Why Low-carb and where to start

To start with...

This blog is primarily about my journey toward increased health and decreased weight. If you are here to find out what I have been reading/eating/doing to improve my overall health, and thereby, and hopefully, find out what you can do to improve your overall health, welcome.  As a consequence of improved health, I am losing excess weight. So will you, if you commit to yourself to make real changes and to never cheat yourself by, well, cheating...by making allowances that neither promote your health nor fit your goals.

I am not a doctor or licensed professional of any sort.  I intend only to relate what has thus far worked for me, and the resources I have used to learn how to eat for better health.

The Basics...

I read Dr. Ron Rosedale's book, The Rosedale Diet.  I also read Dr. Michael Eades's book, Protein Power.  These books, along with several websites provide the material from which I have derived my personal plan for eating foods that promote my health.  Once I committed to truly changing my diet, I opted to closely follow the details outlined in The Rosedale Diet because this doctor carefully outlines specifics about determining individual adequate protein intake and beneficial dietary supplements.  The information in Protein Power has also been indispensable, but if you could only buy/read one book, I'd have to recommend The Rosedale Diet.  For your convenience, here are links to purchasing either.  If you prefer a digital copy, both are available in a Kindle edition, as well as print.

                        

The basic premise is that a diet high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and rich with adequate (but not high) protein will provide the nutrient balance needed for bringing about a "fat utilizing" state known as ketosis.  

The body uses two different types of fuel, much like a hybrid car uses more than one type or source of energy.  The human body uses either glucose (sugar) or lipids (fat).  All food is made up of three basic elements, called macro nutrients.  They are Carbohydrate, Fat, and Protein.

Carbohydrate is converted in the body to glucose, and utilized for energy OR turned into fat for storage.  What the body cannot immediately use for fuel is sent to the liver, where it is turned into cholesterol and triglycerides, and then sent into the bloodstream for storage (on your butt or in your arteries).

Fat is metabolized in the liver to be utilized for energy as well as other metabolic functions, such as nourishing your cells.

Protein is actually a collection of nutrients known as amino acids which are used to build and repair muscle and other tissues in the body.  If you eat more protein than can be utilized for these functions, it is converted to glucose.  If you already have enough glucose for energy requirements, it will then contribute to the excess glucose problem, and be converted to fat.

So, what is ketosis?  Ketosis is the state of being in fat-burning mode.  The presence of ketones in your blood stream and urine mean that your body is burning fat for fuel.  As read in The Rosedale Diet, Ketones are a by-product of fat burning, and they are a good, efficient fuel.  Under normal circumstances, your cells should be able to burn ketones and keep them at a low level.  It is healthy for cells to burn ketones, especially your brain cells.  In fact, the so-called ketogenic diet is now the treatment of choice for epilepsy where drug therapy has failed, according to Dr. Rosedale.  Ketone test strips can be purchased in the pharmacy section, near the diabetic supplies, at Wal-mart and other similar stores.  I pay about $6 for 50 test strips.  These strips will help you determine that you are finally switching over to "fat-burning mode".  After the first couple of weeks, I began to recognize other physical symptoms of being in ketosis, and no longer use the test strips.  Being in ketosis produces a different taste in the mouth, and a different smell to your urine.  Using the test strips often, at first, helped me to recognize these changes.

Of course most people want to be in "fat-burning mode" because they want to lose weight.  If you are burning glucose for your primary energy source, rather than fat, your body will have high insulin levels, high leptin levels, short-lived energy, and a perpetual need for more, more, more calories to burn.

All the while, the high insulin requirement for dealing with those carbohydrates will cause the liver to signal your fat stores to lock in place, preventing you from utilizing your fat for energy.  This is absolutely a NECESSARY part of eating a high-carbohydrate diet.  If your body does not burn all that sugar or store it for fat, it will become toxic in your blood stream.

So your liver signals to lock down fat stores to prevent those from inadvertently being used for energy, instead of the carbohydrates you are eating. How can you lose weight (unwanted fat)??  It's either burn it for fuel or surgically remove it...those are the only ways to get rid of excess fat.  But eating carbohydrates keeps your fat stores locked in place.

Prolonged low calorie diets will eventually produce weight loss...but much of that weight will be from protein being cannibalized from your muscles and bones.  Some will be adipose tissue.  Some will be water.  But all the while, keeping those calorie levels low will mean you are struggling against your own metabolism, which will constantly be requiring more carbohydrates for energy, while being under nourished with vital nutrients.

But being in ketosis changes everything, and has many health benefits beyond just losing unwanted fat.  And actually, the health benefits are derived from the absence of all the bad things excess carbohydrates do to your body.  First and foremost, your insulin level will drop.  This has the immediate effect of causing your kidneys to flush excess water from your body. (Insulin causes your renal function to store water in your tissues.)  It is not uncommon for someone to lose as much as 10 pounds in the first few days of a ketogenic diet.  Other effects of a lowered insulin level will be lowered blood pressure, decreased insulin resistance, and decreased leptin resistance.  The lowered consumption of carbohydrates will bring your insulin levels lower simply because there will not be as much glucose circulating in your blood...this results in drastically lowered blood glucose, or blood sugar.  In fact, according to Dr. Rosedale, Dr. Eades, and several other notable researchers, Type 2 diabetes (a disease caused by insulin resistance) can be greatly improved, if not completely cured, by a very low carbohydrate diet.

Knowing all this, you are probably asking, "How can I get into a ketogenic state, or ketosis?"

Good question, and the answer is fairly simple.  Change your diet.  Turn that old "food pyramid" upside down.  Most of your calories need to come from fat.  Yes...fat.  Contrary to what many of us have had pounded into our heads all our lives, fat is good for us, and essential to health. "We need fat to nourish our immune system, nervous system, hormonal system, for skin integrity, to control inflammatory processes and don't forget, to burn for energy." according to Dr. Rosedale's website, among other sources.

Next in line you need protein.  But not high protein...just adequate.  Certainly not low protein.  But adequate.  And what that "adequate" means is different for each individual.  See my post on how Dr. Rosedale says to figure your protein needs here.

And lastly, about carbohydrates...you don't need any.  That is, not for their carbohydrate value.  However, many healthy and important foods do contain carbohydrate.  But as a macro nutrient, you don't actually require ingestion of carbohydrate.  According to Dr. Rosedale, "Contrary to popular belief, there is no lower limit to the amount of sugar your body needs.  This is not just our theory; it is proven scientific fact."

And according to an article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and written by Eric C. Westman of the Department of Medicine Duke University Medical Center, a diet that is severely restricted in carbohydrate intake (less than 50 grams/day) but that has sufficient fat intake, will allow the body to make it's own needed amount of glucose by a process known as gluconeogenesis.  He further states that in studies, the only known problems with carbohydrate restriction were in cases where fat intake was also restricted.

So it is safe to state that there are no lower limits to carbohydrate requirements.  There are, however, many required substances obtained from food that must not be neglected while pursuing a low-carbohydrate diet.  I will discuss the need for specific nutrients and supplements in a later post.

To start with...bottom line...

There are many health benefits to lowering your carbohydrate intake, even if you only lower it to 150 grams per day.  But if you are overweight, or suffering from pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, and your goal is to turn your health around, reduce your steady march toward Type 2 diabetes or even cure Type 2 diabetes, lose unhealthy fat, lower dangerous cholesterol levels, improve your blood pressure, and greatly reduce your chance of developing arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, circulatory problems, Alzheimer's, and many other diseases once thought to be age-related, you are going to need to cut out the carbohydrates...all of them...except for those found in fibrous vegetables.  You are going to need to do this in order to get into a state of ketosis, where your body has become a fat-burning machine rather than a glucose-burning machine.  Only then can you expect to see dramatic results in improved health.  And, in case you are wondering if you will ever be able to eat carbohydrates again, the answer is probably.  Once you have attained the state of weight and health you desire, you can add healthy carbohydrates back into your diet, possibly even up to 100-150 grams per day.  But if you try this diet a while, lose 10 or 15 pounds, and go back to eating what you were eating that got you where you are...guess what...you will go right back to being overweight and sick.

A typical American diet will easily, effortlessly deliver more than 300 grams of carbohydrate per day.  A couple slices of pizza, a chocolate chip cookie, and a can of soda offer more than 200 grams.  Chances are, if you are overweight or obese, you are consuming more than 300 grams of carbohydrate per day.  That means you are going to need to quit eating much of what you are accustomed to eating.  So then the question begs...what do I eat?

While I could go on and on about the dangers of high-carb eating, and the benefits of high-fat/adequate protein/low-carbohydrate eating, I will leave that for other blog entries.  And do invest in the books mentioned above, especially if you are the type of person that likes to ask "why"?  But I'll close this post out by pointing you to the next, What Should I Eat?.

What should I eat?

In the previous post I relayed the reasons why...and you've committed to do something positive for your health and your weight.  Here is the "A" list of foods you can enjoy.  Here is an edited list primarily derived  from Dr. Rosedale's website.  If you want to see it there, click here.

ALLOWED DAILY

Protein Sources

• Nuts and nut butters― preferably raw and unsalted. Almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios. Eat nuts more often than seeds as seeds are high in omega 6 oils that can add to inflammation.
  Note: avoid peanuts whenever possible. Not only aren't they nuts (in fact, they are legumes, a member of the fruit family), but they contain a very unhealthy carcinogen called aflatoxin. See the FAQ on peanuts for more info.
• Seeds ― preferably raw and unsalted, sunflower, pumpkin, poppy, sesame, sesame tahini but in limited quantities. Opt for nuts preferably
• Fish ― salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, orange roughy, halibut, etc. Preferably fresh, canned, or frozen. Preparation: baked, poached, smoked or grilled
• Eggs ― Best preparation: poached, soft boiled or hard boiled; best to be cooked underwater. They can be fried over a low heat in a good oil or butter.
• Tofu ― plain, herbed or flavored in package (example: Italian, Oriental or Thai)
• Chicken ― free-ranging, organic, with the skin. If not organic, then skin is less healthy. Preparation: boiled, grilled, or baked. Can be lightly fried with coconut oil, ghee or butter (after the 1st 3 weeks).
• Turkey ― baked or as burger or sausage. Check labels that it is not preserved with nitrites.
• Wild meats ― venison, pheasant, bear, buffalo, etc.
• Sea Food ― shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab, oysters, etc. Preparation: grilled, baked, or smoked
• Curd/Cottage Cheese ― full fat, OK in limited quantities 1st 3 weeks, then reasonable quantities after that. Be wary of non-fat, as they typically increase the sugar content to compensate for taste. Read the label if in doubt. Ricotta, cream cheese, cottage cheese are OK.
• Other Cheeses ― Higher saturated fat cheeses ok in limited quantities after the 1st 3 weeks.

Fat Sources

• Oils ― Cod Liver Oil, Flax oil, fish oil. Do not heat these oils.
• If you must cook with oil, use olive, or even better, coconut oil or ghee.
• Avocados ― excellent source
• Olives ― green or black and olive oil
• Nuts ― macadamia, almonds, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc. NO PEANUTS
• Remember, fish, eggs and meats all contain fat.
• Ghee, butter

Carbohydrate Sources

• Lettuce ― Romaine, leaf lettuce, Arugula, etc, (avoid Iceberg as it contains mostly water and little nutrients)
• Greens ― collards, turnip, mustard, kale, beet, chard, spinach
• Broccoli ― cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage
• Cucumbers ― celery, string beans, turnips
• Mushrooms ― Portabella, Shitake, Oyster, Button
• Onion ― garlic, leeks, scallions, chives
• Peppers ― red, green, bell, hot
• Squash ― zucchini or summer squash
• Sprouts ― all varieties
• Asparagus ― eggplant, okra, radishes, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, artichoke hearts, diakon radish, bok cloy, snow pea pods

Drinks

• Teas ― green, black or herbal, avoiding caffeine when possible as this will rasie blood sugars.
• Coffee Substitutes ― Roma, Cafix, Pero, etc. Some people often say they 'must' have their one cup of real coffee in the morning, and if you must have, then enjoy it. If you can avoid it, then do. (AVOID CAFFEINE)

Alcohol 
A little red wine, or a shot of gin, vodka, whisky is ok. Red wine may have some benefits. If you are really stressed out then a little red wine, or alcohol will calm you, thus lowering your sugar. Yoga is a better way. Alcohol does NOT reduce your sugar, it reduces stress a little.

Condiments and Spices: 
Most are very good for you -
Turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, basil, oregano, fennel, Masala, ginger, garlic, Vinegar, mustard, miso salt (if not restricted), Lemon, Lime, Tamari. READ LABELS! Note: NO KETCHUP

Sweetners - Most are terrible for you. Agave, contrary to what you may have heard is one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat. Aspartame, saccharin, nutri-sweet, etc should also be avoided. Stevia, xylitol and erythritol are permissible in moderation, but may increase your craving for sugar.

FOODS ALLOWED IN LIMITED QUANTITIES

Generally not until after several weeks of following our program, and you are better at burning fats.

Protein & Fat Sources

Limit these foods to once or twice a week:

• Beef or Lamb ― preferably free ranging, leaner cuts.
• Soft full fat Cheeses
• Canola oil ― limited
• Hard Cheeses ― cheddar, Monterey jack, Provolone, havarti, colby, etc.
• Full fat Cream

Carbohydrates

• Limit these to one serving a day (preferably zero servings for maximal benefit and health).
  One serving = 1/4 cup or one slice.
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Peas
• Preferred fruits ― fresh or frozen only, not canned. Allowed fruits: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, lemons, limes, tomatoes.

FOODS NOT ALLOWED

• Dairy― skim, 2%, powdered, flavored yogurt, non fat yogurt
• White Potatoes
• All Dry Packaged White Potatoes
• All Dry Packaged Breakfast Cereal
• Rice
• Bread
• Peanuts and peanut butters
• Beans― Large beans, lima, pinto, especially garbanzo or chick peas
• Corn on the cob, popped, combread, tortillas canned or frozen
• Most commercially prepared salad dressings
• All fried foods, unless fried at home in approve oils and oils not reused.
• All commercially processed oils ― Sunflower, safflower, Peanut, Corn, soybean oil, etc.
• Hydrogenated oils ―margarine, lite or squeezable "butters," shortening and any food labeled with the word "hydrogenated."
• Fried Chips ― potato, corn, cheese curls, etc.
• Crackers made with hydrogenated oils ― READ LABELS
• Condiments containing bad fats and high in sugar ― mayonnaise, non-fat mayonnaise, ketchup, BBQ sauce etc.
• Nutrasweet, Sweet 'n Low, and most other artificial sweeteners. Agave should always be avoided! Stevia and xylitol (in limited quantities) are exceptions
• All Soda pop ― diet and regular, natural and artificial, sport drinks and sweetened teas
• All fruit juices
• Honey and sugar of all sources ― maple sugar, fructose, dextrose, turbinando, corn syrups, etc.
• All cakes and cookies, ice cream, candies, and obviously sweet treats
• Flavored Jell-O's
• Most Fruits ― pineapple, orange, apple, watermelon, banana, all dried fruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes

Read more: http://drrosedale.com/healthplan.htm#ixzz2VqQcEppt 

Follow us: @DrRosedale on Twitter | RosedaleHealthPlan on Facebook

That is Dr. Rosedale's list, in a nutshell.  I do, and have from the beginning, eat beef.  I also use butter and high fat whipping cream, because of things I've read from other authors, including Dr. Michael Eades.  I did take the plunge and go caffeine free...but I drink decaf coffee and tea.  It was hard at first, but now I don't miss caffeine at all.  

Here is the nuts and bolts of what to eat.  The "A" list contains the best possible food choices. It is important to stick to these food choices until you are fully keto-adapted (in ketosis and stable), which can take 3 to 4 weeks.  The "B" list contains foods that you can eat on an occasional basis after you are fully keto-adapted.  According to Dr. Rosedale, if you have a metabolic problem such as insulin resistance or diabetes, or if you want to achieve optimal results in terms of weight loss and logevity, he recommends that you stick to the "A" list as much as possible.

A

Raw, unroasted nuts, such as Almonds, Brazil nuts, Walnuts, Pecans, Pistachios, and Cashews. NO PEANUTS.

The only permitted fruits on the A list are avocadoes and olives.

Acceptable oils, and eat lots of them, are Olive oil, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, and Almond oil, and heavy whipping cream. Dress your salads, add to stir-fry, put a spoonful in your smoothies.

Acceptable fish include those highest in omega-3 fatty acids.  Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, Orange roughy, Tuna, and Salmon.  Also, seafood such as crab, lobster, mahimahi, tilapia, and shrimp.

Eggs, especially Omega-3 enriched eggs or free-range eggs.

Poultry includes chicken breast, ground chicken, ground turkey, and sausage made from these.

Game meats such as buffalo, rabbit, and venison are on the list.

The dairy list includes goat, cottage, cream, feta, swiss, cheddar, and parmesan cheeses.  NO MILK.  Milk contains lactose, a sugar.  DO NOT DRINK MILK.  You may use heavy whipping cream, a carb-free condiment, in your coffee.

"A" list veggies are:

Asparagus

Artichoke

Arugula

Bell peppers of all colors

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Califlower

Celery

Chard

Chives

Cilantro

Cucumbers

Endive

Eggplant

Fennel

Greens...if it is green and leafy...or just leafy...its "A" listed.

Lettuce...all varieties

Mushrooms

Okra

Onions

Radishes

Rutabaga

Seaweed

Snow peas

Sprouts (all varieties)

String beans (green beans)

Turnips (AN AMAZING SUB FOR POTATOES)

Zucchini

Decaf coffee or tea, all varieties.  Avoid all flavor syrups and artificial sweeteners. (Artificial sweeteners are known to cause raised insulin levels and keep you craving carbs.)

All condiments and spices and herbs, as well as vinegars are considered "A" list EXCEPT those high in carbs, like ketchup and mayo.

B

Canola oil

Nonfat plain yogurt (no more that two 1/2 cup servings per week)

Carrots

Parsnips

Peas

Fruit (No more than one serving per day, 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 grapefruit, or one small piece of whole fruit.  Use only fresh or frozen, not canned.)  Apple, Apricot, Blueberries, Cherries, Greapefruit, Kiwi, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tomatoes.

Seeds, raw and unroasted: Pumpkin, poppy, sesame, sunflower

Legumes:  Adzuki, Navy, Lentil, Mung

Sweeteners, in very limited quantities: Stevia, Sucralose.

The C list is everything else...basically foods that are too high in carbohydrate value to be included in this diet plan.  If you want to torture yourself, think over the last few days of eating, and list all the foods that are not on the A or B list.

*As a note...these are pretty much the lists as carried in Dr. Rosedale's book.  There is some disagreement about saturated fat, between Dr.Rosedale and Dr. Eades.  I have included saturated fats from the beginning of my diet, but tried to far outrun them with the unsaturated fats on the "A" list.

You may be wondering what a typical day in my diet looks like.

Breakfast:  

2 cups decaf with a generous splash of heavy whipping cream in each, and sprinkled with cinnamon.  

1 or 2 eggs, either fried or scrambled.  Very occasionally, I will also have a serving of sausage or bacon.

Lunch: (The largest meal of my day, typically)

Salmon filet, or tuna filet, or serving of steak or a hamburger patty (homemade).  I typically place the meat choice in a skillet with plenty of olive or coconut oil...about 4-5 tablespoons.  I then cut up a couple of colorful, sweet mini-peppers, 1/2 onion, and a veggie like zucchini, eggplant, celery, cabbage...maybe even two or three of those.  I sometimes include a handful of frozen green beans and a few Brussels sprouts.  I saute all until yummy.  I make sure that this is an oily meal...meaning that I don't let things get dry.  And I pour some of the excess out of the skillet onto my serving.

Dinner: ( I keep this meal light, and eat it early in the evening, trying never to eat past 7pm.)

Green smoothie, consisting of any of several of the following:

1/2 Avocado

1/2 cup chopped kale

2 inches of cucumber

1 stalk of celery

broccoli shreds

cabbage

eggplant

zucchini

I try to always get some exercise after this last meal, and certainly before bed.  Dr. Rosedale recommends about 20 minutes of moderate exercise every day.  In the initial stages of becoming keto-adapted you may find your endurance suffers.  But after the first few days, you will likely find your energy level way up.

Before embarking on this diet plan, it is a good idea to consult your physician.  If you are taking prescription medications, such as those for blood sugar control or blood pressure control, you will want to be very vigilant, and probably should consult your physician, as it would be very typical that you will need to decrease or eliminate these medications, due to the fact that it is highly likely your blood glucose level will normalize, and your blood pressure will, too.

Low-carb dieting must occur in conjuction with a high fat/adequate protein intake.  

On a low-carb diet, when you've previously been a sugar-burner, your body will likely cry out for more protein.  More protein than you can utilize.  And that excess protein, when consumed, will be converted by your body into glucose, so that you can continue burning sugar for energy instead of fat.

I learned this the hard way.

To keep your body healthy, lower your insulin levels, and become keto-adapted, it is important that you monitor how much protein you eat.  Too little, and you will become ill.  Too much, and you will foil your attempts at becoming a fat-burner (keto-adapted).

Here is a simple formula for discovering how much protein you should eat, taken from Dr. Ron Rosedale's book, The Rosedale Diet.

For Females:

Weight ____________
Waist size at largest point __________
Hip size at largest point _________

Subtract 6 inches from hips; this equals your adjusted hip measurement.

If your waist is smaller than your adjusted hip measurement, to get your daily protein intake in grams, simply divide your weight in half.

If your waist is larger than your adjusted hip measurement, subtract the adjusted hips measurement  from the waist measurement.

Multiply this number by 7.  Subtract the answer from your weight to get your adjusted weight.

Then divide this adjusted weight by 2 and subtract by 5.  Your total daily protein intake in grams will be the answer.

If you are diabetic, subtract 5 grams of protein from your final total answer.  If you are a heavy exerciser, add 10 grams protein to your final total.

For Males:

Weight ____________

Waist size at largest point _________

Hips size at largest point _________

If your waist is smaller than your hips, divide your weight in half to get your daily protein intake in grams.

If your waist is larger than your hips, subtract your hip measurement from your waist.  Multiply this number by 7.  Subtract the answer from your weight.  Divide this adjusted weight in half.  This is your daily protein requirement in grams.

If you are diabetic, subtract 5 grams of protein from total.

If you are a heavy exerciser, add 10 grams protein to total.

Be sure to eat this amount of protein every day.  Don't go over this amount.

If you find yourself feeling hungry, you are likely not eating enough fat.  Add olive oil to salad.  Eat an avocado. Add coconut oil to your smoothie.  You will be amazed at how satisfying this trick is.  You won't continue to feel hungry.  The first couple of days are the hardest, as your body is getting the idea that it will be forced to burn fat for energy.  After a few days, you will be feeling great and dropping weight.

Here are a few simple suggestions for what to eat, now that you've turned the food pyramid on it's ear.

Tuna salad :
1 can tuna
1/8 cup pico de gallo (prepared ahead or purchased in produce section)
1/8 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
herbs like rosemary or basil, to taste.
sprinkle generously with salt

Chicken salad:
1 chopped chicken breast (or could use canned chicken breast)
add various veggies and oil and seasonings like those in the Tuna salad recipe

Taco salad:
1 cup ground meat, seasoned as taco meat
1/2 avocado, sliced or chuncked
Place on a bed of salad greens and top with shredded cheese, a small dollop of sour cream (full fat), a sprinkle of black olives, onions, or whatever you like on a taco salad.  No tortilla chips, of course.

Hamburger sans bun:
Generous hamburger pattie, cooked in olive oil, and generously seasoned.
Top with a slice of preferred cheese, and sprinkle with 1/8 cup diced tomato and shredded lettuce.  Eat with a fork...no bun, of course.

Omelet
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons whipping cream, mixed into beaten egg
1/8 cup pico de gallo
1/8 cup shredded cheese
Place the egg in a buttered, hot skillet.  Cook over medium heat.  After it is beginning to set up, sprinkle on the pico.  Fold in thirds.  Cook for another minute or two, until set.  Remove from skillet, top with shredded cheese, and serve.


Use your imagination.  Most of the things you fix for your family can be adapted to your new way of eating.  Basically...eat anything, except pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, high starch veggies like carrots, and beans or legumes.  All the rest is pretty much okay.  Of course I'm not even talking about desserts...there are no desserts.  You'll get used to it.  But if you are a carb-o-holic, like I was, then at first you'll be looking for the dessert after dinner.  Just eat a little more of whatever tasted good at dinner, and top it with a teaspoon of olive oil or a few slices of avocado.  For a snack, try my easy, fast, and yummy no-cook dusted almonds recipe:.

Dusted Almonds

2 cups whole natural almonds (no salt, not roasted) (substitute nut of choice, or a mix)
1 tablespoons coconut oil, organic, unrefined
dustings of your choice (suggestions: cocoa powder, cinnamon, garlic & herbs, chili)

Place the oil in a gallon zipper bag.  If it is in solid state, warm it by placing the bag (zipper out of water) into a bowl of warm water until melted.  This only takes a minute or so, as coconut oil melts at a relatively low temperature.  When the coconut oil is liquid, add the nuts.  Zip and shake to distribute the oil until all nuts look wet by it.

In a bowl, prepare your dusting powder of choice.  One of my favs is 1/8 cup cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  I combine all well, then add the oiled nuts and stir until all coated.  Since your measurements and mine might differ slightly, with using different nuts and all, if your dusted nuts still seem wet, just add a little more cocoa powder and stir.  Yes...it has a tad of sugar.  But the amount across a serving (8-10 nuts) is negligible.  You might even try leaving it out.

For chili seasoned nuts, I use a generous amount of chili powder, a sprinkle of cayenne, two sprinkles of garlic powder, and a generous amount of Real Salt. (see link below for Real Salt)

For garlic & herb I use a generous amount of garlic powder, Real Salt to taste, and a teaspoon of Italian herbs.

Use your imagination, and don't forget to come back here and share your recipe :)

I use Real Salt all the time.  I use it to re-mineralize my water, and in all cooking.  It is less "salty" and has great trace minerals that have been lost in table salt.

                                                            When just beginning a High-fat/Adequate-Protein/Low-carb diet, you actually shouldn't push it with exercise.  Sound surprising?  Compared to other weight-loss strategies, it probably does.

As your body is adapting to burning fat for energy, your energy levels may initially drop.  But after a few days you will have more energy.  From the beginning, try to get in about 20 minutes of targeted exercise each day, preferably after your last meal of the day, and at least 1-2 hours before bedtime.  This allows your body to use up the excess glucose from the day's meals, and be set for fat-burning all night long.

What is the best exercise at this point?  Really, that depends on your goals.  But generally speaking, 20 minutes of anything that gets your heart rate up just a little, that brings you to the point of breathing just a little faster, but not so labored that you can't carry on a conversation...that is the best exercise for the purpose of ridding yourself of excess glucose and giving your muscles a little work-out.

Any exercise can be undertaken while on a low-carb diet.  But it is best, according to Dr. Rosedale, in his book, The Rosedale Diet, to keep to exercise you are truly accustomed to, or the 20 minute regimen mentioned above.

I have found that exercise is MUCH EASIER now that I am keto-adapted.  Easier than at the beginning, when I first started the diet, but also easier than it has ever been before.  I have more energy...feel more vital...than I have felt since I was a whole lot younger.

What do you like to do for your twenty minutes worth?  Give us a comment!
                                                   It seems like I've said this before, but I learned this the hard way.

When you begin a low-carb diet, you will likely lose a lot of water, quickly.  High insulin levels cause the kidneys to retain salt in your system, and retain water all over your body.  But when you quit eating carbohydrates, your insulin level will drop, triggering your kidneys to rid your body of excess water.

Two things are important to remember:

Drink a LOT of water.  I start every morning, before anything else, by drinking 16 oz. of re-mineralized water.  And it feels so good.  What is re-mineralized water?  It is water to which you've added a pinch of salt.  Dr. Eades recommends that each time you drink a bottle of water (or a glassful) adding a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt or other such salt (I like Real Salt).  "Just enough so the water tastes just slightly salty."

Dr. Eades also points out that the presence of ketones in your blood will cause your kidneys to flush more water.  So from more than one direction you will have an increased need for better hydration.

Also...body fat often stores toxins.  And the process of utilizing fat for energy, itself, creates a toxin of sorts.  Your body needs adequate water to flush out those toxins.

Coffee, tea, alcohol...all are diuretics.  For every cup of coffee you drink you need a glass of water.  And even sleeping causes a loss of as much as two pounds of body fluid.

With this increased need for water comes the need to make a definite plan for re-hydration.  Set for yourself markers throughout the day when you know you have to stop and drink a big glass of water.  Like when you get up in the morning...after breakfast...before lunch...after lunch...and so on.  And keep a big glass beside your bed at night.

If you ever start getting muscle cramps and feel like you have the flu, you'll wish you had.  Like I said, I learned this the hard way.  But 24 hours of drinking re-mineralized water made me feel much better.