Low carb/Keto - new starter accountability

[movemamamove]

Day 1 if anyone else would like to join me. I've got 2.5stone to lose but also doing it for general health, energy and hoping to lose some of my face puffiness which I'm pretty sure is down to my sugar & carb-heavy diet.

For the first week at least I'm sticking to 20g carbs and combining with intermittent fasting but learning as I go. Need to double check all the carbs before I have my lunch but today I'm having:

AM: Glass of salt water followed by coffee with almond milk (2g)
Lunch: Tuna with avocado & leaf salad with olive oil + a few blueberries (1g)
Dinner: 2 Chicken thighs with spinach & garlic mushrooms
Snacks: saving in case I need something almonds (1g). Cup of tea with almond milk (2g)

Starting weight: 12st 1
Goal weight: 9st 10

Posting here for accountability and welcome other new starters.

I’d like to join but find low carb difficult when not eating meat. There’s only so much fish I can eat

One of my colleagues/friends is a veggie on Keto - she's the reason I'm trying it as she's lots loads of weight and her meals always look amazing so I've been picking her brain. For protein she eats lots of eggs - fried, grilled, omelette, cold frittata (without the potato) & cheese so I think you'd struggle if you don't like either but mix up it up so it's not just cheddar. There's also tofu which is great in stir-fries or curries & then she cooks things like cauliflower 'steaks' , grilled halloumi & parmesan sticks, chai seed pudding, big flat mushrooms like a burger with lettuce wraps and blue cheese.

You can definitely do it but will need to be a bit more inventive and definitely takes more planning.

Day 2 feeling ok and went to a yoga class last night so I wasn't home thinking about food! I'm off to the gym before dinner so added an extra mini meal

B: Coffee with almond milk and water (no more salt water - it's minging and I'd rather just up the salt on food)
L: scrambled egg with mushrooms and avocado (3g carbs) and handful of blueberries
Pre-gym snack: Piece of cheese yogurt and berries (5g)
D: Prawn & fish Thai curry (5g) with cauliflower rice (3g) + almonds (1g)

I've been on a low carb diet for a year. It's not the most exciting and it will take time for you to lose weight, but it will pay off in the long term. Aim for a moderate calorie deficit but stick to it and you will have results xx

Thanks @elileli75I’m already dropping lbs although appreciate it’s probably just fluid at this early stage, it’s still very encouraging to see the scales dropping It makes it easier to continue.

Day 3
Lunch: courgette and Parmesan fritters egg and greens salad(6g) soya yogurt and berries (2g)
Dinner: beef mince tacos with lettuce wraps, guacamole and cheese (5g)
snacks: almonds (1g) and cooked chicken if I’m in the kitchen and hungry /boredom eating!

Day 4 still going strong & feeling pretty good on it. It might be my imagination but I definitely feel less food obsessed if nothing else. Managing to stay within my 20g of carb limit although quite what happens and when I don’t entirely know.

B: 2 large coffees with almond milk (1g)
L: spiced taco beef mince topped with fried egg served on spinach (4g)
D: Tandoori chicken curry (10g) roasted cauliflower (2g) & plain yogurt with berries (2g)
Snack: goats cheese on celery plus some smoked salmon (1g)

Day 5 & trying not to get excited As I know it’s lots of fluidbut the scales are showing a 5lb loss.

The next three days will be a big test as I quite often do well in the week and then fall down at the weekend But determined to stick at it.

B: Mushrooms fried garlic butter, and a salmon fillet plus coffee With almond milk 0g
L: tuna mayo salad (3g)
D: steak with mushrooms, asparagus, and spinach (2g)

G & T (fever tree light 6g) and some nuts (3G) which leaves a bit of wriggle room.

Day 6 good, Day 7 not fully there with a roast dinner out - I did manage to avoid potatoes & yorkshire pud but I'm sure the gravy & cauliflower cheese will have had carbs not to mention the 2 glasses of wine. Not too bothered about 1 day as I know I can't sustain long-term without some adapting to real life. Interesting to note I had a diet coke on Saturday and it tasted disgusting - I used to have at least 1 a day but it was sooo sweet and syruping. Part disappointed (it was my go-to alcohol alternative) part happy as I know it's full of crap and awful for appetite control.

Day 8.
B: coffee & almond milk
L: portobello mushroom grilled with goats cheese followed by tuna niçoise salad - 2 eggs, tin of tuna, olives, green beans, leaves etc and olive oil (5g)
D: Beef, broccoli and peanut stir fry with courgette noodles (6g) yogurt berries (2g)

Starting weight: 12st 1
Current weight: 11st 7
Goal weight: 9st 10

Still going strong and another 1lb off today so total WL 9lbs and amazingly, I don't feel hungry or thinking much about eating. It is taking me longer to cook plus costing a lot more with extra protein and almond milk/soya yogurt as we normally had large cartons of dairy.
To be properly accountable I'm going to post what I actually HAD rather than what I intend to have as whilst I'm doing OK, they don't always match up!
B: Coffee with almond milk
L: salad with tin of sardines, 2 hard boiled eggs, 1/2 avocado, bit of leftover smoked salmon, leaves and olive oil plus tblsp of mayo (6g carbs)
D: really tasty: started with a gilled portobello mushrooms topped with goats cheese (3g) then salmon fillet roasted with asparagus. courgette & cauliflower served with buttered green beans (9g) and some plain yogurt with berries (2g)
Snacks: another coffee with almond milk, various herbal teas and a pickled gherkin.
Total 20g carbs, 89g protein and 1251 calories.

Hello can I join please! Just started keto on Monday! It’s really been more low carb than true keto as using it as a bit of an experimental week as will probably relax over Easter but then starting proper and more strict next Tuesday. Are you sticking with the plan over Easter? Having just started I think I’d find it too hard but going to try and not go too crazy

Hey yes welcome along.

Im going to stick with it except for out Saturday night which might be tricky and Easter Sunday lunch I’ll not bother with potatoes but not counting the veg or hidden carbs so strictly. Not sure about chocolate I’ve slightly lost any interest in sweet things - had a piece of 80% dark today and even that seemed sweet.

Day 11 today and a good day yesterday with some nice meals. I'm finding the Intermittent fasting 8-1pm working well so continuing with that in the week:

B: coffee with almond milk
Lunch: 2 eggs scrambled, smoked salmon, fried garlic butter mushroom & courgette, (4g)
Dinner: 6 large spicy chicken wings, Asian cucumber salad, leaf salad with 1/2 avocado with mustard & olive oil dressing (6g) plus plain yogurt with berries (2g)
Snack: tea with milk and piece of 75% dark chocolate (5g)

Total carbs 17g Protein 75g Fat 90g an cals 1327.

I'm struggling to get my protein any higher but short of my 90g target so ideas welcome.

What sort of things are you eating @Springsprung2 ?

So as mentioned just starting out but yesterday I had…

breakfast - tea with milk (need to find a milk alternative but really can’t stand cream in tea). Scrambled eggs with chicken, spinach, courgette and grated cheese on top.

Lunch - lettuce wraps with chicken, avocado and mayo

dinner - Salomon in a cream cheese and creamy garlic sauce with spinach, courgette

snacks - a couple of babybels and handful of nuts. Also ended up having a mini egg…oops but sure one is fine. Also a couple of coffees with cream.

Really didn’t find myself too hungry which was good but not sure if I had too much cream/cheese. Think calories were still ok as I went for a run but maybe need to track that a bit better next week.

I think I’ll relax a bit over Easter but not too much (ie not stuff my face with chocolate). I’m 3.5lbs down since Monday but I know most (if not all) of that is water.

I’ve tried various milks and settled on unsweetened almond milk or just full fat. I don’t mind cream in coffee occasionally but not for everyday.

had a lovely ‘burger and chips’ alternative Friday night - lettuce for bun,beef & pork burger, blue cheese, bacon, gherkins and some mayo with courgette & parmesan ‘chips’. Delicious.

yesterday was trickier as we went out for Mexican and everything came wrapped - tacos, quesadillas, burritos ! Was definitely off plan but it was delicious and only 1 meal. Rest of the day was usual coffee for breakfast then scrambled egg, mushrooms, avocado and smoked salmon for lunch.

No further weight loss today (probably ate a good extra couple of lbs last night!!)

out for Easter lunch today roast lamb and veg will be fine, won’t have potatoes and strawberries and cream for agreed which I will have a little of and just have to resist drowning it in sugar!