New Here, Not new to Keto

(Christopher Proctor) #1

SO… Let me get this fire started and warm y’all up to me! :slight_smile: My name is Chris I am a 34 year old American Combat Veteran living in a small town in central Virginia. What is my story? Glad you asked. At the end of 2015 I decided to change my life and become “Healthy” I literally woke up… looked in the mirror and said “This is gross”. I started that day, found a gym and jumped in clueless… I thought (like many other people) that I knew what was healthy and unhealthy, just grab some rice and some stuff that said “organic” and some whole grain bread and I would be on top of it. WELL… it worked, sorta… I was in the gym pumping iron and making gains and lost about 15-20 pounds of fat and put on about 8 pounds of muscle all over about 3 months. The gains were nice and coming fast…then BAM brakes on full tilt… plateau… and I stayed there… no progress and even started tearing down muscle and started putting fat back on??? I needed a lifeline… I started googling and watching the tube… came across a guy called Dr. Berg… I watched a couple vids and he said something about Ketogenics… HMMMMMM… so I googled it and a number 1 selling book came up, GRAIN BRAIN! I started reading immediately… within a few hours I was so appalled and scared… OMG… the next day I threw out everything… starting watching more videos (not much to go on back then) I completely committed to the Keto lifestyle that next day. Little did I know that without a Gall bladder, I was headed for some deep water… next 45 days… I SHREDDED!! I was peeling off pounds and making sick gains… then about 50 days in… I started getting sick… and sicker then before I knew it… fats and proteins were rotting in my stomach and I was throwing them up… I was working in the gym at this point, I went to work one day and I just cracked… I broke… mentally I gave in… the stress just consumed me… See I have Chronic anxiety and coupled with PTSD (thanks to Afghanistan war for a year) I crawled inside myself… I have been there for over a year and a half… I am miserable… I am sad and I am broken…

A few months ago… Someone showed up in my life, kind of a kindred spirit… and a week ago she mentioned something about a “diet” she heard about called “Ketodenics” lol… I kind of snapped… I said "omg its Ketogenics and it’s NOT a fu**ing diet… It is a LIFESTYLE TO NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY’ … she was really shocked at my expression and I was too… I apologized of course and moved on… the next day I really felt bad about how I responded, but I also felt something else… longing… had I given up right when I needed to keep going with Ketogenics? I explained to her what the lifestyle was, and as I did… I felt something welling up inside me… Can I live this lifestyle agian? NO!!! I don’t have a gall bladder. You see 2 years ago there were no videos or blogs or topics discussing much about this lifestyle, especially living it without an organ that is key to turning fat into energy… ANYWAY… The more I talked to my friend about this lifestyle and the more questions she asked… the more questions I had… so… I started looking again and researching… I FOUND IT!! The answer! There is a way to maintain a ketogenic lifestyle WITHOUT a gall bladder… SO… Here I am… 34 years old 5’7’’ 295 lbs of fat and misery… the biggest I have EVER been but not the most miserable… I have defeated many demons in my life and I have decided that the last one… is my mind… I cannot make this happen by simply researching and applying what I have found to make myself happy… I have to fix my mind… I have started a spiritual journey (not religious) to accompany this transition, It’s time I got my mind right along side my body, as I cleanse out the poisons my mind will purify making this transition easier… Here’s to my final stand and my last war against this epidemic of obesity.

Thanks for reading and I am glad to be here. I will be posting before and after pictures 60 days into my progress to show from today til then. Take care!

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

Welcome, brother! It’s perfectly possible to be keto without a gall bladder, and there are people in these forums who can show you how. Sounds like your time eating keto meant a lot to you and you still miss it, so keep calm, and get back to ketoing on. We’re with you! Here’s some virtual bacon to encourage you: :bacon::bacon:

(Christopher Proctor) #3

Thanks so much @PaulL I really appreciate it! YUM! Now I am going to have bacon with my kale tacos in the morning… #excited

(Darlene Horsley) #4

Welcome back Christopher! First of all, thank you so much for your service.

I’ve only been keto for 2 months however I can tell you that you have found the right forum! Tons of information here and tons of helpful people to help you on this journey. I am sure there are others who will be popping in to offer their suggestions and help. And by the way, I am going to need that kale taco recipe!!!

(Doug) #5

Hi Chris. :slightly_smiling_face: You have quite a story. I think you’re coming into a good thing - a nice leg of your journey.

If you meant that fats and proteins were rotting in your stomach because you have no gall bladder, I really do not think that happens. The gall bladder stores bile from the liver, then contracts when it gets signaled (via hormones) that fatty acids have entered the first part of the small intestine (after they leave the stomach), dumping bile into that part of the small intestine. Without a gall bladder, the liver secretes bile directly into that part of the small intestine, a slower flow and the bile is less concentrated (the ball bladder concentrates bile by getting rid of some water from it).

I’m 58 and had my gall bladder removed in July 2015. Have had no problems being without a gall bladder, and neither has my wife and mother-in-law. With a slower flow of less concentrated bile, I’ve read that some fat may not be digested as it passes through the small intestine, and that this may mean some fat-soluble vitamins don’t get absorbed. I have not noticed anything like that, but it can happen.

Artichokes are said to fire up the liver’s production of bile, and apple cider vinegar supposedly thins the bile and makes it flow faster into the small intestine. Apple cider vinegar does have some other benefits, and I often take a little bit of it. Overall, I think going keto does a lot for taking the load off the liver and endocrine system for many people - often with great results as far as metabolism and healing us when we’ve gotten out of whack.

(Doodler for @KetoKailey) #6

First of all, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

The folks here are super nice, and they have the right info to guide us along.

(Christopher Proctor) #7

I will have to get that recipe together for you! Wow 2 months! so you are probably already seeing great results! Thank you for the warm welcome!

(Christopher Proctor) #8

Thanks @OldDoug Later I found out that my body for some reason had stopped producing bacteria crucial for breaking down enzymes and protein, and I was taking in way too much fat. I also found out I had compounded some already onset intestine problems and there was severe inflammation. As I said I did find alternatives to help process food and fats for myself as well as to help my digestive gut! YES!! Apple Cider vinegar is AMAZING for so many reasons and including helping stop the GERD I managed to obtain through 15 years of alcohol abuse. As for the Artichoke, that yummy amazing veggie is unfortunately, in a 1 cup portion, enough to knock you out of Ketosis at almost 140 grams of Net Carbs alone! SO unfortunately I have to rely on other super foods like Asparagus and Kale, but alas I am constantly arming myself with weapons to make this challenge submit to my will! Thanks so much for taking time to welcome me here! I am looking forward to getting to chat and know as many people as possible!

(Christopher Proctor) #9

<3 Thanks SO much @KetoKailey. I am excited to get to know everyone!

(Doug) #10

Chris, holy crow - I did not know that about artichokes… The darn things are 10% carbs…! <~~~Gadzooks! :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Wow, it’s true we can’t get by without those beneficial bacteria. Glad you are feeling better, that’s a heck of a thing.

I boozed heavy for 30 years, best I can say is that it’s cut way down this year. Fasted last week, then ate some cheese, turkey breast and pecans. The following day, had seven 22 ounce beers, some carb-hell rolls, chili and ribs. Well, that is not the way to do it… Felt really bad the next day. (I’m like the human race - have to learn the hard way, over and over…)

(Athena) #11

Where are you getting your artichoke information? I just looked it up and I found that a medium artichoke is 4 net carbs.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2308/2

(Doug) #12

I just googled “carbs in artichokes,” and it says, “13g in an 128g artichoke.”

(Athena) #13

14.3g carbs with 10.3g fiber, so 4g net carbs.

(Doug) #14

Good point, Athena, so not that bad at all. :slightly_smiling_face: Chris, put down the mutant artichokes!

(Darlene Horsley) #15

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(Doug) #16

Right on, Darlene. Wish I had a bunch of buttered artichokes right now.

(Darlene Horsley) #17

Me too! I love them. I switch between butter and mayo!

(Damon Chance) #18

I need to investigate this artichoke thing…

(Athena) #19

Now I want artichokes, too. Google says they are in season March-May.

(Christopher Proctor) #20

I may have one drink every 6 months or so, I just lost all desire for it. I am very driven to take charge of my health now. I want to get back into travel hiking and seeing the world before I am too old too enjoy it, might as well start while I am in my prime! Yea Unfortunately I had to lay the artichokes to rest :frowning: