Old fogies on Keto, Carnivore or Low Carb

#1

Anyone over 70 qualifies. Just curious how many of us embarked on this journey later in life.

When did you start and why did you start? What has it done for you?

It’s been 3 or 4 years for me, I’ve lost track. I’ve lost 125 pounds so far. I could lose another 25 - or not, I don’t feel pressured about it at all.

I was able to get off all my meds except allergies. I am more energetic, and It’s entirely possible that I could be dead now If I had not done Keto. I was in a bad way, always out of breath, and all movement was a chore. On Metformin, statins, blood pressure meds…

Life is so much better now, I can see myself living a whole lot longer now, and enjoying it.

Some experiences from elder
(Robin) #2

WOW. Your story is so inspirational. I am not officially an old fogie, by your standards. I turn 69 this month. So I am in your wake, like catching a wave. Thanks for the encouragement!

#3

69, 70, meh. Not much of a difference there, you qualify.

(Eve) #4

I am mid sixties and started about 7 months ago. I noticed several benefits very soon but am assuming that it will take a while for long term healing to occur since my system has been problematic for several decades. So l am being patient and looking at the long haul. My weight hadn’t changed at all but l didn’t start keto to lose any so that is fine. The only real negative which l have mentioned on some other threads, is a real impact on my mental health.
However, overall l view the diet as being helpful and will stick with it.

(Cathy) #5

I too am just outside the 70 threshold (turning 68 soon). Your story is very inspirational and I add my congrats and good wishes for the future.

I started keto originally in 2000 but fell off after a few years - got back on in 2009 and have lost 75 lbs and regained my health both physical and emotional. Probably more important to be keto as we age.

(Marianne) #6

Wow, congratulations!!! You have got to feel great!!! Keto has been my miracle, too.

(KCKO, KCFO) #7

Great results @velvet.

I just turned 74. Joined the forums here Jan.'17 Here is my story:
My lifetime high weight was 190 lbs. I bounced up and down from the time I was 30 yrs. old. I became a lifetime member of WW in the late eighties, but I reached my highest weight after doing that. I found the Zone, 40/30/30 ('95) and learned to not fear fat, but I still continued the yoyoing. I have been a member of MFP for several years, still yoyoing. Finally,the summer of 2016, when I was back up to 170 after being in the low 160s and high 150s, I decided to give Keto a serious try. I started with Atkins 20 Foodie plan and that got me into the 140s by the end of the 2016, I had stalled out, so I started listening to Dr. Fung and reading his book on fasting. By using IFing and extended fasts, I reached my goal weight and I am maintaining that with ease these days. I use a 3lb. weight range because the scales lie all the times and having a range is easier to deal with mentally.

I am not diabetic, but my husband is and he joined me when he saw how well I was doing. He has managed to stay off meds by low carb and walking

(Robin) #8

Fabulous testimony!

(Bob M) #9

125 pounds is amazing! Congratulations.

(Chuck) #10

I am 75, I started with keto the first of September this last year, I have lost just over 40 pounds. But I have shifted to moderately low carb and fasting an average of 19 hours per day every day of the week. I have been able to say good riddance to all but one of my prescription drugs for acid reflux, cholesterol and Blood Pressure. The only thing I am left taking is a calcium blocker for blood pressure and I really believe I will be able to say good bye to it soon. I have reduced my waist size from 44 or maybe even more to now an honest 34 inches. I am pain free, I use to have arthritis and muscle pain. I have said good bye to my allergies which I honestly believe was due to processed carb foods.I still have seasonal sinuses but they are even less severe.
I am still weeding out certain items from my diet. I have said good bye to artificial sweeteners, wheat, oats, and limiting amounts of potatoes, and rice. I have made protein and fat a priority and have also made green leafy vegetables a priority.

(Geezy) #11

Not quite 70 yet, just turned 67 in June.
I started carnivore 60 days ago. As of my last weigh in I had lost 17 lbs. it was 20 lbs but for some reason it went up three pounds. I’ll weigh again on Monday.
I got started on carnivore because my son asked me to look into a new lifestyle change in diet after my last AFib attack put me in ICU for the fourth time in four years.
I was ready for a change. After a lot of research I jumped in with both feet.
I cut out all sugars. This includes those pesky hidden sugars in the ingredient lists. I don’t even allow any sweeteners of any kind.
Absolutely no seeds or seed oils. So basically if it’s processed then it’s a no go.
I keep the carbs to almost zero. I do allow some seasoning as long as there are no sugars in them and I will allow some onions and garlic for flavoring but if I find they give me any adverse affects then I’ll cut them too. No veggies is kind of a bummer because I do grow a garden but I’m determined to see this through. My neighbors are certainly enjoying my endeavors though.
The benefits I’ve seen have been great.
Inflammation throughout my body has decreased. I can now make a fist with my hands which was rare just 61 days ago. The crippling pain in my back is 90% gone and I’m back to walking 2 miles every other day.
The arthritis in my hips has not bothered me.
I’m wearing clothes that I haven’t been able to wear in several years.
I have more energy and libido.
I haven’t noticed any floaters in my eyes lately.
My eyes don’t water all of the time like they used to and my nose doesn’t run as often.
My IBS is gone as well as my gastrointestinal inflammation and Crohn’s disease.
I’m hooked on this lifestyle and I have no intention of changing anything for quite some time.
I feel better that I’ve felt in a long, long time.

(Robin) #12

Preach!
So happy to see all the benefits you’ve experienced in such a short time! It only gets better and better.

#13

A few pounds up, a few pounds down, meh. Scales will be scales, what matters is how you feel and over time the pounds are going down. A few pounds fluctuation is normal and can have many causes. If you crave veggies, have some of the very low carb ones. Onions add carbs quickly, much to my dismay. You’re doing great!

(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #14

Need to somehow bottle this Keto Reaction and uncork it for the non believers.
The lifestyle is a revelation. So many benefits waiting to be discovered.

#15

Well if Robin qualifies, and she isn’t even quite 69 yet, then at 69-and-a-half I will claim membership in the old fogies as well. My experience is very much like that of velvet and some of the others. When I started on Keto in November of 2021 I weighed 350 and had a 54-inch waist. I could barely tie my shoes or get up if I fell. Today I weigh 240 and have a 42-inch waist. (I often wonder where all that skin went. I feel like it should be hanging off me in sheets, but I guess if you lose in a slow, healthy fashion, then autophagy and whatever elasticity you have left may take care of most of that.) Weight loss continues, but very slowly, and my priority is avoiding regression. I am off metformin, holding at an A1C of about 5.1 with diet and exercise, and off blood pressure medication as well, holding at around 120/70. A recent MRI (taken for other purposes) shows that my fatty liver disease is gone. Moral: Keto works, even if you’re late getting started.

#16

Indeed, very similar stories! I started at 320 and my initial goal was 220, and I am now 191. I went below 220 without trying much, just eating the way I have learned to like. I also have very little lose skin.

Congrats! :slight_smile:

(Brian) #17

I LOVE that!! I’m not quite 60 yet so I can’t say about being over 70. But I do remember when I first started keto that it was just about the most important thing on my mind and was nearly constant. I quickly lost close to 100 pounds and started feeling WAY better. And then, life came back. I got busy living. Low-carb had become more of a habit and that was my new normal.

Like you, I could lose a few more pounds, and I may. I just do not feel any sense of urgency or pressure about it. As my eating kinda leans more towards carnivore and as I continue to work pretty hard physically, I feel like muscle mass is decent and overall health is, too. It’s a nice position to be in considering about 7 years ago, I was falling apart.

(Jane) #18

Not an old fogie yet, but wanted to congratulate you - better late than never!

I started keto at 58 and am 64 now, so won’t be long before I join your club…

My mom didn’t make it to 70 - passed away at 68 and I KNOW keto would have extended her life. Even if only a year or two but might have been more. She would have done it with me.

(Bob M) #19

And even if it didn’t extend her life, it could have made it better. One reason I’m still on keto is I saw my Dad go downhill and become diabetic, all while continuing to eat pasta all the time. Both my grandparents on my mom’s side also became T2 diabetic.

(Jane) #20

It definitely would have improved the quality of her life. I feel certain she would have tried it with me since she wouldn’t have had trouble giving up carbs. She was on a very limited income and I would have been more than happy to keep her stocked up on meat, cheeses and cream and whatever else she had trouble affording.