Starting weight 187.4 lbsCurrent Weight: 120.2 lbs
Goal weight ranges
(113-117) and/or (119-121)
Time in weight maintenance: 3 years, 8 months
Age 49
Height: 5'1"
Menopause: 2 years
Auto-Immune Hashimotos: 1997
Food Addict in recovery: May 2011
Current food template: LCHF/ Wahl's Paleo Plus combo
1.Holding steady, goal range revision
I've been in the same weight pattern for 3+ months. If I want to attempt a lower acceptable range I'm likely going to have to have sustained lower carb efforts in the range of total 20-29 grams of carbs. Right now I vary between 30's, 40's and occasional days of 50 grams of total carbs all from non-starchy veggies and some 85% chocolate- small amounts.
It's no big deal to abstain from chocolate. I did the whole month of July 2015 and it seems to make no difference. I tend to feel better eating within the Wahl's Paleo Plus for veggies, so have included my solid acceptable weight range of 119-121. I've always had a nice plateau there. It will be up to me to decide if trying to drop the weight into the lower 113-117 range is worth the lower veggie intake.
I traveled earlier this week to the mid-west with very good results. It was the first business trip of this type that I had been solidly food sober.
Wow, wow, wow... my eyes are open and reflective of my binge habits and food addiction of the past. There were processed food bombs everywhere.
During meetings, at meals at nice restaurants, hotel breakfast buffet.
I made a food sober, Paleo-ish, Low Carb Higher Fat food plan and stuck to it like a boss. I was grateful for my plan and food template and things like individually wrapped coconut oil, steak and veggies, eggs and some bacon, and lots of simply prepared veggies.
I came home solidly in weight maintenance but also slightly out of my favorite low level ketosis. I would bet that I'm in a very low level of ketosis 70% of the time but the extra protein and veggies had me out for a few days.
What a different trip to come home not having massive binge urges and shame and promising to do better next time. Instead I put my time into work, sightseeing, and photography. Enjoying the outcome of my choices. I choose THIS!!!
3. Mild cold virus
Yeah, airplane travels. I'm feeling good taking Zicam- zinc and this is nothing like the monster sinus virus of two months ago. Even though my immune system is much better than on the Standard American Diet, I'm not totally immune to infections.
4. Weight Graphs: It's not an update without some data. :)
What's working
1. Current weight Plateau
2. Keeping my food template while traveling
3. Taking zinc for mild respiratory viruses.
What did not work in the past:
1. Never weighing in and only weighing in once and a while.
2. Eating all the food presented to me.
3. Having preventable illnesses that could be better managed by lowering my inflammation.
Karen, are you measuring your ketosis? If so, with what? I too am feeling the lack of veggies at 20g of carbs/day. I'll stick with it for a few more weeks but am a bit eager to add a few more veggies back in. I'm in my goal range but would like to start my vacation in a few weeks at my lowest. Always tweaking. :)
ReplyDeleteOOOH, I was hoping someone would ask. In the past, I was just guessing in the past. After I read the Wahl's Protocol book, in the most specific plan Dr. Wahl's recommends that we screen with urine ketosis sticks
ReplyDeleteI use Bayer- more expensive, Amazon and also some off brand sticks from Amazon- works okay, BUT I have to use the color strip from the Bayer Keto sticks to read the values because the color strip for reading is OFF for the color reaction on the pad. Funny, but it should work I've not done blood yet or breath. Santa Clause is really thinking that an occasional blood screen or breath test may be in my stocking later this year.... LOL.
I'm a Med Tech (Lab Tech) in real life so not doing some occasional blood monitoring is bugging me. I may go through a "doc in the box" app that my company will give me some free sessions with so I can get some more blood data. I get free lab work, too, but getting a doc to order is my biggest challenge. Not possible with my current insurance, just to order tests willy-nilly. But hey, doc in the box likes to order and prescribe....
Anyway, Dr. Wahl's comments is just be in ketosis, even trace for knowing you are burning fat and not overdoing carbs. Good luck if you lower your carbs. I figure it's worth an experiment or two. I totally understand wanting to be in your goal range on vacation. Let me know how you are feeling at the end of two weeks.
I've read somewhere that the keto sticks only work for so long? Once you are in ketosis and burn them off (or something like that) the sticks don't show how much in ketosis you really are. I'm sure Jimmy Moore talked about this and that is why he used blood monitoring.
ReplyDeleteLove the "processed food bombs". Yes, they are everywhere - no wonder people simply can't resist these foods and say "oh one won't hurt me". But it's never just one and by actually saying no to them all is the only way I can keep maintaining.
I've heard that, too about Keto sticks. So far so good. I'll pick up the blood monitoring sometime in the next few months. It's still hotter than heck here in San Diego- major summer/heat/dry weather. Since menopause, I've gone from weighing a few pounds less in the summer to weighing a few pounds less in the winter or cooler weather. I'll be curious to see if I travel back to the lower weight in a few months.
ReplyDeleteOh, boy, the times I tried to moderate the cookies..... that was the start of lots and lots of overeating. One bite sure does matter. :)
I know you tweak your carb intake, Karen. What happens, though, if you lower your total overall calories and then bring them up again after you have lost the weight? Does that work for you now? I have been struggling to get my few pounds off me. I ate more recently at a conference, but I think it didn't have ill effects on my weight but I think it bothered my eczema. So I am back to no grains now. Constant monitoring is a necessity in life with my weight now. I want to get off the extra few pounds before the really cold weather hits. I live in Northeastern Ohio, and I always seem to have a hard time losing weight in the extreme cold despite executing and not changing my diet.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ali, Alternating my food intake can work well for me. I've got a few experiments lined up that even worked well on the trip. Right now the heat along with my cold virus have me outside of normal. By the end of the week, I should be able to play around a lot more and start my experiments. I know I'll find something that works.
DeleteI have seen people leave (low) carb grams alone, and increase protein and fat grams, with success too. Yes,slightly higher calories, changing dynamics. But I think you have played with that.
DeleteAnd I am trying to remember if you are still doing resistance work in addition to walking??? I personally think that (lunges, squats, hand weight, body weight) is important.
Thanks, Vickie! I did experiment around a bit over the last two months. Higher protein really didn't work so well. However I did stumble upon a method that did work well during my mid-West trip and I've been using that. I'll blog more about it in early Nov, if it continues to work. It has to do with moderating my protein a bit, so cutting back a few ounces, but being in low level ketosis for awhile. Good thing is I can still eat my non-starchy veggies, and that makes me happy.
DeleteI'm down to 118.4 this AM. My lowest weight since late May/early June. I expect to lose down to my natural plateau around 116 and then alternate a low level ketosis with higher veggie/protein days. I got my ideas from the Wahl's Paleo Plus plan and a few ideas from my AltShift experiments.
Yes, gym for upper body work 2X per week. It's very good. I'm happy with my muscles. And I do lunges, air squats daily, some body weight, but have to be careful with the vertigo.
Oh what an interesting discussion! Thanks Karen for explaining what you use. I love gadgets... hence I would LOVE to have a Ketonix breath analyzer but I'm not sure if I'll try to stay in that state... or add more carbs (veggies) back.
ReplyDeleteAli, I live in Alaska and I too have a harder time in the winter. I'm hoping eating more of a ketosis type diet will help me. I'm also not as active in the winter. Long walks come to a complete halt. I like to sit and knit and snuggle with my pup! ;) Guess i need to dust off the elliptical for some additional movement. :)
Thanks, KCalla!!! I do like the energy ketosis brings.. :) I also benefit from the veggies and being in and out of ketosis. I can see that it would be tough to move a lot in the winter in Alaska.
DeleteYou have done so well, and you look so well.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Jan, thank you. I feel well. I give a lot of thanks to my higher power and to LCHF for getting my binge urges turned off. It's still a lot of work.
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