Keto women over 50

(Marianne) #889

I hear you and so understand. I am retired and especially since Covid (March 2020), have pretty much been a home body. I miss my social connections! Luckily, I’ve always enjoyed a forum and this one and another few have been a godsend to me. I started keto in Feb. of 2019, and would not have made it were it not for this forum, the connections I made, the support I received, and the information that was freely given to me.

Everyone is here to help you and connect, whether you’re in a good spot with your program or struggling. Good luck to you!

(Laurie) #890

@Goldengirl52 I started keto in July 2020, so a year and a half ago. (I had done Atkins previously, and successfully.) I don’t eat vegetables or nuts, because they give me abdominal pain. That’s actually why I’m doing this; I could no longer eat most plant foods. Losing weight was a bonus.

I have gained some of the weight back though, because of too much dairy, especially heavy cream. I say “too much” because I tend to overdo dairy, even when I’m not hungry. It’s comfort food for me.

I also have trouble sticking to my eating schedule. Lunch and supper are fine, but then I want to eat at night (especially dairy), whether I’m “hungry” or not.

I know it can be hard to know what to do. Or if we do know, self-discipline can be a challenge. I’m trying to develop new habits, which works some of the time. Other times, we have to make exceptions or listen to our bodies. Lots of the tips and tricks out there are worth a try, but might not be the answer in a particular case.

Why do you not want to eat again, when your tummy wants something? Have you tried eating more at mealtime? These are actual questions (not suggestions).

(Marianne) #891

Yes! Great advice!

(Marianne) #892

I had the same question when I read this. To me, I’m wondering if you are eating enough to satisfy yourself. This tends to make me think you are not.

The “beginning” is a grace period, when you are acclimating your body to a fat burning metabolism and becoming fat adapted. I recommend meeting or exceeding your fat and protein macros every day without counting calories or being concerned about them. These two values should help you very much with satiety and cravings. If you find you are truly hungry, then eat. Increase your meal size(s) until you are satisfied and can go from one meal to the next with ease and without temptation. As you progress, you may find you can even eliminate one of your meals with no problem whatsoever. Again, keep the daily carbs as low under 20 as you can.

(Denise) #893

I think this thread is just called Keto Women over 50, I hope. I didn’t mean to hijack someone’s thread but I got a little confused. It’s kind of a “chat” thing right? Lots of topics in it?

Ok, I think so, so I’ll go ahead. Now I can’t remember what you said GM, LOL!! Duh!! I know you said a lot of good stuff, that’s for sure :wink: I’ll go re-read it, and see if I can do a bit better reply :wink:

(Denise) #894

Ok, a couple of you mentioned why do I not want to eat again if I’m hungry. It’s because I want to do better on the “fasting” thing between meals. I’ve read it’s good for our bodies to have time to “I guess” recuperate from all the work it does in the digestion process. I’m totally paraphrasing what I’ve read.

I think I am eating enough, but I’ll have to go over to my food diary and log a day, just to see if I am eating enough for height/weight, and the TDEE I learned about (total daily energy expenditure). I’m really not OCD about any of this but I do still test once in awhile if I think maybe I over-did the carbs, which are either some in my vegies, nuts, or berries. I know moderation is good but not starvation.

I do that “eat something when I’m not hungry” sometimes too. I know it’s like habit, or it’s like sort of something to do with my hands, LOL! Why can’t it be crochet or something really worthwhile:rofl:

(Denise) #895

Hi Marianne, I read your reply and I wanted to say that I have been eating Keto since last Feb. But I don’t know if I have stayed under 20, but only once in awhile when I was logging in diary on MFP.

I will take your suggestions, and maybe add a bit more meat to my breakfast omelette. I eat 2 large eggs, 2 oz of sausage, I’m thinking a cup of spinach smooshed down in the cup, and 1 oz of mozarella cheese. I add a tsp each of flaxseed, chia seed and nutritional yeast sprinkle all that over the top. Oh, and I do add a tbsp of olive oil. I was adding butter but I got that darn scare with the cholesterol being too high. I have no clogged arteries, I believe, but need the doctors opinion on the tests I had run.

(Laurie) #896

LOL. Yes, we all need more crocheted things! When I moved to the west coast of Canada, I saw lots of crocheted dish cloths, which I’d never seen (or heard of) before in my life!

But my elderly neighbor, who I hardly knew, did give me a crocheted throw (blanket) that was quite lovely.

(Marianne) #897

No worries! Happens to me all the time!

:laughing::hugs:

(Marianne) #898

That’s really positive; somehow I thought maybe you had just started recently.

Sounds like you are eating an ample breakfast. If you find you are still hungry afterward, consider maybe adding another egg.

Cholesterol is a whole nother topic. I think for most of us on keto/carnivore, it is going to be high/very high. This does not mean, however, that it a bad thing. So many factors go into it and need to be considered. There are many people on here whom I consider “experts” on the science surrounding the issue of cholesterol. My doctors advocate for me to go on a statin and do not support my way of eating. They would prefer that I eat a plant based diet. Whenever I am concerned about my bloodwork, I post my results here and ask questions. People are always at the ready to share their extensive knowledge on the subject. I always come away feeling better about my health and what I am doing.

(Denise) #899

That’s an easy thought to have on one of my whiney posts, LOL!! I’ve come a long way, but I still find something to complain about. I’m just going to eat if I’m hungry and quit “forgetting” what I’ve learned here already. Most important is, this adjusting, sort of restructuring my whole system, takes awhile after years of eating wrong :wink:

Yes, I’m pretty ok since those tests on my carotoid arteries look so good. I will see when I log into my diary how much cholesterol I’m even eating. I understand our bodies make a lot on it’s own but yeah, another topic. Thanks again @gingersmommy @islandlight and anyone else I may have left out. I like this forum a lot too, especially the women’s part :wink:

(Denise) #900

(Denise) #901

My fasting BG this a.m. was 124, or 6.9. I didn’t like that, but I’m not even sure about the “numbers” being reliable anymore. Seems doctors/whoever decides what the safe, pre-diabetic, diabetic ranges are all have an opinion, and it’s different of course because everyone has to be right these days, their truth, their opinions. Like hey, my bs can beat your bs anyday.

Is there a “rant” board I should have posted on?? LOL!!

(Andrea Veltman) #902

You are reaching out, what a good start! I’m 57 and have lots of regrets because I never dared to even try reaching for my dreams. I did what other people told me, which was fine but not really what I wanted.

My son self-diagnosed with Social Anxiety as a teenager, and I realized it’s also been a problem for my ex-husband all his life: wants friends and social interactions but is barely able to do what’s needed to have them. There is help for it but this is NOT what I heard YOU say, Goldengirl52.

No matter what, you have strengths, experiences, and talents to offer to the world and you can show them off, use them in a way that you feel comfortable with to connect with people and help you remember what you did in your life that you liked or were proud of. If you can afford to volunteer, I second that it’s a good opportunity to connect with like-minded people, teach younger generations what you’ve learned in life or just do something you enjoy. It can also be tricky not to get pulled into the politics of an organization.

Also, if you happen to be a person who speaks your mind honestly and is not afraid to point out the truth (that’s me) you’ll already know that it’s not popular. You will have fewer friends but the friendships you have are usually true and meaningful.

Lastly, I like the On Being podcast by Krista Tippett. The one from last week about time management includes challenging our thoughts about what we THINK is a meaningful way to spend our time.

Sending good thoughts to you!

(Robin) #903

I LOVE her podcast!

(Andrea Veltman) #904

Here is what I gleaned on various threads here in a limited time reading:

  • Some people are more sensitive than others to carbs - one man said he has to go down to 5 total or less, yikes! I think that’s me; I’ve hardly ever felt I was in ketosis, or just briefly, even when I counted 12 carbs total on some days.
  • I eat too much dairy, vegetables and alcohol. I don’t need huge amounts but I get sooo bored with life, especially with everything on the COVID hold AGAIN! A plate of roasted vegetables, a little brie and a sipped glass of gin or wine make me feel like I had a party.
  • My family loves dancing (been doing a little in our dining room instead of evenings or weekends with a few hundred friends and acquaintances), and we used to travel a few times a year. Now I just work all the time. Others seem to tolerate a boring diet with one or two meals a day, but my system goes haywire when I try extended fasting.

So I think I need to

  • subscribe to the dietdoctor site for more info, hire an administrative assistant to lower stress and burnout symptoms, track carbs again and stick to the lowest I can possibly do.
  • Find an alternative for cream in my coffee - I don’t like it dark but coffee really helps me get through the day just by enjoying the taste and sitting down for a break. MCT oil powder is not enough. What do you use?
  • What else is fun to eat instead of fancy cheese? I get tired of meats, salami, sausage, eggs, even though we buy good quality and add interesting spices and herbs.
  • At some point I need to NOT use food for my fun.
  • What else? Opinions on calories and protein seem to differ on this forum.

My Keto experiences are:
Started Keto at 167lb in Feb 2021 counting net carbs, switched to target of total ~20 carbs in April, lost 9 lb haltingly, tried the simple no-track Therapeutic Keto for the summer, started slipping in November, gained it all back (big bellies on both myself and hubby, who seems less sensitive to carbs). I’ve had osteoarthritis all my life but so far I haven’t confirmed that Keto helps me, also have lots of dandruff I thought might go away - no change at any time for that.

I’m a landscaper in gorgeous central California and I move as much as 4 full days a week (moderately since I have assistants I need to supervise), plus Strength Training 25 min. per week. Just bought a Fit-bit to encourage more sleep, mediation, etc.

(Laurie) #905

@AndDms Thanks so much for recommending On Being!

(Edith) #906

Dairy gives me dandruff, scaly itchy rashes, and joint trouble. You may want to try stopping the dairy to see if it helps your dandruff and arthritis.

(Laurie) #907

Dandruff can be caused by different things, requiring different treatments. At one time I controlled it with vinegar. Then I got rid of it with tea tree oil.

Just be sure not to get any tea tree oil in your ears. I’ve read that it’s ototoxic and can cause damage to the inner ear. I’ve also read that it doesn’t harm the ear. But in my experience, it caused extreme itching of the outer ear.

(Andrea Veltman) #908

I can reduce dandruff to a minimum by taking ~2 tsp of Swedish Bitters before one or two meals each day. This improves digestion, so clearly it’s something to do with gut health. Unfortunately, the only brand available anymore that’s actually effective is alcohol-based. Herbal teas can be used to the same effect but it’s time consuming. Based on what I read, a small amount of alcohol should not impact fat-burning but I don’t think this is scientifically proven yet.

On Dairy: cow milk has made my eyes itchy since I became an adult. Cheese also does if I eat a lot but not heavy whipping cream. Makes sense that dairy causes dandruff. It’s just so hard to give up - I’m a cheese-snob from Switzerland! Back when I ate bread I substituted cheese with butter plus nutritional yeast. Can’t think of how to use that as a snack now.