WOE is me!

Beginning a new way of eating (WOE) isn't simple nor easy.  It really doesn't matter which program you're choosing.  If you're looking to make a lifestyle change, and not simply a diet that you'll forget about as soon as you've reached your goal....then you've got to do some work ahead of time.  You must research the way of eating, the theory behind it, the physiology, the science, and then, finally the mechanics of it. 


A ketogenic diet  was so much different than my "normal" (we'll wait to call this former) way of eating.  Restricting your net carbs to 25 (later in the week I changed that to 20) is hard to do.  It's easy to cut the carbs that are in front of your face: bread, pasta, dessert, alcohol.  What is more difficult is understanding the hidden carbs in almost every food you eat.  Fruits and veggies have natural sugar in them, and that gives them carbs!  Spinach has carbs, broccoli has carbs, green beans have carbs!  They are EVERYWHERE.  It's like a bad dream where you can't make turn without them taking over your day.   I knew to expect this. I read almost everything I could about this diet.  What foods to eat freely, what foods to eat in moderation, and what foods to avoid (all my favorites of course!)  And still....I was not as prepared as I thought I was....I needed supplements (magnesium and potassium), I needed oils, almond flour, coconut flakes, hemp seed, raw nuts, different types of meats.  My pantry and my refrigerator look completely different than they have ever looked.  They are filled with a small fortune of healthy food just right for my new WOE.

But you know what....Keto is hard!  I had the ingredients (and bought a few on the way) and I had the research.  I've made some pretty amazing meals (anything from omelets to variations of cauliflower rice).  And I saw that scale move....nearly 10 pounds in less than 2 weeks. Sure, sure...a lot of that is water weight, I get it.  But it still moved....A LOT!  Then....Saturday came along.....

I decided it was time to freshen up my pedicure and treat my mom to her first one ever.  The new salon I picked served a complimentary drink....I couldn't resist the offer of a glass of wine, even if it was white. And that sent my day totally and completely out of control!  Kip and I went out to dinner and while my dinner selection was keto friendly (bunless cheeseburger with salsa and a side of greenbeans) my drink selection was not...one beer, led to two beers.  Then we got home and it led to opening a fresh bottle of wine.  My body wanted the carbs so badly.  Just as I was hitting keto flu, I introduced a level of carbs my body hadn't seen in over a week and it stop my process in its tracks!  Sunday was a new day and I got back on track.

Monday saw the consequences of my reverting to old habits...I gained almost 2 pounds back that I had lost!  And it's not coming off as easily as it came back on.  But, I got back on track.  I noticed my fitbit syncing with myfitnesspal was sending my macros all over the place....so I quickly removed that functionality.  Keto is hard...but when I come downstairs in the morning, I don't have to take one step at a time.  I eat a large breakfast/lunch and am usually completed satiated until dinner time.  Keto is hard...but it's becoming a bit more easy as I go along.

I'll leave you with one of my breakfast/lunches from this past week.  I took leftover grilled chuck steak and sliced it thinly (4oz), I added 2oz of sliced green peppers, and 1.5 oz of sliced onions.  I sauteed this in 2 tbsp of coconut oil  Once the onions and peppers were cooked to my liking, I plated them and fried two eggs.  Overall this meal was 555 calories, 6g of carbs, 44g of fat, 37 grams of protein.

Discovering a whole new way of eating

Dear Reader

Full disclosure....I am clinically obese.  And by obese, I mean I am FAT!  I don't view this word negatively, unless I'm watching "Family Guy."  It is who I am, however, I do not let it define me.  I'm also short, curvy, sexy, smart and logical.  I have awesome hair, an amazing figure, and my boobs are a sight to behold.  All of my medical tests show me to be a very healthy fat person.  I do suffer from joint inflammation and pain which often ends up derailing any weight loss I try, simply because it hurts when I move.  I also suffer from boredom eating and really, really enjoy my wine!

A few weeks ago, I had this grand idea to buy a bicycle. Being over 250lbs, I'm extremely cognizant of weight restrictions....on EVERYTHING. I even ordered a $160 ladder for our pool because I was fearful of the flimsy one that came with it.  I'm over 40 and injury prone, I do not need to help that!  So, I found that most bicycles that you can buy at your local retail store have a weight restriction of 250lbs.  As of today, I weigh 276....something I am NOT proud of!  I was hesitant to buy a bike that I was simply too large for.  I was devastated and felt very ashamed of myself.  How did I let this happen?  But most importantly....how do I change this?!?!?!?

Enter a Keto diet.  In very simple terms, a keto diet is low in carbs, high in fat, and moderate in protein.  It is designed to turn your body into a fat burning machine, rather than a sugar burning machine.  It is similar to paleo in many ways, but it's still very different.  A good friend of mine introduced me to it not long after my bicycle discovery.  So, I researched it and found that this diet is commonly used to treat a variety of diseases including (but not limited to) epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer. I read real person accounts of how this diet has stopped joint inflammation, sleep apnea, and other obesity related ailments.  Keto is hard....at least right now it is.  It's taking your customary way of eat (WOE) and turning it upside down....if you decide to research and try this, you'll see what I mean when it promotes using lard and bacon fat.  Not to mention the dozens of eggs you'll find yourself eating.

I choose a start date of 8/1/2016.  It was my birthday and a Monday...so it just seemed appropriate.  After reading about induction flu (the flu like symptoms you experience as your body moves into ketosis), I found that a few side effects could affect my vertigo.  With a balance test scheduled for 8/9/2016, I decided to hold off on starting Keot until today, 8/8/2016.

I decided to begin with really watching my carbs, saying goodbye to some of my favorite non-Keto friendly foods (watermelon, pizza, pasta, alcohol, etc), and researching even more to discover recipes, tactics, etc.  I joined a keto challenge (you can find a lot of information on www.ketodietapp.com) and bought a few books.

I have enjoyed making some recipes including Almond Cashew Butter, Ghee (clarified butter), Bacon Olive Omelets, Bacon Egg Tomato Skillet and a few others.  I cleaned out my pantry of anything that could trip me up.  I bought expense coconut oil, almond oil, coconut flakes.  I'm drinking up to 100oz of water a day (some with a touch of Himalayan pink salt to help with electrolytes) and I'm going into this with an open mind.

I KNOW I'm going to struggle.  I know that evenings will be difficult for me.  I know that boredom eating will trip me up.  But I also know that I need to do this!  I need to fit on a bicycle and not worry about damaging the frame.  I need to know that I can sit comfortably on an airplane and not spill over into someone else's seat.  I need to know I can go to Hogwarts and Universal Studios and enjoy the rides!

I am a beautiful person with some very unique super powers.  I am not doing this to enhance my beauty...I am doing this to enhance my life!

So, stick with me dear reader and we'll journey together.  Feel free to nudge me when I haven't posted in awhile.  And when all else fails...keep your super hero buddies close by!