Zero Carb Keto: Goldilocks Zone

Zero Carb Keto

Goldilocks Zone

I have found that there is definitely a Goldilocks zone when eating zero carb.

For one, in terms of the fat to protein ratio. Too little fat with too high protein, causes me to feel more hungry. I also get headaches and/or toe cramps. But too much fat causes intestinal dumping (not good!!). It's a very delicate balance, I have found, just about 55-65% fat for me.

Also, portion size has a Goldilocks Zone. Too small portions leaves me feeling unsatisfied and hungry. But too large portions can really cause lethargy and maybe even discomfort or intestinal dumping as well. I find 80% full, like the hara-hachi-bu concept, is perfect. Although sometimes that is easier said than done when the meat is really good! I usually just take my caloric needs for the day and divide by three, and have three decent sized meals within a 12-hour range.

I think there is a Goldilocks zone in terms of nutrients too. I have noticed that red meats, such as mutton and beef, work best for me to provide the greatest pack of nutrients in the smallest amount of food. Pork and poultry just do not provide a good set of nutrients, nor satiety, for me. They are also too high in omega 6 fatty acids. Dairy causes all kinds of problems for me, even butter, cream, and ghee. I get constipation, gut discomfort and distension, and keratosis pilaris.

I have found that although I really love organ meats, I can only have small amounts at a time (like a garnish), or the nutrient overload will be too much and I will get intestinal dumping.

So although eating zero carb keto is still the easiest way by far to get full nutrition and great health than other ways of eating, there is still the need to do some individual tracking and make adjustments as needed.

I have found using Cronometer nutrition tracker and weighing my food has been very helpful to track fat content. Although still a lot of it is a judgment call, since variations within the same cut can have wildly different amounts of fat. I am over two years into this way of eating, and still learning. I am trying to learn how to judge just by mouth feel how much fat is in my meat, so I can tell if I need to cut some fat off, or add some fat.

I also feel like salt is a Goldilocks zone too. It is bad to have too little salt, because your digestive system needs it to make stomach acid. But too much salt can cause problems too! And various salts have different amounts of nutrients, so it is important to experiment.

Same with mineral waters. I have found many mineral waters contain too much calcium in relation to other electrolytes, and they can cause pretty bad headaches for me.

So even though just meat and water is theoretically easy, there are still so many variables within that to get it just perfect!