Hello all, new here :)

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #1

Its probably good I have to leave the house soon, because my story is long and crazy :slight_smile:

Super condensed version. Im 54yo, and have had Fibromyalgia for 32 years. SUCKS !
Up until 9yrs ago, I had really let my health go to cr@p… was weighing 300lbs, BP and cholesterol through the roof, Fibro symptoms so bad I wanted to end it.

Then, in one fleeting moment, I decided I would get better, or die trying. Went on a 5 year all out extreme diet and exercise regime. Lost 140 lbs of fat (easy) but gained 45 lbs of lean muscle (hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life!) Transformed my body from a huge lump of misery and suffering, to the body of a pro athlete (will post photos later)… And most importantly, lowered my BP and cholesterol to super healthy levels, and reduced my Fibro symptoms by 95% (never beat it, and don’t let anyone tell you they have)
My diet was extreme… but no Keto. Zero bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes, but for some reason, my bodybuilding friend / adviser, thought a couple bowls of oatmeal per day, was okay ? No gluten anyway. Also I ate a lot more protein, and probably not enough fats.
But I digress… Like I said, I’ll post pictures later.

And then, after a 5 year life flip… drumroll please… a freaking back injury :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: 5 years to gain all that muscle, and 6 months to lose it :frowning: Took a huge psychological toll on me too :frowning:

That was 4 years ago, and I guess the good thing is, my BP and cholesterol are still much better than they were 9yrs ago. Fibro is probably still 80% better too. But I’ve probably lost 35 or 40 lbs of muscle, and put on 50 lbs of fat :frowning:

Which brings me to today :slight_smile: My GF had been really interested in Keto, and started it over a year ago, but wasn’t as crazy strict about it, as I am (about pretty much everything I ever get sucked into). I did have to listen to her talk about Keto for more than a year though… Until something clicked in my head…
And BAM ! Just like 9yrs ago, I’m on a new hard core mission :slight_smile: Soaking up everything I can about the Keto diet and lifestyle :slight_smile: I started my Keto diet one week ago, On the 3rd and 4th day, I felt like cr@p… the Keto Flu. Feeling much better now. Finally got my Keto test strips yesterday, and was very pleased that I was solidly into the Keto range :slight_smile: 5.0 ? I think this is pretty good ? The instructions on the test kit did say that 2.0 to 4.0 was best. Opinions plz ?

Anyway, that’s where I’m at.

Will be back for advice soon.

Very nice to meet you all :slight_smile:

(Scott) #2

Welcome aboard! Yeah the first week is not so good but after that it just keeps getting better. I am a little less than two months til one year on keto and I still find things are still getting better.

#3

You clearly have the willpower and mindset to get what you are after when you are ready to go for it. Welcome and good luck!

(Carl Keller) #4

Welcome Chris.

Congrats for giving yourself the best gift you can possibly give.

If you are talking about urine test strips, they are terribly inaccurate for indicating how well you are doing. They measure wasted ketones your body has decided to excrete and for some people, like myself, they always show the exact same color at every point in my LCHF journey. I suppose they are good for telling you if you have ketones present which is a good sign.

Another costless way to tell if you are in ketosis is by the odor of your urine. Peetones have a distinct aroma.

#5

Welcome Chris :+1: … Just pointing out what I think you will find to be the most important part of all this…

Just continue looking forward. :slight_smile:

#6

Welcome Chris! You are definitely in the right place as the people here are the nicest and most helpful people you will find anywhere on the internet. Good luck on your quest!

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #7

Thanks all :slight_smile: I guess I should say, my new goals are not so much to see how much muscle I can gain, but rather, just to get a lot leaner, and build my cardiovascular vascular back to where I can can do some serious hardcore uphill hikes, without having to stop. I used to be a bulldozer :slight_smile: lol

I do nature and landscape photography, and much of it, during hikes, which is a big part of my incentive to get a lot leaner, and get my cardio strength back.

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #8

OCD is not always a bad thing :slight_smile:

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #9

Thank you Karl. I haven’t really noticed any peetones yet… But will try to pay more attention to that. Actually, I have a Dr’s appt coming up in about 2 weeks, which might be perfect timing. I’ll mention this to my Dr. and I’m sure she will recommend that I get a complete blood test. Is there anything specific I should ask them to look for ?

(Carl Keller) #10

A blood test now is going to be a reflection of what you’ve been eating pre-keto. I bet if you take one in 3-4 months after going LCHF it will change quite a bit, especially if you are giving up processed foods and eating single item, whole foods. It will be interesting to compare this blood test’s results with the next one.

Moving forward, be generous to yourself with foods rich in magnesium, potassium, omega 3 and especially sodium. Getting enough of these will be doing yourself a favor.

(Tami Proctor) #11

Hi I just wanted welcome you to KETO. I’ve had fibromyalgia about as long as you have. I thought I would drop you a note and let you know that mine has gotten better with keto.

Google keto flu to help you understand what electrolytes you need so you are not sick. It’s really pretty simple and you’ll be feeling great in no time. It took me about Two weeks to get adjusted. And then about two months to become fat adapted which means my body was burning fat as a fuel source instead of carbohydrates.

I have had so many non-scale victories my favorite one is going off and my antidepressant that I’ve been on for 30 years. There are so many health benefits of keto it amazes me!

(Sandy P) #12

Wow, you have been thru the mill. So proud of you for making a strong comeback. Giving up is never an option !! I’m 4 weeks in and have lost 14 lbs. Although, the last 2 lbs keep popping back on the scale every few days. Its driving me nuts but I’m just going to keep doing my thing. Dont go crazy with the ketosis strips, when the color skyrockets to a dark color, it usually means you need to drink more water. And if you ever feel crappy, add more salt to your diet. Good luck to you, me and everyone on this journey. :facepunch:

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #13

Thank you Tami :slight_smile: Yea, Im that lucky 1 in 7 males with Fibro. Actually, my GF has had Fibro for 12 years also. But her symptoms are a lot worse than mine. About like mine was for the 20+ years leading up to my health and fitness trip.
So now we are working on the Keto lifestyle “together”, which should make things a lot better / easier for both of us.
Congrats on all of your Keto accomplishments :slight_smile: Keep it up !

(Dirty Lazy Keto'er, Sucralose freak ;)) #14

Okay, so Im right behind you :slight_smile: Going on two weeks now. This really doesn’t seem too hard at all :slight_smile: