atrp2biz

Here's my experience to date on keto and intermittent fasting.

I'm 6'3" and I've only been on this new way of eating for 2.5 weeks. I'm down from 228 to 215 lbs as of this morning. I'm a bike commuter with a round-trip distance of 33 km and play hockey once a week year round (goalie). My commute is my only riding since I have a young family at home so I can't commit to longer weekend rides. My eating window is between noon and 6 pm. The only thing I have in the morning is a coffee with cream and a packet of erythritol and monk fruit extract. I just had a chicken shwarma salad for lunch. For tonight's dinner, I think I'm having more chicken with some vegetables which I'll likely finish off with some nuts and an avocado sprinkled with lite salt (mainly for the increased K, not necessarily to lower Na) and sesame oil.

I'm hoping that this is a new and long-term way of eating for me and not a diet. It's been extremely easy and I didn't experience the typical keto flu. I did feel weak on the bike for the first 3 days but I increased my salt intake which seemed to help. I'm no longer hungry and generally crave only keto foods like toasted keto bread topped with fried egg and an avocado or simplyo keto bread with PB (I use the 90-second recipe).

I'm targeting 185 lbs which I haven't been since my early days of high school. I have little doubt that I can achieve this goal and if weight loss plateaus, I'll likely transition to one-meal-a-day (OMAD).

I feel like I'm back to 90% strength on my bike. All-in-all, I feel great and look forward to my continued progress.

KraneXL

Keto is a great diet for anyone but it works best for those that have a lot more fat than you. Your goal weight is on the very light side for someone your height, but I assume you're going for the shredded look? May I suggest you tell all your friends (and especially your family) about your goal so they know not to tempt you with food -- although holidays like today can be a good reason to take a break.

Family can be notorious for derailing your diet especially when they're all eating foods you need to stay away from, and that tempts you to stray from your diet. Continuous photos are also a good idea as they remind you of your progress, and help keep you on track. I use photos and only get on the scale every couple months or when I go to see the doctor.

One more thing in relation to your fast. Some might argue the inclusion of cream in your coffee (which does add calories) might cause some people to claim you've broken your fast. However, there's an alternate reasoning that under 50 cal won't cause any significant disadvantage.

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For comparison sake, I started at 215 (all belly fat) and dropped to around 182 within 5 weeks on a crash diet of 500 cal/day (zero exercise) which I don't recommend. I'm now 193@ 6'4, with a bit more muscle after an arduous dieting protocol. I just got my blood work results and everything was in the green (except vit D).

On a personal note, I get compliment on my leanness from total strangers all the time which boost my confidence and help keeps me going. Nevertheless, I still have that final layer of stubborn belly fat that holds on for dear life. I'm pretty sure its genetic, but in order to lose it I'd need to assume another crash diet and at this point that would sacrifice too much hard earned muscle. Good luck with your diet.

atrp2biz

I'm not looking for the shredded look per se but it has become more of an experiment at this point. I'll be satisfied in a range of 185-190.

My family has been tremendously supportive despite my wife being a physician who thinks I'm just being silly. We had sheppard's pie the other day and my wife substituted cauliflower for the potatoes. She's supportive of the IF, but thinks it's crazy to avoid fruits. My kryptonite in the past has been potato chips and she feels that as long as I avoid those, I'd lose weight. In any case, I'm on the path I'm on and am curious of what the outcome will be in 2-3 months.

I can't stress this enough. It is an EASY 'diet'. I use the term diet loosely because I think diets are short-term changes in eating patterns, but keto is something that can be maintained as a new way of living/eating.

JLDickmon

I cheat every once in a great while.. had two double cheese burgers at the ballpark Tuesday night.. but no beer, just water..
I'm usually three eggs and sausage or bacon in the morning,
steak, chicken or pork at lunch with a big clump of broccoli and some ranch dressing, white cheese, zero carb sports drink and protein milk (Costco)
Then more marbled beef at dinner, usually with asparagus & butter. Unsweetened iced tea.
Almonds for snacks.

I choose and cook (smoke) my own meats, and make my own smoked almonds.

Down 50lbs since right before Christmas.

Man, I miss tacos...

KraneXL

I kind of agree with your wife on this especially because there are valuable nutrient in fruits that may not be readily available if you restrict your diet too much. One of the reasons why PSMF (an extreme form of keto) is only advised for a short duration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLDickmon

I cheat every once in a great while.. had two double cheese burgers at the ballpark Tuesday night.. but no beer, just water..
I'm usually three eggs and sausage or bacon in the morning,
steak, chicken or pork at lunch with a big clump of broccoli and some ranch dressing, white cheese, zero carb sports drink and protein milk (Costco)
Then more marbled beef at dinner, usually with asparagus & butter. Unsweetened iced tea.
Almonds for snacks.

I choose and cook (smoke) my own meats, and make my own smoked almonds.

Down 50lbs since right before Christmas.

Man, I miss tacos...

I don't think of it as cheating, rather, a reward for all you hard work. Just plan it as a special day once a week or biweekly.

JLDickmon

I did Atkins before I changed to Keto, and that is actually in the Atkins book.
"...pick a cheat day. It can be Sunday when you go out for breakfast. Saturday night at the bar with friends. Date night with the spouse..."

Podagrower

Well boys and girls, my wife and I have jumped on the Keto train. Last week was kinda keto, paying attention to all the carbs we ate while cleaning house (bananas, apples, etc). Monday of this week was full keto. I lost 7 pounds last week and was astonished. I've been making things that best qualify as keto bachelor food, can you mix brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, sausage, and cheese and call it a meal-you can if you are eating keto. I had already made a conscious effort to switch to less carb based and more fat/protein based fuel on bike rides last year, so I already knew my body would tolerate it. But now, I'm munching fat and protein for breakfast before a ride and so far I feel better post ride, without the post ride munchies. It's the first "diet" I've been on that I didn't say "this is never going to work" before I started it.

KraneXL

You set a goal, with a timetable yet? Be sure and chart your changes and share them whenever you feel the need. Telling other around you about your diet is a good way to stay on course.

Podagrower

I retained my goal of 240 pounds (which would be a 45 pound loss) that I set 3 years ago. I know right now I need to work in more of the green stuff, but I'm probably eating the healthiest I ever have (I have bloodwork in Dec that should confirm this). I did hear something interesting last night about Keto and cycling. There is a 12/24 hour race around here and one of the course record holders sticks to a keto diet, and not only does she hold the record in her class, she finished 5th overall that year.

PatrickGSR94

What's up guys, anyone have any updates to report? A friend/neighbor has been on Keto for about 6 months now and has had amazing results (down ~50 pounds), along with cycling and running. I mostly do bicycle commuting/utility riding, more so than recreational rides. I'm 5'11 and about 224, which is the heaviest I've been. When I started running in 2011, then transitioned to cycling in 2012, at one point I just barely touched the 189 pound mark. But since then I've slowly crept back up, despite cycling nearly 5,000 miles in 2017. I'm assuming it's because I'm a sucker for snacks.

So I've been looking into this Keto thing for a few weeks now, and as of this morning I'm trying to get going on it fully. I weighed 224 on Saturday evening so we'll see how it goes.

KraneXL

If snacks is your weakness (they were once one of mine too), you might want to consider IF. Since its a protocol and not a diet, it can be applied across the board and can enhance any sort of diet you care to apply it to. Its helped me (and millions of others) immeasurable, and will put you in a position to completely eliminate the need or desire for snakes. Just consider it.

dkyser

I am still going strong, had a great year but tried going off Keto for the holidays and although my weightlifting did fantastic I caved in to sugar and sweets and weight went up. I am back on Keto and feeling great and the holiday weight gain is coming back off. I do not eat tons of fat, I shoot to hit my protein and keep my carbs under 20 let the fat fall where it falls.
I find when traveling and I can not meal prep the fat goes up because of lack of options but keep them healthy fats as much as possible.

PatrickGSR94

Sounds about right. Luckily I don't travel much at all. So my first full day was yesterday, and I entered everything I ate into my Fitbit app. At the end of the day it said 5% carbs, 21% protein and 74% fat which I think is exactly what it's supposed to be. Just had an afternoon snack that I made a couple days ago, and so far today I'm at 5% carbs, 22% protein and 73% fat. Not too bad I guess. I'm trying really hard to resist snacking between meals, and only eating when hungry. That's a big problem I've struggled with, where I just want something to put in my mouth even if I'm not necessarily hungry, especially while at my desk or in front of the TV at night.

KraneXL

That's alright, its OK to take a break for the holidays. And thanks to "keto" memory, you should be able to get right back (a lot sooner) to where you left off within a few days.

PatrickGSR94

I've been steady right around 224-225 for months now. As of last night I'm 6 pounds down from the weekend already, which was the last time I had any appreciable amount of sugar!

Bigmanontheroad

Hey there, I'm 6'5 339 down from 392. I rode 1500 miles my first season of biking lost about 15 lbs. The next season because of two surgeries I only rode 600 miles but switched to KETO and lost 45lbs. Snacking not an issue if you use the right snacks Check into ruled.me. Great resource I use jerkey watch carbs some jerkey is sneaky. Also, nuts, berries and bars (Sola) makes a good bar it's not the highest protein but it is sweet and only 5carbs If you need a salty fix try pork rinds with salsa. There are a million ways to mix up your diet so you don't get bored or burnt out Best of luck!

PatrickGSR94

Yeah snacking is still a problem for me, mainly because we have so much junk around the house, which my wife and kid eat but it taunts me lol. I do okay usually in the morning and at lunch, and dinner is fine but at night after dinner I always want something to put in my mouth haha.

KraneXL

IF my friend. My snacking is now a thing of the past.

BobL

Just checking in as another keto cyclist - I haven't been back on the forums very long, and hadn't really noticed this thread/group.

Started keto in the spring of '15, at about 260, lost about 50 pounds by a year later, then stayed around that weight. I was doing 16-8 IF or OMAD (one meal a day) until last June, when I started doing longer fasts, alternate days, until early November and dropped another 15 to 65 total. I started riding again in August on my old road bike and do 12 to 20 miles 3 or 4 times a week.

This week I'm doing a 5 day fast, I last ate a meal on Sunday at dinner time, and have done two 13 mile rides with nothing but coffee for breakfast. I'll end the fast tomorrow around mid-day.

PatrickGSR94

I don't know, I think it would still be a problem for me. Sometimes when I'm sitting on the couch at 10 PM watching a DVR show or a YT video, I just want something to snack on.

KraneXL

Then make that your feeding time -- as long as its not also your bedtime. Snacking is a habit, not a necessity. It developed over time and it can be broken like any habit. I did it, and lots of other people as well. So can you.

YankeeRider

I don't do Keto, but when I am paying attention to my diet closely and aiming for weight loss, some things I do that work for me are::

• Count calories with a daily log and aim for about 1,300 / day
• Regular moderate exercise that's also logged; heavy workouts make me too hungry
• Occasional low-sugar protein bar or shake, but I don't eat lots of those or focus on massive protein
• Stick with high fiber carb sources - beans, fruits, whole grains, unsweetened oatmeal
• Don't buy any dessert or snack foods at all - only snacks allowed are things like fruit and veg, e.g. petite carrots and apples. I exercise control in the supermarket - easier for me there than in the kitchen
• Eat pre-packaged dinners to aid in portion control, emphasizing fish or skinless poultry, modest amount high-fiber carb, and veggies
• Eat soup as a meal, it's mostly water and quite light
• If I cook, I eat a larger veggie portion than normal - close to half the plate - that makes the other portions smaller and holds down calories, plus it's oodles of vitamins. Again it's skinless poultry or fish, high fiber carb, veggies

BigTex62

Just started doing Keto and 18/6 IF this week and feel great. I started at my plateau point of about 204, a level I have not been able to crack for 12 or more years since I started working out regularly and eating correctly the majority of the time. Even in periods where I try and eat real clean. Having done the eating 5-6 meals a day, lower carb and still hitting a wall, thought I would try this. Not nearly as hard as I thought, and I feel great. Time will tell if I am able to hit my target. But this is an easily sustainable way to eat regardless. Trying to work my way out of the clydesdale barn, and just be in the slow old man but healthy lane.

medic75

I really don't belong because I am no longer 200+ pounds. I just came to share my story of my pseudo-keto diet. I had minor blood sugar problems for years and continued to live my life unchanged, just taking oral medications to keep my blood-sugar in check (as well as blood pressure, cholesterol, & triglycerides). Then, during one 6 month check-up, my A1C was at 11.7. As a paramedic who sees the life that non-compliant diabetics live, this scared the crap out of me. I knew I needed to make changes in my life and I immediately cut out all bread, pasta, & sugars from my diet. I also stopped snacking between meals. My diet consisted of smaller portions with more vegetables. Within 3 months I had dropped 24 lbs and dropped my A1C to 6.9. The doctor admitted that he had full intentions of putting me on insulin during that visit, but that was no longer needed and that my blood sugar was likely lower than my A1C was showing due to some carry over from when it was high. He also stated that he normally offers advice or suggests the assistance of a dietitian, but in my case his words were "I don't know what you are doing and I don't want to know. Just keep doing it because it is working". I have currently dropped 75 lbs and have quit taking half of my medications. I have gone from 270 to 195 with over half of that being in the first 6 months. I still eat small amounts of bread (whole wheat - not to be confused with processed wheat bread) and very limited pasta consisting of a small portion about once per month. This can be tough, but for me, I do the cooking in the house so I control everything that goes in my family's mouths. Shortly after I started eating this way my son asked "dad, when are you going to be off your diet?" My reply was "never". Eating out can be difficult, but restaurants usually are willing to substitute a potato for a second salad or additional vegetables. Obviously burger joints & fast food places are almost impossible - though I have found a creative way to eat a big mac without a bun.

FWIW, I am not a person with will power. In fact, I have none. This lifestyle change was 100% based on fear of the path that I knew I was headed down. Spend a few days with a non-compliant diabetic who is now a blind amputee and requires 4 hours on a dialysis machine 3x per week - and then realize that will be you in 10 years if you don't change your ways.

The real interesting part is that I had never planned on losing any weight. My only goal was to get my blood sugar down. The weight loss was just a pleasant side effect. I always tell people that I eat like a diabetic to avoid becoming a diabetic.

Carverbiker