Maisibeth, I’m sort of 800/keto but I am always hungry. I have never experienced either the mind clarity/energy or easing of hunger in the entire time I’ve been doing this and I find it incredibly frustrating to figure out what to do. Despite not having sugar and sticking to only veggies (under 20g carbs) for months, I still wonder if I’m maybe not fully fat adapted. Maybe I’m extremely insulin resistant and it will take me longer? I have no idea and can’t find much info, everyone else I read about online seems to have no problem getting fat adapted and then losing weight.
i was just telling Elky yesterday that I always have a horrible taste in my mouth and it bears no resemblance to the metallic taste people talk about with ketosis. More like dirty sock and it’s always there. I’m glad the weight is coming off for you, not sure how much more patient I can be…

Kafin, It’s so frustrating isn’t it, when you are giving up such a lot and really working hard at it and it doesn’t seem to be doing any good at all. I used to find that all the time at slimming world and of course now I have a better understanding of the science involved, I can understand why.
Although most of the science baffles me. I don’t really get the fat adapted bit and some of the other aspects discussed. I am trying to stick to the Fast 800 as much as possible, keeping the carbs low although I am not actually counting, and upping the fat a bit. At the moment it seems to be working but when the inevitable standstill happens then maybe I will have to be a bit more precise with it.
I am skipping breakfast to extend the fast and try to stick to just 2 meals a day. We have tea around 6.30 and apart from coffee I have nothing until lunch so extending the TRE.
I always feel some degree of hunger but mostly it is quite mild and manageable. Today was an exception and I did feel really hungry, but did manage to get through to tea with the help of copious amounts of coffee with cream and a handful of nuts!
I get the taste in the mouth. Sort of metallic but like a dirty sock filled with coins. Nice! Water doesn’t help with this so I allow myself an odd emergency tictac! Never really had a lot more energy or brain clarity. I do keep busier but I think that is purely to stop me thinking about food! I am in the very lucky situation that I don’t work so it is undeniably easier for me, it must be very challenging when you have a demanding and potentially erratic job like yours.
How much weight have you lost Kafin? Has perhaps your body got to a place that it is happy with? I really do hope this sorts itself out for you.

hi guys, I know that the topic of becoming fat adapted and what does it mean keeps on floating around on the forum. I don’t have an “official” answer, but there is an idea that keeps on floating around at the back of my mind.
If you look at the podcasts by Dr Bikman, who is a researcher working at a cellular level, he often refers to the number of mitochondria in cells. It is the mitochondria which generate energy from fat, and in his line drawings of a cell structure in someone keto adapted there are 5 mitochondria shown in a cell, while in someone who is used to a carb based diet there are only 2.

So the question that raises for me is how long does it take to persuade our bodies after we have been feeding it a carb based diet for decades to recognise that from now on we want our cells to be remodelled to have a higher number of mitochondria and use fat for a fuel, and what is the elapsed time for the body to remodel all the cells. – Is it a case of cells being replaced by ones with more mitochondria as they go through the natural cycle of replacement, or can the body respond to being on a keto diet for a given period of time by adding extra mitochondria to existing cells?

What does it take to trigger our body into making this change?

————–

I sort of feel that after decades of eating a high carb diet its reasonable to expect that I have to be low enough on carbs for a period of months or years for my body to adapt. I now know that eating low carb is important for my bodies health generally, and I like how my brain feels when powered by ketones. I don’t intend to go back to a high carb diet, so I just view eating keto as the norm for here on in from me, and presume that in time my body will improve in using fat as a fuel.
Looking at the posts on the keto athlete facebook group, its obvious that other people who are working out and sticking to a ketogenic diet are succeeding in improving their body shape. People continue to remark on changes to my face shape and shape in places that isn’t easy to take measurements for, so I think my body is continuing to heal a little at a time, but I still have some way to go until it heals enough for my body to easily burn fat as a fuel.

As an example this study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6260463/ was run on rats who were 10 months old when purchased and were allowed to live for their average lifespan and their tissues were only examined when their health reached a point where it was appropriate to euthanise them. The average lifespan was 624 days on a “standard” diet and 762 days on a keto diet. There was an increase in mitochondria for those on a keto diet, which was an average of about 15 months eating keto.
But the study makes the point that additional research is needed to identify what impact the age of the rat has on keto adaption (particularly if in the growth stage of life or an adult when moved onto a keto diet.)

When I first started low carb eating my goal was to reverse my T2 and become drug free. I succeeded. However as time has gone on I’ve become ‘slapdash’ with my eating. I’ve stayed away from the white stuff and highly refined carbs but I’ve never really done blood glucose testing on a regular basis.
So when I started following a keto plan a week last Monday I started blood testing. I was amazed at just how low my BG went and was even frightened by a reading of 4.1. Nonetheless my BG was fine with keto eating.
Since Monday I’ve been back to eating low carb and my BG readings have risen steadily. My fasting bloods this morning were 7.8 compared with the 5’s last week. I really didn’t think that 20g of carbs a day would have such a profound effect on my bloods. Looks like the proof of the pudding and all that ……. I know where I should be heading now. I’m just going to have to learn to love fat!
This really is an eye opening experiment for me. Hope everyone else is learning something useful from this experience.

Morning all

Just popping by for a morning ramble.

Verano – that’s really interesting to hear the impact on your BG numbers from just changing back to low carb over keto; suprising it was so profound and so quick. I hope you manage to settle into a carb level (be it keto or whatever) that you’re comfortable with and works for you. I must admit, I really struggled with the concept of eating higher fat when I moved over to keto, and not counting calories practically made me squirm in horror! But it does become easier once you get into the groove. I still have to work conciously at the ‘is this a sensible portion’, ‘am I actually hungry’ etc elements, but I’m hoping it’ll become second nature eventually. I struggle with the ‘eat when hungry’ as I’m not actually sure what hunger is (daft though that probably sounds). For me, stomach rumbling isn’t necessarily hunger as it goes as quickly as it comes. I don’t get the light-headed, shaky, single-minded, desperate hunger I got when I ate high carb, so that’s clearly not real hunger for me either. I used to think a headache could be because I was hungry, but now it’s usually eye strain, thirst or lack of salt. I can feel empty, but is that hunger? I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever known! So at the moment, while I’m learning, I’m just eating high fat between fasts and hoping it all comes together at some point 😁

So, some reading round this week on my current topics of interest, I’ve clarified the following, which helps my understanding of what my body is doing a bit:

1) Stress will increase Cortisol production. Cortisol will increase blood glucose levels as it’s readying the body for ‘fight, flight or freeze’.
2) Eating higher fat with a meal slows stomach emptying, which will reduce and / or delay any BG spike from carbs in the meal – this explains why my BG would be higher after 2 hours than 1 or after 4 hours than 2 in some cases.

So far, my fasted BG levels seem to hover around 4.3/4.4 and go up to a max of about 5.6, 1-4 hours after eating. The poached eggs on rye bread the other day had my BG at 5.1 after one hour, 5.4 after two and back down to 5.1 after four hours. It knocked my ketones back from 2.6 pre meal to 2.1 two hours after the meal. My ketones seem to be between 1.5 in the morning (after a feeding day) to 1.9-2.6 after a 40ish hour fast. I wish I’d had this meter to start measuring when I got back from my holiday – I would have been very interested to see how things were straight after that week!

Beef rendang for dinner tonight – was inspired to go and find the recipe again so I’m really looking forward to it. Planning a ham and cheese omlette with some sauerkraut to break my fast in about three hours. Think I may experiment with some of my keto bread options at the weekend and see how they impact BG and ketones.

Trying to resist the bottle of Strawberry Baileys in the fridge – it’s my favourite summer drink and while the scientist in me wants to see what an evening of it does to the BG and ketones, the normal person in me doesn’t need a meter to tell me 😂

BeeGirl it was a shock to me too! I struggle with high fat because of all the brainwashing from the low-fat brigade for thirty years but I’ve just watched this film and WOW! I recommend it to anybody who needs their low carb resolve strengthening and/or is ‘fat phobic’. Sometimes we just need reminding WHY!
https://www.dietdoctor.com/a-classic-low-carb-movie-fat-head

Morning beegirl how would you feel about discussing our experiment by email? No worries if not. Here is email just in case BSDAngels800. It is gmail. So just add in the usual characters. Don’t want the bots getting hold of it and sending loads of junk😂😂. Let me know. Birdy💞🦜

I’m still confused! I’m obviously missing something here!
Can anybody please explain the difference between keto and Fast 800?
I thought both cut down carbs to 20 but calories were kept to 800 with BSD and keto eating meant no calorie counting, whilst upping fats and controlling proteins.
Am I the only person not getting this?
X B

They’re very similar but some differences 🙂

Keto = very low carbs, moderate proteins, high fat, no TRE, allows sweeteners, and eat to satiety.

Fast 800 = low carbs, moderate proteins, fat not as high as Keto, TRE/some fasting, no sweeteners, max 800 kcal per day

I think that’s it? They are both based on being in ketosis though.

Birdy – yeah, happy to do that; I’ll drop a mail over to the gmail address this evening. Is it a .com or a .co.uk one?

BusyBee – from my understanding, Fast800 is a reduction to 800 calories per day with a recommendation for Mediterranean diet, which is low carb, but with no requirement to drop down to 20g carb. ‘Low Carb’ can be interpreted as anything under 100g of carb per day I think, with some people favouring under 50g and some favouring even lower. Strict keto, I think, is defined as high healthy fat, moderate protein and carbs under 20g but I think is technically high healthy fat, moderate protein and whatever level of carbs your body will tolerate to be continually in nutritional ketosis. Not sure if that helps or not!

Yes, at last I think I’ve got it!
I hadn’t realised that Fast 800 was based on being in ketosis, though I try to keep carbs to below 20 anyway.
Also I have only recently been using a breathalyser and only this week have started to test with pee sticks so now I will be able to see which suits me best.
Thank you all for your replies and for being patient with me.
X B

Beegirl 🐝 it is a .com. Look forward to getting more in-depth with this❤️ I must admit I am a little obsessed 😂😂. But in a good way.

Busy bee don’t worry you have it really hun just one restricts calories more and the other really restricts carbs. They are both high good fats although keto you can eat even more fat😂😂

I have not noticed a drop in weight but I am noticing my muscles reappearing from under my fat😂😂. Not definition as in a body builder 😂 but the actual shape of my muscles as they are supposed to look, if that makes sense🤪. My calve muscles and over my ribs and at the side of my jelly belly and my upper arms. My neck has slimmed down too in the last week as well?!! My body is literally eating its own fat😂😂❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

V your journey has been incredible and I hope you are proud of what you have achieved. I understand what you mean about getting complacent but we are human and it happens. The thing that you have done is realised it and you now doing something about it to rectify it. Awesome ❤️❤️

Hope you are all having a good day. Birdy 💞🦜

Yes Fast 800 aims to have you in mild ketosis but it’s not that clearly upfront in the book. 😊

Thanks for the vote of confidence Birdy!

Hi MaisieBeth – I haven’t really lost a lot despite being strict and really monitoring things. I lost a stone and a half in the first two weeks, then nothing for 4 months and then 6lbs but now I’m just up and down. I have at least another 30lbs to go so neither my body or my head or happy with where I am. I just wish I could find the magic button/formula!
JGwen – what you say makes a lot of sense although it seems like many of us have been doing the dieting yo-yo thing for most of our lives as well as eating carbs etc but this WOE works better for some of us than others despite the similarities in the way we have eaten in the past. I guess that’s the part I struggle with, I like logic and so much of this doesn’t make sense or follow the same rules for everyone 🦄🦄
Verano – I find your blood sugar results fascinating!

HI Everyone, Ive just read over the entire thread and its good to meet some fellow Ketoers! I persoanly choose to do Keto this time instead of low calorie as Ive read so much about fat adaption and metabolism that Im scared to drop my body too low in energy. I have been doing it for the last 4 weeks and have lost 12lbs. (Although I still have 3 days until my 4 week weigh in so stil chasin those numbers!:) I have never been hungry and genuily feel much better all round. That also includes one entire week stall and one complete blow out night on alcohol and then scoffing carbs for 2 days after. It did of course knock me out of ketosis but I still lost the water weight quite quickly and now Im just trying to get back into ketosis – although I have to say Im moving more away from NEEDING to be in ketosis to feel like im being healthy or even still loosing weight. I admit its not easy and almost daily I have wanted to lower my calories (as they are so high) to see if I can shift things faster but my biggest problem is keeping the carbs low enough AND getting the required amount of fat in. Nearly everything has carbs in it – even an egg (although I havent been counting this one in particular.) A teaspoon of paprika has a half gram and a teaspoon of garlic has even more! So the chances are you are probably taking in more carbs than you actually think you are. Im not sure how this will go on as I am still in 2 minds about just how much fat I can eat and still loose weight (see every counter opposing argument on the internet) but Im going to try a few experiemnts over the next few months and post them here so we will see. Anyway at the moment Im just feeling a bit low in my life due to other issus and trying not to fall into emotional eating TOO much – but sometimes you just have to until this too passes!
This is when my low carb wraps with melted dark chocate and peanut butter come into their own! 🙂 Going to read some of the new literature suggested here – Ive just re-read Gary Taubes ‘Why we get fat’ just to remind myself. Check out Amber O’Hearne on Ketosis as well if you get a minute – she has a lovely manner – lots of stuff on you tube. I think we need to remember that even the scientists argue about this stuff daily so we need to give oureselves a break for not ‘getting it’. Anyway great to chat, thanks for all the support by just being and Ill try and check in more often!
KOKO warriers, Txxxxxxxxxxxx:)

Can I ask a question please….. green vegetables plus cauliflower …. where do they fit into keto? I know obviously that all underground vegetables are too carby but I’m just not sure where salads and other vegetables fit in.
According to Ken D Barry MD you can eat as much as you want of asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, kale, celery, cucumber, sprouts and olives.
Thoughts please.
Yes Kafin the blood results are fascinating but maybe more of a mystery than anything else! I’m going to start testing again when I’m eating fewer than 20g of carbs a day. You are so right about this WOE, it doesn’t always follow a straight path nor do we all have the same experience. That’s why I think people can become demoralised so easily. Overall though I think most people do find this WOL beneficial.

Hi Verano I guess it depends who and what you read and choose to believe. If its 20 carbs or less then its 20 carbs or less whatever they are from. If however you have success with eating much more than that by way of certain veg then go for it. Id be interested to see results! Im hoping to eventually eat a lot more veg as I miss it. x

Hi V – I eat green veg, cauli, peppers, courgettie, mushrooms and salad leaves, spring onions, cucumber. I’m mindful of toms and onion. A protein source (approx 60g) of choice whether it be fish, chicken, egg, cheese, meat. I also have butter, cream and Greek yoghurt available. Seeds and nuts, and and a box of frozen berries in the freezer for chia berry jam now and again. Those are my foods. From those, I make many different dishes. I have a pantry of spices and herbs and good oils. I don’t know if I’m keto, low carb, paleo, atkins – to be honest, it doesn’t matter to me! Those are my foods and I follow 16/8 or OMAD. I may do the odd 36 hour fast here and there when I feel like it. When I do have a meal, it’s not a huge mound of food, its probably a tea plate size meal on a dinner plate or in my favourite bowl! I keep it simple in the week such as, 1 veg like sauteed cabbage in a knob of butter or oil with a protein source. The way I see it, if you’re only eating once or twice a day and not huge meals, your carb, fat and protein intake isn’t going to be huge either. I may be wrong here but this is how I look at it and eat.
Kazzeexx

WOW! Thats my perfect diet I’d say Kazz! and one I’m aiming for. Are you still loosing weight and how much have you lost?

Only think I add is Flaxseed (getting to that age when these may help my hormones also) and a few lower carb flours for bread. I also take pre biotic inulin powder from artichoke every morning to keep guts happy (MM’s recommened one ‘Bimunu was quite high is carbs!)
x

Thanks Kazz …. that certainly does sound like a perfect diet, no matter how you label it. I think where I’m in a quandary is trying to follow a keto diet without counting calories. I have been following recipes with a carb count but there don’t seem to be any added vegetables, even of the low carb varieties. I think I’ll try and follow your model!
Good luck Tululah!

Verano and Tululuh – I don’t count cals or carbs which is probably why I’ve hit the perfect way of maintaining! Trouble is, I’ve still got around 70 lbs to shift. Lost 45 lbs but I lost that 18 months ago. Been up and down the same 3-5 lbs every week. It’s the weekend vodka, lime and sparkling mineral water which undoes the weekly loss together with just eating that bit more at the weekend. I do have to kick the weekend booze! Tululuh, I make a flaxseed/linseed bread when I feel the need. I made some last weekend as I had a girly weekend. Let me know if you want the recipe, I’ve perfected it and you do it in the microwave in 5 mins! Great toasted and you can slice and freeze. 🙂
xx

Kazz you’re story reflects mine so well! I don’t count so I don’t lose. I’ve been maintaining for a long time but with a gain in 2018 and a small loss this year I’m still above my lowest weight, with plenty more to go! I find it just gets harder and harder each time I ‘restart ‘. At least you have a ‘plan’ I’m floundering trying one way then the other so ending up without a real ‘plan’ to speak of!
I very rarely eat bread, just an occasional slice of Vogel seeded bread. I would love a bread recipe that freezes well so can you post your’s please Kazz.

Hi Verano!
I wanted to jump in — I’ve followed your experience with BSD for a long time and I’m sorry you are feeling “all over the place” right now, although I know you have been working toward a higher fat/more keto WOE just recently.
I really think that you can eat almost as much green vegetables as you can stomach — they don’t really cause a problem. You can also eat moderate amounts of tomatoes, onions, turnips, peppers, beets, butternut squash and that kind of vegetable.
The ones to limit or possibly avoid are potatoes, corn and peas. If you do have those, have a small portion and rarely.
Those green type vegetables plus fish, meats, and chicken, duck are all good. Eat to a feeling of fullness.
Add in small amounts, cream, butter, olive oil, coconut fats, cheese.
Eat an egg every day — nature’s perfect food.
Then fill in with some nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, kimchi, pickles, a bit of yogurt now and then, and that kind of thing — a very healthy diet.
Also, have a bit of wine and beer in moderation.
I think that hits everything being recommended!
This is my personal WOE and it has truly worked wonders. If you need some bread to be happy, just have a small amount (preferably sourdough) only rarely. It can be dessert!

Hi Folks,
Just to jump in here with my recent experience. Over the summer I tend to have full days of physically busy work, so I decided to stick with keto but not count calories and see what happened. – For the second time in a week I have just had someone comment on how I had lost weight since they last saw me, particularly in the face, but that isn’t what the scales show, I have put on a couple of kg.
I saw a thread on the Dr Fung facebook group today where they were discussing that it isn’t weight they want to loose its fat. They were sharing before and after photographs where people the had discarded rolls of fat but were the same or slightly heavier in the after photographs.

Ahh Julia the voice of reason and believe me it’s so good to hear that right now! Your plan does sound like ‘the plan’, sensible and probably what I followed initially and had success with! I don’t eat potatoes or corn but do have peas occasionally. I think your plan is really sensible, achievable and healthy. Thank you. Guess I just need to go back to what worked for me in the past rather than look for a ‘better’ or ‘easier ‘ solution.
Hope you’re still enjoying your time here in the UK. You are living in a lovely part of the country ….. enjoy!

JGwen fascinating! I wonder if keto works more in ‘sculpting’ the body the closer you are to goal/healthy weight?

Hi Verano,
I hope my post was useful! After three plus years on this BSD adventure-highway (🤪) I think I must have tried every new idea and plan, some once, others more than once but always just came back to what I now call “the-what-your-grandmother-told-you-to-eat-diet” which is basically the BSD as Michael Mosely “developed” with the addition of some Gary Taubes restricted carbohydrate and some Dr. Bikman restricted carbs+eat more protein.
Those three sources have informed all my choices and they are still my best recommendation and are 100% in line with all the new research!
Like so many of us, I lost weight SLOWLY….ugh, so slowly I just stopped watching and stopped weighing but stayed true to the process and honestly I am healthier and thinner today than ever.
Maybe though, best of all, is that I have lost my sweet tooth and my desire for carbage— I never believed for a second that it could happen, even though Gary Taubes talks about it in his book “Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It” — for a lifetime carbohydrate monster like me it just didn’t seem possible.
But it DID happen, and I don’t seek out sugar anymore, it just stopped appealing to me. I will eat a bite of dessert (pudding) if it is on the table but then I don’t want any more.
I feel like so many people try so hard to make this work, but my best advice is “don’t try so hard” — let your brain relax into the system and cut out all refined carbohydrates. Check back in with your measurements maybe once a month — while you are on plan every part of the body is benefitting, even if you cannot see it! In fact, the BEST part you cannot see, your brain and arteries and muscles — all becoming flexible, strong and resistant.
I know you know all this, but I’m repeating for any newbies reading!

Julia thank you. Sometimes you cannot be reminded too many times just how ‘simple’ this way of eating really is. I have become so focused on food that it’s dominating my every waking thought, which is madness. Today I’ve started using FatSecret again, I need the discipline of counting. Tonight I was going to have tuna steak in a Thai sauce but after entering the coconut cream and green curry paste it’s just too high in carbs and calories. So I’ll make a spicy rub instead! I also took some measurements so I’m now working towards my ‘trousers of the future’. I almost got into them about 15 months ago but ‘life’ got in the way. So now I have something tangible to aim for rather than a random number on the scales.
Thank you again for just talking a bit of sense!

Californiagirl- Thank you for sharing your wise words, they have really resonated with me. I was catching up with the forum and read your post and it made real sense to me too. When I started The blood sugar diet I simply followed the rules of low carb and cut out the white stuff and it worked, I think you might be right that some of us are trying too hard. I have struggled to maintain this year and am working hard to get back to my healthy weight pound by pound, up and down, up and down. I am going to take your advice on board and just continue to do what I am doing. Low carb, sensible choices and stick to what we know worked for us when we started.

Your post really resonated with me Julia ! Lots of good sense ! My discard is much slower now but I have learnt to be relaxed about it as I feel so much more at ease with my responses to food . I don’t feel I am deprived of anything.My sugar and carbage addiction have disapppeared too. I am a year down the line but I know I will never go back to my old ways and that is a victory for me even if I haven’t yet reached a magic number on the scales. Your advice is really useful and I hope it reassures lots of people who are still having doubts.
There has been discussion of binge/emotional eating which is a challenge for many but you really can take back control. Give it time and… relax. Thank you Julia xx

Hi V, I don’t think its as much that keto is about sculpting the body as much as healing the body.
There can be such a big hang up about dieting and wanting to see movements of the scales. But that is all about the old short term thinking of I need to get to a certain reading on the scales and then I can start to live my life. –
That way of thinking forgets that all the scales are showing you is total weight, they are not showing you how healthy that body is, how strong the bones are, how long the muscles can work for. As we keep on keeping insulin levels down, that allows the growth hormone to help build a stronger body, it helps to produce stronger bones, muscles that can keep on powering us through our working day. Both changes that the reading on the scales don’t show us.
Megan Ramos, who was the first person who worked with Dr Fung on his techniques and now works beside him presenting information shares on their site in the article on body composition, part 3, that she initially got down to her target weight, but after a time realised that she was still a ball of fat. So she continued fasting and combining it with exercise to build muscle. She went on to drop from American dress size 5 to dress size 0, but in the process GAINED 15lbs. Her next DEXA body scan showed that she had substantially increased bone density, increased lean tissue and discarded body fat.
————————
I am coming up to my second anniversary on the forum. I have reached the point where I realise how much better I feel eating so I am in ketosis, my brain feels sharper, I have more energy.

I realise there is no going back to the open packet – > – put in oven style of cooking that I used to follow. So getting used to cooking from scratch and using low carb veg or low carb versions of flour etc is no different to getting used to cooking from scratch with high carb ingredients.

I can see people who are less than 20 years older than me who’s life revolves around carb heavy food. They now struggle to walk, their weight and health problems are a limiting factor on their lives. That’s the track I was heading down.

While I am going to continue to read the latest research about ketosis, and through that gather information on the best way of improving my body composition. Being able at the end of the long day to walk up the stairs without having to pull myself up with the hand rail is a far better measure than the reading on the scales.

Thanks JGwen. You have done really well eating this way and keto obviously suits you well.
I think part of my problem is that I’ve lost the ‘WHY’. Being retired and getting older, although I know everyone is, I think we’ve made a decision to keep travelling while we are still fit enough to do so. As a result ‘life ‘ really is getting in the way, but only in a good way! So it’s very difficult for me to work out my goals, especially as we spend a lot of time away from home.
I came to BSD to address my T2 and I have that under control. Unfortunately I’m not vain enough to need to be a size12! But, fortunately, apart from my mobility issues, I’m pretty healthy. In my post above I said that I’m going to use my ‘trousers of the future’ as a tangible goal rather than a random number on the scales. So this morning I tried on the trousers and worked out how many inches I need to lose for them to be comfortable. So that’s where I’m up to. I guess my main aim is still to keep my T2 in remission and if I can manage that then fine. I will always eat low carb as I can’t imagine going back to that ‘old’ way of eating.
You will continue to go from strength to strength.

Hi V,
I completely understand the difficulty with loosing your WHY. – Maybe your WHY would naturally be related to your travels? Perhaps there are places you want to visit where you have to be fit enough to undertake multi day or steep walks?

It was a shock to me to get a letter in the post yesterday from my pension fund about being entitled to start drawing on the fund from January next year. – I don’t feel old enough to be drawing a pension. – I still have years of payments to make on my mortgage.

JGwen, yes that must have been a shock! Fortunately you should be in good shape for your retirement, whenever that happens.
You’re right my WHY should be related to travelling and I guess it is. I just have to keep it to the forefront of my mind.

Hi all. Sorry for the absence but I have been keeping up to date with posts.
Had a good week, discarded 3lb which I am thrilled with as I only have about 9lb to go now. However, got a tricky time away this week. Got a funeral about 4 hrs away so am making a week of it and visiting people and also treating myself to a trip to Harry Potter World! Everyone I am seeing knows about the diet so have agreed to cook accordingly which is great. Not the funeral of course, I will have to play that one by ear. Staying in 2 hotels so hopefully there will be the option of egg and bacon for breakfast to keep me going as much as possible.
I have got to the stage where I don’t overthink. What I am doing works for me. When I have read all the books and articles I end up getting so confused as the guidelines seem to be so contradictory and it is easy to get disheartened if you feel you are doing it wrong.
I basically stick to skipping breakfast, keeping carbs as close to 20 as poss, drinking loads of water and coffee with cream and snacking on cheese. Can’t quite believe it is working but it seems to be. Going to do this for 4 more weeks, then up my calories and try to maintain for 2 as we are heading to Florida and I certainly don’t want to go from being on an 800cal diet to all the temptations Orlando has to offer!
The much quoted and criticized quote by Kate Moss saying “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” has a lot of truth in it. I am currently buying UK size 14’s which I haven’t done for years and there is nothing that I could eat that would taste better than that feeling of looking in the mirror and liking what I see.

Hi KazzUK – re: “I make a flaxseed/linseed bread when I feel the need. I made some last weekend as I had a girly weekend. Let me know if you want the recipe, I’ve perfected it and you do it in the microwave in 5 mins! Great toasted and you can slice and freeze. ”
Could you post the recipe for this?
I have tried a few low carb breads (currently the bread from the What the Fat book is my fav) – but I am always on the lookout for a new one!
Thanks!

I’d like to try the recipe too, please…….5 mins in the microwave sounds ideal

Apologies everyone, for the delay and getting back to you and thanks Merry, for the prompt. Ok, the linseed bread, which I got from youtube, and then doubled the ingredients…..

250g Organic golden whole linseeds (I buy these online and grind them myself. The ready ground linseed/flaxseed isn’t fine enough for me but the ready ground will still work, it will just be coarser and also, the ready ground amount may need to be less I would think?)
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp baking powder
6 medium eggs
3 tbl spn olive or coconut oil
I grind the linseeds into a fine powder (in 3 batches with my small seed grinder attachment), add to a mixing bowl, add salt, baking powder and oil. I also whizz up my 6 eggs in the seed grinder attachment just because I’m lazy! Add the eggs to the bowl and mix well. The consistency should be a fairly thick batter but it can seem looser depending on the eggs I find. Doesn’t matter, it’s very forgiving! Oil the glass square bowl or silicone loaf tin and pour in batter, level out with a spatula. I sprinkle sesame seeds on the top but that is optional. Microwave for 5 mins on full power. Check centre with cocktail stick/knife! It should be done. This is optional – I turn on my oven at the beginning of the process, Gas mark 5. Once the loaf is cooked, I pop mine in the oven to “bake” for 10 mins. This gives it a bit of colour and a bit of a crust. But it isn’t necessary. Please let me know how you get on if you try it.
I get the linseeds online at BuyWholeFoods online – can also get them from Amazon. It works out at about £1 for a loaf – 10 slices. I slice it really thin with a sharp knife sometimes so I can bake and make “melba toast”, (Verano – this may be the crunch you are looking for?) or just slice and pop in toaster. Makes great toast! It takes me a total of 15 minutes from start to finish. An extra 10 if you pop it in the oven to brown. 🙂 I don’t know what the carb content is. I shall try and work it out, but it depends on the thickness of the slices. I’ll be back!
Kazzeexx

Ok, to my workings out…..
For the whole loaf, Carbs are 75g, Protein is 84g and Kcals 2082. If anyone else wants to check my calcs, please do! I’m pretty rubbish at all things maths! Oh, and it freezes well, so you could slice thinly and get may be 10-12 slices and just take out 1 or 2 slices straight from the freezer and pop in the toaster. For me, I see this as very much as an occasional treat, not an every day thing but it is nice to know there is an option when you need something to dunk in your boiled egg or one slice makes a good open sandwich. 🙂
Kazzeexx

Hi KazzUk, thanks for the recipe, it’s a little like the one I use but I like the idea of only 5 minutes in the microwave!

Your workings out!…….. I did rather gulp when I saw how many carbs, I don’t think that’s the net total, perhaps it includes the fibre too. In the UK the carb value is usually quoted without the fibre content in it as that doesn’t count in your daily total, but it does depend on which app you’ve used to calculate. If it’s a US one they include fibre in the carb value. I think linseeds are mainly fibre as they’re really good for helping with “toilet” issues!! I’ve just had a look and 100 g of linseeds comes out at 29g total carbs of which 27g are fibre….so the net value for the linseeds would be 2g per 100g of seeds or 5g for the whole loaf, plus the eggs of course. I might try making this tomorrow!

Ooh thank you Owl! That is a relief! My calculations were for the whole loaf and I went off the values on the back of the packet. Plus baking powder and eggs. I didn’t think about fibre! Told you I was rubbish at maths! 👍

Hi Artful owl, in the US we quote carbs WITHOUT the fiber — so subtract the fiber from the carb count for the “effective” carb count if you are in the US

Kazz I have all my ingredients ready to go! I’m making this bread tomorrow. Can I ask you if you ever tried cooking it only in the oven and did you ever separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff before adding?
So looking forward to making this ‘bread’ !

A question on Ketones reading… How many ketones are you usually registering with the breathalyser?
Mine stayed ridiculously low despite a 7 days water fast… Maximum 0.48 or 0.52 so just in ketosis. Most people after an extended fast have very high reading of ketones so I was wondering what other people in this thread were seeing.

Omg, seven days of fasting? That cannot be super good for your gut bacteria — or health, especially as you are essentially at goal weight.

Thanks for your concern @californiagirl, you’re sweet 🙂
As long as you’re BMI is over 20, you’re all good to go. And I have 33% of body fat so plenty of food stored away to get me going! My doctor was supportive too and my blood tests results were excellent 👌
I had actually never felt so good. 🤩 I think I will do one every year for the autophagy and cancer prevention.

@eliana-g my skin has never look so good but I put it down to autophagy although I obviously can’t prove it. Maybe it is the keto diet.
I take photos of myself every week in undies and the skin change are undeniable. It’s very exciting. I’m physically glowing 🤗

Hi Verano. I have seen versions on YouTube where eggs are separated but I don’t bother. For me, it’s all about quickness! No I’ve not tried coooking in the oven start to finish. If you do that, let me know how it turns out. Again, the micro is so much quicker but I do like to finish it off in the oven as it gives the loaf a “crust”. Let me know how it goes, V! Oh and to confirm what Owl said, it is just 5g carbs for the whole loaf!
Kazzeexx