I have been on a good health journey for many years. I remember when my doctor first told me I was hypertensive. It was really a blow to me because, although I was overweight, I didn’t think I was doing anything crazy to cause it. I exercised, didn’t think I was eating badly and my stress level wasn’t that bad. Nevertheless, I wasn’t getting any younger and decided I would totally up my efforts and do my research to get this thing under control.
So, I gave up drinking a lot of calories. Hence, no soda. Later no fruit juice. I ate no fast food, cooked more at home, began doing higher energy exercise like Zumba in my fifties and then became an instructor, bouncing around and jumping up and down on my overweight joints like I was a kid. I absolutely loved it but a couple of years after that I learned it didn’t love me as much. I lost some weight but not enough for the effort I was putting in. I was not looking for a magic bullet. I was willing to make the effort. I was a researcher. I was getting lots of information and realized there really is no one-size-fits -all solution, especially for women in their fifties in that menopausal, hormonal, stage of life where it seems like weight gain is mandatory or something, especially around the middle. We’re different, with different metabolisms, different dominant endocrine (hormone) systems, different lifestyles and stressors. Weight loss is not just an eat-less-move-more-and-that’s-it-folks deal. Knowing yourself and how your body responds is very important in being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Our hormones play the most significant role in our metabolism, distribution of weight and how we lose it.
I, like so many, would chase the latest and greatest discovery in order to try to get my weight under control. That initial 5-10 pounds was always so exciting and made me think I found what worked, but, of course, that was as far as it went and I was back to square one because, of course, once you stop, the weight comes right back. Then on to the next latest and greatest. I still worked on my body to remain strong and flexible because I knew that was such an important part of healthy aging, but I felt the knees and other joint things creeping up on me. Was I doomed? I knew that, although common, this didn’t happen to everyone so I had to keep looking and listening.
It was after a much needed cruise vacation that I again renewed my efforts. Of course, on vacation you tend to become lax in your normal eating and other health habits and that was me. It was so much fun but by the end of the cruise, I was experiencing swollen ankles and more joint pain so I knew I had a lot of inflammation to deal with. I continued with my efforts and prayed for new revelation in my journey. I was online when I happened upon a social media post that intrigued me. It had to do with differing body compositions, dominant hormones and weight distribution. It was presented by Dr. Eric Berg and he laid it out so plain and simple that I had to learn more. It led me to the Ketogenic way of eating.
It was after a much needed cruise vacation that I again renewed my efforts. Of course, on vacation you tend to become lax in your normal eating and other health habits and that was me. It was so much fun but by the end of the cruise, I was experiencing swollen ankles and more joint pain so I knew I had a lot of inflammation to deal with. I continued with my efforts and prayed for new revelation in my journey. I was online when I happened upon a social media post that intrigued me. It had to do with differing body compositions, dominant hormones and weight distribution. It was presented by Dr. Eric Berg and he laid it out so plain and simple that I had to learn more. It led me to the Ketogenic way of eating. After a few more weeks of learning about it, I jumped in.
I will talk about the benefits and details of a Ketogenic lifestyle in another post but for now I just need to point out that in my long journey I found what was as close to a magic bullet that I could get. Strange how some of the diet myths I had previously come to know and practice were actually working against me. Bottom line; I went from losing 30 pounds over a ten year period to losing 45 more pounds in 6 months. I began to incorporate Intermittent Fasting. The first month I lost 15 pounds and couldn’t believe how easy, and enjoyable, it was. I actually liked what I ate and didn’t have a desire to quit. My exercise routine was also less strenuous and easy to maintain. Obviously, I am a big proponent of this lifestyle.
Stay tuned for more on the Ketogenic lifestyle and and other approaches to living a healthy, energetic and vibrant life as we age!
Live well, Be blessed!