Exploring Low Carb, Healthy Fat, Moderate Protein Diet - Not Keto Quite Yet

[noboundaries]

Update: weight is down 25 lbs. We're eating WAY more veggies, salads, nuts, and seeds. Protein (30% of daily calories) and healthy fats (50-55% of daily calories) keep me in a decent mood, feeling energized. I do take 600mg of berberine (nature's metformin) in the evening (after 8 PM), but not during the day because it messes with my head. I also drink a water, ACV, soluble fiber concoction before each meal and before bed.

I prick a finger 6-10 times a day and spreadsheet my blood glucose readings, then calculate my hbA1C and average it over time. It has dropped in 6 months from 6.2 to 5.8. Making progress, but not there yet. My plan is to lose 80 more lbs one day at a time, exercise regularly, and get my A1C under 5.

The first 4 months was me experimenting. I started dialing in what works for me the 5th month, and have refined it this last month.

Sure had fun getting fat. Now, getting slimmer has been easier than expected. And it's been kinda fun patiently figuring out what works for me. My health system offered only canned approaches that were too restrictive or outdated (too many carbs). Real doctors on YouTube, viewed with caution, provided me with ideas to try. My body. My plan. And it's working.

 

[tallbm]

Update: weight is down 25 lbs. We're eating WAY more veggies, salads, nuts, and seeds. Protein (30% of daily calories) and healthy fats (50-55% of daily calories) keep me in a decent mood, feeling energized. I do take 600mg of berberine (nature's metformin) in the evening (after 8 PM), but not during the day because it messes with my head. I also drink a water, ACV, soluble fiber concoction before each meal and before bed.

I prick a finger 6-10 times a day and spreadsheet my blood glucose readings, then calculate my hbA1C and average it over time. It has dropped in 6 months from 6.2 to 5.8. Making progress, but not there yet. My plan is to lose 80 more lbs one day at a time, exercise regularly, and get my A1C under 5.

The first 4 months was me experimenting. I started dialing in what works for me the 5th month, and have refined it this last month.

Sure had fun getting fat. Now, getting slimmer has been easier than expected. And it's been kinda fun patiently figuring out what works for me. My health system offered only canned approaches that were too restrictive or outdated (too many carbs). Real doctors on YouTube, viewed with caution, provided me with ideas to try. My body. My plan. And it's working.

Congrats on the success man!

Yeah it's definitely an experimental journey. If I could drop 20-25 pounds I might be at a point to just maintain for the rest of my life.
I've dropped a good amount over the past 2 years. I basically do keto and after I got initial benefits I would drop slowly but then I started incorporating some real calorie counting on top of it and boom things picked up nicely.

My body is stubborn (like many) and if I look at carbs I gain weight lol. If I eat too many calories, I gain weight BUT not as badly as if I eat too many carb calories.

I also have another problem that I'm basically allergic to alcohol where I can drink it and be fine while doing so but about 12-16 hours after my body has a ton of bad reactions. I get a case of mild flu like sickness, body bloats, I am compelled to eat anything and everything that my body deems will feel better and in 5 days time can put on almost 20 pounds of bloat plus bad eating weight.
It takes about 2 weeks to a little more than half of that weight off since it is mostly bloat weight but the remaining weight sticks and undoes months of hard work losing or maintaining weight lol.
I drank on new years eve and as of this morning still need to drop 5 pounds of the weight I gained to get back to what I was the day before New Years Eve when I drank lol.

I'm back on the right track though... until Memorial day weekend where I will repeat it all again hahahaha. I only drink about 2 days a year because of this allergic/sick reaction so I imagine I'll get back to pre holiday weight gain just to undo it all again hahaha.

FYI, I've checked everything under the sun. I have this reaction to consuming any kind of alcohol and even if it's 1 beer, 1 shot, or 1 glass of wine. It's not gluten, fermentation, grain, related or anything else, it's simply just alcohol related to the point where I use non-alcohol mouthwash lol.

Ok rambling over now :P

 

[noboundaries]

Thanks TBM, and great rambling. I'm learning more about my body now than I ever have. Maybe that's what happens with age after an accumulation of bad habits from the invincibility of youth. And maybe it's peering into the abyss of immobility if things don't change. Whatever the cause, I'm enjoying the transition.

 

[noboundaries]

New update.

My weight has dropped into the 250's. I haven't seen that level in more than a decade. My wife, who isn't as dedicated as me, is also into the mid 180's, something she hasn't seen in the same amount of time.

I'm definitely eating keto, with some days so low carb they are more carnivore. Regardless, I feel great, and have a sense of control over my weight, emotions, and blood sugar.

Our grocery bill has increased about $160/month with eating more meat, but that's doable.

Happy Meat Eating

Ray

 

[tallbm]

New update.

My weight has dropped into the 250's. I haven't seen that level in more than a decade. My wife, who isn't as dedicated as me, is also into the mid 180's, something she hasn't seen in the same amount of time.

I'm definitely eating keto, with some days so low carb they are more carnivore. Regardless, I feel great, and have a sense of control over my weight, emotions, and blood sugar.

Our grocery bill has increased about $160/month with eating more meat, but that's doable.

Happy Meat Eating

Ray
View attachment 695459

Nice work, keep it up man!!! :D

 

[chef k-dude]

Great job!

 

[noboundaries]

Update: I've been reducing carbs while moving closer to a 0g carb/carnivore program. I've cut out most veggies, but occasionally eat a thin-cut slice of whole wheat bread with butter and guacamole. (See pic for carb/protein/fat average daily intake in grams).

I have more energy. My brain fog has disappeared. I've learned that eggs are my friend (6/day). I don't restrict calories. Grass-fed beef tastes WAAAAY better than the grain-fed stuff.

If I've learned anything from this attempt to lower my blood glucose is that the body changes and adapts over time. My tracking indicates my next A1C should have dropped from 6.3 to 5.8 or 5.9. I'm not out of the pre-diabetic woods yet, but getting there.

I've also learned that I can't do too many changes at once. My next goals are carbs under 20g / day and to start some type of fasting to stimulate autophagy (either a daily 18hr no eat/6 hr eat intermittent fasting program or one 24 hr fast per week consuming only water/coffee/tea/broth, which I know I can do). What is autophagy? It is the body consuming visceral fat and discarding dead cells so you don't end up with saggy-baggy skin from weight loss.

The way I'm eating is counter to what we've been told is healthy for the last 70 years or so. My wife and I followed those recommendations, gained weight, and became unhealthy. Heck, my wife was told she would need a knee replacement in time. Since she's made changes too, her knee has actually improved. She's got a way to go, but that's her indicator what we're doing it's working (in addition to the heart arrhythmia reduction mentioned in another thread).

When I joined SMF, I just wanted to learn how to smoke meat better. Who knew it would be the key to improving my overall health?

Cowboy steaks from Costco are on the menu for tonight. Happy eating everyone!

Ray

 

[uncle eddie]

Ray

I have been lurking in the background reading your updates...congrats on the success. Plateau's are not fun, but busting through them is a confidence booster.

About 15 or 20 years ago, I decided to get back into shape. I did low carb...lost about 30 pounds in a few months - but I missed pasta. Then I did Weight Watchers (low fat), and lost another 15-20 pounds. But I missed fatty foods - so I did something crazy and joined MFP and exercised and watched my calories. Ended up losing 75 total pounds in 18 months. I found that my max carb level was about 50 net carbs a day to maintain my weight. Did so for a lot of years until about 2 years ago...ahem...I gained 14 pounds. Clothes were starting to get a little snug...

Sooo....Back into MFP yesterday and figuring out what my max per-day net-carbo-load is again. I should be back at goal weight in 3 to 4 months (I hope).

One thing that helped me endure plateau's was the fact that I measured regularly. Neck, belly, hips, thighs. When in a weight loss plateau, the inches kept dropping so that kept my spirits up.

Eric

 

[noboundaries]

Addendum to my post above: For the last 1-2 weeks of starting my day with 6 scrambled eggs in either clarified butter, bacon or chicken fat, I would not be hungry for 5-6 hours. Today, after posting above, I ate my 6 eggs around 11 AM. My wife came down for lunch at 1215 and I was cooking 4 grass-fed ground beef patties. I was RAVENOUS for meat and ate two. She ate one and claimed the other for later. I told her I felt like I was on some kind of upper I had so much energy. As I type this, I realize I feel today like I did in my 20s and 30s, and I'm 69. I never thought I'd feel like this again. It may pass, but dang, it feels great right now.

Time to hit the weights.

 

[noboundaries]

Ahhh. A bit of carnivore heaven rib steaks about to hit the coals on the Kettle. That's a 9x13" pan and the steaks are 2 1/2" thick. $9.99/lb at Costco. 28 hour dry brine with Mont Steak Seasoning. Mmmm....

 

[noboundaries]

I'm now sneaking up on breaking into the 240's. I'm back to eating 35g-100g of carbs a day. I just feel better. First week of June I added intermittent fasting (15‐18 hours fast per day) and only eating 2 meals daily, mostly eggs, healthy fats, meat, fish, nuts, and leafy greens. I don't get hungry or worry about calories, though I still track them. Coffee, tea, and herbal teas are my friends.

My belly is absolutely shrinking. Time will tell if the autophagy stuff I've been reading about from fasting actually prevents the saggy skin. Still no sugar, grains, rice, or beans. 34.2 lbs total weight reduction so far.

My wife agrees this is the EASIEST thing we've ever done to lose weight and she isn't tracking a single thing other than measurements and stepping on the scale.

Blood test next week. I expect my blood hbA1c glucose to drop from 6.3 last March to 5.9 to 6.1 based on my glucose meter tracking and formula conversions.

 

[chef k-dude]

Ray

I have been lurking in the background reading your updates...congrats on the success. Plateau's are not fun, but busting through them is a confidence booster.

About 15 or 20 years ago, I decided to get back into shape. I did low carb...lost about 30 pounds in a few months - but I missed pasta. Then I did Weight Watchers (low fat), and lost another 15-20 pounds. But I missed fatty foods - so I did something crazy and joined MFP and exercised and watched my calories. Ended up losing 75 total pounds in 18 months. I found that my max carb level was about 50 net carbs a day to maintain my weight. Did so for a lot of years until about 2 years ago...ahem...I gained 14 pounds. Clothes were starting to get a little snug...

Sooo....Back into MFP yesterday and figuring out what my max per-day net-carbo-load is again. I should be back at goal weight in 3 to 4 months (I hope).

One thing that helped me endure plateau's was the fact that I measured regularly. Neck, belly, hips, thighs. When in a weight loss plateau, the inches kept dropping so that kept my spirits up.

Eric

Some people forget that muscle weighs more than fat.

Addendum to my post above: For the last 1-2 weeks of starting my day with 6 scrambled eggs in either clarified butter, bacon or chicken fat, I would not be hungry for 5-6 hours. Today, after posting above, I ate my 6 eggs around 11 AM. My wife came down for lunch at 1215 and I was cooking 4 grass-fed ground beef patties. I was RAVENOUS for meat and ate two. She ate one and claimed the other for later. I told her I felt like I was on some kind of upper I had so much energy. As I type this, I realize I feel today like I did in my 20s and 30s, and I'm 69. I never thought I'd feel like this again. It may pass, but dang, it feels great right now.

Time to hit the weights.

Wow, even when I was low carb...or ever in my life have I ever eaten six eggs at one sitting. Then again I dont work out (wish I would) and work behind computer screens for a living so I dont need as much food as someone who is very active.

Congrats on feeling so well! I've been through the journey and lost 40lbs twice in my life. Went off low carb a couple years ago (generally, some of those habits dont go away, like sugar, we dont eat much of that still) and gained some belly, but not much weight. We dont engorge ourselves with carbs though and I still make sugar free ice cream for us...or my wife I should say, she eats most of it, I just dont have much of a sweet tooth to begin with...get a bag of chips around me at 10PM and I'm in trouble though.

 

[noboundaries]

I was a skinny kid until 9 years old. That's when my dad started making good money and mom started cooking only on weekends. Weekday meals were sugary breakfast cereals and frozen foods. I became a fat kid. Been fighting weight ever since. Both my parents gained weight, too.

I had muscles and weight in HS to play football. Last 3 months in uni I lost 30 lbs in what I now know was a keto diet prior to Navy flight school (canned tuna/fats/green veggies/lots of exercise).

After the Navy, I yo-yo'd. Then, for 5 years, I worked for a company that mandated a vegetarian lifestyle. Gained massive weight! Like 60 lbs, due to starchy veggies, grains, and beans. Highest cholesterol and triglycerides in my life. What that employer required would probably be illegal now.

I've tried a lot of diets and paid programs (Jenny, WW, etc). Yo-yo train. Over the decades we also made the mistake of following the "healthy" food pyramid. That's pure corporate BS designed to keep us fat and unhealthy, requiring meds.

Coffee, eggs, bacon, chicharrones, and guacamole for bfast this morning. Will my cholesterol be up on Monday? We'll see, but that's another topic.

Eat meat, eggs, healthy fats, and leafy greens!

Ray

 

[uncle eddie]

Found a much better app/website than MFP. Carb Manager (https://www.carbmanager.com/)
When did MFP stop allowing the use of the scanner unless you were a paid member?
Down 9 pounds in 30 days. 5 to go.

 

[noboundaries]

Real doctors on YouTube, viewed with caution, provided me with ideas to try. My body. My plan. And it's working.

The two doctors on YouTube that I've found who provide the best information and training for what I've done so far are Dr. Ken D. Berry, MD, from Camden, TN, and Dr. Sten Ekberg, DC (chiropractor) from just outside Atlanta, GA. They don't use the tube to sell you anything. They might have products or programs, but it is not apparent from their videos.

There are a few others I've watched but found their info sketchy or merely a sales pitch. The two I've mentioned provide great info to consider for people like me who need to lose weight and achieve metabolic health.

Live long and prosper (Dr. Spock),

 Ray

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I'm 48 and I was pre-diabetic. I just started exercising a lot and controlling my portions. I was at 255 and I'm down to 215. I've done low carb. I did Atkins back when that was all the rage. It definitely works for me, but I'd get super hangry and start dreaming about eating raw potatoes.

I think it's about what works best and makes sense to you exercise wise and dietwise. I started really slowly and I've built up to where I'm basically running a 5k 4 times a week on the treadmill. I run outside weather permitting. I'm kind of plateaued out right now, but my labs are really good. If you listen to really high strung workout types they'll just kill your drive, and you'll quit. They turn it into some kind of OCD self punishment.

 

[noboundaries]

Test results: hbA1c dropped from 6.3 to 6.1. Total cholesterol climbed by 30 points, but that is not concerning to me.

Weight is down to 249.8; that's the good news. The bad is I haven't eaten much since popping positive for Covid earlier last week. (Wife brought it home after socializing). Can see the light at the end of the tunnel, though, and appetite is starting to return.

 

[chef k-dude]

Good news on the diet/numbers. Sorry you got sick in the meantime.

None of us here have ever gotten anything resembling a cold in years. No jabs either. So weird, as I hear about people all around getting "the C-word".

 

[tallbm]

Test results: hbA1c dropped from 6.3 to 6.1. Total cholesterol climbed by 30 points, but that is not concerning to me.

Weight is down to 249.8; that's the good news. The bad is I haven't eaten much since popping positive for Covid earlier last week. (Wife brought it home after socializing). Can see the light at the end of the tunnel, though, and appetite is starting to return.

Congrats on the continued progress!!! I need to get back on the wagon. I'm not off the rails but after Memorial day I took a big hit and need to get things really rolling in the right direction again instead of staying stagnant :D

 

[noboundaries]

Next update: After Covid back in June, my weight climbed back to 252 - 254 lbs, and plateaued right there. Nothing I did got off that plateau from June to start of October.

10/02/24: weight 254 lbs. Decided to return to full keto (less than 50g net carbs daily) and Intermittant fasting (IF) of 16-18 hours. By this morning, on the start of the 17th day (10/18/24), my weight is back down to 248 lbs and dropping. Ba bye plateau.

Over several days, I also moved my IF eating window from noon-8 PM (3 meals) to 10 AM - 4 PM (2 meals). I found it surprising that the earlier eating window and 2 meals was easier to achieve than the later window. I'm often not hungry by the time I need to eat the second meal, but I eat anyway.

I try to walk or ride my stationary bike 30-90 minutes a day, but I include grocery shopping trips as exercise because I'm walking, pushing, and lifting.

My doc is happy with the changes I'm making. Onward and downward!

Ray