Thinking about starting LCHF

[Ankinha]

Dear community,

am thinking about doing a 2 week LCHF trial from the Diet Doctor website. However, my new exercise programme (FitnessBlender) starts next week and I'm a bit stuck for exercise snacks. I normally exercise first thing in the morning and have a couple of brown rice cakes before the workout (can't do it on a totally empty stomach or I get really dizzy). That wouldn't be possible on LCHF anymore though. Any suggestions of what could work instead? I've only got around 3.7KG to go to my target weight.

Would really appreciate your feedback.

Many thanks!

Ankinha

[OCDOC]

I would suggest finishing your current training cycle, and then embarking on the LCHF, or vice versa.

I did the LCHF switch a couple months ago, and the carb withdrawl (LC 'flu') was pretty intense..working out was not on my mind!!

Once your body adapts (took me a week), the exercise routines are easy..you won't need that snack 🙂

Best!  Rob

[yellodaysee]

I second OCDOC.  I switched to LCHF diet in January of this year and for me it was about 8 days that I felt the LC 'flu' from the switch.  Once I got over that, I felt great and had more energy than ever for my workouts.  I also workout in the morning and now that I'm in ketosis I don't need a snack prior to working out.

Hope this helps you.  Good luck on your journey!

Kellie

[Ankinha]

Thanks for the comments, both of you! Kellie, how much did you loose? Are you also a person with not that much weight to loose? Are you planning on re-introducing carbs at some point or is that now a new lifestyle for you?

[yellodaysee]

Since I started on low carb in Jan, I've lost 14.9 lbs.  For the first month and a half I wasn't really working out and it was just the change in diet.  Half way through Feb. I started walking/jogging more (aim for 3 days a week).  I'd like to lose about 45 more pounds to get to my goal weight so I guess it depends on your definition of "not much weight."  

My thought is that I will make this a lifestyle change, since it is something that my husband will have to do for the rest of his life.  Right now that thought is still a bit tough for me to swallow (pun not intended) but am hoping that it gets easier the longer I maintain this diet/lifestyle choice.

[Ankinha]

Congratulations! I've lost 35 pounds over the last 8 years and would love to loose another 8. And then that's enough. Are you following the Dr Diet thing? Once you're done maybe you can mix it up again slightly. OCDOC, what about you? Are you following a specific website/programme and it it also a complete lifestyle change for you? My partner certainly doesn't want to eat like that forever, but I might try to find a "compromise" once I've done it for a bit. Thanks both.

[OCDOC]

@Ankinha

Hi. I've been experimenting with a lot of different 'regimens'. Once I got through the carb-detox transition (it was indeed flu-like), I found that I could go for ages without eating..in other words 'Intermittent fasting' (IF) is easy.

I admit that I cheat, esp when doing stuff with the kids (I do have a binge approx one evening a week), but 6 days out of 7 I am LCHF..for me this is under 30g net.

My current regimen (which just happens to suit me..everybody is different) is having nothing but 'greasy' coffee all day (some call it 'bulletproof'), then having a large LCHF meal between 5 and 7 pm. This 'once a day' thing is kinda like the old 'warrior' plan, but they didnt drink coffee all day :). PS I count calories on occasion and I am well over 2K per day..this isn't 'low cal by stealth' as some claim.

Anyway, I was hovering 250 before Xmas, and will probably be under 210 in a week or so...yes it has worked!!

Best thing about LCHF with IF is it is SO flexible.  Rob K

[RubyH]

@Ankinha,

I second OCDOC too, but I do my LCHF a little differently, I do set a Calorie target but the Calories themselves are not my goal but a reference point for my macros which are 10% Nett Carbs (Total Carbs less Fibre), 30% Protein and 60% Healthy Fats. I use a spreadsheet which gives me (in grams) my daily Macros from any inputted Calorie amount and the Calories are nearly always under the so called target amount.

I am single and only have to cook for myself so it is mostly grills and steamed veg or cold cuts and salads but I have abt 1/2 avocado with every meal.

Calculus is ((Target Calories x 10%)/4) Nett Carbs

                   ((Target Calories x 30%)/4) Protein

                   ((Target Calories x 60%)/9) Fats

You can use it in a spreadsheet or on calculator, whichever suits. Cheers and Happy Easter All.

[RubyH]

@yellodaysee, Hi Kellie,

unfortunately, I cant send my spreadsheet, too big, but its not hard to set up for yourself, you set up one page to track weight loss and BMI, one page to track your daily eating and one page to keep your individual food servings. I only work in grams and kilos and have no conversion chart for ounces, but it is easy to work in percentages as fitbit app and my fitness pal will give you those as a part of your daily input. I keep track on a spreadsheet simply because the apps in general only keep 21 days on record but I like to be a more more on top of my intake, the spreadsheet allowed me to remove and replace an item to get a little closer to my targets which have changed now, I was on 10% Nett Carbs, 30% Protein and 60 % Fat but now I am on 9% Nett Carbs, 28% Protein and 62% Fats, so it changes monthly and my OCDC allows me to stay on top of things. As close as I can get is Net Carbs .8 ozs, Protein 2.46 ozs, Fats 2.43ozs.

With my foods columns, :Food Type: Qty: Cals: Tot Carbs: Fibre: Nett Carbs: Protein: Fats: Sodium.

With my Daily Intake Column, Date; Food Type: Qty: Cals: Tot Carbs: Fibre: Nett Carbs: Protein: Fats: Sodium. My formulas wont work for you as they are set up in grams, not ounces.

As my food intake changes from day to day also because of whether I'm hungry or not and because I have naturally fallen into an 18/6 eating pattern so I often eat a little less than I probably should, but I know my body has decided that more than my mind has. I am certain that if I needed to eat more my body will tell me with either growling or weakness.

If you know the Calories per ounce of Carbs, Protein and Fats, replace the last digit (4 or 9) in the Formula with those as there are 4 calories per gram in both Carbs and Protein and 9 calories per gram in Fats.

Best wishes. A good and handy book to have is a guide to Excel sreadsheets.

Also, if you want to find your personal macros, check out the Keto Calculator online, just google for it.

[yellodaysee]

@RubyH Thanks so much for the idea!  I liked MFP for the tracking years ago when I wasn't as good with the details (i.e. didn't weigh everything in grams haha) so now it wasn't really cutting it for the purposes I needed.  I just had to let my husband know what I was looking for in a spreadsheet and he got me all set up.

*Disclaimer: MFP is still an amazing website/app for other users.  If it works for you that's GREAT!  Just wasn't working for me without having to pay for a subscription and I was looking to save money so I didn't want to buy the subscription just so I could track my macros more accurately.

[RubyH]

@yellodaysee, yes a spreadsheet works best for me, I can copy and paste from my foods to my daily plan and keep on track and as close to my macros as possible, so as to stay bang on or just under, but never over. So keep a sheet of your most in use foods as well your planner sheet with everything laid out the same way so you can copy and paste a food, qty, Cals, TCarbs, Fibre, Nett Carbs, Protein, Fats & Sodium directly into your planner and make adjustments if needed. Its good to have a savvy tech in the family, isn't it.

Best wishes, Ruby

[Dominique]

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@RubyH wrote:

It’s good to have a savvy tech in the family, isn't it.

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I’m amazed at you techies! I do have a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, a Fitbit, a smartscale (Aria) and I know how to use Excel, but this is how I do my logging:

Can you go lower-tech than that 😉

I only track protein, trying to shoot for 120-140 grams per day. I also enter the daily weight and body fat values reported by my Aria, and calculate the weekly average every Sunday.

[RubyH]

Hi @Dominique, that seems like an awful lot of protein, I struggle to get my 70grams in, but I'm not an athlete like you. I have to track my carbs and my fats as well for my Doc, and my Sodium, so a spreadsheet works best for me and my Doc. Cheers Ruby

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@Dominique wrote:

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@RubyH wrote:

It’s good to have a savvy tech in the family, isn't it.

---

I’m amazed at you techies! I do have a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, a Fitbit, a smartscale (Aria) and I know how to use Excel, but this is how I do my logging:

Can you go lower-tech than that 😉

I only track protein, trying to shoot for 120-140 grams per day. I also enter the daily weight and body fat values reported by my Aria, and calculate the weekly average every Sunday.

---

[Dominique]

@RubyH: I’m not an athlete, LOL! Just an average Joe who exercises more than most. Regarding protein, I’ve been going by the 0.8 to 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight common recommendation for building/preserving muscle mass. Since I’m 143 lbs, 120-140 grams is 0.84 to 1.02% of my bodyweight. At this level, I estimate protein is 18 to 21% of my total intake (based on what Fitbit says I burn in average). It has worked well for me so far in the sense it allows me to lose weight without feeling hungry.

[RubyH]

Hi @Dominique, wow, wish I could eat that much as it looks going off your readings, my current weight of 137.4 which has been fluctuating a fair bit this week, I should be eating between 109-140grams Protein too, but according to the keto calculator my minimum intake is 54gr and my maximum is 84grams, unfortunately I have to push the envelope to get 70grams in as I have a smaller than average stomach than the norm, having had reconstructive surgery after a growth was removed from my duodenum and intestine. I cant eat as much as a normal person can so I guess its kind of like having bariatric surgery done. I am carb resistant as well which is why I'm on LCHF, but I cant eat large quantities of fats either, generally 60-70grams is my max there too. I am hoping that will improve given time. Since I've been on this diet I am healthier, more energy and feeling better than I have done in years. It wadnt so very long ago I could barely drag myself out of bed I was so ill with several auto immune diseases affecting me. But I am still here and aiming to make the best of my life that I can by releasing my inner Amazon Woman, lol.

[Ankinha]

Hi all,

just wanted to post an update after my original post from last week. So, rather than going with the Diet Doctor version, which I personally found to krass, I decided to go with Mark's Daily Apple. And what can I say: I'm LOVING it! My start weight was 65.7KG and I weighed in this morning at 64.7KG (morning of day 4). My stomach is so much flatter. I'm eating up to 100gr of net carbs a day, around 2,000 calories every day (55% fat, rest split between carbs and protein) and am having a little snack just before bed time to help with sleep. I have already noticed that I've got more energy. Went for a lunch time swim yesterday and a 4mile inline skate through the city. I think that Mark's Daily Apple is more of a lifestyle for me rather than a quick weight loss fix.

Thanks all for your comments and help, which was really appreciated!!

Ankinha

[RubyH]

Hi @Ankinha, each of us has to find what works well for them. I am pleased that you have found yours, bes wishes always, Ruby.