March Update

Sorry I've kind of slacked off. I am still here, holding strong! 
I am proud to say the only "cheat" I had was half of a small baked potato back on Valentine's Day. I used to LOVE baked potatoes. I guess my taste buds changed for them because it wasn't good. A couple days after that I had a weird little sickness that I don't know came from the extra carbs or too much exercise and not enough water.
But shortly after that I gained back all the 5lbs I had originally lost plus 4 lbs, so I was right back where I started.
I was frustrated but I took a hard look at what I was eating that wasn't very low in carbs.
Peanut butter. I just ate Peter Pan Natural but it still has sugar in it and when I get a sweet tooth or just need a snack, peanut butter is my go-to. I'd only eat a big spoonful and put the jar away but when it was happening every day, or sometimes, two or three times a day, it adds up. 

Something else happened that surprised me; I started easing up on the exercise and switching it up. I noticed the scale was moving down again. I also started getting more calories, and yet, the scale kept going down. Recently, last Friday I weighed and I had lost 5 lbs. 

I still have yet to get under 200 lbs. Guys, I honestly don't remember the last time I weighed less than 200, so when that scale hits 199 it's going to be a big deal. 
But still, I have lots of other victories, like I can do 10 push-ups, I jog a little farther every time I jog, I can do a 15 minute session of Insanity with Shaun T without dying, I still feel really good! I am stronger physically and mentally. No more depression or anxiety. I feel like I have more self confidence. My sugar has been great, which is a big deal because once my average goes down enough the doctors will address my infertility issues, and that is why I set out on this low carb lifestyle. If low carb will help my PCOS and help me have a baby, I will gladly sacrifice all the sugar and junk I ate before.

So think about it...why do you want this? Whatever your reason is, fix it firmly in your mind. Put it at your finish line and aim for that. When you feel like quitting remember why you want this.

Getting Started on Keto or LCHF diet

Here's a post to hopefully answer some common questions that I've had or that I've seen about Keto or Low Carb-High Fat diets.
There are 3 "types" of Keto eating. Strict, Lazy, and Dirty.

An LCHF (low carb-high fat) diet is similar, but not as restrictive. Generally with this diet you aim to keep your carbs under 50g, and you don't worry much about counting macros and calories.

Here is a great list of Keto foods. Just because it's on the list doesn't necessarily mean it's Keto, check the label, always! When possible, buy block cheese that you grate yourself. In most pre-shredded cheeses, they add potato starch. 

You want full fat, not reduced fat when it comes to dairy.

Most people download a free app to use. I personally use Carb Manager. It's easy to use and it has most foods in their database so you don't have to put in all the nutrition info. You simply put in your information and it sets your daily limits for calories, carbs, fat, and protein. 

Carb Manager or similar apps are very helpful, especially in the beginning. After you've tracked your macros for a while you learn how many carbs foods have and can calculate it in your head, but this keeps you on track. Many people think they absolutely HAVE TO meet their carbs, calories, fat, and protein. You don't. It's better to get as close to your protein amount and calories. If you aren't getting enough calories, your body won't burn anything and you'll be extra tired. Your fat consumption will help keep you full and help keep you satisfied. You shouldn't ever starve on this diet. If you already have some fat to lose, cut way back on your fat but get at least 50g. 

If you go way over your targets, don't stress! Just get back on track tomorrow. If you hit your targets but find yourself starving, eat! You can always pick a low carb snack like Pork Rinds, pepperoni slices, cheese sticks,etc. 

You will hear so many different things about how to do this diet. You will see people who test their ketones to see if they are in ketosis (good thing, it means your body is using fat instead of carbs for fuel), you will hear so many ask about Intermittent Fasting (IF) and a hundred different questions about cheat days, is this and this keto-friendly? 

My advice? Start by just cutting your carbs and processed food. If it's processed and in a box, it's most likely not healthy to start with. Toss the bread, potatoes, corn, sweets, cake mixes, chips,etc. 

Natural sweeteners like Stevia, Monksfruit, Truvia, Swerve, etc are fine to use.

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Splenda, Aspartame, etc. 

Check labels.

When reading labels and counting carbs, take the total carbs, subtract the fiber and the sugar alcohols. This is NET CARBS. Some count total carbs, others go by net carbs. 

When it comes to fruit, stick with berries, but only as a rare treat.

Keep this diet simple. Low carb, whole, natural foods you have to cook. Drink a ton of water. You don't have to add exercise to lose weight. It can take weeks before you lose any weight, stick with it. You will feel better before the scale moves. 

Here's a typical day of eating for me:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 slices bacon OR Keto Coffee

Lunch: Chicken breast, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or salad.

Snack 1: Pepperoni slices with cheese stick, walnuts or sesame seeds

Dinner: Crustless Pizza casserole with salad, OR hamburger steak with steamed veggies.

Snack 2: Turkey, chicken, or tuna in a lettuce wrap.  

Lots of meat and veggies. I use real butter for my vegetables, I cook with Olive Oil and use baby spinach, kale, arugula, and a little iceberg lettuce in the salads. Minimal amount of salad dressing.

It's Not Always about Losing Weight

One thing I figured out fast; every body is different. Just because someone lost 7lbs their first week doesn't mean everybody else will. When you switch to a low carb diet, your body actually goes through a sort of detox process. Your body may be having to wean itself off the carbs and sugar and switch to fat for fuel. If you have other health issues, that's a big factor too.
Don't try it for a few weeks and give up because you didn't lose as much as you wanted, or maybe you didn't lose any.
You might be losing inches instead of weight. 
Regardless, once you ditch the carbs and sugar, you will be amazed at how great you feel. If you are a diabetic, you may find your sugar readings aren't as high, just a few days after starting!
You might go through the keto flu where you feel tired, muscles hurt, have a nagging headache. This usually doesn't last that long. 
It's just your body getting used to the new situation. Pickle juice, a little extra salt, and more water has all been said to help.

Don't give up. It's not always about making the scale move! It's about being healthier, having more self-esteem and confidence, getting stronger. 
It didn't take just a few months to get overweight or out of shape, it will take much longer to get back to a healthy YOU. Have patience.

The basic principle to Keto is lower your carbs, usually to under 20g per day. It's perfectly fine to raise that amount, people go into Ketosis, or the fat-burning state, even with up to 50g per day.
It's also about eating REAL food. Meats, vegetables, eggs, nuts, oils, etc. A good rule is, if it's in a box, it's probably not really healthy. 

Oh, I also wanted to say that I ordered a bag of It Works Keto Coffee. I think it does help give me energy, helps me feel full. It smells really good. The taste is somewhat a cross between chocolate and coffee...it's different. Not bad, just different. I have to use half and half or heavy cream and Truvia to sweeten it a bit. 

Making Progress

Today I tried on a shirt. I had never worn it out in public because it was too tight and not comfortable to wear. 
It fit! :) 
So I tried on my husband's jacket that I love. I could wear it before, but zipping it up was impossible. 
Today it zipped and I wasn't squished in it lol.
I weighed and I've lost 2-3 pounds since last Friday.

 


My calories are still confusing. I have some fellow Keto lifers who say calorie counting isn't that important. I have others who say it is and I need to be getting in a lot more than what I am. 
My total calorie count for today was 604. 
Total carb count was 18, awesome! 

The trouble is, I used an online calculator to figure out what my BMR is, this told me my body needs 1600 calories just to survive. Holy moly that seems like a huge amount! But when I figured up my actual caloric NEEDS, it's somewhere in the 2400 range. That's based on a moderate activity level, since I exercise about 30 minutes to an hour daily.
 It's hard knowing the balance you actually need. 
I know when I tried dieting before, the goal was to cut calories. So to be told now to eat MORE calories, it makes me go "huh? How is that going to help me lose weight?" 
I understand that if I don't take in enough calories, my body will think I'm starving and won't shed anything. UGH! 
Others have told me to not complicate things...too late for that. Others have said to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry, stick to real, wholesome food. As long as I eat low carb, everything else will take care of itself.
The most calories I've gotten since tracking my macros was 1406 and I went way over my fat and protein limits that day.

So my point to this whole post is...try different things and find out what works for you! For me, right now, I'm trying not to stress about my low calories. I still exercise every single day and the only non-Keto food I eat is a few saltine crackers. I eat lots of chicken, veggies, tuna, beef, and other low carb goodies.
If you start this and realize one thing works, keep doing it. I just learned about "Intermittent Fasting", where you stop eating by a certain time and start eating at a certain time the next day. Many people give themselves only 8 hours to eat in a day. I'm not ready to jump into that yet, but many have said it helps them lose more weight because it makes their body burn more fat.

I have seen so many success stories and a low carb diet has helped many people get off medications, get pregnant,etc. Our bodies need good, nutritious foods. It needs REAL food. 
I still haven't had a cheat day, or even a cheat meal. I have no cravings for sweets, bread,pasta,etc. The junk-food aisle full of Little Debbie has no power over me. I do have more energy, overall, although I miss my super-high energy that I had when I first started. 

Stay strong! Here's some motivation for you.

Keto Recipes!

Here I will post links to Pinterest recipes that I have either tried or think they look good enough to try. 
Later on I may make separate posts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sweets,etc.

This is not a pinterest recipe, but my own.
Cajun Chicken Salad

 

I take one boneless,skinless breast and pan fry it in a little oil. I shake a generous amount of Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning on both sides and cook it till it's cooked through and slightly browned/crispy.
Then I put together my salad. My salads usually consist of iceburg lettuce, baby spinach, real bacon bits, cucumber, tomatoes, a little bit of cheese on top of the hot chicken to melt, and my dressing of choice is Ranch. 6-9g of carbs, depending on your dressing and how much you use. I went a little heavy on the Ranch...whoops.

Cheeseburger Salad/Big Mac salad 

http://www.linneyville.com/big-mac-salad-keto-and-low-carb/

Crustless Pizza Skillet
1lb lean hamburger meat
bell pepper and onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. low carb pizza sauce. I found Rao's Tomato and Basil to be the best at Wal-Mart. Only 4 g of carbs.
Half a package of pepperoni slices
Mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning

I sauteed the onion and bell pepper in a medium sized skillet. I added the hamburger to it and cooked it all together. Add Italian seasoning.
Drain the meat.
I flattened the meat in the skillet, added the sauce, pepperoni, topped with Mozzarella cheese and turned heat to low and covered so cheese would melt.
Note: This would probably be better in the oven, but I don't have an oven so everything is done on the stovetop. It was still very good! 6g total carbs!

Keto Chocolate and Peanut Butter No-Bake cookies

If you don't like unsweet chocolate I would recommend using a little less cocoa powder. These are good!
 https://thesoccermomblog.com/keto-no-bake-cookies/

Low Carb Meatball Pizza Bake

I made this in a skillet and it tasted like a pepperoni pizza Hot Pocket without all the carbs. So easy and so good!
http://www.3littlegreenwoods.com/recipes/meatball-pizza-bake-a-slow-cooker-recipe/

Stuffed Peppers
These are super easy and versatile. You can stuff these with just about anything, taco seasoned beef, chicken, cheese, beef with pizza toppings, etc.
Here's a link to a Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Pepper.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/philly-cheesesteak-stuffed-peppers/

Cheesy Mexican Skillet Chicken
https://kaseytrenum.com/cheesy-mexican-chicken-skillet-low-carbketo/

Keto Easy Ham and Cheese Rolls 
https://sweetcsdesigns.com/easy-keto-ham-and-cheese-rolls-recipe/

So simple, so good! These little rolls are perfect for breakfast, lunch, on-the-go snacks and you can switch out ham for sausage. I put chopped pepperoni slices in mine and added Italian seasoning.

Keto is Confusing!

I think I'm in my third week of eating low carb-high fat. There is still a lot I don't know and there has been some debate about whether or not I am getting enough calories in. I do get about 1200-1400 most days, but I exercise every day. 
Every single day. I haven't seen the scale move down yet but some jeans fit better, I feel better, I feel "slimmer" in my tummy.
But my energy has still been kind of low, so it made me think, "what if I am too worried about the calories? Maybe I'm not getting enough?"
So starting today I have a new plan. I will eat when I feel hungry, sticking to low carb, and will continue exercising like always. I'm not going to stress myself about calories.
Then I saw on one of the Keto and low carb groups I'm on, talk of intermittent fasting. Hmm. The general idea is to stop eating at 8pm and not eat again until either 11 am or noon. Breakfast is usually hard for me anyway, so this fasting is something I could probably do. They also pointed out it's best to exercise on an empty stomach because that will make your body use your fat.
Some people fast every day, some do it a few days a week, some don't do it at all. 
I have quickly realized this diet works in different ways for every single person and just because so-and-so lost 5 pounds her first week, doesn't mean it'll happen that way for you.
You absolutely can NOT gauge your success against anybody else. 
I know that since I have PCOS and it already makes my body react to food and burn it differently, it may be weeks before that darn scale moves. 
But you know what, the scale isn't a good indicator of how well you are doing on a diet. It's about how you feel. How do your clothes fit? If those jeans fit that were so tight you couldn't breathe in them three months ago, that's progress!
If you have more energy and feel more confident because you are exercising now and eating healthier, that's a victory!
Don't let the scale get you down. 
It takes TIME and it takes EFFORT. 

So my biggest advice for anyone wanting to start eating Keto or low carb-high fat, is don't give up! 
It can be overwhelming, especially when you think you'll be stuck eating the same food. That's not the case. There are so many foods that are Keto-friendly. Pinterest will become your best friend.
I highly recommend joining some Keto groups on Facebook. They are a great way to get recipes, get feedback, and just get encouragement. Also, I use a free app called Carb Manager, that works amazing at telling me what my daily limits are for carbs,fat,protein, and calories. I put in what I eat for each meal, it calculates everything. I add my exercise and it subtracts from my total calories. You can even track your weight, water consumed, and more. Starting out, that's a great idea. I had no clue there were as many carbs in a banana as there was in 2 slices of bread! 
The longer you get in the diet, you start to pretty well know what is high carb and low carb. 

Cravings will strike, you will be tempted at times. Have a cheat day. ;) The world won't end. Just pick it back up the next day.
Instead of limiting yourself by saying "I can't eat that" say "I won't eat that because there are healthier choices and I want to reach my goals".  

You can do this!  

The Highs and Lows

Remember me talking about all the energy I had during the first five days or so? Yep, that wonderful euphoric feeling that some people get when they switch to low-carb is amazing! My mood was fantastic, stress level was zero.
I had so much energy I finally got some deep cleaning done in my house. I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning, go to bed, get four or five hours of good, deep sleep, then wake up and repeat.
Three days ago it just vanished. I woke up and I felt different. 
Where was my energy? I had gotten ten...TEN...hours of sleep but felt like a zombie. I still ate my healthy breakfast, a few hours later than normal, and still exercised. Even exercising didn't boost my energy.
I went from feeling really great to a zombie. A cranky zombie at that. I even laid down later and took a three hour nap. I just felt exhausted.

I'm not sure, but I think it could have been a combination of things.
1. I was taking in a lot less carbs and my body was having a hard time making the switch to fats for food.
2. I was exercising and working out every day, and while it was only maybe an hour total, it was a big change from never exercising. 
3. My blood sugar could have been higher than it had been. For a few days I didn't have a way to check my sugar at home, so I played it safe and didn't take my diabetes medication. I didn't want it to get too low.

No matter how sluggish I felt, I still stuck to the plan; eat right, drink enough water, and exercise.

My boundless energy still hasn't made a return but I am patient.

Now the other high and low I have to talk about and is very important, is blood sugar. 
I found that within just a couple days my sugar readings were a lot lower. I aim for less than 30 grams of carbs per day. Others may go lower, some have a higher target. It's up to you. 
But monitor your sugar!
Yesterday I came to my parent's house and checked my sugar for the first time in 2 days. It was the highest it had been since I started the low carb life...214! Yikes! 
So I ate three scrambled eggs with cheese, took my medication, exercised for 20 minutes, and checked it again two hours later. It had dropped to 71!
At first I felt great. 
Then as I was mixing some Keto Chocolate and Peanut Butter cookies, it hit me. I broke out into a cold sweat all over my body and my hands started to shake, then my arms and legs.  
Crap. That was my alarm system. I had to get my sugar up. I ate some peanut butter and within fifteen minutes I was feeling better. 
But it showed me just how effective this diet, along with my medication, could be at keeping my sugar down. It is very important that your sugar readings don't get too low. For me, 71 is a danger zone. Just a week ago, a typical reading for me was 214. Now the average is about 130.

If you are travelling or doing a lot of activity, even if you don't think you are, like raking leaves, make sure you have a snack handy to combat low sugar.    

1-25-2019 The First Week on Keto

If you aren't familiar with the Keto diet, the basic concept is low carbs, high fat. This is great for diabetics or really anyone who wants more energy and to lose weight.
I have tried many diets, and they have all failed. You want to know why?
Because diets only work while you are on them.
The Keto Diet is more like a lifestyle change, at least for me it is. But I have not felt like I was depriving myself of anything, or starving myself. 
You ditch the fake food, the processed food and eat whole, nutritious food. Lots of meat and vegetables. Since I am also dealing with PCOS, I am very strict with my dairy and grain intake. 
For breakfast every day I eat two eggs, either boiled, scrambled, in omelette form, or fried. I usually have bacon, sausage, or some other kind of meat with my eggs. 
If you can't do eggs every day, I found a lot of breakfast recipes on pinterest that don't involve eggs. Unfortunately I haven't tried any yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Lunch is usually light. A salad with hamburger meat or cajun seasoned chicken, or a hamburger with lettuce "bun", a pouch of tuna and 5 saltine crackers, etc.
Snacks are things like nuts, cheese, pepperoni, beef jerky, pork rinds, berries, cucumbers and Ranch, broccoli and cauliflower with Ranch.
Dinner is healthy vegetables and chicken or hamburger meat. 

I have found a bunch of recipes on pinterest for low-carb recipes. As I try them I will share the outcome. 

Every day I did some form of exercise; I followed Leslie Samsone and her Just Walk videos, I used a Total Gym to work on my upper body, and I found easy, beginner cardio workouts. I had one day of rest and I actually had a hard time not exercising. I did notice much lower sugar readings by about the fourth day and I had an insane amount of energy. I did get a really bad, nagging headache that finally went away about five days into the diet. 
You just need to find something you enjoy and do it. Change it up a little bit every day. Doing the same routine every day gets boring.
When I do a 2 mile walk, that's usually all I do.
If I do an easy fifteen minute walk, then I may add a ten minute vigorous cardio session with lots of squats and leg work. Oh boy, I love and hate those squats! 
When my legs get too sore, I focus on upper body and use the Total Gym. I usually do exercises to target my stomach in bed before I go to sleep. 

Take a rest day. If you mess up and eat sweets or overload on carbs, it's ok. The next day is always a new start.

1-25-2019 A Little History

I have been on a low carb, high-fat diet now for a week. I know it's not that long. But it's a big deal to me because every other time I have started to change my diet, to lose weight, I haven't been able to stick with it.
So what makes this time different? 
This year I will be 35. Where did the time go?! What do I have to show so far?
Nothing.
I have a husband, five dogs, a tiny house, and a lot of things I haven't figured out just yet. 
I have been married for eight years and all that time we never did anything to prevent pregnancy. It never happened.
In 2011 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and put on Metformin and was told about counting carbs and exercising. Metformin is the nastiest thing ever and gave me some very unpleasant side-effects like diarrhea and severe stomach cramps. It did seem to help with my sugar, so I continued taking it. I tried walking, which I found very boring. I could never stick with a set exercise routine.
In 2012 I was diagnosed with PCOS ( Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and was put on birth control pills to help regulate my cycles. This was a very frustrating time in my life. I wanted desperately to get pregnant and being put on birth control obviously wasn't going to help. 

Fast forward to a week ago.

I decided to do some research on PCOS and see if there was anything else I could do. The birth control hadn't worked, in fact, it made my periods disappear completely. My sugar was all over the place, and frankly at this point, I didn't care at all about my health. I was angry, fed-up with a body that apparently didn't do anything right. All my tests had shown no obvious reason for me not getting pregnant. I just didn't understand it. 
I found a website that talked about PCOS and then listed some supplements that was shown to help regulate hormones and all that good stuff. One thing I found interesting was it said birth control can actually make it worse! I had been on birth control for years. It also said sugar was also a big aggravator and many women cut out grains from their diet, along with dairy. Dairy creates inflammation.

So I turned to the Keto diet. Now, I am not, by any means, a pro at this diet. I don't fully understand what ketosis is, except the general concept is that your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of taking it from carbs. You limit your carbs and aim for high-fat, moderate protein. 

Here's a handy chart I found on pinterest.

I figured this had to be healthier than what I was currently doing and my biological clock is ticking steadily away. 

So this blog is a way for me to journal my progress, my failures, my great days, and my bad days. I will share low-carb recipes I try, exercises that I like, things that work for me, and things that don't. 

But I want every single person reading this to know that it is NEVER too late to start to change yourself.