Checking in

Okay, so I have been back on Keto for about a week now and I keep asking myself why I didn’t just do this sooner.  I feel better even though I don't look any different, yet.

I am really having trouble getting my macros where they need to be.   I need to remember to plug my food in before I eat it and then stick to it.  

In addition to eating Keto, here are some things I am doing: 

1.   I am pushing at least 50 oz of water each day.  
      I drink more if I can but make myself drink at least 50.  

2.   I am drinking my coffee black again.

3.   I am trying to omit the diet soda. 

4.   I have been pushing the exercise.   
      I cannot wait until warmer weather, as it is much more fun to exercise outside!

Before I give my totals for the week, I want to mention that yes, I do realize that it’s mostly just water weight.   I know I was retaining a lot of water.  However, now that I have eliminated that excess water and have gotten back into Ketosis, it’s time to start burning this fat.  

So, what did we eat this week?  Well, we did not end up just repeating the food we ate that week in 2019, like I had planned.  We did eat a lot of the same things we did that week, but it did get switched up quite a bit.  Plus, we went out for Mexican one day and I couldn't stay out of the chips and salsa.  (I basically ate OMAD that day though, to try and make up for it)   I also did not log any adult beverages but I did limit them.  

 

Here are my total exercise miles:

We actually got in three hikes.  Granted, they were just three miles each, but hopefully we increase that with time.  The speed should also improve with time.  

The biggest chunk of my miles came from the stationary bike.  I have been riding it almost every day.  I have been trying to ride at least 10 miles on work days and pushing for 30 (or more) on my days off work.   My new Mini Exercise Bike (under the desk pedals) came in on Monday, but we have not gotten it assembled, yet.   I look forward to seeing just how many miles I will be able to push during my work day once I get it over there.  If nothing else, I will try to use it during my breaks.   

And now for the weight loss totals:

I have to say, I do love that Kale Soup, but I have to wonder if it may be what caused me to stall on the weekend.  Of course, it could also be because I worked the weekend and wasn't getting as much exercise. 

Anyway, so I am down 7 pounds.   I was hoping for more, but I'll take it.

Now my goal for next week is to keep my carbs closer to target.  

My Weight-loss Chart

I have mentioned before how when I first seen myself in our vacation photos in June of 2018, that was when I decided to start a diet.  

I have no idea exactly how much weight I lost between June, 2018 and January 19, 2019 (When I started Keto) - I wrote down a start weight of 180 pounds but I don't know how accurate that is because I avoided the scales at first. So in about 9 months time I lost about 20 pounds by counting calories.  

When I started eating Keto on 1/19/2019 I weighed 159.4.  In Six months, I lost a little over 41 pounds..  I got down to a little over 118 pounds.  So I actually lost more in less time, following Keto.  

Even though everything you read says not to, I did weigh daily.

My weight did fluctuate on a daily basis.  I didn't write down the times I went up, I only charted my losses.  If I weighed  in at 149, I didn't write down a new weight until I went below the 149.   

Different foods effect us differently.  That's why I think weighing on a daily basis is a good thing.  You can see what foods are causing you to retain water.  (if you gain 2 pounds over night, it's water retention - it's not fat!  and those 2 pounds of water weight can fall off just as quickly as they added up)

Below is the weight I dropped, as I dropped it while following the Keto Diet.   I am listing it so you can see how the weight dropped off.  When there is a time span between the losses, you can bet I was up and down in between the two dates.  

Part of the time I was doing OMAD (One Meal A Day).  Part of the time I only ate 2MAD.   and part of the time I was eating 3 full meals a day.  But the fact remains - regardless, whether I was eating only 1 meal or 3, I never really felt hungry - or felt like I was being deprived.  

I think another reason I had success was because I had read that if you followed the Keto diet - and then cheated, you would get sick.  Well, I did not want to get sick! So for the longest time, I refused to cheat. I am sure that there were times that I did cheat, just not knowingly.  (eating out, etc)

We even went on a Bicycle Vacation (GIBT) where we were fed a Morning Meal and an Evening Meal by the organizers of this week long bicycle trip.  I had decided that if they did not have anything Keto Friendly for me to eat, I wouldn't eat!  I carried some Protein Shakes for 'emergencies' like that.  I actually got pretty lucky because there was only 1 meal (a breakfast) that there wasn't anything Keto friendly.  They had 2 breakfast casseroles and both had potatoes in them.  They also had fruit trays and probably a danish tray, along with cereals, etc.  The other cyclists had plenty of options for breakfast.  I had coffee.  Then later, drank a protein shake. Chances are, we probably also hit a convenience store on our route where I was able to grab more keto friendly foods to give me something to push those pedals with.  

It was some time after July 3rd, 2019 that I cheated for the first time.  and I did NOT get sick.  That was probably the saddest day of my Keto Life.   It was after I learned I could cheat and not get sick that my struggles began. 

I took a whole week off for vacation in January 2020 and I gained ten pounds that week.  To be quite honest, I have never fully recovered from that week.  That's when I started trying to just "Keep it Keto" but not log my foods or track my macros.  As I said, that way of eating Keto does work for some.  But for me, it does not.  

I have been struggling with my weight for a year now.  That's why I decided this January, to get back on board.  Logging my food and tracking it with MyFitnessPal really isn't that much trouble.  I already have most of our favorite recipes typed in.  All of my favorite foods are in my "frequently added" list.  It's just a matter of taking the time to log them - and double checking my macro's at the end of the day to make sure they are on target.  

I have had a request to post a "what I eat in a day" type blog.  So look for that in a future blog.  Let me warn you though, I can be pretty boring with my eating routine.  I do eat the same thing a lot.    Especially when the scale goes down. "Hey, that worked, let's try that again!"  

New Years Resolutions!

Happy New Year!  

How many of us have losing weight as one of our New Years Resolutions?   I am sure Ed and I are not the only ones that are planning to make some serious changes with our eating habits again. 

If you have been thinking that in 2021 you want to drop some weight and get healthy and are planning to start a serious diet (or better yet, just change your eating habits). Let me tell you, Keto will do the job! 

When we got home from Vacation in 2018, looking through our photos, I could not believe what I was seeing.  I did not recognize myself.  That's when I decided to start a "diet".  At first the pounds came off slowly, but in January 2019, I switched to eating Keto.  That's when the pounds started melting off.  

Once I reached my goal I got a little too comfortable in the Keto Life.  I stopped counting my macros and started just eating "Keto Friendly" foods.  While that way of eating works for some, it apparently does not work for me.  I have gained a few pounds back.  My 2021 goal is to get it back off and keep it off.    

Since I have mostly been eating Keto, but I have not been riding my bike.  I have to wonder if that's part of my weight problem, not just my more relaxed way of eating.  We shall soon find out, because in addition to eating right, I will also start pushing those miles again.

Anyway, if you are new to Keto, let me touch up on a few of the basics.  I believe it is more about what you are NOT eating, than what you are eating.  You can find the list of foods you need to avoid HERE and you can find the list of foods you can eat HERE.  

As I said above, it's not just about eating and not eating these foods, though.  It's also about eating these foods in the right proportions; your macros.  You want to be eating 5% Carbs, 20% Protein and 75% Fat.  

Yes, you read that right.  

Keto is a Low Carb/High Fat Diet.  You will be training your body to burn FAT for fuel, not sugar.  This means, after your body has burned all the fat you have eaten for the day, if it needs more fuel, it starts to burn your stored fat.  How cool is that?

On Keto, you do not have to count calories.  If you want to get the best results, you will count your macros, though.  Some people can drop the weight on Keto without counting macros, but that is what I've been doing lately and it is not working for me.    What works best for me is to log my food into MyFitnessPal and try to keep my macros as close, to 5% Carbs, 20% Protein and 75% Fat as I can.

Once you get into Ketosis (Fat Burning Mode) you will notice that you are not hungry all the time. So, if you can get yourself to stick with this way of eating for at least 3 days. It does get easier.

When you are able to skip a meal you can put IF (Intermittent Fasting) into play.  With IF, your body will have to dip into your stored fat for fuel.  That's when you should notice the pounds melting away.

But for starters, I would suggest eating 3 meals a day.  I think it would help to make this way of eating seem less like a diet. 

For breakfast you could eat either bacon & eggs or sausage & eggs.  Be sure to check the carb count in the sausage though, because not all sausage is created equal.  And yes, you may add cheese to your eggs, if desired.  Cook the bacon and/or sausage first then fry your eggs in their grease. You may have coffee with breakfast, if you like.  If you drink it black, it's carb free.  But if you like cream and sugar, for a few carbs, you may add a TBS of Heavy Whipping Cream and Stevia. Or better yet, just add a TBS of Butter.  Butter adds Fat but no carbs.

You definitely want some protein for lunch.  You could do a grilled chicken breast, pork steak, pork chop, ribeye, hamburger patty, there are so many options.  However, my go to for lunch is a couple of Johnsonville Better Cheddar Brats and a few slices of pepper jack cheese. 

For starters, I would make the evening meal simple, too.  It is a whole lot easier to count carbs when you aren't making dishes with multiple ingredients.   Instead, just pick a meat, pick a vegetable and add a fat. The fat could be as simple as melted butter on your broccoli.  Or a spoonful of guacamole on your chicken. 

The main thing is to end your day with your macros as close to 5/20/75 as you can.

Things to remember:.   

5% Carbs is a limit.   Try not to go over 5%.

20% Protein is a goal.   You want to get at least 20% protein.  If you are still hungry and you have reached your limit on Carbs and Fat, then you should eat more protein.  

75% Fat is also a limit.   You can go up to 75% but do not go over.  That said, if you can be satisfied eating less than 75%, even better.  The less fat you eat, the more stored fat you will burn.

While you do not have to count calories on Keto, obviously, the fewer you eat, the faster the weight will come off.

So here is an example of a day of eating simple Keto.

If you can eat low carb like this for just 3 days, I believe you will reach ketosis and find this way of eating is quite easy to stick with.  Especially when you see the numbers dropping on the scales.

One last thought. I do suggest you drink one bottle of Powerade Zero Sugar a day.  This will help keep your electrolytes up.  I personally like to add 2 TBS Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to that bottle of Powerade Zero Sugar.