It is based on several factors, including:
- Because I'm so heavy, I need to stay at lower-carb levels than most folks for a long time. That has several built-in considerations, though:
- I need to stay lower than some of the lowcarb eating plans recommend for post-induction. Yet,
- I can't make it so low, that my food range is drastically limited. If it's going to take me years to lose the weight, I really need as much variety in my diet as possible.
- There needs to be some 'allowance' of deductions for fiber and SA carbs, as part of hugely expanding the menu. Yet there should be a cap on them, because SAs in particular can really get out of hand when you're "not counting" them.
- Because it is very easy to 'slide out' of ketosis or at least slide into very light degrees of it, I need to ensure that if this should happen for any reason, it is shortly curtailed and my level of ketosis brought back to something good for weight-loss, carb-craving suppression and appetite suppression. Beginning every month with a few days (or whatever it takes) of "core food only" regularly brings me back to that.
I call it "PJ's Induction Cycling." (Added my name just in case the term is used anywhere else and I don't know about it, don't want to get it confused with other stuff.) Here's the basics: (click the link to see the image)
Warning: If your browser is set to "resize images" it will make that unreadably tiny! Take that setting off! LOL!
This addresses some 'issues' I've observed in the field at large from reading tons of journals, as well as in myself and my own experience.
Now that I know what I'm doing and plan ahead, induction is easy. And given I'm doing it a few days every month based on the eating plan cycle, it no longer seems like such a long-suffering major thing anymore.
Changed it to 20 on standard (stage 2) after discussion with another LCer.
OK I thought I was done but that's not it.
Q. Do you do protein powder on the first-stage?
A. Yes, protein powders, protein puddings.
Q. Why no grains, mushrooms or cheese?
A. The first for bowel reasons, the second two for herbalism reasons. Basically just to make it so there's a few days each month I detox from such things for sure. And because I know if I don't rule it out I will be eating mega amounts of cheese during the induction period, as I love it, and I really want to force the protein-fat meat/seafood/poultry emphasis instead.
Q. Isn't 20 carbs + 15 deducted carbs a lot compared to 10?
A. Yeah. Monthly re-induction ought to make me appreciate what I get the rest of the time.
Q. Not counting fiber/SA carbs has an effect. You lose more weight if you do.
A. I agree. However if I'm going to be on this eating plan the rest of my natural and unnatural life, I have to have a decent variety of good tasting food to eat. So for me there has to be some middle ground between 'keep it lowcarb to lose' vs. 'keep it enough carb to enjoy it and not feel deprived'. I made it 15 carbs + 15-MAX deducted because that is a different result than just saying '30 carbs'. The deductions will allow me to make little crepes I can use as a bread-replacement of sorts, and a sweet now and then, and have daily fresh garden peppers for example (broccoli stir fried in peanut oil with garlic and ginger, YUM!). But the limit on the deducted carbs per day will probably keep me from ODing on a whole day of food that is "invisible" carbs and calling it a good day... even if carbquick and flaxmeal and my sugar alternatives can make me a ton of food with almost zero net carbs, how much "not quite basic" food I can eat is pretty limited due to the cap on the deductible carbs.
Q. The calorie range is rather large.
A. I have a hard time making 1000 calories half the time. And due to my weight, theoretically I could eat a helluva lot more calories and still lose, but it varies by food choices - drastically. A day with bacon, butter and mayo will skyrocket calories into the 2000 zone while other days I'll be struggling to meet the 1100 minimum. Unfortunately the highest cal stuff is carby sometimes. If I could eat my extra calories in peanut butter without the carbs I'd happily do so! So I leave that a variable option because my mood, food, weight, protein intake and exercise will make me vary the calories. I put 2000 there as a 'maximum' -- not a goal.
Q. Keto sticks don't always measure ketosis.
A. Yeah, I've heard that. If I'm drinking 2 gallons of water a day (I wish) I won't worry about that, it'd flood the ketones. If I still have decent energy, little appetite and no major cravings, and I'm losing weight or size at all, then I'll have to do the three day minimum and call it good. Right now I can't taste, smell or feel ketones and every other time I've been on lowcarb, it's major and obvious. Yet I'm losing weight steadily, have energy, suppressed appetite, no cravings, and I turned a keto-stick purple, so I'm going to have to figure it's ok.
Q. How come you allow yourself nuts/nutbutters but not cheese? The Atkins OWL doesn't bring in nuts until much later.
A. True. Bear in mind this is a maintenance plan not a starting-out plan. But the main reason I allow them is because peanut butter is the only 'sweet' I'm willing to allow myself during stage 1. If I can't go three days without Splenda I've got a problem!
Q. Doesn't this seem like an arbitrary rearrangement of Atkins/Eades/etc., similar to KimKins for example?
A. Sure, everybody comes up with what works for them. Because my weight is so high and my weight-loss efforts will take so long, because my protein demands are so great and my resultant calories tend to be so low, and because I want to experiment with food and not worry quite so much that a 'gradual slide out of ketosis' will lead to my ruin, I felt I needed an approach customized to me.
Best,
PJ
5 comments:
A couple of things.
First, Diabetics are told they CAN and SHOULD eat carbs....in fairly large amounts. Most people I know are told to eat up to 45g a meal!!! My niece was told 90g per meal. While I can't find the quote right now, the ADA specifically calls low carb anything under 130g/day, and that diabetics should NOT use a low carb plan.
This from the ADA FAQ:
2. Can I eat foods with sugar in them?
For almost every person with diabetes, the answer is yes! Eating a piece of cake made with sugar will raise your blood glucose level. So will eating corn on the cob, a tomato sandwich, or lima beans. The truth is that sugar has gotten a bad reputation. People with diabetes can and do eat sugar. In your body, it becomes glucose, but so do the other foods mentioned above. With sugary foods, the rule is moderation. Eat too much, and 1) you'll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected; 2) you'll fill up but without the nutrients that come with vegetables and grains; and 3) you'll gain weight. So, don't pass up a slice of birthday cake. Instead, eat a little less bread or potato, and replace it with the cake. Taking a brisk walk to burn some calories is also always helpful.
Scarey, huh?
Now, I want to give you the name of a really good protein pudding. It's called Pro-Pudding and is available from The Vitamin Shoppe. 15 packets for about $20. You mix one packet with cold water, let it sit a few min and enjoy. It's made with Whey protein, so it's great for those of us that can't or don't want to eat soy. It is VERY filling and sticks with you for a long time. (also watch the store/website as they often have a buy one get one free or half off deal)
Again, love reading your posts. I think you're going to do great....and some day maybe you'll wrote a book about your amazing loss on low carb. Good luck and keep it up!!! You're an inspiration to many....including your daughter!
Cindy
Thanks Cindy! For the link too! I eat those soy stallone puddings but they're pricey -- and soy, of course -- a whey alternative would be awesome! I'll check it out.
Just be aware of one thing - not everyone shows good on the sticks, but still lose weight. I never showed anything past pink, and that infrequently. I still lose 60 pounds.
Second, the sticks won't register above 50g of carbs. That doesn't mean you're not in ketosis; it just means the sticks aren't sensitive enough to detect it.
Hmmn, hadn't heard that about the 50g thing, thanks. While you were posting this I was adding Q&A to the blogpost from a couple private emails.
Cindy I like your pudding being whey not soy but it turns out it has twice the carbs and and 45 more calories plus has to be 'made' (shaker or better blender/mixer). Probably still better due to ingredients (turns out Instone Pro Pudding is actually part whey part soy), and who knows regarding taste, but my fave part of the Instone's is cracking open a can, using a plastic spoon, and throwing it away. I know, I'm like the disposable generation or something, but the whole make it in the kitchen and wash something is already a major issue for me! I've put it on my list to look at in a few months when hopefully I'll have a better handle on quite a few things!
Nope, no soy on the label. This from the web-site:
Does Not Contain:
No Yeast, Corn, Wheat, Soy, Fish, Citrus, Artificial Colors.
Maybe it was another brand? This is from Vitamin shoppe.
I can understand your not wanting to cook and prepare thigns right now. I do hope you look at it again in a few months. It's really easy to make and quite good tasting.
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