Keeping the monster asleep...5 months of N-1 experiments

April 4th to September 4th

I spent this summer out on the lake almost daily on my paddle board and researching Paleo/low carb. What I found  particularly helpful is Jimmy Moore and his N-1 experiment on himself. I thought..why not do the same thing?

I read the The Art and Science of the Low Carb Lifestyle, Good calories, Bad Calories...among about 20 other books , countless blogs, Marks daily apple, Diatruth.com. . I listened to countless helpful podcasts.There had to be something that would work. Other people achieve good health... I refuse to give up on myself or get discouraged. I no longer take allergy meds.My pain and inflammation was nil.  My blood pressure was better but my belly fat was tenaciously sticking to me. 

One thing  this summer that  struck a chord in me was..."it takes about 3 weeks to become Keto adapted. After that my body begins to burn it's own fat for fuel.( Ketogenic) . When I  switch over to eating anything that causes a blood sugar rise  again...my body  must become Keto adapted all over again."   Some where in all the blogs, books and podcasts, this theme has begun to make sense.

  My weekly  free days  were messing me up. Stopping fat from burning...Keeping insulin too high in my blood stream ....So the free days became  free meals, then they turned into one free food/ week... and finally in August....they turned into NO FREE ANYTHING. Keto adaption for me has to be under 30 carbs. Somedays I go under 20 and some days  I have none.  The carbs I eat are basically raw, fresh, dark and green.   I put a quarter stick of Kerrygold unsalted butter in my coffee (bulletproof coffee) and  I eat avocado and coconut oil daily.


September 4 2012

 April 4, 2012

The results are finally beginning to show... most of the fat  loss has occurred after August 1st, when I really buckled down  to try and get keto adapted. I also cut my protein portions in half and upped my daily fat. I just never realized that I needed to go so low with the carbs, and never "cheat"  Cheating for me can just be eating a small dove chocolate. That is all it takes to Wake the Monster. Everyone is different. N=1 is finding what works for you.

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)

Healthy Substitutes R US

Champagne has  me sneezing with in seconds of  a swallow.. Wine gives me a skull crushing headache with in minutes of the first sip. I love bubbled dry drinks. Very dry Shiraz , Dry champagne,  My body doesn't . Perrier water with a slice of lemon makes a pleasant substitute...and I can be the designated driver.

Paleo GOULASH!!

 The grandkids voted for lasagna Friday evening . They are coming over to celebrate the oldest grand blessing turning 17 (EEEKKKK!!! How did she get that old so fast!!)  They also voted for Chocolate cake. I will make them what they requested and on the side I'll make it Paleo. They will have a choice. Who knows, maybe they will like it Paleo .


 Goulash made Paleo :   Spaghetti sauce of your choice, or home made with tomatoes,onions,
 garlic, basil, mushrooms, green pepper, celery...make it your own. Add browned ground meat of your choice.   But,  instead of  macaroni....add steamed chopped cauliflower. I do not do dairy as a rule, but a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese tops it off.

Good stuff Maynard...

http://www.diatruth.com/

New forum site For Type ll Diabetics and metabolically challenged folks!! Take a look!! This site helps you wade through all the lies of the medical establishment and tells the truth about diabetes,  and the ADA . It takes a look at  how to take control of your diabetes and get off of medications. The administrators Dusty and Wade guide you through a  dietary cure in a no nonsense way.

Macaroni!!!

Goulash used to be a favorite meal of mine. I have not eaten it in a couple of years. Last week i received the latest issue of Family Circle magazine. The last section of the magazine and the cover story is macaroni and cheese recipes... I slammed the magazine shut and wondered if I should cancel my subscription. Then I remembered  how cauliflower seems to work for potatoes...why shouldn't steamed cauliflower work for a macaroni substitute?  I'll be trying some of the recipes this week from the Family Circle magazine substituting the cauliflower. I'll let you know how they turned out.

Where does insulin go?

The more I read, the more questions I have.

IF insulin resistant people are that way because we are metabolically challenged....our body's output of insulin is higher than what it should be, to get the job done,,,,than we have excess insulin floating around in our blood stream....What happens to it. How does it dissipate??

How long does it hang out in my blood stream?

What uses it up?

Where does it go?
Does it just hang around wreaking havoc to my kidneys or causing inflammation in my joints?

I know now that excess insulin in my blood stream prevents me from burning fat for fuel. I get hungry when I have too much insulin floating in my blood stream. Hungry is an understatement. My muscles scream for food like a Tyrannosaurus Rex.  When my carbs are low enough...I do not get hungry...at all. my body switches over to fat burning...like a Hybrid.... electric car that runs out of an electrical  charge and switches back to burning gas. The muscles get continuous fuel. Even better, my brain gets continuous fuel.

I can lower my blood sugar just by walking after dinner.  How do I lower my insulin level once I screw up and eat too many carbs? The only answer I get is ...Just don't eat too many carbs....

How many is too many? So far barely any seems to be the right answer to me . 20 maybe. a day.

More than 20 a  day wakes the monster.