Everyone who has ever read the Atkins book, will have wondered about the Fat Fast diet. In the 1950's a doctor named Keckwick found that a diet of about 1000 calories containing mostly fat was the most effective way to loose weight and, more importantly, fat. According to Atkins, who writes about this Fat Fast diet, research shows that people on a high fat/low carb diet lose the more weight and fat compared to people on a high protein/low carb regimen. People that consume the same amount of calories but with a diet high in carbs, lose not only the least weight, but also the leist amount of fat. And don't we all, in the end, want to lose fat?!
In his book, Atkins states that the Fatfast should only be done by those who are weightloss/metabolic resistent. In practice, the fatfast can also be used to break thorugh a weightloss plateau or to get into ketosis fast in order to jump back on the low carb wagon.
However, last year I decided to try it out myself for three days to jump start my weightloss and get into ketosis fast. I figured doing it for three days would not harm my health and it was a good way to see if and how it worked. And I must admit, it worked like a charm! I lost over 2kg (about 4,5 lbs) in those three days. After the three days I returned to Atkins induction and lost another 1 kg (2,2 lbs). I kept doing Induction and lost 3kg more. Due to medical issues (I have a slow thryoid and had trouble to find the right amount of medication) I got metabolic problems again and I felt tired and liveless all the time. So I started eating all those sugary and starchy foods again, in a feable attempt to feel better. Duh, I know it doesn't work, but try telling me that when I am feeling so poorly. Gradually I gained back what I had lost, but not faster then ususal. So far for me the fat fast diet as described by Atkins and Keckwick has not harmed me in any way.
All in all, when done with moderaton, according te me, it is ok to do a fat fast once in while, whether to get into ketosis fast (so you can jump on the low carb wagon again), to lose a conciderable amount of weight in a short period of time or to break through a weightloss plateau. I am no doctor, no expert, just someone with experience in low carb dieting, so if you have any doubt, please consult your doctor first! Of course my experience might be different from yours. so there are no garantees it works the same for you.
When I tried to find more info on the Atkins Keckwick Fat Fast diet on the internet all I came across was mostly just the same info as in the book and loads of people warning not to do it because it is too strict and unhealthy. Unfortunately I also found anorexic people trying it and losing weight. I would definitely not recommend to lose weight other then to strive for a healthy weight or lose a few kilo's gained during vacation or christmas ;-)
I decided to start this blog with info, based on my own experience. Here you can find suggestion on what to eat and my three day blog on my fatfast experience. I want to jump back on the wagon and decided to try a three day fatfast again (my last one was last year). Hope you find this blog helpful.
Monday, March 15, 2010
What to eat?
What to eat when on the Atkins Keckwick fat fast diet? The basis is to have four 250 cal or five 200 cal meals during the day. The fat fast does not work as well when you divide the 1000 cal over only three meals.
According to Atkins cream cheese and/or macadamia nuts work best. Per day you can have 10 oz or almost 300 gram of cream cheese or 5 oz or 150 gram of macadamia nuts per day.
If you use other foods, you should get about 90% of the calories from fat.
Here are some other suggestions however. Each suggestion is a 200 cal meal, unless stated otherwsise. Not all the suggestions obey the "90%"rule, but they come close.
- instead of cream cheese, use 2 oz or 60 gram of other types of fullfat cheese. You can use Gouda, brie, port salut, parmegianno, pecorino or whatever other type you like. Check the label for (hidden) carbs.
- 60 ml of whipping cream.
Whip it up and add a bit sweetner and cacao or vanilla extract for extra taste.
Or pour into coffee. You can even freeze it and have ice coffee or icecream.
- 2 eggyolks (cooked) mashed with 3 tsp of mayonaise. Add some seasoning to taste (salt, peper, leek, curry etc).
- 4 strips of bacon (or "ontbijtspek" or "pancetta).
- bake 1 eggyolk and two strips of bacon in 1 tsp butter for a scrambled eggs.
- chickensalad with extra mayo. Schred some cooked or baked chicken, add 3 times the amount of mayonaise you would normaly use. Add seasoning to taste. about 2 oz or 60 gram is one portion.
- Tuna salad (see chickensalad recipe, substitute chicken for canned tuna).
- 40 grams or 1.4 oz of salami. Check the label for carbs.
According to Atkins cream cheese and/or macadamia nuts work best. Per day you can have 10 oz or almost 300 gram of cream cheese or 5 oz or 150 gram of macadamia nuts per day.
If you use other foods, you should get about 90% of the calories from fat.
Here are some other suggestions however. Each suggestion is a 200 cal meal, unless stated otherwsise. Not all the suggestions obey the "90%"rule, but they come close.
- instead of cream cheese, use 2 oz or 60 gram of other types of fullfat cheese. You can use Gouda, brie, port salut, parmegianno, pecorino or whatever other type you like. Check the label for (hidden) carbs.
- 60 ml of whipping cream.
Whip it up and add a bit sweetner and cacao or vanilla extract for extra taste.
Or pour into coffee. You can even freeze it and have ice coffee or icecream.
- 2 eggyolks (cooked) mashed with 3 tsp of mayonaise. Add some seasoning to taste (salt, peper, leek, curry etc).
- 4 strips of bacon (or "ontbijtspek" or "pancetta).
- bake 1 eggyolk and two strips of bacon in 1 tsp butter for a scrambled eggs.
- chickensalad with extra mayo. Schred some cooked or baked chicken, add 3 times the amount of mayonaise you would normaly use. Add seasoning to taste. about 2 oz or 60 gram is one portion.
- Tuna salad (see chickensalad recipe, substitute chicken for canned tuna).
- 40 grams or 1.4 oz of salami. Check the label for carbs.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Diary of three day fat fast
Day 1 on the diet, March 8th.
What I ate:
breakfast: 60 grams of Gouda cheese
lunch: 60 grams of extra fat chicken salad
snack at 4pm: 30 grams of macadamia nuts
diner: 90 grams of extra fat chicken salad (that's 1 1/2 portion)
evening snack: 30 grams of Gouda cheese with 20 grams of salami
First day. I have decided to do the Atkins Keckwick Fatfast diet because I have been struggling to get back on the low carb wagon. All of last week I kept feeling hungry and had cravings. Usually, when I start eating low carb again, my hunger and cravings disappears for at least 80% within one or two days. But not so last week. I caved in during the weekend and gained back the 3 lbs I had lost during the week. So I decided it was time for extra measures.
Day 2 on the Keckwick diet, March 9th
Woke at 5am feeling hungry but feel back to sleep. When I woke at 7am I was hungry, but not craving. Didn't realy like the prospect of another day on the fatfast, but once I had my breakfast I was fine.
Here is what I ate on day 2:
breakfast: 50 grams (2oz) of fullfat Gouda cheese
lunch: 2 egg yolks with mayo (the dog was happy to eat the eggwhites)
snack: 25 grams (1oz) macadamia nuts
dinner: 50 gram (2oz) chickensalad
evening snack: 25 gram (1oz) macadamia nuts
Well, that is not totally honoust, I nicked some french fries from my daughter's happy meal. I just could not resist. Lesson learned: stay away from anything that you like. Clear your cupboards and make food for the rest of the family that is your least favoutite. They will have to suffer a little too.
Day 3, March 10th
Didn't wake up feeling hungry, had no cravings. It's still hard to have a breakfast that consists of only a tiny bowl with cheesecubes. But it's OK and the scale is rewarding me.
My meals are about the same as the days before. My family had macaroni&cheese (leftover from the freezer so I didn't have to cook). I love it, but didn't have some. It's getting easier.
Day 4, March 11th, off the fatfast diet
Today it's back to induction and I am happy to get some salad and have more options and bigger portions. My cravings are gone, my hunger is under control. I lost 1.6kg (3.5 lbs), lost according to my scale a little bit of muscle, but mostly fat.
One week after my start
I am still doing OK. Lost another 2lbs on Induction, even when I had a piece of cake on both Saturday and Sunday because of birthday parties. I might concider doing the fatfast again later on, when the weightloss stalls.
What I ate:
breakfast: 60 grams of Gouda cheese
lunch: 60 grams of extra fat chicken salad
snack at 4pm: 30 grams of macadamia nuts
diner: 90 grams of extra fat chicken salad (that's 1 1/2 portion)
evening snack: 30 grams of Gouda cheese with 20 grams of salami
First day. I have decided to do the Atkins Keckwick Fatfast diet because I have been struggling to get back on the low carb wagon. All of last week I kept feeling hungry and had cravings. Usually, when I start eating low carb again, my hunger and cravings disappears for at least 80% within one or two days. But not so last week. I caved in during the weekend and gained back the 3 lbs I had lost during the week. So I decided it was time for extra measures.
Day 2 on the Keckwick diet, March 9th
Woke at 5am feeling hungry but feel back to sleep. When I woke at 7am I was hungry, but not craving. Didn't realy like the prospect of another day on the fatfast, but once I had my breakfast I was fine.
Here is what I ate on day 2:
breakfast: 50 grams (2oz) of fullfat Gouda cheese
lunch: 2 egg yolks with mayo (the dog was happy to eat the eggwhites)
snack: 25 grams (1oz) macadamia nuts
dinner: 50 gram (2oz) chickensalad
evening snack: 25 gram (1oz) macadamia nuts
Well, that is not totally honoust, I nicked some french fries from my daughter's happy meal. I just could not resist. Lesson learned: stay away from anything that you like. Clear your cupboards and make food for the rest of the family that is your least favoutite. They will have to suffer a little too.
Day 3, March 10th
Didn't wake up feeling hungry, had no cravings. It's still hard to have a breakfast that consists of only a tiny bowl with cheesecubes. But it's OK and the scale is rewarding me.
My meals are about the same as the days before. My family had macaroni&cheese (leftover from the freezer so I didn't have to cook). I love it, but didn't have some. It's getting easier.
Day 4, March 11th, off the fatfast diet
Today it's back to induction and I am happy to get some salad and have more options and bigger portions. My cravings are gone, my hunger is under control. I lost 1.6kg (3.5 lbs), lost according to my scale a little bit of muscle, but mostly fat.
One week after my start
I am still doing OK. Lost another 2lbs on Induction, even when I had a piece of cake on both Saturday and Sunday because of birthday parties. I might concider doing the fatfast again later on, when the weightloss stalls.
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