Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky...
I went on an egg fast last week, something I do from time to time, and wanted to share my results with you.
In the past I've been hesitant to discuss egg fasts here. I realize that egg fasts are a little controversial in the mainstream. They seem a little fad-crash diety. I get that. They're pretty accepted in the keto and low carb communities though. They can be a great tool to jump start a low carb or keto plan and are helpful at breaking a weight loss plateau too. For myself, I have no issues with them as a short-term tool in a more balanced approach.
That said, what exactly is an egg fast? Well, you'll find multiple definitions around the net, so I'll give you mine. An egg fast is a short period of time, usually 1 to 3 days, that you consume 3 to 4 eggs per meal plus up to 1 tablespoon of healthy fat OR 1 ounce of cheese per egg. And that's it. Water, tea, coffee, and all spices that don't contain sugar are fine. Pink Himalayan salt is often encouraged. Fats to include are coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, grass-fed butter or ghee, and avocado oil mayo.
So, what do egg fast meals look like then? Well, I usually keep it simple. I'm going to be sick of eggs by the end of it no matter what, so I stick to a few meals. I normally do 4 eggs fried in coconut oil and keto coffee for breakfast. Egg salad made with avocado oil mayo for lunch (plus another keto coffee sometimes). Then, either an omelet, keto deviled eggs, or more egg salad for dinner. Sticking with the 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of fat ratio (OR 1 ounce cheese, though I don't do well with dairy so I don't do cheese much). Occasionally, I'll do some egg fast pancakes if I'm really struggling to get through. I add pink himalayan salt and pepper to all of these, but otherwise no spices. Sometimes mustard in the egg salad. Like I said, simple. It's tough enough making separate meals for myself.
OK, so my most recent egg fast, I'll share exactly what I did and I even tracked this time, which I don't usually do during an egg fast because you really don't have to, so I'll share my macros and calories. But first, my results...
I did an egg fast for 4 days, but only lost weight the first 3. Which reinforces what I'd previously thought in that 3 days really is the sweet spot for an egg fast for me. I started out at 206 and ended at 200.6. That's 5.4 pounds lost. Considering I was at a complete stand-still when I started I'm beyond pleased with that.
This time around I ate the same thing every day. I had: 4 eggs fried in coconut oil, plus 2 keto coffees with 1 scoop of this each. Since that has caffeine in it I make it with decaf kcups (these are the only kind of decaf I like) because I have to keep my caffeine in check in my old age. Now, that keto coffee isn't exactly by-the-book egg fast, it adds a couple of carbs, but my results were still fine and I realllllly love it. I put it in the blender and it's like a keto vanilla latte at home. Hey, whatever gets you through your egg fast! For lunch I'd have 3 to 4 boiled eggs (depending on hunger levels) and 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayo plus a little mustard for a keto egg salad. Usually in the afternoon I'd have 2 more keto coffees with 1 scoop each of my new obsession. Then, for dinner I usually just had egg salad again because I'd boil extra eggs at lunch. Again, 3 or 4 eggs depending on hunger levels with 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayo. I did plenty of water and no snacking. I wasn't hungry in between meals. It's best not to snack if you can avoid it.
So, day 1 my carbs were 15 grams, calories 1921, and macros 76% fat, 21% protein, and 3% carbs. I lost 2.2 pounds. Day 2 my carbs were 15, my calories were 2121, and my macros were 76% fat, 21 % protein, and 3% carbs. I lost 1.2 pounds. Day 3 my carbs were 15, my calories were 1917, and my macros were 73% fat, 24 percent protein (I did some collagen in my coffee), and 3% carbs. I lost 2 more pounds day 3. Day 4 was identical to day 2, but I lost no weight. In light of that I'll be sticking to 3 days from now on. No use suffering through only eggs an extra day for me.
For exercise I kept up with my morning walks. I did 2 to 3 miles each morning.
Day 2 I was pretty low energy, but by days 3 and 4 I noticed a marked improvement in my energy levels from even normal. I felt pretty amazing. The biggest thing I noticed was a little bit of an attitude boost from the scale actually moving. Lets be honest, that's what I needed. I know I shouldn't focus on the scale, I know I should focus on the process, and I know I shouldn't let the scale mess with my attitude, but...it was. I knew an egg fast would make the scale drop and that would give me the dose of encouragement I needed right now. Meh. I'm OK with that.
I have greatly pondered what makes an egg fast work. That is why this time around I decided to track. I really wanted to see what I can learn from egg fasting that I can apply to my normal keto approach to help with the weight loss stall I've been experiencing. Interestingly enough, the calories were higher than I would have expected. Normally I do not lose weight at 1800-2000 calories. The carbs were below what I normally do and the fat was a bit higher. That's what I'll be taking from this moving forward. I'll be experimenting with keeping my carbs 15 or below, my calories 1800-1900, and my fats 75 to 80% for a while and see what that does. I've also decided to cycle off and on an egg fast for a few weeks. Probably 2 or 3 days on and 2 or 3 days off.
It's time to see some progress again!
