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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

What is keto? 3st to lose initially, then likely 2more

46 replies

Lockdownsnackathon · 14/05/2020 15:54

Did SW very successfully a long time ago.
Now I'm fatter than ever and experiencing achey joints, chest pain/breathlessness etc. I don't own scales but i hazard a guess I'm around 16st and 5'2/3.

I'm a shift worker, a binge/emotional eater and I lack energy and willpower hugely. I have kids too. Im exhausted.

But I'm starting to feel scared about by health. My size 10 days are long gone, but if i can get to a small 14 I'll be pleased. Currently upper end of size18 now.

I don't know any other diets and i am scared to be hungry. Someone has mentioned keto.

Please help? When i google it keeps requesting my email address then signing me up to shit then requesting payments for eating plans and making outlandish claims like it slows ageing and thay I can loose 4st by september Hmm

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LambDhansak · 14/05/2020 16:07

Keto is high fat low carb moderate protein doet of net carbs of 20g or less.

There are dirty versions were you eat low carb tortilla, almond flour, processed meat, pork scratchings and the ultra clean version of meat fish eggs n veg. Both versions will work weight loss wise but if you have auto immune or other health issues you can investigate the clean strict keto more.

You might eat:

Eggs and cheese omelette for breakfast
Chicken caesar salad with no crotons
Or creamy broccoli stilton soup or chicken mushroom
Dinner roast chicken n veg, stirfty, curry chicken butter with cauliflower rice, zoodles with pesto and chicken or creamy zoodles alfredo, meatza, burger or kebab in big lettuce leaves, fajita chicken with cheeae 'nachos' and guacamole

Snack olives, cheese, pepperami, boiled eggs, pork puffs, ham and mustard, cucumber and cream cheese, tin of mackrel or tuna with mayo or chili sauce...

With keto you need to stick with it its not like slimming world if you cheat it sets you back and you gain water weight qiickly once you eat 'normal' again.

Oh and no milk, its cream in your coffee..

Instagram has lots of inspiring accounts my fave is loving less of me more.

LambDhansak · 14/05/2020 16:08

If you stick to 20g net carb per day you can lose that much. It really works.

Lockdownsnackathon · 14/05/2020 16:17

Sounds like reintroducing carbs is a sure way to pile it all back on?

So for example yesterday I ate 2 x bacon, scrambled eggs made with olive oil and then fresh tomatoes and rocket

Lunch I had a chedder cheese salad, loads of crunchy veg and ceaser dressing but did have croutons.

Dinner I had roasted peppers onions and sweetpotato (sometimes bns) with salmon that i put ricotta pesto and seeds on top of. and then 3 cupcakes and half a tub of fucking pringles because I'm weak and my husband is a tempter

Squash and diet lemonade.

How in line with keto would that have been, the rubbish excluded.

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foodtoorder · 14/05/2020 16:30

Low carb but high fat so essentially very filling. You could easily lose a couple of stone within the first few months.
Aside from this it is a great way to cut processed food out out of your life and to cook quick and easy meals.

Lockdownsnackathon · 14/05/2020 18:15

Is there anywhere to find a very simple set of rules for keto that I can just print out?

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YoungBritishPissArtist · 15/05/2020 09:25

Dietdoctor.com is a good place to start and has loads of recipes.

Your day’s food was pretty good but sweet potato is very high carb unfortunately! Sad

LambDhansak · 15/05/2020 09:41

Pinterest has loads of printable rules! Google keto rules and click to view images.

Once you eat carbs the weight will pile on faster than slimming world on the scales because carbs make your body hold to water weight so its disheartening to weigh yourself after a bing. Also it will set off cravings if you cheat regularly. Some people once they are at or close to target have one cheat meat a week or two weeks or a month.

If you fundamentally love carbs think nothing is wrong with wholegraon or rice and still believe in low fat you will struggle to stick to keto... you would need to really believe in the science and shift your mindset about carbs otherwise you will lose faith in what you are doing and jack keto in.

Slimming worlds bottom line is calories. Third plate veg because that automatically reduces your calories and ditto with 10 or 15 syns, its based on cals.

Keto is based on carbs. So with sw if you bing but restrict calls by eating speed you can balance it out but with keto you need days to get back into keto.

Regarding what you ate,
Breakfast fine, tomatoes depending on how much you had might be around 5g of net carb.

Lunch, croutons wasily 10g net carbs
The caesar dressing might be high carb
. You need to read the label on salad dressings as some are hogh in net carbs surprisingly. The veg, if you had sweetcorn and carrots and peppers thats higher in net carbs.

Dinnee, sweetpotatoes are higher in net carbs depending on how much you ate. Ditto roast onions and peppers. They arent unhealthy but have higher net carbs so should be limited under keto.

What you ate is easily over 20g net carbs so its highish for keto BUT there are other forms of low carbing under which what you ate is still considered low carbish.

you need to start again tomorrow and stay keto the whole day, day after day, so you get into fat burning mode.

Some people find diet drinks trigger cravings and stall weight loss. Low carb chocolate bars mess me up so i dont eat those anymore.

If i were to do a makeover of what you had it would be:

Scrambled eggs ans bacon, half a tomato
Snack if needed cheese

Lunch: lettuce, grated cheese, chicken cooked with oil, dressing of mayo lemon or a ready made dressing thats low carb like, Cardinis ceasar dressing (i get it from sainsburys), 7 olives and 2 inch stick cucumber chopped if wanted, half an avocado

Snack: if needed tuna mayo with 1 celery stick, bouillon drink for salt

Dinner: salmon, cabbage fried in butter, rocket salad, tartar or lemon mayo dressing, 1 or 2 squares 85+% dark chocolate or sugar free jelly and extra thick double cream.

By contrast sw would be
Cooking spray cooked scramble with lean trimmed bacon unlimited veg on the side 2 small whole meal toasts if wanted

Snack fat free yog, fruit
Lunch salad no fat cooked chicken breast with low fat dressing synned and maybe a jacket potato on the side

Snack as above or treat from syns

Dinner salmon, couscous, noodles or rice with unlimited stiry fry veg.

You would lose on both eventually but keto is faster.

Lockdownsnackathon · 15/05/2020 18:57

Lambdansak, that was so comprehensive thank you.

Ive never counted calories etc so its gonna be a shift understanding carbs.

I lost 6st on sw but it was many years ago and fed my huge appetite but i hate low fat shit and now am older and wiser cannot tolerate bullshit like mullerlights.

Last year I, for no conscious reason really cut back on carbs, for the first time in my entire lifetime I wasn't experiencing cravings and it was utterly bizarre experience to feel like... what i presume normal people feel like towards food! No... panic, gotta eat it now sorta thing. I was dropping 2lb per week with no effort. But my brain self sabotaged to override because perhaps deep down I don't believe I can be slim again.

I can see I need a new mindset and way of eating, and I like clear cut rules. I am terrified of being hungry. I love veg, i really do! I love a salad or roasting root veg. I just also love rum and chocolate Blush

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Lockdownsnackathon · 16/05/2020 07:39

Sorry one last question. Bit more googling led me to 'keto flu'

How do I gradually ease in so I don't get this?

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Ploddingalong67 · 16/05/2020 07:44

I'm 5 weeks into Keto and have lost 5kg but I have been very strict so definitely do-able.

The 'Keto-flu' I had was very very mild, just the occasional light head and headache. You need to drink a lot a lot of water to try and prevent it getting too unbearable.

Alcohol wise - do you like vodka? Vodka and low calorie tonic is what I've been substituting for my much missed wine!

Lockdownsnackathon · 16/05/2020 07:57

I could probably quite easily give up alcohol i think, i don't drink huge amounts at all.. more just enough to flavour the drink and make me feel a little warm Grin i don't ever drink much.

When i unintentionally found myself cutting carbs last year I definitely didn't get unwell but i didn't know about Keto then or rules etc, so i imagine my real carb intake was high- like I didn't know tomatoes were carby/should be restricted under these rules for ex.

I wonder if i do my own version again for a few weeks to ease in and then go strict if that would help. I really don't want to feel ill, i do a really exhausting and manual job, I just won't cope.

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BuffaloCauliflower · 16/05/2020 08:00

Do the Blood Sugar Diet/Fast 800 - you can buy a book and lots of support here (Look for thread in fasting diets). Works well and fast, and easier to transition to a day to day way of eating so you don’t pike it back on.

It includes getting into ketosis, I did it as a veggie on 50g carbs which is healthier as you’ll get more fibre, doesn’t have to be as low as 20g

Defenestratethecat · 16/05/2020 14:02

I have some questions. I need to lose 3-4 stone, I lost 4 stone about 6 years ago by calorie counting and upping the exercise - since put it all back on Hmm. I understand the theory behind keto, but can't get my head around the conditioning that a high fibre diet is good for you and anything else will cause horrendous constipation and clog your arteries.

Have there been any long term studies into keto that show followers don't keel over or spend all their money on laxatives!

BuffaloCauliflower · 16/05/2020 18:21

@Defenestratethecat balance is important, low carb doesn’t have to mean (and shouldn’t mean) only steak and eggs. It is absolutely unhealthy to do old Atkins style low carb for any length of time, for many reason.z

I’ve done plenty of days of under 50g carbs, under 1000 calories but still getting 25g of fibre (recommended daily amount that less than 10% of people actually get). If you plan it’s entirely possible. You’re right that fibre and gut health are important. The Fast 800 book encourages low carb with a Mediterranean diet focus which considers gut health and fibre.

Defenestratethecat · 16/05/2020 19:54

Buffalo, that sounds worth s read, thanks.

Redruby25 · 16/05/2020 22:14

In terms of carbs, and calories for that matter, it might sound strange, but something I was told years ago to do, and that was to initially start eating what my daily allowance was, that isn't to say it is 2000 calories a day for all adults. You can find out more online, it would be quite fair to say most who are overweight or obese are eating over the recommended daily amount of calories, you can also from that, work out a daily carb allowance. I think under a 2000 calorie diet, I'm sure I read that you can have 40g of carbs, that might seem like a lot, considering the 20g rule on other plan mentioned in thread, but 40g is a lot lower than you think, and much less than many of us are eating, I mean for example you can have two slices of bread, and they can be 17g's each 😵 that is a lot, so that goes to show that most of us eat a lot of carbs, and just sticking to the recommended daily amount would probably help quite a lot!

Lockdownsnackathon · 16/05/2020 22:34

I'm trying to build a basic menu for week ahead. I know it wont be 100% perfect but:

Am struggling for breakfast as I'm an oat bar and go kinda person.

Also I'm 80% veggie so struggling with the increase in meat.

Any guidance?

What is keto? 3st to lose initially, then likely 2more
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BuffaloCauliflower · 17/05/2020 08:44

@Lockdownsnackathon I’m pescatarian but mainly veggie so did this without any meat, you don’t need to eat meat for low carb or keto

If you like a grab and go breakfast how about egg muffins? Basically mini omelettes baked in a muffin tin, add whatever veggies you fancy (I quite like red pepper and feta) you can make ahead and just grab a couple in the morning. Loads on Pinterest (your friend for low carb recipes)

Lockdownsnackathon · 17/05/2020 08:45

I'm going shopping in an hour or so, so any last words of wisdom would be fab!

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lunar1 · 17/05/2020 08:52

I lost 70lbs on Keto last year and have maintained for 5 months now. I have reintroduced more carbs now but only really fruit and vegetables. Still no bread, biscuits, potatoes etc.

I'd highly recommend the carb manager app, the free version is fine. There are fb support groups as well which I found helpful, but very much geared up for things available in America.

Order a pink Himalayan salt grinder from amazon and add to salad, it really helps with Keto flu.

I plan to go back to strict Keto this summer to get another 30lbs off, then I'll be done!

lunar1 · 17/05/2020 08:53

If you like is add some pork scratchings to your shopping list, they are great for when you need something with a crunch

BuffaloCauliflower · 17/05/2020 08:56

Celery and cucumber are also great for crunch Smile no need for meat and it’s worth thinking about fibre as well, as I said above there’s a healthy balanced way of doing this and an unhealthy one.

The Cronometer app is the best for tracking in my book as much more comprehensive and will track things like fibre and other smaller nutrients not just fat, protein and carbs.

BuffaloCauliflower · 17/05/2020 08:57

Crustless quiche is a good option to have for breakfast or lunch, easy to make ahead and just have as needed.

Lockdownsnackathon · 17/05/2020 08:59

Pork scratchings make me heave 😂

I'm usually mostly veggie so this is hard, but i can't see how I can do it fully veg as I wont eat shit like tofu
.

Okay pink Himalayan salt grinder 👍 adding to amazon basket now.

I'm hoping to avoid keto flu by not going strict to begin with and easing in (i.e just cutting out obv carbs like bread, pasta, potatoes etc, but not worrying about fruit or vegs too much... then get stricter a few weeks in.... I'm terrified of keto flu!

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Lockdownsnackathon · 17/05/2020 09:02

Thank you buffalo will download now.

I'm scared but I have to change my life. I'm so scared for my health. I was awake with niggling chest pain/uncomfortablness last night.

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