Posted on July 06, 2018 by Kate Halsall
Wednesday the 4th July was the weigh-in day of the 3rd week of my attempt at a Vegan Keto diet. So how’s it going I hear you ask! Are you hungry all the time? Is it working? What are your energy levels like? Are you managing to stick to it? What are you actually eating? Rather than just saying “sometimes”, “yes”, “fine”, “more-or-less”, and “food”; let me answer these questions properly. It may just give you an insight into whether it’s something that you want to try or not.
5 Top Questions
Are You Hungry All The Time?
I automatically want to say – no more than usual! I love food. My clients send me pictures of their food all the time. Our gym is next to a brewery who have the smell of a BBQ wafting over to us every Friday. How can I NOT be hungry all the time!! All joking aside, I’d honestly say – sometimes yes, but less than you’d expect. I suspect this is because I’m constantly in a calorie deficit (more on that below), so it’s not surprising.
Is It Working?
I guess this answer comes down to how I’ve chosen to measure whether it’s working or not! Am I in ketosis? I haven’t bought any of those sticks you wee on to prove it so I don’t know. Am I keeping my fat higher than my protein and my carbs to 10% – 6 days out of 7 yes (more on that later too). Have I lost weight? YES! My starting weight was 75.5kg. Wednesday’s weigh in was 73.2kg. Is this because of the Keto thing? I don’t know! Normally my carb sources are also my calorie sources. I’m constantly in a 350ish calorie deficit at the moment. It also definitely helps with portion control and food prep, as I have to track everything.
What Are Your Energy Levels Like?
Absolutely no different than normal. And that’s a promise. You have to remember, that if you do do lots of exercise, your calorie allowance goes up, and therefore so too does how much carbohydrate you can have. I don’t find any problems fueling my body for exercise with this in mind. BUT – I also don’t train every day, so I don’t know how it would affect recovery.
Are You Managing To Stick To It?
Yes. BUT. I cannot do Vegan Keto and have a life – like going out to eat. Whilst there is an abundance of vegan food out there in restaurants, it is 99% carb heavy. Did I mention I like food?! I also like having a life! So I decided that one day a week, I would still eat healthily but not worry about my macros. This is only for one meal mind you – I don’t go mental for the whole day! And so whilst I appreciate that this probably makes me not actually following a ketogenic diet, it means it is sustainable!
What Are You Actually Eating?
Far too much to fit into this blog! I have my fat staples: avocado, olives, coconut oil, nuts and nut butters. My protein is now predominantly tofu and vegetables – pulses have entered once in 3 weeks (you can’t have pulses and lots of veg or fruit!). My veg is currently predominantly mushrooms, salads (minimal tomatoes and peppers), courgette, broccoli, cauliflower and aubergine. My favourite snack is unsweetened Alpro yogurt.
Interesting stuff right!