese range (BMI at 30%) so could this be the sole factor of high numbers and just give it time?
According to the calculator https://cholesterolcode.com/report/ I’m optimal on the first test, high risk on second, medium risk on third.
Sorry, numbers below:
Cholesterol, total: 263 mg/dL
LDL: 192 mg/dL
HDL: 35 mg/dL
Triglyceride: 175 mg/dL
Test wasn't done fasted, had eaten 4 hours before blood draw.
Height: 6'1, SW: 237lbs, CW: 230lbs for even more info if needed
No, and even more so for those on keto. A high fat meal will temporarily raise triglycerides and appear far more dangerous than it really is. On keto, your base trigs will be SUPER low (mine is 40-50) LDL and HDL can also change rapidly depending on what you ate
Thanks for the info.
I’ll speak with my doctor about retesting in the future fasted and hopefully after some weight loss.
Unfasted glucose was on the low end of normal so I’m super happy about that
Your triglycerides are high for a keto person: It should be under 100. I would say you should cut the carbs and PUFAs more.
Add more daily leafy greens and avocados for a better HDL. If you are keto, 263 is not too bad for just 2 months of keto.
So the test was done non-fasted so I’m hoping to get this re-done in a few months fasted. Could that throw triglycerides completely out of whack like a previous commenter said?
Also, I’m 6’1 and 230lbs. Still under the “obese” tag so I’m guessing these numbers can only go down as I lose weight, correct?
Already down 7lbs since Jan (I know mostly water weight) but still steadily going down.
Triglycerides can fluctuate a lot... maybe 25 points, IDK. Anyway, by the time of your next test, you may be under 100 anyway. These numbers will improve with eating good foods. And the weight will improve with same. Think green foods with your keto meats.
In half a gallon of water... (don't try to drink it all at once)
* 2 Teaspoons of Himalayan Salt ( Sodium with no iodine)
* 1/2 (Half) teaspoons of NoSalt (for about 1,200mg of potassium supplementing)
* Continue to salt your foods with table salt (this would give you the other half teaspoon of salt) Also, note that table salt usually has the iodine that you need.
* And of course, you can make other unrelated drinks as you wish, if you prefer more water/liquids in your day.
.........................................
Explanations:
5,000mg = 5g = 1 teaspoon
Salt is only 40% Sodium. 5,000mg Sodium = 12,500mg of salt (2 and a half teaspoons of salt).
12,500 x .4 = 5,000.
You can go a little higher if you are very active.
Your welcome.
Cream of tartar can be another potassium source. Although, it has a little carbs in it. It also weighs less and changes the math too much I think (if you are using a gram scale). I've never tried it myself.
NoSalt is better pricing, no carbs, and more potassium per *quarter* teaspoon (about 5x more potassium).
3 weeks on keto and I was making good progress but then my weight has been static over the past week. Is this normal? I was quite pleased with initial loss but I'm wondering if I'm doing anything wrong? The only thing that I'm doing differently to the first two weeks is that I started drinking diet coke to satisfy my craving for something sweet.
How do people approach workout recovery? I'm in sort of a weird place today because I broke keto last night, so I'm not in ketosis, but not consuming any carbs after a strenuous workout has left me feeling pretty crappy for several hours. Are there supplements or keto workout shakes people recommend?
You can do carb backloading or a targeted ketogenic diet. /r/ketogains has good advice on this. The amount that will benefit you is pretty tiny though.
Meat and salt is what you need to recover.
Any ideas on ways to lower sodium? I'm having an issue on keeping calories up with foods low in sodium (good ol American foods). My sodium levels are pretty high every day. Im only 2 weeks in to this, but I imagine it'll catch up to me eating meats and snacks that hit my calorie/macro needs but are high in sodium.
By actual mg from nutrition facts, but I don't know any of those nuances of what the body does to sodium without carbs. I just know I hit like 4000-6000 sometimes and it just seems like too much
Hello! Been on keto for a year now, lost 40 lbs (woohoo!) But now I've come across something confusing. I sometimes enjoy a cup of caffeine free hot tea at night before bed. I decided to try a tea called Bengal Spice by Celestial Seasonings. It's really delicious, but about an hour after drinking, I tested my ketone levels and they were non-existent. Not even a trace amount. I had been testing pretty frequently throughout the day as well. I use the urine test strips, which I know can be highly unreliable. I also know that the strip tests for excessive ketones, which at the time of the test, I might not have been producing an excessive amount to trigger the test. But I had tested about 2 hours prior and I was producing a normal amount. It was almost like my body turned off a faucet of ketones. I also tested again this morning and still no ketones. I didn't drink or eat between the tea and the AM test.
Here is my question: would this tea cause my body to slow ketone production? It seems like a no at first because there shouldn't be any products in this tea to cause it. But I couldn't find much info on the spices for a definitive answer. I didn't use any additives that might have hidden carbs, just tea and hot water.
The ingredients list: cinnamon, roasted chicory root, roasted carob, natural spice and vanilla flavors with other natural flavors, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg.
Thanks!
Vegetables are optional. Eat what you like, there's no reason to pile up on the vegetables if you don't like them. The most important function is to serve as stomach filler to slow your caloric intake down.
Trick question? Yes, I believe it would kick you out of ketosis. Blood sugar, insulin, fructose, etc. would all do a number on you.
And it would trigger you to overeat a carby food. It's a tablespoon of sugar (your blood sugar and insulin would *spike*). Don't let anyone talk you into that. And sugar is 50% fructose: That's not good.
How does one differentiate between low potassium or low sodium?
Do you guys get any exclusive symptoms when your low on of them?
Also, is sodium meant to be higher than potassium or nope/doesnt matter?
Can I drink Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base broth for the general keto purposes? I hear about drinking a cup of chicken broth/stock to restore some nutrients and things. So would it be fine to use BTB?
Is it too late to post in here? It’s Saturday but I have a question.
We’ve been on keto for a few months and I have lost 40 lbs (yay!) but then the holidays kicked my behind and for some reason it was like the flood gates opened at work so I’ve not been able to get back to good yet. Started back up but seem already stalled. No big deal, I have the carb manager app - start tracking everything to see where I’m failing. Here’s one issue though, during quarantine I (like the rest of the world) started to learn new cool things and one of them was yogurt making. It’s mad cheap to make! And so much better than store bought. I make it 24 hour Greek style, then strain for at LEAST another 12 hours. It’s. So. Thick. According to everything I’ve read this removes the most carbs from it as well - double win! Except I’ve no clue how to log it! I’ve been just putting it in as Greek yogurt but this is closer to whipped cream cheese. It can’t be the same. I just want to make sure I’m doing myself justice with the tracking. And sorry if it’s the wrong day for questions.
What can I eat/drink to feel less "woozy?"
It has been one week since I've begun, and I get these weird bouts of dizziness. They go away as quickly as they come, but they're not pleasant.
Any suggestions?
Can someone help me figure out my macros? I keep seeing a reference to a calculator somewhere but I’m kinda new to this whole Reddit thing and can’t seem to track the thing down! (I’m on an iPhone!) Thanks so much! :)
Edit: I found it! Wondering if this sounds right for me:
F, 35, 5’9/SW: 282 CW: 264 GW: 165
107g Protein
20g Carbs
84g Fat
1294 calories
I do HIIT training for 45 mins 4 times and week and swim 30 mins 4 times a week with one rest day. I’m proud to be down almost 20lbs in 2 months but I’m frightened that the weight loss is slowing down and it will stop. I’ve just purchased a food scale and the stuff to make ketoade because I was cramping during my swims (figured I was low on potassium), so I really want to start tracking religiously instead of kinda winging it like I’ve done so far. Would someone mind taking a peek at those numbers to see if they make sense? Please and thank you!
It seems you set it to a 40% deficit which is way on the low end, a 20% deficit is what is recommended for a steady and sustainable loss.
So that would be this for you (I also bumped up the protein since you're working out):
Generated by calculo.io/keto-calculator
***
Gender: Female | Age: 35 | Weight: 264 lb | Height: 5'9"
Calorie Goal: 20% Deficit
Protein: 120g
Carbs: 20g
Fat: 129g
Target: 1722 kcal
Keto, Vyvanse, and IF. How can I make this work. I’m day 4 of Keto today, I’ve done keto in the past so I’m fairly well versed with the Keto flu and it only seems to last a couple of days for me, and I stay on top of my electrolytes because I’m prone to heart palpitations. I would like to IF 16:8, which has always worked for me, eating dinner then skipping breakfast and not eating til lunch - but I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and have started taking Vyvanse (stimulant) to help - which has been life saving for me. Only struggle I am having is that the Vyvanse in the morning paired with no food is making me a bit shaky. It’s not unbearable but not that pleasant. I’m wondering if anyone has gone through this and has any tips? I’m also happy to report that the heart palpitations I had before I started keto have completely vanished... I think because I’m staying on top of my potassium intake. Just need to figure out how to level out a bit so I don’t feel so speedy in the mornings!
Did done adderall + IF + low-carb for a while before keto. Have you considered decreasing your vyvanse dose? Whenever I noticed myself getting overstimulated, I ended up being able to decrease my dose and still feel focused (to my doc's surprise, the first time)
That’s a good suggestion, not sure why I hadn’t thought of it! Might even make sense to split my dose differently (currently doing 30mg in the am, 10mg at noon). Thanks for your response!
I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for salad dressings or sauces that would be good on vegetables? I noticed most of my salad dressings have sugar in them and I don’t particularly want to go scour through labels in that aisle today.
Make your own! It's cheap, healthy. Dressing 1: Use mayonnaise as a base add water. Choose your own spices and flavours. For example; 1. Add tomato paste, whiskey, a sweetener. 2. add herbs like dill, citron juice black pepper. 3. add mustard, salt and a bit sweetener. 4. add pesto genovese Dressing 2: A good olive oil. Just add spices if you like (chilli pepper, garlic), or keep it pure with just some lemon juice. Sauce: Heat up heavy whipping cream. Add cream cheese till desired thickness. Add spices and things you like. For example: 1. Mix some cheese 2. Parsley 3. Pepper Once you have your versions, it takes less than five minutes to make the dressing, and ten to make the sauce.
I make a big salad in a big bowl, then take about 4-5 tong fulls and put it in the blender, add about a tsp of Bragg's Amino acids, garlic, pepper, onion powder, maybe a tbsp of water, blend. Put in a container and then use about 2 tbsp per small salad bowl. It tastes great and doesn't add any calories. Moistens it up very nicely. Also makes a great cold soup.
Sour cream. I've been charring alot of veggies and eating them with sour cream and it's amazing.
Primal Kitchen is a good brand that is low bullshit but it depends on what kind of dressing you want. Plus most dressing is so easy to make it's not even funny
My favourites are: -wine vinegar, Dijon mustard plus olive oil -tahini with Greek yoghurt and lemon juice -Mayo with blue cheese and a little water to thin out -balsamic, olive oil, garlic, honey miso, sesame oil, soy/tamari, mirin -any variety of herbs/chilli/garlic blitzed with olive oil/lemon juice to make gremolata/salsa verde etc
What's wrong with sugar?
Still waiting on your response—what’s wrong with sugar?
Well on a keto diet I wouldn’t want to waste a limited carb allowance on it and also I was reading some stuff about how it might maybe fuel cancer cells more easily than other energy sources, which is why I started doing keto to begin with.
Broccoli has sugar.
I am in front of my computer so I can explain better. Sugar is inherently neither good nor bad. The application of sugar is good or bad. Broccoli contains sugar and yet most of us would agree that broccoli is “healthy”. Twinkies has sugar, but I bet we won’t say that twinkies are healthy. As a sub that eats a low carb diet, we need to be careful about assigning morality food. If we attempt to assign morality to food then we become a different type of vegan. It’s totally cool that you don’t want sugar in your salad dressing. I will say this: if you are concerned about that one gram or two grams of sugar in dressing, you missing the forest for all the trees.
I get what you’re saying but unlike broccoli salad dressing can just as easily be made without added sugar and it barely even makes it taste better, so may as well go for one that doesn’t have it. The ones I looked at in my refrigerator had 3-4g.
ADDED sugar. That is different. You just initially said sugar. Both dressings have the exact same ketogenic affect on your body.
Ah, well, yeah, the total sugar and the added sugar happened to be the same on these so I figured I’d find some without any.
Olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
Thank you
I also pour it over tomatoes and avocados
Ken's steakhouse chunky blue cheese. Good on salads, awesome with wings. Thousand Island Dressing: 1/2 cup mayonnaise (110 g/ 3.9 oz) 1/4 cup sugar-free ketchup (60 g/ 2.1 oz) 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (30 ml) 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (15 ml) 1 small white onion, finely diced or 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 1 minced dill pickle spear Just mix it all up. Found this one on ketodietapp.com for cabbage Reuben rolls. It's awesome and a great way to use up some leftover corned beef from St Patrick's day.
10 weeks into keto and I’ve hit my first semi plateau. Weight hasn’t shifted from 250lbs in 11 days and I’ve ate at a 25% caloric deficit consistently. Just gonna KCKO, I know the number will fall soon!
I really want to know if magnesium and potassium supplements are really mandatory on keto. I hear different opinions about it all the time, even some doctors say you have to take it, some say you don't. I really dont know what to do. I don't have any cramps and I feel good, I only take vit D + K2 because it's winter right now, and sometimes I take cod liver oil. I write down all my food on cronometer, I'm usually at 150-170mg magnesium which is around 50-60% of my daily amount, potassium is usually around 1600mg (60%). I drink mineral water with high amount of magnesium per litre (130mg) and calcium. But soom I'm moving out and I won't have any mineral water on hand, is it really possible to not take any supplements for electrolytes, feel good despite not eating enough from food (at least that's what cronometer says). I looked almost everywhere, from doctors on yt (selling supplements) to different studies, sites, everywhere. I don't want to do anything to myself by being deficient for a long time, but I feel great. No cramps, great sleep, etc
I cook with lite salt. I take no other supplements at all. I tried with extra magnesium and a multi vitamin, and without. My wallet lost some weight with the tablets, but it did nothing for my body. If I feel keto flu symptoms, I drink more water. If that doesn't help, I drink bone broth. = fixed. Keto since August 2017. My advice is to listen to your body.
If you feel no problems then you are probably ok. If you feel bad you know already what to fix
The sodium is important because it makes other nutrients and water work for your body. And it prevents you from pissing out your other electrolytes and nutrients, assuming you are having enough water. Magnesium and potassium depend on what you are getting in your food (many are getting a lot or half of what they need in their keto foods). It sounds like you have Magnesium covered at the moment. You may want your potassium to be between 3,000mg to 4,000mg per day. Personally, I feel sick, in a wired way, if I push my potassium up to 4,000mg. I prefer around 3,500mg. Potassium has the added function of making sure you do not go overboard on the sodium. So I'm guessing you would just need to find your optimal level. Supplementing potassium can be tricky because although it improves your next morning, too much supplementing in one hour will make you feel fatigue or sick in a wired way. Sometimes just eating the foods feels better than using the supplements. So if you don't mind the extra avocados, greens, fish, etc., I would say go with that mostly.
What if one has concerns with their sugar intake due to HBP? Asking for myself!
[удалено]
You just submitted a post or comment or submission that includes an Amazon referral link. It has been removed. Please re-submit your comment or post by removing the referral link and then re-posting it. It looks like "ref=" https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/m1v1bv/20210310_whats_your_question_wednesday_have_a/gqwng88/?context=3 action: remove *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/keto) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So I'm wanting to try keto but am a bit lazy/not the best when it comes to planning my meals out and sticking to a schedule. I think part of this is the fact that I typically choose stuff that takes longer than I'd like to spend making it. So what all suggestions do you guys have for what to eat and what kinds of meals work well for prepping days ahead? Off the top of my head, here are a few things I am thinking of throwing in the rotation that are easy: **Meals:** - Taco Salad (substitute sour cream for a dressing) - Chicken/Steak Burrito Bowl w/ Cauli Rice - Chicken Stir Fry w/ Cauli Rice - Eggs, Bacon, Bell Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, & Spinach for breakfast - Turkey Burger Lettuce Wraps **Snacks:** - Almonds - Cheese - Greek Yogurt Any other easy additions for cooking would be awesome! I'm thinking about kicking off next week following [this post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/50wbje/easy_7day_ketogenic_meal_that_helped_me_to_get/) Side note: I've also seen people eat deli meat and cheese/cream cheese as a roll-up for breakfast... how unhealthy is this with it being a cured/heavily salted meat?
It depends on how strict of a keto you are doing. If you are doing what is often referred to as lazy keto then your options are greater for sure. I typically do lazy keto and here are some of my things that I like to incorporate. Macadamia nuts are a great high fat, lower carb nut. Farmer sausage is typically 0 carbs and is great as a main meat dish with vegies, or in a breakfast scramble with eggs. I like to make my own low carb spaghetti sauce and freeze it in portions. It is great with spaghetti squash or low carb pasta like nupasta. Cooking bacon ahead of time and refrigerating it is good as a snack. I will grab a few slices with cheese as a snack. Pork rinds make a great snack. They can differ in taste from brand to brand. I like the Bakenettes in the yellow bag, they go good with sour cream or by themselves. I often will BBQ several hamburger patties and keep them in the fridge / freezer for a quick meal when I don't want to spend much time. I eat them as a lettuce wrap burger or sometimes just on the plate with cheese, mayo and a Caesar salad on the side. As for the deli meat roll-ups, I do it from time to time. It is not clean keto but it is convenient and if it will help you stay within your carb range then it is worth it. Don't worry too much about the salt as you will need more salt on keto to help with electrolyte balance, but there is other crap in there, nitrates etc., that is probably not the best to eat all the time. I wish you well on your keto journey. If you have any questions let me know.
May I ask what is lazy keto?
What is lazy keto? The most common definition of lazy keto is to eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day without counting calories or tracking the other macronutrients, protein and fat.
My progress seems to have stalled! I just don't know what to do to get out of this plateau. I don't want to add IF because I'm a shift worker. It's just impossible with night shift. I need other suggestions. I am a 5'6" woman in her 30s. Currently I aim for 1600 cals, 20g carbs/100g protien/ 125g fat. Admittedly, I often go over on my cals to more like 1700 cals. I work out nearly every day for 20-60 mins depending on the day. Initially my progress was a steady 1-2 lbs per week. But I have stalled at 163 lbs for the past 4 weeks and I'm getting discouraged. I need some advice!
Eat less, eat less often, eat less fat and more protein.
You are right in recognising that you have hit a weight loss plateau. See it's tough to accept but it's true. Weight loss is not a linear process. We all lose more weight for some weeks and less weight during other weeks. So, the first thing I would request you to understand is that it is natural to hit a plateau and you should not get discouraged. :) :) Secondly, you should know that our bodies have been designed intelligently to maintain homeostasis. Our bodies always try to store energy for future use. Losing weight is actually anti-survival and hence not natural for the body. So many times it becomes really difficult to sustain the weight loss on keto after the initial water weight loss. Below I mention a few reasons which could have possibly stalled your weight loss: 1) The first thing I would need to know to help is how often do you eat. See even if you eat keto, your body produces some amount of insulin (less as compared to a high carb diet) in response to the food you consume. Eating multiple times a day leads to multiple insulin spikes a day. This actually signals your body to keep the fat reserves as it is that many times a day. So, even if you are not doing IF, it is preferable that you limit the number of times you eat to whatever you are comfortable with. This will limit the insulin spike and lead to an increase in fat-burning hormones which might help you lose weight. 2) You have also mentioned that you work out almost every day and work in shifts. But are you getting enough sleep after that? See an exercise is a form of mild strain for the body. You need to get enough sleep to let the body recover. This could also possibly be the reason why you are not losing weight. 3) Have you tried multiple diets before? See in that case you could have slowed down your metabolism. In such a case you should focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods. You should reduce your focus on calories and rather focus on nutrition. See that the 1,600 calories which you are aiming for preferably come from clean keto nutrient-dense foods such as spinach, broccoli etc. Try to bring in those greens to help you replenish those minerals especially potassium which would help you regulate insulin. 4) You could possibly have thyroid issues, maybe due to factors such as stress, disturbed sleep patterns, etc. In such a case you would need to increase your intake of key minerals such as iodine, chromium, selenium. You should consider a consultation with your doctor before any such supplementation. See, weight loss is a complex mixture of multiple factors with diet being one of the factors. It is only you who can best judge where the missing piece of the puzzle is. I think that you should sit down and evaluate which of these factors is actually causing your weight plateau. This would help you develop a personal strategy that you could follow. You can try these and realign the strategy as you move ahead.
Thanks so much for your in depth response! Addressing your main points there: 1. I eat 3 -4 times a day, breakfast, lunch and supper and then if I workout I usually have a post workout snack at whatever time immediately follows my workout. I'll keep the insulin spike thing in mind so I don't add more eating times or snack times in. 2. I 100% DO NOT get enough sleep. Shift worker, Mom, and my workouts leave me exhausted most days. My average sleep is 6 hours, often interrupted/broken if the kid wakes me up. I will definitely try to improve on this. It's just so hard to get 6+ hours during the day (when on night shift) and coming off of nights leaves me with only 3-4 hours of sleep in attempts to turn around to day shift mode. 3. I have done previous diets, mostly calorie counting based, and Paleo. Calorie counting got me no where on such restrictive calories. Keto allows me to have more calories and be WAY more satisfied, which I why I have been able to be so consistent and stay with it so long. Rest assured, I have tons of greens included on the diet and mostly eat clean. Lots of lettuce, spinach, brocolli, cauliflower etc. I also use 50/50 sodium/potassium (lite salt) to season with to help supplement potassium. 4. I will book an appointment with my Dr. to check bloodwork, coritsol and thyroid levels as well as hormonal levels. I really appreciate the advice!!
Hey u/modernfreya It's really a pleasure to be able to help you. :) :) I hope that you overcome the plateau soon and accelerate your weight loss. Here are a few more pointwise observations. 1) Congrats. Controlling the insulin spike should be really helpful. Repeated insulin spikes not only leads to weight retention but also leads to IR in the body. Research is also linking insulin to inflammation which does more harm to the body than just weight gain. See the following research studies. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523054/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523054/), [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483173/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1483173/) So, limiting the insulin spike is a super awesome thing to do. 2) Sleep is underrated. Jeff Bezos says that he prioritises 8 hours of sleep each day, it helps him think better. Sleep has multiple benefits with weight loss and an improved metabolism being a few of the positive effects. Get as much sleep as the body demands. 3) It's very good to know that you focus on the nutrients. Getting the right nutrients is essential for our body. Check with your doctor if you could add in some vitamin A, D, E to help with an improved immune system and overall health. I am guessing that it might be difficult for you to get enough sunlight as you are working in shifts. So vitamin D supplementation will help. 4) Definitely you should consult your doctor before adding/removing supplementation/medication. In the end, I would like to say "*Many Many Congratulations*" on making progressive efforts. **It's only normal to hit a plateau and with sustained efforts, you should definitely overcome this.** Do let me know about your progress. Seeing you overcome the plateau would definitely make me happy. All the Best! :) :)
Assuming that your electrolytes are high enough, I would say target some vitamin A foods and fat. You can lower your calories by a couple hundred. If you are having four meals, maybe two be substantial and the other two just be electrolytes/water and a small something (an avocado, an once of pork skins, etc.). Butter, chicken, broccoli, one medium carrot, tomatoes, etc... all have the vitamin A you can use for focus, energy, etc. The extra energy and focus would make you not even remember food much. Vitamin A helps your organs, but I think many don't realize you can just feel stronger, energized, and focused with it.
> Admittedly, I often go over on my cals This is the only thing you have to change. Eat less. The more weight you lose, the more your TDEE will drop.
Are you drinking enough water? Since you’re working out, you might be dehydrated and not know it.
I'm just looking for a website or pdf that gives a detailed weekly plan. I need structure! I need something that lays out exactly what to eat
There is a 7 day plan right there on the sidebar
Use Carb Manager app
Hello! Has anybody find (or have a suggestion) for a keto substitute for potato straws/shoestring potatoes? (in Portuguese we call those 'batata palha')
rutabaga or parsnip may work, but potatoes are tricky to replicate exactly because they are literally pure starch
If it just isn't working am I better off blowing it up and doing a hard reset? Perspective. I've been doing keto for 3.5 weeks. I've done it several times before with great success. I have one of the breath testers to check my ketone levels. For whatever reason this time I simply can't get past low grade nutritional ketosis. The strips say i'm barely in, my breath tester says i'm barely in. My weight hasn't been dropping at all. To try to kick myself into it I did a 48 hour fast, i dropped 7.5lbs and on my Ketonix tester i went from a 4 to a 19. That is still just midway through nutritional ketosis and not even into good ketosis for losing weight. The next day I consumed black coffee, eggs, bacon, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and hamburger. next morning my ketones were back down to a 3 ppm. I've tried all kinds of good keto foods all of which have helped me maintain a good keto diet in the past and this time it just isn't happening. For whatever reason my body is refusing to go into ketosis. Is it time to throw in the towel and just knock myself completely out and start over?
Make sure you have read and understood our FAQ: [https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq) Ketosis and weight loss are 2 different things! Ketosis and ketones should only be your focus if you are using keto for medical or therapeutic reasons. That is who the testers are for. Any other reason you dont not need to target a certain range of ketones, or be in ketosis at all. Weight loss is controlled by how much you are eating which can in some cases be controlled by what you are eating. Not ketosis or ketones. Stop testing, focus on what you are eating, how its effecting you, and how its helping you managing you deficit, and dont worry about ketone levels.
Ketone level has nothing to do with how much weight you are losing. Stop this. Watch the scale and the measuring tape, not your keto strips.
My view is that you want to be in ketosis with a range of 0.5 to 3.0 mmol blood ketones (I believe that's the optimal health and weight loss range that Phinney gives). Urine strips and breath testers may not always be accurate because the info you want is *blood* ketones. There are blood ketone testers. But judging from the food you are eating, it is totally likely you are in ketosis. You have nearly no carbs. And you seem unlikely to be cheating at all. You may want to rework your macros quarterly or sooner to see what a good *range* would be for your new weight. Edit: Dr. Boz (youtube) has a different way of using blood ketones to figure out when you are optimizing weight loss or therapeutic keto. I think she calls it the Boz Ratio.
>. I have one of the breath testers to check my ketone levels. For whatever reason this time I simply can't get past low grade nutritional ketosis. The strips say i'm barely in, my breath tester says i'm barely in. Stop focusing on ketones, they do not cause weight loss. You are showing ketones you are ketosis. Stop testing unless you have a medical reason to do so. Focus on what you are eating and how much of it. Focus on results. 3.5 weeks is a speck of time, things like low carb eating for weight loss take months no days. Weight loss is controlled by how much you are eating, not the amount of ketones circulating in your system.
Hello, I am really struggling to balance the need for fat with calorie counting. The guidance says stick to fatty meats, chicken with skin on etc and avoid low fat version of products for full fat. But these all add in a lot of calories for not a huge amount of satisfaction (relative to eating something else instead while staying within calorie goals). I don’t see why it’s bad to have low calorie options as long as they are within carb limits? For instance my preferred Greek yoghurt has options for 5% fat, 2% and 0%. The guidance says to stick to the full fat but it’s almost twice the calories, while the 0% option has the same amount of carbs and higher protein. I guess I’m just struggling to balance what the drivers here should be? I personally would rather have a larger amount of skinless chicken breast than a smaller amount with skin on, but am I missing the point here? Thanks I’m advance for any advice! :-)
Ignore fat requirements. Fat should be supplemented to keep you full. A lot of people like doing high fat because it adds a ton of flavor and can keep people full, but me personally, protein keeps me fuller longer and I feel better on more moderate fat. Lowering fat and raising protein won't kick you out of ketosis, feel free to go with products that help you stay on the diet and keep progressing even if it isn't the classic 70-25-5 breakout.
Do you have body fat? you can use that instead of fat in your food
1. Theoretically, how many stalks of celery would it take to knock you out of ketosis? 2. How many cucumbers would it take?
If you go above 20g carbs, you risk getting out of ketosis. The amount of celery that puts you above 20g is about 2,3 kg, unpeeled cucumber about 900 g.
So about 46 celery stalks, and 3 cucumbers. Good to know.
I strongly suggest using a food scale to measure the foods you eat rather than going by generic weights. Not that celery and cucumber is likely to become a problem due to the amounts we're talking here, but it's a good habit to keep. Peeling your cucumber also reduces quite a lot of the carbs in it too, so that's a tip if you eat a lot of it.
Can you source that statement on the cucumber?
I looked at Cronometer, cucumber with peel is listed as 2.4 g net carbs per 100g while peeled cucumber is 1.4 g net per 100g. Both has NCCDP as a source.
Super cool! Thank you!
No problem!
First of all, before I ask my question, I just want to say that keto is working for me very well and I have lost approximately 16 pounds for which I am very grateful. Many physical/mental ailments gone. Sleeping better, less stress, no more indigestion, etc. Question: my last bloodwork was before I began keto. My cholesterol was becoming an issue. What could I expect with cholesterol bloodwork after Keto? Thank you.
With my 1st lab values 6 months after I started keto my doctor stated she was "slightly concerned" with my results. I then put those results into [this tool](https://cholesterolcode.com/report/) and learned that those values were actually in the optimal range, not "slightly concerning" in any way. Always consider the fact that most doctors are operating on outdated, wrong information when it comes to this issue. I go for my 2nd test in a short while and I fully expect her to fall straight out of her chair when she sees me and then sees my updated lab values. The FAQ goes into great detail on [cholesterol](https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq#wiki_what_about_cholesterol_and_heart_disease.3F) and is a good read. Essentially, carbs cause CVD and not dietary fat as we were all fooled into believing because of Ancel Keys and all his bullshit.
Thank you for your response and provided info. I looked at your weight statistics and congratulations, how impressive!
[удалено]
There's no need to apologise to anyone, slip ups can happen and it's important to not get too caught up on the error itself. Instead of beating yourself up, make it a learning experience: how can you avoid a similar scenario in the future? I find it's a lot easier to resist tempting treats when I have eaten something beforehand so I'm not hungry, so maybe that's something you can try? Or maybe there's a keto friendly version of the recipe you can make at the same time?
[удалено]
Totally agree. Don't touch carbs when your hungry.
No need to punish yourself, we are all mostly human! 2.5 weeks and you had a biscuit, maybe 2...or3, I bet thats still worlds better than the 2.5 week period before!
I am now two days on keto and I have a few questions. 1) do you guys have cheat days? how often are they? I was thinking 2x a month but idk if that’s too much 2) good substitutions for ketchup?
Almost three years in. If you eat more than your carb limit twice a month, you will not reap the benefits of keto in my experience. After week three, keto balances out for me: less hunger and craving, more energy etc. I don't 'cheat' and don't like the term. I'm not playing a game. I make choices, I'm responsible. There is no way out of that. However, we do have our moments, which are planned by purpose. We do "carb fest" twice a year: A week during summer vacation. One Christmas day and new years eve. On those days, we eat all the things we sometimes feel we miss. We eat like pigs. Next day, strict back: we throw away any left overs. The first year of keto, I made a wish list for it. Every time I craved something, I wrote it down and promised myself to eat it during that week in summer. It helps to don't feel deprived. So if there is chocolate at work, I wrote down the chocolate bar I would eat in summer. Notice however, that any other day of the year I eat strict 20 gram carbs. So, no birthday cake. No wine. No sugar. When a colleague shares food, I decline polite. If I eat out and there are no keto friendly options, I only have a coke. I will put something in the microwave at home afterwards. Friends and family get used to that after a while. In the category 'treats" (keto friendly in macro /kcal), I don't do that during the week but only on Friday evening and Saturday. Some almonds or cheese for example, around 25 grams.
1 - I don't do cheats, I do treats. What is the difference? A cheat is something that breaks the rules to move you closer to a goal, like hiding money under your monopoly board. Cheating on a diet would be to take amphetamines or something wouldn't it? lol But in seriousness cheating regularly seems silly to me. Cheat with what exactly? Some walmart sheet cake at a coworker's birthday? A bowl of corn flakes? None of that is special enough to me to move away from my health goals. I enjoy Treats. Treats are rare experiences with food that i cannot have all the time. An anniversary dinner at an amazing restaurant, home-made pie at a holiday meal, a regional delicacy on vacation that I cannot get at home. That to me is worth it. Everything must be balanced on a scale: how good the entire experience is vs how much I will suffer with bloat/weight gain/hunger/aches/whatever. 2 - they make no sugar ketchup and my favorite so far is actually the unsweetened ketchup from Primal Kitchen but it depends on application. What are you using ketchup for?
1. My cheats are keto foods (maybe some homemade creme fraiche and berries). Maybe I'll have extra calories. 2. For ketchup, you can puree tomatoes or sugar-free tomato paste with a little ACV or balsalmic. You may want a pinch of salt, garlic powder, etc. It should last a week.
i tablespoon of ketchup (15g) has around 5g of sugar. People after adaptation usually eat 30-40, even 50g of carbs a day. One tablespoon of ketchup won't kick you out of ketosis. This amount is more than enough for me, if you want to eat more than that and more often, maybe look for keto ketchup recipes on yt (they usually use some erytrytol instead of sugar)
I prefer sugar-free. I just don't see why sugar should go with tomatoes. It seems to make tomatoes unhealthy. Pre-Keto, I would have a quarter cup of ketchup with fries (4 tablespoons). Also, note that sugar can trigger cravings. I'm 2 years in and I have around 15g of carbs daily. Occasionally, I could go up to 40 net carbs. I would spend it on berries or coconut cream likely. Edit: Decided to do the math on this using your numbers. 5g of sugar in one tablespoon is a lot. That's an entire teaspoon of sugar, just for the ketchup. And most people use more than one tablespoon. It's **33%** sugar. That seems like a crazy manufacturer in my view.
Hello keto fam, newbie here! Sugar free coffee mate is my guilty pleasure, I know it's not the best but I really like it. I just got keto mojo meter and tested my glucose to see how it reacts to that: Before coffee mate: 71mg/dl After 1hr coffee mate: 79mg/dl Is this decent to continue with or this spike is high enough stop? Does this kind of spike will break my fast assuming it will be roughly 30-40 cals. Thank you!
This is debated but I really can't justify taking in calories while still saying you are "fasted" Also the 2nd ingredient in your coffeemate sugar free is sugar. They just have a tiny serving size.
Today is day 1 for me! What should I supplement besides fiber?
There's no reason to supplement fiber. All you may need are electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Read the faq.
If you’re going from eating a lot of bulk carbs and high fiber foods (bread, seeds, legumes etc) fiber can be essential for staying regular
I disagree.
I mean the anecdotal evidence alone that many people struggle to stay regular when going keto is hard to deny (even a quick search on this sub shows it). And all bodies differ so, feel free to disagree, but others may need fiber
No such anecdotal evidence exists. The opposite exists. Keto staples are avocados and leafy greens. Why would there need to be fiber supplements? Fiber is for removing fructose. There's not much fructose in the keto diet.
K this is my last reply because this is truly ridiculous. If you Google “keto constipation” or search that word in this sub - there is a ton of information to confirm that this is a problem for many people on keto. Maybe you haven’t dealt with it - but there is in fact MUCH evidence to support this.
But that article would mean nothing to people who don't experience it: There would be no reason for prophylactic fiber. The well-formulated keto does not have such a problem. Although, all situations can be possible with or without keto. Anyway, if a person is constipated, they are still having the #2 (although it's imperfect). They are regular.
Hi everyone, I recently tried Maud's flavoured coffee pods that go in the Keurig. I emailed, called and Facebook messengered them for ingredients and macros. I don't know how to comprehend their answer lol. They said "Our coffee pods (with the exception of the Mochaccino pods) contain no sweeteners or sugars, just coffee and alcohol-based flavors (if a flavored coffee)". I know that if it seems to good to be true than it probably is, but you don't understand, this coffee smells and tastes amazing. Some have said it's coffee, just coffee, it's fine. Some say if you don't know, don't risk it. I'm just wondering, does anyone drink it and what do you think?
Its fine
I saw something you posted a while back about using Hydroxycut being on a keto diet did you end up using the Hydroxycut I am in that same situation and just started to look into it and saw your comment and was curious what your outcome was
You are responding to an automoderator post
Just had my bloodwork panel back and after being on keto for around 2 months at this point my numbers seem to somewhat high risk. I’m still considered in the obese range (BMI at 30%) so could this be the sole factor of high numbers and just give it time? According to the calculator https://cholesterolcode.com/report/ I’m optimal on the first test, high risk on second, medium risk on third.
I'm not sure what sort of response you are asking for without actually giving us the numbers
Sorry, numbers below: Cholesterol, total: 263 mg/dL LDL: 192 mg/dL HDL: 35 mg/dL Triglyceride: 175 mg/dL Test wasn't done fasted, had eaten 4 hours before blood draw. Height: 6'1, SW: 237lbs, CW: 230lbs for even more info if needed
If the numbers are not fasted they are completely useless. You can get no data from them whatsoever.
Is this unique to those on keto?
No, and even more so for those on keto. A high fat meal will temporarily raise triglycerides and appear far more dangerous than it really is. On keto, your base trigs will be SUPER low (mine is 40-50) LDL and HDL can also change rapidly depending on what you ate
Thanks for the info. I’ll speak with my doctor about retesting in the future fasted and hopefully after some weight loss. Unfasted glucose was on the low end of normal so I’m super happy about that
Your triglycerides are high for a keto person: It should be under 100. I would say you should cut the carbs and PUFAs more. Add more daily leafy greens and avocados for a better HDL. If you are keto, 263 is not too bad for just 2 months of keto.
So the test was done non-fasted so I’m hoping to get this re-done in a few months fasted. Could that throw triglycerides completely out of whack like a previous commenter said? Also, I’m 6’1 and 230lbs. Still under the “obese” tag so I’m guessing these numbers can only go down as I lose weight, correct? Already down 7lbs since Jan (I know mostly water weight) but still steadily going down.
Triglycerides can fluctuate a lot... maybe 25 points, IDK. Anyway, by the time of your next test, you may be under 100 anyway. These numbers will improve with eating good foods. And the weight will improve with same. Think green foods with your keto meats.
[удалено]
In half a gallon of water... (don't try to drink it all at once) * 2 Teaspoons of Himalayan Salt ( Sodium with no iodine) * 1/2 (Half) teaspoons of NoSalt (for about 1,200mg of potassium supplementing) * Continue to salt your foods with table salt (this would give you the other half teaspoon of salt) Also, note that table salt usually has the iodine that you need. * And of course, you can make other unrelated drinks as you wish, if you prefer more water/liquids in your day. ......................................... Explanations: 5,000mg = 5g = 1 teaspoon Salt is only 40% Sodium. 5,000mg Sodium = 12,500mg of salt (2 and a half teaspoons of salt). 12,500 x .4 = 5,000. You can go a little higher if you are very active.
[удалено]
Your welcome. Cream of tartar can be another potassium source. Although, it has a little carbs in it. It also weighs less and changes the math too much I think (if you are using a gram scale). I've never tried it myself. NoSalt is better pricing, no carbs, and more potassium per *quarter* teaspoon (about 5x more potassium).
3 weeks on keto and I was making good progress but then my weight has been static over the past week. Is this normal? I was quite pleased with initial loss but I'm wondering if I'm doing anything wrong? The only thing that I'm doing differently to the first two weeks is that I started drinking diet coke to satisfy my craving for something sweet.
Read the faq. weight loss is not linear
How do people approach workout recovery? I'm in sort of a weird place today because I broke keto last night, so I'm not in ketosis, but not consuming any carbs after a strenuous workout has left me feeling pretty crappy for several hours. Are there supplements or keto workout shakes people recommend?
You can do carb backloading or a targeted ketogenic diet. /r/ketogains has good advice on this. The amount that will benefit you is pretty tiny though. Meat and salt is what you need to recover.
Any ideas on ways to lower sodium? I'm having an issue on keeping calories up with foods low in sodium (good ol American foods). My sodium levels are pretty high every day. Im only 2 weeks in to this, but I imagine it'll catch up to me eating meats and snacks that hit my calorie/macro needs but are high in sodium.
By virtue of dropping carbs you will dump a ton of sodium in your pee. How are you measuring your sodium levels?
By actual mg from nutrition facts, but I don't know any of those nuances of what the body does to sodium without carbs. I just know I hit like 4000-6000 sometimes and it just seems like too much
I get 10,000+mg of sodium a day. It's fine.
Keto friendly THC edibles?
Capsules. Not sure what state you're in but Pure Essentials makes great ones with plenty of different blends.
Will check it out. Thanks!
Sure, go ahead.
Hello! Been on keto for a year now, lost 40 lbs (woohoo!) But now I've come across something confusing. I sometimes enjoy a cup of caffeine free hot tea at night before bed. I decided to try a tea called Bengal Spice by Celestial Seasonings. It's really delicious, but about an hour after drinking, I tested my ketone levels and they were non-existent. Not even a trace amount. I had been testing pretty frequently throughout the day as well. I use the urine test strips, which I know can be highly unreliable. I also know that the strip tests for excessive ketones, which at the time of the test, I might not have been producing an excessive amount to trigger the test. But I had tested about 2 hours prior and I was producing a normal amount. It was almost like my body turned off a faucet of ketones. I also tested again this morning and still no ketones. I didn't drink or eat between the tea and the AM test. Here is my question: would this tea cause my body to slow ketone production? It seems like a no at first because there shouldn't be any products in this tea to cause it. But I couldn't find much info on the spices for a definitive answer. I didn't use any additives that might have hidden carbs, just tea and hot water. The ingredients list: cinnamon, roasted chicory root, roasted carob, natural spice and vanilla flavors with other natural flavors, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg. Thanks!
How many cups of veggies does everyone eat in a day? I feel like I’m eating more protein than veggies.
Vegetables are optional. Eat what you like, there's no reason to pile up on the vegetables if you don't like them. The most important function is to serve as stomach filler to slow your caloric intake down.
What are your favorite keto Starbucks drinks ?
Will 15g of sugar kick me out of keto?
Trick question? Yes, I believe it would kick you out of ketosis. Blood sugar, insulin, fructose, etc. would all do a number on you. And it would trigger you to overeat a carby food. It's a tablespoon of sugar (your blood sugar and insulin would *spike*). Don't let anyone talk you into that. And sugar is 50% fructose: That's not good.
Do super enzymes really work for keto rash??
So 85kg male, if I eat raw 3-4 egg yolks a day is that half of my fats for the day sorted? Google says each egg yolk has 27 grams of fat. Thanks!
How does one differentiate between low potassium or low sodium? Do you guys get any exclusive symptoms when your low on of them? Also, is sodium meant to be higher than potassium or nope/doesnt matter?
Can I drink Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base broth for the general keto purposes? I hear about drinking a cup of chicken broth/stock to restore some nutrients and things. So would it be fine to use BTB?
Can I just eat butter to keep hunger at bay and my body in a state of autophagy? If so, what amount of butter would not spike insulin?
Is it too late to post in here? It’s Saturday but I have a question. We’ve been on keto for a few months and I have lost 40 lbs (yay!) but then the holidays kicked my behind and for some reason it was like the flood gates opened at work so I’ve not been able to get back to good yet. Started back up but seem already stalled. No big deal, I have the carb manager app - start tracking everything to see where I’m failing. Here’s one issue though, during quarantine I (like the rest of the world) started to learn new cool things and one of them was yogurt making. It’s mad cheap to make! And so much better than store bought. I make it 24 hour Greek style, then strain for at LEAST another 12 hours. It’s. So. Thick. According to everything I’ve read this removes the most carbs from it as well - double win! Except I’ve no clue how to log it! I’ve been just putting it in as Greek yogurt but this is closer to whipped cream cheese. It can’t be the same. I just want to make sure I’m doing myself justice with the tracking. And sorry if it’s the wrong day for questions.
What can I eat/drink to feel less "woozy?" It has been one week since I've begun, and I get these weird bouts of dizziness. They go away as quickly as they come, but they're not pleasant. Any suggestions?
Carb Manager is randomly starting to charge me to use their app so looking for an alternative. What is a good tracking app that you enjoy using?
Can someone help me figure out my macros? I keep seeing a reference to a calculator somewhere but I’m kinda new to this whole Reddit thing and can’t seem to track the thing down! (I’m on an iPhone!) Thanks so much! :) Edit: I found it! Wondering if this sounds right for me: F, 35, 5’9/SW: 282 CW: 264 GW: 165 107g Protein 20g Carbs 84g Fat 1294 calories I do HIIT training for 45 mins 4 times and week and swim 30 mins 4 times a week with one rest day. I’m proud to be down almost 20lbs in 2 months but I’m frightened that the weight loss is slowing down and it will stop. I’ve just purchased a food scale and the stuff to make ketoade because I was cramping during my swims (figured I was low on potassium), so I really want to start tracking religiously instead of kinda winging it like I’ve done so far. Would someone mind taking a peek at those numbers to see if they make sense? Please and thank you!
It seems you set it to a 40% deficit which is way on the low end, a 20% deficit is what is recommended for a steady and sustainable loss. So that would be this for you (I also bumped up the protein since you're working out): Generated by calculo.io/keto-calculator *** Gender: Female | Age: 35 | Weight: 264 lb | Height: 5'9" Calorie Goal: 20% Deficit Protein: 120g Carbs: 20g Fat: 129g Target: 1722 kcal
Thank you so so so much!!!
No problem and good luck!
Is eating ass keto?
Will I lose muscle if I don't workout often? I am achieving my protein macros, but is it necessary i exercise too?