LCHF - Low Carb High Fat Diet Ver 2

[Topwine]

I'm not low carb. Very far from it.Tried it and never liked it but did make many diet changes based on my experiences with the diet. Things like upping saturated fat. My resting HR is around 50. My hormone levels are all normal based on extensive tests done at the beginning of the year. Blood sugar was tested at 4.8. My max HR has always been high. I can hit 190 on a climb no problem. HR drops very quickly as well.

 

Yes, thought you were Roux1 that said he was low carb and high heart rate exercising.

 

Just for interest sake, did you test cortisol, thyroid and estrogen levels as well ?

Edited July 30, 2013 by Topwine

[HappyMartin]

I don't recall estrogen. I asked for thyroid to be checked and cortisol. Reason was I was under a fair bit of work stress. Don't remember values but was told it was normal. Being vegetarian was also concerned about iron and that was fine. Cholesterol was 6.2. Better than the 11 it was 10 years back. I take no medication for that. I don't know what to think about it anymore. Anyway apart from cholesterol everything checked out normal.

[Marge]

Well done Marge ! So you have probably cut back even more on your carbs than before ?

Keep in mind that you may not lose weight, in fact you may gain weight. If the assumption is that you have also started exercising, one could easily add muscle that would make you heavier...

 

So two questions;

in your mind, how much weight do you have to lose ?

If applicable, have you perhaps lost cm's anywhere ?

 

 

I have 5kg's to lose. Was always between 52-54kg last year when training for half ironman. After I finished that in January, I started eating bad and put on the kg's. I did keep on training, but instead of the usual 9 sessions a week, I scaled down to 5 a week. I even got as high as 59kg's at a time, now I'm stuck on 57 and no change in my cm's. (Again, remember I’m 1.53m, for me 5kg’s = 10 for you guys!)

 

I have cut my carbs a lot, can't see where I can cut more, I only get carbs from vegetables, salad and the once-in-while-glass-of-wine. Last weekend was my first real cheat, had half a bun hamburger!

 

At least I'm starting to feel a bit stronger on the bike and I really enjoy the fact that I'm not thinking about food all the time. So 31 days today, hopefully by day 60 I can report back some good news....

Edited July 31, 2013 by Marge

[htone]

I have 5kg's to lose. Was always between 52-54kg last year when training for half ironman. After I finished that in January, I started eating bad and put on the kg's. I did keep on training, but instead of the usual 9 sessions a week, I scaled down to 5 a week. I even got as high as 59kg's at a time, now I'm stuck on 57 and no change in my cm's. (Again, remember I’m 1.53m, for me 5kg’s = 10 for you guys!)

 

I have cut my carbs a lot, can't see where I can cut more, I only get carbs from vegetables, salad and the once-in-while-glass-of-wine. Last weekend was my first real cheat, had half a bun hamburger!

 

At least I'm starting to feel a bit stronger on the bike and I really enjoy the fact that I'm not thinking about food all the time. So 31 days today, hopefully by day 60 I can report back some good news....

 

Great going Marge !

 

Just before you start getting despondent, here's that link from Mark Sisson about weight loss stalls again !

 

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/weight-loss-plateau/

[krl747]

I don't recall estrogen. I asked for thyroid to be checked and cortisol. Reason was I was under a fair bit of work stress. Don't remember values but was told it was normal. Being vegetarian was also concerned about iron and that was fine. Cholesterol was 6.2. Better than the 11 it was 10 years back. I take no medication for that. I don't know what to think about it anymore. Anyway apart from cholesterol everything checked out normal.

 

 

Did you read the link I posted a couple of pages back? It seems that more and more Doctors are coming out and saying that your reading of 6.2 is actually better. What we have been taught about cholesterol is also coming into question.

[Topwine]

Did you read the link I posted a couple of pages back? It seems that more and more Doctors are coming out and saying that your reading of 6.2 is actually better. What we have been taught about cholesterol is also coming into question.

 

Blaming the presence of high cholesterol is like blaming the firemen on the scene of a fire. Rather find the cause/source of the fire !

[HappyMartin]

 

 

 

Did you read the link I posted a couple of pages back? It seems that more and more Doctors are coming out and saying that your reading of 6.2 is actually better. What we have been taught about cholesterol is also coming into question.

 

I did read it. My Dr is keen for me to be on statins. He is on statins with the same levels. I have opted out

[Helpmytrap]

I experimented a bit today at lunch, 18g carb meal. 9 of which was sugar from half a small grapefruit, and man did it taste good. Anyway, the ketones tested just a shade under "++" before dinner so I'm quite pleased with that as I see it as an indulgence.

[Cois]

Silly question. Seeing that I am almost never in the office and I miss lunch 90% of the times, I got a pack of USN diet fuel. How bad is this for a LCHF diet?

[Helpmytrap]

I'd like to say very bad. I think it is far from nutrient dense and mostly marketing but then I again I haven't used any form of supplements for the past 8 months except around races. So is my opinion somewhat biased, maybe.

 

Other random info, I just checked my BP and it is 122/68.

[Helpmytrap]

Is this the stuff?

http://www.usn.co.za/images/products/diet-fuel-ultralean_nutrilrg.gif

 

??Whey protein concentrate (36%), Maltodextrin, Soy protein isolate, Inulin, Calcium caseinate, Cocoa powder (only in chocolate flavour), Fructose, Sunflower oil, Milk protein isolate (92% micellar casein), Potassium citrate, Garcinia cambogia (1.8%), Lactoval® HiCal (Milk mineral complex), Flavouring, Rice starch, Stabilisers (Guar & Xanthan gum), Colour [Red beet powder (only in strawberry flavour)], Magnesium oxide, Non-nutritive sweetener (Sucralose), Ascorbic acid, Iron fumarate, D-Alpha-tocopherol acetate, Zinc citrate, Nicotinamide, Copper bisglycinate, Tolerase™L (pHstable lactase), Manganese ascorbate, D-Calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A palmitate, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin,

Cholecalcipherol, Pyridoxine HCl, Riboflavin, Thiamin HCl, Chromium picolinate, Potassium iodate, Folic acid (Pteroylmonoglutamic acid), Sodium selenate.

Edited July 31, 2013 by Helpmytrap

[htone]

Silly question. Seeing that I am almost never in the office and I miss lunch 90% of the times, I got a pack of USN diet fuel. How bad is this for a LCHF diet?

What he said. How about packing some biltong instead ?

 

Here's a cool link from Dietdoctor this morning that shows Asians eating MORE red meat get LESS cancer and heart disease, according to eight prospective studies....

 

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/07/31/ajcn.113.062638.short

[Helpmytrap]

As far as n=1 goes. I've found that if I eat about 5g of carbs at breakfast, I don't get that extreme nausea 3-4hrs after eating. (The amount of water I consumed had a negligible effect.)

[wonduhboy]

For those of you just starting out, here's some feedback from my n=1 that I've decided to share. Especially for those who are trying to lose weight (and be healthy obviously )

I've been on/off paleo for a while now, always losing weight, but sliding back into 'normal' eating and regaining the weight

.

Something changed for me this year, when one of my mates called me 'Big guy' (like as in 'thanks for helping, Big Guy'). Although I get called that alot (in a good way) for some reason, that struck home to me that day, and when combining with the cancer, diabetes and Heart disease in my family, I decided to change it.

 

I basically started after my 30th birthday in May this year, going really hard at Low Carb eating (sometimes more protein that I should, but upping fats as well)

 

My diet (as in way-of-eating, not my weight-loss eating plan) started off being hard, but also got easier, and the cravings for dessert and pizza eventually vanished.

It helped a lot when my wife joined in, and our eating is now much more stable and reliable. Meal plans are easy once you look past always having a carb with dinner. Breakfasts are still difficult, but alternating HTone’s fatshake, BP coffee, Bacon and eggs, ham/cheese/biltong mix, we are getting long just fine.

At least twice a week, we’ll fast as well, and I’ll easily make it to lunch.

Water intake has gone up, but we both drink to thirst, not because we need our ‘8 glasses a day’

 

At the same time, I started riding properly again, along the Maffetone way of training (staying at heart rate where I burn fat and become fat adapted)

It was slow, and I mean real slow. Any sort of hill would kill me.

Guys I would ride with would always end up waiting for me at the top of hills. Bastards

Anyway, slowly I got faster, keeping my HR consistent, and started enjoying the rides.

Look, I’m still slow, but that’s because I’m heavy (read: Fat) – but in spinning classes, I now have to work super-hard to keep my HR at my training zone)

I can now easily ride 3 hours on one water bottle. I experimented with UCan on a ride recently, when I knew I was riding with a mate who was fit (and weighed about 30kg less than me)

Man, that stuff is like rocket fuel. It works.

I wont use it for normal training, but for races etc it will be the go-to-drink.

 

So down to the numbers:

ITO weight loss, the first few weeks were slow – I lost about 3.5kg in 7 weeks.

Since then I’ve averaged 6kg in 6 weeks (the first time I have consistently lost weight in 6 consecutive weeks)

Obviously I’ve lost centimetres as well.

I’ll be going for some blood tests soon, but the only comparable figures I have will be from 2 years ago.

I’ll feedback on that when I do.

 

Overall I am feeling great, like never before. More energy, no mid-afternoon energy slumps, no problem getting up to go to gym early or ride.

It’s great, really.

 

I’ve got a long way to go ito weight loss, but I know I’ll get there. (according to BMI, I’m obese) But even so, I can comfortably do a hilly-ish (700m ascent) 50km MTB ride in 2.30ish

I hope this inspires some other hubbers out there who are starting out.

It will work, keep at it. It’s worth it.

 

Forgot to mention this thread has been huge inspiration and source of knowledge for me, and has helped keep me motivated. I hope it stays that weigh (see what I did there)

Edited August 1, 2013 by wonduhboy

[htone]

@wonduhboy - great inspirational story, thanks for sharing that and well done on pushing through with determination and a will to succeed. How long have you been doing this for ? If I just add your weeks and then look at the weight loss, you have dropped 9.5kg in 13 weeks, which is awesome in any book !

[wonduhboy]

@wonduhboy - great inspirational story, thanks for sharing that and well done on pushing through with determination and a will to succeed. How long have you been doing this for ? If I just add your weeks and then look at the weight loss, you have dropped 9.5kg in 13 weeks, which is awesome in any book !

 

thanks htone! You input has also been really motivational.

Yip, it's been about 13 weeks (or since 1 May this year)