Help! Not going well...

I am almost 57 and started keto back in Feb. - June but quit when 1. I got sick and wanted comfort food.  2. really wanted summer fruit so... jumped off the wagon.  I was unhappy with my 3-4 lb a month weight loss and never did get into ketosis.  Of course, I gained it all back and started again Nov. 9th.  I lost 8 lbs my first month and was very happy - the last month?  Only half a pound. 

I am drinking lots of water, only eat keto approved foods but tracking is not my thing and hard to stick with.  I gave up wine... only eat twice a day but this isn't working for me - still not in ketosis.  I think my downfall is snacks, keto friendly or not I am snacking too much.  Last time I wasn't hungry - this time, probably due to everything happening with covid and political unrest and who knows what else is coming - it is not a happy place to be in, I think I've been snacking more due to stress.

I have looked at the diet plans on CM but it doesn't look like there is any way to switch things - sorry, I am not going to eat certain things so... would help to be able to mix and match a plan that would work for me.  Also - I hate to cook and have never done it, I am now because I have to but need tips to make this easy and sustainable.   **I am also having problems with lethargy - by 2-3PM I am exhausted and need to lay down for an hour or more.  I can't seem to get much done.  I want my energy back.

Help?  I am going to assume due to my age (not yet menopausal) and stress this is more difficult - last time I was never really hungry, this time I am.  Any tips that folks might have or if there is something special I should do because of my age?   Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

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    • Pat F
    • Pat_F
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    As I read and re-read your post; you’ve listed all the things you need to do.  Just do them this time and good things are before you.

    The only thing I’d add would be to turn off the TV and pick up a good book (or two).

    Hope this helps and good luck.

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  • Pat F everyone says this diet is easy but it really isn’t unless you plan ahead. I would make sure you have high fat moderate protein low carb snacks in your fridge. Boiled eggs, deviled eggs, cheese quiche without the crust, olives, cheeses, salami, pepperoni and the list goes on and on. Eat plenty of good fats with your food choice and this will help keep you from being hungry. This is the part that is difficult for me, get up and move. Take a walk give yourself an excuse to move. Do the laundry, clean out the cupboard but just move. This will help you tremendously. You don’t have to do a aerobics class just make sure you are moving and not sitting all day. I try to stay away from processed food, I call it Frankenfood. There are a lot of hidden items in processes keto snacks that will keep you out of ketosis. This is the biggie count total carbs, not Net carbs. Start with 20 total carbs a day. Later as you are reaping the rewards with Ketosis you can adjust the total carb content. I wish you luck 😀

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    • Pat F
    • Pat_F
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    sharoncitm790e I’m sure you’re not talking to me as I’m doing fine, thanks.  But since you did, I’ll say that in between meal snacking will totally diminish any chance of a healthy ketosis.  

    Not only are in between meal snacks not nutritionally necessary (simply eat a complete meal and you’re done), by adding food intake in between meals you drive insulin levels back up, leading to insulin resistance, weight gain, and a host of other less-than-desirable outcomes.

    On the other hand, foregoing in between meal snacks allows insulin levels to drop back to their normal or below levels, promoting weight loss.

    Oh sure, an occasional moment of weakness is fine - we all do it.  But to stock your fridge with snacks - even healthy keto snacks - is to set oneself up for disappointment.

    I hope this helps and good luck.

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  • Pat F I am responding to Penmeister post about not doing well. Glad you are doing great and what you are doing is working for you. 😀

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    • Pat F
    • Pat_F
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    sharoncitm790e okay, thanks.  When you started off with Pat F, it directed your message to me - send me an email and everything.

    Have a good evening and good luck to you.

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  • sharoncitm790e Hey Sharon - yes, I have all those things in my fridge and only eat keto approved foods.  My snack problem is when I am eating whisps or nuts or pumpkin seeds .. it is hard to stop when I should.  I bought some snack bags today and will measure them out.  But I seriously ONLY eat the allowed foods - meat, cheese, eggs, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, salad, avocado, tomato, artichokes, olives... I use olive oil, avocado oil and MCT oil - snacks include those things listed above along with the foods listed above.  I'm stalled and barely started.  I am thinking it has to do with age and... hormonal changes but who knows!  It is also really hard for me to track everything every day - but I see people saying just eat these foods, it will work - or doing dirty or lazy keto and not tracking so?  I also am drinking lots of water. 

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  • Pat F You may be correct but who wants to live life without any snacks?  Changing eating habits completely and forgoing things I love (fresh fruit, ice cream, potato chips and all the other carbs) I am willing to do, but should be able to have some snacks - yes, I think I may be overdoing them but won't give them up completely - even in the meal plans on carb manager they have snacks.  But since I think that may be my problem - only thing I can think of since everything I eat is keto approved I bought some snack bags and will measure everything out and limit them to see if that helps.

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  • Pat F That is the thing - I AM DOING those things, and I walk the dog almost 2 miles a day too, will be adding weights back soon - gotta do it.  The only thing I could think that I was doing wrong - besides being bad about putting in all my foods daily - is the snacks, which I will start weighing and measuring.  I feel like I am doing all the right things, but with little success. 

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  • Penmeister I understand I am age 60 and it is much harder to lose weight for me. I had to give up processed snacks. I also had to give up homemade snacks made with almond flours and sugar alcohols because they drove up my blood sugar, that is me. I didn’t see myself in ketosis until I let go of these two things. It doesn’t mean I can’t ever  have them but when I do it comes with a price. Keto isn’t as easy for me as it is for others. I have to keep it very simple because my body is so sensitive to carbs. For me it is so important to limit carbs including the veggies at least until my body adapts to keto. It won’t be forever but I will always monitor my blood sugars. If you aren’t measuring your blood sugars then maybe you should? This is a great way to monitor your progress. I will eat one food and take my blood sugar 1- 1.5 hour later to see if I have a reaction. If it spikes I eliminate that food temporarily or until my body reacts better to it. My meals are very simple, hamburger with Mayo, cheese and avocado, 2 baked chicken thighs, ribeye steak. I make my own condiments because the processed ones have lots of hidden sugars. I make cauliflower rice and stir fry’s with chicken or steak. I also drink dr. Bergs orange electrolytes. I really feel the difference when I don’t have one. It doesn’t affect my blood sugar either. 
    Good luck with your journey and hope you find the key that works for you. 😀

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    • Zme
    • Zme
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Penmeister The thing you dislike the most may be the answer to your quandry. You don't like to track your food but by tracking them, tha'ts where you will learn about your nutrition choices, intake, values etc. Perhaps choosing a set amount of time to do it (ie. 1 or 2 weeks only) will clarify where your dietary strengths versus where the carb creep occurs. Then you'll have a better view of which days to copy, which foods to moderate or which meals to incorporate/ delete etc. 

    Good luck! 😃 

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    • S Strouse
    • S_Strouse
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Pat F You gave a super terrific answer!!  eating between meals - or just continuously snacking will NOT work for the exact reasons you gave!! Kudo's to you Pat!

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  • S Strouse  I never said that I ate between meals and don't continuously snack.  At night when I watch TV I will have a snack - before I would just eat what I wanted, now I portion them out so I don't overdo it.  Yes, if I ate all day long that would certainly be a problem, but that isn't what I do.

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