Day 2Took some pictures in the gym to show what I look like at the start. Always need those progress pics! This is me nearly 12 stone and 22% body fat. I slept well. I did wake up as usual at 3 am starving, but this happens normally anyway! I had my first meal then in a shake form this time, and it worked! Much tastier as a shake! Blended up really well! And then went back to bed and slept for another 4 hours out cold. Perfect! Did my morning cardio session at home and then went to the gym about 10 am to do my weights with my buddy. Felt very strong. Clearly carbs still working their way out of my body. Pumped like a beast! The number 1's and 2's have already calmed down. Today I felt pretty normal. Still enjoying the food as expected as it's only Day 2. Did feel quite hungry in the evening. But I often feel hungry during a day anyway! Day 3Slept again like a log, after doing my usual wake up at 3 am, eat, back to bed and out cold! I'm glad it's not effecting my sleep. New Years Day today, done my cardio at home, then off to the gym for shoulders after lunch. The only thing I'm really feeling is hungry! These tiny meals digest through me like lightning, and I am left waiting for more after each meal. It is making me feel slightly hangry today! Grrrrr! Or it may just be that I couldn't have my large tea with 5 sweetener sachets, or a honeycombe latte when I went to Starbucks at the cinema! Water it is then! Bah humbug! ..(Mmmmm....humbugs!) I double checked my macro and calorie calculations using this Keto Macro Calculator Tool which confirms they are correct. So I will just have to wait till the Ketosis effect kicks in and dream of the feeling less hungry bit! My skin is no longer greasy, and my wees are still normal, even with drinking 4 litres of water a day. I've upped my MCT oils by just taking a teaspoon during the day. Adding it to food I think gets lost on the plate. By the way..when opening and using MCT Oils for the first time, be careful. It isn't a think oily substance, it's more a watery fluid which means it gushes out! As I found when a load of it went in the sink and on me! I started looking at Keto foods online, ready made snacks and food etc. Bloody hell, they are expensive! I got a dinner party this Sunday with me on Keto and a vegan couple coming. So it's a little challenge for me. Checked with all those coming, and they all are happy to eat a Keto/vegan home prepared meal. I've found a couple of recipes that I am going to attempt. So I'll let you know how that goes this weekend. I also wanted to investigate Keto friendly sweeteners, as I really struggle with no sugar/sweeteners in my hot drinks, especially coffee...and I love my coffee! I never really fully understood why sweeteners are seen as so bad by dieting body builders and Keto dieters? I found one online called Erythrinol, totally new one to me, that was Keto friendly, and without the bitter taste of Stevia. I felt the need to find out why this one is OK as opposed to Stevia for instance. So I done some research and discovered the following (Sourced mostly from Livestrong.com ) - Saccharin - A white chemical crystalline powder, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories. It is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in soft drinks and is used in a variety of other products, including fruit juices, chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste and pharmaceuticals. Saccharin has been reported to raise blood sugar levels during a chemical process during digestion. And other reactions can include -
On reading up some more on this there seems to me to be a whole load of conflicting reports and investigations. So much so, it does get quite baffling. I think because of this, people have preferred just to avoid it, just in case. See below for just a taste of one of the negative reports I found. However, Saccharin does seems to be the preferred out of the two chemical sweeteners that is Saccharin and Aspartame. In the early 1970's, saccharin was thought to be a carcinogen when it was linked to bladder cancer. This link was based on studies done on rats. The National Cancer Institute notes that human trials have found no such link and that the mechanism that caused bladder cancer in rats does not exist in humans. Still, the Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that saccharin is unsafe and has issued the sweetener its lowest rating of "avoid." In a 1997 press release, the CSPI acknowledged that saccharin has not been proven to cause cancer in humans, but the CSPI contends that studies that have been done on saccharin indicate that it may still present a risk. Aspartame - Is one e of the most common artificial sweeteners, is a combination of two amino acids -- phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and, like saccharin, contains no calories. Aspartame should not raise blood sugar levels as it contains no carbohydrates, nor should it have an impact on insulin. Anti-aspartame activists claim there’s a link between aspartame and a multitude of ailments, including:
However, on reading up on this there seems to me to be a whole load of conflicting reports and investigations that say otherwise. So much so, it does get quite baffling. And again, I think because of this, people have preferred just to avoid it, just in case. See below for just a taste of two conflicting reports I found. Consumer-Reported Side Effects - A 2003 report completed by the Aspartame Toxicity Information Center documented various consumer-reported toxicity effects of the sweetener. According to the report, aspartame toxicity can be divided into three categories: acute toxicity, which occurs within 48 hours of ingestion; chronic toxicity effects, which occur after years of use; and potential toxicity effects, for which it would be difficult to establish a link to aspartame. The report references a 1988 survey that appeared in the "Journal of Applied Nutrition." According to 551 persons who reported side effects from aspartame, the most common effects were headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory loss, blurred vision, severe depression, irritability, anxiety attacks and severe drowsiness or sleepiness. The Official Reports Say it's Safe - A 2002 paper published in "Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology" noted that the safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond the required level and that there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety. Based on a 2005 animal study that found a link between aspartame and lymphomas and leukemia in rats, the National Cancer Institute completed a study examining over half a million retirees and found no connection between the artificial sweetener and the development of lymphoma, leukemia or brain cancer. Finally, a "rigorous review of all available scientific research on aspartame" published in 2013 by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that aspartame, when consumed at recommended doses, is safe. Stevia - Stevia is extracted from the leaves of its namesake plant, Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia is calorie free. It does not raise blood sugar levels at all. Stevia is 250 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar, reports Texas A&M University. But I do think is does have a bitter after taste. Bleuur! You can find Stevia in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but they also have other uses. Stevia work for home baking because it's both heat-stable. Most sweeteners, including Stevia, can cause dental cavities. Stevia contains steviosides, which may irritate your stomach and cause other problems for the digestive system, including, bloating and a decreased appetite. In some rare cases, Stevia consumption can lead to aching and sore muscles or a feeling of numbness and dizziness when standing up or moving. Xylitol - This is a sugar alcohol, with "alcohol" referring to a chemical structure. Sugar alcohols are modified forms of sugar and not technically an actual sugar, which is why foods containing Xylitol can be labeled "sugar free." It is naturally found in fruits and a variety of plants. Xylitol is extracted from corncobs or trees, according to Xylitol.org. You’ll get about 2 calories for every gram of Xylitol you consume, which is half the amount of calories found in table sugar. Xylitol barely has an impact on blood sugar levels. Xylitol has the same level of sweetness as table sugar reports Texas A&M University. You can find Xylitol in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but it also has other uses. Xylitol adds moisture to baked goods and gives a sheen to frosting's. Sugar alcohols do not cause cavities. Xylitol may even help prevent cavities, although Erythritol was found to do a better job than Xylitol at preventing cavities in children, according to a study in the May 2014 issue of “Caries Research.” Xylitol can cause side effects such as diarrhea, headache, and stomach ache in some people and/or when consumed in large doses. Erythritol - This is a sugar alcohol, with "alcohol" referring to a chemical structure. Sugar alcohols are modified forms of sugar and not technically an actual sugar, which is why foods containing Erythritol can be labeled "sugar free." It is naturally found in fruits and a variety of plants. Erythritol is usually produced by fermenting another natural sugar i.e. glucose, again according to Xylitol.org. Erythritol is calorie free. It does not raise blood sugar levels at all. Erythritol tastes 60 percent to 80 percent less sweet than sugar, according to the University of Kentucky. This does not have any bitter after taste. And is supposed to be the closest to tasting like sugar. You can find Erythritol in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but it also has other uses. Erythritol creates the same shiny effect in low-calorie chocolate, adds bulk to dairy products and improves shelf life in baked goods. It also works for home baking because it is heat-stable. Sugar alcohols do not cause cavities. Erythritol may even help prevent cavities, and was found to do a better job than Xylitol at preventing cavities in children, according to a study in the May 2014 issue of “Caries Research.” Erythritol can cause side effects such as diarrhea, headache, and stomach ache in some people and/or when consumed in large doses. Because the last three Stevia, Xylitol and Erythritol are from natural fruit glucose and plants, and have no reports or scares about links to illnesses, these are the preferred sweeteners of choice for most. It seems, Erythritol is the preferred sweetener on the keto diet. I really don't like the taste of Stevia, I have tried a Xylitol/Stevia mix in a product called Natvia, which does taste better than just Stevia, and there are so many scares around Aspartame and Saccharin that they are best avoided as there is no definitive answer. I like what I read about Erythritol, so my educated choice is Erythritol. And I've ordered some in. Day 4I was out cold at the alarm this morning. I seem to be sleeping heavier after my usual middle of the night snack? Bonus! I also did a Ketosis strip to see if anything had changed - So it's definitely darker. I think somewhere between Trace and small. It should take between 2 - 7 days to reach the desired Ketosis state. So, I would consider this slow progress.
I have been drinking squash that I needed to finish which contained aspartame and more carbs than I realised in 250ml. I finished this yesterday. So just water now. And I brought unsweetened coconut water today, instead of full fat diary milk, as I do have milk in my 3 cups of tea and coffee, and in my omelette. And there is a carb count in that too And I've upped my MCT Oils by a teaspoon a day. I have noticed some things today, such as -
Well that's day 2 to 4 done. I've been told the next few days are generally tough. So, lets wait and see. Speak soon! Terri
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11/2/2021 10:42:16 am
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