Kristy's Journal

#21

During reflection and contemplation I do not think extended fasts (anything longer than 7 days) are part of the path I’m on. I think extended fasts are wonderful and transformative for some but I don’t think they are necessary for me. I would like to like to continue to lose weight but I don’t have any food related behaviors that need to be addressed.

First, fasting is integral to my faith. I also hope to heal my liver. I think getting caught up in a concept/attachment that something has to be a certain way for xyz to “happen” is not the middle way for me. I also do not need to do an extended fast for any serious illness or spiritual reason. I’d say my only concrete goal is to heal my back, reduce pain, and get off the serious pain medication.

I do think fasting/ intermittent fasting will heal my fatty liver over time, reduce my weight and back pain, and decrease inflammation. I do not have a goal weight or a specific time that I want a specific condition to be “achieved.” All thoughts, feelings, experiences are transient and impermanent. Whatever goals I might have in this moment will be different in the next moment. Everyone’s journeys’ are such a blessing to be shared.

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#22

So are people just throwing on baggy clothes over their sopping wet bathing suits when finished? Oh, swim life lol. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if chlorine was the cure?

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#23

we are allowed to use a restroom but everyone is local so going home is not as much of a chore

#24

Woke up in more pain today than the last week. Every time I seem to be making process I end up hurting again. Didn’t do anything out of the ordinary this weekend so I can’t think of any triggers. Had PT today and that also makes it worse. Wanted to go swimming but can’t drive after taking pain meds. Had to break my fast with the pills so I ate a delicious coconut, nut butter, chocolate (cocoa powder) fat bomb. Really full.

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#25

Chronic pain is the worst… I’m sorry you have to deal with it.

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#26

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a rest day. The fact that you might need one only goes to show that you ARE making progress.

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#27

I can’t believe how much pain I was in yesterday. The medication made me ravenous but I stayed keto and am still in deep ketosis today. Didn’t get on the scale. My weight isn’t my biggest concern when my energy needs to be focused on healing.

I’ve been reading everyone’s posts and love hearing about everyone’s journey. I get sad when I see that people’s self worth is tied to their weight. I completely empathize and have also sailed that boat but also feel helpless at my inability to assist others in their transformation (from shame/suffering to self worth and joy). People have to do their own healing and I’m pouring loving kindness in to my attention when reading. When people can identify their emotions and thoughts and love and validate them they can transform their suffering into joy. Discovering our attachments and creating compassion and empathy to ourselves and others is a wonderful path. One of my teachers describes it beautifully. He says to imagine our painful thoughts, feelings, and experiences as ourselves’ as small children that need to be loved and taken care of. It’s not the child’s fault that it is suffering. It is helpless and co-dependent on us as its’ guardian to hold it lovingly, nurture it, and teach it how to be happy. When we hold our child of suffering and pain we must hold it close and with tender love make sure it knows that we love it, that it’s not their fault, and that we promise to take care of it.

Have no eating expectations for today, besides staying keto. It’s all dependent on medication. I do feel well enough to go swimming. I hope the pool isn’t as cold today. I have a wonderful water proof ipod and am listening to books when I tread water.

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#28

Your journey is particularly inspiring to me because I’ve watched my father take dozens of meds every day for the last 20 years, and he hates what it does to him. All I can do is be helplessly silent while he bears his burden. I’ve tried to get him to adopt keto, but he’s as stubborn as an ox. Fortunately, he enjoys walks despite having poor foot circulation. Anyways, that’s my longwinded way of saying it’s remarkable you are doing everything you can by way of both diet and exercise to correct whatever health issues you’re coping with.

#29

The last couple of days have been a huge improvement! I’ve been able to take fewer pain meds and have been swimming a lot. I got some resistance water weights that have been fun. I’m on hour 33 of my fast and so far so good. I wasn’t planning on fasting for this long but I figure I’ll just keep at it until I need some chow. Swimming can make me really hungry.

I did not get nearly as much sleep as I would like. Woke up around 3ish full of energy. Meditated for a bit. I’m sure I’ll crash later. Have PT at 8. Not sure if I’m going to swim today or not. I only have 5 more weeks left of “free” time. My husband and I are getting our third dog on Sept 24th. Data will be our 3rd Portuguese Water Dog. Puppies are a ton of work so I’ll have to hire a sitter for when I want to swim. We’re soooo excited. We don’t want children so another dog is perfect.

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#30

Just broke my fast with a yummy nut butter fat bomb. I love nuts! One of my favorite foods as a vegetarian. If you don’t know what to eat nut are always the answer. Macadamia, pecan, Brazil, hazelnut, pistachio… YUM! I decided I really needed to eat if I was going to swim. Lost 3 lbs water weight during my fast.

Really enjoying the Dark netflix series soundtracks!

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#31

How did PT go? I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling much better. And congrats on getting your third little pupperoni! What breeds are your other two pups?

#32

PT went well. I seem to be on the up and up but the pain is completely unpredictable so I don’t have any expectations. Today I will go swimming for the 4th time this week. I do not view exercise as a way to lose weight. I exercise solely for mental health.

Our other two dogs (Doodlebug (11) and Dax(6) ) are also Portuguese Water dogs. Doodlebug is brown and silver and Dax is black with some white. Data is almost completely white with some brown spots. We love them so much we had to get one in each color! Although no dog is completely “hypoallergenic” Portty’s are as close as we can get. My husband and I are both allergic, so having dogs that have little dander and do not shed is a must. We’d obviously prefer to adopt and foster shelter dogs but our allergies just can’t cope.

After I got back from Swimming I waited a couple of hours and had some popcorn doused in EVOO, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, and salt. The fiber keeps the net carbs down and didn’t reduce my ketones much.

Although the commute to the pool is longer than I’d prefer, getting out of the house and exercising is a huge boost to my morale and keeps boredom at bay. Don’t think I’m going to eat today unless I need to take pain medication.

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#33

I just had a sad feeling at the pool waiting to get in. The local girls high school have swim practice before it opens to the community and I knew by the way each woman walked and held their towels that each one of them hated a part of their body.

The feeling was devastating. They were all skinny athletic teens but it was glaringly obvious by the way they moved that they were ashamed. Wow- what an experience

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#34

EVOO would also offset the carbs I imagine. Stealing this recipe as well. :innocent: PS: Have you heard of the brand Choc Zero? They make 100% keto baking ingredients (i.e. chocolate chips, sugar-free syrups, etc.) Wonder if it’s possible to make a keto caramel corn…

What a revelation about the teenage girls’ swim team. High school was where I struggled most with my body image. Our bodies become so unfamiliar to us at that age and beyond. To be honest, I still feel demure when I hang up my towel, and I’m not sure that’ll ever change.

#35

There’s a corn flavor extract for making fake corn tortillas etc. I’ve come close to getting it in the past, but reviews I found were 50/50. Same with maple extract. I’m not convinced everything works with keto.

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#36

I make these amazing corn cookies. I grind up freeze dried corn into a gritty flour. They tasted like buttered sweet corn. I’ve never made them keto however. Glucose and sucrose’s ability to brown and caramelize is essential in pastry. However, I’m sure it could be modified with monk fruit, or a couple other sugar alcohols. I would prefer to use date paste, though. Wouldn’t be as keto but the date paste works as a binder along with egg.

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#37

Unintentionally I’ve fasted for almost two days! I guess I’ll keep going until I need food. I purchased some shiitake mushrooms I planned on cooking until crispy.

I was exhausted after swimming yesterday but it was a “good” feeling. Haven’t been hungry. When my tummy grumbles I’ll have some veggie broth. With all the exercise I have lost more weight. Not what I intended but I’ll take it. I’ve been addicted to sanpelligrino lately. I mix it with some ACV and it is very refreshing. Some times I’ll mix it with powdered teas. It’s amazing with powdered hibiscus. If I want an earthier flavor I’ll use Pur-eh (a fermented black tea) powder. I’ve also been loving it with a splash of rose water, orange blossom water or a drop of basil extract.

No plans for today. Hope to spend most of the time with my husband.

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#38

Great job and glad you are feeling better! And nice to see a fellow veggie on here as well :slight_smile:

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#39

I had a big bowl of salty broth and have unwittingly started a salt flush oopse… GROSS! I’m on day 3 of my unplanned “dirty” fast. Lots of tummy grumbles but not actually hungry.

Does anyone else take fiber supplements? As a mostly whole foods vegetarian I have a diet packed full of fiber. 3+ BM a day when I eat regularly. I also take a fiber supplement. I know giving the digestive track a break is extremely beneficial but even if I’m fasting I still take fiber. My mom almost died from diverticulitis. Some of the infected pollops on her colon exploded and covered her organs in deadly bacteria and infected… “stuff”. They had to remove (but not detach) a majority of her organs to clean. A huge chunk of her colon also died and became twisted so they had to take a large portion of it out. All of this was due to the fact that she ate a horrible diet that had almost no fiber.

Do I need as much fiber as I consume? No, probably not. But a irrational part of me says “don’t eat like your parents!” I remember the 7 hours she was in surgery and the month long hospital stay like it was yesterday. She had a tube up her nose that went down into her intestines to suck and drain all the toxic build up. YUCK. So anyway. YAY FIBER

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#40

I’m so sorry to hear about your mom hugs! As a mainly whole foods plant based eater I find I eat well over the suggested 25 grams of fiber daily and feel no need to supplement- however I do often use chia or flax seeds as well which also give me a huge fiber boost

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