I’ve been eating LCHF/keto for nearly a year now. Exclusively keto since I returned from a long trip to Europe this summer. I started my 3 months in Europe by hiking the 500 mile Camino de Santiago across Spain for the second time. That had to be helpful.
BUT for the month and half that followed it, I was in Europe at the mercy of my amazing friends and family with regard to food. I did manage some restricted eating times but come on, I was in England, Italy, Germany and Austria! Hello beer, schnitzel, beer, risotto, beer, and lots of wine!
I knew I was not in ketosis because I basically slept for crap the whole time I was gone. That’s always been my best clue. And I stopped for beer breaks while hiking at least 2 times a day. (Don’t judge me…it’s hard work, lol)
I am not diabetic. My last HbA1c was 4.7 fasting. I’m not far from my goal weight of 135# and my height is 5’7". I’m a 59 year old female.
In the past I’ve weighed as much as 205 pounds. I lost some after I volunteered in Haiti in 2001. Watching the starvation and need in those I worked with was enough to get me to back off of some of my eating habits. I fought my way down to 188 pounds with SAD.
I seriously turned to LCHF and then Keto last year. Since then I’ve gotten down to 152 pounds. My triglycerides have gone from a scary 287 down to 133. I’m gunning for less than 100 next time I go in. I sleep well, my clothes look great on me, my skin is great, you know the drill, right?!
So what is my question? It seems that I keep hearing people talk about how long it takes them to get into ketosis and/or how easily they are kicked out of it. I was in serious ketosis for the past 3 weeks (readings in the 2.1-3.7 range everyday with my KetoMojo monitor). I really wanted Chinese food Friday night. I went ahead with it knowing that I would likely be kicked out and need to refocus. NOPE! I was still reading at 1.8 Saturday morning. I had a crazy, stressful work day Saturday so I finished the Chinese food last night and topped it off with a batch of homemade popcorn (cooked in coconut oil and smothered in grassfed butter). This morning I fully expected to be totally out of ketosis. I came in at .5 - mild ketosis! ! How can that be?
I’m sorry if this irritates those who fight to stay in ketosis but I’m honestly asking for some clarity here. Is it possible that I am fat-adapted enough and/or insulin sensitive enough that I can stay in ketosis after a 24 hour period of pretty plentiful carbs? I eat in an 8 hour window each day. Even when I was eating the carbs, they were in that day’s time slot. Could that explain it?
My work was physically and mentally demanding yesterday but not strenuous. I’m a sign language interpreter. I was standing for 3 hours to interpret a Broadway show.
Explain, please. Maybe my meter is wrong?
Hey, if you’re still burning some fat, you’re making some ketones. 