Egg Challenge

adwred · Egg Challenge

Ok, I'm going on an egg challenge.

I'm not exactly sure of the start date. I'm feeling like tomorrow should be the day, but honestly, I have cream and yogurt still in the fridge that I don't want to abandon. I will think on this tonight. I may wait until they're all gone and then go for it. Or I may just say screw it and start tomorrow, as patience is not my strong suit.

My challenge will be as follows:

For one week (possibly two, depending on how it's going) I will eat nothing but eggs and just enough fat to cook them in, primarily butter.

I will season with salt and pepper, spices and hot sauce, as desired, but with nothing else (I'll limit the amount - I'm talking about a dash or sprinkle, not loads).

I will also drink coffee and tea (black) and lots of water.

I may or may not take a multivitamin. I have had bad experiences with them in the past (particularly those containing iron), but I'll update you when I decide.

I will record my food in fitday, as to keep track of calories, etc. but I won't limit the eggs - I'll just eat as often as I'm hungry and until I'm full.

Sound good? Anyone else want to take part? Grin

Are those crickets I hear? Laugh

Avalon

adwred, if I weren't already doing my IF, I'd be there with you, honestly! Totally up my alley. Shock

Hey, keep it clean Happy

I didn't know you had a problem with multi-vitamins. I don't know if you can tweak it, but since this is an open forum and I've already voiced some concern another place, cover at least vitamin C which you know is not present.

Either way, I wish you the best. And am eager to hear how things go.

Best to you,
Avalon Happy

adwred

Yes, multivitamins cause intense nausea for me. I think it's the zinc, as zinc alone can make me feel like vomiting within 10 minutes of taking it. Also I once experienced a 15-day bout of constipation that I realized had started when I began taking an iron-containing multivitamin. I do take Vitamin C, but therapeutically when I'm getting sick and then it's 1 g per hour. Usually takes care of it quite quickly. Although I don't often get sick on this WOE! I do find that I can get rebound histamine reactions from taking ascorbic acid, as it's a cofactor in so many detox pathways. Itchy eyes, runny nose, etc.

I totally get what you're saying - why not take it if it doesn't hurt? I'm just really weary of taking supplements (especially multivitamins, as I don't feel much thought is given to the proportions and doesn't take into consideration how much of anything is already coming from diet). Supplementation can throw your balance off so quickly, especially when you have sensitivities to chemicals, like me. Take too much or not enough of the wrong thing and you can be antagonizing multiple nutrients all at once and causing deficiencies! Support the wrong function with too much of a cofactor and you'll end up throwing your whole system out of whack. Supplementation isn't as harmless as people think, IMO.

I wish I knew. I feel great and my health doesn't seem to be suffering from a lack of vitamins. Dunno

I appreciate that I don't know everything on the subject, though and I'm always open to hearing new things! Yup

adwred

Yesterday was an all-egg day, with the addition of cream in coffee - a total of 3 tbsp through the day. Not bad! I didn't have any raw eggs, but I should consider doing that, as it will probably improve the nutrient profile of this diet.

My brother has invited me over for a Beltaine dinner this coming Monday, where there will be pork roast. Beltaine (May Day) is particularly important to him, so I'm going to start my challenge on Tuesday, in order to celebrate with him. And he makes a damn fine pork roast that I do not want to miss. I will mostly eat eggs until that day, just to 'train' myself! Yup

Weee!

Avalon

Hey adwred, I generally don't take supps. Don't know if they're good or bad. I've read both. And as you say, you upset the balance. However, by eating eggs only
you're already changing the balance. Well if it's only a short run, there probably wouldn't be any problem. DOHHH!!!

BlackLabelSimian

Good luck, Red!

If I had read this before, it would've answered my question about deviled eggs in the other thread. lol

ReddyMcMeaty

I'm taking part for 5 days. I just puffed up with at least 15 lbs of water and am feeling ridiculous. My legs feel like sausages that are going to burst when I try to bend them more than 90 degrees.
lets hear it for icy eggnog

adwred

Are you starting today? I'm starting on Tuesday. Eggs are supposed to be great for pregnant women, due to folate.

http://wisewitch.blogspot.com/2006/07/egg-deficiency.html

ReddyMcMeaty

I'm starting Tomorrow, it's too late today to start. Yeah I remember when I first found out about my first pregnancy being relieved because although I hadn't taken any vitamins I had been chugging down the raw eggs like there was no tomorrow. I'm not worried at all about any deficiencies, first of all it's 5 days and second of all it's EGGS and a lot of them will be raw I think.. I THINK. We'll see. Is lemon concentrate a condiment? I'm planning on drinking a dilute brew of tea and lemon. Looking forward to emptying myself of this water.

Avalon

adwred, do you have any links to these mythic egg only tales? Not questioning, I want to know, I need to know, I have to go Grin

adwred

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0887/is_n5_v10/ai_10894447

This study writes him off as an anomoly because he has this crazy ability to convert cholesterol - maybe it's because he's keto adapted and has been eating 25 eggs a day for 15 years!

adwred

So my challenge starts tomorrow. I would really like to do this without coffee and tea, so I will begin the challenge totally clean and then add them in if I find it's too much of a challenge. Today I've had nothing but eggs and dinner will be pork roast. I also had three raw egg yolks, diluted with a little water, for breakfast, which were better than I thought they'd be.

adwred

Should I kick thing off with a water or tea fast? I'm just feeling particularly fat and bloated today and want to rid myself of yesterday's mistakes. Dunno

I'll see where the day takes me.

ReddyMcMeaty

you do find tea makes you unbloat? I am still retaining water like crazy. I made a mistake yesterday too... just by not thinking. I hadn't had breakfast (no big deal) and in the store my son was feeding me his pretzle!!!!! I had eaten a lot of it before realizing UM SHIT I'M ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE EATING EGGS. So Roll Eyes

They're not tasting very good to me anymore.. I think I need to make myself hungrier. Yesterday I ate egg sushi though, I made an egg piece and sliced it and ate with soy and ginger and wasabi.

I'm having coffee and tea.

adwred

I think the fact that they get unappealing is supposed to be what helps you to calorie-control. But if you vary the method of cooking (poached or maybe raw for breakfast, scrambled for lunch, fried over-easy or baked or boiled for dinner... etc.), then you might be able to still eat a substantial amount.

Don't worry about the pretzle. I'm only starting today, so we can start officially together. Laugh

And even if you do eat something - the idea is all eggs... I'm not sure it's vital that you consume nothing but eggs. Just nothing else significant. I'm going to try to be very strict with it, though, since weight loss is the major point of this for me.

And yes, I find tea unbloating.

Avalon

Good luck you two. Yup

I always knew you were good eggs Grin

adwred

So day one ended up looking like this:

Calories: 405
Fat: 28g
Sat: 10g
Poly: 4g
Mono: 10g
Carbs: 4g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 31g

I had 5 eggs, scrambled at noon, then didn't feel the need to eat again.

And I'm not hungry this morning... Confused

400 calories is a bit extreme. Fine for a day or two, but not exactly a good long term amount.

adwred

Day 2:

Calories: 926
Fat: 66 g
Sat: 24 g
Poly: 8 g
Mono: 24 g
Carbs: 9 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 69 g

I had 6 scrambled eggs for dinner at 8 pm and could barely finish them. I felt I should have that many, though, due to such low calories for the day. I scrambled them in goat butter! Totally yum. Tasted almost like a really mild goat cheese was melted in, but I didn't use very much, so more butter would be even better. Well... when is more butter not better? Laugh

I'm just trying to make the bulk of my calories come from eggs right now. But next time, I will use more, I think.

I can't believe how little I'm eating and not getting hungry. It's seriously blowing my mind. I'm liking it. It's about time I started having some self-control. Just goes to show - I don't overeat because I'm a piglet (contrary to what I've been feeling and always been told), but because there's something in the food I've been eating that's making me overeat. And it's obviously not just carbs. Not that I can eat carbs, but there's something in some zero carb food that's making me want to eat more than I need and also making me hang on to weight.

Now, to figure out what the culprit is... Only time will tell.

adwred

For some reason runny yolks are seeming gross to me, now. Only scrambled and hard boiled are appealing to me. Which most definitely isn't as healthy. But I figure whatever keeps me eating eggs should be encouraged. Maybe I'll try to slip some raw yolks in there somewhere.

Cavemate K

'Red,

Your challenge makes me think of the movie "Cool Hand Luke." Ever seen it before? One of it's most famous scenes is when prison inmate Paul Newman bets the other inmates that he can eat fifty eggs in one sitting without throwing up. Then again, maybe you should see it AFTER your challenge! Laugh

Anyway, good luck! We're pulling for you!

adwred

adwred

Day 3:

Calories: 812
Fat: 57 g
Sat: 20 g
Poly: 7 g
Mono: 21 g
Carbs: 8 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 63 g

And still no real hunger. I may end up eating more on the weekend because there's more free time, therefore, more time to eat. But really there's only so many eggs one can eat in a day. I'll let my appetite tell me what to do. And I'll continue to fast intermitently, wherever I can.

Oh yeah, and goat butter still rules.

Red Heart

the egg challenge. I think this is the first challenge I've actually enjoyed. Laugh

Peter_UofIllinois

Count me in for the egg challenge! Breakfast today was 8 scrambled eggs. Only water to drink.

Apart from one restaurant meal with a friend this coming Tuesday (I plan to order meat), I plan to stay on the egg challenge for the next week or two. I'm particularly curious to see what effect the diet will have on my skin - my rosacea and dry skin never completely cleared up when I was eating mostly steak and ground beef.

So just eggs. No coffee/tea, salt, spices, condiments, or dairy. Just a small amount of cooking spray (canola oil based) to keep the eggs from sticking to the pan.

adwred

So you're a die hard phase 1 egger, eh? I'm a phase two egger with salt, pepper and butter. Good on you!

adwred

Day 4

Cals: 1105
Fat: 76 g
Sat: 25 g
Poly: 10 g
Mono: 28 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 88 g

I haven't eaten the last bit of that yet - I'm only at 880 calories right now, but I've decided to splurge ( Roll Eyes

) and have 3 hard boiled eggs tonight as a snack while we watch movies, seeing as it's Friday night. Whooppeeee, party time. Wink

BlackLabelSimian

And the egg merriness rolls on... Laugh

Great job, Red!

adwred

Day 5 (yesterday):

Calories: 410
Fat: 28 g
Sat: 10 g
Poly: 4 g
Mono: 10 g
Carbs: 5 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 31 g

adwred

Day 6:

Calories: 1101
Fat: 77 g
Sat: 22 g
Poly: 15 g
Mono: 28 g
Carbs: 15 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 83 g

This is a little higher than usual (but still grossly low) because I'm factoring a tablespoon of unknown fat (probably veg oil) in the restaurant-made omelette I had this morning. May have been more - may have been less. But this is probably a good estimation.

Scout Finch

Go Ova!!

adwred

Weeee!

Scout Finch

Ovared, I can't believe how many folks you are inspiring. I had eggs (with bacon, sorry) Sad

as my "fast" meal at 5 p.m. today. Maybe I'll just stick with eggs until you guys are done, in "solidarity." Yup

I hope Ovalon is hanging in there! Looks like Peter of Ovanois is joining you. Yup

Avalon

Ovalon is jumping ship. Sorry. Very happy about the weight loss though. But now I must follow a different path. The Path of Two Day Food Rotation. Never would have thought of this if it weren't for Ovared Happy

But Ovospeed to you Scout! BACON!!!

adwred

I think Barb's on board, too, so she can replace you Xeta. Razz

As for me, I've eaten so many eggs this week, I'm starting to feel like I'm turning into one. But with boobs.

BlackLabelSimian

The Eggolution continues... Laugh

adwred

Well, today's the last day of the first week of my challenge. 9.5 lbs lost so far. Shock

It's working so well that I've decided to definitely take it to 2 weeks. If I can, why not, yes?

Although, by a week today, I might be dead of starvation because I can't bring myself to eat anymore fucking eggs. Laugh

Any suggestions for a first non-egg meal are welcome. Wink

I'm going to start fantasizing about it already. I'm thinking sashimi at a sushi restaurant, maybe, because I'll need a night out by the time I'm done all this. I'd be sure to order some flying fish caviar, to pay hommage to the theme of the prior two weeks. Laugh

Scout Finch

adwred

Scout Finch

For the last of it, you might be looking at weight training. Pumping iron really does burn it up and can do so fairly quickly. Not a lot - a couple of times a week for 30-40 minutes would probably do it in maintenance.

But if you can get to 140 or 137 with this plan, you can play around with activity and see what is manageable over the long haul as well. I mean, shit, I'm a size 2 or a 4 depending on the brand, and I'm 5'6. I think without any exercise I'd be up to a 6 or an 8, which would still be fine, but it's the exercise that can really "compact" everything after you get the food issues down.

Interesting point about food sensitivities and stalls. It's true that for most of us on M/E, we have very limited menus - I know I do - so we are automatically excluding lots of foods that may trigger weird metabolic or systemic reactions, perhaps not even just the carby stuff is doing it. And just by decreasing the numbers and kinds of foods, you are limiting choices, thereby calories. As you can see with the Ova Diet. I think, like you, I'd be kinda gaggy doing it for a while too.

adwred

Yeah - I"ve actually been doing some HIIT and HIT lifting pretty regularly over the last few months, but could stand to up the ante. I started doing it back when I found that zero-carb just wasn't enough to get the weight moving. Even with the exercise, I haven't had much success, although, I find my stamina and lung capacity are way way better now, which is enough of a benefit to keep going. I'm not as dedicated to it as I should be (if I were more dedicated, I probably would have lost a couple of pounds just from the exercise alone), but adopting more activity isn't completely foreign to me, so I will definitely include it in my maintenance plan. I haven't been working out this week though. The idea of the egg challenge, IF and working out hard combined was just too much for me. Laugh

My very very favourite form of exercise is rock climbing but I haven't done it in ages - I will start this up again if I can find a gym closer to my new digs. Yup

Since you need a partner, it's also been hard because Squeeze has been going through a really unhealthy "Doritos, pizza and big late-night bowls of sugary cereal" phase and rock climbing is probably about as appealing right now, to him, as having his testicles put through a meat grinder.

BlackLabelSimian

Ouch.

Just for the record...Had bacon, eggs and butter for lunch today. lol

adwred

Day 7:

Calories: 878
Fat: 61g
Sat: 21g
Poly: 8g
Mono: 23g
Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 69g

Avalon

Good morning all! First post of the day and of course my first thought are about food and weight loss Roll Eyes

Adwred, can you break that 878 down for us into your meals, coffee etc. Are you counting the butter? How many eggs did you have? How much coffee?

adwred

Sure.

I count everything in fitday (except hot sauce and salt) so all of the below has been plugged in.

Yesterday, I had 2 instant coffees and 2 cups of tea, throughout the day.

Brunch was 5 eggs, scrambled in just over a teaspoon of butter.

Dinner was 6 eggs, soft-boiled, no butter.

Most days are similar to this. Sometimes I have a bit more coffee and/or tea. Sometimes I have only 5 eggs for dins. Sometimes nothing. But most days follow this pattern. On the days when I've had extra calories, I'm having 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs at night as a snack. I don't often feel the need for that, though.

siouxcountry

I'd be starving eating twice that amount. So what was exactly your diet before this challenge? 8.5 pounds is alot of weight to lose in one week. Congrats on your success!

adwred

My diet just prior to this was all meat and water, with salt and limited seasonings. Way more calories but still zero carb. And thanks!

adwred

OK, decided to trial a splenda today. Had one packet in an iced instant coffee. Mistake! Was starving and irritable less than 3 hours later. Ended up having 2 extra eggs with dinner as a result. Splenda will not be on my plan from this point on. There's one thing I can cross off my list.

Day 8:

Calories: 1110
Fat: 77 g
Sat: 26 g
Poly: 10 g
Mono: 29 g
Carbs: 11 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 88 g

Avalon

Good! Splenda is Satan spelled on another planet!

What about xylitol, though it's been around for ages, I only learned of it last week and it's supposed to be good for teeth! Quick search link:

http://www.xlear.com/xylosweet/articles/net-carbs.aspx

I thought I was eating more than you before, I didn't know you were eating two- 5 or 6 egg meals. I was having 7 eggs! No wonder I nearly ordered a pizza from emergency Grin

adwred

Some days I've just been having one meal. But generally two.

Boondawgle

adwred

I'm staying away from all sugar substitutes from now on - maybe some on a special occasion like a bday or xmas or that sort of thing. But generally, I won't be using them to kill carb-cravings because it does just encourage your sweet tooth. I think giving them up for this challenge has been part of what's made it work so well for me.

adwred

So anyone here have any ideas of why this egg thing has been working for me, while meat and water didn't? I am fascinated by it. Do you think it's the eggs, or the fact that I'm doing a mono diet that's killing my appetite and letting my shed the weight so quickly? I'm interested in hearing any thoughts about this. I have my theories, which I've touched on (about insulin index, etc.), but there may be another reason I'm not thinking of.

BlackLabelSimian

adwred

No, I think it's a valid point. I think it goes beyond calorie restriction, because I've been this low cal before and never had these results. But that is def. playing a big role here and speeding the weight loss along, for sure.

BlackLabelSimian

Another thing I once read went to the effect of "The humble egg is the perfect food, pound for pound."
Some would probably debate that, but maybe for some people, like yourself, it truly is?

Scout Finch

I agree. I think it's the fact that you are on VLC (very low calorie) plus something about the eggs specifically. Sheesh, at the rate you're going, you'll be "disappearing" yourself if you're not careful! Yup

Your weight loss for the week was astonishing, ova. Really nice work. Yup

BlackLabelSimian

Red,

In your honor I am indeed having deviled eggs to celebrate your -10 lbs. Laugh

Avalon

Eggs, when cooked are fluffy and light and Meat when cooked is solid and weighs about a ton .5 and is grey and even when raw is not as spongey and,(takes breath) fluffy like and egg is when it's cooked or over-easy it just slips on out like it was never there, you know? And stuff Laugh

adwred

adwred

Day 9:

Cals: 804
Fat: 62 g
Sat: 20 g
Poly: 8 g
Mono: 23 g
Carbs: 7 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 51 g

Avalon

I wasn't even drinking when I wrote that Grin

adwred

adwred

Ate way more butter than usual today in an attempt to up my fat to lean ratio.

Day 10:

Calories: 1168
Fat: 98 g
Sat: 49 g
Poly: 7 g
Mono: 31 g
Carbs: 11 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 52 g

adwred

Had a challenging day yesterday with cravings and emotional outbursts Laugh

but today I'm feeling much better and still happy to be rockin' the eggs. Yup

Today makes 11 lbs lost so far.

jl53563

Wow, nice work Red.

adwred

Thank you, Jeff! Now just 10 more before I'm where I started when I began zero carb... Confused

jl53563

Just keep shovelling down the eggs! Laugh

adwred

Day 11:

Calories: 817.

I'm not going to bother posting the rest. It's the same old story! Laugh

Except I had a small cheat and don't want to post the rest!

Avalon

adwred wrote:

adwred

A mango-flavoured seductress. That I will dream about for eternity.

adwred

So 11 days wasn't bad for this challenge. Went longer than the planned week, but not as far as the 2 weeks that I thought I might do.

But the challenge isn't over! Oh no! This egg challenge continues - from now till I reach goal and beyond! With occasional planned zero-carb meals when it's necessary for social purposes and for continued mental health. Laugh

What a ride this has been. I'm so glad I did it. I have learned invaluable things about my body and am so happy I will have eggs as a main part of my diet in order to control my weight more easily.

Success!

Thanks, everyone for your support!

Big Hug

to all.

barb0324

You did great, Red! And I thank you for posting in detail what you were doing, it gave me inspiration and hope when I had none left.

I will have egg days from now on, whenever I have nothing else planned. It will break up the routine.

Right now I find soft boiled eggs very appealing, they taste so good with just a sprinkle of the salt substitute, I actually look forward to tomorrow morning! Yup

Thank you! Big Hug

Nicola · egg diet becide loosing weight...

What is more interesting is how does it work as far as "left overs" eating just egg? Didn't that make a change to eating meat as well?

adwred

You're asking if I ate leftovers on all-egg or if I had to cook every meal just before eating? Maybe I'm not understanding!

Scout Finch

It's definitely a calorie-restricted diet, which is the healthiest. It's much healthier than a carb-heavy CR diet, and I'm thinking there's nothing wrong with doing it long-term if you can manage it. How is your energy level maintaining? Do you feel differently energy-wise from when you did the meat/water plan?

Nice work, ova! Keep going! Yup

adwred

I don't have quite the same energy for working out in intense bursts, but it could be that I'm still adjusting to the reduced calories. I haven't had the same urge to work out, either. I've had to force myself more. But in terms of everyday energy, I feel I have more of it. My moods are better, too. And my sex drive is increasing (although I've been taking the maca, as well, so I'm not sure which one is responsible, there). And I'm needing less sleep, too.

Scout Finch

Reading your FitDay numbers and how you're doing made me start thinking about calorie needs in general. How many calories do we really need? I mean, the calorie "recommendations" come from the USDA (??Canadian equivalent I don't know, sorry), and we all know how "expert" they are with the Food Pyramid. I suppose scientifically they worked it out decades ago how much the body "needs" for reparation, energy, BMR, etc. But many of us can lose weight by doing ZC or LC without exercise, meaning we are feeding off our body fat, making ingestion of excess calories unnecessary.

Just eggs for thought!

Go ova! Yup

ReddyMcMeaty

I find that when I really restrict calories I sleep much less too. I just think that your body uses less energy to process food.

Nicola

Sorry "left over's" is what Mr. Groves www.second-opinions.co.uk calls "the plop" at the end.

I have stoped eating cheese because the casein forms "left over" and is refered to causing constipation. ("Bear" has some text on that)

Mr. Groves wrote me (he eats cheese) that there is no need to eat cheese. Salt is made of sodium and chlorine. We need sodium as well as potassium to regulate the fluid balance in our body's cells. The hydrochricacid our stomachs make to break down proteins needs a supply of chlorine. That sodium and chloine has to come from food. Only fresh unbled meat has salt (which is seldem the case) has salt. Eating salt is not harmful; it is positively beneficial.

Well not eating cheese has opend a big need for fatty meat (I like swimming and could not eaven get to the pool on egg!). I can see what living out the casein does when I rince my collon; that is the best proof on what you think, do and how things end up!

adwred

No, I don't have constipation on all-egg. I certainly don't go very frequently, but I don't need to go as frequently. My need to go is about the same as on all-meat, but much less than when I include yogurt in my diet.

adwred

I'm still doing the egg challenge with the only new addition being cream (questionable!!) and occasional sashimi.

Vesna

Red, did you lose weight on this? How long did you keep it up? How were you afterwards -- did you experience post-restriction rebound, or did you have normal appetites?

adwred

No, my appetite didn't rebound, but I did go on a meat and dairy binge after this because I missed it so badly. I did lose weight, but the weight came back once I reintroduced meat. I also suspect I shredded some muscle while doing this because I lost so much weight so quickly and because my total caloric intake was scary low. If I ever tried an egg fast again, I'd make sure I was eating a certain number of grams of protein and fat per day and a certain number of calories, too.

Egg Challenge

egg diet becide loosing weight...