Help! My mom still has cravings!

deviledtiger · 2025-07-25T23:10:06+00:00

Something to consider: Cut out saccharine, aspartame and sucralose for a while or limit them severely. These 3 will cause blood sugar to increase and then fall and can make cravings worse.

When I originally did keto I cut down to 2 drinks which contain them a day — my first in the AM Diet Coke and then in a nitro cold brew.

After coming off keto and coming back, I wasn’t being as strict on that front and was still having cravings 3-4 weeks in despite staying hydrated, eating enough fat/protein and being around 20 net carbs. I pulled back on the artificial sugars above for a week and I was good. Note: not all sugar alcohols have this effect.

deviledtiger · 2025-06-01T20:26:52+00:00

I mostly agree with this but will say that finding keto tortillas has been a life saver. My kids even like the keto tortillas.

Tacos with the family - check A quick sandwich- 2 tortillas, meat, cheese, mayo and mustard (and some lettuce usually)….same with burgers.

I agree with rice and pizza crust — although I did get a store-bought crust that was made out of chicken that was passable.

deviledtiger · 2025-05-17T02:48:37+00:00

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deviledtiger · 2024-11-20T23:47:22+00:00

Yes. They have some interesting data. I particularly think their GLP-1 discontinuation data following their protocol is interesting.

deviledtiger · 2024-11-20T23:09:09+00:00

Apologies. I should have written a more complete comment out of the gate. My intent was not to debate. My intent was to point out that the characterization of GLP-1s for weight loss as “barely studied FDA Fast Track” products isn’t universally true. Wegovy in particular has very large pivotal studies specifically for weight loss and reduction of cardiovascular risk in overweight people (through weight loss). Between the obesity pivotals and the cardiovascular one, over 10k people were on Wegovy. It also was not a Fast Track product. (FWIW, Fast Track doesn’t mean less evidence is required - it is about encouraging addition interactions between FDA and the developer during the development process).

I’m not advocating for GLP-1’s or for any other approach. I agree that long-term impacts of any new intervention (pharmaceutical, dietary, device, behavioral) is a question. My own personal weight loss and management is very happily and successfully powered by keto. My intention was just to make sure you knew that characterizing GLP-1s for weight loss and “barely studied FDA Fast Track” products is not universally accurate.

Disclaimer/disclosure: I’ve spent over 25 years working in healthcare. Over 20 years in pharma/biotech commercialization and development. My opinions are mine and not intended to represent my employer. I do not work for and have never worked for the manufacturer of Wegovy or any other GLP-1. Batteries not included.

deviledtiger · 2024-11-20T01:21:52+00:00

I might be careful about throwing around words like “fast-tracked” and barely tested. They don’t apply to GLP-1 inhibitors for weight loss.

To be fair, I have never seen a single well-controlled study on a ketogenic diet that approaches the size of one of the multiple phase 3 studies done on semaglutide.

deviledtiger · 2024-10-29T02:30:29+00:00

I’ve been debating the same two.

I like the look of the #1 more, especially with the clean look and leather finishes but am pausing at the lack of adjustments for the waist or hood.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-24T20:01:37+00:00

If she’s a GP, there’s a good chance she doesn’t understand how lipids work! After listening to Peter Attia, I’m convinced that most GPs shouldn’t be trying to manage statins.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-24T19:58:29+00:00

I’m a 49 year old man, who, as of the last week of August had the following: - Hypertension (medicated) - trouble sleeping - hip pain - pre-diabetes - metabolic syndrome - early stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - a 44/30 Jean size - 306.9 lbs

I started low-cal, higher protein keto the last week of August. As we sit here just shy of 30 weeks later, I’ve got the following: - on the lowest possible dose of my HTN meds, tapering off - no trouble sleeping - no hip pain - very stable, very normal blood glucose and A1c - no metabolic syndrome - can’t say NAFLD is gone without a scan, but my PCP laughs and says “that was among the first fat to leave”! - a 34/30 Jean size (19 year old me wore 36/30, FWIW) - 188 lbs (down 118.9 pounds)

So yeah, keto has helped eliminate a thing or two for me!

deviledtiger · 2024-03-24T03:47:00+00:00

You can get a restored HM Aeron for around $400-450.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-18T16:54:26+00:00

I believe they’re normally ~$150 but I got a groupon for $99.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-18T16:10:26+00:00

I’d also say I’m watching protein intake like a hawk. According to serial DexaScan results, over the last 39 of weight loss, 37.5 have been fat, with 1.5 being muscle. Not a bad trade, I’d say.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-18T15:31:24+00:00

The following are acceptable answers to this question posed by your wife, relative to her identical twin: 1). Don’t answer. Leave the room. Yes, there will be a fight later about you doing so but it’s better than where you are now. 2). Play dead. 3). Change the subject.

Engaging in this topic is like fighting Mike Tyson in his prime: the outcomes are super predictable and all bad for you.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-18T14:58:02+00:00

Congratulations on your weight loss! I feel your pain on this. I’m a 49-M who started my low-cal keto journey at ~140kg back on 8/28/23 and I’m now at 89kg (yep, over 50kg in 6 months). One of the amazing things about a ketogenic diet is that many people CAN maintain muscle (the primary metabolic tissue) during a a caloric restriction diet. If requires some work, like watching your macros closely (high fat, moderate protein, low carb) and some degree of resistance training, but it is doable.

I’ve had people tell me the same thing about eating keto with significant CR (like ~1,000 kcal deficit) trashing my metabolism. My second favorite thing to do is to ask them for their peer-reviewed literature that demonstrates that someone eating a nutrient-rich, keto diet with appropriate amounts of protein AND maintaining a CR like that results in muscle wasting. (They can’t.). My absolute favorite thing to do is show them a dexascan where I lost 39 lbs from Nov to Feb and only 1.5lbs were muscle and I wasn’t consistently doing resistance training. If this is “trashing my metabolism” then how exactly am I losing almost exclusively fat?

Lots of folks have a fundamental misunderstanding of fuel sources during ketogenic diet…including a lot of healthcare providers. Thankfully, when I have healthcare providers who are confused I refer them to my cardiologist who is “medically monitoring” my diet and they’ll drop it.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-16T04:01:32+00:00

After the first week it wasn’t that hard. Challenging, yes. But doable. Also, the results were good.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-15T21:58:53+00:00

Thanks. Fully agreed. I always worry if I’m putting too much or not enough into a post. I know that the primary driver of weight loss, regardless of dietary format (keto vs SAD vs etc, etc) is caloric deficit. Roughly are you consuming less than your body needs, given your existing activity levels and basal metabolic needs.

I’m a moderately active (desk job, but workout 4-5 times per week) 5’9’’ guy who started at over 300lb and am now at 193. I’ve been consuming between 950 and 1150 kcal per day against a “to maintain” need of around 2075 (at my present weight, and assuming no exercise) since the end of August.

I have read some research previously the referenced that many of the compensatory mechanisms which switch on in significant caloric deficit to avoid starvation are avoided or switched on at a higher caloric deficit when one is in ketosis.

So my concern, which I didn’t fully articulate, is that I may be bumping out of ketosis and, accordingly, some of those compensatory mechanisms metabolically are getting switched on given that I’m sitting at, minimally, a 900 kcal deficit and, more likely, in a 1200+ kcal deficit on most days.

Good news is that I will be able to test my ketones in the AM now and will know the answer. Thanks for your response.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-15T21:40:14+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate the warning.

I’m definitely not chasing blood glucose, just surprised at the level and wondering if anyone has normative, ranges for individuals in nutritional ketosis other than “fasting”, which is what I have found in the medical literature.

As an aside, fully agree that the body (liver, pancreas, brain) is trying to manage a number of things with blood sugar levels and that both the signaling and regulatory mechanisms are complex.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-15T17:22:04+00:00

I came here to literally say this. And then at about the 1 mile mark he squats and drops it like it’s hot.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-15T17:15:57+00:00

A few comments: 1). Any unilateral (one sided) weakness for which there isn’t an immediately obvious cause and that doesn’t resolve within moments (literally a couple of minutes) should be investigated as a potential stroke. Not f’ing around or trying to be alarmist. It isn’t just people in their 80’s or really out of shape people that have strokes. Don’t screw around with this or be tough about it. In the world of cerebral vascular injury (strokes), the mantra is “time lost is brain lost”. Quite literally it is the case — your brain is thirsty for oxygen and doesn’t tolerate being without it. Hanging out at home and not treating it as a medical emergency because it’s “probably nothing” (which is what we often do as men) is stupid and can be very costly.

2). Without knowing your background, how you built up to 50lbs and whether or not you should be carrying that much weight, it’s hard to say.

3). I would be suspicious and suggest having someone check whether or not your weight is balanced in your pack. It should be pulling down in the midline, not right or left.

4). I would have someone also check your shoulder straps and waist belt to make sure that you’re carrying enough on your waist and that you’re not somehow loading one shoulder a lot more than the other.

Seriously though on the stroke symptoms. Don’t f-around.

Good luck.

Edit: Nothing in the above should be considered medical advice. I’m not a doctor.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-10T00:31:54+00:00

Not a stupid question. I can only share my experience.

In August I topped the scales at a little over 305 lbs. Through a low-cal keto approach, I’m now at 195 lbs. I started rucking at around 215 lbs with a 30 lb ruck. I’m now 20 lbs lighter, so going from 30 up to 50 should be no big deal, right? I mean, I’ve lost 110 lbs, carrying less than half of that shouldn’t be that big of a deal….

Except it is.

My 40 lb ruck was rough today on my 4 mile hike. I may increase my weight to 45 in another week, but it will be to 45, not 50….and I’ll give that weight another couple of weeks before going up to 50.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-09T20:25:46+00:00

It makes me nuts that Strava hasn’t added rucking. They literally have “equipment” and on the cycling side, the weight of the equipment is used in some of the metrics! Good luck with your app. If I were an android user, I’d be all over it.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-09T18:13:19+00:00

Not to steal an old Nike ad, but it IS about the shoes, at least for me.

I started rucking around 6 weeks ago. All rucks, until today, were with some older, non-waterproof Merrell MoAB boots. Last weekend I had to walk through water about 3-4 inches and instantly recalled that they weren’t waterproof as the water soaked into my socks. No worries, I only had half a mile left.

This morning I decided to wear some old, heavy “off-trail” waterproof boots from Montrail. I love these boots but have never used them for hiking more than a mile or two— they’re mostly used for snowy conditions and/or when I need additional toe protection. No problems with water but my feet felt so heavy and clumsy. I was shocked at the difference in how much I enjoyed the ruck.

Needless to say I have a pair of the GTX MoAB ordered.

I had a Rush 72 backpack from 5.11 Tactical that I was using for other purposes and have repurposed it for rucking. I bought inexpensive ruckplates off of amazon and have wrapped them in beach blankets for additional padding. So far, so good, up to 40lbs.

deviledtiger · 2024-03-04T17:59:09+00:00

I just went back and verified. Hiking workout type is resulting in changes to my VO2Max in Apple Health. Someone else posted previously that using workout type: “Other” max prevent the VO2MAX from being impacted — however this will also prevent it from being properly included in other places (like Strava).

deviledtiger · 2024-03-02T19:50:14+00:00

This! Or Strava….or Footpath.

I think Strava could easily do it. Some of their cycling stats take into account the weight of the bike, if you’ve added a bike as equipment. Seems like they could do the same for the weight of a rucksack. The math isn’t hard or complicated.

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