Weight: 164 lb (started at 170)
Waist circumference: 36.5 inches (no change)
Transgressions: none
Exercise: none
Comments
So, down six pounds (2.7 kg) for the first week. As mentioned before, this is not all fat loss by any means. If even two pounds is fat, that’s great. Water loss (and intestinal contents?). Feeling good. Achy muscles and dizziness have resolved, lasted 2-3 days. Expect weight loss to slow dramatically starting now. I do miss carbs. I’m disappointed my waist circumference didn’t reduce—that’s one reason I started this in the first place.
I recorded all food intake with the “My Tracking” feature at NutritionData. That’s how I derive the following nutrient analysis:
- calories: 1650 daily (average)
- energy breakdown: 6% alcohol, 7% carbs, 64% fats, 23% proteins
- 227 g total carb for the week, minus 85 g fiber, equals 20 g of digestible carbohydrate daily [I realized Sept. 13 that the milk in my 2 cups coffee daily adds 6 g of carb, so the daily digestible carbohydrate total is 26 g]
- 834 g total fat for the week: approx. 14% of these from saturated fat (199 g), 50% from monounsaturated fat (413 g) , 19% from polyunsaturated fat (155 g)
[I don’t know why the three fat types don’t total 834 g. Do you? They total 767 g.]
I’m going to record each days intake for the next seven days as a recipe (My Recipes). That will allow me to see NutritionData’s estimated glycemic load and inflammation factor rating.
Nota bene: Most people on a very low-carb ketogenic diet will not do this sort of analysis—there’s no need. I’m doing it for research purposes.
-Steve
Diabetic Mediterranean Diet 
Re ketogenic, are you testing or assuming? The reason I ask is that I have been on a diet as low in carbs as yours for years and have never gotten a test strip to turn a ketogenic color so I’ve concluded that my diet isn’t ketogenic.
Hi, Abalone.
I’m assuming ketones would be in my urine.
I’m not sure the definition of “ketogenic” should depend on the appearance of detectable ketones on a urine test strip. In my formulation, physiologic breakdown of fat tissue to suppy most of the body’s energy generates ketones bodies, some of which could be detected in the bloodstream, some in the urine. Detection of the ketone bodies would depend on sensitivity of the test, and individual kidney characteristics.
Some have suggested that the term “ketogenic diet” be reserved for the seizure-control diet used sometimes in children. No concensus on that yet. One reason I like the term for my program is that “low-carb” is too easy to misinterpret: cutting carbs from 60% of energy intake to 50% would be considered low-carb in some quarters. I’m down to 8% of total energy from carbs (20 grams of digestible carbohydrate, for now).
“Very low-carb diet” is also open to interpretation: would 35% of energy from carbs qualify? And it doesn’t necessarily imply a weight-loss diet. My sense is that “ketogenic” usually refers to digestible carb intake of 20-40 grams daily, as part of a weight-loss effort.
-Steve
Hey Steve,
You said, “These symptoms convince me this very low-carb diet is altering my physiology (internal chemical environment) in ways not seen with mildly calorie-restricted balanced diets. ”
……in a good or a bad way do you think? Can you elaborate?
Love the experiment Steve! Having just read your book, I am also tempted to try the KMD, which is strange as I have had ZERO interest in low carb prior (given the MD emphasis on carbs). Probably just the excitement of trying something new, lol Why not!
I was worried about the “risks” as many are. But my thinking now is, “it’s only for a shorter term thing – say up to 6 months, then I’ll be adding back fruits, wholegrains and legumes, so it can’t be that bad.”
Would you agree with that line of thinking?
Finally – are you sick of steak and eggs yet? 🙂
Hi, Steve.
I’m not sick of steak and eggs yet! Also enjoying bacon and sausage with my breakfast eggs.
Regarding altered physiology, it’s too soon to tell whether that’s good, bad, or indifferent. The mildy achy muscles and dizziness only lasted about three days. I feel I’m back to my old self, internally. My impression is that those sensations may be seen in the majority of very low-carb weight-loss diets.
As for myself, I’m not worried at all about short-term risks. This week I’m analyzing micronutrient intake for potential deficits and will try to summarize findings in my next weekly recap. If memory serves me well, the researchers who put together the Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet had their subjects take a relatively high dose of calcium supplement. There’s some risk that high protein diets and/or mild ketosis may mobilize calcium out of bones and into urine. Who knows if oral calcium supplements affect that process?
Anybody tempted to try the Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet should get “clearance” from their personal physician. I know a physician who went into acute renal failure when he tried the Atkins diet years ago – he blamed the diet, and should know. That must be very uncommon, if not rare. KMD and Atkins have some similarities.
-Steve
Yes, perhaps a clearance at least in regards to kidney’s / uric acid – potential problems mentioned on your .pdf would be a good idea.
FYI – the biggest appeal of the KMD to me at the moment is the potential satiety of the diet (not that I’ve discovered that for myself yet).
Having been in “play” mode for a couple weeks with your book, incorporating and experimenting (with many transgressions), I am finding caloric restriction harder than I thought (and I’m not particularly a food junkie – I can skip meals no probs for example). But in monitoring myself, I have found that I in fact do “up” the calories in different ways by the end of the day.
So I am interesting if KMD increases satiety, enabling an easier path to caloric restriction.
IF it does that, with no ill health effects, then that alone makes it worthwhile – for weight loss anyway.
Steve
2 further comments on this entry:
(a) I was surprised actually (given it is very low carb) that the protein intake wasn’t even higher. Guess the nuts and olive oil add up. I don’t think one would call this high protein – moderate or moderately high at most. Definitely high fat, low carb. I just find that interesting.
(b) Fiber. You have averaged 12g per day. Not enough wouldn’t you say? Your thoughts?
Cheers
Steve
12 g fiber daily is definitely not enough for me!