100 days of Keto

(EightyEight) #1

#Long post
My height 5’6"
My weight as a 15 year old was 60 kgs /130 lb
At 23 I weighted 70 kgs / 155 lbs
When was finally pregnant in the summer of 2011 I weighted 80 kgs / 175 lb.
Considering my family medical history before 8 weeks itself they tested and said I have gestational diabetes.
Throughout the pregnancy I controlled it with complex carbs like bulgar wheat etc and did not have to use any medication.
2012 the day before I gave birth I weighed 91 kgs / 200 lbs.
Two months after birth I started bloating, putting on weight like crazy and diet / exercise only gave me burps / gas and an umbilical hernia + Achilles tendon injury.
In 2016 I was my heaviest 223 lb / 100 kgs. Inspired by Joe / fat sick and dead series I juiced for a month lost 22 lb/ 10 kg
10% of my body weight. I continued to juice frequently and juice fasted another one month and some more… So I juice fasted for close to 90 days that year and was my lowest at 185lbs / 85 kgs.
I felt better , my mood , hba1c , outlook everything improved. But it took a lot of work to cook + juice ( clean veggies , chop , clean the juicer , mason jars ) it drove me crazy… Esp the smell of cooked food. I was a hangry person all the time during juice fasts.
2017 I must have juiced 15/20 days and mostly stress ate and gained back to my highest 223.5 lb and that’s when I started keto on Nov15th2017.
On day 38 of keto (I need help 🙏) I was in the verge of giving up because I had lost only 2 lbs .
I usually don’t take metformin while juicing and did the same with keto.
Vlc.md said I should take my meds and once I started I lost 20 lbs in the next 50 days. After 90 days I did some blood work that I have attached the reports .So though I lost only 22 lbs / 10 kg in 100 days my hba1c dropped from 6.4 to 5.7

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I have always had PCOD . Was diagnosed at age 18 . From 18-30 years I would be prescribed frequently to regulate / part of infertility treatments.
I have some observations.

I have been free of burps / gas ( 95% reduction) gassy only when I eat mushrooms, nuts etc.
I have gained a lb a day if my water intake the previous day was less than 3 liters / 3000ml / 100 oz and this is irrespective of food. I have also noted if the subsequent day to I miss drinking 3000 ml water I consistently gain another food. I have experimented this on days I am IF for 18+ hours too.
All the weight I have lost is surprising mostly during the second half of my menstrual cycle… Before keto it was the opposite.no used to gain few lb , retain water / look bloated in spite of birth control pills. Also, I have always lost weight on birth control pills when used occasionally to regulate / during treatment. So I strongly believe that it is doesn’t cause weight gain in me unlike the popular notion.
I am freezing cold all the time… ( during juicing it was mostly while drinking refrigerated juice) I usally feel cold most times but since ke to its a constantly cold feeling… I am wearing a sweater at home even when temp are 60 . I am having to extra layers myself while going out.
In spite of consuming 80% of calories through fats ( oils) my skin esp palms/ feet continue to be scaly dry .
I start feeling hungry after a bowel movement
I am unable to continue my IF esp when they are empty.
I am unable to do IF if I have slept only 4/5 hours previous night.
I am most doing IF 16/8 and on exceptionso min 14/10 ( once a week)
I have done IF for a maximum of 24 hours.
By IF I mean only water ( no tea / black coffee)
Feeling hungry, urge to eat etc … Is still a mind thing.
I have never cheated in these 100 days or till date. But sugar is always on my mind :sob::sob::sob::sob::sob:
I can feel the taste of all the sweet junk I have abused myself with :pensive::pensive::pensive:
It’s like only sugar can give me comfiest and happiness. I know it sounds crazy for someone who has had the willpower to juice fast and keto fast… But when I am sad I think of something sweet :pensive:
The feeling cold all the time ( it kills motivation to get some fresh air/ outdoor time ), dry skin and gaining weight on cream / nuts is bothering me…
I truly understand that everyone is different and the cause / effect for one might differ for another yet I am curious if anyone has anything to help me reason out my observations.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post :pray::pray::pray:

8 months on Keto and have steadily gained weight - troubleshooting ideas?
(Candy Lind) #2

That’s an average of over 1.5 pounds per week. I wish my average were that good! :confounded: Don’t labor under the common misconception that keto makes everyone lose weight fast. It is more a diet of healing what ails you than it is of weight loss. 1.5 pounds per week is a good, healthy rate of loss.

It sounds like the Metformin is helping to stabilize your hormones. I remember reading that conversation between you and @VLC.MD! So it is doing something that’s helping!

Are you tracking calories as well as macros? How many calories are you eating in a day? Based on your current weight and my wild guess as to your age, you should be eating close to 1500 calories a day. If you are not, that may be why you are cold all the time. Are you killing your metabolism by clinging to the old CICO lies that have been drummed into our heads? If so, stop it. I did that at first, and only after I increased my caloric intake (not once, but TWICE) was I finally able to get weight loss going at a decent rate. And, BTW, I stopped having cold feet all the time. :wink:

Regarding your sugar cravings, do a search here in the forums for L-glutamine. I just read somewhere tonight, someone said taking that supplement will help you get past sugar cravings, and another person said it did indeed help her get rid of hers. It’s certainly worth a try!

KCKO! You are doing great. Relax! PS That bloodwork looks mighty fine.

(Scott Shimabuku) #3

First, congrats on going 100 days on Keto! I’m on day 52. The only time I would feel cold all the time was on an extended 9 day fast. It started with hands and feet and then I was just cold all the time. Are you mixing it up and do feasting days also? It really helps. I’m on day 6 extended fast and feel fine. Its important to do some feasting days in a row to boost basal metabolic rate and ramp it up. Makes fasting a breeze. Good luck in your healthy journey.

(Candy Lind) #4

Some of the guys who do a lot of extended fasting say that eating a little fat helps when their extremeties start getting cold. It helps them keep up the fast without a feeding break.

(Scott Shimabuku) #5

yes, this fast was water/ ketoaid only for first 4 days then bullet proof coffee and bone broth last 2 days. Going to break fast soon.

(Diane) #6

@CandyLindTX

Thanks for the info that adding some fat to the fast when feeling cold might help. Good to know.

(EightyEight) #7

Thank you Candy Lind for reading and responding :pray:
Yes I am meeting my fat macros except on days that aim fasting for 24 hours.
I will definitely look into L-glutamine :pray:
Thank you.

(EightyEight) #8

Wow Amazing!!! Extended fast for 9 days unbelievable :sweat_smile:.
Congratulations! You must be so dedicated and doing great to be able to fast that way. The very thought gives me shivers…
What is ketoaid ?
What do you mean by feasting days? Does it mean no IF?
90% of time I have done 16/8 window and I meat my goal macros for fat and protein.

(Candy Lind) #9

I hope the l-glutamine helps. Is it when you’re fasting that you get cold? Or all the time? How many calories are you consuming?

(EightyEight) #10

What does a fast mean ? Not eating … So eating fat will break the fast.
Is it not ?
Kindly educate me . On what fasting is and what amount of eating on extended fasting is still considered fasting :pray:

(Candy Lind) #11

It is a little early maybe for you to get into a big fasting discussion, but here are the basics:

A fast can be many things. We talk mainly about two different kinds, “IF” or intermittent fasting (under 24 hours), and “EF” or extended fasting (over 24 hours). You will also hear the terms “water fast,” “fat fast” and a few others. A water fast is just that - very little besides water (we usually add electrolytes because you still have to keep those in balance) and maybe some supplements. The idea of a fat fast, since that came up, is that you can ingest some fat during your fast in order to relieve cold extremeties or a serious bout of hunger (one you can’t seem to ignore). The fat causes very little insulin release and does not interfere with autophagy (see below), and you are able to continue the fast.

The main benefit of IF is driving your blood glucose (and thus insulin) level down so you can release fat stores. Insulin is like the Berlin Wall - it has to come down to free the fat trapped behind it. Decreasing your “eating window” to 8, 6, or even 4 hours (ie., no food after 8 PM and not breaking your fast til noon is a 16:8 IF) can reduce your insulin level (the height of the wall) so that some of the fat can crawl over, escape, and be used for energy. The more you can drive down your insulin level, the more access you have to your fat. But even EF might not do enough for your insulin level to really help.

@richard talks about his efforts to keep insulin down in THIS POST. He is highly insulin resistant and only fasting 2 days or more brings his insulin down to a level where he can freely access fat stores.

EF has more benefits than just lowering insulin levels - the body has a self-reconstruction process called autophagy, where old worn-out cells are broken down and consumed for energy, and new ones are built to replace them. EF kicks that process into high gear. When you are fat-adapted, you can go a long time on your fat stores and you will lose that weight, plus your body is performing reconstruction projects on anything that’s broken (for example, a fatty liver).

To learn more about the different methods of fasting, check out the fasting subforum HERE.

Keto-aide is a home-made electrolyte mix that is cheap to make and keeps your electrolytes in balance. That link is to @Brenda’s recipe.

NOW - how many calories are you eating daily? I really want to know! :smiling_imp:

(Diane) #12

@CandyLindTX

Great summarization of fasting info!

(EightyEight) #13

Thank you so much for all the information :pray:

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This is what I am trying to follow now. I have stopped logging info on the app but kind of pretty good with my estimates because I had been religiously measuring and logging until recently :slight_smile:

(Mandi) #14

Wow, what a terrific response!

#15

The best!

(Candy Lind) #16

“I am freezing cold all the time… ( during juicing it was mostly while drinking refrigerated juice) I usally feel cold most times but since keto its a constantly cold feeling… I am wearing a sweater at home even when temp are 60 . I am having to extra layers myself while going out.”
I have been the same way, but as my metabolism becomes less deranged, it’s been better. I still wonder if you need to be eating more calories. Is this a common problem among those with PCOD? You might want to research that. Keto may help that metabolic derangement as it repairs your other problems. If so, the “more calories” might not help.

“In spite of consuming 80% of calories through fats (oils) my skin esp palms/ feet continue to be scaly dry.”
I’m not sure about this except to ask others to chime in about supplements that might help. I use a LOT of coconut oil topically - maybe this will help you, too?

“I start feeling hungry after a bowel movement”
What we traditionally think of as “feeling hungry” is often actually thirst. The rumblings of our guts are not hunger pangs, they are the movement of gas or other substances through the system. I think your hunger is more conditioned mental response than anything, but try drinking a big glass of water. That’s what I do whenever I “feel hungry” and most of the time it goes away in a few minutes.

“I am unable to continue my IF esp when they are empty.”
Meaning your bowels? Try the water. Maybe you are just not ready to go as long without eating as you are trying to do.

“I am unable to do IF if I have slept only 4/5 hours previous night.”
“I am most doing IF 16/8 and on exceptionso min 14/10 ( once a week)”
“I have done IF for a maximum of 24 hours.”
“By IF I mean only water ( no tea / black coffee)”
Lack of sleep always affects me that way, too. In fact, last night was a short one for me and I’m about to break my fast early - but I will still try to keep my eating window to 6 hours (which sets me up nicely for a planned brunch with a couple of friends tomorrow morning! YAY!). You might, if you really want to try to keep doing IF, doing fat in a morning coffee or tea. It may power you through to your eating window without a significant hit on your insulin.

“Feeling hungry, urge to eat etc … Is still a mind thing.”
That is NOT uncommon! We’ve all been taught to “graze” for so long, that not eating on a very regular basis doesn’t feel right. I’m 7 months into keto and still use the clock for eating too often.

It sounds to me like you are doing a lot of the right things for your N=1, but you might still need more calories. I think I would just shake things up occasionally - don’t eat when you’re not hungry and if you fall below that calorie range one day, then don’t worry about allowing a feast day when your body asks for one - especially if you are planning a fast. Those fluctuations will keep your body guessing. And above all …

:innocent: KCKO! :muscle:

(Candy Lind) #17

Gee, thanks, ladies - I soaked it all up on these forums. I guess I’m good at regurgitating! :rofl::innocent:

#18

An active learner!

(Diane) #19

I looked back through the posts and didn’t quickly see whether you’re supplementing with salt while fasting. I would add, when hungry, put some salt on your tongue (I use pink Himalayan or Celtic sea salt), let it dissolve and then take a big drink of water.

If this was already addressed, sorry!

:stuck_out_tongue:

(EightyEight) #20

Sending you a virtual hug :hugs:
Thank you so much :pray: