A patient just sent this picture to me this evening. I got a good laugh out of it.
It brought up a couple of principles. So, Seriously, take just a moment and admire this pile of bacon. . .
- First, it’s important that we take a moment and think about what is important in life. What really makes you tick? To those of us following a ketogenic lifestyle (low carb, moderate protein & high fat living), this represents food, fuel, taste and a great conversation tool. This pile of bacon forces one to think about what is really important in ones life.
This pile of bacon represents 2-3 weeks of breakfasts.
It represents wonderful flavor for a salad.
It becomes something wonderful to dip in guacamole.
Second, how much of this bacon can one following a ketogenic lifestyle have at a meal? That depends upon your need of protein. We base our basic protein need on a persons calculated ideal body weight. (No, your ideal body weight is not the weight you’re supposed to reach! It is a calculation based on height that gives us a starting point fro protein needs).
Many people have asked me how to calculate ideal body weight this week. I’ve provided the calculation below:
Ideal Body Weight (IBW) – Estimated in (kg)
Males: IBW = 50 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
Males: IBW = 50 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
Females: IBW = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
The average female needs 1.0 g of protein per kg of ideal body weight per day.
The average male needs 1.2 g protein per kg of ideal body weight per day.
If you are exercising more than 60 minutes 5 days per week then those values increase to 1.4 grams per kg for females and 1.6 grams per kg for males.
Example:
A 6 foot male’s IBW would be 50 kg + (2.3kg x 12 inches) = 77.6 kg
A 5 foot 4 inch females IBW would be 45.5 kg + (2.3kg x 4 inches) = 54.7 kg.
If you eat three times per day, then simply divide your IBW by 3 to get the maximum protein you need per meal.
I hope that helps.