Hi everybody! … I have just joined the Forum & this is my first post so I thought I’d tell you a little of my experience so far.
I am 72 years old, a retired pharmacist for nearly 10 years. I put on weight when I was in my early 20s & have yo-yo dieted a bit, I have also tried Weight Watchers, 5-2, & the Atkins diet briefly in the late 1980s. I read Dr Atkins book & lost some weight but it soon crumbled as I was working long hours & grabbing food when I could so I found it difficult. I have always liked sweet things & chocolate, pies & puddings & I convinced myself that a small quantity of these would be a treat & cause no harm, definitely the wrong philosophy! I have never been obese but at 205lb last July (2018) I had never been heavier & had to go & buy 40in waist trousers for the first time ever. I did some research & decided to try keto again, I also happened on this video interview with Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson & as I had been having problems with nightime restlessness this confirmed my decision
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHpfRFnvuf4&list=PLPJdlEs9dEBSHH0eBCmy7qBOnygsEkcH8&index=14&t=0s
So I started in July, I didn’t treat it very scientifically, just avoided high carb food, gave up completely all sweet things, potatoes, bread, flour products, pasta, rice, beer & sweetened alcoholic drinks & most root vegetables. Luckily I like everything from the cabbage group. At first I ate lots of eggs (still do) substituted bacon & eggs for cerial in the mornings, lots of omelettes & salads & no snacks.
I am not exaggeration when I tell you that it has changed my life, there have also been a couple of unexpected benefits, I summarise them below …
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Weight Loss
I have lost weight slowly over the period, started at 205lb with a BMI of 27.8, I now am 180lb with a BMI of 24.4. My waist has reduced from 40in to a comfortable 36in & I don’t think I have the frail look that many older people have when they lose weight, in other words I seem to have lost fat, not muscle. -
Psychological Effect
I don’t want to exaggerate this but I was rather worried about myself, I sometimes even thought I was experiencing the early stages of dementia. I felt my brain was in a permanent fog, had problems remembering some things & seemed to be constantly tired. Consequently I was reluctant to make plans & could not see a bright future. How everything has changed, the brain has cleared, I still get tired but in the evenings (age?) & I seem to have energy, almost too much sometimes as I cannot settle during the day - I have to be doing something -
Health
I was diagnosed with essential hypertension about 20 years ago & monitor my blood pressure occasionally & prescribed Atenolol. When I started keto I decided to do it more often I notice it began to drop over time so in August asked for a review hope to discontinue them but the Doc reduced the dose from 50mg to 25mg, it has continued to drop so I am hopeful he will agree to stop them altogether. Nighttime restlessness & insomnia is less bad but I still don’t sleep well. -
Other Effects
I went through the constipation phase, to some extent I needed to change my expectation of a daily dump but I do go every day now with the aid of a Movicol sachet every other night. One unexpected effect is that my untreated fungally infected toes which I have had for many years have cleared up by themselves & are almost grown out. Embarrassed by my feet no longer & able to wear open toed sandals on holiday.
So I have talked about myself, sorry, hopefully for the first & last time. I am used to Keto now & am hopeful of staying on it. I have had to replace dozens of shirts & trousers so it hasn’t been cheap but worth every penny.
