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5 A year for NK, GeekyGoddess' commitment to self experimentation

Junior Low-Carber







See last post for link to new blog...

Junior Low-Carber







Your story is fascinating. Good luck with your brand new approach. I too work in healthcare and enjoy geekness. Healthcare resists most new knowledge about nutrition. I am working on losing weight also. I never had a weight issue till college (in later years) and working in healthcare. Lots of stress, snacking to stay awake, and lack of sleep. But the excuses must end and so must the sugar plums dancing in my head (and on my plate). I so far am doing much better for this time of year and have lost a bit just by cutting back on sweets. I really want to try to go sugar and grainless soon, that always works miracles in health and fitness for me. At one point last year I lost about 15 pds. in a short period by making that change. Any extra activity was just because I sat at my desk less and put my gym shoes on more, nothing too strenuous, just more action and not letting computers and other sedentary things dominate. So, I am actually losing a little instead of gaining my way to the New Year. My business keeps me busy but I can take walks and that is enough for the present. With a lighthearted attitude and some smart application of new theories maybe both of us will be slipping into skinny clothes by summer.

Junior Low-Carber







It is amazing that healthcare is so resistant to change. Especially since most of the applicable advancements in science in the last few decades have been in medicine and organizations like the IHI preach Innovation and flexibility yet are inflexible and implement change slower then any other industry. I know that if I was preaching the low carb gospel to my patients I'd probably be fired. But, if I tell a DM2 patient to go ahead and eat more then 200g carbs a day that's considered "sound nutrition advice" as long as I tell them to eat those carbs in healthy whole grains and fruit. Its one of the biggest hypocrisies I have to live with and I hate it. The old "standard of practice" is dangerous, its killing people. I blame the ADA, and the USDA. One of my nutrition collaboratives was funded by the USDA. The whole class was basically indoctrinating nutrition professionals into the USDA paradigm, which is wheatcornsoysugar and fat is badbadbad unless its been heavily genetically modified to be called "canola."



I like to think I'm walking proof that the USDA nutrition model fails. I'm a pretty physically active person. Most of my day is spent on my feet. I am not sedentary and my energy in is not greater then my energy out and I still gained.

Junior Low-Carber







Yes, I know what you mean by being on your feet all day, it never made a difference in my weight or those around me. The reason? Everyone was eating junk (carbs with salt, sugar and fat) to take the stress level down, go as fast as they could, and/or stay awake on long shifts late into the night. You are right about the DM2 patents getting terrible amounts of carbs also. People in the US, Europe, and other developed countries have abundant junk available and will use it for varying reasons, like distraction and comfort of any kind. We travel, and the trimmest, most muscular figures (and even the best teeth) I saw were in Poland. They eat almost no sugar compared to Americans. I checked out the stats after getting home and it shows that Americans eat about 150 pds. of sugar per person a year, and Poles eat about 70 pds per year. That doesn't take into account the fact that Poles almost never dine out, nor do they snack between meals. They even avoid carbonated beverages and you will find few snack foods in stores. They ride buses and trains just like city folk everywhere in the world, but the big difference was caloric intake, and, calories from junk food almost did not exist. They ate sausages, meats, and have a love affair with sour foods, like sauerkraut and soured beets, they love vegetables. They used to be major sugar producers for Europe growing beets for sugar. But they hardly have desserts even in restaurants. The Poles should create weight loss vacations to stimulate their economy and help other nations trim down.

If American weight problems came from not enough exercise, than every nurse and waitress in our country would be the thinnest in America, but they are not. Also ask yourself this, does the average French woman or man (lauded for their fine figures and hearts) walk as much as an American nurse who is making her living walking 8 to 12 hours a day?

No, of course not, unless they happen to be a nurse or waitress. So the whole "not enough activity" and "slothful American thing" is mostly not true. Look at all the double duty moms out there without hardly a moment to sit down. The fatness is coming from the wrong food in the wrong quantities. I do believe modern day kids don't get enough exercise and that is because our system lets perverts out of jail so they can troll for kids, so kids get parked in front of computers and tv. But that is another subject.

Keep up the good work and slide into summer with a new and better you. I will do my best too.

Junior Low-Carber







That's interesting about Poland. Makes me want to read up on it for sure. And can I just say, now I have a craving for sauerkraut on a sausage...lol!



So, I was logging food on, first sparkpeople but then switched to MFP after a "sparkcoach" PM'd me and told me I was "doing it wrong and eating so much fat that I was going to contribute to my own death." But then last night when considering how much more I wanted in a tracker, as far a nutrients go, I found the CRON-o-meter. Its really for people doing a calorie restricted diet for longevity...but...wow, it is a wonderful calorie and nutrient tracker! I wish all the online trackers did what this one did. So today is my first day actually tracking on that one and the food database is a bit generic but I eat mostly whole foods so that is fine with me. However, the carb counts are either more acurate on CRON or...IDK. I know in the US some manufacturers will put that a food has no carbs if it has under .5 per serving...this new data is showing me where I'm screwing up...its adding up fast today. I can see why I've stalled if I've been consuming hidden carbs this whole time.



I'm about to go on lunch break and go and test my blood for the day. I've not eaten except for my morning breve (9g carbs on CRON, 6g on MFP). Then I'll eat a serving of CO with whatever I decide to have for lunch. Has anyone had the experience of peeing false positives on ketostix after consuming CO? I've been cross referencing the color on the ketostix with the level of ketones in my blood for a couple of days and after eating MCT I pee purple but my actual blood reading is usually not supporting what the stick says.



Edited to add: ketone reading before eating lunch was 1.0, Yay! Forgot to cross ref with a ketostix though...got distracted by tasty tasty bacon.

Junior Low-Carber







I was surprised today when I went home for lunch to see that my blood ketone level was 1.2 (deep purple on the ketostix but that probably dehydration *see below). I was mostly surprised because last night after dinner I went to a friends house, drank some red wine, and was sure I blew it. Okay, I was sure I blew it when I tipped the bottle over to pour a glass and the bottle emptied itself into my glass and I realized I had drank the whole thing by myself. How does that happen? LOL! Thankfully I had left room in my carb counts for a few glasses of wine but I hadn't actually planned on using them (I had planned to get home and snack on something before going to bed). I'm glad I'm not the type of person who gets gluttonous when tipsy. All inhibitions were intact.



I haven't weighed myself because its shark week. And for the same reason my clothes are not any looser I suppose. Being a woman can be very discouraging when trying to lose weight. *sneer*

Junior Low-Carber







.2 at 11am. I was ravenous. I'm pretty sure I had too much protein yesterday, I ended up at 123g so obviously that's too much. There was a rib eye...just staring me down...lol, just kidding, it was a planned rib eye which was better then the other option which was chicken peanut stir fry with rice. Rib eye. Still not stepping foot on the scale. Maybe on Saturday or Sunday. I feel fabulous though. For it being shark week I'm not bloated and that's good news. Or I am but I'm SOOOOO skinny I don't notice that I'm bloated. Either way, I'm content. Haha.

Junior Low-Carber







Hi GeekyG,

Sounds like you are doing well. Maybe you did have too much protein. I have cut back on it myself and notice a difference in hunger. But I also added a teaspoon of MCT daily to my diet and I wonder if that has just made me more satisfied in general. They say it can help with brain function and even make a person more insulin sensitive. I really notice that I don't go around hungry, and have a feeling of well being overall. I don't want to get stuck on sticks so I don't measure response anymore. I am instead just watching the scale go down. That gives me a good buzz. I throw in some exercise of little effort or inconvenience, and, done! I do that almost daily. It takes a tiny amount of time but works some muscles to make them get rid of sugar that could be in excess. So in about 4 days I have seen almost a 2 pd loss. I am finding it silly easy to stay away from too much, and too sweet stuff. I just keep thinking it is because of MCT. Maybe it helps make happy hormones in the head. Do you remember when you were very young and food could be put off for so long because you just were having too good a time to stop and go eat? I am wondering if I am getting there. Or maybe nutritionally I have reached that perfect zone. I do get butter in larger amounts and maybe that is helping too. I am not going overboard but eat the amount of butter that a person about 100 years ago would eat. I also am using coconut oil for frying. They say that also makes people more insulin sensitive too.

Keep up the good work GeekyG.

Jojee

Junior Low-Carber







Jojee, I have been using coconut oil also. The MCT oil doesn't agree with my digestive system (agony), but I do eat CO, at least one teaspoon daily. Here is what my typical day looks like:

Breakfast: 12 oz breve with 3 shots of espresso

mid morn: teaspoon of CO

Lunch: wilted bacon spinach salad (made with bacon grease) with avocado and a dollop of lighthouse chunky blue cheese

no afternoon snack, at this point I can go till 9 or 10pm with nothing but water

Dinner: A fatty cut of meat, fried in CO or broiled, about 1/2 a cup of broccoli or cauliflower, full fat dressings.



I have been sleeping so good lately. I've been falling to sleep at 10:30 or 11pm without trying, just close my book, turn over and I'm out like a light. I sleep all night, have crazy dreams and wake up feeling good. My only real problem is a hip pain that usually keeps me up at night but hasn't. It still hurts every morning when I get up and start moving. I'm hoping as I lose weight it will cease but it is degenerative joint disorder so I doubt it. I have an MRI scheduled for next month, it will be the first in years of MRI's to watch the degeneration, I plan to go as long as possible before I have to undergo a hip replacement, because I'm only 33 and those things only last about 10 years so I don't want to get it done too early and end up having to have a second replacement if I live too long (we can only hope, right?).

Senior Low-Carber









Hey GeekyGoddess....just wanted to let you know that hip replacements are lasting 30+ years--and that was using hip replacements from 30 years ago. The technology is even better now. IF you really need a new hip, putting it off because you think it won't last very long is the last reason to put it off.



I made the mistake of putting off knee replacements way too long and ended up being severely limited and in a lot of pain for about 15 years. Knee replacements were no fun, but well worth it. So when my hips got to be too painful, I didn't wait. Best thing I ever did!



PM me if you want more info. There's also a great forum out there with tons of good, accurate information:



bonesmart.org



In addition to a patient forum for hip replacements, there are lots of good articles. The main moderator is a retired orthopedic nurse with 50 years experience.

Junior Low-Carber







Thanks for the info LLL.

So, shark week over, this mornings weight was 231, maybe I have more water weight to lose but not bad, I was happy to see it. I'm assuming my weight was elevated at the start of the experiment due to pms.

Living in a melting pot of cultures is interesting. I went to a Korean household last night for a visit and realized that a lot of their cuisine is keto friendly. Aside from the rice. Also, Koreans are very huge beer fans. I had some not keto friendly Korean beer, but I don't think it screwed with me too much. I only had about 12 oz followed by a good long sweaty uphill walk to another friends house. I'm going to pretend that that walk burned off all those carbs



Anyways, its Saturday, vigorous housecleaning day. And a long holiday weekend. I'm going to rearrange furnature, get ready for a family gathering here on Christmas morning, and bake a ham. MMMMMmmmmmmmmmm.....ham.....*droooolz*

Junior Low-Carber







Ooooh, Holidays, How I love you. Okay, maybe not as much as I did when I was a child...or a not-low-carber. The long weekend was hard. Hard to stay away from goodies. But, for the most part I think I was successful. I just wish my mail woman would deliver new ketone test strips for me. I used my last one on Monday night. So, I feel like I'm in the ketosis dark here.



Good news though, I got a cuisinart food processor for Christmas, so I'm going to make a vat of home made mayo tonight with leftover bacon grease (from christmas breaky) and coconut oil. I also got some kind of molecular chemistry set for making crazy cocktails, so at some point I'm going to have to break out the rum and make mojito caviar... o.O

Junior Low-Carber







GeekyG,

Mojito caviar, my,my. I bet it won't be fattening! Anyway I have fallen from the Christmas sleigh (wagon). But shockingly, with all of the fat I am taking in MCT, coconut oil, and butter, I haven't much room for sweets or a mind set for them. So instead of putting on outrageous weight from Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas I have just maintained in a three pound range and at times dropping down when I just drink more water and beverages! I think it is the MCT and butter making me happy and making food less interesting. Merry Christmas!

Jojee

Junior Low-Carber







Happy Friday all (if anyone is reading). My weekend is off to a lovely start. Been busy at work with a stomach virus attacking the masses and unfortunately my household has been hit. I missed work yesterday which is unheard of in my world. The good news of the day though is that I tracked my package with my ketone strips in it and they are at the post office waiting for me to pick them up. Will be nice to have a reassuring test, as the strips don't work much for me the last few days, pretty much only show mid range pink but only a few hours after consuming a meal with lots of CO in it. I am going to weigh myself tomorrow, would have done it this morning but I was rushing out the door to get to work after being called in early. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Junior Low-Carber







I've had a very veggie-rific weekend, but, good news, I made oopsie rolls and I rock so hardcore that I mastered them on the very first batch. *takes bow*



I finally got my order of test strips in the mail, living out in the remote reaches of the earth has its downfalls. But, I've been firmly in keto all weekend which makes me happy. .5's and even a 1.2 this morning. I've had a lot of vodka today though so I expect to pop out of keto here for at least a day, it's Sunday, the house is full of little boys and my sister bought them all kazoos so the vodka is basically the only thing keeping her alive.



At any rate, I have my hands full this next week, lots of things coming up at work, extra kids, New Years and, two New Years baby birthdays in my family (83 year old grandma and 59 year old step dad). I can't wait for next weekend, it's my kids dads weekend, so I'll be kid free with no social or work obligations (that I know of as of yet).



Stay strong friends, and keto on!

Junior Low-Carber







Happy almost New Year! .7 at 2pm despite total vodka overload. I really appreciate that someone in this world was kind enough to invent diet tonic water, lol! So tonight for the birthdays we are going out to eat instead of cooking at home (seems easier for all), luckily to a good restaurant with an executive chef that has low-carb'd many a time in his adult life. So menu options include pork belly, bacon wrapped scallops, and lots and lots of steaks and seafood that can be served sans carbs. Love! I have not eaten out in weeks and I really can't wait to not have to cook dinner. Oh, wait...I think a few weekends ago I got hot wings...can't remember though.



I need to weigh myself tomorrow for my official start of 2013 weight. I feel good knowing that my New Years resolution last year, although lofty, was to lose 80 lbs, at least I lost 30 of that so I don't feel like I failed in any stretch. I could have lost more though if I had found keto sooner. I started the year off counting calories and basically torturing myself with starvation, hunger and misery...really bad food...gaw! I hate low fat cottage cheese, salads with fat free dressing and plain chicken breasts dry fried, and I shall never subsist on it again. Pretty much the only thing I've missed in the last few months of low carbing has been ketchup. Lol! Pretty sad but that's it.

Expert Low-Carber









GeekyG - I've read your posts with interest. I have suffered from chronic hip pain for years and have been diagnosed with arthritis in my neck and hip. This runs in my family - my mother and both my sisters all have the exact same problem. The hip pain is much worse at night and frequently keeps me awake - I would describe it as excruciating at times, waking me up and I'm unable to get comfortable. I will honestly say to you that since I have been following a careful NK diet since early August, the pain has completely subsided! I backslid during the holidays and am back in pain, however back on track so I'm sure it will feel better soon (it didn't get too bad, even with three weeks of careless eating). I'm convinced that a ketogenic diet has strong anti-inflammatory benefits - I also have a history of tension headaches which have been alleviated. Drinking 64 oz of water daily seems to help too, and boosts my weight loss. I've lost 32 lbs since August 1; its been so exciting with NO hunger (once keto-adapted, which took me about three weeks to really feel the full effects).



I'll be interested to see if you have the same results.



Happy New Year!

Expert Low-Carber







This is very interesting to me as I've got hip pain too that was helped by going LC. It's back with a vengeance since I've backslid since my wedding. I think maybe I'll try an NK diet once I'm back from Vegas next month. I really need to focus on the health benefits in addition to the weight loss.



T-Vix





Expert Low-Carber









T-Vix

The returning pain reminds me that I'm not "cured" - I have to keep my macro-nutrients in line if I want to continue to have the benefits of weight loss and absence of pain. For the weight loss part, I also have to track and cap calorie intake.

Newbie Low-Carber







Great thread!

And I learned something new from it -- that there is such a thing as ketone strips. (Just shows what a newby I am )

Went to Ebay.de (= Germany) and ordered 100. *cheers*











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