Very low carb update

Chana Miriam S

Sat, Oct 13 2018, 11:55 pm

Since May 2017
Weight loss 85 pounds
Starting weight 315
Height 5ft 2 in

The other day, I posted an opinion piece about diets, and one of the comments on the original article was from a clearly slim twentyish woman about how all she sees is her friends boomeranging around with their weight because they should eat less, move more and bla, bla, bla no more low carb diets.

Uh huh. true. Except that even people with medical conditions are subject to fail and then regain. Yo yo dieting is a thing. And it happens to many people, medical conditions included.

Cee Gee wrote:r
“Don't know anyone (without a medical condition) that's continued these "diets" for more than a few months. Then they gain the weight back + a few.
Have fun.”

That really started me thinking. After 44 years of trying everything under the sun to stop eating like a maniac, why is it that I am so sure that this is it for me? How do I know? Isnt it a trifle faddish to not be eating food groups? Shakes? Bars? Whatever is in style?

All I could come up with in my head was 'maybe'. So then I started thinking about the difference between now and before. I think the strongest feeling around controlling my food intake that prevailed in the past was always one of imminent failure. I did 500 calories a day in High school in grade 9 for quite a long time. Failure. I did diet centre. Failure. Jenny Craig, Failure. Weight watchers, could not last a day. Decided to do something massive to get off the merry-go round. Did Optifast. Failure the moment I ate solid food again. eventually, I gave up and just got fatter and fatter. I heard somewhere that yo-yo dieting was bad for me and so I just decided to stop trying. I was going one way only- up.

So what changed this time? It’s been, let me think...close to 17 months here. I haven’t lost all the weight I could but even maintains or a slow downward Trend is amazing. No more yo-yo. The single biggest change I can think of is the near absence of all carbs or sweeteners in my daily routine. Optifast shakes had sweetener. OA has fruit. Crash diets of 500 calories a day for endless months( including one day where I ate nothing but popcorn) was unsustainable.

This is the only time in my life where I got rid of all the carbs and ate great quality food. I’m never hungry. I feel awesome. It’s not even a teeny little question in my mind if I can sustain it or not. It’s just a big, YES, I CAN.

Not because I have retinopathy. People love to ascribe my longevity with this way of eating to the Retinopathy. The longevity is not because of fear of Retinopathy. Fear of dropping dead of a heart attack didn’t work either. Retinopathy was what got me to the point that I followed the food plan which eventually solved my eating disorder via ketosis. It’s not because I have so much control over food.

I have zero control over food. I am a serious compulsive eater. Serious! So the truth is that for me, the easy way out is to stick to my food plan. No, I don’t weigh and measure, I don’t count carbs, I am careful about what I eat and eating only to satiety. I don’t cheat, ever, just like I don’t smoke ever.

Because my past experience has shown me that I will not be able to sustain my food plan if I don’t stay on my plan always. I miss nothing, and I’m not deprived. For goodness sake, I put whipping cream in my coffee! Not suffering!

The other day, someone mentioned the idea of ‘ketotarianism’ which is vegan keto with more vegetables. I understand the idea of low carb, whole food veganism. I support those for whom it works.

But me? You could prove to me tomorrow that I’d have a shorter life span than a vegan and I’d still choose what I’m doing. Not that you could…Because the more vegetables and nuts I eat, the more I eat period. Because once I start, my innate sense of what is enough, breaks all over again. Because when I eat very low carb, I am at peace. Because I no longer obsess constantly about food. Because I’m not going to be T2D anymore. Because however slowly I am losing weight, I’m headed in the right direction. Because, I feel better than I did when I was 20. Because some days I feel absolutely super human. Because this is the ride of my life!Because this is what I WANT to feel like every day.

oliveoil

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 12:17 am

andrea levy wrote:

Because I no longer obsess constantly about food.

I am genuinely happy that you've found something that works for you.

But I question the above claim. Just by the amount you post about it here, it seems like you are very much obsessing about food. Perhaps in a different way than before, but it seems like it is the central feature of your life - constantly at the forefront of your mind.

Sleepymama

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 1:30 am

Good for you!
I'm happy for you that you found something that works. I question why the above commentor has to question how much you think about food. I question her motivation for that comment. Jealous? Let's be happy for someone who has found something that works and took the time to write about
It to possibly help someone else.

chani8

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 2:10 am

RE oliveoil's comment: Some people think being on a diet makes food an obsession, but to me it's the opposite. I know food is an issue for me, and I can obsess on it like a drug addict trying to get my fix, or I can concentrate and focus on my diet to ensure I stay stable. See how that's not the same kind of 'obsession'.

Perhaps it's what happens when a druggie becomes a health freak. Would you say that is unhealthy? I say it's awesome. Take one's brain style and turn it around to do good. Isn't that what we're supposed to do about problem middos and such?

To Op, as for combining vegan with keto, I actually tried going low carb vegan and it upset my stomach. I can't even imagine how one could go keto and vegan unless they use a lot of coconut product, which is a gastro nightmare for me.

I did have some high cholesterol when I was on keto, but a simple change of choosing better fats for me, solved it. I can't eat cow products (beef or dairy) but that's all it took.

I am no longer keto, but my husband goes in and out of ketosis, and never cheats with sweets. He avoids all sweets and sweeteners...like his life depends on it...which it does.

Which brings me to the part where you wrote that maybe your diet isn't as healthy as vegan. I dont think there is any proof to that and in my experience, people have to find what works for their individual health.

As for losing weight on keto, I was not able to because I simply ate too many calories for my 5'2". I took on counting calories and finally started losing. Then I lost too much and went into that 'rebound effect' and gained 30lbs back fast. So I have no advice other than dont go under your goal. It sounds like you're doing awesome!

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 2:37 am

Do you mind if I pm you?

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:39 am

oliveoil wrote:

Actually, I write about it frequentky because the victories I have are such an incredible gift and after 44 years of suffering, writing helps me process the changes. I share it because in person and online I’m told that my experience has helped so many people. Because I wish someone had told me sooner. So I don’t obsess about food, but I do focus my energy on being of service to others.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:41 am

Sleepymama wrote:

If I’m not mistaken, the above commentator has said things of this nature to me before. I question why she bothers opening my posts.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:49 am

chani8 wrote:

I agree with you that calories do matter. But to me, the side effects are amazing. All this energy, feeling better than I did when I was twenty! I no longer Ger care what I weigh because I don’t have to wait til I get to goal to feel amazing! I think that ketosis allows me to eat less overall than just plain counting calories. Carbs make me crazy. They make me want to volume eat. I’m pretty much a carnivore. And via this, I no longer eat constantly, eat only food I like ( I eat some veg, but mostly protein/fat) I don’t feel as though I suffer when I eat less. Now my weight loss is slow but the corollary of that is maintaining. If you want a suggestion, there’s a great PDF on vinnietortorich.com called introto nsng. It’s free. While you have to give an email, you can set it for no mail.

Im more low carb than nsng as a programme but I belong to the fbgroup because I don’t eat sugars, sweeteners, grains or processed foods. So it’s better for me than a keto group.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:50 am

tf wrote:

Do you mind if I pm you?

Nope!

Sebastian

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:52 am

andrea levy wrote:

If I’m not mistaken, the above commentator has said things of this nature to me before. I question why she bothers opening my posts.

anread, I've been following your posts and I am so happy you were able to get your health back and your eating habits under control.

The above commentator post rude comments like that most of the time. She isn't singling you out.

Chana Miriam S

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:54 am

Sebastian wrote:

On the whole, this was more polite than usual. I don’t care. She can learn to exercise her right not to read my posts!

Cheiny

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 9:36 pm

oliveoil wrote:

I didn’t get that impression, to me it sounded like OP has just been expressing how, after so many decades of obsessing about trying to lose weight, she has finally found a way of life that’s working for her, and she’s thrilled and wanted to share. And I’m thrilled for her!

Cheiny

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 9:44 pm

OP, I’ve recently begun a very low carb, high protein food plan, but I, not as strict as you. After trying many different diets with little success, I too feel this is something b”H that I can live with and feel good about, and that’s such a great feeling! The lack of self control is so depressing, and I now feel so much better emotionally as well as physically. I started about two months ago and have lost about 13 lbs (which is good for me, as I have a thyroid condition and weight loss is terribly slow). I eat lots of proteins, vegetables and occasional fruit, and very little starchy carbs (sometimes I sprinkle a bit of whole wheat bread crumbs on chicken or fish before baking, and I do have a k’zayit of whole wheat matzoh on Shabbat, etc. BUT the most amazing part for me is, that my cravings have pretty much disappeared, and my hunger isn’t ever-present like it was when I was eating carbs at every meal! That is nothing short of a miracle and I seriously thank Hashem for helping me discover this,because I was becoming so frustrated at being unable to lose weight and keep it off before this. I’m glad you found your solution too!

LisaS

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 11:06 pm

Andrea, the thing that amazes me is that you've succeeded while running a fast food joint!

amother

Floralwhite

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 11:14 pm

Cheiny can u list your typical days food plan?
Do u follow a specific diet with specific foods?
13 pounds over a few months is very impressive. I also need to do something already. I can’t take how I feel.

amother

Apricot

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 11:47 pm

I suppose the ketosis eventually does something to your leptin/grehlin?

Because I had a great dinner of grilled chicken and salad, with olive oil mayo. I should not be hungry, right? Actually I even had a bedtime snack of a muffin made with almond flour (though I guess it does have some sweetener).

Well, along about 2:30 am I realized my stomach is rumbling and I got up to have a bowl of cornflakes.

So what I'm saying is in the short term low carb doesn't seem to work for me. But if I kept at it long enough would I stop feeling that stomach grumbling?

amother

Coral

Mon, Oct 15 2018, 12:59 am

amother wrote:

Maybe you didn't eat enough dinner?

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Oct 15 2018, 5:00 am

amother wrote:

Yes. Ketosis does that. Sweeteners still raise an insulin response. Not your blood sugar. And cornflakes are definitely not helping. It’s a leap of faith. Don’t underestimate eating protein/fat alone. Go very low carb until you hit ketosis. Eat as much protein/fat as you want until then. Break the addiction. Once broken, amounts will resolve themselves. It’s a leap of faith, yes.

Mon, Oct 15 2018, 5:04 am

Andrea, I've looked through the list of sweetener. They don't mention stevia. Do you know anything about using stevia?

Chana Miriam S

Mon, Oct 15 2018, 5:08 am

tf wrote:

Andrea, I've looked through the list of sweetener. They don't mention stevia. Do you know anything about using stevia?

Don’t use sweeteners. It makes dome people triggered to ear inappropriately . Me included.