My healthy eating journey took me through Medifast losing 60lbs in 2013-2014, then Paleo/Primal, then Low Carb and Ketogenic living before I found Zero Carb, carnivore, no plant eating.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Infection seems better, ZC still working out well
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Zero Carb beyond 30 days
Do i want to go back to eating other things? Not really.
Has anything changed since my last post a couple of days ago? Not really.
Well, a little. Yesterday I had cravings. Not cravings for something sweet or starchy but I just wanted to snack. Wasn't exactly hungry but wanted to chew on jerky. I did eat jerky but it also filled me so i didn't eat dinner. The jerky turned out as my lunch and dinner.
I also had a very bad mood, felt kind of down and irritated as well as tired.
I believe all these are connected to my upcoming period.
My face is still clear and the old marks are slowly disappearing.
My tummy seems to be shrinking. I don't feel the same with other body parts but that's how my body is, tummy is the first to shrink or last to grow while thighs and behind last to shrink and first to grow.
I finally stepped on the scale this morning and am down 0.2 since last time. i am not really excited about it as at this point I just want to let my body to do it's thing.
I haven't been trying to lose weight. I just want to be at peace with food. I am tired of the addiction and pre-occupation with food.
It will take few months for my body to change, the fast changes I was used to from carb/calorie controlled eating will not happen here. The changes from this way of eating feel different. I have a feeling that my body composition is changing.
I am guessing that in 6 months if i look at before/after photo there will be a difference. A big difference. We shall see......
I have finished the antibiotics and didn't have any severe reaction like some people said on FB, I have been a bit more tired and actually still am. I went to sleep before 10pm last night and was still dragging at 7am.
I do not have tons of energy. I hope that this will improve with time.
The other thing that is happening with me is that I am not very excited about my food. I am not particularly enjoying it or the taste. The only 'food' that I do enjoy and like is the beef jerky. I also really like the chicken wings that I make. I do eat beef, ground beef and about once a week hamburger and it really fills me up for a long time but i do not enjoy the taste even though I still put spices in my food.
I do like my eggs and eat a little bit mozzarella cheese approximately every other day. That is filling for only about 3-4 hours, not as long as meat. I also use about 1tbs HWC in my coffee once a day.
I have 1 or 2 plain cups of coffee and plenty of water as I still do get thirsty.
I hope that my taste will change and i will acquire the taste for natural meat and it's texture. Sometimes i just gag on certain bites. Not even sure why? The jerky sometimes has fat in it and i do eat it but i don't like the texture.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
4 weeks on zc milestone
It has been 4 weeks. Really?
The transition became easy and smooth once I gave up the little nuts I was eating and the 2 squares of 100% chocolate. It took me about a week but once I stopped I sailed smoothly into the heaven of zc land.
The hormonal acne I had nonstop just ended as by miracle.
I was doing a lot of research online trying to figure out what to use but could only marginally handle the breakouts after they happened with sulfur cream. My face has been clear for 3 weeks! I still cannot believe it! So simple. The photo shows all the products I am bagging and don't need anymore to control breakouts. I also have some wipes not pictured.....
No more energy waste or upset about breakouts or looking for cure and no more buying products to treat this unpleasant condition I have battled with since teenager years.
Phew, what a relief!
When I started originally I was already vlc, eating about 20g net carbs. Switching to meat only really simplified my life.
I have more space in my fridge, pantry and kitchen, I don't need long shopping lists or frequent trips to store, I spend much less time cooking and eating and most of all, I am no longer obsessed with food.
I was hoping for it on vlc bur it didn't happen. With zc I am no longer thinking food. I eat until I am full and I stay full for hours. To the point where I really do not want to eat anything. ANYTHING!
Some days I will eat twice a day and some days 3 times a day but usually not more than that. There were a couple of days during this month that I only ate once, it was a bug meal but I trusted my body and ate until I wasn't interested in food any more. I am glad I did it.
I haven't experienced ANY cravings or wanting to nibble or snack on something for over 3 weeks, since I cut off the small amount of nuts and chocolate.
It's amazing!
My kids and husband are carboholics and my husband is a meat phobic too. He raises humane issues regarding animals. But I think that it doesn't makensense. He still eats meat just not enough. So he still consumes animals, why not do it in a way that helps him stay healthy? He eats nonstop in the evening, getting 3 or 4 dinners. He is religious about eating his salad, bread and cottage cheese and will have some nuts even after claiming he's full from dinner but after an hour will eat more, and after another hour some more and sometimes even more at night (cheese, bread, fruit. ... all things he considers healthy). All this while I feel totally happy, full and satisfied.
I look at him and vaguely remember how I ate like this or how I limited my eating with meal replacement products when I was on Medifast. I used to rely on my willpower not so long ago. Just a little over a month ago I was dealing with ending a habit of afternoon snacking. Well, it is so simple now. I have no habits anymore. Just eating meat and drinking water (or tea/coffee). I do not need to execute any will power.
It is amazingly simple I am still shocked.
Yesterday I finished my antibiotics and after the last pill finally peed the right color. I feel that finally the uti is over. I will do a urine test tomorrow. I have been somewhat tired since the antibiotics and hope to have more energy from now on. I also suspect that I didn't have much appetite this week, also due to antibiotics.
I am expecting my period and am starting to have some back discomfort. Looking forward to see how this month will go.
I wanted to lose 15lbs when I started zc but somewhere along the way about a week ago lost interest in the scale and my weight. I know that if I lose weight I will feel it in my body and clothes and besides, I am starting to accept my body the way it is.
I am enjoying the simplicity zc introduced into my life and am looking forward to what lies ahead.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Still doing great on ZC
Monday, March 9, 2015
Two Weeks on Zero Carb Carnivore eating
Made my life really simple.
Physically it is really simple. Psychologically it is a little more complicated.
I think. That's a problem.
I have all kinds of thoughts. Fortunately I also have counter thoughts.
When I started 2 weeks ago, I figured i'll just remove everything but keep the 100% dark chocolate and a tiny amount of macadamia and brazil nuts. I didn't eat them every day. But them I started eating them every day. I'd think about food and reach out to them.
They didn't fill me up. They didn't satiate me. It was just an indulgence. Just so I am not bored with just meat.
Initially my skin cleared. I have hormonal acne, my chin always had breakouts. Sometimes they were big, under skin and sometimes small. when I switched to ZC even with the nuts and chocolate, my skin cleared but then when i indulged daily I still had a breakout. Seemed smaller but still breakout.
People on the ZIOH forum suggested I remove the nuts and chocolate. I did. 3 days ago.
My skin is clearing and fast! I am not using anything on my skin. I used to put sulfur during the night and/or tea tree oil. But now i do not apply anything.
I haven't had any new breakouts and my skin seems to be healing nicely.
Now that's really great as I was really puzzled about it. Just 3 weeks ago I was researching hormonal acne, considering I had PCOS and trying to figure out what products to buy to clear my skin. Oil cleanse, vitamins, creams bla bla bla bla.......
It is funny how i don't need to spend ANY money (or time!) to clear my skin.
I did the Whole 30 in January and was hoping my skin would clear but it didn't. I also didn't lose any weight even though I was keeping my carbs low.
In the past couple days my mind is playing tricks with me. I want to eat but I think I am tired of eating meat. I don't feel like eating anything I have. It kind of seems boring.
I made lamb roast on Friday and I really don't like it. It doesn't taste good to me. The only thing I think is ok for me is ground beef or burger. I kind of want store food and not meat that I made. Not sure why. Like I really feel like going to Safeway and buying their chicken wings. I don't know what they put in them or what fat they cook them in.
Last week I had Wendy's and Burger King burger patties. I didn't care much for Wendy's but BK tasted good. I wonder if those fast foods have some sugar in them and are causing my funny mind tricks.
Beef seems to be good for me. I think I will just buy Trader Joe's clean frozen burgers and 80/20 ground beef and stick to them for a while.
People on ZIOH talk about steaks. I never fancied steaks. Who knows maybe my taste will change?
I am thinking of quitting cheese for a while and sticking with just beef and chicken until my body settles down with this WOE. The only dairy I am keeping is ~1tbs of Heavy Whipping Cream in my coffee once or twice a day.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
No nuts no chocolate = clear skin
Friday, February 27, 2015
I am so full today
I weigh in the day before and was still the same.
During the day I found out it was that TOM. Perhaps the body change has something to do with it or perhaps it is my new way of eating.
Most likely it is both.
I had ground beef scrambled with 2 eggs for breakfast and then for lunch I stopped at Five Guys for the first time in my life and ordered 2 bunless burgers. To my surprise I actually got 4 patties as apparently each burger has 2 patties. I wasn't able to finish all 4, I ate about 2.5 patties and saved the rest.
I cooked in crock pot a beef bone in rib and it turned out really good. The girls LOVED it! It came out soft and tasty. I made it with cocoa nibs and cinnamon. I was too full to actually eat dinner.
Yesterday was the first day I didn't want or have any nuts (macadamia or brazil) or 100% chocolate. The only non meat I had was about 2 tbs of heavy whipping cream in my afternoon coffee.
I had plenty of energy during the day but was tired in the evening around 8pm. Went to bed early (like 9:30).
This morning I woke up with a headache. Still not hungry. Had a little bit of the rib beef from yesterday but am still feeling full and do not want to eat. Drinking tea and am still constantly thirsty.
Still have plenty of meat in the fridge. Ground beef, burger patty leftover and of course the rib.
Food is so simple right now. It is liberating! Making meat is so easy. I have a couple of recipes now, chicken wings, chicken drumsticks, whole chicken or even duck for roasting, beef bone rib, beef hamburger, ground beef, salmon (in oven with butter, can't wait to try it, until now only had it with olive oil!). I haven't investigated other beef parts as I already have enough variety and don't really want or need more. But in future I will venture into top sirloin and chuck.
I also want to buy lamb chops and try to make them. I had a Paleo recipe for a while but never bought them as they seem expensive.
My skin is totally cleared from acne! It is just amazing! In less than a week! I have done the Whole 30 and my acne didn't budge. Now in just few days it has cleared completely. I do not feel anything developing under my skin. I haven't been cleaning my face with wipes or doing any of the stuff I was trying to do before (and actually didn't help!). I stopped drinking ACV daily. I was trying to do it following some recommendations I saw online but yesterday on my ZV group they said the ACV damaged teeth, so I am glad I am not doing it any more. The only thing that happened since I started cleaning my face and drinking ACV was that my face was super dry. Now it is not dry and clean. I haven't used moisturizer today yet. My face feels great. I only used sulfur yesterday on 2 spots that haven't cleared yet but today they are clear. Now I only hope the old marks fade away. Not sure i I should apply anything on them or not.
My skin feels really nice and soft.
We are having dinner at the Rabbi's family today. They are vegetarians. Will serve salmon and a bunch of carbs, fruit and veggies for sure.
I should probably go on a full stomach. It is almost noon and I am still not interested in food. Learning to listen to my body.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Feeling great today and planning ahead
I just finished my lunch, 10 (plain) chicken wings I bought at Safeway earlier (for $8) I might have a piece of fish as I think I still haven't lost interest in food.
I had eggs and chicken for breakfast (estimated cost $4?) and will make ground beef for dinner (estimated cost $3).
I have been drinking coffee (can't calculate this but probably around $1 a day?) sometimes I add about a tbs heavy whipping cream (25c?).
A whole day worth of food for about $15 and it is soooo simple!
No need to spend much time (and money!!!!) at the store, plan menu, count calories and nutrients figure out why this hurts or why this happens or why weight isn't dropping and how can you eliminate this or that or what to change in my diet?
Also, no need to store tons of ingredients at home. When I was low carb I stocked up on: nuts, nut butters, almond milk, protein powder, flax, almond/coconut flour, psylium husk, quest bars, a large variety of (low carb) veggies, avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, and probably even more items that I cannot remember right now.
It all adds up and require me to go to the store more often since veggies have limited shelf life. I needed to cook few times a week so I could prepare the veggies.
I have been at it only about 4 days now and I feel great. I have no cravings AT ALL!!! The first few days it was a little hard to wake up, but on these first days I also had a little bit of cabbage in my beef. I am also eating a couple squares of 100% chocolate and 5 brazil/macadamia nuts, a habit I can't yet kick.
Now I am only stuck with the chocolate and brazil/macadamia nuts.
My skin cleared. I have no cystic acne since I switched to meat, it completely cleared. It improved from yesterday until today. Unbelievable! I still have dryness in that area. Hope it will improve tomorrow. I don't feel any new acne developing which feels great.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Switching to (almost) Zero Carb
I have been eating ultra healthy diet, my friends think I am very srict since I do not touch grains or sweets. But in reality I have been over thinking food for a very long time. Paleo/LC recipes. All those nuts and almond/coconut flour baking ...... Even all the veggie recipes.
I have been doing xtra lc for a couple days now, almost zero carb, with just some cabbage that I had made before with my ground beef (crack slaw), 5 brazil nuts and 2 squares of 100% chocolate. I am feeling really good. I even think my skin is starting to clear. I have always had hormonal acne (only learned about this term in the past week!) on my chin (even though I am turning 46 next month!) I haven't stepped on the scale but I can feel my clothes fitting a tiny bit looser, I feel my tummy a little tighter. Can't report anything on my thighs and behind ;-) I will weigh in and report either way in the next few days.
I have been at around 20-25 net carbs for about a month and did not lose any weight. I did have appetite, hunger and cravings sometimes but in the past 2 days I haven't experienced any problem!
Life is so much easier. I just need meet.
What I am finding interesting is I am not sure about how much to eat. I think that with time my body will adjust and give me signs of fullness. They say to eat until I am full/satisfied but even after over 2 years of low carb and grain free my body is not exactly trained in when to stop eating. When I was still on the old SAD diet I stopped eating when I would explode and not be able to eat anymore. I had to overeat because that rice, quinoa, hummus, whole wheat pasta or even vegetables, tasted soooo good and I just 'had' to have another serving.
When I was on MF/TSFL I missed that fullness but stuck with the diet and started to enjoy not feeling so full. But psychologically I still had some expectation for this feeling and a bit of deprivation of not having it.