Getting into shape

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by JCShutout »

Damn, nuts and protein powder add up. Hit 43g net carbs today because of powder and green beans and brussel sprouts for dinner. (I knew I was at 30 after the powder and figured I'd land around 35-36 with the veggies. I was a tick wrong)

I think I'm going to have to replace my protein powder with jerky. Otherwise I risk just not getting enough protein. I guess I could reduce nuts, but at least the nuts come with fiber and fat.

Then I could adjust my intake to a goal of 25 net carbs to hopefully more quickly adapt.

New macros:

2200 cal (1160 min, 2816 max)
25g Carbohydrates
140g Protein (102g min, 169g max)
171g Fat (56g min, 239g max)

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Swirls
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Swirls »

JCShutout wrote:Damn, nuts and protein powder add up. Hit 43g net carbs today because of powder and green beans and brussel sprouts for dinner. (I knew I was at 30 after the powder and figured I'd land around 35-36 with the veggies. I was a tick wrong)

I think I'm going to have to replace my protein powder with jerky. Otherwise I risk just not getting enough protein. I guess I could reduce nuts, but at least the nuts come with fiber and fat.

Then I could adjust my intake to a goal of 25 net carbs to hopefully more quickly adapt.

New macros:

2200 cal (1160 min, 2816 max)
25g Carbohydrates
140g Protein (102g min, 169g max)
171g Fat (56g min, 239g max)
You don't necessarily need to replace your protein powder with jerky, just change up the brand of protein powder you're using. There are lots of keto-friendly powders with low net carbs. Most are even available via Amazon Prime (at least the ones I've gotten have been):

Here's an example:
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Keto-Cho ... B072KFZ9TQ

Not sure what brand of regular protein/whey powder you normally use, but the keto-friendly ones do tend to be more expensive.

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

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Swirls wrote:[You don't necessarily need to replace your protein powder with jerky, just change up the brand of protein powder you're using. There are lots of keto-friendly powders with low net carbs. Most are even available via Amazon Prime (at least the ones I've gotten have been):

Here's an example:
https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Keto-Cho ... B072KFZ9TQ

Not sure what brand of regular protein/whey powder you normally use, but the keto-friendly ones do tend to be more expensive.
You are my new favorite person.

I normally use a really clean paleo brand, so its a little pricey, but I ran out and bought some protein powder at costco and had been finishing that batch which has 12 net carbs for 3 scoops (31g protein). My preferred brand (Primal Kitchen) gives about 7net carbs for 32g protein (2 scoops regular protein powder=21g protein and 5net carbs, 1 scoop collagen powder=11g protein and 2 net carbs). It looks like this is really similar to the collagen protein powder I get from primal kitchen, with 1 net carb and 10g protein vs 2 net carb and 11g for like $1 more per tub.

So I think I'm going to order a few of this perfect keto stuff and and see how it goes. If I can snag 30g of protein and just 3 net carbs, I'll be a happy man. I basically get 18 net carbs per day from nuts, so I'd like to save a few so I can have a side dish at dinner.

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ZigZagCardsFan
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by ZigZagCardsFan »

JCShutout wrote:
GeddyWrox wrote:On reddit, the format is kind of annoying, but there is a ton of great advice in those two specific subreddits. It's worth it to wade in and get used to the layout. I honestly couldn't have done what I've done without the r/keto board. It has been a lifesaver.

What most people say about the protein and fat macros is this... You want to eat at your protein goal every day (as in, don't come up short on it). But the fat macro is just a suggestion. Don't go over, but you don't have to hit it, either. It's your tool to make sure you're satiated (and thus don't go off the rails).
That's really good to know. I already hit my protein macro easily every day. The most difficult thing will be counting calories. I haven't done that... ever since going paleo.
Here’s a couple things that really helped me with calorie counting:

Most nights I would take 10 minutes to plan all of my foods for the next day. It felt less annoying than having to punch something in an app every time I ate something. It was also very helpful for remembering what to pack to bring to work the next day.

If I couldn’t do that and had to eat on the fly, I simplified things by using a point system. Let’s say my calorie goals were 2400 for a day, I’d punch that into a notepad as 24. Anytime I ate, I’d divide by 10 round to a single number. For instance if I ate a 130 calorie snack I’d count it as 1, 350 calorie meal would be a 4 and so on. So instead of trying to figure out 2400-230-130-175 or whatever it’d be easier to just say 24-2-1-2=19. I have 19 points left to use. It’s obviousky not as precise but I figure unless you’re intentionally trying to make it so you round down on everything, it probably evens out.

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

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ZigZagCardsFan wrote:Here’s a couple things that really helped me with calorie counting:

Most nights I would take 10 minutes to plan all of my foods for the next day. It felt less annoying than having to punch something in an app every time I ate something. It was also very helpful for remembering what to pack to bring to work the next day.

If I couldn’t do that and had to eat on the fly, I simplified things by using a point system. Let’s say my calorie goals were 2400 for a day, I’d punch that into a notepad as 24. Anytime I ate, I’d divide by 10 round to a single number. For instance if I ate a 130 calorie snack I’d count it as 1, 350 calorie meal would be a 4 and so on. So instead of trying to figure out 2400-230-130-175 or whatever it’d be easier to just say 24-2-1-2=19. I have 19 points left to use. It’s obviousky not as precise but I figure unless you’re intentionally trying to make it so you round down on everything, it probably evens out.
That's good advice, but its a bit trickier for us because we cook everything from scratch, so calculating dinner is more than looking on a box or bag. Also, apps are craps. Flip phones for the win. I use a pocket notebook to log it all. (and other reminders) I basically already do that for all other meals.

I eat the same thing for lunch every day. A spinich and mushroom salad with lots of meat, nuts, cheese and olives. Also, a beef jerkey stick. In the afternoon I have more nuts. I don't eat breakfast (butter and coffee, just a little fat and calories)

So by the time I leave work every day I'm at:
101g protein (goal=140, minimum is 101, max is 167)
18 net carbs (goal is 25, I'm okay with 23-27)
1775 calories (goal is 2200, but anything under 2400 and I'm happy)
124g fat (goal is 171, but anything under 239 is fine.)

Dinner is always meat and veggies. Easy to get protein, calorie and fat goals, net carbs are tough. 1 and 1/2 cups of roasted broccoli is 5 net carbs so I've got to watch it.

Soon I'll get a few extra carbs to play with. When I first tried to cut carbs, and only cared about total carbs, not net carbs, I was buying more walnuts and less pecans because walnuts had more protein and less total carbs. Turns out pecans have more total carbs and fiber, (half the net carbs, but less protein) and are a better overall nut for my goals. Once I get through another (costco sized) bag of walnuts, I'll have 3-8 more carbs/day to play with every day.

I've thought about steaming or frying up some eggs to eat instead of nuts, but after taekwondo/working out, dinner, dishes, its tough to do more cooking and be in bed at a reasonable hour. We'll see.

Also, on Geddy's advice, I'm drinking more water than ever. Peeing a lot so thanks for that.

Freed Roger
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Freed Roger »

When I push things to extreme (which isn't often) with fitness and diet, something seems to give.

I can survive on nuts and protein bars and no alcohol for a while. And fasting. And then crank up the workouts.

But I risk cratering. Last year I was training for a race, and was jamming. I was running the course faster on my own faster than I raced it. But I flew too close the sun and pulled a calf muscle 2 weeks out. Finished the race 15 min slower than I was doing in training.

Maybe just a circumstance or specific to me, but have had similar woes before. Diet and exercise, it can be a stressor of it's own. Overflow it and immunity can go down and muscles can weaken.

Meanwhile gratifying aspects of sharing some fatty food or going for ice cream reduces stress.

Now that i write this, I think I get another stress reducing healthy beer.

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

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I agree that diets are too stressful and don't work. Lifestyle changes do work.

Once you stop eating sugars and grains, you honestly stop craving them. I have no desire to go get ice cream or anything sweet. Haven't for years. Donuts don't smell appealing anymore. Mashed potatoes and stuffing at Thanksgiving are just the things in cooking dishes that I don't eat. I do have cravings for either veggies if I've eaten too starchy lately, and mostly for fatty meat (a burger, which is delicious with cheese and bacon and without a bun) Since meat and fat are fine on this diet, I just go get a bunless burger whenever I want. Just did that twice this past week. Delicious.

That salad I described (my daily lunch) is delicious, and its the same salad I've been eating for 6 months every day. It also has just under 100g of fat so its incredibly satisfying. Basically, my pre dinner meals have not changed. Its snacks and dinner that have needed some adjustment. Probably why my transition hopefully won't be that tough.

My body has craved some carbs lately, wanting some plantains and potatoes, but its adjusting to burning fat instead of carb burning. This will take awhile to knock down those cravings, but they aren't killer, and a couple of veggies tend to kill the cravings. Once I'm fat burning, I'll probably cycle on and off between keto and a low carb paleo diet.

Now, the goal isn't to go keto forever. The human body has evolved for times of carb scarcity (keto) and other times for abundance. (but not crazy, maybe closer to 50-60 net carbs) We didn't evolve to have a constant, every day supply of tons of carbs and sugar.

I think what makes diets stressful is people have "cheat" days and don't eliminate the problems in their diets. They reduce them, causing the bacteria that feed on them to scream for more, causing cravings. If you're addicted to sugar, but occasionally eat low sugar followed by a sugar binge, the bacteria in you gut that makes you crave sugar never dies. Takes a few weeks to really starve them out.

Here is a basic test to see if you are addicted to sugar. Imagine you are full and satisfied from a good meal. Couldn't eat another bite. Someone puts down a plate of the most delicious smelling chocolate chip (or whatever kind would move you) cookies. You're full and satisfied. Do you take a cookie? If yes, you are addicted to sugar.

I used to always answer yes, in my mind and reality. Now I don't even crave a cookie from the oven when I'm hungry. I say polite things like, "oh, that smells great" but we say things to be polite even when we don't mean them.

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Secret Weapon
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Re: Getting into shape

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I don't want to live in a world where freshly baked cookies out of an oven don't smell great

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

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I didn't mean to imply they don't smell nice. Its a lovely smell, as is baked bread. It just doesn't make me crave those things. It takes zero willpower to not eat the cookie. Zero. That's not a terrible world to live in.

Grill a burger within 3 square miles of me when I'm hungry and I'm ready to murder the cow myself... politely...

I was referring to situations/people who shove their homemade sweets at coworkers and think their food is so great it will be the reason that people "cheat" on their diet. (not a diet, a lifestyle) They get offended and push harder when one kindly declines, so instead I pretend it smells "sooo good and is such a hard decision" because what they are really looking for is that affirmation. In reality it looks and smells nice, but I don't want to eat it. Its not personal. Move on. /moving to rants?

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JCShutout
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Re: Getting into shape

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Switching to pecans has gained me a number of carbs to play with. So has remembering that yogurt and pork rinds are carb free as well. Yay.

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