The "Eat More (or Moar) Fat" January Challenge page 150

[jan11]

I posted this on another thread and was directed to this thread!!:

Hello all,

Thank you in advance if you are able to help me at all.

I have eaten Paleo for almost two years and love this lifestyle. I keep my carbs pretty low, generally, but have not achieved ketosis. I really REALLY want to get into ketosis- I feel like it may really benefit me, and I want to actually experience it before deciding if it is the right thing for me.

Some things that I think are important to note:

1. I was a heavy teen but lost weight calorie counting when I was around 21.
2. I have a history of disordered eating. Food has always been an issue for me, as has weight. I think about food much more than I'd like.
3. I was much too thin thanks to over exercising around a year and a half ago. Since then, I've gained about 15 pounds, and am mostly normal weight, but with more fat than I'd like.
4. I'm hoping ketosis will help me feel more "normal" about food and help me feel better mentally and physically.

The problem is that I can't seem to get into it!!! I have generally eaten a TON of protein to feel satiated in the past (nearly 200grams, often times). The past couple of weeks, I've really tried to get into ketosis and cut way back. Generally, this has been around 100 grams protein, 30 grams carb (total), and the rest in fat- works out to around 85% fat most days. I am not restricting calories and have around 2200 per day- sometimes up to 2500. This worries me- obviously my appetite is not blunted at all yet.

I have had a couple of days where I feel like I'm there: focused, not thinking about food, but it doesn't stay! I don't know what I'm doing wrong. According to Phinney and Volek, my protein intake is just fine, but I've read a number of people's accounts and they are eating much less protein.

OH, probably should mention: I'm a 30 year old female, 5'4", probably around 120 pounds (not weighing right now).

What should I do?! Cut carbs down to 20 or less total? Cut protein? The only dairy I'm doing is ghee, but I could cut that out too, if I have to. What the **** am I missing here???

_____
I got a couple of replies, and then thought:

Thank you to everyone for the replies!!

Maybe I'll try out 55 g protein, 25 g carb (total or net??), the rest fat for a week or so and see how that goes?

I'll also repost in that thread and hope I get some replies...

I ALWAYS make the mistake of changing a bunch of things at once and then never know which worked or didn't. That said, I really want to cut back on eggs and see if it makes a difference. The only different thing I did the past couple days was increase eggs (and introduced ghee) and I feel bloated (after feeling pretty good for a couple days).

THoughts?

[calee]

Well,

I think I may indulge in dairy here and there even though it gives me gas. While I'm waiting for the results of my SIBO test (breath test to measure levels of gas output by bacteria in gut), I want to eat well and fairly unrestricted, since I may need to buckle down a lot if the test results come back positive. My main goals are healing my gut & hormone regulation (Vitex 1x daily helps, but I'd like to eventually stop taking it), and I think, eventually HFLC is the only way I'm going to be able to do that.

Hi,
I've never heard of the SIBO test. Could you say more about it? More about the hormonal part? I hope your results come back with the best results!

[calee]

I had a good day. Calories a bit higher than I wanted, but that's ok.

Calories 1411
Protein. 20%
Carbs. 12%
Fat. 68%

I want to get my 5 pounds of winter gain off then figure out how to eat Primally for a life of balanced eating. I have been on a "diet" for 55 years. It's exhausting! I don't want to wake up in the night worrying about whether I gained 6 ounces the day before. This was my third day of good macros.

I hope I'm less hungry tomorrow! Sweet dreams everyone.

Forgot to say: walked 3 miles

[cori93437]

Jan11
Welcome to this thread... I'm glad you came in.

I know it's going to seem really long and daunting but if you want the most help right off, since it seems that every one is sort of in bed already for the evening... and/or those in the land-down-under aren't quite up yet...
But what I'm going to suggest is that you go back to the beginning of the thread and do some reading.

There are some formulas that are posted that those here use to get their number in line so that ketosis happens more easily.
There are some links to tracking sites and such that the other use and that way the more experienced in the crew can look at other members daily logs and see if all is going along well if that is what they choose.
There are also links to external sites such as Dr. Attia's eating academy, lists of high fat foods that are good to add to help people skew their numbers better, ect.
Lots of resources.

Of course I'm not suggesting that you read every single post word for word.

Anyway.
I would like to help more, but (short explanation) I don't quite do HFLC the same way the rest here do.
I'm a long term'er... and I don't track things anymore so I'm a bit out of touch with these things.
I just hang out a bit and try and offer moral support.

Someone more in tune with the finer points of getting in touch with ketosis and getting your body on board with the program.

Again.
Welcome.

[Pebbles67]

How do I figure out how many calories I should be eating?
I understand how to calculate the macronutrients, but I'm not sure what the suggest formula for calories is.
I'm 5'10", 220lbs.

Hi Meggan!

I can best answer your question because I am also 5' 10" tall.

The "Hot Stuff in a Swimsuit " weight I chose for the calculations is 170lbs or 77 kg. I plan to be muscular hence the higher end of the weight range for our ht.

So that would be:
77 -85 grams of protein. 308-340cals
38 carbs 152 cals
154 fat 1386 cals (75%)
Cals 1850
I have since used My Fitness Pal to calculate my macros for 80% fat 15% pro and 5%carb with 1850 cals.

I suggest that people try to hit their calories AND macros by the formula for several weeks before trying to cut cals or change macros.

[Pebbles67]

jan11 I can tell you that this plan has cut my binges down by a third already. The key for me was more fat. I have worked my program up to 80% daily. Because the fat is so high, I end up eating around 20g of carb and 70 g of protein. You can see in my post to Meggan above how I figured my original macros.

What is your goal weight?

[demuralist]

Well, there ya go, Pebbles is up earlier than I am, so she answered your questions.

I am doing well still. I did get into some pistachios last night. I had just 1 handful, but at the end of the day they sort of blasted my goals a little. Not horribly, but still. I didn't really need them, I just wanted some mouth crunch and salt.

[athomeontherange]

I came closer to hitting all my goals.. well I went over a tiny bit!

Totals
1,706

c-26
6%
f-152
79%
p-66
15%

still acceptable and felt a little better. I woke with a horrible headache though as I was up with my asthma last night. Of course, it could be the carb frickin flu too! Oh Pass the Bacon!!

[canio6]

I came closer to hitting all my goals.. well I went over a tiny bit!

Totals
1,706

c-26
6%
f-152
79%
p-66
15%

still acceptable and felt a little better. I woke with a horrible headache though as I was up with my asthma last night. Of course, it could be the carb frickin flu too! Oh Pass the Bacon!!

What did you eat out of curiosity? I am trying to get an idea without continuing to plug 'random foods I generally eat' into a calculator.

[athomeontherange]

What did you eat out of curiosity? I am trying to get an idea without continuing to plug 'random foods I generally eat' into a calculator.

I posted it after your post in Paula's journal. Do you use my fitness pal?