Returning to Health

#1

I hope I am posting this in the right section. :thinking::grin: As of today I am 4 weeks in on a keto lifestyle change and down 10 pounds. I have done keto in the past but then there was covid, and family trauma, and moves and I gained it all back. This time I am doing this for health as a fasting glucose test came back as 200 four weeks ago. :sob: I knew immediately what needed to be done and have stuck to it. Failure is not an option this go around. I have read so many knowledgeable posts from people on a similar journey, so I hope to share mine here as I travel the bacon road and maybe someday it will encourage someone else.

In addition to a 10 pound lossā€¦My cycle has returned after a 21 month disappearance act. This while not fun, stands out the most to me as a victory because my body is starting to heal and function again.

The dawn phenomenon is alive and well with my glucose. I am reading all I can about this and hope to tinker more with my eating times in the next few weeks to see what happens.

My starting recorded weight was 298. It was probably a bit more than that because honestly I was afraid to step on the scale to see where I was at. My goal weight is around 160ish. I am female, 46, and committed to this like never before for my health.

(Chuck) #2

The key for me was to make my health my goal and not a weight goal. I started almost a year ago taking 5 different medications and as of this week I am off all but one and it is at the lowest dose that is made. And I am in the process of weaning myself off that last medication.
I am not a diabetic but have had BP issues since I was in my twenties and I am now 75. My heaviest weight was 289 back in 2010 I am now down to 192. My doctor says that I should weigh no more than 184, well, we will see if that happens sometime in my future. I do fasting of an average of 19 hours per day and eat a moderately low carb diet. Again I am not a diabetic but in my past I have been hyperglycemia, I havenā€™t had any issues with my blood sugar in almost 6 months now.

(Peter - Don't Fear the Fat ) #3

Well done and Welcome to the Forums. 10 pounds is a great start :slightly_smiling_face:
Yeah, dawn phenomenon effects most people I think. My highest BS in first thing than lowers through the day.
Keep going. No reason not to! :smiley:

(Robin) #4

Youā€™ll get there.
Glad you are here!

(Allie) #5

Focus on improving your health above everything else and trust that the weight loss will follow.

(Geoffrey) #6

It sounds like you have a healthy attitude about what you need to do and thatā€™s a great start. Feed your body nothing but nutritious food and it will respond favorably.
Welcome to your new lifestyle.

#7

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I appreciate it and look forward to getting to know you all better!
Yesterday we celebrated my sonā€™s 15th birthday. We had family over for our traditional birthday taquitos lunch. I bought some pregrilled chicken strips and ate those with some sour cream and a spoon of queso. I also bought rebel ice cream and a little ā€œketoā€ cheesecake for my portion of the cake and ice cream. It tasted ridiculously sweet and I only ate about 4 bites before putting it back in the freezer. After everyone left I threw two ribeyes on the grill and felt like life was good after a successful party with no cheats and ending with my favorite meal.
I walked around the inside of our house after dinner because it was still a balmy (ha!) 107 outside here in Texas. My fbs this morning was 120! The best reading I have had since checking daily for the last month. I know there is a long way to go, but that made my Monday morning great!

(Mark) #8

Great! Keep going.

#9

Yeah I thought (we donā€™t have keto things here) those things are for newbies whose sweet perception havenā€™t changed yet (though I have no idea if some people keep it somehowā€¦? everyone in my family who cut out added sugar find normal sweets overly sweet now. it doesnā€™t even matter if they eat lots of natural sugars, it still changed).
There are very easy keto sweets one can make themselves without much work. I really like that our desserts could evolve with our changes! Today I ate something similar to crustless cheesecake (as far as I knowā€¦? never made cheesecake before keto), mascarpone mixed with sour cream and vanilla, zero sweetener :wink: But I needed carnivore to arrive here.

Good meat is better than any dessert if you ask me but sometimes (often) I need both.
It seems you did quite right on the birthday! Best wishes for the future!

(Geoffrey) #10

Sounds like we might be neighbors. Iā€™m in Weatherford 30 miles west of Ft. Worth.
How about you?

#11

I am in Brownwood, so hello somewhat close neighbor! :grin: Close for Texas at least! :joy:
I am chugging along today. Had a stressful night last night, but itā€™s past and onward I go! I am slowly trying to move all family dinner meals towards keto or at least low carb for the family. Last night I made crockpot pot roast and a veggie side with beef sausage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and butter. It was delicious but my tummy was not happy with the veggies. Phew. Leaning more and more towards carnivore everyday.
I tried the new nut pods pumpkin spice almond/coconut creamer in my coffee this morning. It was ok, but not as good as I had hoped.
My bg was still in the 120ā€™s this morning despite the stressful evening. This surprised me and gives me hope. I see the numbers dropping. I know this is working and for that I am encouraged and grateful I have this chance to correct this and live life!

(Geoffrey) #12

Been through Brownwood many times. A sergeant I served with at Ft. Hood was from there. Thatā€™s a really nice area.

If youā€™re leaning towards carnivore then might I suggest you give it a try 30 or 90 days and see what you think.
My son talked to me about it and suggested it for my health issues and I decided to try it for 30 days. After that time was up I was feeling so much better I figured, why not, letā€™s go 30 more days. Well, 98 days later and Iā€™m still on it and do not see changing anything in the for see able future. The things it has done to improve my health have been amazing and I know without a doubt that this is the proper way to eat for me.

(B Creighton) #13

Congratulations. I have learned so much in the last few years. I have always considered myself somewhat health conscious, but I was apparently not enough as 3 yrs ago my blood pressure became borderline hypertensive. I had lost over 20 pounds from my peak of 218, but was still going in the wrong direction healthwise. I lost the first of my weight just by giving up potato chips, but over the last 2 years have decided to do keto in the fall, and weight training. I do low carb the rest of the year, and that has become lower carb as time has passed, and I have realized how much damage I was doing to myself by holding onto processed desserts. I feel really good when I do keto, and enjoy my food. I do not feel deprived of food. I am now at 175-177 lb, and wear waist 34, which I havenā€™t seen since High School. I was going to throw out all those old 36s I have kept around, and now they are slightly big on me. I have to wear a belt to wear them or they fall off. Never thought I would see size 34 again. It is totally doable, and did I say I got rid of my hypertension? In fact last time I gave my blood, she read it at around 104/68. I have good energy throughout my day, and eat 2x/day. Getting rid of the sugar and the processed foods will turn your life around. Good whole foods keto, will save your health. Keep going.

#14

I think a 30 day (or more!) carnivore period would definitely be something I am interested in trying. Honestly I am about 90 percent eating that way already. I am going to read more about the fine detailsā€¦like coffee? I only drink one cup a day, but I really enjoy that part of my day! Will see about starting in September and give it a try!
I love reading everyoneā€™s stories of how far they have come healthwise on this journey. It is so encouraging and thank you for sharing!
Yesterday I was fighting a headache in the afternoon. Itā€™s hard to tell why with my body changing it could be anything. I tried extra salt, electrolytes, eating, and finally took some ibuprofen which didnā€™t help either. Thereā€™s a lingering high stress environment with some family stuff and I know that canā€™t be helping.
Last night dinner was baked chicken thighs, bacon, and a slice of cheese. I was going to make green beans and bacon but one of the kids tried to help me before I got home and already made corn. I didnā€™t eat that.
I am down 2 more pounds this morning, so 12 pounds all together. Without sounding boasty, I am proud of myself. This feels different and permanent and my emotions are overcome by how excited I am to see the things the future holds for me. Thereā€™s a new spark lit in me that has been absent for several years.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #15

As Amber Oā€™Hearn pointed out in a famous blog post, a carnivore diet is what the carnivore community generally agrees it is. Many carnivores drink only water, but many also drink coffee. (Amber somewhat humorously suggests it could count as a ā€œmedication,ā€ and points out that almost all, if not all, medications are plant-based.)

So if you donā€™t want to give up coffee, you donā€™t have to. But there are reasons to give it up, since it is a plant-based drink, and especially since caffeine is used by the plant as an insect-repellent.

Could have been anything from muscular tension to a very mild case of COVID.

#16

As much as I donā€™t want to, I will be researching more about caffeine and coffee now. Thanks but sort of not really thanks Paul. :pensive::laughing:
I mentioned the carnivore thought to my husband last night and he didnā€™t have much to say. He is about 85% low carb now, no gluten, but still sweets and junk addicted. He struggles with some things I believe that keto or carnivore would heal, but ā€¦ Until he decides I just will keep doing my own thing.
The kids and I went bowling yesterday. Earlier in the summer we went and I had terrible knee pain after. This morning my knees feel good! I put a size 4X shirt on last night that I always thought was a little big on me, but realized that the sleeves had little tucks and gathering at the shoulders. I hadnā€™t seen this before because my body had been filling it out. Not as much now, I am shrinking! So NSVā€™s all around to be thankful and encouraged by!
We have a family vacation coming up next week and I am going to get some labwork done while we are ā€œin the big city.ā€ Itā€™s not completely beginning numbers, but it will be good to have and look back on I think as I continue to make progress. I am curious what my hba1c is and watch it go down as time passes. My fbs and post eating bs readings have been in the lower 110ā€™s this week. I am so excited to see progress all around!

(KM) #17

I love the big progress, like a number on a scale or hba1c, but whatā€™s really awesome are the little things I donā€™t notice - until I do. After about 16 months on keto, many things I was bothered by are pretty much just gone. I do an inventory of my body and I just canā€™t find much of anything to complain about. My extra skin is gradually disappearing, I have no random aches and pains ā€¦ I feel like Iā€™ve gone from :frowning: to :neutral_face: to :slightly_smiling_face:. Of course I could still aim for :grin::partying_face::innocent:, but being at a happy baseline is awesome.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #18

Hey, I drink plenty of coffee. Donā€™t stop on my account.

Of course, Iā€™m the kind of guy who brings the saying about my coffee mug and cold, dead hands to mind, lol!

#19

Coffee is life blood! :laughing:

(Geoffrey) #20

Yā€™all sound like youā€™re at an AA meeting with all your talk about coffee. :coffee::yum::coffee: