Magic keto

(Cece Blackstock) #1

I’m having such a strange experience with food lately. I find that I can no longer use food to self medicate, or help me cope with emotional issues. I feel as though my emotional ties to food have been broken, and somehow that scares me.

I realized today as I was driving home from work that I kind of miss being able to use food to soothe myself. My eight year old, hand raised parakeet died last night, and I’ve had a stressful day at work, and I’m living in a very stressful environment, and I kind of wish I could turn to food to make me feel better.

I’m realizing how broken my relationship with food has been for my whole life.

While keto has helped me heal from various elements, like painful joints, lower blood pressure, better control over hunger and cravings, and help stabilize my moods… but I now realize that I’m going to need to learn how to deal with emotionally difficult situations without turning to food.

I wonder if keto can help me with that? I know it’s helped me with so many physical ailments, I wouldn’t be surprised if I could somehow use it to help me develop those skills… :thinking:

After all, ketones are magic aren’t they?

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(Sarah ) #2

all i can say, i hear you.

#3

Yes, you make some excellent points and I share some of this. One thing I have started to explore is a little mindfulness to support some of the gaps that are appearing. It is about our relationship to ourselves. I use a mindfulness app and really like it. Another surprise! Similar to not having sugar in my coffee and losing lots of lbs, and fasting. Who knows what is next around the corner!?

(Liz ) #4

Absolutely went through this! I felt almost bereft. It was so disorienting. Instead of foods now I turn to crafts, reading, music, games, and communicating with friends, including letter writing (actual snail mail!)

#5

Let yourself mourn! Go ahead and cry or scream or whatever you need to do over the loss of using food as comfort. And certainly don’t feel guilty over the fact that you’re now able to identify that your relationship with food wasn’t as healthy as you’d ideally like it to be. I’ve done some courses on “inner work” in regards to eating behaviors, and the first thing they taught us was to actually feel the feelings. When we’re using food to cope, we’re not fully allowing the emotions to come through. Surrender and let those feelings in!! And trust the process, KCKO, you’ve got this.

(Liz ) #6

@CW6449 Makes a really good point. And to relate it back to the original idea of Keto maybe helping to deal with this aspect too, fasting has taught me that the hunger feelings I thought were so imperative actually pass if I wait them out. And so do my less enjoyable emotional feelings if I allow them to happen, they move on through eventually as well.

(Cece Blackstock) #7

Best advice! KCKO! Thank you :blush:

(Cece Blackstock) #8

What seems funny to me, is I feel like fasting is what has brought me to this! I can really only look at food as fuel now… leaves me kinda feeling like “now what?” :joy:

(Lonnie Hedley) #9

I no longer eat for pleasure, only to give my body nutrition. When that light bulb turns on in your head, lots of things change.

#10

I just caught on to this recently. I was sad on my way to the store and tried to make a list of food that would make me feel better. I couldn’t think of anything! Before keto, I would’ve been able to choose the perfect dessert and a nice French baguette. I don’t look to food for celebrating now either. I don’t try to reward my friends and family with food anymore. It’s also nice that I don’t feel I should be eating just because other people are, like at parties and restaurants.

(Lonnie Hedley) #11

At 72 hours of my last Zornfast (last weekend), I went to the store. I bought a lot of meat. I knew it would be nutritious with lots of fat, but I also knew I was going to take pleasure in eating it when I broke my fast. So I guess I still take pleasure in eating, just in a different way.

(Jesse) #12

I really agree with cw6449. Trust the process, be patient and kind to yourself. None of us got to where we were overnight (needing a lifestyle change). Then, life comes along and throws you a curve ball. My heart goes out to you on the loss of your beloved bird. Throw in the difficulties of everyday life, and you can easily have a recipe that makes you want to return to old familiar ways. Such times help to awaken us to see ourselves, and how we’re programmed, in a new light. Use this awakened insight to motivate you to make foundational lifestyle changes that will keep you on your path. All the best.

#13

Make a keto cheesecake, that’s some damn good comfort food. :stuck_out_tongue:

(Robin) #14

I have certainly felt the same feeling @Ceceb. I needed to relearn how I dealt with emotions. Sometimes I cave and eat carbs. I am learning how to pay attention to how my body reacts so that I remember WHY I don’t eat carbs instead of beating myself up over it. That for me is a hard step.

(Cece Blackstock) #15

Thank you so much for your kind words and advice! :blush:

(Cathline Holub) #16

I’m so glad you shared this. I get it.

(C Lanz) #17

Oh you are singing my blues song girlfriend! I had to put my dog down a week ago she was more than a pet, she was my best friend through an ugly ugly divorce, what was the first thing I did I came home and stuffed my face with carbs, and then 24 hours later I got sick with a nasty chest cold, I’m back eating what I know is good for me but It scared me how little willpower I had when faced with deep sadness/grief but it also taught me that I need to work on the emotional side of how I use food /Carbs as very temporary damaging antidepressant which ultimately make me feel worse and sicker, there shall I say it like a drug. So I’m chalking it up as a learning experience, I know that this way of eating has so many benefits for me that I’ve already experienced, you’re not alone

(Cece Blackstock) #18

I’m so, so, so sorry for your loss! It’s such a hard thing to deal with, and it’s almost like this “friend” (carbs) betrays you further by making you sick…