Trying to do a keto-esque, low carb diet also calorie restructing

[itsasecret1]

Hi all!

32f, 71kg, 5"3. Sitting at a desk a lot.
I'd like to lose around 10kg.

For two weeks I've limited my calories to 1400 and lost nothing, so I'm looking to do more. I've reset MFP to 1200 calories.

Its been pointed out to me that I was filling up on carbs so I feel I need to do something about this.

I'm struggling looking at a keto diet because I don't really eat that much meat and if I do, I'm fussy about it (only eat free-range, organic meat) I also don't fancy meat or eggs for breakfast. Am I buggered before I've started?

I tried to get a good low carb lunch in today but failed miserably when I realised although it was low carb, I'd eaten over 600 calories!
(I had beetroot and walnut smash, italian salad with parmesan, pistachio nuts and a greek yoghurt) now I feel gross.

Any help / tips / hand holds welcome.

[Aprinceinapaupersgrave]

I think if you low carb/keto you don't calorie count. You won't overeat as this way of eating is more satisfying. So your lunch was calorific but you won't be searching out a snack later.

[itsasecret1]

Oh really? I'm wary, because I'm very good at pigging out 😣

[Grimbles]

It is difficult to believe the no counting calories thing, but if you stick to lchf your body really will adjust to only wanting what it needs!

For breakfast you need to get out of the mindset of 'breakfast food'. If you dont want meat or egg you can have cheese, avocado, mushrooms, olives, last nights leftovers or anything else that's lchf.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

The week before my holiday I did 6 days of less than 25g carbs, 12-1500 calories. I don't eat dairy and I struggled to get enough fat in and ate too much protein for true ketosis, (didn't get into ketosis according to ketosticks testing anyway) - I still lost 7.5lbs in 5 days!! I'm a size 8-10 normally so it's not like I had loads to lose either. I think the key was the low carbs, I have been doing a 50-80g carbs a day diet and not lost anything since last year. I did calorie count because like you say, I'm very good at eating and eat even when I'm not hungry which I think is the key to keto if you're not going to count calories.

I would eat tuna/olive oil/olives for breakfast; eggs/chicken salad with mayo and avocado for lunch, then meat/fish and salad for dinner. Rarely snacked. It was really easy. I'm doing it again this week as while on holiday I regained a few pounds and I'd like to re-lose that plus a couple more to finally get to target (I lost 3stone last year doing Blood sugar diet)

Keto friendly food is very calorie dense, so while your lunch was 600 calories it was probably going to keep you full all day and really nourish you, so you're better doing that than having a 300 calorie lunch than being starving at 4pm. I think you need to give it a few days to really get into it and start feeling the benefits.

[NearlySchoolTimeAgain]

Read about the Fast 800 diet if you want to restrict calories and carbs.

[Letsnotargue]

The Fast 800 diet is excellent. The initial eating plan does restrict calories but it sets you into a really good habit for general eating habits afterwards. There are lots of non-meat options too, although some do require quite a lot of prep work