4.5 Years keto. First 2 years lost 40 lbs and began to improve health markers. I felt FABULOUS!
Migraines gone, joint pain gone, mood swings gone, insomnia gone, slow but trickling-steady weight loss and inches lost on belly.
HEALTH BACKGROUND:
AGE 62/FEMALE (12 years menopausal, so it’s not that):
-Diabetes and Kidney disease (both managed with keto and no meds).
-High LDL, but optimal trigs and hdl cholesterol and decent ratio.
-A1c 5.4 (could be better). Inflammation: 1.22 (still inflamed at surgery site).
-High Blood pressure, and high heart rate (mostly managed on keto, no meds).
-Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Hypothyroid and Adrenal exhaustion 20+ years (natural meds).
-Two tumor surgeries. Thyroid 16 years ago. Salivary 2.5 years ago. STALL/GAIN STARTED THEN.
-2.5 years of not feeling well again, gaining inches and pounds again.
IF: The first 2.5 years it was easy to have no cravings, hunger managed, not break fast until 2pm, then dinner 6:30pm. Now, I am hungry again, need to eat bacon and eggs and butter upon waking, and trouble fasting more than 14-16 hours. (My thyroid will swing wildly from hypo to hyper and I feel sick and my Thyroid meds have to be constantly adjusted if I go longer, so I can’t do that anymore).
Macros: 70-85% fat (varies). Protein needs to be lower/moderate 45-60g or my kidneys hurt.
My carbs (I count Total) are leafy greens only with some celery (and incidentals like in eggs etc). 10-20g Total.
For 2.5 years I have done everything I can think of to break the stall and have energy again. Getting really frustrated and confused! I thought I had it all figured out, people were noticing and curious about keto. Now they see the gain around my belly (it really really shows) and see the exhaustion in my eyes, and I don’t think anyone believes me that keto works anymore.
WHAT CHANGED: Nothing except the tumor surgery.
WHAT I TRIED (to break stall/gain) the last 2.5 years:
-Mixing up my eating/fasting times, food portions and percentages.
-Measuring my food portions again.
-Gave up nuts and dairy.
-Added in gentle pilates, walking and stretching (bad back).
-Increasing certain carbs.
-Going Zero Carb.
-Upping Protein and then Lowering Protein.
-Increasing calories. Decreasing calories (though I don’t count them).
-Paying for Hashimoto’s Thyroid consult and supplement recommendations, which I have done for over a year.
ALL TO NO AVAIL. In fact I feel worse, look worse, and seem to be going downhill.
Over those 2.5 years the pounds and inches keep coming back, my energy has plummeted, my sleep is disrupted so I’m tired again, my moods are going down again and I no longer feel fabulous!
WHAT I ATE THEN AND NOW:
-Bacon, eggs, butter.
-Greens with protein and olive oil/vinegar huge salad at night.
-Drinks: Water or green tea or homemade “collagen vitamin shake” since I can’t swallow pills (to take my supplements with, as recommended by keto nutritionist for my autoimmune thyroid). The shake is bone broth, collagen, coconut milk, water and vitamins, blended.
-Sea salt. Water. Apple Cider Vinegar. Lemon water.
-Occasionally I have a tiny square of 85-90% dark chocolate, about 1.5 total carbs worth.
-I am unable to eat cruciferous veggies, though I have tried many times. They act like a starch in my body and aggravate my thyroid and gut health.
-Of course no grains, starches, sugars, legumes, soy, processed foods, etc.
From the day I came home from the hospital (salivary tumor surgery), I had gained 10 pounds (fasted) and tried all year to lose that added weight. Since then not only do I lose (when fasting) and regain (when eating keto) the same 10 pounds over and over again, I am also recently gaining a few extra pounds for good measure.
Anyone with LONG TERM KETO EXPERIENCE who might have wisdom for me?
Thank you and blessings (sorry this was so long. I wanted to give you all the info you might need).
-Tricia 
