Nutrition: Progress Report, the Ketogenic Diet

All of what I write has been inspired by The Ketogenic Diet by Lyle McDonald.

So my first few days on the ketogenic diet have been difficult.  The first day my body especially my brain was in a state of shock because I wasn't pumping it with carbohydrates at least not in the form of breads or juices.  On the contrary, I was eating a lot of chicken to supply glucose to the brain via the process of gluconeogenisis or the breakdown of protein into glucose. At least the first three or four days I was consuming 250-270 grams of protein per day to keep my brain happy.

Suddenly after that, I woke up on the fifth day feeling not so fatigued.  I felt energetic maybe even happy.  I haven't felt like that since I was a boy.  I knew I had flipped the metaphorical ketone switch.  That's the adaptation where the body and the brain especially accept that there are no serotonin releases to get their fix off of and have to live off ketones for energy.

Much as you like to probably consider yourself drug free, you have to remember serotonin is a drug that the brain and body fiend for.  Your craving for carbs in the form of pasta, desserts, fries and the like are all related to the body's need for serotonin.  Like it or not, every time you eat a Snicker's bar you might as well be a junkie sticking his arm with a needle full of dope.

 This was probably my worst day of eating because my brain wasn't ready to give up its serotonin addiction.  As you can see from below, I had to eat a whole chicken to give my brain its fix.  The wraps I ate at Dunkin Donuts were without the tortillas so I still adhered to the zero carb principle.  I also ate a container full of guacamole to nourish my body with potassium and sodium to keep myself from getting heart palpitations and headaches. Also notice the vitamin I took.  I don't eat a lot of vegetables so the vitamin I hope will make for any nutrient shortcomings I have.

	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Dunkin Donuts - Angus Steak and Egg Breakfast Wrap, 2 wraps	460	26	28	28	1,140	2
7-11 - 1/4 lb Big Bite - No Bun, 2 hot dog	720	4	68	22	0	4
7-Eleven - Buffalo Chicken Wings, 3.5 wings	90	3	6	7	600	0
Walmart - Jlr - Rotisserie Chicken (the Whole Chicken), 18 oz	960	6	60	102	3,960	0
Sabra - Spicy Guacamole, 12 tbsp	270	18	24	6	900	0
Health Peak - Sentry - Complete With All Rdi Nutrients - Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement, 1 Tablet	0	0	0	0	0	0
Add Food Quick Tools	2,500	57	186	165	6,600	6

Another consequence of my changing to zero carb eating is I got rid of my addiction to track my macros. That's right no more myfitnesspal.com for me.  The reason for that is I eat when I'm hungry but I don't crave that much food because I kicked myself off my serotonin habit.
The only con of the zero carb lifestyle is lack of food choices.  Your only options are meats, cheeses, certain high fat vegetables like avocados, eggs, chicken, pork,and of course leafy greens and the other vegetables.  But I admit that I don't do many vegetables or salads because they pretty much shoot right through me and I wind up on the toilet soon after that. The lack of food choices could get old pretty quick, so I don't know how long I'm going to last on this diet.  But perhaps the need to feel healthy and energized will overcome my need for variety.