Keto women over 50

(Arlene) #583

Liz, I am also prone to those horrible stomach cramps. I am convinced these cramps are caused by electrolyte imbalance. I just ordered a keto electrolyte capsuled product off amazon. If it works, I will recommend it. FYI, I have been suffering from these cramps for a few years. I don’t get them when I’m eating carbs, only strict keto, and/or fasting. Drinking water and getting more salt is the only thing that has helped so far. Supposedly, as we age we don’t manage our electrolytes as well. It’s weird; stomach cramps don’t occur when I eat carbs, but severe upper, inner leg cramps at night if I have a major carb junk food day. I almost pass out with those. Keeps me from eating junk now, so that’s extra motivation.

(Jan curtis) #584

I am 63, have been on keto since December, with no weight loss (Even though in ketosis) I heard that hormones can play into this. Had testing done for hormone levels and I find out Thursday what the blood tests reveal. As of 4 or 5 days ago, I’ve been watching calorie intake (1600 or below) along with HFLC. dropped a pound! It has been noted that for some it takes several months to adapt to keto. I will report back after Thursday for hormone results for those of you that posibly may be in hormone imbalanced. Until then, I will keep a close eye on caloric intake for hopeful results! Nice to meet you all!

#585

Congrats of getting things going! It may not be a specific hormone “problem,” just the reality of being post-menopausal. For many of us, it’s not enough to just be very low carb. I need to be in a notable calorie deficit to lose much weight. I worry about eating too far below my RMR and messing up my metabolism, so I’ve started IF, which hopefully will combat this. A combination of low carbs and IF/TRE has finally gotten me into a pattern of losing about 1-1/2 to 2 lbs./week.

(Liz) #586

Thanks for your input. I actually realized I have been taking far too much magnesium so that in itself makes an imbalance in electrolytes. I am hoping they subside a little today otherwise Imwill have to visit the doctors office. Let me know how the amazon order works…

(Cindy) #587

I agree that many of us need to keep our calories a bit lower. I’m maintaining now at 112 lbs and I found my maintenance food levels without counting calories. But when I count them, they are always around 1100-1200 calories, minus my one day per week of fasting. But when I used to do low-fat low-cal diets, I would gain weight on that many calories! So it’s clearly the keto diet that works for me, but it’s also clear that many of us tiny people don’t get to eat all that much food even on keto.

(Liz) #588

Thanks- will see the doctor if it doesn’t get better soon. Luckily she is a functional doctor on board with the keto WOE. I didn’t do IF today and actually ate more calories. Will see what happens!

(Jan curtis) #589

Reporting back. Had appt with OBGYN yesterday and results of hormone tests were in. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone were all tanked! Thyroid was a big problem too. I started on meds for thyroid this morning and in 3 weeks practioner will order another blood draw for thyroid levels. Next up, therapy for E, P, and T at that time. For all ladies over 50 with stalled weight loss, would your hormone levels be problematic?. I hope this info will be helpful.

(Cindy) #590

I might have my hormones checked at my next dr’s appt. Even if I do, though, I doubt I’ll go on any type of hormone therapy. I currently take no prescribed medications on a regular basis (just some muscle relaxers as needed for TMJ) and would like to keep it that way. :smiley: I haven’t had a period in probably 2 yrs now, so it’s either artificially increase the hormones for the rest of my life or accept that I’m an “old lady” and live that way. LOL

(Lorena) #591

Hi, sorry to butt in here but I’m reading your posts trying to find an answer for myself. I am 59 and had a full hysterectomy in '08 and for the last 4-5 years have been using the Femring for HRT. Finding keto (on for 3 months) slow but do see some benefits. Anyway, I’ll poke around this site for some information about this.

The reason I’m butting in: I buy a whole filet at Sam’s or Costco and find it is very good, tasty and so tender. I cut my own thick and grill. I usually can get 8-10 steaks from one slab, depending on how thick I cut them.

(Jan curtis) #592

Hormone therapy could be dangerous, so my plan is to hopefully lose weight and discontinue the therapy after that. As I commit to the Ketogenic way of eating, I will be able to stabilize after my weight goal Those are my plans any way.

(Jan curtis) #593

Hi Liz…I live in Meridian, so we are neighbors!

(Janelle) #594

It’s a tough conundrum. You would like to lose weight to solve the problem but the problem makes it tough to lose weight. No answer here but it’s where I am. Since I do lose a pound here or there, it will just take a loooong time.

#595

Hello! I’m Victoria. 55 and on day 6 of keto. So far, so good. I’m down 7lbs, but I know it will slow soon. My arthritic big toe feels better already and my energy level is returning after feeling really run down yesterday. My husband and I have adopted this way of eating together at the advice of his neurologist. His weight loss has been less than spectacular. My observation is that he sees this as a bacon, cheese, and steak free for all. He gained the weight because he kept eat like a high school boy well into adulthood. Any suggestions on info to subtly share to convince him to watch his portions? I keep remarking on the significant decrease in my appetite. I’ve never been a breakfast eater, so intermittent fasting comes easily for me. This is especially true now that I’m not hungry or tired. If anyone has dealt with the same issue, I welcome any advice.

(Cindy) #596

I’m guessing, from that statement, that your husband might have more “metabolic derangement” than you do. As in, his doctor wanted him to do keto for something, right? It might very well be that “something” slowing his weight loss and NOT his portion sizes.

Keto kind of IS a bacon, cheese, and steak free for all. Let him eat it. Sometimes, saying “no” to something is more of a trigger to eat it and what you really want is for him to listen to HIS (not your) satiety signals. That often takes quite a bit more time than 6 days. :wink:

This also might not be true. It could be that his carb-y diet kept telling him that he was hungry. High insulin levels would then keep pushing those carbs into fat cells while he still felt hungry. It’s a vicious cycle.

So maybe put the scales away for a while. Your 7 lbs weight loss is mostly water, but evenso, you can’t compare what you do to what he does. As long as he’s keeping his carbs <20g/day (and that WILL limit how much cheese he eats), he’s “doing” keto and will see results at some point.

#597

Thank you, Cindy. I probably do have a very narrow and subjective view. I will continue to do my thing and let him sort things out with his physician. He is committed to reversing his neuropathy and improving his health. I don’t want to be a cause of discouragement.

I just needed an adjustment in my attitude, not at the kitchen table.

V

(Cindy) #598

I’ve lived with a noisy eater for 28 yrs. I learned that I couldn’t change him, so I do what I need to do to cope…sometimes even going to another room. My mom has pestered her husband (T2D, high triglycerides, lipids, smoker) for 3 decades to try to get him to change his eating habits. Hasn’t worked…in fact, it’s just really annoying to the rest of us to hear her fuss at him for the gazillionth time to not eat so much bread. :\

So yeah, you do you, let him do him. LOL And maybe if he sees you doing so well, he’ll start to change on his own.

(Sue Kitchell) #599

My hair started coming out as well. I have read somewhere is that I was not having enough protein. I was not even getting 0.8gms of protein per kg of body weight. So I tried to increase my protein to 1gm and I have noticed an improvement.

#600

I went on the cabbage soup diet a few years ago for about 4 weeks IIRC and even though you’re supposed to only do it for a week or two and then take a break and also supplement occasionally with lean meat, I didn’t. I started losing hair by the handfuls. I immediately stopped THAT diet and it took a month or two before my hair stopped falling out and many months for it to grow back in. But it did and I learned my lesson.

#601

I’ve edited the link. He’s changed the TLD.

It’s https://endmyopia.org/

(GINA ) #602

That’s my daily wear bra! It is comfortable and has good support. It wouldn’t work as an actual sports bra for me, even though that’s what they call it.