My Public Keto Experiment

[Storm Veritas]

Feel free to chime in, add questions, ideas, whatever. I wanted a place to track how things go as I'm pretty excited about this little ordeal and wish I knew people that had done it that could explain some of this stuff to me in advance.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 1 (April 2):
Weight (6 AM): 193.1 lbs

HOLY SHIT you fat idiot, I said to myself, considering my sins yesterday. For the last three years I've had a somewhat healthy, sort-of-lazy diet that allowed me to cheat as desired while I mostly kept myself full by gorging on fruit like a zoo-kept sea mammal. I also run really frequently, averaging in the ballpark of 30 miles / week. I'm reasonably quick for an older guy, over the weekend I did a "long" run (8.00 miles at 7:35/mile) and a "short" one (4.6 miles at 7:28/mile) which were both very respectable.

Since I already exercise and eat reasonably well, it's tougher for me to fix things, so I need to be very careful if I'm going to be in shape. I've decided to try the Ketosis Diet, which basically starves the body of ALL carbohydrates (including fruit-borne ones!), and allows you to suck down fats at will.

Now, my weight is a little misleading. On Saturday, I finished my long run and weighed just over 186; this was dehydrated. Yesterday, I did to sugar what a bachelor does with strippers, and went WAY crazier than I normally would.

In reality, my starting weight is probably closer to 191, and my goal is to get to about 175. I'm only committing to 30 days on this diet, so it will take pretty rapid weight loss to succeed. After a month, we'll see where I'm at.

Day 1, I am feeling very motivated, and my blood sugar is still almost certainly high as a residue from yesterday's nonsense. I have bought supplements of magnesium/potassium/sodium, will be eating loads of extra spinach and mushrooms to offset these electrolytes. I have a tough job and work weird/late hours, so total lethargy could be a major problem.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 2 (April 3)
Weight - 192.0 lbs

Yesterday was quite an experience. Actively eating high-fat foods is really bizarre; it makes you feel guilty and strange at the same time. I was absolutely STARVING by about 1 PM, after eating lunch in the ballpark of 11:30. I'm nearly certain it wasn't really hunger per-se, but rather my body used to eating carbs at that time and really aching for a good old-fashioned piece of toast.

It didn't make matters any easier that the Easter desserts were still out on the side serving table. Cake. Cookies. Carrot Cake. They called to me like the Sirens every time I went by (and I work from home, compounding the problem), but I held strong.

Keto carb counters can also kiss my ass. Vegetables which appeared to be keto-friendly, like carrots, actually were much higher than I expected (5 g of sugar for a cup of carrots!?) based on the counter I was using. Mushrooms and tomatoes also scored pretty high.

With all the salt (and electrolytes) I'm taking in to combat dehydration, I really needed to mix in some extra non-salty food. Spinach is great, but I just can't eat it without salad dressing. I find myself PARCHED because I'm struggling to combat all the salt in everything available to me.

Running was easier than I expected. I did the same 4.6 mile loop I often do when I'm pinched for time, but was pretty strong and not cramping up like I am wont to do when I'm dehydrated. That was a pleasant surprise.

Today, hunger is dramatically reduced; haven't had a snack since breakfast and it's 11 AM (I eat at 6). Hopefully my weight loss doesn't just taper quickly because I was definitely disappointed in yesterday's 1.1 lb weight loss. I expected I was holding onto a lot of bogus weight on Monday morning because of my gorging Sunday; maybe I'm still holding onto water weight because of the salt hike?

Fingers crossed this afternoon is less apocalyptic than yesterday.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

For a moment, I misread the title and thought you were going on a public ketamine binge.

Moving on.

Being the fat bastard I am, your diet intrigues me. I've googled the keto diet and I get mixed messages back, so I was wondering if I could hear from the horses mouth the best way to prepare oneself for the end times that this diet seems to be

[Storm Veritas]

Day 3 (April 4)
Weight - 189.4 lbs

Day 2 was MUCH easier in terms of hunger than Day 1. I also lost more weight, even though I hadn't had a chance to run. Both yesterday and today are complete abortions when it comes to running, because I'm tied up with too much ancillary shit.

I am -not- in ketosis, or so claims the little strips you pee on. I -am- definitely eating way, way less. For dessert I had some "Halo" ice cream last night; it's in the US, 80 calories per half cup, and low in carbs. I had a half cup; it was FUCKING DELICIOUS but I find it hard to believe it's Keto.

Shin, the key for me so far was to make sure you have plenty of fat-rich foods available. You still need something in your stomach as your stomach shrinks, since you'll be full faster and can get away with much less volume. Water is critical, as is salt. Eat lots of salt. Electrolytes are also important; potassium, sodium, and magnesium are all stripped from your body as you go into ketosis and that is not a good thing. Lots of spinach, broccoli, and veggies in general has kept that afloat.

I'm only a few days in but it's already gotten way easier. I don't know how things will go for a further stretch. Personally, I expect this will be a 4-week refresh for my body, after which I'll leave ketosis and bring fruit back into the fray.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 4 (April 5)
Weight - 188.3 lbs

Wow! Two days in a row without runs, and I still lost weight? I'm eating dramatically less, but being fairly sedentary while mired in work/home repairs hell. Hunger pangs are dramatically reduced. Also, Pro-Tip: Powerade Zero is delicious, and rich in electrolytes (and for once, that's actually a thing). It's not just Brawndo, for anyone that gets that reference.

Going well. Getting a run in today. Let's. Go.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 5 (April 6)
Weight - 187.8 lbs

Another day with progress, I think. Life is so hectic right now it's just absurd. Constantly running errands and trying to get work in order, which is 100% herding cats right now. Way too many things to take care of, and my wife's car shits the bed. Since I work from home, that means she takes my car and I'm stuck trying to get the car fixed while managing all this other stuff. 'Tis bullshit.

The diet has become really easy. I can manage this with no problem, and I'm not hungry at all. No afternoon mega-pangs like I was suffering from. No big new temptations.

The first weekend is coming; that will be a battle. Been planning foods and I'm thinking tonight will be sashimi-style sushi with edamame. Looking forward to it.

Also, good news! Whiskey is carb-free and can be drunk on keto, which gives me a nice go-to with beer off the table for now.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Day 5 (April 6)
Weight - 187.8 lbs

Another day with progress, I think. Life is so hectic right now it's just absurd. Constantly running errands and trying to get work in order, which is 100% herding cats right now. Way too many things to take care of, and my wife's car shits the bed. Since I work from home, that means she takes my car and I'm stuck trying to get the car fixed while managing all this other stuff. 'Tis bullshit.

The diet has become really easy. I can manage this with no problem, and I'm not hungry at all. No afternoon mega-pangs like I was suffering from. No big new temptations.

The first weekend is coming; that will be a battle. Been planning foods and I'm thinking tonight will be sashimi-style sushi with edamame. Looking forward to it.

Also, good news! Whiskey is carb-free and can be drunk on keto, which gives me a nice go-to with beer off the table for now.

Sold.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 6 (April 7)
Weight - 186.7 lbs

Chinese food (chicken wings, beef & broccoli) for dinner last night was incredible. I'm guessing the B&B sauce was carved up though, because based on the pee strip test I am almost out of ketosis.

Presuming the weight reading is artificially low because I was dehydrated. Brace for impact tomorrow!

[Storm Veritas]

Day 7 - (April 8)
Weight - 186.7 lbs

I was stunned to see my weight stall at the exact same weight to the tenth, but will happily accept this. I had myself a GIGANTIC salad for dinner, and a couple of whiskeys. Without getting too graphic, within about 6 hours from weigh-in I'm fairly certain I was back down well below the morning weight.

Side note: without glucose/glycogen for your body to use to metabolize alcohol, you get drunk FAST. Halfway into my second Jameson and I was feeling a very strong buzz. Kind of awesome, if we're being honest. Something to watch out for, though. I'd say for Americans if you're usually good to drive after 3 drinks, you absolutely have to stop after 2, and would be wiser to stop after 1.

Feeling very tired today, but I'm guessing it's just early mornings and long days. Diet is definitely working.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 8 - (April 9)
Weight - 185.0 lbs

WEEK ONE TOTAL - (8.1 lbs)

What a morning! Nothing greets a fresh week like a damned-near two pound loss! Went to see the Black Panther last night at one of those restaurant/theater hybrids with my wife and Brother/Sister in law. Movie was great, and dinner was pretty awesome. Ended up with a Bacon Cheeseburger (no ketchup, no bun), and a side salad with full-fat Italian dressing. Had to grab myself some cashews when I got home because I was starving.

All told, it -DOES- feel like this diet dehydrates me quite a bit. When I run, my range is limited because I sweat like a priest on the playground. Powerade Zero has been nice - tasty, easy to drink fast and has some salts to replenish electrolytes rapidly with. I'm also now eating a simply incredible amount of spinach on a daily basis. Spinach, eggs, almonds, cashews, and just meat in general - these are my "go-to" foods that I just absolutely feast on.

My wife also made "coffee bombs", pre-made bullet coffee cubes. Simply, she melted and mixed coconut oil and Kelly Gold butter, added in a little Truvia/Stevia based pumpkin spice. You then pour the mix into flexible ice cube trays, and put them in the fridge. With a little hand blender, my daily coffee provides an extra energy burst, lots of flavor, and tastes fantastic. Look into this if you're considering Keto; it's really great.

Using the test strips, I am in full-blown ketosis and feel good. I've also already noticed a little firming; my love handles have become a little less generous, although my front belly fat is still about ten pounds away from giving up the fight.

Loving it!

[Storm Veritas]

Day 9 - (April 10)
Weight - 185.0 lbs

I'm starting to sense a pattern here. Honestly, after a huge loss day, I will happily take a stay-flat day and avoid giving back any weight. I drank a ton of water and powerade yesterday, rehydrating as I had been feeling a little drained. Made steak&cheese subs yesterday for dinner, using romaine lettuce wraps to encapsulate shaved steak, full fat cheddar, and sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms. They were absolutely incredible. A little leftover steak to go on the side of my morning eggs was pretty great, too.

Note: cashews are NOT a great keto-friendly choice. Turns out a small handful has 8-10 carbs in it, which is almost enough to pull you out of ketosis. I put those in the back of the pantry and bought some macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts taste incredible, are very rich in fat and protein, and only have 1.5 carbs/serving. The danger is simply that I could eat about 2000 calories worth of macadamia nuts in one serving if I kept them in front of me. They're also very expensive, running about $1/serving.

I've found running to be a little frustrating on Keto. With your body stripped of salts, you sweat like crazy. In the cold New England spring air, sweating while running in the 35 degree (2 degree for you metric systemers) air just sucks. Additionally, on long runs I find myself cramping up because of dehydration and having to stop to stretch fatigued muscles too frequently.

[Breaker]

As recently as a few years ago, I was pretty crazy about understanding the latest and greatest of exercise and nutrition science. It's possible I've forgotten and misremembered things, and also possible some of my knowledge base has been disproven in the interim, so take what I say with a grain of salt. That said, I do have considerable experience with a number of diets and exercise programs, including the ketogenic diet.

Your body will definitely hold onto less water on a high fat diet than on a carbohydrate rich diet, which is the main reason people typically see significant weight loss early in a ketogenic diet. I remember running into this problem when I was experimenting with different diets and practicing MMA. Rather than spend a lot of money on sports drinks, I just started putting a pinch of salt in my water. Anecdotally, I found that this made me sweat and urinate less, and also kept me from feeling like I wasn't getting enough sodium in my diet. If you google "putting salt in water" you can find a number of articles on the health benefits of supplementing your drinking water with small amounts of either Himalayan rock salt (my fav) or sea salt.

Another facet of dieting which has proven to have a number of health benefits is intermittent fasting. You may already be doing this, whether intentionally or unintentionally, but I didn't see it mentioned above so I figured it bears mentioning. Basically this means that you restrict your eating to certain hours of the day. I don't currently follow any specific diet (other than avoiding foods I have sensitivities to, which sadly, are many), however I do usually only eat between 12 noon and 10pm. This means that I only eat during a ten hour period each day, leaving the other fourteen hours as a fast. A lot of people who are more disciplined than me will fast up to sixteen hours each day, limiting their eating window to eight hours. Among other benefits, intermittent fasting is known to increase longevity and encourage your body to burn fat as its main energy source. This, and the fact that a protein/fat rich diet makes controlling when you eat easier, makes intermittent fasting go hand in hand with a keto diet quite nicely. Naturally, I'd encourage you to do your own research before trying it. For extra points try googling "intermittent fasting ketosis", there is lots of information available on using the two simultaneously.

All in all, to the best of my knowledge it seems like you're doing a lot of things right. Kudos to you for finding both the time and energy to exercise so much. Since you're planning to only follow the keto diet for thirty days, I might suggest re-introducing carbs gradually, and sticking to mostly vegetables, legumes and fruit rather than grains when you do. Otherwise, you may find that you quickly gain back a lot of what you've lost in water weight.

[Storm Veritas]

Thanks for your input and advice! Looks like there are three items to touch on:

- You're exactly right on salt being the main staple that needs to be taken in to manage the Keto diet in a healthy way. Sodium is the one we all know best, but Potassium and Magnesium are also super important. I've made the jump from standard table salt to Himalayan Pink; I'm not sure if there's a difference or not because I've changed too many other variables to isolate it, but it's delicious! You're also correct on being able to displace "electrolytes" via Powerade Zero with adding salt to water, but that one is a low priority for me. Powerade Zero is portable, cheap, and tasty. I bought a case of it at a good price so it's not much of an imposition for me to drink it.

- I have done fasting occasionally; I really enjoyed the process and thought it is a great diet for people. I still fast every Good Friday as a blend of Catholic sacrifice and reintroducing the challenge. I find it creates problems for my running, though, so I don't do it with any regularity.

- Definitely on board to resume my "normal" diet after the 30 day test. When I'm operating efficiently, it's still bread-free; I just allow myself fruits, sugary vegetables (like sweet potatoes) and beans, as you mentioned. I think ultimately that's a healthier diet than Keto because there are so many nutrients from those foods that I am currently missing. For the month, I should be fine. Long term, that's a lot of fiber/Vitamin C/potassium/etc. to have to make up through supplementation or inefficient greens and meat.

Stripping away salt is also a strategic move for me. I lead a high stress life; the only real knock against my health is my blood pressure (a much more serious concern than my weight). My doctor encouraged me to try this diet, since he felt it could help jumpstart my body's ability to metabolize salts.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 10 - (April 11)
Weight - 185.8 lbs

YIKES (https://youtu.be/_asNhzXq72w)

Didn't fall out of Keto; I just simply gained weight last yesterday and I'm not precisely sure why. In fairness, I ate a LOT yesterday. Had a huge salad and a ton of chicken for dinner. Fixed myself a whiskey as a late night dessert, and stayed up late watching the Andre special on HBO (which was awesome).

Hopefully this is just a blip on the radar, but I am being very, very sharp here today with my diet. Can't afford a big backslide.

[Storm Veritas]

Double Update Day!

Day 11 - (April 12)
Weight - 185.4 lbs

Day 12 - (April 13)
Weight - 185.0 lbs

Not great here. My weight loss definitely stagnated, although I suspect a lot of it has to do with water retention/water management. I also did not run yesterday (which sucks, because it was gorgeous out), so I am not all that upset about today's (April13) weight. I'm hoping now that I've stabilized, my hunger is still very very manageable, perhaps I can do a better job of managing calories AS WELL AS remaining essentially carb-free.

I will pat myself on the back in one regard - my eating discipline with respect to the ketosis diet has been beyond reproach. I haven't cheated at all on the diet, and we've found lots of new foods (shaved coconut, sausage links, atkins bars) that can be inserted. Every day I've tested positive for ketosis.

I'm hoping these last few days are just a rebound period, like Week 2 of the Biggest Loser. The difference, I pointed out to my wife, is that those people lost like 25 lbs during week one, and I lost 8. Her reasonable counterpoint is that they wanted to lose 250 lbs, and I wanted to lose 20, max.

Fair enough, but I'm not giving up. Eyeballing a longer run today to make up for yesterday's short one (hopefully).

[Storm Veritas]

Day 13 - (April 14th)
Weight - 183.4 lbs

Woo Hoo! Went for a long run yesterday, and it was ROUGH. 6.4 miles, very hilly, and it was brutal on me. It's strange when your body doesn't have the glycogen to pull energy from; my muscles get super sore quickly even when I'm as hydrated as one can be.

Went for another run this morning after weighing in - that was terrible but got 4.6 miles in and weighed just under 182 after my shower. I'm not counting that number because it was clearly hydration-skewed, but still always nice to see a lower number on the scale.

It's a huge relief to see a little more progress. The diet has become very manageable for me and I have no issues with hunger or cravings (exception: fruit. I'd really like a banana/apple/grapes. They are delicious and I miss them.)

[Storm Veritas]

Day 14 - (April 15)
Weight - 183.0 lbs

Nice follow up after a great day. Went out to dinner and managed to not have any significant problems. Hoping to keep the momentum through a Sunday, even though I know a big salad will inflate my apparent weight tomorrow.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 15 - (April 16th)
Weight - 183.9 lbs

Well, damnit. I knew this was coming because I ate a metric ton of lettuce last night and it just hadn't... ahem... processed, but it still is a swift kick in the rocks since I go back UNDER 10 lbs total lost. Nonetheless, as long as I can stay hydrated, this remains pretty easy. I must confess that sweets are really starting to appear much more tantalizing to me; I'd really love to swan dive into a bowl of cereal right now.

Maybe part of it is the weather. Spring has been a goddamned disaster here in Boston. It's cold as shit and rainy; a part of me just wants to hibernate and maybe my stomach is calling to store food for the 12 week power nap.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Some really interesting results here mate. How are you keeping the cravings under control?

[Storm Veritas]

Honestly, aside from the occasional hankering for something sweet, I'm never really hungry. Fat (the macronutrient) is literally satisfying and comprises most of your calorie source on keto, so you feel full all the time. In the rare occasions I need something sweet, I keep something sweet with a low glycemic index around and leave after a handful or so (usually raspberries or blueberries). It's important to identify what is actually happening there - when you take in something sweet, it spikes your bodies insulin release, which makes you crave sweets much, much more. Just as you can get sucked into a cycle of craving salt, sugar is just as bad. Glycemic index of foods lets you know what sweet tasting foods aren't very high for insulin release (berries) and which foods are brutal (Cheerios).

Halfway through today I finished a very hard run and bought a Powerade Zero at the gas station. Took a huge, huge pull from it and then found out to my HORROR I had drank normal, high-sugar Powerade. Not good. Tomorrow could be downright ugly.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 16 - (April 17th)
Weight - 183.6 lbs

I'm sensing a bit of a two steps forward, one-step back pattern here with the ketosis diet. I get jealous / frustrated every day that I don't drive my weight down further, but big picture I'm trending pretty well. I was a little surprised I didn't lose more weight than I did yesterday, but was happy to still test in ketosis yesterday and today after my powerade debacle.

I'm considering mixing some more weight training into my routine. Typically every day I try to mix in a couple sets of pull-ups, a set or two of squats (50 squats, no weight), and do 100 pushups at night (not in one set!). Its not much, but it pumps some blood to the muscles and feels like it retains some reasonable functional strength. I'm thinking that since I can no longer run as far or as hard as I'd like to, I might as well mix in some strength work with the extra free time I can break off. Of course, muscle fatigue/water retention may submarine this cunning scheme, but I suppose it won't hurt to do a little bit and see what comes of it. I miss having biceps, after all.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 17 - (April 18th)
Weight - 183.6 lbs

OK, this is getting pretty goddamned old. I feel fine, except when I run long (broken record is broken). I also ate a gigantic salad last night again. Healthy choice, zero carbs, plenty of fats - I'm hoping I just was retaining water this morning.

I'm not going to harp on this. It's only one day (again). Eating well so far today, feeling really good. Excited for my run.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Awkward question time in relation to water retention. Have you noticed you piss more or less on ketosis?

[Storm Veritas]

I haven't really noticed it much either way. I sweat -way- more when I work out. I -think- I was going less, but I drink more water to compensate for the dehydration which evens the slate. It's not a huge difference either way. Hydration is critical to monitor but if you know it's an issue, it's pretty easy to regulate.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 18 - (April 19th)
Weight - 184.1 lbs

Well this isn't great. Not sure how I gained weight but my test shows me as being out of ketosis or at best just barely in ketosis. Hand to God, I have no idea how I fell out of this because I didn't have any cheat foods and have been eating very meticulously. Admittedly I think I've eaten a little too much of these foods in terms of total calorie consumption, but I haven't gone crazy in any way. Either way, I'm very frustrated by the stagnation I've seen in spite of some real discipline.

Sticking to it. Hoping to put my head down and forge ahead.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

I think you've hit that "diet mid-point" where everything starts to look glum, but don't worry. I bet you in a few days time you'll have lost another significant portion.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 19 - (April 20th)
Weight - 184.3 lbs

WHAT THE FUCK.

Good news, there's a ton of things I can still do:
- Be much more vigilant on total calories consumed
- Track all food to measure total macronutrients, rather than just ensuring I always stay under my carb ceiling
- Really force hydration to a ridiculous degree, since water retention is a huge element and it may be slowing my metabolism
- Keep my head down and continue plugging along.
- Cut out alcohol altogether (including whiskey)

Seeing progress slip away while I'm trying to be very disciplined BLOWS, but I'll figure it out.

[Storm Veritas]

Day 23 - (April 24)
Weight - 184.2 lbs

I'm pretty goddamned sick of weighing 184 lbs, if we're being totally honest. I've been very vigilant to stay in ketosis and have been successful in doing so, but my weight isn't doing anything. Conversely, I feel very strong; been knocking out tons of miles and faster interval runs, as well as lots of pushups, pull-ups and squats.

I don't know. I'm still feeling really strong so I'm going to stick with it, but the weight stagnation sucks.