Brewer5: Keto Whole 30

[Brewer5]

Day 30 Observations (in no particular order)

 

--  Improved productivity -- getting house ready to sell, which is something we’ve been talking about for a long time.

--  Reduced caffeine intake overall -- but still “needing” more some days than others.

--  Cut digestive enzyme use by at least half.  Now mostly eating 3x per day, and only one enzyme per meal instead of two+.

--  No vitamins/supplements during this time -- occasional D3 drops (400-500IU), but not consistent with that.  Can’t decide if I need to be or not.  Too much of it gives me a headache.

--  Vision issues I was experiencing before -- flashes of bright light and/or fuzzy things in my peripheral vision -- pretty much gone.

--  My wedding rings are no longer tight, ever.

--  Sleeping well, although sleep has not been much of an issue for me.  Falling asleep quickly and usually waking feeling well-rested.

--  I don’t feel like I went nuts with the nuts.  And believe me, I’d know.  I’ve been there, done that and feel so happy to have conquered that dragon.  And no nut or seed butters during this time.

--  I did not ever get shaky or feel super hangry on this Whole 30.  

--  I did not consume any fruit or starchy vegetables.

--  I’ve consistently measured my ketones and fasting blood sugar for the entire time.  This has led me to some interesting insights that I would not have picked up on if I had only been monitoring sporadically, or not at all.

--  I’ve been through some digestive clean-out that I think was a healing and necessary part of this Whole 30.  As much as MeadowLily does not like to discuss this (so stop reading HERE, dear -- not kidding):  Pretty sure there was some die-off involved, of candida and who knows what else.  I didn’t get into details before, but I think it’s important for folks to know that our bodies build up this protective layer of mucous when we are eating offending foods, and it is an absolute breeding ground for unhealthy pathogens.  When you see that mucous on its way OUT, that is generally a good sign.  /End disgusting talk.  Sorry. 

--  Getting vegetables back into almost every single meal was something crucial that I feel like I desperately need to keep up.  Although I have had to pay close attention to FODMAPs (tomato sauces in particular!), I have managed to eat a variety of other vegetables.  I feel like before -- whenever I am not eating many veggies -- my body starts to get too acidic.  This turns up as ...I will just say noticeable feminine issues... and leave it at that.  Obviously this is something that MEN don’t have to deal with, so I think it is easier for them to say that veggies aren’t necessary.  For me, having spent a good amount of time having done it both ways -- I am going to say they ARE necessary for me.  Period.

--  As always, the entire family is eating better because I am eating better.  When I crave and give in to junk, generally everyone gets junk.

--  I have not had that overall bloated feeling, like my clothes are so tight that I just want to put on baggy pants and shirt.  I don’t miss that -- at all!

--  I am sure we’ve saved money this month by not “thrill eating”.  

--  I have gotten away from my husband’s chili and his pork marinara recipe -- for good.

--  I am getting a cyst-like-pimple again in my hairline that I have connected in the past to dairy consumption.  The only dairy I’ve had is GHEE -- which I think I have also connected to that “fluid-in-the-ear” sensation.  Going to have to keep working to get rid of the ghee for good.  There are plenty of other choices.

--  I have firmly correlated any carb cravings to either lack of sleep, not eating enough overall, or PMS (or all three), and I have successfully avoided feeding those cravings with carbs.

--  I have not craved heavy cream or ice cream.  Not once.  I think I am over those old flames!

--  I have not kept up with my strength training so much this month... which normally would have me very stressed.  But I feel like there has been an important shift in my priorities.  I want to keep up my strength and maintain muscle mass, but it has drifted a bit further down the list, where it probably needs to be.  I’ve done better with not training while stressed, while short on sleep, etc.  On these days that I had so many things to do and was on my feet all day... no, I didn’t need to go to the garage and beat myself up out there, as well.  There is a fine line, though -- and it still needs to be a priority.  I will continue to work to find balance there.

--  This Whole 30 is different than my others because, here on Day 30, I do not see an ending to something -- but only a beginning.  And I really, truly mean that.  I am not going to stick my head in a gallon of ice cream tomorrow and come up feeling like a different person.  An addicted person.  A person with brain fog who has allowed food cravings to take over again.  I’ve been down that road -- I already KNOW where it goes.  I’ve traveled it enough times to know that the ending is always the same.  And you know what?  That’s boring.  I’m over it.  I’m ready to go to new places... like Lewis & Clark.  I’m going to be BRAVE and forge ahead on my keto path.  Who wants to come along?  

[kirkor]

I’m ready to go to new places... like Lewis & Clark.  I’m going to be BRAVE and forge ahead on my keto path.  Who wants to come along?

 

Me! Me!

 

[MeadowLily]

I told Brewer that you're the Lewis and Clark of the Keto Whole 30.  I'm Sacagawea.     

[Brewer5]

I love you guys.  

[MeadowLily]

I love you guys, too.   I would run after your cars and lick your tires any day,  you know that.

 

After all,  I am your target audience.    

[Brewer5]

--  I am getting a cyst-like-pimple again in my hairline that I have connected in the past to dairy consumption.  The only dairy I’ve had is GHEE -- which I think I have also connected to that “fluid-in-the-ear” sensation.  Going to have to keep working to get rid of the ghee for good.  There are plenty of other choices.

 

.........OR...........  Now that I think about it, I wonder if it's PORK.  

 

Carlaccini posted here about the painful cysts like this she dealt with from pork.  

 

I ate ground pork the past 2 days (quite a bit of it), and today this thing is flared up again after being gone for some time.  

 

 

The investigation continues.....

[Brewer5]

Day 30

 

FBG:  89

 

AM Ketones:  2 yellow

 

M1:  eggs (4), spinach, coconut oil/ghee, 2T collagen

M2:  burger, chunky guacamole, zucchini, green and orange bell peppers, coconut oil, coconut manna

M3:  burger, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickle, homemade mayo, broccoli, coconut oil/ghee, sunflower seeds, coconut manna

 

PM Ketones:  6 green

 

^ Not messing with the PM anymore... I think I eat too close to bedtime for the "higher at night" to apply right now.

 

-------------

 

Thanks to everyone for the great conversation and support here on this thread.    The expedition will continue here:

 

http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/24999-brewer5-keto-2015/

[tulipgirl6]

thanks so much for letting me know about this thread!  I wish I found it sooner!  how do you determine your max carbs for the day? I will come back to your thread to finish reading!  I'm finding it very helpful!

[Brewer5]

thanks so much for letting me know about this thread!  I wish I found it sooner!  how do you determine your max carbs for the day? I will come back to your thread to finish reading!  I'm finding it very helpful!

 

I don't determine my max carbs for the day.....  I was very focused on following the guidelines of a Whole 30, which does not involve counting carbs or tracking macros.

 

I've just generally stuck to lower-carb veggies.  Things that are green, you almost can't over-do.  

 

I know from past experience that fruit is generally not my friend, so I simply don't eat any.  If I were going to... berries are ok for keto.  Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries -- these are on the keto food lists, but that would be, you know, a serving here and there -- not sitting down and making a meal of berries.  Ever.  

 

kirkor posted this handy list for veggies:

http://www.ruled.me/best-low-carb-vegetables-ketogenic-diet/

 

Glad you are finding my thread helpful.    Let me know if you have any more questions.

[kirkor]

how do you determine your max carbs for the day?

I don't determine my max carbs for the day.....  I was very focused on following the guidelines of a Whole 30, which does not involve counting carbs or tracking macros.

Not to step on Brewer's thread, but just to give another perspective: this month was my first time trying keto, and so I tracked my net carbs and kept them under 30. Some people go under 20 for the first couple weeks to really make sure they enter ketosis, and a lot of people say as long as you're under 50 you should be ok.

[Brewer5]

Not to step on Brewer's thread, but just to give another perspective: this month was my first time trying keto, and so I tracked my net carbs and kept them under 30. Some people go under 20 for the first couple weeks to really make sure they enter ketosis, and a lot of people say as long as you're under 50 you should be ok.

And Jimmy Moore says we should count total carbs, not net.

 

As an example, I could eat almost a pound (15 oz) of roasted salted macadamia nuts per day, and still be at 30 net carbs.  But I am confident that I could knock myself right out of ketosis by doing that.

[MeadowLily]

Cashews are the carbiest nut...you taught me that, Brewer.   They taste like sugar to me.  I don't care for them at all - especially the roasted and salted kind.   Yuck.   I need a bucket.       I don't really like almonds either.    I count that as a WIN.   I can live without nuts but I do enjoy Macadamia Nut Oil,  MacNut.

 

I went over to my naturo to buy my probiotics.   They wanted to sell me some dorky book.  They were all jacked up over the peanut butter fudge type recipes and other crappola.   I was polite but was rolling my eyes in my mind.   They had Paleo books with all of those paleo desserts.   They wanted to sell me those, too.     Hey, hey, hey now.   There are imaginary Whole 30's and there imaginary Paleo programs.   I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, now did I.   Nuh huh,  I've been working hard on the railroad.   I'm been pumping that push-cart like they had in the old days.   When my arms are tired,  Kirkor and Brewer get in there and give me a long ride.   Then we all coast and enjoy the sunny day.

 

If it was 8 months ago, I might've fallen for a SWYPO version of a Whole 30.   That's not going to happen.   The real deal ain't for sissies.   No siree, now.     They want me to come back and do a bunch of stuff that I don't need to do...like check for leaky gut.   If my gut was truly leaking,  I would be taking a dirt nap.  Peritonitis.   Some things really are a bunch of hooey.   I'm going to stay in my own lane.    

 

[MeadowLily]

[tulipgirl6]

sorry for such a basic question but what's the difference between total and net carbs?  so, you can go into ketosis while following the meal template? I looked at the veggie list and they have much less carbs than I thought! 

[MeadowLily]

[Brewer5]

sorry for such a basic question but what's the difference between total and net carbs?  so, you can go into ketosis while following the meal template? I looked at the veggie list and they have much less carbs than I thought!

Yes you can be in ketosis while following the template. Protein+fat+non-starchy veggies. That was my Whole 30 and I was in ketosis the entire time. Just take a look at my meals here.

Net carbs are the total carbs MINUS fiber. Some folks say count net, but it makes more sense to keep an eye on total carbs. Less math that way, too. And there is no magical number. Jimmy goes into great detail in his book about how we all have different levels of carbohydrate tolerance. And it depends on many factors. When you feel that you consistently have your blood sugar under control, you have found your sweet spot. Want to see if you can get away with more? Go for it. Your numbers will tell you what's going on. Want to get them even lower? Experiment. Remove things you crave, things you overeat. See what happens. This is all very much n=1.