Line in the sand

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Harley, I resemble that remark.

 

[audreyh1]

I am not calling this keto. I just cut out all carbohydrates and am trying intermittent fasting for the immediate purpose of losing a lot of weight. No changes in diet except as noted. I love fish, red meat and green vegetables, so it should be an easy path for the long run.
I feel good and optimistic.

Congrats! That’s quite a start!

You are most certainly in ketosis. Cutting out all carbs not to mention the fasting puts you there. That’s also probably why you aren’t experiencing hunger. Cutting out all carbs puts you are on a ketogenic diet whether you call it keto or not.

 

[aja8888]

Ed, make sure you get plenty of fiber on this routine as you will get constipated easily.

Good luck and a great start!

 

[audreyh1]

Ed, make sure you get plenty of fiber on this routine as you will get constipated easily.

Good luck and a great start!

DH found that increasing fat was more effective than increasing fiber to avoid constipation. He was somewhat constipation prone. That may have resolved.

I got enough fiber from veggies, and didn’t need any extra fiber. I made sure to drink plenty of water too.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Ed, make sure you get plenty of fiber on this routine as you will get constipated easily.

Good luck and a great start!

No worries, aj. I likes my greens.
I should mention that I had a checkup yesterday. Weight loss confirmed. Doc thinks my BP is 120. But I go by my cheap electronic wrist rocket. It may not be accurate, but it is repeatable and my ears are not good enough to hear my blood in my cuff. Besides, the cuff is really awkward for me to use.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I am getting motivation when I see grossly overweight people. I never noticed before, but there are too many of them.
I am also remembering a great friend who had type 2 diabetes and was overweight who died a few years ago with organ failure preceded by a lengthy stay in the ER and toe amputations. A grizley way to die and too, too young. I miss him very much. He never made changes to his eating or diet.

 

[harley]

I use my numbers except when my doctor's are better.

It can be useful, though, to calibrate your BP monitor against your doc's. I take mine in occasionally. Usually they take the BP, then stick me in a waiting room for a few minutes. That gives me time to take it again using my machine, just to see how it lines up. I can't change the reading, but it does let me know if it's reading high or low. It's usually a little higher with my machine than theirs. I do something similar with my blood sugar monitor when I go in for lab work. More information never hurts.

 

[audreyh1]

I am also remembering a great friend who had type 2 diabetes and was overweight who died a few years ago with organ failure preceded by a lengthy stay in the ER and toe amputations. A grizley way to die and too, too young. I miss him very much. He never made changes to his eating or diet.

It’s unfortunate that most diabetes treatment has been focused on medications especially to lower blood sugar and little on eating. And even more unfortunately, the nutrition advice has been to eat higher carb and lower fat, when someone who is diabetic is carb intolerant and can even reverse the disease by severely restricting carbs. But until 10 years ago it was thought that type II diabetes was a chronic and progressive disease, and reversal was not possible. The word is still very slow to get out. US medical doctors are not trained at all to treat through nutrition, so are grossly unprepared to effectively treat these chronic diseases of lifestyle that dominate US medical resources.

 

[PatrickA5]

My dentist took my blood pressure yesterday before torturing me. It was 156/111. She then did it after my cleaning was done (125/80). She said the cleaning help my BP go down. Ha! We now have the answer.

 

[harley]

US medical doctors are not trained at all to treat through nutrition, so are grossly unprepared to effectively treat these chronic diseases of lifestyle that dominate US medical resources.

I'm not a fan of the medical community, but to be fair I suspect it's a rare person that is willing to make the changes needed to reverse Type II through lifestyle. I know a dozen or more people with Type II, and I'm the only one who's made this work. And it took me 15 years before I did it.

I do think if the information was more mainstream and available more people would do it. But I think there are an awful lot of people who would rather inject the insulin and reach for the Oreos.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Look into intermittent fasting. Easiest way I have lost weight ever.

It’s easier to do on a low carb diet. But I agree. Intermittent fasting or time restricted eating is simple once you get the hang of it. One less meal a day, and squish your eating into a 6-8 hour window. Especially cut off eating after 6-8 PM.

 

[audreyh1]

From the reading i have done, and the presentations i have watched, US standard of care, most type 2 diabetic patients have no idea of their options.

 

[mystang52]

Update:
I started no carbs or alcohol on Feb 25 at 300#.
I am now finishing a 4-day fast, only coffee, tea and water. Walking 5 days/week for 45 min. Today, March 5, my weight is 287#, down 13#. Maybe only 5# is water. My diastolic BP is down from 160 to 139.
I have not been hungry at all....

I feel good and optimistic.
I will enjoy dinner tonight. While not hungry, I do think about foods I like (e.g., herring, eggs, pork, beef, chicharones, broccoli, avocados, tomatoes, etc.). I have to keep my eyes on the prize.

I had a mixed reaction to your post. First, sincere kudos on a great start and I wish you continued success on getting healthier. But I question whether such drastic approach can be sustained. Many years ago I lost 50 pounds b strict diet, and not-so-slowly and steadily gained it back. Some 20 years ago I again lost that weight, but through exercise and portion control I've kept it off. Once you lose the weight, please consider what you will do for the long term to keep it off. Again, best wishes for continued success.i

 

[harley]

I had a mixed reaction to your post. First, sincere kudos on a great start and I wish you continued success on getting healthier. But I question whether such drastic approach can be sustained. Many years ago I lost 50 pounds b strict diet, and not-so-slowly and steadily gained it back. Some 20 years ago I again lost that weight, but through exercise and portion control I've kept it off. Once you lose the weight, please consider what you will do for the long term to keep it off. Again, best wishes for continued success.i

That's the best thing about LCHF/Keto/IF. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet. It's really not that hard to maintain, once you get past the preliminary carb cravings (2-3 weeks, usually).

DW lost 60 lbs 10-12 years ago by doing the Nutrisystem diet plan. She bought a ton of their (nasty, IMHO) food, and managed to lose a ton of weight. But she complained about being hungry all the time, and when she quit buying their food she gained it all back plus a little. Because it didn't teach her what to eat, and also because it kept her eating the carbs that were responsible for her cravings and hunger issues.

But we both went to a LCHF/IF lifestyle a year and a half ago. We've both had very good responses from it, both with our weight as well as from a health POV. And it's not a major chore to keep with it. We can even go out with friends and have a slice of pizza or an ice cream occasionally, and then just continue with our lifestyle other than that.

I think Ed is on the right track, and look forward to hearing his progress over time.

 

[MRG]

Congrats! That’s quite a start!

You are most certainly in ketosis. Cutting out all carbs not to mention the fasting puts you there. That’s also probably why you aren’t experiencing hunger. Cutting out all carbs puts you are on a ketogenic diet whether you call it keto or not.

+1

If you have cut out that many carbs you are or will be in ketosis. Might be a good idea to do a little research about side effects. Things I recall are: keto flu, magnesium, potassium, and sodium may need supplementation.....

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

+1

If you have cut out that many carbs you are or will be in ketosis. Might be a good idea to do a little research about side effects. Things I recall are: keto flu, magnesium, potassium, and sodium may need supplementation.....

Understood. I have been taking calcium + magnesium citrate supplements for a couple of years already and have been using NoSalt (potassium chloride) as well. I am pretty sure I get enough sodium normally. No keto flu at all. No light-headedness, no fainting, no trouble sleeping. Yet.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

From the reading i have done, and the presentations i have watched, US standard of care, most type 2 diabetic patients have no idea of their options.

Second that.

I wish I knew then what I know now. I could have saved my old friend's life. Possibly could have extended my mother's and father's lives as well. I am trying to proselytize my wife. My brother might also be receptive if this works out well. I intend to give it a serious try.

This is literally "as serious as a heart attack".

 

[audreyh1]

This is literally "as serious as a heart attack".

Of course it is! In fact your risk of sudden cardiac death can be 7x if you are under 50 and have type 2 diabetes.

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People younger than 50 with diabetes have a seven-times higher risk of dying from sudden cardiac death, preliminary research suggests.

And their risk of dying from any kind of heart disease is eight times higher than for those without diabetes, the long-term Danish study also found.

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news...-7-times-greater-risk-of-sudden-heart-death#1

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

My dentist took my blood pressure yesterday before torturing me. It was 156/111. She then did it after my cleaning was done (125/80). She said the cleaning help my BP go down. Ha! We now have the answer.

Interesting!

Some people have "white coat syndrome", where their BP goes up when they enter the Dr's office. Mine goes down, if I can believe the cuff.
Once upon a time I went to my dentist after having been laid off from a very stressful job. She remarked how my BP had come down. There is truth to job stress.

 

[audreyh1]

The nurses are terrible about taking BP right after you get up and walk to their office/patient room. If they could let you sit quietly for 5 mins it would normalize.

With your cleaning you were sitting quietly for a long time.

 

[JohnML]

The nurses are terrible about taking BP right after you get up and walk to their office/patient room. If they could let you sit quietly for 5 mins it would normalize.

With your cleaning you were sitting quietly for a long time.

Great point. When my doctor comes in and sees my BP elevated she waits until near the end of the visit (after I realize I am not going to be told death is imminent) and retakes it herself. It is ALWAYS significantly lower.

 

[braumeister]

Great point. When my doctor comes in and sees my BP elevated she waits until near the end of the visit (after I realize I am not going to be told death is imminent) and retakes it herself. It is ALWAYS significantly lower.

Same here. I once asked the doc why the nurses always used such poor procedure when taking the BP reading, and he just rolled his eyes and muttered "It's hopeless."

 

[Danalyst]

Strength training is a must

Ed, you will definitely lose weight cutting carbs etc, but unless you adopt a regular resistance-training program, you will lose vital muscle mass along the way, because (for evolutionary reasons) the body will sacrifice muscle and retain fat — unless you force it to stay strong. Walking is great, but it does little for your muscles. Read “Body by Science” by McGuff & Little for a high—intensity protocol that takes only 20 minutes a week.

 

[Old Microbiologist]

Ed - you are on the right track. I starterted the keto diet along with intermittent fasting. For me, I did the 16:8 for 3 weeks then went to One Meal A Day (OMAD) and have diligently kept my carbs low. I also check my urine daily to make certain I am in ketosis. On top of that I did the calorie restriction to 1,540 calories a day AND I increased my exercise activity. Like you, my knees are shot so running is impossible. Too many marathons (and associated training) in my youth caused this. I now use a recumbent exercise bike every day at least 30 minutes and alternating days I do high intensity interval training of 1 minute cycling as fast as I can sustain and 1:30 slow speed for recovery. Every day I use a vibration exerciser and alternate calisthenics with weight lifting (dumbbell). The stretching/calisthenics runs about 15 minutes and the weight routine runs about 30 minutes. Because you are vibrating it actually strengthens the bones and micro-exercises. Strangely all my joint pains are no gone. I also go hiking, mountain biking, or road cycling every day. The hiking I use poles to get that extra added energy expenditure plus the trails are steep and rocky so somewhat difficult without poles. So, this Nordic Hiking is fun, gets you out into the woods and also burns calories. I will begin swimming soon once our pool warms up. I exercise roughly 90 minutes every day and the hikes are usually 1 to 1.5 hours long. I bicycle to the marina where my sailboat is which adds a bit more. I also have a stationary stepper for those days when the weather sucks too much to go hiking. That thing is a killer and I can't do more than 30 minutes. Sometimes I stretch the stationary cycling to 60 minutes. But, I try hard to burn at least 1,000 calories a day exercising.

A key to recovery from metabolic syndrome is to have less than 50 grams of carbohydrate a day for at least 3 months. The second part is harder to get going which is to induce autophagy. This is essentially how the body recovers by cleaning out dead and/or damages cells. It takes time to do but it works amazingly well. I am 3 months into this now and I lost 30 pounds, my body fat is now 11%, and I feel great. My mental status has improved and I have fewer senior moments which was alarming to me as it was becoming obvious. My skin is now younger looking and my age spots on my hands are almost gone. I had thousands of floaters inside my eyes and they have dramatically reduced.

You mention your others in the house make this difficult and you are entirely correct. I do most of the cooking and really it isn't all that much different. My wife eats her sweet stuff which I ignore which requires some will power. The hardest for me was coffee without sugar. I do not like the taste of artificial sweeteners so don't use any at all. There is some evidence they are just as bad as sugar and maybe worse. I can get around things like noodles and pasta but some of my wife's dishes will no longer be permitted. Some can be modified so it is an issue. It would be great if she adopted the same diet and I believe she will eventually. She has other health issues which are foremost in her mind and she doesn't want to stress herself further with a difficult (to her) diet. However, sh sees how much I have lost and how dramatically younger I look. The age spots on the hands got her thinking. So, maybe it is coming. I am not counting on it though and I will continue this as long as I can maintain it. I have roughly 5 pounds to go and then I will increase my food intake (back to 2,000 calories a day) and move to an intermittent fasting schedule of 21:3. I am actually doing 22:2 now as on OMAD it is hard on the digestive system to eat that many calories in one meal as your stomach gets smaller and you don't want bloating. I eat a lighter pre-meal of a hard boiled egg, 2 slices of light ham, 1 ounce of homemade turkey jerky and 1 ounce of almonds. I cook dinner after that and eat exactly at 1730 daily so the pre-meal is between 1530 and 1730. Meals are quick though. I do have a glass of red wine every meal but it has to be dry. I also have an avocado in a salad daily which by itself is 24 grams of carbohydrate. Keeping track of what you are eating is key to success. Checking ketosis is also helpful but eventually your body will stop secreting them in the urine so only a blood test will work. I am just hitting that point now after 3 months. This is a sign of fat adaption and rebalancing the metabolism as well.

There are a ton of youtube videos out there. Eric Berg keeps them relatively simple and there are others at a more scientific level and some researchers have TED talks which are in explicit detail about how this works. In my family everyone else is doing the Gundry diet which interestingly enough the keto diet more or less is in compliance as all those plant foods that Gundry thinks are toxic have too many carbs to eat anyway. The keto adds a reset of the metabolism and I am convinced cures diabetes or at least eliminates the symptoms. No sugar = no insulin and your are living only on ketones and gluconeogenesis for energy. But, it takes time to get there and I encourage you to hang in there regardless of your family.

 

[hopeisconstant]

Here's my experience:

When I quit drinking alcohol 10+ years ago,I dropped 20 pounds in a couple pf months. Then the urge for ice cream bit me and I gained 40 pounds back! For me, the urge to replace the alcohol sugars was real. Now I struggle to stay away from sweets in general.

I have a real sweet tooth myself and found substituting pastry, ice cream and the like with all kinds of fruit, figs, raisins mixed with non- salt wide range of nuts, sunflower seeds helped me to cut back 90%. I know fruit & figs have sugar but in its natural form it seems to be much better.and less caloric.