Keto Success After 50? Since I Turned 50 in January this has been an even BIGGER Struggle

It seems the older I am, the harder time I am having.

I’m starting to feel like a broken record about this but,  I am still REALLY struggling with getting back into ketosis and getting this extra weight off.

I use to think that women in their 50’s and in menopause were just making up another lame excuse  and that losing weight couldn’t be that much harder for them. (not that should ever point fingers at excuse making lol I wrote the book on that).

I’m debating whether it is because of my age or because of the fact that I quit smoking in January but it seems like eating a healthy keto diet is just NOT having the same result as it did back in 2015 when I did it the first time.

To be Honest….

I’m getting REALLY PISSED OFF AT MYSELF!!

After I got my smoking under control, I went on my keto eating plan again.  It was about the middle of April of this year.  I stuck to it HARD CORE (or so I thought) .

From April 20 – June 30, I only lost 8.5 pounds.  Considering the amount I do have to lose, that is really a very small amount.   Not at all the same effect on my system as it had the first time I went keto in 2015.

In 2015, I lost a total of 155 pounds in less than 20 months.  I felt amazing and I didn’t even look like the same person.

So now it’s 2020 … 5 years later and I have put back on a good majority of the weight that I had lost, 40 pounds in the last 8 months alone!!!

Yes I have had many things that I use as an excuse in my head to justify the weight gain.

• Family stress with all of my children
• My mother was sick and in the hospital
• I quit my 38 year smoking habit
• COVID hit and we were all in lock-down and quarantine (me with 6 very  busy, and needy kids)
• Financial stress

It’s been very stressful times indeed!  But it’s been stressful for everyone, not just my house hold.  We all have different things that stress us out.  But when I look back, not all days are stressful.  Many days have been filled with happy memories, or doing things that bring joy.  So then  WTH, just more excuses and feeling sorry for myself?!

I have been stress eating comfort food (which for me is chips and chocolate)  Every night when I go to bed it has become my end of the day “treat” from such a stressful day.

The thing is MANY DAYS haven’t been stressful at all, so then I call it terrible habits that I’ve allowed to happen.  I need to get off the pity train.

August 4 was my 5 year anniversary from the first time I started eating a low carb ketogenic lifestyle. Eating this way had a dramatic effect on my health. 

When I was on my health journey back in 2015, I came to within 13 pounds of my goal.  I had a crazy notion that I wanted to weigh half of my old self.

At this point, I really don’t care if I ever reach that goal.  What I do care about is being healthy and active in my 50’s.

I have 6 kids that I am running after, being this swollen, bloated, and big is NOT any fun at all for me — or for my kids.  I can’t do any of the things that I did 5 years without a great deal of effort, like getting down on the floor and playing with my grandson.  It’s very uncomfortable for me to go for walks with them or use the bike that I have to bike ride with them.

I want….  I NEEED to be physically able to be “that Mom, that Amma”.

The kind that will go to the beach and get in the water, the mom that will hop on her bike and go for a ride, the kind of amma that can go down the slide with my kids (if the mood strikes me).

What was my point? Sorry for getting sidetracked lol.

Oh yeah…  so since I’ve hit 50 and quit smoking, the weight is NOT coming off like it did the first time around (when I was 45 and still smoking).

I think the quitting smoking has also had a dramatic affect on my metabolism  I am currently so swollen it’s hard for me to walk.

In full disclosure, I went to my doc a few weeks ago and got him to give me an additional water pill to help get rid of some of the fluid.  The good news on that front is that my blood sugar levels are still really in line to where they need to be, and that my doctor is completely THRILLED that I have finally quit smoking (he’s only been gently nagging me for 20 years)

I’ve been researching how to speed up my metabolism and am currently trying a few supplements to see it that (in addition to the increase in water pills) will help my system reset.  I will keep you posted on that.

Honestly when you smoke for 38 years, it’s going to mess with your system, right?

BUT

I am not giving up.  One thing that I am is determined!!

I have now been smoke free for 7.5 months.  I KNOW I can lose this weight (because I’ve already done it once)

So yesterday was actually NEVER GIVE UP Day – very fitting.

I started my keto way of eating again on Monday.  This time I am being very strict, and measuring everything (even how many pecans and cheese I have).  I am recording it in MFP.

I’ll see how it goes in the coming days.  I even ordered some ketone testing strips (which I have never done in the past).  I want to be sure that I am actually getting and staying in ketosis.  The strips should be here on Monday.

I’ll be posting more just for my own accountability, and hopefully it will be able to help someone else with their weight struggle.

Let’s see if I can do something else positive (beside quitting smoking) in 2020.  I would LOVE to end this year feeling healthy and full of energy to spend with my family and loved ones.

Talk soon,

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