Keto women over 50

#81

Did anyone experience an increase of menopausal symptoms with keto? Hot flashes and night sweats in particular?

(Jacqui ) #82

Hey Deb, you told my story!!
I got cancer 5 years ago. I was already overweight, now I’ve been on tamoxifen for 5 years.
It has taken me a while to really get into it, but I can now say ‘I love keto’. I love that I don’t feel ravenously hungry. I love that I can go for a 2 hour bike ride and not eat everything in sight.
I’ve turned 60 and it feels strange saying it. I feel 50 and I think I look it too. Thanks to keto

#83

That’s awesome Jacqui!

I’m had cancer at 45, felt like I was robbed of my life. I’m now 7 years clear. I stopped tami after 2 years.

I never believed my cancer was caused by estrogen but always thought it was caused by insulin growth factor and stress.

I didn’t really discover keto until this February.

I do love it but find it hard when I’m traveling. Right now I’ve been on vacation nearly 2 weeks and can’t wait to go home.

I feel like I’m gaining weight and can’t eat right. It’s hard being around other people who don’t eat keto. I don’t have the same energy level because I don’t think I’m eating enough fat.

Oh well I’ll be home in April 16.

Looking forward to getting back into routine.

I firmly believe keto will prevent cancer recurrence. Just worried about my first set of blood work and figuring our electrolytes and cholesterol. I am waking up middle of night and heart feels like it’s racing a bit. I’m drinking salt water during day.

Keep in touch. Maybe share some if your meal ideas

Debby

(Arlene) #84

Quite the opposite. I struggled greatly with menopause symptoms UNTIL I started eating Keto. Whenever I choose to eat foods that contain grains and sugars, the hot flashes, sleepless nights, and anxiety return in a big way. I also gain weight at an alarming rate. Though I do choose to eat those unhealthy foods on occasion, I don’t do it often. I just like feeling good.

#85

I’ve been keto for six months now and this past month the hot flashes and night sweats have become debilitating. I also haven’t lost one single pound or inch and though I’m less hungry than when I was carb-fueled, I’m still nowhere near reaching the satiation everyone talks about. I wonder what’s wrong with my metabolism that I’m not getting any of the keto benefits after so long!

(Arlene) #86

Olivia, that must be so frustrating. I suspect you’re going to have to do some self-experimentation, like the rest of us. In my case, I feel fantastic on mostly meats and eggs. I can add in a few green veggies with minimal problems. I can handle a little cheese, but I do better without it. NO NUTS. Nuts get the hot flashes going, and I can’t stop eating them. I enjoy cream in my coffee. I always stop eating at least 3 hours before bed.
When I stick to these rules, I generally am not hungry much. I usually end up eating one meal a day, as much as I want, then I’m seriously full for hours and hours. If I’m hungry, I eat. I don’t purposely add fat, but I don’t cut fat away from my meat either.
I hope this helps you.

#87

Hmmm…what kind of meats do you eat? I haven’t eaten red meat in over two decades, and haven’t gone back to eating it on Keto. My proteins are mostly eggs, chicken, bacon and fatty fish, not that I eat much of those. I’m not fond of animal protein taste wise, regretfully.
I was tracking everything for the first three months, but nothing made any difference to my stationary stasis.
I too like cream in my coffee…but I’ve been trying to substitute it with butter or ghee, as maybe it’s part of the reason I’m stagnating, since I take about 4-6 table spoons per day. As for cheese, I do eat it, but not everyday, and when I do it’s an ounce of hard cheese, or the mozzarella and cream cheese in the fathead dough for pizza and the very occasional keto dessert. I eat other dairy like sour cream and yoghurt, but only to season food like chicken tikka masala.
As for nuts, I used to eat an ounce or two of almonds or pecans three to four times a week and sometimes seeds like sunflower, but I stopped that, and still nothing budged. As for vegetables, I eat spinach, lettuce, broccoli, brussel sprouts occasionally (since I really don’t like any of that)

I tried IF on and off, but it’s really hard since I’m always hungry and thinking of food.
I AM in ketosis as per the blood ketone meter and my blood glucose level is stable. But I’m not losing weight or inches, losing hair and now losing sleep, and getting those hot flashes almost every hour and they’re bad…associated with a rising feeling of distress and nausea before the sweat drenches me.

If you eat mostly meats and eggs, does this mean you eat almost the same things over and over? No keto “recipes”? Also how soon after you settled into that strict routine did your hot flashes and night sweats subside? Do you think I need to go very, very basic keto for my symptoms to subside?

(Arlene) #88

I lost my taste for animal proteins several years ago, and then we bought a farm and gradually I started raising our own foods. I eat plenty of grass-fed beef from our farm, as well as pork and chickens that we raise, along with the rich eggs my hens give me. When I eat store-bought meats, I find I still don’t like the flavor. I don’t know what the flavor difference is, but if you want to try red meat again, I would suggest trying the grass-fed kind. I refuse to eat store-bought pork. It has a VERY off taste for me. There may be a farmer near you who raises pastured pork that you can buy, if you want to try that.
If you have a problem with hunger all the time, I suspect your fat may be too low. Judging from what you have said, it doesn’t look like you are eating enough.
As for tracking, it pretty much makes me crazy. I don’t step on the scale any more. I don’t track my food any more. I just eat big, meaty meals till I am full. When I’m fully satisfied I stop eating. I eat again when I’m hungry. I do want to say that sometimes I’m not able to eat very much before I feel stuffed. Other times I can eat a 12 oz. steak.
What are you drinking? Are you on any medications? What vitamins do you take? I have to be VERY careful with anything/everything I consume. I keep everything as natural as possible and I do best that way.

#89

All meats taste off to me, and even eggs. Fish if not totally fresh turns my stomach. I do eat enough fats, as per MFP, as I eat 90-120 grams. But then I also hear that eating dietary fat stops you burning your own fat.

I drink mainly two coffee mugs with HWC or butter/Ghee/coconut oil in the morning, and I add collagen powder to one of them. The rest of my drinks are all just green teas in different flavors and water. I tried the lemon and vinegar water but I hate them esp the vinegar one, so I never do it consistently.

Then around 2-3 I eat a couple of eggs with butter and ghee (one tbs each) and sometimes add some bacon, mushrooms, olives and onion and some cheese, but I mostly eat them scrambled. I very occassionally make a keto friendly pancake from a nut butter, butter, cream cheese and egg and add a few berries. I make a keto dessert around once a week, like a chocolate mug cake and use only erythritol for sweetener and only in those deserts. I don’t use them in drinks. I eat my main meal around 8 and go to bed around 1 am.

I’ve been thinking of getting some filet mignon steak from Costco, to try to introduce meat back into my diet. Have you ever tried it? There are also those meat delivery services that I’ve been thinking of trying, but can’t find anyone who’d tell me if they’re any better than the local stores.

(Arlene Carmody) #90

Maybe that’s my problem. Not enough estrogen to aid in weight loss. I am struggling. Started out gangbusters in the first 8 weeks but I seem to be gaining a little back even though I’m keeping my carbs below 20 and 1300 calories a day. I am perimenopausal going through cycles of no periods for months and then back to regular periods for a few months. It’s making me crazy, honestly.

#91

Hi Olivia1. Have you gone to a Dr. or had your thyroid levels checked? I am a fan of self care as much as possible but IMHO sometimes it is helpful to talk to an expert…maybe find one who is open to or even a proponent of a Keto lifestyle or nutritional therapy.

(KCKO, KCFO) #92

You might want to try the rib eyes instead. I love the meats at Costco, so much better than the stores near me in a major city. If you go the mignon steak route, be sure to add a pat of butter on top.

#93

I love greens and eat 2 cups cooked per day, with homemade ghee. More than that would send my digestive system into havoc. I am doing great without those suggested amounts you mention. Listen to YOUR body and how you feel. One of the best things I have learned with this WOE is what my body is communicating to me. I honestly didn’t have this awareness on this level before. It is amazingly transformative. Everything prior pretty much originated from my head, and then the feedback from my body as a reaction to my mind deciding what was right. Now, I listen to my body and can tune into what it needs, then make a good decision about what to feed it based on how I am feeling. This may sound trivial, but it is quite revolutionary to me.

(Diane) #94

Keto & Kegels

Hi,

Introducing myself…53, 224 pounds, highest weight 258. Started keto in January 2018, haven’t lost a thing!!! Did lazy lchf before that for a while. Getting serious now and have decided to cut calories. For me that means a lot less brie cheese and nuts which I really love. Glad to find a group of ladies in the same age range. I do think we have special issues. I’m on my period right now, the last one was 6 months ago and the one before that was 11 months and 3 weeks. So, not out of the woods yet! I blog and YouTube and Podcast. If you’re interested you can go to my website and listen to me complain about it! Am going to keep reading down this wonderfully long string!

(Diane) #95

I heard a quote somewhere once that as women age, they have to choose between their butt or their face. Ie Thin with wrinkles or fat filling in the wrinkles. :slightly_smiling_face:

(Diane) #96

I did at first, hot flashes and a lot of trouble sleeping. The hot flashes subsided after a few months and I take melatonin now.

(Sondra Rose) #97

55 here and going through Menopause.

Staying in ketosis has eliminated my hot flashes. I eat a “dirty Carnivore” diet; fatty animal foods plus a few plant foods as condiments/spices/beverages.

I’m finding that extended fasting is so much easier since I am staying in a deeper level of ketosis for my hot flashes. It’s easier for me to drop body fat this way. Just another 5 or so pounds to go.

I maintain very easily on 2 meals a day and eat in a 4 to 6 hour window.

(Lynn Camden Paarmann) #98

Hello. I am 63 and have just completed my first week on keto. So far, it is great!

(Mary Beth) #99

Oh my gosh!!! It’s like you were reading my mind! I’ll be 51 in a few weeks, not a group joiner, but would love to have some support of others! I’m glad you started this thread!!!

(Jan) #100

That may have been ZsaZsa Gabor (did I spell that right?)