The late great Dr. Atkins was a very clever man, no question! He outlined the fat fast for those of his patients who struggle to lose weight on any diet, let alone his low-carb, ketogenic diet. He really cared about his patients, all of them, and wanted to help them achieve their weight loss goals. Believe it or not, this problem of metabolic resistance to weight loss is quite common and it is even more common for doctors to blame their patients and tell them that they must be cheating or lying about their food quantities consumed. It is frustrating for patients and doctors alike. Many simply give up and patients feel like failures in the weight loss department.
Warning: Again, let me reiterate the warning that this particular approach is not for people who lose normally on ketogenic diets (even if slowly). One can lose too much weight (water and minerals in particular) and cause a major electrolyte imbalance, which can be very dangerous.
Dr. Atkins sample menu is thus:
Each little meal has about 200 calories.
I don't know if it is just me, but some of the food choices for fat fasting seemed scarily unappetizing to me - and definitely not a "diet" I would happily embark on, even for a few days at a time. My feelings of deprivation and the resulting rebelliousness in me would derail me time and again. Hunger is generally not a problem while Fat Fasting, however, boredom with food choices or dissatisfaction with the amount of food allowed can occur.
One ounce of macadamia nuts or macadamia nut butter (most people would like the former suggestion.)
Two ounces of cream cheese or Brie (Brie is probably okay, but has anyone ever tried to choke down 2 oz of plain cream cheese?)
One ounce of tuna or chicken salad with two teaspoons of mayonnaise served in one-quarter of an avocado. (This does sound nice!)
Two ounces of sour cream and two tablespoons black or red caviar (Ugh, I dislike that salty fish egg stuff. Maybe one could put something else in the sour cream?)
Two and a half ounces whipped heavy cream topped with sucralose zero-calorie syrup. (Hmmm, not so bad, but still it would feel like I was eating "nothing")
Two ounces of pate (ewww - just me again, probably)
Two egg yolks (hard boiled) with one tablespoon of mayonnaise (this would be palatable to me)
This menu suggestion did not give me enough choices or make me think: Yum!, so I set about trying to find some other ideas.
I notice, I did use some recipes from Splendid Low-Carbing, so both Splendid Low-Carbing and More Splendid Low-Carbing would be necessary purchases to get the most out of these menus for a Fat Fast for a severely "metabolically resistant to weight loss" person. Here is a sampling of some of the menu ideas put forth in my cookbook, however, with the help of Fitday.com which is free (can also purchase for a nominal fee - much nicer and easier!) one can mix and match at will to suit one's own tastes or to help coincide with whatever one has in the pantry and refrigerator or freezer at the time.
Menu #1
Strawberry Milk Shake (135 cal; 1.9g pro; 12.8g fat; 2.5g carbs)
French Omelet with (234.2 cal; 13.0g pro; 19.2g fat; 1.9g carbs
1 oz Cheddar cheese (114.1 cal; 7.1g pro; 9.4g fat; 0.4g carbs)
Chicken and Spicy Aovocado Dressing
(268 cal; 15.6g pro; 21.4g fat; 3.4g carbs)
Avocado Walnut Salad (185.2 cal; 3.0g pro; 17.5g fat; 5.2g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis of Menu #1:
(936.5 calories; 40.6g protein; 80.3g fat; 12.4g carbs; 76.8 % fat)
Menu #2
Hot Chocolate (190.6 cal; 2.3g pro; 19.5g fat, 2.5g carbs)
Shrimp Spread and half a cup cucumber
(234.7 cal; 6.4g pro; 22.5g fat, 2.3g carbs)
Chunky Egg Salad (254.8 cal; 10.2 g pro; 22.5g fat; 2.7g carbs)
Taco Dog (251.3 cal; 13.2 g pro; 20.1g fat; 4.3g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #2
(931.4 calories; 32.1g protein; 84.6g fat; 11.8g carbs; 81.1% fat)
Menu #3 (easy)
Mock Danish (248.4 cal; 8.5g pro; 22.9g fat, 2.2g carbs)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight
(236.4 cal; 7.7g; 22.0g fat; 2.9g carbs)
1 hard boiled egg, 1/2 cup sliced cucumber, 1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
(226.2 cal; 7.1g pro; 21.0g fat; 2.3g carbs)
1/4 cup whipping cream in tea/coffee during the day, plus 2 tsp of peanut butter (nice with the tea or coffee)
(242.1 cal; 3.5g pro; 24.3g fat; 3.4g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #3:
(953.1 calories; 26.8g protein; 90.2g fat; 10.8g carbs; 84.3% fat)
and one last menu, as I'm getting tired...
Menu #4
Chocolate Glazed Protein Bar
(222.0 cal; 9.0g pro, 19.0g fat; 4.6g carbs)
Bacon Cheese Spread with 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
(183.5 cal; 7.9g pro; 15.8g fat; 2.2g carbs)
Scrambled Egg Bake (225.5 cal; 11.6g pro; 18.7g fat; 2.5 g carbs)
Deluxe White Chocolate (Recipe to be found in this blog)
(4 pieces) (147.2 cal; 4.4g pro; 13.6g fat; 2.4g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #4:
(979 calories; 35.6g protein; 87.9g fat; 13.4g carbs; 80.2% fat)
Warning: Again, let me reiterate the warning that this particular approach is not for people who lose normally on ketogenic diets (even if slowly). One can lose too much weight (water and minerals in particular) and cause a major electrolyte imbalance, which can be very dangerous.
Dr. Atkins sample menu is thus:
Each little meal has about 200 calories.
I don't know if it is just me, but some of the food choices for fat fasting seemed scarily unappetizing to me - and definitely not a "diet" I would happily embark on, even for a few days at a time. My feelings of deprivation and the resulting rebelliousness in me would derail me time and again. Hunger is generally not a problem while Fat Fasting, however, boredom with food choices or dissatisfaction with the amount of food allowed can occur.
One ounce of macadamia nuts or macadamia nut butter (most people would like the former suggestion.)
Two ounces of cream cheese or Brie (Brie is probably okay, but has anyone ever tried to choke down 2 oz of plain cream cheese?)
One ounce of tuna or chicken salad with two teaspoons of mayonnaise served in one-quarter of an avocado. (This does sound nice!)
Two ounces of sour cream and two tablespoons black or red caviar (Ugh, I dislike that salty fish egg stuff. Maybe one could put something else in the sour cream?)
Two and a half ounces whipped heavy cream topped with sucralose zero-calorie syrup. (Hmmm, not so bad, but still it would feel like I was eating "nothing")
Two ounces of pate (ewww - just me again, probably)
Two egg yolks (hard boiled) with one tablespoon of mayonnaise (this would be palatable to me)
This menu suggestion did not give me enough choices or make me think: Yum!, so I set about trying to find some other ideas.
I notice, I did use some recipes from Splendid Low-Carbing, so both Splendid Low-Carbing and More Splendid Low-Carbing would be necessary purchases to get the most out of these menus for a Fat Fast for a severely "metabolically resistant to weight loss" person. Here is a sampling of some of the menu ideas put forth in my cookbook, however, with the help of Fitday.com which is free (can also purchase for a nominal fee - much nicer and easier!) one can mix and match at will to suit one's own tastes or to help coincide with whatever one has in the pantry and refrigerator or freezer at the time.
Menu #1
Strawberry Milk Shake (135 cal; 1.9g pro; 12.8g fat; 2.5g carbs)
French Omelet with (234.2 cal; 13.0g pro; 19.2g fat; 1.9g carbs
1 oz Cheddar cheese (114.1 cal; 7.1g pro; 9.4g fat; 0.4g carbs)
Chicken and Spicy Aovocado Dressing
(268 cal; 15.6g pro; 21.4g fat; 3.4g carbs)
Avocado Walnut Salad (185.2 cal; 3.0g pro; 17.5g fat; 5.2g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis of Menu #1:
(936.5 calories; 40.6g protein; 80.3g fat; 12.4g carbs; 76.8 % fat)
Menu #2
Hot Chocolate (190.6 cal; 2.3g pro; 19.5g fat, 2.5g carbs)
Shrimp Spread and half a cup cucumber
(234.7 cal; 6.4g pro; 22.5g fat, 2.3g carbs)
Chunky Egg Salad (254.8 cal; 10.2 g pro; 22.5g fat; 2.7g carbs)
Taco Dog (251.3 cal; 13.2 g pro; 20.1g fat; 4.3g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #2
(931.4 calories; 32.1g protein; 84.6g fat; 11.8g carbs; 81.1% fat)
Menu #3 (easy)
Mock Danish (248.4 cal; 8.5g pro; 22.9g fat, 2.2g carbs)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight
(236.4 cal; 7.7g; 22.0g fat; 2.9g carbs)
1 hard boiled egg, 1/2 cup sliced cucumber, 1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
(226.2 cal; 7.1g pro; 21.0g fat; 2.3g carbs)
1/4 cup whipping cream in tea/coffee during the day, plus 2 tsp of peanut butter (nice with the tea or coffee)
(242.1 cal; 3.5g pro; 24.3g fat; 3.4g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #3:
(953.1 calories; 26.8g protein; 90.2g fat; 10.8g carbs; 84.3% fat)
and one last menu, as I'm getting tired...
Menu #4
Chocolate Glazed Protein Bar
(222.0 cal; 9.0g pro, 19.0g fat; 4.6g carbs)
Bacon Cheese Spread with 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
(183.5 cal; 7.9g pro; 15.8g fat; 2.2g carbs)
Scrambled Egg Bake (225.5 cal; 11.6g pro; 18.7g fat; 2.5 g carbs)
Deluxe White Chocolate (Recipe to be found in this blog)
(4 pieces) (147.2 cal; 4.4g pro; 13.6g fat; 2.4g carbs)
Total nutritional analysis for Menu #4:
(979 calories; 35.6g protein; 87.9g fat; 13.4g carbs; 80.2% fat)