Tough time of year; striving to stay the course

(Carolyn aka stokies) #1

Anyone else have a tough time of year about now? Holidays are brutal when you are going through them mostly unsupported in real life…

I am hovering within a 3-pound swing, on either side of losing 120 pounds. I have been here for a while, and I know I have not been keto compliant 100%. It’s been an on-going battle with anniversaries of deaths and another family member taken too early just 2 weeks ago. I am now juggling 3 part-time jobs and school, which works out OK for me financially. Yet it severely impacts my ability to fast as I used too… and hence, my slow down. Guess it gives my body time to recomp some, but I fight against feeling like I am failing.

Up note? I am now down to my high school size, and the smallest weight since I was in high school. I could easily lose 40 more but I feel I need to ease up on myself and just be OK with where I am. I am great at suggesting kindness towards oneself for others - but fighting depression makes that pretty hard to follow.

Thanks for enduring my hypocrisy :wink:

(Aaron Bieniek) #2

Absolutely a tough time of year - you are not alone. So sorry for your losses. Take care.

(Troy) #3

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Praying this is encouraging😬
:slightly_smiling_face:

#5

Support is here. Feasts are tricky. Deaths are. Keep swimming Stokies.

Have you ever driven with one of those talking navigator robots? And sometimes you say, Nup, I’m going my own way (yes, actually talking to the device). Then the nice voice says “recalculating”, so you take the scenic route, and the nice robot voice says, “recalculating”.

That’s what the end of the designated year is. A time for recalculating and setting an adventurous path.

(Rebecca ) #6

You have a lot going on, it sounds…3 jobs, school, losses…that would all take a toll. Be kind to yourself…:hugs:

(traci simpson) #7

I’m not doing well at all. I feel like its so much trouble sometimes. I have to think ab out what I"m doing to cook and when I eat wrong I feel guilty and let me tell you, the struggle is real. I think if I were loosing weight it might be different, but I’m still at the 6 pound mark since April so I’m so close to saying F’ it.

(Susan) #8

Remember this, Carolyn. I am always so impressed and inspired by you. You have been such an amazing Keto woman, for so long, and I know it is hard juggling 3 jobs with your university studies as well, and when you don’t feel that you are getting support and trying to stay on track it is hard. I am sorry for your losses, and your recent one as well. I wish I could give you a big hug.

Try to think on the positives, that you have lost 120, and how much healthier you are since having accomplished that great feat. Maybe try to get some time to yourself and have a nice soak in a bath, with candles and a glass of wine, if you get a chance with 3 jobs and university work… that must be indeed very hectic. I find trying to sleep enough can help when I am really stressed as well. Take care, and remember you are not alone, you have all of us here. Hugs =).

(Susan) #9

I hope that things will improve for you as well. Traci. I know that being stalled can be frustrating, I don’t know if you like fasting at all, sometimes that can help with stalls. @monsterjuice and I are doing an IDM protocol that Dr. Jason Fung uses on his patients atm that seems to be helping us. I will put it here in case it is interesting for anyone:

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I have lost 2 pounds since starting it the end of October, we are doing it until November 30 to try and get the scales moving before December comes.

#10

Up note? I am now down to my high school size, and the smallest weight since I was in high school. I could easily lose 40 more but I feel I need to ease up on myself and just be OK with where I am.

Wow, you’re down to your high school weight? That’s fantastic!! You can be super proud of that accomplishment, hon, no failure there at all. AND…I agree with your idea to just ease up on yourself for now. Yes, you could lose more or do this or that, but right now you’ve got a lot of irons in the fire. Go easy on yourself right now. This can indeed be a tough time of year. It’s not just you! Others feel the same way. {{{HUGS}}}

(Ashley) #11

Write down everything your eating, see if your miscalculating anywhere. Try to eat as minimal ingredients as possible. You may have a intolerance somewhere. I don’t know where your at weight wise, but IF or EF may be beneficial. Don’t give up on yourself, your healing it takes time. Think of how many years you were horrible to your body, it’s fighting to keep what it has, keep fighting it. Also I remember you were on phentermine and not eating much, that could of caused you to have some metabolic derangement, it’ll correct, also make sure your eating enough, you could be under eating.

#12

Don’t say F’ it, although I know it’s super tempting! Stalls are so frustrating. Have you tried some kind of change up? Sometimes adding a few more calories or eating less can get the weight loss going again. Sometimes a fast of a day or two can get the job done. Yes, the struggle is real. I’m sorry it is happening to you! Before saying, F’ it, please do consider trying carnivore. Don’t give up on yourself or your health. {{hugs}}

(traci simpson) #13

thanks but I don’t want to fast longer than 24 hours. It stresses me out to even think about more than that

(traci simpson) #14

Hi
I’m reducing the amount of food that I’m eating. I’ll eat until I’m not hungry but I"m not going to eat until I’m stuffed. That just doesn’t sound right to me anymore. I’m not drinking coffee during my IF’g period, just tea and water. Maybe I’ll see some changes in a week or so.

(Susan) #15

Okay, I was just trying to think of different solutions that might help. I know that it can be frustrating. I have cut out all dairy since Oct 18 (which is not easy but I think it is helping me). It won’t be a permanent thing, for for now I have cut it out totally until November 30, then maybe can see if I bring some back in December if it was a factor.

I hope that you can figure out what can work for you, we are definitely all different, and have to find out own Keto solutions, good luick =).

(traci simpson) #16

When I think I’m undereating, I eat more and then I feel bad because I’m eating so much in my meals. I’ve tried tracking with my scale but casseroles and such are too difficult to track. Eating meat, green vegs and some fat is going to be my new go to. Don’t know whatelse to eat.

#17

That sounds like a good idea. If you eat a simple diet for a bit it might be easier to see what is going on. Once you get more in tune with your body’s signals it should be easier to tell when you’ve had enough to eat and so on.

(Ashley) #18

Keep it simple, meat, fat, veg if you like! Simple is better to see if it helps any and then you can add stuff back and see if it’s been beneficial.

(traci simpson) #19

Yup, sounds like a plan.

(Bob M) #20

Maybe this will help. Here are the results of my DEXA scans:

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In about one YEAR, I lost 5.4 pounds of fat and gained 3.3 pounds of muscle, for a scale loss of 2.1 pounds. In a year.

Since then, I’m at least 5-10 pounds lighter than that by scale, depending on the day. I’m stronger, but have not gotten any DEXA scans (too expensive, time consuming as I have to drive too far to get one).

What have I done? I keep varying things, my workouts, I’m eating fewer veggies and more meat, I vary my fasting schedule, try to hit some longer fasts but have been bad at them lately, so have gone to shorter (36 hour fasts) try different things. This week, I ate OMAD Monday and will try to do so Friday, ate during a much shorter than normal two meals a day window on Wednesday. Next week, I’ll try for another 36 hour fast, which I’ve failed at lately, but I’ll try again. I try higher protein, sometimes even higher fat (not my fav). Sometimes higher carbs, sometimes none. Higher dairy, no or very little dairy. At some point, I’ll go carnivore for a while.

Just keep chugging along.

(traci simpson) #21

Wow 5.4 pounds in one YEAR? I guess I shouldn’t be too concerned then?? I don’t know where or how to get a DEXA SCAN. Is that the same as getting your BF checked?

I try to vary my fasting times and going from OMAD to TMAD. Today its been 21 hours so far but I know I will have to eat within an hour because I have stuff to do after 5 and if I don’t eat I will be ravenous so eating by 2:45 will assure that I won’t eat again until tomorrow.

I’m dropping my protein and adding more green veggies; not a ton but more than I’ve been eating. I’m trying to eat more simply and less casserole type dishes because it’s harder to track.

I’m not trying to fast with coffee and HWC anymore and I’m strictly green tea and water and salt.