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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 14:42:59 GMT -5
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Post by kit on Mar 28, 2017 8:31:52 GMT -5
Just a word of warning. Two of my doctors have educated me somewhat about ketogenic diets and although they may work okay for some people, for others they can be very dangerous and either exacerbate or lead to other serious health problems, including death. Being in a state of ketosis, although it burns fat quickly, is not a natural state for a human being and can complicate other conditions.
When I was much younger and healthier I did the Atkins Diet, which is ketogenic, and lost weight very quickly... actually too quickly. But now that I'm older and have other health issues, for me a ketogenic diet is definitely a no-no. I strongly suggest that you check with your doctor before attempting it, especially if you have other health issues. He, or she, can tell you whether you're a good candidate for a keto diet. It's very risky to attempt it on your own without professional guidance. Just sayin'
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Post by Clipper on Mar 28, 2017 13:35:12 GMT -5
I tried Atkins for a short time several years ago and was told by my doctor to cease any form of ketogenic diet plan. I have had a problem with kidney stones several times over the years, and my doctor said that ketosis contributes to kidney stones. He also said that if the ketone levels in your blood get too high it can actually cause complete kidney failure as well as liver damage.
Seeing as how my mom had a history of kidney problems and eventually died as a result of kidney failure, coupled with the increased possibility of developing stones, I immediately abandoned any diet plans that relied heavily on ketosis to burn fat. I also didn't need to be damaging my liver any more than I already had through several years of attempted self embalming with grain alcohol products.
I finally have found that the only TRUE weight loss program that is healthy and safe is to eat a healthy diet and to limit portion size. It is a simple matter of taking in fewer calories than your body is burning. Knock on wood, I seem to be able to acclimate to the reduction in quantity and the increase in healthier choices such as green salads and lots of steamed or roasted vegetables, no more than 6 ounces of lean animal protein, no salt shaker on the table, and limited carbohydrate intake.
It is a sad reality that many of us find that as we age and slow down, eating becomes one of our more endeared pleasures. I had become a huge breakfast eater. I would go to sleep at night thinking of what I was going to eat for breakfast. If I ate biscuits and gravy it was three biscuits, split and drenched in a couple of cups of sausage gravy, topped with two or three fried eggs. Pancakes usually made about 6 inches in diameter, stacked four or five deep, drenched in butter and syrup, and accompanied by 5 or 6 link sausages. If we were out to dinner at a steak house, I ordered the largest cut of meat on the menu and an appetizer to graze on while I waited for my entree. Snacks at night were out of control. A huge bowl of ice cream was almost a nightly habit, and penny stick pretzels were always in a large plastic jar next to my chair.
I think we have to find a happy medium between eating for enjoyment, or emotional eating, and eating for normal and healthy sustenance. I have to think that ANY plan that radically departs from a normal and nutritionally balanced diet is probably not natural and most likely will not result in long term health and ideal weight.
I simply hope that this particular balanced eating plan that I am now using will continue to satisfy me and that I will be able to adopt it over the long term. I have struggled with my weight ever since I moved from a physical job to a more sedentary office environment in the mid 80's. That coupled with my inability to be as active in my latter years after falling and fracturing several vertebrae in my back allowed me to gain a tremendous amount of weight simply because I still ate like a lion and had adopted the lifestyle of a sloth, haha.
I am always interested to hear how others deal with dietary issues and weight management. My A1C had risen close to 8, and with my recent changes in diet, it has dropped to 5.3. My dad was an insulin dependent diabetic, as was my paternal grandfather. I obviously need to be attentive in watching my blood sugar levels. My doc says that I have controlled the diabetes a this point with diet, but that I should still check my blood sugar a couple of times a week. I have been checking it twice a week in the morning before eating anything. It has been staying between the mid nineties and 110-115.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Mar 28, 2017 22:37:24 GMT -5
I think it is important to distinguish between ketosis, the process by which our bodies metabolize (burn) fatty acids, and ketoacidosis which is a serious condition occurring mostly in Type 1 diabetics. I don't think there is any other way for our bodies to metabolize fats. I lost 39 pounds in 2014 and 36 in 2015 and reduced my gut by 10 inches so I assumed I metabolized a lot of fat during that period. I didn't notice any unusual urine odors during that time and no one complained about breath odors so I assume I probably used most of the ketones produced for energy rather than dumping them in pee and breath. As a T2 diabetic I am currently managing my blood glucose levels with diet rather than medications. My latest A1C test result is 5.0. The PA who went over my tests ( female and 40 years my junior) said my numbers are better than hers. I did find some info here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis |
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Post by Clipper on Mar 29, 2017 0:38:50 GMT -5
I obviously need to do some more reading about ketosis and how it metabolizes fat. I know that years ago my grandfather used to test by peeing on a test strip and checking the color. I don't know if back then that was the only home testing method for daily monitoring or what the purpose of it was. I picked the test strips up at the pharmacy for him on a couple of occasions.
For now, I am just happily following the eating plan recommended by the program I attend at the VA, and am quite happy with the rate at which I am losing. I did hit a plateau for a week or so, but have once again started to lose again. If I lose a pound or two a week I am satisfied. With the warm weather upon us here in the South, I am able to get out and get more exercise while performing my spring lawn cleanup and yard work.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Mar 29, 2017 9:12:02 GMT -5
Here is my understanding of how our bodies metabolize fats but remember that my last biology class was when Kennedy was President and my last chemistry class was during Nixon's first term. I take no offense at anyone correcting me.
All fatty acids circulating in our blood consist of a chain of carbon atoms with an OH group at one end and all carbon bonds which are not linked with other carbon atoms linked to H atoms. From my high school chemistry, each carbon has 4 bonds available and carbons in the chain can make a double or single bond with the carbon next to it. If all the bonds are single the fat is called "saturated." (It has the maximum amount of hydrogen possible.) If there are one or more double bonds it is called "unsaturated."
The first step for an unsaturated fat is that an enzyme breaks the double bonds and attaches another hydrogen makeing it a saturated fat. From that point all fats go through a multi-step process called beta oxidation. Another enzyme forms a double bond between the second and third carbons and then breaks the chain at that point. Those snipped off bits become "ketone bodies" and the process repeats until the chain is all broken into bits. The final result depends on how long the initial chain was and whether you started with an odd or even number of carbons.
From what I've read the strips are not a reliable indicator of what is going on in your cells. For one thing they are very dependent on your state of hydration. A dark color may just indicate that you should drink a bottle of water. Another is that if your body is operating efficiently there shouldn't be a lot of extra ketones circulating. It should be an on-demand process, as your muscles or brain need energy your mitochondria should be using glucose or ketones to produce ATP which is then used to produce the needed energy. Excess blood glucose or blood ketones is an indication of a broken feedback loop. Glucose or ketones in the urine is even worse. That means that you have so much extra being produced that your body has to get rid of them by dumping them into your pee.
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Post by Clipper on Mar 29, 2017 9:42:08 GMT -5
You last took biology when Kennedy was POTUS, and the last time I actually learned anything about ketones was in my EMT training in the late 70's, and then it was only about the cause and effects of ketoacidosis. I am off to the VA for my skinny school class this morning, but I am definitely going to do some more reading on the subject.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Mar 29, 2017 10:46:23 GMT -5
Somehow I missed one of the points I wanted to make. One situation in which keto sticks would be needed is in the case of a Type 1 diabetic or a Type 2 who is advanced enough that he makes little or no insulin. With them the feedback loops can fail entirely and blood ketones can build up to dangerous levels changing blood pH to be more acidic. This is ketoacidosis. Untreated it can lead to coma or even death.
Have fun at skinny class.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 15:59:59 GMT -5
From what I have looked at so far I am already doing this. LOL Here is one I always do since I crave coleslaw I serve it with my chicken shawarma.
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 T Splenda
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 14 oz bag of Dole Classic Coleslaw
Directions
Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper, and salt together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix with 14 oz bag of Dole Classic Coleslaw. It is better the next day, after ingredients have had a chance to meld.
Makes approx 4 and 1/2 servings using a bag of Dole. Serving 1.5 cups Carbs 3.2 per serving I do not use that much splenda just I tsp.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 16:17:20 GMT -5
My big problem is bread. Pumpernickel. I love it. Sunday I ate about 7 slices. OMB I broke out in a sweat with racy pulse and felt faint. So I took my sleeping pills at 8PM had three glasses of wine and slept till next morning. Felt good then. Now need laxatives.
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Post by kit on Mar 30, 2017 7:22:21 GMT -5
Pumpernickel bread? Well, there goes the keto diet. However, the cole slaw sounds delicious (as does the shawarma).
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Post by Clipper on Mar 30, 2017 9:07:20 GMT -5
Sleeping pills and 3 glasses of wine? I would have slept until the following week.  |
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Post by kit on Mar 31, 2017 9:47:03 GMT -5
Expensive pills and alcohol? Why not try a glass of warm milk instead? It always works for me.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2017 10:28:47 GMT -5
Expensive pills and alcohol? Why not try a glass of warm milk instead? It always works for me. I do not drink milk. |
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