Diets that may cause problems: Restriction, Ketogenic, Raw, Low Carb

[Petunia]

Similar topics merged and title changed.

 

Any members who have changed their diet in an attempt to aid recovery, please add to this discussion with your results.

[Cressida]

I've had a really ugly withdrawal after eating like 50% raw and drinking green smoothies daily. It set me off pretty bad, I am still recovering. I think people on psych meds can be pretty sensitive to such changes. I don't know, maybe a gradual introduction would have been more tolerable. But just be careful folks!

Someone bought me a Nutribullet and three days of smoothies sent me back into acute for months. I now avoid all sugar,all processed or prepared foods. In restaurants I go for grilled meat or fish. Nothing with a sauce. Food proved a big trigger for waves for me since I ve identified the triggers and stuck rigidly to avoiding those my recovery has progressed better with less ups and downs

[freespirit]

After a few months of physical misery when I jumped off, I found information about histamine. I decided it was worth trying to reduce histamine in my diet. Within a short period, I had improvement in sleep, pain, headaches, brain fog, digestion, vertigo, and nausea; the frequency of hives also reduced. I eliminated sugar, dairy, wheat, berries, tea, any leftover food, beans, most condiments--vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, mayo, as well as tomatoes, most spices, spinach, dried or sweet fruits, and tofu. Not saying this would work for just anyone. As Gia says, you need to try an elimination diet, combined with eating more antihistamine and anti-inflammatory foods.

 

I tried to eat nutritionally as well as I could. Overall, I found I could eat some things considered high in histamine, but couldn't tolerate the "safe" things in some cases. Over the past few months, I've been able to gradually add in some of the foods I was unable to eat before. I tend to eat smaller amounts and fewer carbs, because I can't tolerate a great amount of grains (rice, quinoa, oats) and I feel better eat less of them.

 

As much as possible, I try to follow what my body tells me. I'm not putting much attention on histamine these days. When I grocery shop or cook meals, I attend to what feels right at the time. Some days, I exercise more (ie. 30k on my bike)...where I tend to need more protein and carbs, in order to sustain me. I don't abide by anyone's notion of the "correct diet"...because experience has shown me I do best by following what's working, and trusting that to be an ever-evolving, ever-changing thing.

 

For some periods of time, I'm able to do very nutrient dense smoothies...but at times, I don't want anything cold and know that there are periods when I can't digest them. I eat almost no processed food, a lot of veggies with a small amount of lower sugar fruits as the center of my diet. I aim for 6-8 servings a day, but not always possible, when I'm having days of very low hunger.

 

I don't believe diet alone would be enough for me...this is the first time in my life I've felt that I'm attending to all aspects of my health, including exercise, spiritual practice, a lot of stretching and moving my body, and being much more mindful of my thinking patterns. Before WD, I tried to address each of these things individually, but never saw any great improvement...but doing them all together has been much more powerful.

[Altostrata]

Very interesting, thanks, freespirit.

 

Also see Histamine food intolerance

[NoMeaning25]

http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm

 

Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely

[scot]

http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm

 

Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely

Hi,I don't agree with this diet regarding not eating raw salads and also excluding fruits.Both contain a plethora of substances that help human health.If i were in your position I would try Mediterranean diet.Just try to eat as more vegetables and fruits as possible without excluding anything.

[stan]

if i look my past, i begin to really improve only at 4 years and a half, before that it was not real improvements, a mix of waves, try to wait and eat good as a normal people,

i tried many things, nothing worked, only time and calm have functioned for me, i am part of severe cases

[NoMeaning25]

Thanks Stan.

I am a severe case too. I hope i will also see improvements at 4 - 4.5 years

if i look my past, i begin to really improve only at 4 years and a half, before that it was not real improvements, a mix of waves, try to wait and eat good as a normal people,

i tried many things, nothing worked, only time and calm have functioned for me, i am part of severe cases

[NoMeaning25]

Thank you. I just want a diet that improves health and this diet looked simple enough. I do have weight to loose butci am too ill to focus on weight loss now.

 

 

http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htmIm just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely

I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling so low NoMeaning. Please try to carry on. It is so hard, I agree, but ultimately you will feel better and that is something to cling to.May I ask why you want to try this diet? Is it weight loss or healthier eating or simply grasping at anything that may help with w/d?I found that limiting food choices produced an extreme result for me. I limited fat on the British Heart Foundation diet and felt so awful. I couldn't believe or understand why it affected me at the time.Much, much later when I felt a lot better I tried the Atkins diet to lose weight, and did so, dramatically. I don't know if this had anything to do with w/d at all, but it didn't do me much good...I lost a lot of hair due to dramatic weight loss.I'd eat organic and nutritious food and try to keep your stress and anxiety low.As I say, it's not easy and I know how tempting it is to grasp at straws after so long.Hang in there.x

[NoMeaning25]

I think i might have loads of food sensitivities and trying to eliminate that with a simple diet although i dont think this diet is as simple as it seems.

 

http://www.drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/VEG%20DIET.htm

Im just looking for ANYTHING that can make me feel better. I am 39 months off and im still in acute and i cant carry on anymore. Im suffering severely

 

Hi,I don't agree with this diet regarding not eating raw salads and also excluding fruits.Both contain a plethora of substances that help human health.If i were in your position I would try Mediterranean diet.Just try to eat as more vegetables and fruits as possible without excluding anything.

[NJJ]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just thought I'd share my positive experience with making bone broth. As I've been reluctant to take herbs and supplements in case of a reaction my Uncle who is a acupuncturist suggested bone broth. I thought I would give it a go and after a couple of months I have noticed a big difference. In particular it has helped my hormones which have been out of wack from being so sick.

 

I have noticed

-stronger nails and hair.

-decreased bloating and improved digestion.

-a lot less dry skin which now feels smooth.

 

Don't know if this is related or I'm just recovering in general.

-improved concentration

-less headaches

 

There are heaps of receipes on the net. Apparently the way it works is your extracting the vitamin and minerals from the bone when cooking.

[ladybug]

I think I may try this! How often do you drink it?

[NJJ]

Hi Silver star,

 

I just buy about half a kilo of soup bones from butcher or supermarket. Bake them for 30min. Then place them in a big pot of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, just enough water to cover the bones. Boil for about 6-10 hours. Last two hours you can add what ever veggies, herbs you want. That usually lasts for about 4-5 days and I drink about a cup a day or second day.

[Fresh]

WOW , thanks NJJ !!      I just looked at what DR Axe has to say about bone broth , and it's chock-full of nutrients.

Apparently the apple cider vinegar helps pull out the vitamins and minerals during cooking.

 

http://draxe.com/the-healing-power-of-bone-broth-for-digestion-arthritis-and-cellulite/

[NJJ]

Fresh, yes for me I think its a good alternative. Apperently over time ADs strip your body of nutrients. I think preparing my body and getting it as nourished as possible may help with possible withdrawal symptoms.

[KarenB]

Really helpful thread - thanks.  I've been using bone broth for years now for my family, and we find it really good.  We cook brown rice in it - tastes yummy.  I understand that it helps the body digest food, and also makes up for nutrients that can be lost/leached from our bodies when we eat white flour, rice or grains.  

 

It's also a good base for soup etc.

 

I like knowing I've got good things going into my body, but especially now I'm in w/d.   

[Help777]

Has anyone tried a potato before bed to boost serotonin and maybe curb cortisol spike in the middle of the night?

[scallywag]

Hi help -- Are you talking about Kathleen Desmaisons' work?  I subscribed to her programs about 10 years back. I never got as far as adding the potato at night but did learn a great deal as I worked the previous steps -- eating breakfast, getting sufficient protein, eating complex carbs vs refined, processed carbs.

 

Her "prescription" of a potato before bed is based on the serotonin deficiency theory of depression which was a very shaky hypothesis to start with and has been discredited.

 

Why not give it a try for a week or so to see if it works for you? Just remember start small - maybe one of the yummy and tiny new potatoes that are in season now.

[genlady]

Has anyone on here ever gone on a Ketosis diet? Seems like it's powerful stuff. It will stop seizures in folks who do not respond to anticonvulsants. It's shown promise in treating other conditions of the brain such as TBI, Parkinsons, Stroke and there it improved the memory and cognition of folks who suffered from early signs of Dementia. It's a rough diet and not one that is easy to adhere to but is it possible it could help our situations if adhered to for a short period of time. Anyone ever try?

I was on the Ideal Protein Diet for one year and lost 100 pounds to get ready for surgery this year.  My withdrawals were horrible during this time.  I just recently stopped the diet so I could eat more fruits and vegetables rather than rely on supplements for my nutrients.  

[Altostrata]

Having complex carbs at night or a protein boost such as undenatured whey protein can keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the night. This can be helpful to calm the nervous system as a drop in blood sugar tends to increase adrenaline, the stimulating hormone.

 

Ketosis also increases adrenaline. A ketogenic diet is probably not a good idea when one is struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

 

It is possible that, with other hypersensitivities, withdrawal syndrome might increase sensitivity to histamine in foods, which can also be stimulating or trigger waves of anxiety. A trial of a low-histamine diet or elimination diet to identify other food sensitivities might be a good idea.

[LostInMarshes]

Good thread to bookmark. My body wants me to embark on the raw vegan food diet, but I will follow Dr Kelly Brogan's approach - "radishes for days, and then a day when the taste of home cooked meatballs is nourishing..." (not verbatim)

[Thesearepowerfuldrugs]

I have cut out all starchy carbs and gluten and sugar and it has helped me get off antidepressants.

[ghm2018]

Hi Meimeiquest...I saw this thread and I'm curious.  I experienced an adverse reaction to fluoxetine in January and am still suffering from multiple issues.  My primary care recommended a "reset" through clean-eating and suggested a modified keto diet.  

 

Are you aware of any member who has had success with the ketogenic diet?

 

Thank you,

ghm2018

[bubbles]

I have done keto and am planning to go back to it. It does require careful planning, but it wasn't that difficult - it's real food and the food is tasty. There are low carb friendly dietitians if you want some help. The hardest thing was social - birthday cakes etc.

 

There's lots of information online. Check out: https://www.dietdoctor.com/ He's a medical doctor, if I recall correctly. Lots of free info and recipes.

 

I felt well on it. You've inspired me! Back to it!

[TikkiTikki]

I've been doing it for a while and I have to say I feel much clearer in my mind. i wouldn't have listed brain fog as a symptom of mine before, but my mental clarity and focus and interest in the world has certainly increased. Early days though – could be due to other factors.

 

The keto diet excludes sugar and grains, and it could be the absence of either of those, rather than the state of ketosis per se, that is causing the change.

 

Also, just to caution that I have fairly mild withdrawal symptoms, largely emotional, so the diet could have adverse effects for those experiencing more varied symptoms.

 

[ghm2018]

TikkiTikki- Thank you for commenting. I’m glad that your withdrawal symptoms are fairly mild. I am one of the unfortunate members who merely took three doses in January of this year and have been suffering consequences ever since. Prior to the three doses, I had been placed on a seizure medication that I did not need. I had an adverse reaction to it in mid-December of 2017, which caused unexplained anxiety, mild depression among other physical issues.  My primary care then suggested fluoxetine (prozac), which I didn’t want to take, but at the encouragment of friends and family, I tried it. After the first dose, I knew immediately that something didn’t seem right. Sorry for the lengthy response. Just needed to express that, again. 

 

I tried the keto diet in June, but sudden changes to my diet and environment seem to cause issues for me. I am on a modified keto/paleo diet, if you will.  Basically, I limit sugar & grains and caffiene, but I do cheat from time to time and have a little dessert. 

 

Best wishes to you as you continue your journey of healing. 

[ghm2018]

Bubbles - sorry that I didn’t reply sooner. I hope you’re doing wellsnd thst the keto diet is working for you. 

 

-ghm

[lavendertealatte]

I've been looking into diets.. Paleo specifically.. and at first I thought it would be great but the first day not even fully doing it, I feel more stressed and irritable.  I also am finding it hard cause I'm already thin, and it's harder to get enough calories.  I feel like my symptoms of anxiety are neurobiological and I'm getting frustrated by my lack of progress in spite of therapy, meditation, and increased exercises.  I'm so lost now..    There is so much conflicting information out there.

[Sadboy]

Going on the keto diet for me has been very benificial. One month in and the sleep problems i got from withdrawal are now gone. Also am i less anxious, less obessive and less suicidal while on it. To be honoust, if ur really deep in withdrawal i think doing this is too heavy. The first weeks were horrible and ramped up all the withdrawal symptoms. The thing is, i was at the point were i was just anhedonic, suicidal and was sleeping bad. Nothing physical or something. It was just everyday again the same empty, fatigued day. The diet gave me my energy and sleep partly back, which gave me all kinds of other benefits. Its definitly not a cure all but for me it made life more bearable and less torture. 

[Restoration123]

Has anyone else here tried keto for SSRI-induced weight gain?

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by ChessieCat
moved from weight gain/loss topic

[rapunzel2]

any results on ketogenic diet for anybody else?

 

I was doing Wahls protocol II level last year for half a year (about 60% of energy came from fat, 12% from protein and 28% from carbs - it´s not totally ketogenic but much higher fat content) and actually I was able to withdraw with astronomic speed (for me) at that time - I felt much less withdrawal symptoms, especially fatigue, and also depression. unfortunately I was doing very many things at that time and attributed my wellbeing to other factors. right now it seems that it was still due to diet. 

 

I have undrestood that my withdrawal symptoms mimic quite closely chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms. and I read that cfs is helped by ketogenic diet. then I started to analyse and realized that this wahl´s protocol might have been a reason for having an easier time with withdrawal on spring 2019.

 

I have been severely ill with withdrawal now for half a year, after jumping off. I just started again on Wahl´s protocol and it seems to be helping although it´s early to tell. 

[Altostrata]

3 hours ago, Nsr99 said:

@Altostrata

 

For you information, and for the record.

 

I came to know what agitated my WD symptoms. In short, it was Ketosis. I was thrown into this condition unknowingly. 

 

To control my diet and stay fit, I cut down tremendously on my Carb intake, mainly bread. I was also doing physical exercises and weight lifting.

As a result, I lost most of my carb and starved my brain from the necessary energy it needs, causing my symptoms to flare up.

 

I thought that stopping eating bread (a good source of carb) would not do harm. But, unfortunately, this has reduced my carb and got
me into Ketosis. I was eating only a cub of rice a day. But with the exercises, it was all burned. I stayed on this setup for more than a month. Then, I started experiencing bad WD symptoms like: headache, insomnia, anxiety, etc.

 

To get out of Ketosis, I started increasing my Carb intake and within 3 days things started to settle.

I realize now that my nervous system is so sensitive that I should be careful about any changes I do to my body in the future.

 

By the way, I read a statement in one your posts that says: A ketogenic diet is probably not a good idea when one is struggling with withdrawal symptoms.

Indeed, you are right. Your statement is absolutely correct. I was a victim myself.

Thank you.

 

[Ariel]

ChessieCat,

(not sure where to post this question)

May I ask, in regards to making the transition to keto/low carb, are there specific apps, books, or other tools you've found helpful in calculating macros, calories, and meal planning in general? 

[ChessieCat]

54 minutes ago, Ariel said:

ChessieCat,

(not sure where to post this question)

May I ask, in regards to making the transition to keto/low carb, are there specific apps, books, or other tools you've found helpful in calculating macros, calories, and meal planning in general? 

 

There are some videos linked in the Diabetes topic.

 

I don't fast but I generally don't eat snacks, just 3 meals a day.  

 

This is a good starting point but is much stricter than what I do:

 

Full Dr. Westman Page 4 Diet Revealed! (Page 4 in Description!)

 

DietDoctor - YT & website

AdaptYourLife - YT & website

 

I don't fast, but eat 3 meals a day but I don't have snacks.  I don't go hungry.  I still eat salad dressings but try to pick the ones which are lower in carbs.  I figure that I need to make sure I am enjoying my food otherwise I will not stick to it.

 

I wrote the following to a YT commenter and kept a copy of it:

 

One thing I realised right at the start was that if I didn't enjoy what I was eating I would not stick to it, so I chose to be really strict with/limit some things so I can include some other things to make my meals more enjoyable, in particular the salad dressings.

 

Cut out all sugar, cakes, biscuits, lollies/candy/sweets, bread, all types of potatoes, rice, pasta, packaged meals. 

 

Eat salad (sometimes I will prepare two salads at a time, sometimes I will eat both on the same day, sometimes 1 one day and the other the next, omitting the "meat", dressing/sauce and avocado from the second one and adding just before eating) with tinned tuna, chicken, sausage, egg, cheese, ham, bacon, tinned Spam (ham and turkey), corned beef/silverside, roast pork.  Salad:  avocado, tomato, red capsicum/bell pepper, cucumber, mushroom, red onion, baby spinach, lettuce.  Make bulk low carb meals: beef bolognaise/marina (bottled sauce), beef/chicken stroganoff, creamy chicken/beef with onion and mushrooms, creamy garlic and soy beef/chicken,     zucchini, frozen: broccoli, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, baby green beans, spinach.  Frittata, bacon.

 

I make my own "waffle bread" (details and recipe in the part below) which is the chaffle recipe with NO cheese (I tried adding the cheese and got in an awful mess).

 

After getting my a1c below 5.5 I now occasionally include:  beetroot, canned baked beans, soup (try to choose wisely). 

 

Dressings/sauces: bottled both oil/vinegar and creamy but choose lowest carb and NOT low fat, tzatziki dip, other dips, yoghurt, mayonnaise.  Other:  some nuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, carrots, tahini, 100% peanut butter no added sugar, cocoa powder, 95% cocoa chocolate, diabetic jello/jelly.  Breakfast (I measure and put into 16 small individual containers):  combo of chia seeds, pepitas/pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, psyllium husks, 2 Tbspn whey protein concentrate (I do not eat a lot of meat) with regular soy milk.

 

And yes, sometimes I get fed up with what I am eating, but that used to happen every now and then before I went low carb.  When this happens I allow myself a bit of a "binge" BUT I choose carefully and still still to low/lower carb foods.  For example there was one night when I ate 2 pieces of homemade crustless cheesecake for dinner which *was* low carb but I felt like it wasn't a real meal.  But I have found when I go "off diet" a bit for one meal that when I go back to the "regular food" I really enjoy it, even a simple salad!

 

Second response:

 

You are very welcome and I wish you well and I'm glad you found it helpful.  It was very overwhelming when I got my diabetes diagnosis and I watched a lot of videos (including ones explaining what happens in our body which helped me to understand it better) and did a lot of research trying to work out what I was going to eat.  To start with my mindset was "I will try this for 3 months to see if it works" so it was a short term goal, not a deprivation of oh no have to live like this for the rest of my life.  I think that made it easier to stick to strictly.  And of course during that time I made discoveries about food and recipes and it became more of a habit and the good results as well as learning more about the causes have given me the encouragement to continue low carb.  I have continued to research, recently looking at why I have difficulty with over eating (I'm okay so long as I don't eat but once I start I have difficulty stopping - see info below about Adapt Your Life).  

 

Please note that I have NOT used a glucose monitor to test my response to foods.  We have to find what works for us.  My goal was to reverse my diabetes but there have been other benefits:  I have lost 1/8th of my body weight, had to reduce my blood pressure drug, and my cholesterol numbers have improved.

 

At the start I found it helpful to clean my teeth immediately after I ate to stop myself from continuing to eat (just realised that I might need to start doing that again!).  I also sucked (not chewed - bad for teeth) on ice cubes.  I also drink plain and sugar free flavoured (not strong, just a hint) sparkling mineral water, and recently bought some fruit "teas" (for winter) because I only drink coffee and wanted some different flavours.

 

If you have difficulty with the quantity you eat, measure your portions.  If you have this problem check out Dr. Vera Tarman's recent videos on Food Addiction on the Adapt Your Life channel.

 

I have found it helpful to make sure that I have some "longer life" ingredients on hand (eg frozen waffle bread, my cheese free chaffles) as well as some easy to prepare meals to make it less likely that I go off track if I am in a hurry or get hungry suddenly which can happen if I get busy doing something and miss my usually meal time or get home a bit later than normal.

 

Also, it is a good idea to carry a suitable snack with you in case you get hungry and also have a plan of what you might buy if you are out somewhere and you need to buy something (eg tin of tuna, pack of coleslow or salad, cheese, deli meat, nuts).  I think having this plan in place means that you won't have to try and work things out and decide what to have if you get hungry.  What it does it to reduce the stress:  stress increases cortisol and cortisol uses glucose and can cause cravings for carbs (behavioural and/or physical).

 

I wrote this to another member in PM tonight:

 

I do carry a health nut bar in my handbag just in case of emergency.  One thing that I think is very necessary is to plan in advance.  Have some acceptable quick foods that you can grab if you are tired or get home late.  I try to make sure that I have some homemade frozen meals that I can heat.  I have frozen cauliflower, broccoli, baby green beans, brussell sprouts and spinach.  And I have planned what foods I can eat if I ever needs to buy something when I am out or forget to take my lunch to work.  For example, Subway salad bowl, nuts, deli meat, tin of tuna, cheese, if desperate Big Mac and only eat the meat!  That way I am not going to be in a panic and end up buying food that I don't want to go back to.

 

Another thing that I think has helped.  When I go shopping I don't look at foods as what product they are but I look at them and think in terms of how many carbs they have.  I think that helps because if I thought about the product my brain would automatically think of the flavour and I would feel like I was missing out.

 

Breakfast was the hardest thing to change.  I've always been a cereal person.  I don't like to eat eggs and bacon or similar for breakfast.  I've ended up making a mix of chia seeds, psyllium husk + a choice from the following:  sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds/pepitas, slivered almonds/almond flour, LSA (linseed sunflower almond mix).

 

I have bought a waffle maker and make what I call waffle bread.  Most keto people make chaffles with egg and cheese but I don't put cheese in mine.  I just use 1 egg, 3 Tblspns almond flour and 1 Tblspn of melted butter.  I used to put baking powder (1/4 tspn) in but I prefer it without.

 

They take about 6 or 7 minutes to cook and can be frozen.  You can put mashed avocado on them and then top with cheese and meat and have a small tossed salad (tomato, cucumber, onion, red bell pepper, baby spinach/lettuce) separately if you want to.

 

I also have a "mug bread" mix that I found which I like (and have started using in my waffle maker.

 

Both microwave and waffle versions can be frozen.

 

2 cups almond flour

4 Tblspns psyllium husk POWDER

6 Tbspns ground flaxseed meal

2 tspn baking powder

1/2 tspn salt

 

Put in a contain with lid and shake well to mix.  This is good to have on hand for a quick bread.  They end up being thicker then English muffins so a bit to thick for a filled sandwich but work well as open sandwich.

 

1/4 cup mix

1 Tblspn melted butter

1 beaten egg

 

4" diameter mug

 

Cook for 75 seconds on high in a microwave which is about 1000/1100 watt (I think)

 

To use the mix in the waffle maker (Belgian 4 waffles) I use 3 Tbspn mix and add 2 tspn water, otherwise it is too thick.  But I might try 3 tspn = 1 Tblspn next time

 

And I make lots of different flavoured mug cakes too. 

 

Basic recipe:  3 Tbln almond flour, 1/2 tspn baking powder, 1 beaten egg, 1 Tblspn melted butter, 1 1/4 Tbspn sugar substitute (erithrytol + monk fruit or stevia).

 

Examples of variety:  1 Tblspn coconut, 1 Tblspn cocoa powder, 1 tspn cinnamon, 1 tspn coffee powder, gingerbread: 1/4 tspn ginger + 1/4 tspn mixed spice + 1/4 tspn cinnamon.  Sometimes I will add the coconut to the choc and gingerbread version.  You can also add cake flavouring.  I've got several different ones and want to get a banana flavour.

 

Hazelnut & Chocolate/Nutella:  instead of all almond flour, use 2 Tblspn hazelnuts ground + 1 Tblspn almond flour + 1 Tbspn cocoa powder

 

[Ariel]

Thank you ChessieCat!

Does this mean you don't calculate exact macros -- carbs, protein, fat in grams -- and calories?

Do you do a version of keto/low-carb where you don't aim for ketosis? and maybe don't aim for precision around macros?

It's the calculation and precision bit I find can get overwhelming. Do you just not worry about that?

[ChessieCat]

13 hours ago, Ariel said:

Thank you ChessieCat!

Does this mean you don't calculate exact macros -- carbs, protein, fat in grams -- and calories?

Do you do a version of keto/low-carb where you don't aim for ketosis? and maybe don't aim for precision around macros?

It's the calculation and precision bit I find can get overwhelming. Do you just not worry about that?

 

No I don't calculate anything.  I wanted to keep it as simple as possible.  If it was too hard I wasn't going to stick to it.  Because you can see results in such a short period of time, unless there is an urgency to get your numbers down, then I think comparing blood test results (be aware that your LDL might go up but it may not be anything to be concerned about because the LDL is made up of small sticky and large fluffy particles, the HDL and triglycerides should improve) before and after 3 months and your waist measurement, weight, blood pressure, fit of your clothes are really all that you need to do.  But because I don't eat a lot of meat I try to make sure that I protein every day.  I also don't add any fat, I don't like fat on my meat, but if I'm frying something I will use some butter and not worry about how much I am using (that took a real brain shift, knowing that I can eat fats).  It's more a case of just looking at the carbs and thinking is it worth adding those into my diet for what I will gain (will it help me to stay eating this way), so weighing up the pros and cons.  For example I buy a Sweet and Creamy Greek yoghurt that has 8gm/100gm but it isn't as high in carbs as regular vanilla yoghurt which I think has 12gm/100gm (I tried a low sugar one and it was horrible).  I've just realised that I could buy a regular Greek yoghurt and add my own sugar substitute to it.  I add some to my low sugar jelly for lunch at work, because it would be messy to add cream.  Another example, I have bought 4 different types of frozen berries which other low carbers use; strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.  But I found out the other day that blueberries are the highest in carb of all of those, so even though I don't mind them I don't love them enough to consume the higher carbs and will stick with the others from now on.  But might buy them at some other time every now and then.

 

The same with using sugar substitute.  At the start I wasn't using any but did after the first 3 months.  I have noticed that I am not tasting as much flavour in my salads as I was before, but I'm the sort of person (in my past diet life) who would go out to dinner and look at the dessert list before the main course to see what was available and to make sure I had room for dessert after my main meal.  So for me, sweet foods is just part of what I want to keep in my life.  I've already changed my eating after 64 years of eating the old way.

 

For the first 7 months I did keep a food diary and wrote down everything I ate.  It was good to be able to look back and see what I had eaten and helped me to keep things varied.  The first 3 months was because I wanted to know what I could cut out if my results weren't good, but they were good and then I started adding more carbs, so I kept going with the diary for information for the next blood test, but because I was doing it for so long I am better able to remember what I eat most days so I have stopped doing it now.