Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Meanwhile....back at the ranch

      I took a break from blogging this spring.... Apparently I could not keep the monster asleep. I was working on it, but the monster was alive and well as well as my mindset that a little bite wont hurt . I liken myself to an alcoholic who binges after 10 years sobriety. The monster will probably be forever lurking and I need to face the reality of it, just as former alcoholics do.

     Fortunately I kept reading and listening to blogs like Jimmy Moore, Mark Sisson, Dietruth website, Latest in Paleo, and many more. I believe this is the right way to eat based on my blood pressure readings being down to normal and my inflammation levels becoming nil. Now I want my blood work to reflect that. I am working at being consistent so they will.

        I have been studying a book in the past couple months by Authors  Stephen D  Phinney ,MD,PHD, and Jeff S. Volek,PhD,RD. "The Art and Science of Low Carb Living." It talks about the ketogenic diet research that they are doing.   Last month  I began  my  n=1 experiment.
  So far, in the month I have been actively pursuing this, I have been able put the monster to sleep.  I  have started to lose inches. Some days weight loss does not show up on the scale. It  consistently shows up on the measuring tape. For the first time in a long time, the measurement around my rib cage shows fat loss. I measured 35" this morning. In June the measurement was 40". My back has always looked like a stuffed marshmallow in pictures. Even with lifting weights and working out.  I seemed to be unable to rid myself of my back fat and lower abdomen fat. The fat loss is not rapid, but it is happening. I have been stand up paddle boarding a couple of miles a day or more all summer.  On breezy days, up to 6 miles. Stress relieving,  yet challenging. Also I have been doing body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, dips and squats every other day and this week am adding weight lifting back as I feel my body has shifted to burning fat for fuel as the carb flu ache is gone

After reading Phinney and Voleks book I discovered that part of  my  problem with a low carb diet is the thought that protein sizes do not matter as long as carbs are low. I began using  a blood sugar meter, I found that a steak larger than 6 oz raised my blood sugar, which also "Wakes the Monster" The insulin monster that stores fat and will not allow fat burning to take place. . I have found that 4 to 6 oz  of protein per meal is adequate. Getting at least 30 gms of protein 3 times a day at separate meals is very important to sustaining muscle. Most people average 12 at breakfast and 15 at lunch and then 65 at dinner. My switch was to balance 90 - 120  gms of protein throughout the day in equal portions, keeping the grams at 30 to 40 per meal. My carbs are @ 20 per day.   A couple of times this month I have eaten  more carbs in the form of melons during a summer cook out . Other than that the carbs are limited to greens, spinach, and organic low glycemic vegetables.
    I  began reading " The bullet Proof Executive" blog and started drinking  bullet proof coffee.  Bullet proof  coffee has become very helpful  for stopping mid morning  cravings. 3 tables spoons of  Kerrygold unsalted butter in my coffee.
   In order to stay in a ketogenic state ( a state of fat burning vs sugar burning) I am dedicated to no "free days"  "free meals" of even "free bites". Every time I have a "free meal" , even one dark chocolate dove square, the monster wakes up and I struggle with cravings.  I can tell when my body is back to being a sugar burning and storing fat, not allowing  fat to be burned for fuel, because I become incessantly  hungry. Food thoughts interrupt my mind while I am thinking  of other  things. When I am in a state of ketogenisis, Food rarely crosses my mind. I forget to eat.
   I have changed my way to eating to a Paleo, whole foods diet with only 20 max grams of carbs.. No grains, beans, sugars, or fruit, except for a handful of berries now and then.  My energy has returned. I am sleeping better. My joints do not ache. No hot flashes. No cravings for food or alcohol. I get antsy to be out on the SUP (Stand up Paddle Board)  My new addiction.

By the way...in  the last two weeks  of achieving ketogenisis, I have lost 6 pounds.  I have lost -2 " around my ribcage,    -2.5"   belly fat ,  .5" hip,   -1" each thigh,  -1 " each arm,   -.5 inch neck,    -1 " waist (3 inches above bellybutton)

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