Two Lovely Ladies seek Friendship/Carb-Loading Advice
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I read the post about the rhodiola too and was really intrigued. I read that it should be taken earlier in the day b/c it can 'zip' people up before it calms for sleep. That happens to me with meds and natural substances meant to aid sleep, so I haven't decided to try it yet. I'm so glad it's helped you! I have a terrible time with meds--lots of allergic reactions--so I tend to be skittish about trying something new. Will have to research it a little more. Thanks, Jane, for thinking of me! xoxoxo0
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Thanks Jane ♥
Glad you enjoyed the article Ellen. And I can understand why you chickened out of eating the apple. We are faced with hard decisions at times that's for sure. I truly hope that your belly disappears soon too ♥
I was up 100 grams today, but my fat intake was greater than I would have chosen yesterday at 127 grams. I used to aim for 123 grams but have recently reduced it to 110. First day I had 74 g and yesterday 127 g. Nice going May LOL
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May--Congrats on your measurements getting smaller! That makes the gain a little/lot less annoying, hopefully. I was up a whole pound this morning. It was a surprise, sort of expected at least a tiny loss. Thought I did ok with eating yesterday, although my carbs were higher than usual. Still under 40 though, so...oh well.
I wish one of those brilliant scientific LCHF guys would do a study with post menopausal women, including women over 65 to see what works best for us. I know we respond individually, but I'd be very interested to read about generalities the study would reveal. Not likely to happen though.0 -
@Wabmester are you still out there watching this thread? Now I have my BP in order do you want me to take 'before bed' and 'on waking' BP readings? The last 4 mornings I've had...
BP Pulse
120/78 65
127/74 60
114/75 66
124/71 62
But didn't take bedtime readings.
And my weight is now down to 100 grams less (*AT LAST!!!*) than it was on 27th Apr. I didn't return to <15g carbs per day after all. My goal is now <40g but if I was to hit 50g I wouldn't freak. I haven't, but it's there as an option. I feel a lot more relaxed about my food in general, am really enjoying the ability to have onion, capsicum (peppers), a bit of almond flour ie homemade paleo cheese scones (biscuits) or a carrot mug cake. I could even have a coffee when we're out now, which I've missed so much! It would mean choosing between cow or soy, but the carbs are there, I no longer feel as if I'm 'dieting'. I've reduced my fat goal a little to allow for the extra carbs, but all 3 macros are still a range, not a set number. I feel very happy and relaxed with it all.
Hoping that I'm headed for a few downward weight results again, and even moreso that they stay gone. Three weeks hard slog to get back down to a weight I worked really hard to achieve in the first place is not really funny. I'm not complaining, or disappointed, just pointing out an observation.0 -
Yea @GrannyMayOz!! So glad your BP and heart rate are better, and you've seen the scale move too!0
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@GrannyMayOz Those stats look great, and I'm so glad you're feeling better. Fantastic about the brand new loss and I hope it continues to go down down down for you.
I've left my <40 carb allotment in place even though I don't always use it. I'm kind of bored with food/eating/cooking now, probably b/c I'm not seeing change in my body or weight. If I didn't have to prepare food for my husband and son, I'd likely just slap a piece of meat on my plate and be done with it.
I'm guessing it's not unusual to hit a slump at this point in LCHF and even logging/reading/commenting on MFP is an effort.0 -
Thank you dear Karlotta
Thank you dear Ellen I think a 40g goal is fine - we can do as we please with it after all, which is great - not like CICO. I know what you mean about food. It just 'is' and the thought of messing with prep for hours on end is far from appealing. And yes, I had a bit of a commenting slump over the past week too. There's no harm in having a rest from it to keep us feeling fresh in real life about the way of eating. 0 -
GrannyMayOz wrote: »@Wabmester are you still out there watching this thread? Now I have my BP in order do you want me to take 'before bed' and 'on waking' BP readings?
The hope for the BP readings was to see if we could get a somewhat direct measure of cortisol/stress, but it doesn't seem like it's giving us much useful information. Glad to see you got it under control! I hope the weight loss picks up too.
Theoretically, there shouldn't be a difference in ketosis or hunger levels for, say, 40g carbs vs 20g carbs, but going to 40g might take a little of the GNG burden away from your liver and reduce the associated cortisol signalling. It's not really "carb cycling" as much as slightly reduced stress.
If it doesn't help, maybe we could invite Volek over here for a Q&A session. I'm sure he'd be interested in the puzzle.
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Thank you @wabmester I will see if reduced stress leads to improved weight loss I guess. My naturopath has put me on valerian before bed each night and, now its gone, I can see that I was a bit wound up before. That's just how I am, get overly anxious for the least reason. I'm supposed to take 2 capsules but am only taking one. I can't swallow tablets or capsules so I have to crunch them with a bit of coconut milk to help the pieces go down, as well as to help the taste. Valerian tastes like dirt LOL
A Q&A with Volek would be amazing. I wish someone 'in the know' would do a study on successful weight loss for post-menopausal women. Oh well. I'm enjoying this lifestyle as an ongoing part of my life, I now feel fairly normal in size, so I have very little to whinge about.0 -
If it doesn't help, maybe we could invite Volek over here for a Q&A session. I'm sure he'd be interested in the puzzle.
Wow--is that really a possibility? It would be so great to have his knowledge and experience applied to post menopausal women like us who have such a horrendous time losing weight. I'd love to know what I'm doing wrong.0 -
I don't think you/we are doing anything wrong Ellen. It could be that our bodies have a heck of a lot of health recovery to do before bothering to work on reducing fat. That's what I'm clinging too anyway. On my good days
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GrannyMayOz wrote: »I don't think you/we are doing anything wrong Ellen. It could be that our bodies have a heck of a lot of health recovery to do before bothering to work on reducing fat. That's what I'm clinging too anyway. On my good days
Yeah, that's what I always come back to as the answer for why I'm not losing. I compare my experience to others' who are much younger and forget to factor in the age thing.
My advice to younger people: stop messing around with carbs, improve your health and lose the weight now when it's so much easier! If you wait until you're older to do it, I promise you'll regret it.0 -
I'm sorry haven't read all in this thread. But if it hasn't been mentioned already: Are any of you stallers doing Intermittent Fasting? It's still my #1 plateau buster. And from what I notice on the keto reddits, it's something other people do as well with success.
Just a suggestion 0 -
As another of the post menopausal ladies seeking advice...I totally second any way of getting advice specifically about what/how we should be doing to get continuing weightloss! Seems the world forgets us..maybe we are not an attractive proposition for study as we can't show dramatic results???0
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Foamroller wrote: »I'm sorry haven't read all in this thread. But if it hasn't been mentioned already: Are any of you stallers doing Intermittent Fasting? It's still my #1 plateau buster. And from what I notice on the keto reddits, it's something other people do as well with success.
Just a suggestion
I did some IF for a little while but then read that it increases cortisol so I stopped. While I was doing it, I didn't notice any difference, but probably wasn't long enough time. I actually liked it; wasn't hard to skip morning meal.
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I wouldn't stress about the cortisol from fasting or exercise, unless you do it excessively. Like several hours/day sessions with large unsustainable deficits for a LONG period of time. It's kinda sad, but our metabolisms thrives when we're slightly hungry and cold
Cell regeneration, hormonal balance, to name a few. We were NOT built to eat 3 squares per day 365 days, nor live in heated housing. It sucks, but it's the truth.
Re cortisol. Cortisol is vital for a functioning life. It's what wakes you up and drives you out of bed each morning. The cortisol that is secreted from exercise and occasional fasting is most likely a very HEALTHY effect.
The cortisol that gets pumped out due to chronic stress, never letting muscles relax (tension and hard knots in muscles) overworrying over minute things or constant worry over things you can't change ...THAT is the cortisol that needs to be addressed, IMO. Like, if someone in your life is doing something you think is bad for them, we tend to worry, right? But that is neither helping them nor you. Cause ultimately an adult has free will and choice.
Unless you can force someone to do something you wish, it's NOT within your control, thereby NOT your responsibility! So pick your battles what to worry about
Edit: My cell acting up. Had to post and edit. I just wanted to add that I used to be a constant worrier. It's what I grew up with. Fixing my sleep and insomnia led me to this realization. I only say my advice, cause overworrying has been very expensive mistakes for me.0 -
@wheatless & @granny--and anybody else--FYI--whenever you take an antibiotic, you should also take acidophilus. You can buy it over the counter, no prescription necessary. Or, eat yogurt (count the carbs). I don't know why doctors don't tell people about this. Antibiotics kill ALL the bacteria in our gut, can't tell the good ones from the bad. Can mess with digestion or even cause UTI. Acidophilus will prevent the bad side effects without blocking the good effects from the antibiotic. Just my 2 cents.0
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Foamroller wrote: »I wouldn't stress about the cortisol from fasting or exercise, unless you do it excessively. Like several hours/day sessions with large unsustainable deficits for a LONG period of time. It's kinda sad, but our metabolisms thrives when we're slightly hungry and cold
Cell regeneration, hormonal balance, to name a few. We were NOT built to eat 3 squares per day 365 days, nor live in heated housing. It sucks, but it's the truth.
Re cortisol. Cortisol is vital for a functioning life. It's what wakes you up and drives you out of bed each morning. The cortisol that is secreted from exercise and occasional fasting is most likely a very HEALTHY effect.
The cortisol that gets pumped out due to chronic stress, never letting muscles relax (tension and hard knots in muscles) overworrying over minute things or constant worry over things you can't change ...THAT is the cortisol that needs to be addressed, IMO. Like, if someone in your life is doing something you think is bad for them, we tend to worry, right? But that is neither helping them nor you. Cause ultimately an adult has free will and choice.
Unless you can force someone to do something you wish, it's NOT within your control, thereby NOT your responsibility! So pick your battles what to worry about
Edit: My cell acting up. Had to post and edit. I just wanted to add that I used to be a constant worrier. It's what I grew up with. Fixing my sleep and insomnia led me to this realization. I only say my advice, cause overworrying has been very expensive mistakes for me.
I agree that worry is counterproductive and causes harm to the body and I've had a lot of life experience that generated stress and worry and I had to learn to deal with it. What I'm experiencing now is different; it seems internally generated and comes without rhyme or reason. Like a switch is flipped and I have electricity running through me. Maybe it's a post menopausal thing, or from fibro or neuropathy. Anxiety seems to be a common experience in all those things.0 -
saraphim41 wrote: »@wheatless & @granny--and anybody else--FYI--whenever you take an antibiotic, you should also take acidophilus. You can buy it over the counter, no prescription necessary. Or, eat yogurt (count the carbs). I don't know why doctors don't tell people about this. Antibiotics kill ALL the bacteria in our gut, can't tell the good ones from the bad. Can mess with digestion or even cause UTI. Acidophilus will prevent the bad side effects without blocking the good effects from the antibiotic. Just my 2 cents.
Absolutely. A good probiotic is essential when taking an antibiotic!0 -
@foamroller thank you for the interesting information. My waking hours are 9.30am until 2am (both moveable, but not by a lot) and I have a non-negotiable main meal around noon, or 1pm, before my husband goes to work. I'm ready for it by then. Sometimes I eat all of my meal, sometimes I save some of it for later. 'Later' can be anything from between 4pm (rarely) to (more usually) 7pm, or even as late as 9pm. Just depends when I'm hungry for that smaller meal. So I don't know if that qualifies as IF or not.
I suffered very severe anxiety attacks from 1979 until 2000, but they were because of my upbringing, which I've finally overcome. I still get overly anxious about some things, but even when I do I'm so proud of myself for what I've come through, and become. Always a work in progress
@saraphim speaking for myself, the last time I would have been prescribed antibiotics would have to be 20 years or more. I used to eat a lot of yogurt (Greek, unsweetened, full fat) even until recently, and do take a probiotic irregularly.
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@wheatlessgirl66. I have neuropathy too. It does feel like an electrical current. Hands and legs go numb several times a day
If things happen without rhyme or reason, I rec do a VERY detailed food diary complete with any bodily symptoms. Maybe consider elimination method, to see if any changes.
@GM. I'm not big on labels. It sounds like you're doing your form of IF. What's «enough» is impossible to say. I guess your body tells you that by yielding a change in some form: scales, sizes, measurements. Experiment !
Maybe this has been mentioned before... But have both of you stallers revised calories?
I know it sucks, but the calcs are only estimates from averages. What YOUR body perceives as deficit, might be way lower than the number the calc gives you. A woman in xxketo did hers and her BMR on that day was ca 300 kcal lower than calc number. IME, calculators give me the standard 1200 to lose weight. BUT, I can only lose scale weight by hitting below 950 NET avg/week. It's like some sort of invisible threshold, cause I recently ate almost 8k in two days and didn't gain
Mystery.
You might also consider doing a BMR test. I know, I know, it's only a data point in time, which can vary a lot. But it would give you a better ballpark, if you suspect very low BMR or «thrifty» metabolism. Thriftyness can be inherited from mother (non-mendelian inheritance).
I know how frustrating it is when you feel you're doing «everything». Don't give up! Keep going, keep tweaking and changing little bits until you find what works for YOU.0 -
Yes, we've revised calories. And macros, esp. carbs.
I used the keto calculator to set calories and macros. I usually eat below my goals, but my loss isn't even keeping up with the projected loss on the calculator. I've tried lowering and raising calories. I never go way over. When I lower them, I might get a little loss, but then it just bounces up and down. I eat below my calculated BMR and still don't lose weight. Seems like that would be impossible unless like you said, the calculator is wrong and my BMR is lower. But even so, in the past I've eaten 1200 cals and below and still didn't lose weight, but that was when I was still eating more carbs. I had dropped wheat, most starches and sugar (Wheat Belly diet) but eating more carbs than I am now. Did that for more than 3 years w/o any weight loss. Everyone in my family just shakes their head when they see what I eat in comparison to what I weigh. Doesn't make sense.
I won't give up; I can't. I'm already--love this term--morbidly obese. If I give up, I'll simply be morbid. But I am very frustrated that I haven't been able to lose this weight after literally years of trying so hard.0 -
@wheatlessgirl66 and @Foamroller. I also have neuropathy symptoms. My neurologist gives me B12 injections and that keeps mine under control. I can tell when it's time for my shot because my toes begin to throb. They will hurt so bad that even a sheet makes them hurt worse!0
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@Karottap I'll have to ask my doctor about B12 injections. I've been taking it orally, but injections would be so much better. Know what you mean about the sheet being painful. Sometimes I have to hang my feet over the edge of the mattress so nothing touches them. The shooting 'electric shocks' are the worst! They double me over.
Since this is our "carb-loading advice" thread, I just have to say that the thing that works for me it to totally unload the carbs! I've lost 2.6 pounds already, which is UNHEARD of in my weight history. I've gained 2.6 pounds in less than a week a zillion times, but never lost them. Anyway, I am kind of in shock but tentatively so thrilled that ZC may actually work for me. My waist is 3/4" smaller.
I feel fine eating ZC. No lightheadedness, etc. I'm a little bored with just meat on my plate, but that's ok. I need to get a little more imaginative with spices so I have some variance. I learned that fish doesn't thrill me by itself, even with butter. But no matter how bored I get, the fact that this makes me lose weight trumps the boredom by far. If weight loss continues and my lipid labs are still good next time they're taken, I'll be a very happy girl.
Edited to correct weight loss from 3 to 2.6. Got days mixed up. Still good though. 0 -
I'm glad to hear you found a change that's working for you, wheatless! Keep us updated.0
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Thank you, Wabmester! I will. You can't imagine how excited I am to see the scale go down three days in a row.
Well, maybe you can...you probably have experienced it yourself. I will definitely keep you all updated. If loss continues, I'll probably drive everyone nuts with updates. 0 -
Looking forward to all those updates! 0
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We celebrate with you @wheatlessgirl66! Updates are always welcome!0
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Chiming in Glad you found something that works! Experimenting is GOOD 0
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