Lost weight but now I look old

(Fred Buchanan) #21

Alan,

My mother said the same thing to me once she saw my first before and after pictures at around 30 pounds lost.

Then when she looked at my 44, and 50 pounds lost pictures she said the “aging” was gone.

My thoughts (with no scientific backing) are that when we start shedding pounds on a keto program, a lot of the weight we first lose contains a lot of fluids (water). As we progress into our program our body starts to adjust to our new lifestyle and the heavy wrinkles start to fill in.

Pre-Keto, I used to have almost constant dry, bumpy, ashy skin. I had a bottle of lotion at my bathroom sink, one in my glove box, and one on my desk. Since about day 50, I rarely use any of them. My skin is a lot smoother and doesn’t get as dry as it did.

I’ll try to find face pics of 30 pounds, vs. 50 pounds to show you the difference.

F

(Alan Carr) #22

Thanks to those saying things will get better :slight_smile:
Regarding bone broth, just today i noticed a (very) old tub in the back of my fridge. I should start making that again :smiley:

(Norma Laming) #23

I have always noticed that when I look at before and after keto photos, the after images look very much older. Some of the people on the diet doctor’s website look like they’ve aged 10 years. One has to be honest about that. Fat is what babies have. I think it depends what age you are as it seems to affect people in their 50’s and more. I don’t mind looking my age and I’m doing it for health reasons.

(Alec) #24

I’ll second that!

#25

Well, “age” in industrial culture is rarely modeled after healthy phsyiological examples - we rarely see self-cultivating/self-healing rejuvenating elders - and that’s something to keep in mind. For me, it’s been very meaningful to find radiant elders who I admire and install them as role models.mentors/examples in my inner life, and also to learn of interesting historical people who aged well through self-cultivation, fasting, and such (Romainian keto researcher Cristi Vlad’s bookPeriodic Fasting: Repair your DNA, Grow Younger, and Learn to Appreciate your Food certainly has many gems in it. I do think that DNA repair is hugely in one’s favor on the the LCHF/keto journey - and that like others have mentioned - it can take a few years.

I think in addition to the collagen a few times a week (I put it in smoothies in summer, and in bouillon in winter) we need to be mindful about Vit. C levels, as collagen uptake requires a level of Vit. C in the body. I supplement with berries or a liposomal Vit. C capsule on the days I’m taking collagen. Apparently dried berries of various kinds (wolfberries, pomegranate seeds along with sour cranberries and wild blueberries in some areas) and even dried fruits were prepared and stored and traded by our ancient ancestors - as a zing of Vit. C/sour taste is so nice on the fatty palate! Just a zing though, considered precious & rare - not handfulls and not for grazing!!!

Also can be fascinating and beneficial to look at HGH levels. My understanding is that HGH is nicely enhanced with well formulated IF and with the mitchondrial enhancements of intense slow resistance weights strength training 1-2 times per week. It’s also enhanced with certain glandular workout yoga (kundalini) and some other kinds of mind-altering chi gong and some traditional dance practices.

Another aspect is our gut absorption. Someone switching to LCHF midlife may well have digestive sluggishness and or long term congestion or microbiome imbalances that interfere with absorption of nutrients and would benefit from spices that enhance digestion or by supplementing with ancient restorative superfoods such as Ginger (easy to take via capsules).

(Paleozoic Rock) #26

I also buy high quality beef bone broth capsules (made from grass-fed cattle in New Zealand) I take when I don’t feel like making the broth. They’re expensive, but I justify the cost by all I’m saving by not eating junk food, sweets, eating at restaurants, etc - which has been a substantial savings over the past couple of years. Plus, I live an hour away from any grocery or butcher, so I have to “stock up” (haha) when I do my monthly grocery shopping.

(Norma Laming) #27

Perhaps the rethink is also on what healthy looks like? I now identify many people as having insulin faces, almost as though they are on steroids.

(mags) #28

Looking at your profile pic I don’t think you look old at all. I think it’s usually people who are used to seeing you with a plump filled out face that think you look older. For someone who doesn’t know you at all you look great :grinning:

#29

Interesting, are you doing any EF? Just wondering. I’ve been a little afraid of this happening too (I’m early in the process), but just a couple nights ago I watched a Dr. Fung video where he talks about how the fasting patients in his clinic never end up with the loose skin so often seen with drastic weight loss. He chalks it up to autophagy. Close to finishing my first 72-hr fast here, and my longtime skin issue is different (the kind of bumpy skin that makes you want to exfoliate with gusto), but yesterday on Day 2 of the fast, I found that the skin on my upper chest was smoother than I can literally ever remember it being in my adult life. I’m hopeful about what happens to the rest of my skin as the weight comes off but we’ll see.

(back and doublin' down) #30

Me too, but not sure I earned the waddle? As I go through old photos, pretty apparent that it’s genetic. Hoping that the EFs on a regular basis will help. Seems that’s a long term 5+ years n=1

(LeeAnn Brooks) #31

No, I haven’t done any EF, but I think my skin has probably taken some abuse due to a lot of yo-yo dieting on low fat diets before Keto. I have worn every size from a 2 to an 18, and many times back and forth in between.