New new and new 🙃

If I tell you how I started, my mid section and now I hope it helps. My heart goes out to you seeing you trying to do everything all at once. 

Chill. Sept 1st todate I have lost 29.4lbs. It took me 3 wks to find this App. I weighed nothing except myself. Counted nothing. Did Keto 100% by removing all carbs except non starchy, above ground growing vegetables. I had nothing with ANY sugar in any form including honey, milk, alcohol etc, no artificial sweeteners. No fruit. It was so easy really in my ignorance I was doing 100% Keto Eating 3 large meals a day no snacks.

from members here and then research I learnt in the beginning you really need to focus on fats. I learnt about avocados and their oil. I learnt about adding Pure C8 MCT oil to my 1st coffee in a morning. I learnt I needed heaps of Himalayan pink rock salt, potassium, magnesium & zinc. I enjoyed heavy cream peppercorn sauces with my meats. Then as I became fat adapted my appetite reduced naturally I could eat less protein and went down to 2 meals a day 98% of the time. Occasionally I would snack on macadamia nuts with rock salt, olives,  Cheddar cheese cubes. Still i weighed nothing I counted nothing. I learnt to reduce my fat intake so that my body would burn my fat for its fuel. I read more and more. Discovered YouTube videos. Please see along list  under the heading low-carb chat titled favourite self education.

I then tried to introduce macros I found it very difficult and confusing for the first time. Some days my calories were very low some days very high ~ some days I ended up eating cheddar cheese with butter on top just to get my fat macros in.  I changed to measuring total carbs.  At the end of four weeks I felt if this is going to be the rest of my life I would rather continue as I had in the beginning. I stopped counting. A bit like Leanne at Healthful Pursuit.  I  now randomly weigh protein or if I have anything new or make a recipe. I eat until I am statisfied. I am naturally intermittently fasting eating my 2 meals usually between 1pm to 6pm. I now with 15.4lbs  remaining to lose,  allow myself a little Lindt 90% very dark chocolate following dinner. Delicious and only 14g carbs for the whole bar which I could never eat in one night 😂🤣 me a sugar & carb aholic. I do not drink alcohol as I know myself too well, it would lead to an avalanche of bad eating. Unless I stall I won’t Be weighing for macros. I listen to my body like never before. Eat the best ingredients for fuel I can and enjoy my food. Our bills are less -  no alcohol, no waste, no extras. 

Chill & enjoy. 14yrs ago I weighed 289lbs. I’m 5’10” 56. Today 185.4lbs I know the misery & pain. I  NEVER want to lose control but eating my current way has taught me so much respect for myself & my body. Keto has given me this. 😍

0338ef6b9106 so sorry if this is way too much. I just felt your confusion is spoiling your own experience. 

Joanna in my long ‘story’ when I mentioned at the end of 4 weeks, I meant 4 weeks of measuring everything which was at about Week 9 or 10 in my overall journey to date which is just over 3 months now.

Yes ‘not counting’ has slowed my progress to 1.96lbs per week but I was expecting a slow down anyway so I am very happy to continue with my body listening ways.

Joanna I think you are at a sweet" spot now. The fat should melt off quite quickly now. I didn't see much in the scale but boy oh boy, month 3-5 it was sure showing in my jeans. Then I went shopping. 

badmojomn you are so right to the day! Yesterday I tried my eBay purchase on (shopping on line whilst in Tenerife) thinking size 14 UK (10 USA) who are you kidding even with it being stretchy.....  very stretchy! It fit and looks amazing okay not around my tummy still work to be done. So I thought time for a major try on session boy was it great 👍🏻 no feeling like it, thoughts of food left my head.  I am in everything except my fitted size 14 UK (10 USA). I am 5’10” nearly 57 so I am not going to be a size 12/8 without complaints from my husband. I feel confident being a trim 14/10 will be perfectly fine by me 😀🎉

Cannot thank you enough for keeping me right 👏👏👏

Joanna It's going to start melting for sure now. It at least did for me those months. 

Joanna  thank you for the post, I can’t stand the counting everything it overwhelms me!!   I am glad I found out about fat adapted.   I haven’t been sleeping well and at first I was full and easily but now I seem to be a bit on the hungry side, but understand that that will subside once I finish the fat adaption .

safetyb109 how long have you been on Keto ( or are you LC?) do you check your urine for ketones? Things go a bit crazy at first ‼️🙌

safetyb109 I am not advocating that anyone should take how I do Keto and assume that it’s the correct way. It is the way I live Keto and it makes ME happy. I felt overwhelmed by macros too.

Joanna 

Joanna what is LC?   I have been on about 4 weeks, I need to start logging my foods again, I may be eating to many fat Bombs lol

Joanna the strips are barely pink

safetyb109 low carb

safetyb109 if your following keto your goal is to make those strips turn dark dark. Less carbs will help. I had almost black on my strips at first most days. I told myself that was because I wasn't going over my net carbs. Be careful of the fat bombs. They really are not neccesary if your not super active. I'm not taking any. Haven't in months. You want your body to burn the fat on and in itself- but I sit at a desk so if I take in bombs well- less body burning. 

badmojomn ok thanks bunch for the info.  That probably is the problem.  Wow almost black!

badmojomn ditto I don’t do fat bombs so glad they seem to be culprit in many a stall.

badmojomn My strips are in the small amount color range. 2 and half weeks in. So is that an indicator that Im eating too many carbs? I have to start tracking!

klovealllmbl yes possibly. It's a must to track for awhile on net carbs. Watch out or sugar alcohols and hidden things like that also. You should be in the dark zone most times. The time of day depends on the color also. I figure something is better than nothing on the urine strips, but your probably not optimizing your ketogenic potential at the moment. Don't beat yourself up about it just stay on track and track the carbs.  No Atkins treats for awhile also. Hidden gems in those you don't want. Wait to weigh yourself. 1 month minimum. Try testing different times of the day. The urine strips are not sure accurate but can gauge us a bit. My best time was before dinner time when I was hungry. In the mornings it was a lighter color. But I tried all times of the day for awhile. Good luck. You can do this. I'm working on a size 28 pant now - this should be interesting, lol!

badmojomn  well good luck to you!!! Thanks for the info. Keep me posted on ur journey :)

Wondering if anyone has invested in the keto blood meter? Due to my large size it is hard to use the urine test strips. 

djtroop51c796 yes. Precision xtra and the lanclets and sticker for the lanclet.  I got ketone strips and glucose of eBay.