Why did you start?

(Full Metal KETO AF) #21

I was an overweight amputee with mobility issues, had a kidney transplant 8 months prior and went from non diabetic to diabetic in a month because of steroids. I wanted to preserve my new kidney by getting rid of the diabetes and losing weight also for mobility. I’ve had many unexpected benefits and improvements and continue to get new benefits after a year now. I walk 20x as far before I have fatigue now. :cowboy_hat_face:

#22

I gained about 15kg when I quit smoking four years ago and I’m histamine intolerant. After two years of the familiar merry-go-round of trying to, unsuccessfully, lose weight the SAD way (calorie deficit, hunger that leads to bad choices and then trying to out-exercise a bad diet, moral hangovers due to food, worsening inflammation, leaky gut, etc) and once I realized that only an insane person expects different results without any change, I decided to try keto. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made…KCKO since May 2018 :slight_smile:

(ANNE ) #23

I was overweight and menopausal. With no energy and every bit of my body aching on a daily basis. I had Atkined, in 2003 to lose some post baby weight and again in 2004. So I internet searched for Atkins again, but keto came up. I started reading and thought time to try again. Super impressed with my results in 2018 and was back to a really good figure and energy level.
But I have lapsed in the last year. Creeping carbs is a devil to fight. Whilst I love my family very much, at times being single and living alone would enable me to delete all the carbage that resides in the pantry.

(Marianne) #24

Love all these stories.

I started because physically, at 60, I looked and felt like shit. Physically I was a mess. Everything hurt, especially my legs. An old groin injury I sustained over 30 years earlier would flare at different times every day and almost take my leg from under me, it was so painful. I couldn’t put my shoes or socks on without sitting down. Had to go up and down stairs one at a time. Getting in the car, I could only bend so far and would have to basically do a controlled fall into the seat. Was pre-T2D with a-fib, high blood pressure, and fatty liver. I just felt like a slob. I felt ashamed for my husband to have to be seen with me, he was so in shape and attractive. I slept about 12 hours a day, while working full time, and more on the weekends. Many times before falling asleep, my heart and chest would feel so weird, I would wonder if this was it. I was so depressed, I couldn’t manage to even water my plants or do the simplest thing.

This went on for over ten years since the last time I had been thin before (couldn’t maintain that loss for long without gaining it all back and then some, up to my heighest weight). It just got worse and worse until it was so bad that I felt totally despondent.

Saw a few articles about people losing weight on keto on Yahoo News and then found the dietdoctor website and read the success stories. I knew these people had lived what I was living and had come out of it, seemingly with none of the troubles associated with typically white knuckle diets. Found this forum and got the information and support I needed to start. Tried it, took to it from day one, and haven’t looked back.

(Jenn) #25

Because bacon.

lol, in all seriousness though, I had no hope for anything else. The day my doctor suggested weight loss surgery I went home and took a long hard look in the mirror and realized I had been in denial a long time about how bad I let myself go.

I’ve lost almost 80 pounds over 18 months and I’m only 40 pounds from my goal weight.

No pills, surgery or expensive eating programs. Just cut out sugar and ate more fat. I really wish I would have know about this WOE years ago. It has saved my life (or at least my quality of life).

PS I love hearing about everyone’s reasons for starting :slight_smile: congrats to you all

(mole person) #26

I had always been a slim woman. But when I got into my forties I slowly started to put on weight that I couldn’t remove in the same easy way that I used to be able to. Dropping just the cookies and ice cream for two weeks no longer took me down to my happy weight. In fact, it did precisely nothing anymore.

During that same period, I became more and more ill. First, I developed a permanent migraine. It lasted for a year without any abating. Eventually it did slow down, and I only had migraines several days a week. The pain could only be controlled with opiates, and I quickly became dependant on them. I then developed a neurological pain condition called trigeminal neuralgia. This put me on two other strong medications. Finally, I developed an autoimmune condition that led to horrible abdominal pain.

Between the pain conditions and the opiates my life was ruined. I could no longer do anything that I used to enjoy. And my activity level tanked.

Then I hit 50, and menopause, and things got much worse. I very suddenly put on an additional 10 lb. At this point I just felt ugly and didn’t even want to be seen.

Luckily at around this time my husband heard a Gary taubes interview. And that was when we took a dive into keto and everything began to turn around.

I only went into it for the weight loss. I had no idea any other benefits would accrue. But now almost three years later I’m off all my medications. I have no migraines, no trigeminal neuralgia and no abdominal pain. I’m now 104 lbs and as slum as I was in my twenties. My opiate addiction is behind me, and I’m back to my favourite hobby of extended camping and canoeing trips in the wilds of Canada. This is a hobby that I have been unable to practice for over a decade, and I thought was well behind me due to age and decrepitude.

One thing that I should add however, is that keto did not take me all the way to this point. Although keto improved me a great deal, it was only when I switched to an all meat diet that I became completely cured of all my medical issues.

(Michelle isaacson) #27

I am 44 years old and have dealt with weight since I was placed on High dose steroids due to severe Asthma. I was on high dose steroids for 10 years straight and went from 122# up to 250# and became an insulin dependent Steroid Induced diabetic at the age of 17. My Pediatric Endocrinologist also told me I made too much insulin.

At the age of 21 I decided I was done with the steroids and all the severe havoc they played on my system. .No longer diabetic. My gall bladder was removed and I was also dx with hypothyroidism and Hypoglycemia. Started Atkins for 1 year. My weight was down to 205#

Over the next several years I slowly lost weight; graduated from High School, College, Married and had 3 kids. Lowest weight 172#

All three pregnancies I had Gestational Diabetes and needed insulin.

I have dappled in several different diets but either feel hungry or bottom out in blood sugar (BG low 40’s)

I started an exercise program 3 years ago and it had an eating plan of 30 grams of carbs 6 X per day. I kept telling them those carb numbers were too high for me…and yep I gained weight!

NOTHING I did worked…Everything I did caused me to gain weight or not feel good

This above is why I started!!!

One year since I posted my “Starting” above I have seen a 180 in my health!

My Joint Pain GONE
My Severe Knee Pain Gone
My chronic feeling of being tired GONE
My HYPOGLYCEMIA Gone
My Asthma Better
My Endurance Better
My Mental Clarity Better
My Lipid Profiles Better
Down 3 dress sizes and 30# (13.6kg)
My Smile when people note how Healthy I look! PRICELESS
My Confidence in my ability to take charge of my health INCREASED!!
My PASSION for KETO and Sharing with anybody and everybody I encounter!!! Indescribable!
This has been an amazing Journey! KETO IS MY WAY OF LIFE!!! :slight_smile:

(Michelle isaacson) #28

Yes, I wish I had found keto sooner as well! :):smile:

(Michelle isaacson) #29

@PetaMarie I was put on steroids at age 11 years old and took high doses until age 21. Many severe side effects! They are very damaging but lifesaving at the same time. :heart:

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #30

I very much have a love hate relationship with them. I love how well they work and how much better I can feel using them. I hate the side effects: bacne (back acne), weight gain, moon face, mustache, etc.

(Michelle isaacson) #31

100%
Osteoporosis
Steroid induced Diabetes
Compression Fractures
Subocular Cataracts

I have healed from them all except weight…Started at 122# Went up to 250# and down to 165# :slight_smile:

(Bob M) #32

Damn, I wish I heard less of this. This seems to be a common theme. I continually wonder whether my 90+% meat diet needs to change to get rid of all plants? I plan on testing this soon…

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #33

Good for you! When I was diagnosed I had lost 15 lbs in a month which alarmed the docs. Then they put me on Dexamethasone for a year and I went up to 240. They were pleased as punch, I was not! It’s seems like harder weight to lose than just too-many-little-debbies weight, doesn’t it. Good for you for getting down to 165. I’m at 210-215 (had to take pred recently) but I’m feeling better than at 240 lbs so that’s good!

(Michelle isaacson) #34

@PetaMarie You got this! You are right it is harder to lose weight from Steroids…I think it is the Hormonal part of Cortisone…Which the body into the Stress response for the entire time you are on them. It is an absolute uphill battle…KCKO and eat right. NOTHING worked to lose weight except Pregnancy and Keto. I am currently on a 5 day burst of Prednisone myself and have learned even with 20 grams of carbs or less it will drive my BG up into the 140’s which forces my body to use my insulin (Bummer). I have a distinct feeling there are many folks who have no idea what the steroids due to their body. It is learning how to live with the challenges presented to us. :bacon::fried_egg:

(mole person) #35

Yah, it both sucks and is wonderful at the same time. I do wish I could have all the foods I used to love once in a while. But, on the other hand, I just got back from a hardcore, 11 day, time-of-my-life, canoe trip. It’s been 15 years since I did anything that challenging and it was no trouble. I can live with only meat if it shaves 25 years off of how my body feels, which is exactly how this feels.

(ANNE ) #36

Reply to Gingersmommy
I started because I was tired of looking tired, old and overweight. I was lumbering around and my Hb1AC was climbing.
I had to do something or I was going to be yet another T2D chugging the metformin … and all the costs to my long term health.

(Terry Truett) #37

Diagnosed with fatty liver after 2 weeks of testing. Hurting in gall bladder and liver areas. Cut carbs, stumbled into keto. Last 45 pounds. Fill great now, no pain. Liver healing. No alcohol before or after diagnosis.

(Susan) #38

That is awesome Terry!! Congrats on your Keto victories, and welcome to the forum.

(Central Florida Bob ) #39

I started because I was getting progressively farther down the prediabetes path and with both my mom and brother being Type 2 (brother on insulin), I could see where this was heading. My brother is on a couple of drugs yet still progressively getting worse. I’m working on him.

I had started trying to head off going diabetic with The Zone diet, but was still getting worse. I can see why now - still way too much carbs. Lunch might be 4 ounces of lowfat turkey or ham with two big peaches, or a big ol’ orange. The Zone just didn’t go as far as it should have gone. Went full keto while on a vacation in April of '15.

My GP told me I’m in what he considers the “completely normal” range, and isn’t concerned about diabetes nor my weight. I’m 2 pounds shy of 70 lost and still striving for a goal that puts me close to 75 down. My fasting sugar isn’t where I’d like to see it, typically between 90 and 100, so between trying to lose the last few pounds and give my insulin a rest, I still fast regularly.

#40

I’ve always been chubby, wore the husky sized jeans when I was young. Middle school hits and I trim up a bit due to playing football and wrestling. By the time I graduate high school I was 245, but athletic enough to have schools after me to wrestle or play football.

I trim up more and gain muscle up to 260 thanks to workouts, but I ended up getting beat up and injured several times. I end up leaving the football team due to injuries and gain wait. Not just fat on top of the muscle, but I lose muscle mass due to not working out.

I ended up going on a calorie restricted diet, eating ground turkey and rice, nothing substantial. I dropped from 275 to 225 but was starving all the time. Then I had some surgeries on a knee and shoulder. So I gained back up to 260

Fast forward to a few years ago I was pink slipped at a school by the new Athletic Director because he wanted his guys and I wasn’t tenured. I went from 250 to 335 over the course of two years. Lots of fast food, heavy carby meals, cokes (in Alabama coke is used as a generic term for any carbonated soft drinks), beer, over eating, and being in a funk.

Late May I needed to change because I woke up and saw how big and flabby I was. I started keto on June 1st and am now down over 70lbs to just under 265 from 335. I’m wanting to get as close to 199 as possible, but I’m unsure if I can get there. I’m just going to go with the flow.