I have lurked in these forums (and others) and pretty much scoffed at the people who posted after a week. I'm that guy, so away with you if you're like me. I've lost 6 lbs the first week (low carb, OMAD). I have busted my OMAD (one meal a day) today by having 2 jalepeno cheddar cheese dogs this morning (no bread-about 360 calories w/2 grams of carbs (for both dogs)-and loaded w/fats). I will have 2 salmon pieces, some asparagus, and one glass of dry red wine tonight (shouldn't have too much trouble staying below 30 grams of carbs). I bought some urine strips and i'm in moderate ketosis (first time ever). I drink a ton of water (flavored, sparkling water and diet Dr. Pepper). I am amazed, actually, at how little hunger i've had (except today when I wasn't able to drink fluids when I wanted to) overall. My problem has always been consistency (I'v'e lost weight when I've followed eating plan). I would love to be on here in 2 years talking about how I've maintained 60 lbs of weight loss. Thank you

I'll be here two years from now listening to your story. You are off to a good start. Good luck!

Six years for me. Still maintaining/losing at 71 years old. One main meal-a-day. You can do it if you stay the course

Welcome. Been maintaining 8 years now. Will read your posts and progress reports with interest.

Thank you all so much for your support and replies. Today was a little difficult for some reason. Stayed LC but ate 2 meals. Tomorrow is another day. Thanks again

Welcome
You are doing great, and hope that while you were lurking, you stumbled upon a long standing fasting thread hiding under Dr Jason Fung in Diabetes. I have been following his work since 2014, in addition to Dr Westman's diet since 2010.

A suggestion, at first, "Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full." The first few weeks your body is switching to burning body fat stores, not simply "in ketosis" but becoming truly "keto-adapted". Do not force a one meal a day fast, or power through your hunger, for now. Can even start with 3 fat and protein meals to help that adaptation. https://www.dietdoctor.com/se/wp-co...starch_diet.pdf

If you wake and are not hungry, fine. Then if around noon you are, try a 18:6 fast that day. Even after you are keto-adapted, Fung's method discourages OMAD for weight loss. Your body gets use to it and that is the same as continuous calorie restriction.

Consider that maybe your problem with consistency is throwing yourself into a super strict diet or fasting before your body is ready. Take your time, enjoy all the good food on a LC diet. We will allstill be here All the best,

Some of us a congenitally inconsistent. No matter what we do, we are inconsistent. Very few studies of dieters take this personality trait into consideration.

An inconsistent person can not stay on any diet consistently. I am speaking from personal experience.

I wish I were a more consistent person, but I have to work with what I am.

For example, in writing an essay, I will spell the same word differently every time I use it. A problem before spell check.

I echo Janet's point about becoming keto adapted as the first objective to a successful low carb way of life. It does take some time before you are truly there, and many things fall into place thereafter. Stay consistent with low carb, eat low carb when you are hungry, and enjoy the journey. Skipping meals and increasing the time between meals becomes much easier when you are efficiently burning fat for energy. Positive changes will happen without the need for a Herculean effort.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Thank you all for your time and expertise. I don't think I will continue to try LC and OMAD just yet (who says you can't teach a new dog old tricks...or something like that). It will be LC only from now on. So, question, is the fat that I eat supposed to sate my hunger so that I actually consume less calories overall and that is how I will ultimately lose weight/waist circumference? You guys/gals are great. I really appreciate it. PS is paypal the only way to subscribe?

Just a quick word about eating fat, as there are some subtleties here, and others will chime in I'm sure. If one is just beginning low carb and the initial goal is to lose weight, eating a good ratio of fat, protein, and minimal carbohydrates is a good start. However, if one has a high amount of body fat, the ratio of exogenous fat (fat consumed in one's diet) can be adjusted lower to encourage the burning of endogenous fat (fat on one's body). There are a couple helpful books that clearly recommend sound ways to manage this ratio:

- New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great by Westman, Phinney, and Volek

- The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Phinney and Volek

Both books provide practical guidelines from low carb/ keto experts with basic ways to get started. Also, don't worry about consuming less calories; rather, concentrate on consuming the right calories. That way, you can eat to satiety and start to manage hunger cravings more effectively. While it seems counter intuitive, since we've been conditioned that to lose weight we need to cut back on eating, using a low carb approach enables one to eat to satiety by eating the right calories. That's right, you don't need to count calories. Include a certain amount of healthy fat, usually found on the protein (meat) you eat, and eat healthy protein.

Use the Advanced Search function on this forum to search threads that discuss protein and fat ratios, but the two books I referenced are really where I would start with all this, as they provide the details. In addition, the DietDoctor.com website is a treasure trove of information for all things low carb and keto. Not only does it have a massive amount of sound guidance for starting on low carb, but it has the recipes for low carb, keto, paleo, etc. along with relevant videos, interviews, low carb experiences, and movies:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/

There is a free section, and there is a member section that has a small monthly charge with the first month free with no obligation. It's worth it to sign up and try it for 30 days without incurring the membership fee if you cancel before the end of the trial period.

In the Dr Westman diet I posted above is: "Fats, in general, are important to include, because they taste good and make you feel full. You are therefore permitted the fat or skin that is served with the meat or poultry that you eat, as long as there is no breading on the skin." Include means do not fear the fats that come along with real, whole foods (even bacon and eggs) but also do not add fats to meet some misguided macro calculator. No ridiculous amount of butter or oil in your coffee. But yes, to a pat of butter on veggies to make them taste good.

The internet keto jocks who say eat 75% fat do not understand you really want to "eat" the fat already stored on your body. My favorite graph to show what Rob said and is from the books he recommends is:

Attached Images

IMG_0745.PNG (64.0 KB, 7 views)

Thank you both. I definitely have built up quite a reserve of endogenous fat, so I won't be adding a great deal to meals for a while (decades maybe). Makes perfect sense. Thank you again.

I am very much heartened by the previous 15 days. In the past, when I started a diet, I would lose and it would really bolster me. Then, after a week or two, when losing stopped or I gained a pound or two, I would really become disheartened and ask myself "why are you going through this drudgery and you're not even losing any more weight?". I would then cheat and shortly be off of the diet.
As a result of the coaching I have received in the past couple of weeks, I've had an epiphany. This is not a diet that I'm on until I get to a decent weight. This is a way of eating that will get me where I want to go in the least painful manner possible. I had a couple of hot dogs this morning (don't tell my wife (processed foods) and I got hungry on the way home. I had planned my dinner and was a little over an hour from home. I sort of panicked, but then thought, wow, I can eat if I'm hungry, just no carbs (it was wonderful when I remembered that). The previous 15 days have been the easiest way to lose 7 lbs that I have ever experienced. For the first time in decades, I finally feel like I can actually eat what I want (I'll get away from processed foods, I promise), not be hungry, and lose weight. I'm so totally thankful and overjoyed. Your responses, coaching, and cheerleading really do make a difference and are GREATLY appreciated.
Mon-2 jalepeno dogs, half of a steak, 1/2 glass of red wine
Tue- 2 jalepeno dogs, other half of steak, green beans w/bacon, 1/2 glass of red wine
Wed- 2 jalepeno dogs (they're easy), steak and bacon salad w/ranch dressing, 1/2 glass of red wine
Today-2 jalepeno dogs, 2 emergency dogs, green beans w/bacon and probably 1/2 glass of red wine
Again, I really appreciate all of your input and responses. Thank you.
PS-I really appreciate the scientific articles that are linked on this forum
Living in His grace,
Gary

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