n=1 experiment

[VibeRadiant]

I thought I would start a new journal for the new year.


Last year, I experimented with many different versions of the basic same lchf (WF sugar free) diet with mixed and somewhat disappointing results.


This year, will be a new experiment, and I the guinea pig.

[VibeRadiant]

So, I've researched for more ideas on how to not diet and lose weight.
I'm not looking to deprive myself as I have done in the past, before coming to lchf woe, so the new "diet" had to be easy to follow, not leave me feeling deprived or take a lot of calculations of macros or percentages and what not. I attempted Atkins a few weeks ago and it was just to "restrictive", but I need some structure but not confinement - if that makes sense.


I came across an article by Mercola, and then a documentary on IF (intermittent fasting) and discovered that there are many different ways to IF.  There is Leangains IF. There is the 5:2 IF (eat regularly for 5 days and fast for 2). And so many more. I stumbled upon an IF woe called The Warrior Diet. I don't like the name, sounds very male oriented. And it is, the author admits to that. But women have been successful on it as well, including one female MMA fighter - Ronda Rousey.  I chose the Warrior diet because, to me, it seems a lot less complicated, you under eat all day and then feast in the evening.  The book goes into details as to why it works.

I am on day 5, and I have to say that having been wheat free and sugar free for the last year, has made the transition very easy. No headache, no lack of energy, nothing like some of the symptoms they say one can experience.


I find that I have a lot of energy during the day. I want to walk at lunch, I want to dance and sing at work. I am happier and smile easily.  I feel better overall and positive like I haven't been in so long. I don't feel heavy from the heavy food I was eating.


Although, this woe allows fruit and veggie juices during the fasting part of the day, I don't consume that as I do want to maintain low blood glucose and remain insulin sensitive. 


I don't experience excruciating hunger pangs, but I do sometimes feel hungry and that has caused some anxiety (hunger used to mean poverty to me), I can quickly calm down by self talk and observing the hunger and - it really does go away. Amazing! 

[VibeRadiant]

How I eat on the Warrior diet.


Upon waking I have 2 cups water, one with salt. I take my fish oil, mutli-vitamin and a digestive enzyme (with ox bile) to get the juices flowing.


I have tea at work. I drink water all day.


About 8:30 - 9 o'clock, I will have either an organic kefir or an organic yoghurt, 1/2 cup of either.


About 10:30 - 11 o'clock I'll have a chunk of organic english cucumber, or an egg.


Around 12:30 - 1 pm, I'll have 2 cups of either organic spinach or mixed greens,  no dressing.


If I had the egg earlier, I'll have the cucumber around 2:30.


When I get home, I'll have more water and start to prepare my evening feast, which starts the same every night.


2 cups of leafy greens (spinach or mixed greens - the opposite of what I already had at lunch). Chopped cucumber, sliced cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and olive oil dressing with balsamic vinegar, liberally used.


I'll wait 20-30 minutes and then have a soup. Either the creamy cauliflower curry soup or home made chicken broth.


Then 20-30 minutes later I'll have the main course - meat (any kind, even eggs) with at least half the plate of cooked veggies (either broccoli, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts in butter.


And if I am still hungry after about 30 minutes, I'll have dessert, berries with whipped cream or some 70% dark chocolate.  Last night I had the last 5 pieces of the cream cheese clouds (recipe in the recipe section), these are about 1 tsp each.


Today, I had a piece of brie instead of the egg and I had an organic apple in the morning with the yoghurt.


So if I start eating dinner about 5:30 pm, I'll finish eating about 8 pm or so.


The excitement I have at digging in to the dinner salad blows me away. I have energy and positivity like I haven't had in many many years. I have a spring in my step and I want to smile all the time, and I do.


I have the abridged version in pdf format but it is too large to upload here. If anyone wants to read it, please PM me with the email you would like me to send it to and I would be glad to share.   

[VibeRadiant]

Starting week 2!


An unintended bonus -  I am doing fewer dishes. 

[HungryinTN]

An unintended bonus -  I am doing fewer dishes. 

That's half the reason I'm doing the milk fast! 

[VibeRadiant]

I'm doing well thus far. Lots of energy and I  sleep until the alarm goes off.

The only thing that I could complain about are the vivid dreams I am having. They are mainly about my ex husband and they aren't the nice kind either.

But this is very easy to follow.

[HungryinTN]

While they're not always pleasant, vivid dreams are apparently supposed to be a good sign, sleep-wise.  What are you doing right before bed?  Is there anything you could change about your routine that might get your mind on pleasanter things?  I read somewhere that reading a dense novel (long sentences, big words) is a good way to get your brain working at the optimum level for sleep. 

[Rita]

That's good that it's easy to follow and that you are sleeping well and have good energy.   Maybe the dreams are to cleanse out all those feelings.

[Redhead65]

I also think that those dreams could have some cleansing function. I am also divorced, and I used to have such dreams. They became more rare with time passing and while I kept changing things in my life.

But I am glad to read that you are doing so well with you new eating regimen.

[VibeRadiant]

My ex and I have been divorced since 1995. I rarely give him any thoughts and he hasn't been in my dreams in decades. So, not sure why he is prevalent all of a sudden.   I usually wake with a sense of "I'm glad that was just a dream" types of feelings.


It's just weird all of a sudden. It's funny too, in a weird kind of way.

[VibeRadiant]

What are you doing right before bed?  Is there anything you could change about your routine that might get your mind on pleasanter things? 

I did start to go to bed about 30-40 minutes earlier so that I can lay in the dark and let my eyes and mind unwind from watching a screen. I drift off with less stress than before when I would watch TV until bedtime and then toss and turn because I wasn't falling asleep easily.


And the whole eating differently thing, that might have something to do with it. 

[Redhead65]

Have you run into anybody lately who reminds you of your ex? For example when a colleague of mine told me stories about her ex - who sounds like my ex - I sometimes dream (nothing positive - mind you).

[VibeRadiant]

I recently spent time with my son and he is the spitting image of his dad. He's also wanting to get into the military, just like his dad.
That could be why I suppose.
Interesting.

[Redhead65]

Yes, that sounds likely.

[VibeRadiant]

I decided to tweak when I eat.
Up until yesterday, I would under eat from wake up to dinner (something light every couple of hours). Then, yesterday I decided to stay on the liquid fast until lunch where I would have a moderate meal. And still feast at dinner. This way I would truly be fasting from after dinner until 15 hours later when I ate at 11 am.


Today, I did this again and it was easy enough. No excruciating hunger, no dip in energy and no afternoon fog like everyone around me. My mood remains good.
I did not have a dream of my ex last night, so that is great!


I am not weighing myself as that seems to set me up for disappointment and than I start to question everything and I lose focus. I will think about it when I have 30 days under my belt.   

Today I consumed a keto coffee before I left for work. Lunch was a hard boiled egg, some organic yoghurt, some cheese curds and some macadamia nuts and brazil nuts. Dinner was a large salad with an egg, kalamata olives and mayo dressing. Followed by organic chicken breast (with skin on) and brussel sprouts with lots of butter.   Might have dessert, not sure right now. If I do, it will be a piece of chocolate bliss bar.

[VibeRadiant]

I did experience a crash this afternoon and I have no idea why.


Lunch was an egg, some organic chicken salad with balsamic mayo and nuts.  During the crash, I was craving sugar. Very strange indeed. It can't be the balsamic vinegar as I have that most nights with olive oil on my salad. Maybe too much protein? The chicken salad was an entire breast. 


Otherwise, my mood was great, my energy was smooth (overall) and I'm happy to day that I haven't dreamt of the ex husband in a couple of nights now. Let's hope it stays that way!

[Redhead65]

I am glad to hear that your dreams have stopped - those dreams that you did not want.

Not weighing yourself sounds like an excellent idea to me. You will notice the chance by looking at your clothing. Well, I boycott the scale anyway. It used to influence my mood too much.

[VibeRadiant]

I am wanting to just give up!


Nothing is working!


Eating more fat has added more fat - to me!


Increasing carbs bloats me up. Reducing them even more makes me constipated.


Intermittent fasting isn't budging anything, I'm the only one in the whole world (apparently) that this isn't working for. Others eat junk food when they refeed and they lose weight! Me, I eat fat, protein and veggies and I gain it! WTF!!!


I don't want to go back to drinking keto coffees all day.


I am fed up!!!


   

[Redhead65]

I am sorry that you are frustrated right now, and I have no advice for you. But I wanted to say that I like the footnote in your postings. It is so true.

[BarbinNC]

Vibe, sorry you've had a rough time lately with this way of eating.  I know everyone is different, and it's really hard finding the right way for us sometimes, esp. when working and taking care of others.  I'm very worried about going back to work and being exposed to all the horrible catered food and treats.  I have the best intentions and resolve, but after a few months of constant stress and having nothing else to eat, I've been known to detour.


However, what I really wanted to say is, not sure if this would work for you, but sometimes skipping dinner, or just having a small salad with a bit of mayo works for me.  It leaves me a bit hungry, but not starving, and I'm usually not hungry at all in the morning, if I don't eat dinner.  Somehow my body really loses faster when I do the evening fast, instead of during the day.


I hope you're not giving up, and just taking a breather.


KUTGW!!!