Wanting to try this "Keto" diet I've heard so much about.

I hate the word diet, but I REALLY need some type of plan that I can stick with and start seeing results. I exercise 5 times a week. My primary workout is Jazzercise, there one hour classes with a mix of dance/aerobics/strength training and yoga, which the average amount of calories you burn in one class is around 600. So my exercise is set...it's just getting frustrating because I feel like I'm not getting the results I want and I know it's because I'm not eating all the best foods. Bobby told me about the Keto diet and a little bit about it which perked my interest, I want to give it a try...just still trying to learn about it. So for all those people who are doing it or have done it what are some tidbits you could give me? And will it be okay to do since I'm working out so much? I'm just a little nervous about it :/.
Thanks guys!

PS. This is my first discussion board EVER...I know, where the heck have I been?
UPSLynx

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Keto is one of the most rigorous diets out there, hands down. It's easy to get into, but tough to stay on, and it's not any more effective than calorie management.

    If your body is burning 2000 calories a day, you could eat 1600 calories of twinkies, or 1600 calories of the most nutritious food on the planet, but you're still burning 400 calories a day. Right? So calorie management is the single most important goal. Having a better idea of what your body burns every day will arm you with the knowledge to masterfully manipulate your food intake, which will give you results with or without keto.

    Best to keep in mind that someone in your physical condition (and mine, and Bobby's) can only lose about 1-1.6 pounds per week. So progress is slow and steady. You just have to be patient!
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    I'll re-iterate some of the pro tips I've used to lose almost 60 pounds on the standard ketogenic diet:

    1. No pasta. No bread. No rice. No sugar. Just axe it all (this is the single hardest thing to accomplish on this diet)
    2. Tons of dark, leafy greens (spinach, kale, spring mix)
    3. Lots of meat
    4. High-fat meat and sauces (ranch, bleu cheese, butter)
    5. Remember to subtract FIBER carbs from total carbs ingested to get NET carbs. If your vegetables have 12g carbs but 8g is "Dietary fiber" then that is actually only 4g NET carbs. The net is all that counts.
    6. Macros: 60% fat, 35% protein 5% carbs
    7. Keep it under 50g carbs day to maintain ketosis
    8. Get Ketostix or a generic to pee on so you can see if you are actually IN ketosis.
    9. It can take 3-4 days when you first start to get into ketosis for the first time
    10. Don't buy into /r/Keto's "BACON EGGS CHEESE EVERYTHING" mantra. It's not healthy.

    One of the biggest challenges I've found in this lifestyle is finding the textures that carb-laden foods provide. Kelp noodles and yam noodles are AWESOME zero-carb pasta substitutes, and bacon is fantastic for crunch. So are pork rinds. I've replaced croutons in salads with pork rinds for delicious crunch. The cheapy "potato chip brand" pork rinds are bullshit; you need to find the real chicharrones from mexican grocers.

    Anyways, it does work. I was nearing in on 300lbs when I went on keto and now I'm down to 235.

  • Thanks guys this helps a lot!
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    The reason it works for many people is because fat triggers your satisfaction response.

    600 calories of bacon will make you feel fuller longer than 600 calories of bread.

    It works well for me because my body's automatic response to carbs is storage. I get a huge blast of insulin, get warm and sleepy, and then I'm hungry again within hours/minutes.

    On keto, I'm more satisfied for longer, and I ultimately eat far fewer calories.
  • Okay some more questions...

    1. Can you eat fruits?
    2. With vegetables is there any you shouldn't eat? Or can you eat as much of these as you like? (I like to snack on them when I've got the munchies at work).
    3. What type of dressings should I use for salads?? I know ranch and bleu cheese was mentioned but didn't know if there were anymore.

    That's all I have for now. Thanks guys!
  • TushonTushon I'm scared, Coach Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    I am not a nutritionist and the guys who wrote this probably aren't either, but there is lots of info:
    http://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    fruit is pretty much out.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited May 2013
    I'm pretty sure you can eat some berries. There's a document linked on the side of r/keto that lists the carbs of some stuff fruit included. I would link but I'm on my phone.

    Edit:
    http://goo.gl/Snq9O
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    There's nothing inherent to fruit that makes it non-keto, it's just too much sugar to keep you under the carb threshold.
    primesuspect
  • MAGICMAGIC Doot Doot Furniture City, Michigan Icrontian

    There's nothing inherent to fruit that makes it non-keto, it's just too much sugar to keep you under the carb threshold.

    Yeah, like any other food you eat on Keto it has to fall in your diet. When Idid Keto (for three weeks, lol) I would eat some berries on a salad or a berry relish on top of some fish or something. Just count the carbs and see if you can afford it.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    You can eat, like, a handful of blueberries.

    It becomes a question of "worth it?" as in... "Is this handful of blueberries worth it? Or would I rather 'spend' those carbs on something more satisfying?"

    The answer is, quite often, no.
  • Okay I got the fruit question covered...
  • kimono54kimono54 Fort Wayne, IN Icrontian
    did you check out the /r/keto link tushon posted?

    most veggies are in, just check the carb counts. root vegetables like carrots and potatoes are out.

    blackhawk and i are doing keto and we eat lots of salads with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, sliced chicken and ranch dressing or a vinaigrette. breakfast is scrambled eggs with either bacon or sausage (you can add veggies to your eggs, like onion, bell peppers and tomato). lunch can be lunch meat and cheese rolled up together. just check the nutrition facts on whatever you eat. keeping track of what you eat all day in a phone app is helpful. blackhawk uses myfitnesspal. i use one called calorie counter.

    how you react the diet is very individual i think. i dont have a problem sticking to the diet as long as we only have food in the house that we can eat. blackhawk has more trouble with wanting to cheat.

    we each lost 14 pounds in our first week. we're in week 2 now. we'll keep you guys posted on our progress.
    primesuspect
  • HumerusMegHumerusMeg Something, something medical professional, Fitness bitch, Sexy chef Austin Icrontian
    Here is an excellent table for foods, and keto calculator I used when I was doing keto:
    - calculator: http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
    - food table:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ah8MbmZepQxWdGo4bnB2QmxxMUlmTzZUTXYzMURRLWc#gid=0
  • kimono54kimono54 Fort Wayne, IN Icrontian
    I use both of those websites too @humerusmeg . @upsfooman , the calculator will tell you how many calories to eat and what portion of them need to fat, protein and carb. You'll be eating 60% fat, 35% protein and 5%carbs, and calculator will tell you how many grams of each you can eat per day. The hardest part for me is to get enough fat in. I eat macadamia nut to get some fat in with minimal impact on protein or carbs.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    BUTTER, BABY!
  • kimono54kimono54 Fort Wayne, IN Icrontian
    edited May 2013
    I use butter when making eggs, I get fat in cheese and ranch dressing. i get fat from sausages and bacon. Other than that, i eat macadamia nuts. That's usually my breakfast if i need it to be quick: almond milk and macadamia nuts.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian

    BUTTER, BABY!

    Or mayo. So good for you (really).
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    Too bad it tastes like evil.
    mertesn
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Sissy.
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    Actually, for me, it literally tastes like the color beige. Evil beige.
  • SonorousSonorous F@H Fanatic US Icrontian
    I want what ever LSD you take that makes foods taste like colors.
    JBoogaloooni_delsHumerusMegprimesuspect
  • So today I'm finally starting this....starting grocery shopping I thought it was going to be crazy expensive... but its crazy how much you save when you don't get the junk foods and processed crap! Woo! Thanks guys for all the input. I'm definitely going to use that calculator @humerusmeg!
    kimono54HumerusMeg
  • So today I'm finally starting this....starting grocery shopping I thought it was going to be crazy expensive... but its crazy how much you save when you don't get the junk foods and processed crap! Woo! Thanks guys for all the input. I'm definitely going to use that calculator @humerusmeg!
  • AlexDeGruvenAlexDeGruven Wut? Meechigan Icrontian
    Just a heads-up. If you're doing it right, between 24-72 hours after you start, you'll feel like absolute crap for 12-24 hours. Nicknamed the keto-flu, you'll feel tired and achy, unfocused, etc. This is your body essentially stripping all of the glucose stores from your muscles to feed your brain before it switches to ketones rather than glucose for fuel. The brain is a stubborn beast.
  • HumerusMegHumerusMeg Something, something medical professional, Fitness bitch, Sexy chef Austin Icrontian
    edited May 2013

    Just a heads-up. If you're doing it right, between 24-72 hours after you start, you'll feel like absolute crap for 12-24 hours. Nicknamed the keto-flu, you'll feel tired and achy, unfocused, etc. This is your body essentially stripping all of the glucose stores from your muscles to feed your brain before it switches to ketones rather than glucose for fuel. The brain is a stubborn beast.

    I second this... had it the two times I dived into keto. Keep drinking a ton of water, get a good nights sleep and it will pass. Also, I know its gross but keto slows down peoples guts terribly sometimes causing pretty bad constipation due to the increased amount of protein intake. If this happens you can take fiber tablets (for carb counting subtract the fiber from the carbs to get the true carb count) and you should be drinking at least 3 liters of water a day to help with the constipation and flushing the ketones out of the kidneys! STAY HEALTHY ON KETO! :D


  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    UPSfooman said:

    So today I'm finally starting this....starting grocery shopping I thought it was going to be crazy expensive... but its crazy how much you save when you don't get the junk foods and processed crap! Woo! Thanks guys for all the input. I'm definitely going to use that calculator @humerusmeg!

    Yeah, stopping the whole packaged foods thing helped my calorie intake tremendously. Fresh foods taste better too.
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