Keto | LCHF | IF: Resetting {After A Set-Back}

Hello my FBFs!  FBF stands for fat-burning friends.  A low-carb lifestyle turns you into a fat-burning machine! Welcome to my series on getting started.  I am dedicating this blog series to sharing my best tips and tricks to help you take off and succeed on your own joyful journey! 

Help!  I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!

Has your Keto train derailed?  Your motivation crashed and burned?

First let me say, I’m sorry you are struggling! It really stinks, I know.  I struggled with my weight and health issues for three decades before I figured it out.  And I recently had a small set back and I’d humbly like to share with you. 

Thanks to my new lifestyle I was able to figure this out for myself and RESET in a very short amount of time.  Besides my physical healing, I am so very grateful for my emotional and spiritual healing I have gained on this journey.  It’s the emotional and spiritual aspect that put me back in control of my daily choices for nourishment.

How did my train derail?  I had major surgery on December 14, 2018 and my life was majorly disrupted as a result. I was under general anesthesia for 7 hours – who knows what they were pumping into my body during surgery?  I asked the nurse anesthetist to avoid any sugar/glucose solutions if possible – who knows if they actually could avoid glucose solutions?  I was completely wiped out for three days as a result of the anesthesia.  

I know you’re probably curious why I had surgery. It was a decision I made to eliminate my chronic shoulder pain.  Therapy the past five years would help temporarily, but the chronic pain would always come back.  So, anyhow – I had a few procedures done to fix this chronic condition (Keto could not fix – sad).  The surgeon told me the muscle repair would be a long recovery and she was not kidding! I am eight weeks post op and I can still feel those internal stitches tugging and pulling.  It’s a bizarre feeling.

So anyhow, I slept for three solid days and then I needed help getting off the couch for about three solid weeks.  I couldn’t put weight on my arms – so husband had to literally lift me off the couch.  Let’s hear it for my great sport and nurse – Keto Hubs Rob!

How did this affect my Keto lifestyle?  

Let me count the ways: pain medications and their side effects, bloating, extreme fatigue, inability to prepare my food or leave the house to shop, mood swings, inability to exercise, messed up sleep schedule, and complete and utter BOREDOM!  I have never been so bored in my life.

The result?  I was eating at times when I was not hungry.  I was watching more television than I ever have and reaching for food.  I haven’t sat in front of TV with food in the evening in two years.  As a general rule, I haven’t eaten after 6pm in two years.  And now I caught myself snacking in the evenings – breaking my hard a fast rule of NO SNACKING!

I was also grazing all day long because I didn’t have the energy to prepare a full meal.  I didn’t really ask my husband to prepare Keto meals for me – I’m not sure he would even know how.  I was really lacking in quality Keto meals as I really didn’t prepare myself at all.  I was so busy before the surgery, I didn’t have time to food prep and stash in the freezer.

As a result, I was picking here and there – hmmmm, open the fridge and the cupboard…what would I find?

The good news – I was eating “Keto approved” foods!  But, I was eating too much of it and too often during these long, boring days!

I actually had a few times when I ate too much and my stomach was uncomfortable.  Like a flashback to the carb-filled days like holidays.  The uncomfortable feeling about two weeks ago smacked me upside the head. Hard.

Do I sound like I’m making excuses?  Well, I wouldn’t call them excuses – but I would call them “LIFE”.  These things happen.  These things can derail our best efforts.  Our best intentions.  Our plans.  Our goals.

The smack upside my head knocked the negative and excuse making self-talk right out of my head.  Excuse making like “hey, you’re at the lowest weight ever in your adult life – how bad can snacking all night long be?”

I decided for me – it can be bad.  Very bad for my health.  I dreaded the possibility it was opening a door to mindless eating again.  A battle I believe I have already won through this journey.

I needed to reconnect with reasons WHY I choose retain control over my health.  I actually read my own blog posts (one reason I encourage you to journal). I never want to live a tired existence again.  I want to be healthy for another 50 years to let my kids take care of me (HA!).  

I have my reasons, I have my why.  I also have many favorite Keto and IF resources.  I went back and read Dr. Fung, I explored the Diet Doctor website and read success stories, I watched Dr. Berry videos.  

I took my own best advice to “learn the science, apply the science, change my life”.  I had been getting too lazy in nourishing my mind and I needed inspiration.

If you are finding your motivation has crashed and burned, I would ask you to figure out all the reasons why you need to heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  If you consider your whole self – mind, body, soul – you will find many reasons for your why. As you walk through this journey, those three will unite in achieving the healthiest version of yourself.

I’m happy to report – I have RESET, and I am back on track.  My exhaustion from the surgery is almost completely gone, I’m back to a daily routine of following my 18:6 time restricted eating, and most importantly I am obeying my hunger signals and not grazing or eating mindlessly.

I even made it back to my exercise class this past weekend! I do realize I have had a major set-back here but I’m going to keep pushing!

  

This routine in my lifestyle works for me. Strict Keto food and daily fasting. I crave routine.  But if you are finding a routine is not working to achieve the results you want then you must switch it up!  This is an important piece of this lifestyle.  It is not one size fits all and you, by trial and error, need to figure out what works for you.

Do you need a RESET?  My best advice is to go back to your basics (read, learn, watch) and list out your why.  You can use my Goals blog post to help with this process, too!

And if you need me to smack you upside the head, holler!  I’ll respond with love and grace, of course.

REMINDER:

On my Subscriber Resources page, I’ve created a resource titled “Christine’s Top 20 Keto/LCHF Let’s Get Started Tips and Tricks”.  I’ve highlighted my favorite tips and will expand on them throughout this month.  I’ve also left a blank page in the document to write your own list on what you will do to get started.

I’ve also posted an excel spreadsheet to help you track your blood test results.

To access the resources, you have to be an email subscriber.  Head on down the page and sign up!

You will see another resource on my Subscriber Resource page.  I am a strong advocate for setting goals.  In fact, I mention this a lot and I’ve blogged about it here:  Goals – Define Yours and Change Your Life with Keto or LCHF.  If you want to see results, you have to start with setting goals.

Stick around this month and I’ll do my best to guide you if you decide to jump on board the Keto train (or low-carb, healthy fats)!  It’s a journey I’m so blessed to have made!

Other posts in this “Getting Started” series:

Getting Started {Top 20 Checklist}

Favorite Resources {Doctors and Scientists in the Low-Carb Community}

Labs and Tests {Health Markers to Track}

Fat Adapted {Become A Fat-Burning Machine}

Intermittent Fasting {AKA Time Restricted Eating}

Don’t forget to sign up below to gain access to the subscriber resources.

I’ve created a free resource for you with my favorite five tips for your weight loss success. Grab it here:
5 Tips to Jumpstart Your Health and Wellness Journey