Dare I Say It

(Lorena) #1

So, I wanted to wait another week or two before coming to my conclusion. I think I have found the key to my door! Finally, after nearly 3 months, I actually know that my body has settled in. It’s weird and difficult to describe but I can tell something has clicked. I am able to IF with no problem, I’m not starving, ever, I have energy and seem to be in a good mood all the time. My clothes are finally loosening up and the scale has moved.

We’ve traveled without an issue. I’ve found that there is always something to order and substitute without a problem. I didn’t track at all and just ate what I knew was good for me and kept my carbs very low. We have a trip to Italy coming up in Sept that I am semi-worried about but I know I’ll have a plan. There is no way I am going to Italy and not having some pasta!

I look back on my previous conversations and see how easy it is to freak out in the beginning and part of it was fear of this not working for me, possibly not finding the correct amount of fat and protein to eat and gaining weight. I have to say that tracking has allowed me to see each week and adjust what didn’t work. I am on hormone replacement and will most likely have to go off in the next year or so and I am hoping that eating this way has and will continue to regulate me.

Thank you to all who helped me through the 3 months. I truly appreciate your advice. For now, the keeping calm part about keto-ing on is with me.

(Jay Patten) #2

I’m glad to hear that it is working for you!

Some people hyper-focus on food (for better or for worse) to the point where it controls their lives.

It’s great when keto becomes so second nature that you can FINALLY stop thinking about it all the time. You know what you’ll buy at the store or order at the restaurant or what you’ll do when someone brings in donuts.

Second-nature-don’t-have-to-think-about-it keto is the best!

(Carl Keller) #3

Great progress report Lorena. :slight_smile:

(Little Miss Scare-All) #4

w00t w00t! That’s gotta be an awesome feeling! Keep up the good work.

(Jules) #5

I’m going to Italy next month for five nights (which was booked a good while ago) and im a little concerned I will undo the progress I’ve made. I’m in a good place now and not finding this lifestyle difficult however I love Italian food. I think like you I will eat pasta as the Italians sure know how to serve up good food and it would be a shame to stress about things whilst there.

(Lorena) #6

Thanks everyone for the pat on the back!

@Jules8: How wonderful! You will do fine. Right now, my thinking is portion control will be key. Enjoy Italy for the beauty, people and yes, food! Share tips when you return please!

I’d found this early on in my keto path. Maybe it’ll help?

Keto%20vs%20Low%20Carb%20Chart
Keto vs Low Carb Chart.jpg1336×2232 444 KB

(Jane) #7

I went on vacation to Italy last year and enjoyed pasta and didn’t gain any weight after 2 weeks there. We walked a TON and I think that helped burn up any carbs we enjoyed.

We found a charcuterie place and stocked up on meats and cheeses and we had these for breakfast. Then tried to be moderate on the carbs for lunch and just enjoyed ourselves for dinner.

Congratulations on getting settled into this WOE and enjoying the benefits.

(Lorena) #8

Thank you! And thank you for sharing your Italy experience!

(Alec) #9

Bravo!! :clap::clap::clap:. You have just described being fat adapted!

(Jules) #10

Thanks. I’m not actually that new to it … but new to going back to Italy and all its wonderful temptations!! I’ve been to Italy maybe 6/7 times before and I love everything about it including the food and the wine. I actually think the french paradox is quite interesting and I’m hoping that applies to me this trip :joy:

(Mame) #11

Count me in as one of those going to Europe next month. Four days for wedding in Italy and the rest of the time in Amsterdam.

The last time in Italy I spent 2 weeks, had wine/gelato/pasta/rice near daily and lost 5 lbs. It will be interesting to see what happens.

(Lorena) #12

Maybe we need an Italy thread for tips and such?

(Trudy) #13

I’m heading to Italy in a couple of months and would love any suggestions. I won’t be Keto but don’t want to go crazy either. I will be enjoying local food.

(Robert C) #14

My usual suggestion for people that are going to travel and plan to have the local food is to break your Keto habits while there.

The point is that having the local foods will give you carbs and spike your insulin.
If, for example, a couple of your Keto habits are to add lots of melted butter to a dish or load extra olive oil into your salad - you maybe want to skip that.
Those kinds of habits are great when your insulin is low and you are trying for fat to satiety.

But, with carbs in your system and insulin high, your body will be in fat storage mode, so adding Keto levels of dietary fat is probably a bad idea.

As well, the carbs are going to make you hungry again quickly so, probably your general volume of eating will go up. It might be a good idea to fall back on old fashioned diet habits like always ordering a big salad to start the meal and have a large glass of water 20 minutes before the meal.

Another positive for this approach is that you will be eating the dishes as they were intended by the chef. Special requests and dowsing food with butter to try to make something closer to Keto will likely not allow you to really enjoy the actual local flavors.

#15

There are lots of options you can have instead of pasta. Steak pizzaola, salad capresi, (mozarella, beef tomato, olive oil, basil) to name two. Both are delicious. They serve lovely fish too. You will feel so good coming back having kept at least low-carb! :grin:

(Jody) #16

Good for you! It’s amazing when we can be patient, have some faith in the process and then see results.

Keep calm, keto on!

(Kim) #17

I too have found out what works for me and I am losing weight every day now when before the scales would not move and I’d stall. I am taking the Keto coffee creamer with MCT’s. Those MCT’s are keeping me in ketosis and burning FAT. This has to be what has made the difference, I truly believe it. I was like you, worried in the beginning that Keto works for everyone BUT me. I always think my body must be so different from everyone else as I never have those success stories, but I am seeing a difference, feeling a difference and I am thrilled!!! I will keep on keepin’ on!!! Good Luck to all!

(Lorena) #18

Thanks for all the great advice! What I do now when traveling is stick to it because I WANT to! We were just in our hometown where the most delicious candies and ice cream are made and it is a tradition to go there at each visit! Of course we went. My husband kept saying “you can’t have this or that” to which I corrected him that I CAN have anything I want I CHOOSE not to. But if I really wanted something I’d have a bite. There was no craving. I did have a very small bite of sourdough bread from one of our favorite places (Basque food!!) and my stomach hurt and kind of blew up so definitely bread carbs affect me more than sugar (I had a bite of his lemon flake shake).

(Kim) #19

I am soon to go on a vacation where I could have fried seafood,etc and just let myself go, but something in me won’t let that happen. I just don’t want to undo anything I’ve done and the progress I’ve made. The weight stalling and finally breaking through that to see the scales going down again, has been pure joy. I always say this to myself “Nothing tastes as good as being Slim feels” Then again, I am not struggling on Keto. I love the foods I am able to eat. It’s a personal thing to stick to it or venture off it some and get right back on it. The day will come that I will eat a non-Keto meal and be okay with that, because I will have reached my desired weight and will allow myself the eating luxuries this life has to offer.

(Jules) #20

Thanks. I always have caprese salad in Italy I love it. Usually have Parma ham and melon too but maybe less melon this time. It’ll be good to try different things other than the pasta!