Meativore May - May 31 Check-In

Dragonwolf

This is it, folks! The countdown to the last day of the challenge! We're officially at 4 weeks as of this writing (on Friday) and just have another couple of days to finish out the calendar month.

How'd you do? What are your plans going forward? Are you hooked, or are you ready to dive head-first into a giant salad?

May 22 - http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10167313/meativore-may-may-22-check-in
May 15 - http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10162330/meativore-may-may-15-check-in
May 8 thread -- http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10156293/meativore-may-may-8-check-in
May 1 thread -- http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10149152/meativore-may-may-1-check-in

LaurenLK

May 1: 155.8
May 8: 154.8
May 15: 154.2
May 22: 152.8
May 29: 154.8
Ugh. Stupid birthday, stupid low carb cheesecake, stupid margaritas.

cdpits

Ugh, I left on May 11 for a road trip for 2 1/2 weeks and failed miserably !! Good news is I am back at it since I got home Wed and really do enjoy eating this way

FIT_Goat

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1349960/5-day-fruit-vegetables-myth-claims-nutrition-expert.html

This just popped up on my newsfeed today. I am not the only person who thinks fruits and veggies are useless for nutrition.

Edit: This is not really a meativore opinion... as he encourages seeds, oats, and leafy green consumption. Still, it's nice to see someone at least partially on the same page as me.

Sajyana

This didn't go well for me. I didn't lose but I didn't gain so that's a bonus.

KetoGirl83

I'm on day 9 and so far I'm loving the way it makes me feel. I'm losing weight without hunger or difficulty and my fasting glucose numbers are also getting lower. I have more energy and bought a mini trampoline to get my very sluggish lymphatic system working and I jump several times a day.

I'm continuing into June, at least until I get to one month. I never, ever, would have thought I could eat like this but my body is clearly loving it so I'm going with the flow.

ChairmanWow

May 1: 222.2
May 8: 221.6
May 15: 224.2
May 22: 219.4
May 30: 219.6

Too much of the wife's low-carb birthday cheesecake. Still, overall, loss for the month.

KarlaYP

I did manage to meet my goals of 10g carbs or less! Beginning weight 205.4 and now 204 (which I have been, with some fluctuations up and back down, for two weeks). I love being meativore and plan to continue with primarily animal kingdom foods. I do plan to eat a salad but it won't be a daily occurrence (maybe weekly, maybe not ever again if it makes me feel like crap). The greatest difference for me was the loss in inches! I measure at six points and have lost a total of 7.5 inches! Three and a half of them in just my waist! I'm so glad I measure, because without it I would be super discouraged about the only 1.4 pound loss.

Fibromyalgia changes: oh my, I'm so much better! I have found that my energy has to be reigned in a bit. I cleaned baseboards last week and paid for it for a few days. So, I'm still learning how to optimize these results without hurting myself, just as I had to when learning about fibro. I feel that my body is going through a major overhaul and that doesn't happen overnight. So, I will be here, celebrating each victory as it comes! It would be amazing if I got better to the point of being able to work a job again! One can hope!

This crazy month has been full of celebrations! I've cut two birthday cakes without licking my fingers! I've been out to eat many times and managed to stay meativore. I indulged in some alcohol and learned some valuable lessons. I've been out of town twice and realized how much my body misses butter now! When I first started I would read where some would eat plain butter and it grossed me out. Now, bring on the butter! Not big pieces of it, but licking the butter knife! Yes! Quarter teaspoon? Yes! It's the reason that I can hold carbage without the inkling of an urge to eat it! Will be finding a way to travel with it, for sure!

Have one more social event that came up. It's been 30 years since I graduated from high school, and an old friend has requested that some of us get together. It's turned into a big gathering of people from different graduating classes and should be fun. I'm bringing Cole slaw. Not sure what else will be there, but I'm not going for the food anyway. Will be great to see some people that I haven't seen in a while.

I'm glad this month is almost over just for the decrease in number of social events! Come on June, lol! Have a great day everyone!

FIT_Goat

I don't think I'll post a loss for the month. Maybe a small one. My current trend line is at 71.1 kg, and it started the month at 71.4 kg. But, I started April at 71.2 kg. So, overall, it's been a pretty stable two months. My weight is up temporarily. I had a HUGE eating day yesterday. I probably had 18 oz of burger for lunch, 3 oz of cheese, 15 chicken wings (with dubious garlic parmesan sauce... I think some starch snuck in here), and a deep fried pork shank.

I'm going to wait for June 1st to get the total results for this month.

glossbones

May 1: 152.2 lbs
May 8: 151.6 lbs
May 15: 150.0 lbs
May 22: 151.2 lbs
May 30: 148.4 lbs

Calling it here because I intend to have fathead pizza tonight. So we'll call it a 3.8 pound loss for the month.

There were four deviations from the meativore plan, all having to do with special events, and all for just one meal each time, and of course, one each weekend (so my results of meativore cannot be truly be judged as more than four 6-day streaks). In all deviations I stuck to keto-friendly levels of carbs (though one time I was surprised to learn a recipe that seemed like it would be low sugar had 10 grams per serving). All three upset my system and gave me acid reflux. I also learned that I have, what I believe to be, a sensitivity to processed meats, which doesn't upset me as much as it probably would have a month ago. Not surprising considering gluten and MSG have already turned out to be irritants in my system.

At one point this month I found myself with an aversion to ground meat. Probably because I had a nasty train burger early on in the month, and since then I've not been able to finish a patty. Someone tried to convince me to eat burgers the way they prepared them and, as they described it, I felt nauseated and completely disgusted. I'm sure the taste for burgers will return later this summer.

What I did find was that eating all animal product allowed me to be more in touch with my body's hunger signals. Possibly because it takes so long to chew my steak that I have time to notice myself getting full (or just bored?). Bathroom trips became more predictable. Weight loss continued about the same pace it was before, but I did find I was eating less overall and getting satiated more quickly.

As for my feeding future, I plan to eat mostly meativore as my WoE, but I don't plan to restrict the things I like if they're not of an animal source. That includes frankenfoods like pizza crust, ice cream, cream cheese pancakes, and fat bombs. But I will see what happens with the acid reflux (it seems to be a same-day response so I should be able to judge what bothers it), and I won't go crazy.

For June I'm going to try one of these non-animal foods per day (maybe, if I plan well enough while shopping). Though I'll stop buying them if they go bad in the fridge as was starting to become normal in April. Beyond June I will just eat them when it sounds good.

Kitnthecat

Better late than never....I'm starting today ! Yay for me ! I too have had numerous social functions where I chose to eat a few carbs, so did not wish to commit earlier in May. I have indulged in alcohol as well, so needless to say, my weight has been fluctuating within a 2-3 pound range for a month....no loss but no gain either. I must say that this woe has helped immensely. I have stayed pretty true to my LCHF protocol, but have enjoyed brief excursions with higher carb days that still fit with low carb guidelines. It has been so interesting to see how my body responds to certain foods like nuts, or alcohol, or sweet potato fries I am learning my limits, and it has been such a feeling of control. In the past with social functions, I would overindulge and have weight gain as the result. But at least this month, my weight has been stable, so that is a victory for me.

But now it's time to step it up a notch ! ZC here I come ! I have noticed that although food cravings are much more under control eating LCHF, my urge to snack increases when my carb intake increases, and food such as nuts, cheese and berries in particular result in higher calorie intake. I want to avoid this type of situation and see how I feel eating just meat, eggs, butter, bone broth, and very limited amounts of dairy and coconut oil ( in place of HWC ) for now. I can't get burgers out of my mind, and right now, my fridge has 3 different flavours of leftover burgers ready for me. I am not a fan of processed meats, but will keep bacon in my routine, some nitrate free bacon homemade by my farmers, but also some conventional store bought bacon. Might try again to make homemade mayo ( my last attempt failed ). I know somewhere on here someone posted tips for immersion blender mayo and mayo made with bacon fat, hope I can locate some tips.

I plan to trial the 30 days starting today, and will reassess at the end of June to see if I will continue. I did my bood test a few days ago and I will be interested to see the effects of LCHF with some vegetables. I'll get the results at the end of June when I have my Dr's app't. But by then I will have been ZC for a few weeks. I'm hoping that this will break my weight loss stall. I want to wow my DR, but still nervous he won't approve. At least my chiropractor is on board now so that's good. Wish me luck ! I want to transform into a FIT_Kitn !

FIT_Goat

Welcome to the dark side Kitnthecat. I know I'll be doing it along with you. Even if this isn't for you--you never know, it might be--I am sure you'll be a FIT_Kitn no matter what.

cdpits

Well despite a road trip that saw me back home and up 12lbs. I went right back to eating keto last Thurs and lost the 12 plus 4 more !!
Starting weight 258
end of May 254 ! SO happy with these results! I learned a lot about being prepared when I travel!!

Dragonwolf

May 1 stats:

Weight: 245.8lb
BF (Covert Bailey formula): 31.2%
This morning's fasting blood sugar (measured at 8:30am): 112mg/dL
Waist Measurement: 41.5"
Hips: 48.5"
Chest: 39.5"

May 15 stats:

Weight: 246.2 (though yesterday was 245.8)
BF: 30.9%
Fasting Blood Sugar (~7:30am): 108mg/dL
Waist: 40.5"
Hips: 48"
Chest: 39.5"

May 30 stats:

Weight: 243.8 (official on measure day, was 242.0 the day before)
BF: 31.8%
Waist: 41"
Hips: 48.5"
Chest: 38"
I forgot to measure fasting blood sugar

Net total changes:

Weight: -2lb (using only official weigh-ins) or -3.8lb (using the low weight from the day before on the last weigh-in); just shy of 1lb/week (or half a pound a week, with official weigh-ins). I'm down 14.2lb since starting ZC just after Easter.
BF: +0.6% (effectively zero when considering margin of error, according to what it measures; this seems to be due to where I'm losing fat, which seems to be right below the ribcage)
Waist: -.5"
Chest: -1.5"
Hips: 0 (waist, chest, and hip measurements seem to support that I'm losing in a sort of "top-down" manner)

Not as dramatic as I was hoping to see, especially in the measurements, but I'm happy to see changes, period. This is the most change I've seen in a very long time. Even going with the more modest -2lb for the month, that's 2lb/month faster than before I started ZC.

pedidiva

HI guys, happy to be here.

May 7-- 230.1
May 27--218.7

Interesting thing about herbivores--their GI tract is different than ours. The grasses, leaves, vegetation that they eat is fermented and short chain fatty acids are what is absorbed. Then if you are rabbit, you have to eat your poo to get some of the good bacteria in your gut.

KarlaYP

I got on the scale this morning and saw another 4 lb. Whoosh! Makes total loss for May 5.4 pounds. With the 7&1/2 inches lost it made for a really good month for me. I went grocery shopping this morning intending to pick up a bag of salad and forgot it, lol! I'm so used to not buying those items now! It's highly likely that I will remain meativore. I think that may be my sign, lol! Take care!

FIT_Goat

Well, with the Spam yesterday, plus some chicken wings and cheese. I didn't close. I posted a nice high value on the scale today. Based on the over 3% point drop on my BF estimation, I'm sure it's all water weight. But, anyway, here is the chart.



The total change in weight?

Zilch. Exactly no change for the whole month. Well, the weekly average this week is a bit lower than coming into this month. But, the current trend is right back at where I started. No regrets. I've been bouncing around 71 kg for a while. My body likes it here. I have a feeling it will eventually go down more, but I'm not pushing the issue.

I don't want people to get discouraged from my chart. It's important to remember that I am not trying to lose weight. I'm trying to eat to maintenance. Weight loss, if any, should be unintentional and accidental. It would be a different story if I was very overweight and trying to slim down.

Yes, it is true, I would "like" to weigh a little less (for vanity purposes). I would also like to win the lottery. But, that doesn't mean I am trying to get thinner, just like I'm not actually buying any lotto tickets.

FIT_Goat

I have unlocked this from the top. I think we've all checked in by this point. And, if people still want to comment, it will stay near enough to the first page.

tru2one

Better late than never...had to finish up w/ final check in!

5/1 starting weight: 219.2 <--water retentive state after a carb-fest
5/8: 212.4
5/15: 210.6
5/22: 205.6
5/31: 208

-11.2

My birthday festivities (which lasted quite a number of days!) contributed to the bounce back up for my final check in, but overall I am still very, very pleased with how the month went. I do well with eating this way and plan to stick w/the majority of meals being meativore (especially the ones I make for myself), with exceptions being dining out (salads and veggie sides). My social life has kicked up a notch or two, so I anticipate more dining out than I've been doing since I started keto in January! :-) Have been too busy as of late to actively log food, but still paying attention to measuring/weights/portions and am stepping on the scale every day, so as long as scale behaves I'm taking a break from tracking foods here.

So, the plan moving forward: Continue meativore/animal kingdom eating for majority of meals, moderate alcohol consumption as long as no negative repercussions on the scale, taking a break from logging, and June challenge is going to be getting my 64 oz of water in per day. :-)

Sajyana

I didn't lose, I didn't gain but I measured my waist today and it's an inch smaller!

May was a mash up of a month. There was a whole lot going on, some very stressful, some very wonderful. I craved carbs really badly. I think I had 2 pizza days and one meal I had some crusty buttered bread with a casserole but otherwise I was very, very low with the carbs.

From here: back to very low carb. I'm introducing regular stretching which will not only help keep my back mobile but I'm hoping it's a gateway drug to introducing more exercise.

wheatlessgirl66

I started ZC on May 22. Initially I lost an exciting 2.6 lbs, but pretty quickly that dwindled down to 1.2 lbs.

KarlaYP

I had planned to eat more carbs, but the habit of ZC is embedded. I really don't want them like I thought I did!

glossbones

I thought I'd be more excited to have a salad tonight. It was okay. Want to dig in the fridge for a rib eye now.

Kitnthecat

I am enjoying ZC so far. This has started my weight loss again, so I am glad for that.

FIT_Goat

Salads are never as exciting as they seem when you can't have one.

Glad it's working for you Kitn.

Kitnthecat

Thanks FIT_Goat ! I made what I called a "salad" out of chopped cooked chicken, bacon and egg last night for supper. The other day, I ate eggs, bacon, hamburger, lamb chop and roast chicken all in one day. Today I just wasn't hungry, so that's pretty cool.

KarlaYP

The lack of desire for any of it is still amazing me! Not feeling deprived, of anything, is a whole new way of life for me!!

Dragonwolf

Karlottap wrote: »

The lack of desire for any of it is still amazing me! Not feeling deprived, of anything, is a whole new way of life for me!!

I know, right? Except for the other day at Bob Evans when I found myself really wanting a salad (it was like 90F with 80% humidity out -- the kind of day I'd have traditionally just had salads, because they're cool and crisp) and opting for cole slaw (no nightshades there, at least, though I forgot the little 3.5oz serving had 16g carbs), I actually haven't been feeling deprived. It's like how rolls and stuff had become for me -- it's only when it's sitting in front of me, staring me in the face, that I even begin to crave or remotely want it.

If I've been craving anything lately, it's been the ground bison I have in my freezer. I have no idea why, but ground, cooked on low heat is like manna from the gods or something to me lately.

kirkor

Dragonwolf wrote: »

and opting for cole slaw (no nightshades there, at least, though I forgot the little 3.5oz serving had 16g carbs)

Is that from sugar in the mayo?

KnitOrMiss

Many restaurants add sugar to their slaw "sauce."

Dragonwolf

kirkor wrote: »

Dragonwolf wrote: »

and opting for cole slaw (no nightshades there, at least, though I forgot the little 3.5oz serving had 16g carbs)

Is that from sugar in the mayo?

No, it's added sugar in the slaw dressing. Mayo itself only has 1-2g in my experience.

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

Many restaurants add sugar to their slaw "sauce."

Most recipes in general use it if you want the taste that Marzetti's is famous for. Nothing like taking mayo, adding vinegar, then adding sugar to it.