Eat More Fat! The Nutritional Ketosis Challenge continues... page 198

[BklynGirl]

Many of us are not eating low calorie. I aim for my BMR (1750-calories my body would burn in a coma), which is about 30% below my true calorie burn with exercise. I do not believe that people should eat below BMR, but some on here do. 1) If you calculate your macros for your goal weight based on the formula on the first page, it should give you a good amount of calories for your height. Choose a weight that is within a logical range for your height. I am 5'10. The low end of the range for me is 150, but I was skinny at 165 once upon a time so that is my goal. 2) Or you could figure out your BMR. and calculate your macros from that.

If you are aiming for ketosis, you need to keep your carbs below 50. Mine are actually below 20. Too much protein can also keep you out of ketosis. To much of either macro can also keep you hungry. Once you are solidly in ketosis, you should see the hunger go down. Make sure you are eating enough.

Good Luck.

Wow, this thread moves fast! But if I can return to this response for a sec…

To be honest, eating at BMR does seem low calorie to me. My BMR is about 1550, and while there are certainly days when I eat around there, recently I've just been very hungry. I've been trying not to go over 1800 because that's a number I know has been comfortable in the past, but I don't think it's going to be sufficient for fat loss. I should say, though, that I'm a fairly active college student (walking around, to / from classes over a VERY hilly terrain a good bit each day), and I work out 5-6--usually 6--days a week. How much lower would your recommend I go?

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to really try to get a lot of sleep and see if that changes anything. I know that when I don't sleep well I get hungrier the next day, and I want to see if sleep / stress may be a culprit. I also have spring break in a few weeks, so if when I go home and am way more relaxed I eat a lot less (which does tend to happen when I'm on vacation), I'll have something to think about.

[Primal123]

coffee! I just realized I had coffee yesterday and today. This might explain my weight gain, bloated squishy feeling, and achy joints! I hope my weight drops back down in a day or two. I had forgotten coffee makes me feel bloated.

Thanks for all the kind words and wise suggestions. I actually did manage to do 20 minutes on my nordic track and some plank progressions with my daughter before it was time for her team practice. I felt so much better almost immediately. I always do when I exercise. It's just the mental crap that gets in the way of my getting started when I am in a funk.

She and I did have plans to go to the park hoping to meet some new friends (my hope, hers was to see her old friends) today but because we both have some type of respiratory thing going on it seemed better to skip the park today and wait until next week.

I am so impressed by the weight loss you guys are all experiencing. It's really amazing. Keep up all the good work it's inspiring.

[Pebbles67]

bg, What I was trying to say was that you shouldn't eat below your BMR. Why not try eating 10% below BM R plus activity to start. Once you have a calorie level, then figure out your macros.

[desertcreature]

Hi everyone, congratulations to all, even those who didn't loose because you stuck with it!
I began and ended this month at the exact same weight - to the decimal point. While I had hoped for a loss, I am pleased it wasn't a gain. If you recall, I went on a cruise 2/10 - 2/17. I came back from my cruise about 4 lbs heavier. Overall I ate much less than on previous cruises, and didn't go non-primal very often (very little starch, but several very good sugary desserts). In Belize, my dive trip got cancelled, and I was so upset I just went back to the ship to have breakfast. I had a nice meat filled omelet, but then I also had a big Belgian waffle with maple syrup (I was aware at the time that it was emotional eating). For the most part, I was pretty much on track with my plan. I recorded everything I put in my mouth (I am not going to put it in MFP - just don't have time...)
I didn't go 100% carb free immediately after returning home, it took about 2-3 days. But I thought about Marks' 80% advice. I stuck to that and sure enough, within a few days I was back to my pre-cruise weight and I am back in mild ketosis.
I started a PB journal today, and I began a 30-day challenge. I haven't been getting any activity (lazy, tired), and these two things should help get and keep me going.

[demuralist]

Wow, this thread moves fast! But if I can return to this response for a sec…

To be honest, eating at BMR does seem low calorie to me. My BMR is about 1550, and while there are certainly days when I eat around there, recently I've just been very hungry. I've been trying not to go over 1800 because that's a number I know has been comfortable in the past, but I don't think it's going to be sufficient for fat loss. I should say, though, that I'm a fairly active college student (walking around, to / from classes over a VERY hilly terrain a good bit each day), and I work out 5-6--usually 6--days a week. How much lower would your recommend I go?

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to really try to get a lot of sleep and see if that changes anything. I know that when I don't sleep well I get hungrier the next day, and I want to see if sleep / stress may be a culprit. I also have spring break in a few weeks, so if when I go home and am way more relaxed I eat a lot less (which does tend to happen when I'm on vacation), I'll have something to think about.

SLEEP IS SACRED!!!!! It definitely has a negative effect when you don't get it, both on how much you eat and what you choose to eat. (Vanderbilt prof just released a study proving it). Between that and the stresses of exams/projects/papers, are the reason I always naturally lost weight during breaks while I was in college (I worked full time as a Hairdresser to put myself through Architectural College full time). Be as good to yourself as you can.

Regarding BMR. Numbers are determined by statistics, and variables exist. I agree with Pebbles, start with about 10% below your BMR+activity, see if you are comfy there and then hone in on the macros. I think the idea of not eating under your BMR is important for nutrients, it is how much over that you need to eat to feel good and still lose weight that is the conundrum.

The equation in which you take your goal weight in kg, and figure out your macros from that has, for many of us, comes crazy close to BMR equation. Did you try that one and see what it says?

In the end, each body is unique, and it will tell you what it needs. Unfortunately, I at least, have lost touch with the cues and so I have to do these equations to get back to where I can listen to it.

[eKatherine]

Since I started doing a 5/19 IF protocol last week I have been keeping my protein intake around 50g a day. Apparently that's not enough, as yesterday evening I had to binge on meat. When I do eat high levels of protein like that (100g+) my weight invariably rises, and I was up this morning 2.4 pounds over yesterday, even though the total calories were around 1500. I am not convinced the weight I gained was fat rather than muscle, as my body has the almost magical capability of gaining weight on even an extreme calorie deficit in the presence of excess protein. In the past I have found that such weight gain is not accompanied by an immediate increase in strength or endurance.

I gained weight on the Lyle Macdonald PSMF. I was attempting to eat 140g of protein a day on that plan.

A few months back I calculated that my daily requirement for stable weight was about 2000 calories at my then level of activity. Presently I am training to do my first chin-up, which involves a lot of working to failure. I also have been doing pushups and powerlifts.

I'll aim for 70g this week. Perhaps I should buy a glucose meter to see what's going on when I overeat protein.

[Lizard]

Wow, the thread is moving super fast since I last posted :-) Hope everyone is doing great!! Just a quick update.

I followed my gut feeling 3 weeks ago and went to another Gyno for a second option (had terrible pms symtoms/hot flushes/ weight gain) and he discovered 3 more cyst on my oviaries that had to be removed last week Tuesday :-( (previous Gyno didn't pick that up with my previous operation last year March (removed a X1 cyst then)). Since the operation I feel great, AND had my periods 2 days after that (1st time in a year, for a full week), when I got back from the hospital my body was begging me for PRIMAL food. Last year my recovery period took about 3 weeks (2 weeks to even walk properly) and this time I was up a moving the following day with much less pain and discomfort!!

[OzK]

Wow, the thread is moving super fast since I last posted :-) Hope everyone is doing great!! Just a quick update.

I followed my gut feeling 3 weeks ago and went to another Gyno for a second option (had terrible pms symtoms/hot flushes/ weight gain) and he discovered 3 more cyst on my oviaries that had to be removed last week Tuesday :-( (previous Gyno didn't pick that up with my previous operation last year March (removed a X1 cyst then)). Since the operation I feel great, AND had my periods 2 days after that (1st time in a year, for a full week), when I got back from the hospital my body was begging me for PRIMAL food. Last year my recovery period took about 3 weeks (2 weeks to even walk properly) and this time I was up a moving the following day with much less pain and discomfort!!

That's great, Lizard. Feel completely better soon!

Speaking of sleep, is anyone else finding that they're sleeping fewer hours since entering NK?

[tomi]

That's great, Lizard. Feel completely better soon!

Speaking of sleep, is anyone else finding that they're sleeping fewer hours since entering NK?

Less time sleeping and more energy to boot!

[252dlp]

I've been sleeping a bit better, but I've also been taking melatonin for a few days. I am a notoriously bad sleeper so I probably wouldn't be able to tell anyway, lol.

I went out and bought some Ketostix today. I wasn't really looking to buy them, I was actually going to look at blood glucose/ketone meters at Target, but then there was this one lone box of Ketostix staring at me. They came home with me and immediately when I got home peed on one, lol. It says I am moderate. That's better than I would have thought, and I know they are not necessarily accurate, but I DO have some appetite suppression today, so it might be true. At the point I tested, I hadn't had any carbs yet. I had only had butter in my coffee and some bacon (that was at 4:30 a.m.) and then cream in my Starbucks coffee (real HWC) at 8:30 or so. I got home around 11:00 I think.

I still want to check into the blood testing though. That's probably more accurate. Maybe, lol.

So this week I did better with grocery shopping. I bought a big package of chicken legs and one of thigh/legs. I FORGOT to buy the ROASTING PAN, lol. So, I may walk to Bed Bath and Beyond tomorrow, or I may just bake them. I also bought better snacking options. Someone here (again, sorry I forgot who) mentioned salami with cream cheese. Whole Foods had some that didn't look too bad, so I bought a package of each. I also bought some liverwurst. I don't know if I've ever had that before, but it didn't seem repulsive, so I'm guessing I either liked it or haven't had it.