QUILTING

 After a quiet start to the week it became quite busy. Jane took me to Quizz at the Club on Wednesday night. I had a naked burger and cappuccino. We didn't do so well at Quizz as the previous week, when I stayed home with 'Keto Flu,' when the team won and so paid for my burger.

Thursday Judy and I went shopping and had lunch at Espy. I was pretty tired when we got home. The tiredness lasted into Friday so I didn't get anything productive done.

Saturday Judy and I spent all day at quilting.... 9.30am-3.30pm. Again I was a bit tired and was alone for dinner I didn't feel like eating.

Sunday was a slow day and unfortunately I was hungry all day. Not funny.

Monday worked away on the pincushion for Judy until all I need to do is stitch on the sole for the slipper and stuff it. I want to finish it in time to give her sometime on today. Jane made some paleo bread from a mix she'd bought at New World. I managed to be reasonably controlled in spite of it being very yummy. I must get the mix for Amanda and I to make in her fancy mixer. I will need to be careful as it must be high in carbs but safer for me than wheat bread.

Jen and Neill bought fish and chips to share dinner with us. We picnicked at Simpsons Beach. It was a bit windy but still lovely to be there with family. I ate one piece of battered fish and  a few chips. It was OK but not really a big fan so easy to stay moderate.

I ate quite a few higher carb foods than normal during the week. It's not always easy when socialising and there's been plenty of that this week. It means I've not lost any weight in spite of being in ketosis each time I measured.

I'm sad to be going home in a few days. It's hard to leave when I haven't caught up with most people I wanted to see. On the other hand it's much simpler to get into a good routine at home. I'm half way through the Keto Challenge which is really intended to be a re-boot for me. I think I hoped to lose somewhere between 8-10 kg. So far I've lost about 4 kg so the next weeks at home will be interesting on that front.

 I'm going to set up next week's menu page then finish the pincushion while watching When The Heart Calls.

OCTOBER 20TH, WEEK 4 - SUGGESTED MENU AND WHAT I DID

TUESDAY             KETONES noon 1.2 mmol/l So far no sign of Keto Flu

STARTING WEIGHT: 96.8 kg

CURRENT WEIGHT: 92.5 kg

Keto Coffee

2 HB Eggs

MF Chicken and Creamed Mushrooms. I did add an extra small splash of cream because I like plenty of sauce. Too much food! I couldn't finish my lunch. I'm buying Lite meals and add a few fresh vegetables when I feel as though I want extra. 

30 gm Nuts

MF  Steak & Salad. Mayo.

Drinking: Water + Raspberry and Strawberry Brew. I made 2L with one Red Seal sachet and hot water. I find this really easy to drink.

Note: Sleep is seriously broken by needing to get up and pee several times.

WEDNESDAY       KETONES

Keto Coffee

Cheddar Cheese & Bacon Balls

MF 2 Egg Omelet with the left overs from last nights dinner

2 HB Eggs

MF Quizz night -Restaurant dinner.. Naked burger, Egg and plenty of Salad. Cappuccino

Drinking: Water +

THURSDAY           KETONES

Keto Coffee

Skip Meal Cappuccino and Almond, Caramel Croissant

30 gm Nuts

MF Pork Stir-fry and Salad.

Drinking: Water + Brew

FRIDAY                  KETONES

Keto Coffee

Cheese Balls

MF half serve Chicken and Mushroom, Salad. 1 slice Burgen Bread.

Tortilla Pizza

MF remaining Chicken and Mushroom plus small Potato and Butter

Drinking: Water +

SATURDAY            KETONES 1.0 mmol/l

Keto Coffee

2 HB Eggs and Lettuce. Cappuccino

MF

Strawberry + piece of Fruit Cake

MF

Drinking: Water +

SUNDAY                  KETONES

Keto Coffee

Cheese Balls or Keto Pancake

MF Asparagus and 2 poached Eggs, Butter and Grated Cheese

30 gm Nuts

MF Beef and Mac with extra Cheese and Sunflower Seed.

4 slices Burgen Bread, Butter and Honey

Fruit cake

Drinking: Water + Brew

MONDAY                 KETONES 1.2mmol/l

3 am Nescafe Vanilla Latte Sachet

Keto Coffee

Cheese Balls or Bacon & Eggs

MF Beef Strogonoff - tasty

30 gm Nuts Paleo Bread*, Butter, Lettuce, Cucumber

MF Fish and Chips - Picnic with Jen and Neill at Simpsons Beach.

Drinking: Water + Brew

* Jane made Paleo bread with a bread mix from the Gluten Free Store also available from some New World stores and Bin Inns. It was high in carbs but the very best gluten free bread I have ever had.

Drinking more but ate far more bread than normal. I wasn't hungry on Saturday but Had a bad day of munchies on Sunday,

WEEK 3 SUGGESTED MENU & WHAT I DID

SATURDAY       KETO TEST 0.3 mmol/l

Keto Coffee using Coconut Oil and Cream

2 HB Eggs

11.30 am MF

30gm Nuts

Roast Beef and vegies with Jen and Neill. That was okay. Not so much the Apple pie with cream.

Drinking water.

SUNDAY       KETO  0.1 mmol/l  !!!apple pie????

Keto Coffee 

Skip Meal

1.30.pm 1 Egg Omelet with Celery and Cheese. Coconut Oil.

2 Drumsticks and Mixed Roast Vegies, Broccoli.

Water

MONDAY

Keto Coffee

30gm Nuts

Mug Bread

Mug Bread fried in butter

MF Chicken, Pesto, Zoodles. added Celery P&S

Whitakers Rum and Raisin Chocolate.

Drinking: Water & Red Seal Peach and Pineapple Brew

TUESDAY      KETONES  0.7 mmol/l I think I've finally got the monitor calibrated.

Keto Pancake Keto Coffee

2 HB Eggs

MF Sweet and Sour Pork + Celery and Pumpkin Seed, Balsamic Vinegar.

Almonds

MF Beef and Mac with Spinach

Almonds and Chocolate

Drinking: Peach & Pineapple Tea, Water

WEDNESDAY         KETO TEST AM ?

                                                       6 PM 1.0 mmol/l

I did an evening test because I wasn't feeling all that well. I had an annoying cough caused by a tickle in my throat and felt as though a bad cold was developing. Is it the dreaded Keto Flu? Probably. I'm close to optimal ketones for fat burners. 1.5-3.0 mmol/l. Dosed myself with Vitamin C, Vitamin B Complex, Olive leaf oil, Flixonase nose spray, paracetamol, magnesium and cherry tart sleep aid, and drinking more water. I don't remember experiencing this other times I've worked to be in ketosis.

Keto Egg Muffin  Keto Coffee

30 gm Nuts 

MF Keto Lamb and Pumpkin Seed

2 HB Eggs

Bacon and Egg. 1 slice Bread and Butter

Drinking: Water, 

THURSDAY

Skip Keto Coffee

Skip 

Nescafe Vanilla Latte Sachet

30 gm nuts Bread, Butter and Honey

MF Pork chop with Potato and Kumera Wedges

Drinking: water, plus lemon and honey 

FRIDAY 

Bulletproof  Keto Coffee

MF Chicken Zoodles. 

Peckish Crackers with Cream Cheese

MF Beef and Mac

Drinking: Water, Red Seal Brew

SATURDAY          KETONES  0.2 mmol/l

2 Keto Pancakes Keto Coffee

2 HB Eggs  Mug bread with Butter and Cucumber. Honey and lemon drink.

Mug Bread Recipe ..... so easy. Butter mug or ramekin. Mix 1/2 tsp baking powder, 3 tablespoons almond meal (about 50-60 ml.), 1 egg. Mix well and pour into microwave safe mug or ramekin. Cook for 1.30.min (90Sec). Soooo good.

MF Cafe Lunch - Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce, Spinach and Avocado Mash, No muffin or bread. Iced Americano.

30gm nuts

MF Pork Stir-fry with extra Celery, Kumera and Carrot.

Election Night: Nibbles at Jen's. Fruit, cheese, crackers, iced water.

SUNDAY         KETONES  0.7 mmol/l around midday

Keto Coffee

Mug Bread with Cucumber and small bit of Chicken

Seed Crackers and Cream Cheese

Pulled Pork, Potato and Supermarket Coleslaw.

Drinking; Water plus various Herb or Fruit Brews.

MONDAY      KETONES 0.5mm0l/l 7am

Keto Coffee

30gm Nuts

MF Moroccan Lamb - Very filling

Asparagus and 2 Poached Eggs + slice Burgen, (Mixed Grain) Toast.

Drinking: Water & various fruit Brews

END OF A LAZY DAY

 I've been really tired the last 2 days. Saturday I was latish to bed after watching the Election unfold with my brother, Neill, and his wife, Jen. Jane and I spent some time in their spa so I thought I'd sleep like a log. Not so. I slept poorly in spite of being ready for bed when we got home. This happens a lot. I sleep a couple of hours then off and on for the rest of the night.

Yesterday I did some sewing with Bathurst going on in the background. Pleased to see New Zealanders do well. Slept better last night thank-goodness.

I'm definitely in mild ketosis and I've lost more than 4 kg. Tomorrow my 4th week meals arrive. I still have a few in the freezer from the short week when I first came to Whitianga so I cancelled the order which would have arrived the week I go home. I also have meals in the freezer for when I get home so not going to break the pattern. 

I'm glad Keto Dash is only 8 weeks because I do find the meals a little bit tedious. It's good to skip one or two from time to time. Tonight we had asparagus. Jane was given some freshly caught fish but sadly I really don't care for fish. I could have got out another MF meal but decided to have 2 poached eggs then I needed a slice of toast to mop up. How's that for an excuse. I could have made some mug bread while the eggs cooked... Only just thought of that.

I've been making an ornamental pin cushion for a friend for months. I'm nearly finished but need to buy some stuffing first. I haven't finished anything for ages so quite pleased with myself. And I am not running out of projects. I have another similar pin cushion to finish off. After that is a hand stitched quilt I've been making for 6 years. I really, really want to finish it for my sister. When I get home there is an advent calendar waiting to be worked out.

I'm off to bed shortly. There's a book waiting for me on my Kindle.

ANOTHER GOAL ACHIEVED AND KETO FLU

 WEDNESDAY         KETO TEST AM ?

                                                       6 PM 1.0 mml/L

I did an evening test because I wasn't feeling all that well. I had an annoying cough caused by a tickle in my throat and felt as though a bad cold was developing. Is it the dreaded keto Flu? Probably. I'm close to optimal ketones for fat burners. Dosed myself with Vitamin C, Vitamin B Executive Complex for the extra B5, honey and lemon drinks, Flixonase nose spray, paracetamol and drinking more water. I don't remember experiencing this other times I've worked to be in ketosis.

That Was on Wednesday - Now on to Friday

I could have done without my reaction to being in reasonably strong ketosis. We were concerned enough to ph the Covid Health Line and I had a nasal swab yesterday afternoon.

I decided to forget about staying in ketosis because I need to feel well and stop my family worrying about me. Today the symptoms are negligible. Yesterday I felt miserable with headache, hay-fever, a raw throat and was struggling to keep warm. It was a cold day.

I didn't feel much like food all day but ate a good dinner in the evening. I was drinking warm lemon and honey drinks and water. I also had a couple of Nescafe vanilla latte sachets. As expected my ketones have dropped back to barely a trace. 

Today is warmer, and the only symptom I have is a scratchy throat and husky voice. I had my usual Keto coffee then the MF chicken and zoodles with the addition of a medium buttery potato. I'm full as and ready for a snooze.

I'm planning another MF meal for dinner and will be drinking water. Hope to avoid the honey and lemon drinks but depends on my throat.

it's about 10 days since the last sore throat episode. That upset lasted about 48 hours. This time it seemed worse so I'm trying to take a gentler route back into ketosis. It's very frustrating to go through this when I know that going in and out of ketosis instead of being able to persist through the uncomfortable symptoms is going to slow down becoming a fat-burner which is my current goal.

On a positive note my weight is stable and I'm about 3 kg less than when I ate my first Muscle Fuel Meal.

Not Giving Up.

MUSCLE FUEL MEALS

ALMOST DERAILED BY DISAPPOITMENT 

I felt quite disappointed by my first few meals. I thought I detected the smell of institutional style cooking when I lifted the plastic. I also knew that Muscle Fuel Meals were giving me an opportunity to return to a pattern of eating which had been beneficial in the past.

SOLUTION FOUND

Since then I've discovered I do not like the meals microwaved so I take them out of the plastic tray and place the food into an oven-to-table dish and covering. The advice is to defrost first. I find that frozen meals work fine if I add extra time and I give the meal a couple of stirs along the way. I can add seasoning, extra cheese, spinach, chopped celery or anything else I think is keto friendly. I'm much happier about spending the money now and I'm even finding some meals are really delicious. The Lite Meals are certainly large enough for me. So! - my meals aren't ready to eat as quickly but I'm saved the preparation and clean-up. Waiting is not a problem for me.

HEALTH BENEFITS

I am so relieved to find I can enjoy the meals. The resurgence of old ME, (Myalgic-Encephalomyelitis), symptoms was very upsetting, I have loads of living ahead of me and yet I was finding it more and more difficult to get my head in the right space to do anything other than read and watch TV. I was sick of feeling unwell. My quality of life was undermined and I lacked the will to maintain the necessary changes. 

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL

I know what works for me but the improvements do not come overnight. Sustaining a ketogenic diet for months isn't easy. I plan to get into nutritional ketosis and be a fat burner during the 8 week dash. I'd like to maintain this for 6 months at least. I need to keep to a low starch, low sugar diet forever.

Brain fog is a real enemy and all too  often confused with depression. Even though I know myself pretty well at this stage of my life I cannot always tell the difference. When I was first told I had ME, about 45 years ago, I was also told there are about 80 symptoms and I could see that I was experiencing a good number of them. I was shocked. I have since learned, mostly by trial and error, I must severely limit wheat in my diet. Bread is my go-to when I'm not feeling so great. It's so easy to fall into unhealthy, for me, habits.

ENERGY

The most frustrating symptom at present remains lack of energy. I know that the more I move the better I become. Getting the balance right is tricky. If I over-do things it can take me days to recover. If I do nothing, yielding completely to the lazy feelings, I extend the period of recovery.

In some ways it's like an athlete who must allow a rest period after a serious work-out. Keeping a balance and pacing myself are necessary parts of recovery. I get so frustrated I want to bury my head in the sand. I know that some exercise enhances the ability to be in ketosis and what's more increases precious mitochondria in our cells. I also know that this period of establishing ketosis is not the best time to begin a new exercise routine. 

My head tells me one thing and then the excuses follow. It's time to schedule gentle walks that do not over-stress my body. Food is pretty much sorted. I'm beginning to know what I'm doing and I am so thankful for MF meals. Next major step is getting out for regular walks and controlling my all or nothing tendencies.

I am so happy. Muscle Fuel Keto Meals are giving me a chance to be healthier when I did not have the strength to do it on my own. They are an answer to prayer.

SCALES ARE WORKING

 Encouraging start to this week. I finally organised myself to weigh first thing Monday morning.

93.2kg.  Last time I weighed I was 96.8kg.

I'm taking this as my true start weight. I probably lost 1 - 2 kg after I stopped eating bread.

I like a really slow start to my day but my granddaughter came in at 7.30 am to remind me this is our day together. She bounced all over the place and nagged until I couldn't stand it any longer. Now she's watching My Little Pony and I have peace, I have a couple of activities planned but right now I want some quiet Me Time, as much as that is possible with an active 5 year old.

I tried butter in my keto coffee and Yuckk!!! Black coffee for the next few days and I'll get sorted again when I get to my daughter's. Flying north on Thursday. I thought I'd be winging my meals until my order arrives there next Tuesday but my daughter called to say a box arrived today and she unpacked it into the freezer. That was good news.

Thursday will be a long travel day. I fly from Christchurch to Rotorua and meet my son who lives there and he will drive me to my daughter's at Whitianga. I have a bit of a wait in Rotorua until Greg is ready to leave, I expect to leave home about 11am and possibly arrive at my daughter's as late as 10pm. A long day and I won't be fit for much on Friday but I'll get through somehow. It's good to know I have keto meals waiting for me.

Later.... It's been a totally unproductive day unless you count granddaughter time productive. Ava-Jane delights me and I love her to bits but she is exhausting. We ended up with a lot more TV than originally planned because she is a bit cranky from lack of sleep and a cough. I was glad when her father came home from work. I read a little, watched Master Chef and had a nanna nap. I need to go to bed now. 

Stayed up far too late last night. Tomorrow is a big day as I have much sorting out and tidying up before I go away for 3 weeks.

NEW DAY

Monday, 5th October 2020

There have been many changes and much water has flowed under the bridge since I last kept records. Blogger has changed and I'm not keeping up to date with technology so this could be interesting and not in a good way.

I am older, 81. I have been a widow for almost 30 months. I live in a flat adjacent to my youngest son's home. I am still recovering from all the stuff life has thrown at me and my general health reflects this.

Recently I discovered Muscle Fuel. Heat and eat keto meals are delivered to my door. This is like an answer to a prayer as I was beyond getting my head around making all my meals as healthy for me as possible. In fact I was going down a slippery slide of anything quick that I didn't need to cook. Lots of butter, bread or corn wafers, and takeaways 'supplemented' by meals I had with family. 

I first of all I ordered a selection of meals to try them out. I've found that I prefer to decant my meals into an oven proof dish and heat in my benchtop oven rather than microwave. It means I have a little more washing up but the difference is worth it. I have now been eating the keto meals for 10 days and I've lost just over a kg. I'm also beginning to feel general improvement to my mental and physical health.

I don't want to go into huge detail here at present but having these meals seems to be working for me on all levels. 

I've had a rocky start. I was doing so many things that I knew weren't good for me. For instance I have been drinking Nescafe Vanilla Latte sachets with a big splash of Baileys first thing. Usually I would only have 2 cups in the morning but sometimes up to 5 cups in a day. I was becoming addicted to Corn Thins slathered in butter and sandwiched sometimes with jam. While John was with me it was easy not to fall into crazy patterns. On my own I became chaotic. I had many changes to make. A few weeks ago I reduced the amount of wheat products including bread in my diet.

Today I can say that I no longer eat anything wheat and I no longer drink anything alcoholic. Goodness knows why I even started since I rarely have alcohol anyway. I'm definitely low carb and probably on the verge of being in ketosis although I have no way of measuring right now. I did have a couple of days last week when I wondered if I was going to make it but having the prepared meals meant I had an easy solution. I didn't go scrounging for 'off plan' stuff. For the first time that I can remember I kept having visions of bread layered with butter and day dreaming about the sandwiches I could make. That was weird. I also had a sore throat and a lot of sneezing for a couple of days. Fortunately I considered that it might be something like Keto Flu and I wondered if the sore throat was a stress reaction to the lower carb diet. I beefed up my vitamin B for a few days and relaxed my food a bit for a day. Hey presto. I woke up free of all symptoms the next day. That was a relief. It's extremely unlikely that I had been exposed to Covid 19 but it was also on my mind.

I joined up with Muscle Fuel to do their Keto Dash 8, an eight week programme. I'm not 100% on the plan but expect to be by tomorrow night. I must say many of the meals are not to my taste but there are enough that I like I think I'll be able to stick with it. I'll be adding my own fresh salads and greens when I'm in the right mood.

Just to say how chaotic I am.... Today I've been up since 6.30 am and have only had 1/2 cup of black coffee in the last 5 hours. Time to get a meal out and have a proper drink.