Yes, I am still Banting strongly.
Weight loss is being achieved (tick). Currently down 3-4 kg since we started and we are still going strong. I've had no (zero, zip) cravings for bread, potatoes, pasta or cake - which is weird. We've made the odd cup of hot coco in the evenings - with milk, organic cocoa powder and cream and I have not actually missed chocolates.
Observations:
1. I am permanently thirsty. Combined with the drier weather, I feel like I cannot drink enough. I have taken to drinking a lot of rooibos to supplement my fluid intake. If there is one weird thing I find challenging it is the lack of "drink" options. Food is easy. No Coke Zero or Sprite Zero in the fridge limits me to tea, coffee, water, sparkling water, sparkling water with lemon...and there it ends. I find this the most challenging part of Banting. As a treat, we can drink a glass of milk or have a cup of hot cocoa, but clearly with the calorie limits we are aiming for, this is not a thirst quenching option.
2. Running is definitely getting easier. Preparing for a long run is breeze, no packing of food and carbs. We run with minimal food, but make sure we have a hearty eggy-fatty breakfast. Works like a charm. Recently ran a marathon with a few nuts and a boiled egg as carry-on fuel. We have clearly shifted dramatically already.
3. Measuring ketosis is difficult. I read about it a lot and via the keto-sticks have not once managed to pick up a reading. It may be that we just "missed" the window of opportunity during which we were still excreting ketones though. Generally this method is acknowledged to be inaccurate. However, I did get the blood sticks - via a glucometer we can now measure blood ketone levels. I am however shocked at the day-to-day variability. Not 100% sure I get this yet. I have however had readings as high as 1.3, but generally get values ranging from 0.4 to 0.6. This, according to my understanding places us more or less in "nutritional ketosis" at least, perhaps not optimum weigh loss levels. It may be that we are still eating too much protein. The sharpest increase I achieved was when I limited our dairy intake quite dramatically last week. At the moment, we are minimising intake of milk, cheese and cream slightly. Trying to get our fats rather from butter and coconut oil.
4. Reading about this stuff is fascinating. I have nearly finished reading both the "Art and Science of Low Carb" books and plan to attach Gary Taubes' book next.
5. I have noted that there is no cookie cutter approach to Banting. Each person's diet is different. I have never been on any eating plan this easy. Despite eating copious amounts of fat (relative to our previous lifestyle), we are actually eating significantly less food. I struggle not to constantly have left overs in the fridge, so we end up eating the same dish twice to finish the portions. I love cooking but clearly the process of feeding oneself on Banting, requires significantly less cooking effort than I had perceived initially.
6. Spend some effort on your breakfast. Scrambled eggs with cream, omelette with mushrooms and bacon bits. The sense of wellbeing it brings is enormous and surprisingly quick to make. I eat my scrambled eggs in the car on the way to work...with a spoon, but the warm fuzzy feeling stays with my tummy until 1PM at least. No morning snacking required! We then have an avo and seed bread snack and granola, before I head off into the afternoon, but if I am too busy to eat lunch, I am ok.
Today is exactly 1 month, our first Banting-versary and I can summarise as follows:
- I've had no hypoglycaemic events
- I've hardly ever been really starving
- My clothes are fitting better
- I feel thinner and healthier
- I am less stressed about food
- I have had no serious cravings
- I am plenty thirsty, something I am quite unfamiliar with
- Cauli-mash is one of my favourite dishes in the world
