***LIVE PUBLIC DRAFT****

This has been way overdue, I solemnly apologise. But here is a sharing of what I actually eat as general breakdown, as an update, over and above my prior writing which was back (in 2020’s). Obviously tired but important reminder here – that this is only a showcase of examples.

Context

For those still new or not aware of my dietary formatting over the last seven (at least, circa 2017 onwards) revolved around Cyclical Keto with Intermittent Fasts both weekdays to weekends the latter which I have started since two years ago as challenge.

How long exactly is my fasting window? 20 hours minimum (from midnight to 9PM the next day) for weekdays. 16-18 hours on weekends with carbohydrates refeed.

Once again, if you are new to this initiative. Please acquaint yourselves with the Start Here page. Implore however, to yourself that this is not a channel for food elitism.

Much of what you are about to see is the bracing and settling in – with the opposite. Clean eating here is defined as – humbly eating that plate clean. Consider reading my Expectations Vs Reality for context.

1/2 – Weekdays LCIF.

Mondays to Fridays. LCIF. Low Carbohydrate + Intermittent Fasts. 20 – 22 hours depending how busy I am, post-work and/or transport delays.

Mains as various options

Let’s begin….where it ends. Usually ~ the fasting window began no later than Midnight. 

Fast forward 20 to 21 hours later then. Just living through the day. Stress and all. Including training. All fasted.

Before I knew it. It’s Ten PM (2200 hours). My breakfast!

This is, in actuality doubles also as a post workout nutrition. Unlike my earlier years of CKD+IF – my gut now has accustomed to solid foods more readily than before. Though some distentions does linger at times, but it is never as bad as throughout in 2018-2023 era.

Depending  on seasons – dry(er) food might be preferable for summers. Short-dated minced meats, eggs, seafoods and saurkraut on the menu. The cold and salty sauerkraut is haven. Cheese – extra sharp cheddar or if I can afford as royalty – feta cheese.

For winters? Defenitely gelatinous cuts, drenched generously in fluids during pressure cooking. Shoulders, legs, trotters, and knuckles.

I shared my example what I consider “Buffer” foods. Which, not as people frivolously thought as such – that these are foods still offering some value. Some more so than others. The winner of them all? Is probably the Beef Brisket bones. The humble budget food award for 2025. 

$4.00 for about 4 kilogram chunks for the brisket bones ….why this have not been hoarded like toilet paper is beyond me. But – YMMV. Some days if you are lucky you’ll get more proteins bits and with smaller bones. Smaller – the better and faster to pressure cook.

Yes, they are actual beef bones. And yes, many parts chewable the longer they’re pressure-cooked.  They’ll eventually turn to “biscuits”.  Don’t expect pork rinds luxury here. But chewy, biscuit like mouth feel.

On top of salt, condiments wise ~ the brisket bone  (alongside gelatinous proteins and fats) are flavourful enough. But I’d consider Ox Stock Cubes (just crumbled) or  feta cheese – if I’m feeling extra rich. Recently I have also been introducing back some plant sources – tomato pesto(s). Though obviously – the seed oils in these being a concern initially – I’d say passable nonetheless, as I’m not gorging an entire jar.

At least 1,000 to 1,500 cals easily! Give or take. Probably down within 15 or 20 minutes.

Dessert

15-20 minute afterwards, sweet tooth begins.

Below are just examples.

Eggs, dessiccated coconut + cheese + gelatin powder

Eggs return here again ~ if  they’re plentiful that is. Two eggs here with creams / sour creams, cheese, desiccated coconuts, gelatin powder any sweeteners both carb based and NNS (usually either Sucralose or aspartame based.

I’d consider sweetened condensed milk as curiously stronger, perhaps that they are concentrated, although curiously too with slight benefit that they are 50% net sugar by weight alone. I don’t guzzling that much in a single sitting is good anyway. At most – teaspoon dollop (10-12g) suffice.

For a more elaborate prep – gelatin powder (20-30g worth) with boiled water, heavy cream, generous amount lime or lemon then sweeteners available either carb based (sweetened condensed milk for instance) are on the menu. For even more frugal flavourings – why not use your Cordial. At least, they work.

For those “lazy but exhausted” days?

Indulgent yet also perilous. No preparation and no cooking? Peanut butter.

Just straight as is till I am full. 700-900 kcals easily. Though for insurance I’d probably include in without some sort of yoghurts or some cheese, for calcium; to offset that excess oxalates absorption just for insurance.

No, I don’t “indulge”  like this everyday.

Because there are select foods that I have to keep a watch on intakes – either due to oxalate or that they worsen my already slow COMT status. Plant based indulgent foods such as these chocolates and avocados  do make it to the list. Copper intakes in particular – definitely worsen ruminating and recalling attention loop(s) – hours to days on end. Then, there’s the oxalates = on and off mystery back pains and mobility compromises soon creeps in.

Either way, that’s,700 to 900 kcals. Done.

Ends midnight. And there onwards begins, the fasting window.

2/2 – Weekends (HCIF)

Saturdays and Sundays. Refeeds or “Carbohydrate-Allowance” days, in formal tongue. This begins after additional accessory training. Fasted, of course.

So after another 16-18 hours of basic fast –  breakfast begins. Though occasionally, there were times I am comfortable delaying to yet another 20 hours, depending how busy I am.

Mains / breaking the fast as post workout meal.

On Saturdays this could be anywhere between 6:30PM or even as late as another 20 hours of fast.

First thing in the mouth is preferably something fluid. Lactose free milk has been my go to over the last few years.

But when it comes to actual meals after sipping something sweet. Then gets to a main meal. As either sweet or savoury.

Sweet (examples)

1. None other than good ol’ rice pudding. Mushed up rice, milk, lemon, 2 eggs. Honey or sweetened condensed milk for preference. Plus gelatin powder.
2. A poor man’s carrot or jam cake (scroll more for details).
3. Nothing else or at times I do not feel big appetite? Just continuing on with milk.  Yes. Seriously, just milk with a little bit of sweetened condensed milk and/or Glycine powder if I wanted something fancy. 

Savoury (examples)

1. Carb source = DIY bread, rice, pasta.
2. Beef Brisket bone broth batch (with meats and tendons). Pair that with carbs above. Or if it’s pasta –  mayo / tomato paste, yoghurts, eggs. Done.
3. If there are still plenty of proteins = then it’s a mildly low carbohydrate meal. Emphasising proteins as usual. But keeping something with milk especially during hot and muggy seasons.

Variations / other accessories

….And of course, liver pate. I’d prefer chicken for their slightly sweeter and less metallic – palate. I should firstly clarify – that  these are universal in their applications for either LCIF or HCIF days.

700-800 kcals. About 20-30 mins then, the sweet portion.

“Tell me about cheat meals?? SPILL IT OUT!!!”

For the nosy folks ~ DIY cakes.

200g flour, 2x eggs, fats / oils / creams available, milk, and obviously the sweets. These in turn makes a poor man’s:

1. Carrot cake. About 3-4 large carrots julienned, microwaved before hand and prep as usual.
2. Jam cake (using any jams). Although I had to be caution with jams recently because it does lend itself to distension and sluggishness come Mondays; strongly suspecting pectins at play.
3. Lemon cake or coffee cake (instant coffee powder). Using sweetened condensed milk to taste.

170-200 degrees C in the oven. 30 minutes then 10 minutes on low. Stand-by to slightly cool. Done.

Each batch usually consists of two serves. One for now, the other only if I’m hungry again.

Either way sweet or savoury – approx 800 – 1,250 kcals.  

Evening onwards depending on fluid intake from the brisket beef bones appetite usually blunts at this point.

Here the second savoury meal could be just as two eggs, more brisket bone broth (sometimes with the beans/pulses) + sipping on milk.

And that – calls it a day.

Overall I’d say 2500 to 3200 kcals. The latter of course is probably reserved among few family dine-outs.  

Midnight starts. So too, the next fasting cycle.

Budgetting

First, on the timing side of things – my grocery run begins on Wednesday (or if some cases, as late as Fridays depending on supplies or how busy I am) and then ending on Saturdays or Sundays.

Each day I would spend up to $20 AUD. Obviously depending on what’s available as anything short-dated.  Capping to usually no more than $70 as total by end of Saturdays where possible.

Dividing up between the macros,  a “weekly snapshot” purchasing comprise of:

1. Proteins: being the majority, up to 60% of budget
2. Fats: up to 20% of the budget. Olive oils now have become so outrageously expensive – soon I’ll be they’ll reach an eye-watering $20AUD per litre. Defenitely not mouth-watering price for sure.
3. Fibres and Carbohydrates, indulgences/novelties: remaining of budget. I am grouping fibres that is – vegetables for methylation insurance(s)  together with carbohydrates as many of these (eg. carrots, pumpkins) as many have equal shares in utility as both discretionary meals during carb allowance as well as during standard LCIF weekdays.
4. Condiments: trace / left over amounts.

End / Summary.

20-22 hours (the latter being occasional depending on post work schedules and stay-on-tops) for weekday fasts, and since 2024 – extending to both Saturdays and Sundays beginning (mostly) prior to midnight. 1200 kcals to 1700 for first meal, then up to 900 kcals, on the next for sweet tooth. Typically I prefer more “wet”, pressure cooked foods – although as exception ~ slightly drier meals – beef mince, eggs microwaved but with something cold – sauerkraut and feta cheese takes over during summers. But for winters – the priority is flipped – fluids heavy meals from gelatinous cuts – legs, shoulders etc. For desert ~ creams, and mostly saturated fats coming from cheese, creams and sweeteners that is available both NC (Non caloric or “NNS” as they say – non nutritive sweeteners) or actual carb based (sweetened condensed milk).

Cheat days? Many people have their triggers. Mine: besides from cakes and pizzas I get tired of those pretty quickly in recent memory. Overly dry and processed foods? I do enjoy a few oreos here and there. But even “liquid ones” – eg tubs of ice creams? They’re laden with FODMAPs sugar alcohols, pectins, and thickeners. To be quite honest and as hard for people to understand this – I am quite content with just what I prep. Heck – just lactose free milk, DIY rice puddings and above DIY jam cakes,  and some fruits inbetween (though not too much, especially citrus based that are spoiling – gastro danger zone) ~ all these made a difference in satiety. Processed? More hungry. DIY? Less so. 

All this is non sensical , unless or until one gets over the stigma or taboo surrounding their own selves. The more you practice self-licensing and redemption – you will probably get over it – that this is just another day.

Nobody cares if you spend XYZ much on food. What they care about is how you live, and cope – by your own choices.

Live-It-Forward,

AW.