Holy crap, it's been awhile

This is a very short post to say that a lot has changed since my last post. First of all, I discovered that I was doing keto all wrong. Like, really wrong. Longer post to follow at some point, but here are some important points:

1. Ketosis does not cause weight loss.
2. Eating high amounts of fat causes neither ketosis nor weight loss.
3. Ketosis is the result of carbohydrate restriction.
4. Weight loss is the result of a caloric deficit.

I started following Ketogains macros and working out regularly and dropped about nine pounds of body fat while putting on half a pound of muscle. I looked and felt awesome.

About a year ago, life happened, I moved to Minnesota, then COVID-19 happened, and long story short, I've gained twenty pounds. I also went way off the rails with keto, but I am back to vegetarian after a somewhat failed experiment in non-vegetarianism. I've also started a couple more blogs (SWFgoesketo and SWFdoesDVA if you want to check them out). More later!

Book Review

            As I was perusing the shelves of my favorite bookstore (Half-Price Books), I caught sight of The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet, written by Nina Teicholz. The cover was, I admit, rather off-putting for me: it features a roast of some sort below a glowing golden halo. However, “fat” is the magic word for me, so I took a gander at the cover blurb. There it was: “With conclusions based on her nine-year investigation, [she] reveals the unthinkable: everything we’ve ben told about fat is wrong. She documents how overzealous researchers allowed weak science to take hold in public imagination and become dietary dogma.” I bought the book and took it home with me.

            Teicholz is interesting in that she is not a nutrition industry “insider”: she is actually a journalist. As a reporter, she was in a far better position to look at current nutritional guidelines with a jaundiced eye. As she explains in her tome, nutritionists who question the long-held conclusions about fat face serious prejudice from their colleagues, up to and including outright refusal to provide funding for or publish studies. Free from concerns about professional blacklisting, she was able to openly question long-held beliefs about the relationships between dietary fat, cholesterol, and heart health.

            Teicholz provides ample evidence to support her conclusion that dietary fat is not the problem many of us have been taught to consider it: she clearly and carefully explains the limitations of observational studies in general and identifies some of the serious flaws of many of the most famous studies upon which the fat guidelines were based. For instance, Ornish, whose studies did show a correlation between lower fat consumption and improved heart health, did not isolate fat consumption as an intervention: his experimental groups were also told to exercise more, reduce their consumption of refined carbohydrates, and quit smoking. Furthermore, they were often provided with tangible support (in the form of smoking cessation support and provided meals), whereas the control group received were entirely free-living. Teicholz also found a study in which the experimental group received two interventions: cholesterol-lowering drugs and a dietary intervention.  The researchers conducting the study concluded that the diet was responsible for the reduction and conveniently downplayed the possibility that the medications (which the control group did not receive) played a role.

            The book is not an “easy read,” but it is interesting. Readers who are familiar with the theories and researchers explored in the books will likely enjoy seeing the other side. Laypeople will appreciate the footnotes that clarify ideas that might be unfamiliar. Teicholz does an excellent job of addressing counterarguments (indeed, the entire book is a rebuttal) and provides numerous citations in support of both her claims and those claims that she seeks to refute.

            An important note: Teicholz directly addresses the issue of meat and ethics in a short note at the end of her book. This thoughtful and direct concession is refreshing in a world in which people tend to ignore the ethical implications of their choices as consumers. Readers who are concerned about these issues (animal welfare, environment, etc.) should begin with the note and understand that Teicholz’s purpose in writing this was to explore which types of fats are the most health-inducing for humans: she did not seek to understand which ones were the most beneficial to the environment or to animals. While the bulk of the book focuses on the history of our nation’s descent into fatlessness, the health consequences of that trend, possible solutions, and the research supporting all of the above, Teicholz explicitly recommends a return to consumption of animal fats, including body fat. The idea of eating body fat is a little bit tough to swallow (yuk yuk) for a vegetarian or a vegan. Anyone who is vegetarian or vegan needs to know that  both tallow and lard make appearances on these pages: don’t let these ideas distract you from the “meat” of the book: fat isn’t the bad guy!

Recipe: Blackberry Almond Clafoutis

Check out this awesome recipe: https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2016/07/19/keto-triple-berry-clafoutis

I adapted it by using all blackberries and replacing the coconut milk with my favorite unsweetened flax milk. Doing so changed the nutrition information and also the cooking time: you'll need to cook it a little bit longer, and when I make this again, I will probably use a water bath. (It takes much longer for the inside to cook.) I might also try to mitigate the wetness by using a bit of coconut flour in place of some of the almond flour. This results 

Updated nutrition for my version: 139 calories; 10.6 g fat; 5.8 grams of carbohydrate, 3.5 of which are fiber (net carbs: 2.3 grams); 6.1 g protein [Note: this is slightly more than 10% carbohydrate; I have mitigated this for myself by serving it with a blob of something fatty, like sour cream or whipped cream]

Keto Post on Progress

I have now been following a ketogenic diet, with about 95% compliance, for six weeks. The Friday before I began tapering down on my carbohydrates, June 18th, I was 129.5 lbs at the end of the day. This morning, I weight in at (a lower-than-usual) 116.5.

I began to take measurements and calculate and record my body fat percentage three weeks ago. I used what is supposed to be a very accurate online calculator: it combines a few different methods and involves a number of measurements. Each Saturday morning, I measure the following circumferences: waist, navel, hips, thigh, forearm, bicep, wrist, neck, calf, rib, and bust. The first week, I did not measure them all; when I entered everything, I had to guess on some. My calculated body fat percentage was around 21%. The next week was the same. The week after that, my estimated body fat percentage went down to 20.67%. This week, it was apparently 18.94%. I am guessing that part of the fluctuations are due to my lack of experience in taking measurements. It’s really hard to measure forearms and biceps! Still, I see evidence that I am losing body fat in other ways, namely in the fit of my clothes and how much muscle I can see in the mirror.

For one thing, my average weight has been fairly stable, but my strength is improving. The week of July 16th, my average weight was 119.5. The next week, it was 119.4. Last week, it was 117.9. Part of the dramatic fluctuation is that I have not been completely consistent with how often I weigh myself. The scale at the gym is not accurate, so I stopped using it in my at-home calculations. (I do use it to track on MyFitnessPal.)

Link to the calculator: https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator

Keto Bread, version 1.0

Calories per serving (1/12th of a 9-inch loaf): 129

Fat grams: 8.3; Carbohydrate grams (5.4, 2.2 of which fiber); Protein grams: 9.9

Ingredients: 

1 c. Vital wheat gluten

2 T. Milled flaxseed

4 T. Coconut flour

8 T. Almond flour

1 T. Active dry yeast

1 c. Warm water

2 T. Coconut oil

2 T. Olive oil 

Optional (will change macros): 4 T. Hulled hempseed

Stir the yeast into the water. Let it sit for about five minutes while you get everything else ready. 

Mix together the flours, flax, and vital wheat gluten. Stir in 2 T. Melted coconut oil. Add the yeast and water. Stir well; the dough might fight you. 

Knead for a couple of minutes. Knead in the hemp seeds if you're using them. (The dough will fight you; it's high in gluten.) 

Grease an 8- or 9-inch loaf pan with 1 T. Of the olive oil. Using your hands, shape the dough into a log that fits in the pan. Cover the pan with a dish towel and put somewhere moderately warm. Let it rise for about an hour. 

When the dough has risen, bake at 350-375 degrees until done. (It took mine about 30 minutes. My oven's thermostat is a bit off, so I need to check with a thermometer to get an accurate temperature for you.)

Adventures in Ketogenic Baking

Anyone who has known me for awhile knows that I love to bake, especially breads and cakes. Obviously, regular flour is out while eating ketogenic food. (Way out.)

Clearly, there are some obvious potential solutions: nut flours and seed meals work well in baked goods. Of course, they are often at least moderate in carbs, so it's important to use other ingredients as well. Many of the ketogenic recipes for bread alternatives involve a ton of eggs and fuss. (See "Oopsie Rolls" as an example.)

My latest adventure has involved trying to figure out how to get more baked love into my life, along with mashing in as much fiber as I can. Thus far, I have been largely successful.

Thus far, I've made Gluten Buns (a bit strange, but edible and a great way to get in some extra protein and fat), Peanut Butter Cookies, Maple-Pecan Flax Muffins, and Keto Bread. The Gluten Buns, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Maple-Pecan Flax Muffins all came (or were slightly adapted) from recipes on other blogs, but the Keto Bread is mine all mine! It is still higher in carbs than I would like, but I'm working on it. Recipes, links, and resources to follow in upcoming posts.

Recipe: Tofu-Veggie Bowl in Coconut Broth

No photos at this time, as I can't get them to post from my darned iPad. Once I AirDrop them over to my laptop, I'll update the post.

Note: this is more moderate carb. I had it at the end of a day during which I was a.) way under my maximum carb intake and b.) dying for something that was colorful.

Tofu-Veggie Bowl in Coconut Broth

Trader Joe’s sprouted tofu
30 g raw spinach (a couple of handfuls)
30 g red bell pepper (around a quarter of a pepper)
30 g baby Bella mushrooms (around half a cup)
One clove of garlic
4 g ginger
About half a T of chopped scallion
1 t. Low-sodium Tamara
1 t coconut oil
2 t canola oil
1 t sambal oelek
1 c. Unsweetened, unflavored coconut milk drink
Lime juice
Spices: ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, pepper, Himalayan salt, etc.

Press the tofu for a couple of hours. I did the entire package; I have the other ones waiting for some sort of yummy project later. (It wound up being "breaded" nuggets, and I am so glad I made them.)

Here are the ingredients, minus the aromatics:



Dice the peppers, tofu, and mushrooms. Put them aside. Mince the ginger, garlic, and scallions.



Heat the oils over medium heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallions and stir until it starts to smell good. (If it gets sticky, no worries, just add some more oil.)

Add the tofu and mushrooms. Stir.



When the mushrooms start to get soft, the tofu starts to get crisp, and the aromatics are looking pretty toasty, add the peppers and the spinach. Stir. Add the tamari.



Pour in the coconut milk. Add the sambal oelek. Turn the heat down and let it simmer. It wasn’t quite as pretty as I would have liked at this point, so I put in some cayenne and crushed red pepper, but that certainly isn’t necessary. (If you aren’t a spice fan, definitely don’t do that.)



Once it has reduced a bit and the favors are blended, pour it into a bowl. Squeeze some lime juice on it, add salt if needed, and eat up. It’s good!