It is so good to see you here again!

I am in awe of your sticking to 20 carbs a day!

I really need to do a better job of writing down the net carbs from each item I eat. I have kind of been doing lazy keto because I pretty much know what is low carb now and what isn't but it would be helpful to actually track everything.

Don't be a stranger Jesse!

I had severe calf cramps and general “Keto flu” symptoms( tired, dizzy) so someone on a lowcarb forum I follow told me to drink sugar free Powerade and/or bouillon. It really does help me!

Hey Dee, Ketosis can cause an imbalance of your electrolytes, this is a major contributor to muscle cramps. To correct this, some just add a bit of Himalayan salt to their drinking water. The Himalayan salt does not have an overly salty taste, so just a pinch in each glass of water is barely noticeable.

I tend to forget to do that so instead I keep a pint jar of Sole' on the counter where I make coffee in the mornings. This works great for me and I no longer have the leg/foot cramps. I also use magnesium oil most days, which also helps with muscle cramps.

Sole Recipe:

Pint jar
Himalayan Salt
Filtered or Spring Water

Fill jar about 1/4 of the way
Add water, leaving about an 1" at the top
Tighten lid then shake gently to mix and let the jar sit overnight. If all of the salt disappears completely during this time, add more salt and allow to sit overnight once more. The goal is to have the water become fully saturated with the salt, (26%). At this point, there should be some salt remaining in the bottom of the jar, if not repeat until a thin layer of salt remains on the bottom of jar.

As the Sole is used more water and/or salt can be added to the jar and allowed to sit overnight thus keeping the same jar going indefinitely.

Use: add 1 teaspoon of Sole to 8 oz of water and drink first thing in the morning. Wait 20 min. before drinking/eating.

Sole provides multiple benefits in addition to offering relief from muscle cramps. It benefits hair, nails, veins, bone health, natural weight loss and is a natural anti-histamine as well.

Sorry, a bit winded today. :)

Hey Anya, and thanks. :) It got so much easier for me once I worked out my macros and started eating the proper amount of fat. Healthy fat satiates hunger. For my macros I use an android app called MyKeto from Google Play store. I love it! There is a free version but I coughed up the $3.99 for the full version because I wanted the Daily/Weekly tracking.

~
 

I didn't know what the word KETO meant and what the hype was , so I just now looked it up and it's the way I eat normally, I don't eat a high carb diet or high fat . I might be ill because of the pulmonary fibrosis but my cholesterol and blood pressure all the stats . sugar etc. are all in almost perfect guidelines. If << BIG IF it wasn't for my lung issues I would be in perfect health like I always thought I was. Till 2014, then cancer in 2015. It's a common sense diet the Keto.. everything in moderation, just takes effort in cooking for yourself and family. also in Europe it's a way of eating.

Used to do "The Doctor's Quick Weight Loss Diet" back in the early '70s as a teenager and in good physical shape (gymnast), Have been thinking a bit about it lately. Bit worried about doing it with Type 1 Diabetes, but something has to rid me of the spare tire. Also, it might be good to have optimal health for surgery.

It's an all protein, zero carbs (no lettuce or tomato) Small bits of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, steak sauce. Small amt. non-fat milk if you want. I made a non sweetened cocoa/Sweet-n-Low mix for it.

One must drink 8 (8 oz) glasses of water to prevent kidney damage. You can drink as much diet pop/soda as you wish, but no matter, must drink the 8 glasses of water.

The various times that I have gone on this diet, I lost 2 lbs/day. Not water weight, but weight from ketosis. I could only stay on this for a maximum of 14 days, during which 28-30 pounds was lost. The weight did not return unless I ate poorly. Going on/off this diet permitted me to go from 132-76 pounds during one late Spring.

Dr Atkins gave low carb woe to his diabetes patients, and soon saw the weight melting off of them, so do you think it would cause a problem with your diabetes condition?

“Low carb vs KETO”
 

i found this to be a simple way to explain the difference. For myself, i am ‘officially' low carb. A KETO woe a specific amount of high fat, low protein, low carb and i just don’t want to calculate macros (there’s an app for this!). If i were to calculate, i may learn that i am doing the KETO plan, but i don’t want to put that much energy into figuring it out. I just know below 20 carbs a day is where i like to be.

i love the simplicity of low carb- it’s easy and i feel good when on it (except for the charley horses, which i am not sure are related)







WHAT IS A LOW CARB DIET?

Generally speaking, the term “low carb” can be applied to any type of diet where you reduce your overall carb intake. This is a very lose term and can mean different things to different people.

There is a general consensus out there that eating low carb “usually” means eating between 20 and 100 net carbs per day. That is a very large range, and not everybody will follow those guidelines.


A low carb diet does not equal a ketogenic diet.

WHAT ARE NET CARBS?

Net carbs are very easy to figure. All you have to do is look at the nutrition data for whatever food you are eating and subtract the fiber count from the total carb count. Many people choose this method to ensure they get more fiber in an eating plan that could easily cut out fiber completely.

WHAT IS A KETOGENIC DIET?

A Ketogenic diet does equal a low carb diet.

A Keto diet is one of many different approaches to eating low carb. It has very specific parameters with the idea being that you put your body into a state of ketosis where fat becomes your body’s main fuel source. It is considered a high fat, moderate protein, low carb eating plan.

While macros will be slightly different for each person, a Ketogenic diet will require that your macros are generally around 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs. This can seem extreme to some people, but for those who follow a Ketogenic diet, the health benefits can be significant.


Plus, after a while, it becomes extremely easy to get that amount of fat. Like any diet, there is a term of adjustment. But it’s pretty easy to get the hang of.

That being said, a ketogenic diet is not for everyone. If you have certain health concerns, such as kidney problems, a Ketogenic diet will not be a good option for you. So talk to your doctor or a qualified dietitian before getting started.


KETO CONCERNS

If you think you might be interested in following a Ketogenic diet, I implore you to do your research. There are many concerns and issues that can arise based on your own, individual constitution. For those people who can benefit from this sort of eating plan, the benefits are endless. But there are things you need to watch for when following this sort of eating plan. So do your homework. This is not for everyone.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I tend to follow a Keto eating plan and I have seen many benefits from doing so. Often people ask me how I can possibly be healthy eating that much fat. But when fat becomes your main fuel source, your whole body functions differently. Traditional nutrition “rules” no longer apply in that respect. I have seen all my lab work come back into normal ranges within a matter of months. So if you feel you may benefit from a Keto plan, it could definitely be worth, at the very least, a try.

IN CONCLUSION

Low carb eating is a broad term that can be applied to many different approaches and eating plans. It can be based on just about any number of carbs that are less than what you would typically eat. Every low carb diet out there from South Beach to Atkins will give you a different number of carbs to shoot for. So if you want to eat low carb, but are not interested in a Keto diet, you will need to do your research on the many, many low carb diets available on the market today.

Anyone love pickles... and bacon? Here's a simple but yummy recipe I have been making lately, that is great for an appetizer or a quick snack.

Bacon Wrapped Pickles W/ Ranch Dressing For Dipping

You will need pickles of course. I keep a jar of Bubbies pickles in the fridge because they are naturally fermented and have zero carbs or sugars. Use whatever pickles you have, slices spears gherkins etc. For brevity's sake I will use spears here.

Preheat oven-400-425°F

When using spears, cut bacon in half and wrap a slice around each spear. Place on baking pan. Place wrapped spears in oven for 12-20 minutes, depending on your preference for bacon texture. Remember, bacon will crisp up a bit more as it cools. When to your liking remove from oven and allow to cool. These are better when cool, but so hard to resist straight from the oven. Lol! They are great dipped in ranch dressing as one would with fried pickles. Enjoy!

Here is the link to the ranch dressing I use, but there are a few others online you may like, so check around.
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes...anch-dressing/

I got my spouse a pizza today and I got a huge salad, but I had some toppings off her pizza. While I was eating I remembered that years back when Atkins was real popular they had a restaurant somewhere that offered “ pizza in a bucket”, which was basically just all the toppings and cheese, sauce, (no crust) in a big bucket. I wish they still had this around.:seeingstars:

these are 2 carbs each. i am going to try one today.

https://tysonscore2.azureedge.net/as...scrambles.ashx

update, i did have one the other morning, they are DELICIOUS.. but i noticed i was super thirsty after.... then i checked the sodium... :blink:

Does anybody here who is doing keto/lowcarb ever eat a spoonful of coconut oil in the morning with their coffee? I know some people put it in their coffee (bullet proof coffe) but I just eat a spoonful, or if I run out I will eat some cream cheese.

if mouth feel is important i wonder if coconut butter would work? Of course you have to love coconuts!

I didn't like the coconut oil in my coffee. Instead I use a teaspoon of grass fed butter. Total different taste.

Follow the link to 120 dinner recipes, plus 10 snacks. I didn't have time to check each recipe for ingredients to make sure they are all Keto. So check before you make it. :)

https://fitnesscrest.com/wp-content/...er-recipes.pdf

HOLY GUACAMOLE!!!!!!!!!! I have lost a total of 11lbs!!!!!!:cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer::che er: I’ve been eating Keto very strictly and have totally changed my attitude and mindset. I know it will probably take me about 2yrs or more to get down to the weight I want to be, and that’s cool, I have patience.

Congrats! Thats a total size! :cheer:

I’m sure if I exercised more I’d probably lose more, however....... The pain in my feet is finally easing up some and I’m so afraid of hurting myself. I’m a big girl and still have a lot more weight to lose.

Congratulations, Gayandgray & Breathless! I am proud of both of you and hope you are likewise proud of yourselves! :)

I’m still chugging along!!!!!!:hangloose::hangloose::hangloose::hangl oose:

I've lost nine pounds so far, but I do miss french fries. Just had a snack of kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes.

Italian Wedding Soup
 

Breathless turned me on to this. and OMG .. so many variations!

http://images.meredith.com/bhg/image...p_RU185050.jpg

another Keto group i am in follows this person, i love her recipes. I want to get this set when i can.

https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Healt...7JD5R11R5E5BS7

Bump Bump ! :)

I would love this recipe. Are you able to post it dee or Breathless?

:girleating: