I think sugar-addiction and insulin-resistance is progressive, and at age 47, I had reached my peak! I was weighing 107 kg, and had for the past two years stopped cooking at home, due to being unable to control my intake, and not eat it all. I had to buy portion TV-dinners instead. This completely out of desperation.
I had explained to my GP, how I could eat my stomach physically full, and yet feel hungry, and desperately craving more food. And still I had managed to calorie-restrict enough to lose 13 kg, only to meet a complete stall, living in a hell of hunger, and gaining it all back. I also could feel how over time this cycle progressively got worse for me. Only to be met with a look of disbelieve, and then being explained about calories in vs calories out, and how candy is bad and veggies is good.
(Looking back now, I am so angry, that instead of being helped with ketogenic diet, I have my whole grown life been guided in a way that only served to build down my self-esteem, and make me sick.)
One Saturday in late February, I randomly stumbled onto the site www.dietdoctor.com . And his two weeks challenge was staring me in the face. I was struck by the fact that I could watch videos on his site for free, and he would give me the full information, diet, recipes and shopping lists without making me buy a book or expensive diet-plan like all the other diet-advocates out there. So me, having nothing to lose, strictly followed his two weeks challenge from the first coming Monday.
The first month I lost 5kg. Keto-flu was mild, a little headache and leg-cramps, but I cooked these amazing meals, had leftovers sitting in my fridge, that I had no urge to eat, because “I didn’t feel like it, I felt satisfied and satiated after my meal”. Spending time cooking in my kitchen was a new activity for me, but I had the energy to do it after work, and even energy for more on top.
The next two months I stalled/gained 1kg. This didn’t throw me, because I was so amazed by the peace and calm I had in regards to food now. Cooking with cream, butter and oils, following the simple rule of eating when hungry, stopping when full. A completely new life for me. I realize I was used to over-eating, and my eye for portion-size was out of whack. But I let my body regulate this, ALWAYS allowing myself to eat as much, and as often it took for me to feel completely satiated and satisfied. And I didn’t gain!
So during month four and five I have lost another 5kg, I think my body gradually has regulated my overeating and portion-sizes. I still let my body decide, I never listen to my head trying to tell me not to eat, because it’s too soon after last meal, I let my body decide. (Flash to Scarlet O’Hara: “I will never feel hungry again!!”) In periods I eat two meals within a nine hour window, and then in other periods my body wants four meals and snack. I let my body have what it wants. The last two months I have measured my morning blood ketones and sugar and it has been an average of 0.7 ketones mmol, and 5.0 blood sugar mmol.
Thanks to 2 Keto Dudes podcast, I have learned so much, so I trust this process completely. I have 25kg to go before I squeeze into “normal BMI”. I trust my body signals telling me I am doing the right thing. KCKO!
Edit: Now half into my sixth month, ive lost another 2 kg. And my thinking is that I dont care how long the weightloss takes, more important is for me to regain a healthy metabolism, so I can keep EATING the rest of my life. So far its working great. Ive even started my first ever fast, motivated by redusing loose skin as much as possible, im 60 hours in, hungry alot, but hope it will be easyer tomorrow. And I sure will feast on ketofood when im done. KCKO