Brewer5: No Training Wheels

[Brewer5]

Ok, but another post about dogs.  Lol.

 

When I talked to my vet about raw feeding & she said that is how she feeds her dogs, she mentioned this site:  www.mypetcarnivore.com

 

So far, we have explored with some boneless sardines, a bit of tuna, a raw egg, and some cottage cheese.  All mixed in his grain-free kibble.  

 

I am still reading the (info-PACKED) book, so I haven't dove in completely yet.

 

Anyway -- I got to check out that site ^ last night, and realized this place is only about an hour from me!  How cool.    They have a huge variety of animals, and it looks like they raise many of them themselves.  I think it is so neat to have something like this, this close to home.  Check out this page with all of the different pictures, if you are interested at all:

 

https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&Itemid=392〈=en

[kirkor]

Ok Brewer your next 30-day keto challenge is both you AND Rocket go carnivore!

[Brewer5]

Ok Brewer your next 30-day keto challenge is both you AND Rocket go carnivore!

 

Hey, kirkor.  Guess what?  Since my training has come to a screeching halt, I can't think of a BETTER time for me to do this.  It's on.  

[Kmlynne]

Hey, kirkor.  Guess what?  Since my training has come to a screeching halt, I can't think of a BETTER time for me to do this.  It's on.  

I'm in too!

[Brewer5]

Rocket had his first puppy training class last night, where he got to know an 11-week old German Shepherd named "Mosey" who weighs about 5x as much as he does.     He wanted to play, but we had to keep our distance so he didn't leave with any broken bones!

 

[Brewer5]

We encountered scary children's toys, an old woman in a walker, went around and got to know the other folks there, and by the end of class -- his teacher was so impressed that he was not afraid of the tunnels.  

 

[Brewer5]

After puppy training class, Mom had a wicked craving for Panda Express -- and I gave in to it.  This is what happens when I am too short on sleep.  Common sense begins to go out the window.  ...It's too expensive, it's not on the Feingold list for my son, and rice makes my blood sugar wacky.  These are all great reasons to stay away -- and usually I do.  

 

The rice just made me MORE sleepy, and made me want MORE carbs.  This is not news to me -- no surprise there.  BUT I did get to bed by 11:00 pm (early for me!) and I got to sleep close to 8 glorious hours, with only one trip outside with the pup.

 

FBG this morning was 109, ketones 6 green -- and it's a new day.    I feel better today.  Thinking much more clearly.

[kirkor]

Not just the rice I bet; wouldn't the marinades and/or sauces be heavy on corn starch & sugar?

[Brewer5]

Not just the rice I bet; wouldn't the marinades and/or sauces be heavy on corn starch & sugar?

 

I get the string bean chicken breast -- which is 4g sugar / 13g carbohydrate per serving (chicken, string beans, onion, sauce).  If I eat this alone -- one or two servings -- I think that has a much different effect than it does with rice.

 

I have noted blood sugar issues in the past with rice, no doubt.  It does not do great things for me!  ...Hey, it made me pass out, though.  

[Brewer5]

I just went back and read through my keto Whole 30 thread from January. A few things I noticed:

Man, my eating has changed a lot since then.

I do not miss reporting every morsel that goes into my mouth.

I do not miss the rigid rules of a Whole 30.

I can easily get the same blood sugar & ketone readings now that I was when I was really busting my butt at trying to be ketogenic.

Sometimes I was pretty down / grumpy / defensive. I remember being irritated and just wanting to be done at times. But I suppose that is true of any Whole 30.

[Brewer5]

11-week old German Shepherd named "Mosey"

What a great example of my sleep deprivation. That is CLEARLY a St. Bernard!

[Kmlynne]

What a great example of my sleep deprivation. That is CLEARLY a St. Bernard!

I was going to say...... But that I'd give in to "new mom syndrome"

[kirkor]

I'm on Day 1 of the first of 3 trips in the next month, so I'll pop in from my phone now and then.

[Brewer5]

Hey, kirkor -- have a great trip!  

 

Interested in your thoughts on this one, and whether you've seen anyone else talking about it in your keto circles.  I found this on the Ketonix website a few days ago.  I didn't think a whole lot about it -- until I got 2 green this morning.  I had 6 green yesterday, after eating rice the night before.     Yesterday I did eat (much) more ketogenic, so I would have expected them to be at least the same or better.  Not less.

 

So now I wonder.  If this thing can register blinks from people eating carbs -- from "the process of breaking down those carbohydrates" -- ummm, WTH?  How are you even supposed to know what's what -- because almost all of us are eating some carbs while doing this.  Is the only reliable method of measuring with this thing to eat ZERO carbohydrate?  I'm not going to do that -- but I may stop using it at all, if I decide that it is going to be more frustrating than it's worth.

 

 

How do you explain high values from people eating loads of carbs?

When you received your Ketonix, you are likely to test it all the time. When doing so, a normal reaction from others is to have a go at it to see if they just happen to burn a lot of fat (even if they don't use a low carb hi fat diet).

Eating carbohydrate rich food and looking for ketones does not make sense. The body does not produce that much ketones while there is available carbohydrates, unless you have diabetes type 1 and have very high blood sugar values.

The reading may be high on high carber's, but that is not from ketones. It will be from the process of breaking down those carbohydrates. This process is done via bacteria in your gut. To much of this bacteria could cause a slowdown of your metabolism. There are studies that connects the bacteria to obesity and other issues.

 
So, use it in context. Example: If you eat pizza and beer then look for ketones ... you are out of context.

[Kmlynne]

I don't know if it helps, but I took the context of HIGH carbs. I also saw this in JMs book. If you eat a high carb meal, even if you stay in your carb limit for the day, you can knock your ketone levels down. I don't remember which chapter it was in - will have to look for it. When you give your body a bunch of glucose, it is going to use it. Then you need to "rebuild" your ketones again.

Also, everyone is different in how much carbs we can handle. Jam talks about folks who can get into ketosis with 50gms a day or more, and others need to go under 30 per day.

I have to admit that I was a bit shocked at how many veggies I can eat. My carbs usually range 40-60 a day and I have been in the high yellows with one red after the first week. I truly thought I would have to go lower on my carbs. I think (am still tweaking) that the biggest thing for me is really increasing my fats.

I am also realizing that all this tracking and monitoring isn't supposed to be a lifestyle (my thought for the day). Use it to help tweak what makes you feel the best, then stop. Eat. Enjoy life.

[Brewer5]

Karen, your post reminded me that back when my Ketonix was new and I was using it all the time -- my ketones would stay up the next morning after a Carb Nite, and then the NEXT morning after that, they would be down.  I'm not even going to try to wrap my mind around why that is -- but it is a good reminder.  Aside from my Panda Express night, I have been eating mostly Whole 30, pretty low carb.  No monitoring required... it's just what I've been doing.  {shrug}

 

I think I just decided to get mine back out since you got yours!     It sounded like fun.

[Kmlynne]

I was pretty pumped when I got a reading in the red!  Made me feel like I was doing things right.  When my next reading was in the yellow - and the next one after that, I almost started to panic - WHAT WAS I DOING WRONG???????

 

Thats when I got ahold of myself and shook myself a little bit.  It could be hormones, it could be something I ate just a little different, it could be a difference in my activity level (BSs go up during activity because our body is releasing glucose to feed our muscles, etc during the activity).  Could be SO MANY THINGS.

 

Like we are told in Nursing all the time - don't treat the number, treat the patient!  (But you do have to pay attention to the number just a bit  )  

 

I had just convinced myself of this when I missed a call from my dr office.  I had my A1C drawn yesterday.  The only time my dr calls me is when something is wrong.....  now the office is closed and I can't call til tomorrow.......  *sigh*......  I will not freak out, I will not freak out 

[Brewer5]

Right, Karen.  That's why I said I don't think the measuring is really necessary...  I think it's a cool tool, but I also found myself doing what you described.  Looking back at my keto Whole 30 log I saw it a lot, especially.  I wanted to show this linear progression of getting into deep ketosis, and -- yeah.  Not so much.    

 

Our bodies are so complex.  You are right that we should go by how we FEEL for the most part...  How are we functioning?   Mental clarity?  Etc.  I also like to see my FBG stay in the 80-90 range.  Over 100 just pisses me off, frankly.  It tells me I could end up in a pre-diabetic state like my mother, with a fatty liver to boot.  No thanks!!!

[Brewer5]

Ah, geez.  I got in a hurry to post and forgot I was going to say:  EVEN if your A1C is high -- you are fixing it!!!  This will do it.

 

So no need to freak out, friend.  It's all good.  

[Kmlynne]

Over 100 just pisses me off, frankly.

Me too!!!

Btw - a1c 5.5. Not horrible, but on the higher side (under 6 shows no diabetes). I wonder if I can get it done after a few months eating like this and have it get lower . - you know, just to see!

(Still don't know why dr office called - guess I'll call them tomorrow)

[Brewer5]

I had my A1C drawn yesterday.  The only time my dr calls me is when something is wrong.....  now the office is closed and I can't call til tomorrow....... 

 

Btw - a1c 5.5.

(Still don't know why dr office called - guess I'll call them tomorrow)

 

 

I am so confused.  Lol.  I thought they were calling about your A1C!

[Kmlynne]

I am so confused.  Lol.  I thought they were calling about your A1C!

 

 

OK - so, I know I wasn't clear.....  They called - went to voicemail (I was in a meeting).  Voicemail said to call them back.  By the time I got to the voice mail the office was closed for the day (only open half day on thurs).  I got curious (i.e.:  freaking out  - the last time they called me was for my uterus - i.e. possible cancer).  I went to the lab and got a copy of my report  A1C is OK!   Now I still need to call the doctors office

[mergthemagnificent]

Wondering how you are, Karen...your Viginia neighbor

[Brewer5]

I modified a chorizo dip recipe so that it is Feingold compliant for my son.....  We have had this with tortilla chips a few times now.  It is really good.

 

Hubby's home tonight and wanted to make this.  Since I am going full keto again (Day 3) -- I am eating mine on top of green beans, instead of using chips.  It's awesome!  I don't even miss the chips.  ...No, really.  

 

Karen, have you been noticing this, too?  The cravings really do just disappear for me.

[Kmlynne]

I have noticed - I had one bad day.  Since then - no desire to even "cheat" when I am sitting in a meeting with donuts and candy all around me  very freeing.

 

Recipe for the dip?