Keto Resources

Before Keto — May 2017

Updated: May 2, 2019 @ 4:11 pm

Heather and I have been doing keto since July 2017. We have each lost 60-70 pounds. Here are some of the resources we have used, all very helpful. Heather posts our favorite recipes. If you have any questions or comments let us know.

Our basic guidelines

  • Less than 20gr carbs
  • 1400 calories
  • Intermittent fasting — Eat between Noon and 8pm
  • Some days are “Rare and Appropriate” — You accept you will not eat well
    • Daughter wedding
    • Grand childrens birthdays
    • Vacations — Try, just not that hard
    • Holidays — Generally only when with family and friends
    • You get the idea
  • Allow yourself one looser day — We do sushi once a week. The volume of our order is much smaller.

After Keto — Jan 2018

Weight/Measure everything

You can’t change what you don’t measure, get a food scale. If it goes into your mouth it gets logged. There are a number of apps to help you. I like Fatsecret, I think it has a better database than some others.

When eating out guesstimates are better than nothing.

When out with other people, I don’t like to take the time away from the people I am with to log my food. My solution, take a picture before and after you eat. This keeps you present and let’s you log it later.

Don’t be too pedantic. If I can get with 15% of my actual intake I am happy. I prefer to overestimate as well.

Track your weight

Same time, same circumstance, everyday. Try not to focus on the day to day changes, you will fluctuate a few pounds from one day to the next. It can become obsessive but for me the importance shows in the trends.

I weight myself 3 times a day

  • First thing in the morning — Official weight, naked after bathroom
  • After work, while changing from work clothes
  • Before bed — I lose 1.5-2# overnight

I consider my current weight to be the lowest in the last 10 days

What you weigh

This is not very scientific.

What goes into the number on the scale? Understanding helps me to understand the changes from one day to the next.

From the least to most variable, optimal body fat.

  • Bones: ~15%M/~10%W of weight – Changes very slowly over adult lifetime
  • Organs: ~25%M/~25%M of weight – Slow rate of change
  • Muscle: ~45%M/~37%W of weight – Moderate rate of change with exercise and diet
  • Fat: ~15%M/~28%W of weight –  Moderate rate of change with exercise and diet
  • Water content: ~60% of bone, organs, muscle, and fat1Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.
  • Food consumption: This is the biggest variable you will encounter, it changes your weight every time you eat. This is the primary reason to not weigh yourself at the end of the day2I do everyday If you drink 16oz of water your weight will go up by 1 pound, but your body weight did not.

Use the data

I am a data guy, numbers are actionable.

Use Precision Nutrition’s Weight Loss Calculator to determine your calorie target.

Calculate your macros (Percent of carbs/fat/protein) in detail or basic formats.

What to eat?

Using the data above go to Eat This Much or another meal planner. I like Eat This Much, you input your calories and macros it gives you meals. The information includes recipes and nutrition information.

Check out Heather’s recipes and r/ketorecipes for more great ideas

Other resources

The Keto subreddit is a great resources

These two great posts to r/keto went up on Jan 1 2019.