SugarFree Protocol – Natasha

This is Natasha’s Thread, and Here Is Her Intro:

Hello, my name is Natasha. I’m 5′ 8″ and thirty-six-years old.

My weight-loss journey started when I joined Weight Watchers at sixteen. Since then I’ve tried every way of eating and diet program I know, from Jenny Craig, low carb, very low carb, high protein, counting calories and high intensity interval training programs. I lost not one pound. 

Five years ago I began treatment with Armour because of hypothyroid symptoms. It did help my symptoms but did nothing for weight loss. Then I found HCG. Maybe this would work for me? So I tried it and lost twelve pounds. Wow! It was the first time in fifteen years I had lost anything, and it felt great! But it only took me a month to regain it all. So I tried again. I figured I did something wrong the first time. I struggled and starved my way through HCG two more times only to repeat the same pattern of loss and regain.

Trying so hard and failing was so discouraging; it was like being on an emotional roller coaster. I would cry from pure frustration. The worst thing was feeling so out of control. Never feeling satisfied or full when I ate. Being hungry after just two hours of eating a big meal. Always thinking about and being driven by food. Panicking if I forgot to pack a snack when I was away for the day. I wondered if I was crazy, because it was a kind of mental torture to work so hard at eating “right” yet always failing. I just wanted to be hooked up to an IV so I would have to deal with food. The doctor even took a thermogram of my thyroid and raised my Armour and said that would probably kick in some weight loss for me. Nope. But now I know these feelings and reactions and inability to lose weight are due to insulin resistance. Hormones are powerful!

Even though HCG may have made me worse, without it I would have never looked into Sugarfree’s protocol. I agree with Sugarfree that the body will try to heal itself if given the right tools. So here I am ready to heal my metabolism. And it needs healed because after consulting with Sugarfree I discovered I have insulin resistance, PCOS, hyperglycemia and severe hypothyroid (could be also Hashimoto’s, still doing some tests on that). Thank you, Sugarfree, for sharing all your knowledge, research and experience in  helping us and giving me some hope and insight into this condition! I’m ready to start the Protocol!

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 1 – 10/31/11

Weight: 165.8

Measurements:
Bust: 36.5″
Waist: 35″
Hips: 42.25″

Breakfast: Coffee with .5 oz heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Kale
– .5 oz butter
– 5.5 oz beef chuck
– 1 oz wild rice

Dinner:
– 2 Duck Eggs
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 1 oz. sprouts
– 7 oz. arugula

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 752.8
– Fat: 49.6 grams (59%)
– Protein: 58.5 grams (32%)
– Carbs: 18.1 grams (9%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 105
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 107

My first day! I feel like I actually do better skipping breakfast, and have more focus and energy. Even though I sometimes get “empty churns” in my stomach, I just ignore it and feel fine. I’m a little worried going off my Armour because I think it helps with my depression and anxiety. Especially with the daylight getting shorter. We will see how it goes.

[Note: Please make sure you wean yourself off v.e.r.y. slowly. Take at least two or three weeks to do so.]

Also no exercise will be hard for me since my body craves this form of stress relief. SugarFree suggests taking a leisurely stroll or napping in place of exercise for now; I think I can get used to this. 🙂

Lunch was great! Love Kale! It was a lot of food. I got fatigued around 11:30 (I get up very early), ate lunch at 12:30 and got my second wind around 3 but for some reason I feel hungry again. So I wasn’t hungry at lunch but am more hungry after I eat! Maybe the rice raised my sugar to make feel that way?

[Note: That’s exactly what happened. With hyperglycemia you get large insulin spikes (instead of a slow, steady release) that wipes out the glucose and plummets your blood sugar. When that happens the brain — which is one of the few human organs that needs a bit of glucose — immediately raises hormones that send “eat, eat, eat” signals. In other words, you’re hungry again. I bet if you took your 30-minute PP it would have been fairly high, and if you had taken it again at 3 p.m. it would have been pretty low. That’s how hyperglycemia works. The Protocol should help to alleviate that in the next few weeks.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 2 – 11/1

Weight: 164 = down 1.8

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Kale
– .5 oz butter
– 5.5 oz beef chuck
– coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Dinner:
– 2 Duck Eggs
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 1 oz. sprouts
– 7 oz. arugala
– 1 tsp. heavy cream

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 744
– Fat: 50.5 grams (61%)
– Protein: 60.3 grams (33%)
– Carbs: 12.1 grams (6%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 99
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 99
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 94

I’m getting used to drinking my coffee with less cream and no stevia. I think I will like maintenance where I can add more cream back in though. Without the stevia I think is good for me to get the sweet taste out of my mouth. It helps me not to want more. I’m down on the scale today but not getting my hopes up yet because I tend to lose and retain water very easily, sometimes within a five-pound range. I did feel hungry and got stomach growls about 3:00 again today, even though I ate lunch at 12:30. Should I eat more fat at lunch to help prevent this?

[Note: Yes … and you’ll also be eating in a different way from now on, as you’ll see when you get your revised menu for tomorrow. Again, the stomach growls come from your insulin spiking and bottoming out your blood sugar too quickly. You didn’t become hypoglycemic overnight, and you won’t get rid of it overnight either, no matter what food you eat. This is a long-term process of months and years, not days and weeks. :)]

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 3- 11/2

Weight: 163.2 = down .8 pound

Breakfast:
– coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Kale
– 2 oz fennel bulb
– 3 Duck Eggs
– 4 oz.celery
– 1 oz. avocado
– .25 oz butter

Dinner:
– 1 can Sardines in oil drained
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 4 oz. string beans
– 7 oz. arugula

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 785
– Fat: 51.1 grams (58%)
– Protein: 60.3 grams (30%)
– Carbs: 12.1 grams (12%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 95
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 97
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 79

I had planned to eat my eggs for dinner but swapped them for lunch. I had a last-minute assignment at work and had to leave early this morning for the city. The eggs were easier to pack and also I wouldn’t irritate any of my work buddies with fishy smells. I thought my sugar crashed at 9 because I felt really tired and my muscles were weak to walk up stairs but it was 82 when I checked it (not that low). I continued through until lunch and took my glucose again before I ate which was 91. So I don’t know how but it went up. I felt terrible until I ate then felt so much better. I was actually glad I had packed all three eggs. Somewhere I read that insulin resistance can affect specific cells like muscle cells which means the glucose can’t get in them. Is that why I had muscle fatigue?

[Note: No. It’s because 1: You’re hypoglycemic, and 2: You’re going through carb withdrawal, otherwise known as Induction Flu. Symptoms include muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, and even brain-fog. It’s not unusual and it will pass as soon as your body becomes fully “ketone-adapted,” which can take a week or two. Then you’ll feel great and have a ton of energy. Hang in there!]

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 4 – 11/3

Weight: 162.2 = down 1 pound

Breakfast:
– coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Kale
– 6 oz. beef chuck
– 10 oz. asparagus
– squeeze of lemon
– 2 oz. avocado
– .5 oz butter
– coffee with 2 tsp heavy cream

Dinner:
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 2 large eggs
– 4 oz. arugula

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 774
– Fat 49.6 grams (57%)
– Protein: 59 grams (31%)
– Carbs: 23 grams (12%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 90
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 116
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 108

I’m starting to get excited now because today was the first time in testing with the keto sticks anything showed up as positive in all my times of using them, even on other programs. Even though it’s small, it’s a start at burning fat for energy! The edema is way down in my legs too! I can see my ankles! Not sure what caused the blood sugar spikes after lunch. I was hungry for lunch but felt very satisfied after I ate. It was a lot of veggies.

[Note: The spike in your PP blood sugar is not as bad as it seems at first glance. Probably for the first time in a long time your insulin did not spike after a meal, which meant some of the glucose (converted from those veggies) lingered a bit longer than usual. This is actually a good thing, because eventually your insulin spurts will more correctly match your glucose output and your blood sugars will stabilize, which is what you want to happen. You’re doing wonderfully. :)]

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 5- 11/4

Weight: 163.2 = up 1.2 pounds

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Kale
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 6 oz. Ground Beef
– 3 oz. arugula
– 4 oz. eggplant
– .75 T. Parmesan cheese
– .5 oz butter
– 1 oz Potato

Dinner: – 2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 725
– Fat 50.1 grams (62%)
– Protein: 50.5 grams (29%)
– Carbs: 18.1 grams (9%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 96
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 116
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 111

Still in trace on the ketostix. Second day on trace makes me feel good. I feel more encouraged with the ketostix than I do with the scale. Hopefully just water gain. I know my body is stubborn . I was hungry this morning. Lunch was great! Haven’t had potatoes in a long time. I ate lunch at 12:00 and was hungry at around 2:30 (hypoglycemia) but it went away around 4:00. It’s nice not to feel hungry.

[Note: Natasha, the gain was water weight, caused by eating too many carbs — for you — with too little fat (the lean ground beef you ate lost most of the fat to the pan, and I suspect you didn’t pour the fat in the pan over the burger) for now. That’s what spiked your PP readings so high. You can try again next week.

However, this is a good time to talk about what the ketostix show and what they don’t. When you see trace on your ketostix, does that mean you’re burning excess adipose fat? IT DOES NOT, though that is a common misconception. It can mean that, but it can also simply mean you are becoming ketone-adapted, which is what happens on Protocol after a few weeks. And being ketone-adapted simply means that your body is running on a fat-based, not carb-based system, which your organs (especially your heart) prefers.

Ketones are the by-product of this change, and there are many forms of ketones. Some get converted to fuel used to feed the body, but when there is excess (which happens in the beginning of the changeover) your body can’t use them all and the excess turns to a form of acetone, which is excreted in the urine. That’s why people in deep ketosis (unnecessary and extremely stressful on the liver) have bad breath and funky-smelling urine: it’s the acetone. However, as your body becomes more proficient at using ketones, less spills out. I have been ketone-adapted for years, and I am always in trace — but never higher unless I switch from maintenance to protocol. After all, if merely having trace on a ketostix meant fat-burning, I’d now weigh 50 pounds and wear a size sub-zero dress. 😀

After a few days on Protocol, given my lessened insulin resistance and my increased insulin sensitivity, I go into lipolysis — the only process that burns excess adipose fat, and one you have not yet achieved. Lipolysis is the evolutionary process that keeps us alive in lean times. When food is scarce, insulin drops. When it drops low enough, lipolysis rises. It’s sole role is to unlock the adipose fat cells and let the precious, life-saving fat out to be used as fuel until more food can be found. If lipolysis goes on too long, the brain immediately goes into famine-panic mode and begins to slow down the metabolism via the thyroid hormones/liver. When I go into lipolysis I start to burn lots and lots of excess fat and my ketone-adapted body gets clumsy again and spills a lot more of it into my urine. My ketostix turns dark. That’s when I know to start pulling back from Protocol — sometimes that takes two weeks; sometimes only one — and start eating more food again. I don’t want to be in famine-mode ever again.

As you learn more about your body, you will learn to control it, and not the other way around. My day yesterday was a perfect example. I was extremely busy on Thursday, and had only a light first meal, intending to eat a good dinner. But when I finally looked at the clock it was already 7 – and all I had time to do was make a Cauli-Mac and Cheese casserole with lots of cream and cheddar. A bowl of that at 9 was my only meal. Friday I was on the run again and before setting off had some yogurt with a handful of blackberries. I had no chance to eat all day, and got caught in rush-hour traffic on the way home, which took nearly 2 hours.

By the time I walked in the door at 7:30 I was shaky, and my stomach hurt. My BS was in the 60’s. I knew I was on the cusp of lipolysis, and that if I fasted till morning I would burn lots of fat and be up tossing and turning all night, since it would have the effect of feeding me a ton of calories. Or I could forestall it by eating real food, even so late. I opted to go out for a burger with friends and ate (wolfed) it slathered with mayo and with the entire bun, something I rarely do. I added a handful of fries. My 2-hr PP was 82, and I slept like a log. The important thing is, I knew I had a choice and knew exactly what the consequences of each choice would be — for me.

You’ll get there eventually (on Protocol alone or with some pharmacological help), but for now you are severely insulin resistant. You have not yet achieved lipolysis. When you do, you’ll know it. You will feel full almost all the time, and will have to force yourself to eat. Depending on how adept your body is your ketostix will turn darker or not. Participants use ketostix not to see if they’re ‘burning fat’ (their lack of hunger and loss of inches will show that very clearly), but to make sure they do not turn too dark and start heading into famine-mode — the correct way to use them — and the exact opposite of what most low-carb sites incorrectly advise.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 6 – 11/5

Weight: 159.8 = down 3.6 pounds

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 8 oz Spinach
– 1 oz. Parsley
– 6 oz.Chicken Thigh
– 1.5 oz Bacon
– 1 oz onion
– 1 oz butternut squash
– 10 oz asparagus
– 8 oz chicken broth

Dinner: 2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 764
– Fat 49.5 grams (58%)
– Protein: 58.3 grams (31%)
– Carbs: 21.4 grams (11%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 105
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 119

I could tell I was going to have a big water loss today. It kept me up during the night. I ate dinner earlier than yesterday so hopefully my fasting glucose will be better tomorrow morning. I made sure to deglaze my pan with water so I got every bit of fat from the bacon and chicken. But it seems my body still can’t handle the starch from the squash and onion so I will adjust it for tomorrow. I used the asparagus and broth with my immersion blender and made a nice thick, hot soup with bacon, onion and fresh parsley on top.

Protocol Round 1, Week 1, Day 7 – 11/6

Weight: 159 = down .8 pounds

Breakfast:
– coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 6 oz Beef Chuck
– 8 oz kale
– 5.5 oz zucchini
– 10 oz asparagus
– .75 oz butter
– .59 oz heavy cream

Dinner: 2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 724
– Fat 49.4 grams (58%)
– Protein: 59.2 grams (32%)
– Carbs: 18.6 grams (10%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 93
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 113
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 93

Today was good. I was hungry in the morning but ignored it. My stomach was actually growling at around 11 but went away and then it just made me tired. I didn’t get home until 2 to fix a hot lunch. Food is so much more enjoyable when you are hungry! The fat in the roast and butter on the hot kale were delightful and melted in my mouth. Also my glucose evened out today at the 2-hour mark. I guess I shouldn’t try any starchy veggies until the end of next week; they are the ones that seem to spike my glucose. It’s 6 and don’t feel like my eggs yet. Maybe I’m making progress?

[Note: Definitely. Your FBS and 2-hr were very good, but your 1-hr PP still spiked even though you ate nothing to spike it. You didn’t have any ‘starchy’ veggie like potato, so this means your post meal insulin is still abnormally high despite eating a very low carb meal. The good news is that it is improving! 🙂 One note though: if you’re stomach was growling at 11, that would have been a good time to eat your main meal if possible, and not wait until so many hours later. As your metabolism heals, it will restore correct hormonal signaling. With restored signaling, you will begin to ‘feel’ your body more correctly. Today for instance, you felt true hunger and not hypoglycemic hunger. You were truly hungry because your stomach was truly empty. Over time, you will learn to trust those signals or, as I like to call it, you’ll be able to listen to what your body is telling you, and you will be able to trust that it’s the truth.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 1- 11/7

Weight: 159 = no change

Measurements:
Bust: 36”- down .5”
Waist: 33” – down 2”
Hips:41” – down 1.25”

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp. heavy cream

Lunch:
– 6 oz Salmon
– 8 oz Kale
– 1.5 oz butter
– 10 oz asparagus
– 8 oz chicken broth
– coffee with 2 tsp heavy cream

Dinner:  2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 831
– Fat 60.6 grams (64%)
– Protein: 58.5 grams (29%)
– Carbs: 13.1 grams (6%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 102
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 104
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 95

I feel good.

[Note: You should. You lost nearly seven pounds and nearly four inches of fat — in a single week! How fantastic is that? :D]

Ate at noon and dinner at 5:30. I didn’t feel any hunger (sooo nice) after lunch today. In fact I was pretty full. Lot’s of delicious butter today! I appreciate my food more now and feel more in control, not the food controlling me.

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 2 – 11/8

Weight: 159 = no change

Lunch:
– 6.5 Ground Beef
– 8 oz Swiss Chard
– 5 oz green beans
– .5 oz onion
– 2 steak fries (baked)
– 2 slices 14” tomato
– 2 Tsp olive oil

Dinner: 2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 789
– Fat 55.6 grams (64%)
– Protein: 48.3 grams (25%)
– Carbs: 24 grams (11%)

Ketostix: trace

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 91
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 101
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 91

I am out-of-town so it’s more challenging to eat according to Protocol. But by planning ahead I think I did okay. The potatoes were baked instead of fried and the mayo had sugar, so I didn’t eat it but added extra olive oil instead.

[Note: Good choices/substitution, and your PP blood sugars are much better today after eating potato and tomato than they would have been even a week ago.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 3 11/9

Weight: no scale

Lunch:
– 6.5 Ground Beef
–1 oz red pepper
– 6 oz green beans
– 1 oz onion
– 2 steak fries (baked)
– 2 slices 14” tomato
– 1 Tbs olive oil
– 5 oz arugula
– 1 oz half and half with Starbuck’s plain coffee

Dinner:
– 1 large eggs
– 1 celery stalk
– 4 red radishes

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 838
– Fat 60.4 grams (66%)
– Protein: 47.5 grams (23%)
– Carbs: 26.3 grams (12%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 91
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 97
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 119

Can’t believe I made it back in time to report. Today is my last day away at work. Basically I ate what I had yesterday for lunch because it was convenient and pretty much safe. I actually added in a few things new for me like red pepper and more onion. I had a nice arugula salad with burgers on top with olive oil and a few bites of potato fries. I know half and half is not allowed on protocol but I was so needing a Starbuck’s today and I thought overall I did pretty well considering the circumstances.

I believe my glucose spiked at the 2 hour mark due to the fact I had to run 5 blocks….

[Note: No, your 2-hr PP spiked because you ate red pepper, onion, fries AND tomato in a single meal AND you ate them without enough fat (Half and half instead of cream, for example). Your running may have contributed a few points, but basically all the glucose you ate caused a major insulin spike that was still insufficient to get the glucose out of your blood stream in a timely manner.  However, if you learned something from this it will be worthwhile. Remember: The. Meter. Never. Lies. :)]

I took my glucose again at the 3-hour mark and it was back down to 93.

[Note: That just means that your insulin spike was so high it eventually brought your blood sugars down to normal. Remember, glucose in the blood stream is toxic, which is why you don’t want it there long.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 4 – 11/10

Weight: 160.8 = up 1.8 pounds

Lunch:
– 7 oz chicken liver
– 1.5 oz bacon
– 8 oz dandelion greens
– 8 oz eggplant
– .5 oz butter

Dinner:  2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 725
– Fat 50.6 grams (63%)
– Protein: 53.5 grams (30%)
– Carbs: 14 grams (7%)

Ketostix: trace (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 106
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 106

My weight gain today was from too many carbs yesterday for me as SugarFree explained. I do view yesterday as a learning experience. l also ate late last night which probably didn’t help my fasting numbers this morning.

[Note: I’m guessing the water retention (it’s not weight gain, which means fat gain) is as much because of TOM as it is the extra carbs you ate yesterday. What those carbs did instead was to elevate today’s blood sugar levels. When you’re really insulin resistant and you do something to spike your insulin, there’s what I call a ‘carry-forward effect that can sometimes last for days. Once I realized this myself, I decided ‘cheats’ weren’t worth it, because I enjoyed the food for five minutes and often paid the price for days. The truth is though, that’s how we all learn about our own bodies: through experience.]

I do notice when I get tired I want to eat. Today my hunger is starting around 10:00. I think I’m still adjusting to the time change, I usually get hungry around 11:00. Lunch was delicious although I could have eaten more. I do find when I eat a touch more fat I am more satisfied at lunch. I will definitely plan this meal again for Sunday.

[Note: I’m glad you enjoyed the liver! I’m still dealing with the time change too; I woke at 6 a.m. and was ravenous by 9 when I usually don’t eat until noon or so. Glad we only have to do this twice a year. :)]

I look forward to experiencing what happens to others on protocol , where they don’t feel hungry except right before they eat or when they are preparing the food. I know this will take time for me. This is one of my main goals for this program, along with fitting into my size 10 clothes! (SugarFree says maybe even a size 8 – WOW that would be nice!) I’m just happy SugarFree was able to assist me before I became a full-fledged diabetic.

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 5 – 11/11/11

Weight: 159.8 = down .8 pound

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp heavy cream

Lunch:
– 2 large eggs
– 8 oz Kale
– .5 tbs butter
– 2 tsp heavy cream with coffee

Dinner:
– steak fajita (around 6 oz)
– guacamole
– white cheese
– creme de fresco
– lettuce
– mushrooms

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 95
– 1-hour PP (after dinner): 101
– 2-hour PP (after dinner): 97

We had friends take us for dinner tonight so I did my best for protocol without being able to measure my food or use fitday. My main meal was dinner and my snack was lunch. I was really hungry for lunch so I added the kale and butter since I didn’t think I would get those “good” kind of greens at a restaurant for dinner. Lunch was very satisfying but when dinner came around I was ready, but not starving hungry, for that too.

I was happy with my glucose readings. It must mean I chose well? I had fajitas but turned down the grilled onions and peppers, tomatoes, chips, rice and beans, and of course the flour tortillas. The guacamole was so delicious, like butter, it made up for not having any of those high sugar things. Hopefully this can be a maintenance meal for me in the future!

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 6 – 11/12

Weight: 161.4 = up 1.6 pound

Breakfast: coffee with 1 tsp heavy cream

Lunch:
– .5 oz cheddar
– 2 tsp heavy cream with coffee

Dinner:
– steak
– asparagus
– 1 tbs butter
– lettuce
– feta cheese
– gouda/brie

Ketostix: negative (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 97
– 1-hour PP (after dinner): 95
– 2-hour PP (after dinner): 103

Tonight we had a dinner to attend. Hopefully this is the last of my hectic schedule for being unable to measure my food. Although it’s a great learning experience for handling these situations in real life. I made dinner my main meal. I was hungry this morning and I tried to keep myself busy so as to not think about it. Not really hungry after that.

Dinner was very good. I picked the cranberries out of the lettuce and didn’t use any dressing, loaded with sugar. Not sure why my 2-hour PP was higher, maybe because the asparagus was served late and I actually ate it by itself closer to taking the 2-hour pp? I ate the butter on my steak and even ate the fat on the steak because it was grass-fed beef.
I was up on the scale this morning, again fluid retention on my first day of TOM. Also the ketostix are negative two days in a row.

Protocol Round 1, Week 2, Day 7 – 11/13

Weight: 160.2 = down 1.2 pounds

Lunch:
– 8.3 oz chicken liver
– 1.5 oz bacon
– 8 oz mustard greens
– 10 oz asparagus
– .5 oz butter

Dinner:  1 large egg

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 701
– Fat 49.1 grams (60%)
– Protein: 59.5 grams (34%)
– Carbs: 11.8 grams (6%)

Ketostix: negative (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 115
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 93

I have to say this was a pretty good day. This is one of my favorite meals. I was a little hungry around 9:00 a.m. but really didn’t think about food until I got home around 4:00 because I knew I should eat. I had a pretty large meal lat night so maybe this tied me over for today. I ate around 4:30 and was very satisfied but not full. I hope I can feel this way tomorrow. The food was great but wasn’t anxious to eat. I think I will skip the egg tonight.

[Note: Looks like you must have had some hidden sugar at the restaurant last night, that elevated your 2-hr yesterday, and exacerbated your 1-hr PP today. When you are very insulin resistant here’s often carry-over to the next day or two. And the reality is that no matter how careful we are when we eat out, we truly do not have control over what is in or on our food. The chef in the restaurant could have used a spice blend on your steak with sugar in it. Now that you’re home and cooking for yourself again, tomorrow will be better!]

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 1 – 11/14

Weight: 161.6 = up 1.4 pound

Measurements:
Bust: 36″ = no change
Waist: 32.25″ = down .75″
Hips: 40.75″ = down .25″

Lunch:
– 4 oz rib eye steak
– 2 large eggs
– .5 oz butter
– 10 oz asparagus
– 8 oz kale
– 4 oz zucchini

Dinner:  2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 796
– Fat 57.8 grams (65%)
– Protein: 54.4 grams (28%)
– Carbs: 16.1 grams (8%)

Ketostix: negative (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 93
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 95
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 103

I had a one inch loss this week and a slight gain in pounds. I wish it was like last weeks report but this week should be better for protocol with no restaurants, no out-of-town work and TOM leaving. I feel like this program is finally kicking in because I feel a lot less shaky, if at all, when I skip breakfast because of my hyperglycemia. I really wasn’t even hungry at lunch and I couldn’t finish my asparagus. I’ve also cut down to 30 mg on my Armour this week. I was cold all day and fatigued after lunch.

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 2 – 11/15

Weight: 161.6 = no change

Lunch:
– 4 oz rib eye steak
– 2 large eggs
– .5 oz butter
– 10 oz asparagus
– 8 oz mustard greens
– 4 oz zucchini

Dinner:
– 2 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 796
– Fat 57.8 grams (65%)
– Protein: 54.4 grams (28%)
– Carbs: 16.1 grams (8%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 96
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 91
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 110

I think my body is stalling out. Even if it just water it would be nice to see the scale move. My 2-hour PP seems to go up after I eat. Not sure why though? I wasn’t hungry for breakfast or lunch and couldn’t finish all the asparagus at lunch. I took my 2-hour reading in the dental chair, trying to get it right before he started drilling. Does stress make you glucose rise? Ketostix are negative in the morning but trace at lunch. I was very cold again today.

[Note: Yes, stress can absolutely raise blood sugars. But they went up yesterday, too. As I suggested to you privately yesterday, bring your Armour back up to your full dose. That may help with the cold and fatigue.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 3 – 11/16

Weight: 158.6 = down 3 pounds

Lunch:
– 2 cans sardines
– 1 large egg
– 8 oz mustard greens
– 1 oz artichoke hearts
– 7 oz arugula
– 4 oz zucchini
– .75 oz butter

Dinner: 1 large egg

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 732
– Fat 50.1 grams (58%)
– Protein: 67.2 grams (35%)
– Carbs: 14.5 grams (7%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 96
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 109

I felt really discouraged yesterday. I am glad SugarFree upped my Armour, I think that will help my mood.The puffiness was gone from around my eyes today (symptom of hypothyroid). On a positive note – I was happy this morning to see a loss on the scale. Finally, it has moved since the first week of protocol! I was more hungry today overall. I’ve noticed my 2-hr pp readings don’t want to go down to fasting levels and my ketones are still negative. I don’t think my body is cooperating.

[Note: Natasha, great news on finally losing the water your body put into your fat cells as a place-holder! This is a very good sign. It means your brain is finally accepting  the fact that the fat is not coming back. Lets hope this means the beginning of slightly better BS readings … because it’s not your body that’s uncooperative … it’s your hormones.]

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 4 – 11/17

Weight: 158.6 = no change

Lunch:
– 6 oz rib eye steak
– .5 oz butter
– 2 oz broccoli
– 8 oz mustard greens
– 3 oz artichoke hearts

Dinner:  3 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 841
– Fat 64.3 grams (69%)
– Protein: 53.2 grams (25%)
– Carbs: 13.9 grams (6%)

Ketostix: negative (negative, trace, small, moderate, large)

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 100
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 103
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 98

Nice! My 2 hr PP finally went down! Not hungry today; it was nice.

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 5 – 11/18

Weight: 159.6 = up 1 pound

Breakfast:
– 2 eggs
– 2 oz cheese
– 1.5 oz bacon
– 6 oz asparagus
– 8 oz spinach
– 6 oz zucchini

Lunch: 2 large egg

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 840
– Fat 56.9 grams (62%)
– Protein: 57.6 grams (23%)
– Carbs: 25.3 grams (12%)

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 98
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 109
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 111

My big meal was breakfast today at 7:00. It was really nice to have something different, although I wasn’t hungry at all for it. I did get hungry around 11:00 but then it passed.

Protocol Round 1, Week 3, Day 6 – 11/19

Weight: 157.4 = down 2.2 pounds

Lunch:
– 6 oz. beef chuck
– .75 oz butter
– 10 oz asparagus
– 6 oz eggplant
– 8 oz spinach
– .5 oz heavy cream with coffee

Dinner: 3 large eggs

Fitday stats:
– Calories: 796
– Fat 50.9 grams (57%)
– Protein: 62.2 grams (32%)
– Carbs: 22.3 grams (11%)

Ketostix: trace

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 98
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 117
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 100

Did well today. Found myself wanting lunch around 11:30. I was very physically active today with work, so I felt really good with lots of energy. Happy that I’m in trace again.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 1, Day 1 – 11/21

Weight: 159 = up 1.6 pounds

Measurements:
Bust: 36” = no change
Waist: 31.25” = down 1”
Hips: 40.5”= down .25”

Ketostix: trace

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 104
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 110
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 106

First Day of maintenance. Really filling lunch! Lots of butter, more than I’m used to but delicious. I was surprised to see my inch loss this week. Yay! My next plan of action is get in touch with my doctor for some Metformin.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 1, Day 2 – 11/22

Weight: 158.2 = down .8 pounds

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 114
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 90
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 115

Looks like my blood sugar is going crazy. It seems the numbers just want to keep climbing. I even ate dinner last night at 5:00, so it wasn’t real late to affect my fasting numbers this morning. Lunch was good it’s just hard to eat everything is a short amount of time. I notice I was tired after lunch today that lasted until about 5:00.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 1, Day 3 – 11/23

Weight: 159.6 = up 1.4 pounds

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 114
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 120
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 97

I could have skipped lunch today but ate anyway. It was very good food, just wasn’t hungry. I couldn’t finish it all.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 1 – 11/28

Weight: 160.8 = up.8 pounds

Measurements:
Bust: 36” = no change
Waist 32.5” = up 1.25”
Hips 40.5” = no change

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 107
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 98
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 114

Ketostix: Negative

Stomach upset. Not feeling well.

[Note: Natasha, sounds like you might have picked up a bug over the holiday. Hope you feel better soon!]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 2 – 11/28

Weight: 160.8 = no change

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 107
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 93
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 107

Doing fine. Steady as she goes. Stomach a little better today.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 3 – 11/29

Weight: 158.8 = down 2 pounds

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 104
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 119
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 120

Lunch was very good. I have to slow down because when I eat I am so hungry I end up over eating and then feel too full. I enjoyed my whipped cream at the end. Nice to see the scale go down but more interested to see my measurements Monday.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 4 – 12/1

Weight: 157.8 = down 1 pound

Ketostix: negative

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 94
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 108
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 110

I ate lunch at 10:30 today because my stomach was so empty and hungry. I felt very good afterward and ate everything. I didn’t eat dinner last night (I think that helped my fasting glucose number this morning) so I went 16 hours without food which is usual for me to be hungry by then. I want to try some new foods this weekend to break my routine.

[Note: Natasha, I’m glad to see your meter numbers marginally better today and yes, it is a direct result of ‘fasting’ for so long. It shows how insulin resistant you are though, since it literally took 16 hours for your insulin to finally drive down your blood sugars to a semi-normal range! For non-diabetics, blood sugars are in the 90’s within 2 hours. Some diabetics find it helpful to eat just one large meal a day — it seems to give their insulin a kick in the butt, which PCOS needs, and which is exactly what Metformin does.]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 5 – 12/2

Weight: 160.8 = up 2 pounds

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 90
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 98
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 106

Ketostix: small

I feel I did well today. Last night I got home about 11:00 and was very hungry. I ate my snack at 5:00 but felt my stomach was so empty I needed something to settle the rumbles. I didn’t know what my best option would be so I chose fat. Pure heavy cream, good and yummy! That was probably why my fasting numbers were good and ketostix finally showed up as small. I don’t know if I should have done it but it was good!

[Note: MUCH better numbers today! And yes, it was very likely the result of eating extra fat, which you should always reach for if you get hungry. I’ll review your menus next week to add 10-20 grams of fat per day to your menus.]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 6 – 12/3

Weight: 161.8 = up 1 pound

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 98
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 96
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 98

Ketostix: trace

I was on the go today and unexpectedly couldn’t get back home to eat my planned lunch. I improvised and tried to use the principles I’ve learned of maintenance. I had mostly Munster cheese and veggies and a little turkey. I chose more fat than protein and low-sugar veggies like celery. I felt my blood sugar drop around 11 but when I ate at noon I felt much better and satisfied. I think I did okay because my readings were better overall.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 2, Day 7 – 12/4

Weight: 160.8 = down 1 pound

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 98
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 104
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 99

Ketostix: trace

I enjoyed every bit of my big breakfast early this morning. It was so delicious and filling I didn’t feel a bit hungry until around 5!

[Note: Terrific news — this is the first time you’ve been able to go so long without being hungry. And your meter readings the last few days have been wonderful. Well done. :)]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 3, Day 1 – 12/5

Weight: 161.8 = up 1 pound

Measurements:
Bust: 36” = no change
Waist 32.25” = down .25”
Hips 40” = down .5”

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 92
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 94
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 99

Ketostix: trace

My fasting numbers are coming down. Yay! Thanks for your encouragement SugarFree.
I notice my trend is to get hungry at 10 a.m. How inconvenient for my body to decide that since I can’t break for my big meal until noon. After I eat I am great, until then I am always trying to keep my mind off food. Great lunch! I have a fondness now for eating almost a whole stick of butter to cook my veggies and protein in. I can’t go back, so much good flavor!

Glad to see my measurements down. I really feel last week wasn’t a true gauge for my measurements since my abdomen was distended from something I ate. Even though, I still was up a little on my waist measurement from 2 weeks ago. Those pesky pecans last week! Nuts are one of my weaknesses.

[Note: Natasha, a bit of pecans did not cause your ‘distension’. It didn’t make you gain weight or inches. Your PCOS did. You began Protocol nearly five weeks ago, and in that time — two weeks of which was on starvation level calories — you have lost a total of 4 pounds, and are continuing to gain them back. You have lost just over 2-inches from around your waist, which isn’t bad, but isn’t terrific, either.

Although it’s good that the extra fat is helping to suppress your high blood sugars, it is just masking the problem, not curing it. You need medical help to do that, and you need to get that help quickly since the insulin resistance will only continue to get worse until you do.]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 3, Day 2 – 12/6

Weight: 161.8 = no change

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 75
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 98
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 100

Ketostix: trace

I didn’t have my meat thawed all the way and ran out of time to cook lunch. I used what I had and felt really good. I had my spinach and sardines with avocado and two hard-boiled eggs and quarter cup of peas with olive oil. I felt like I had progressed because the starchy veggie with less fat didn’t spike me over 100 which has been happening in the past.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 3, Day 3 – 12/7

Weight: 161.2 = down .6 pounds

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 86
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 103
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 100

Ketostix: trace

Well I guess the 1 oz. of peas spiked my sugar. I didn’t get to eat all my fat at lunch because my lunch was interrupted so I would like to try to see if the same thing happens with the peas tomorrow with the amount of fat I am supposed to eat at lunch.

[Note: It was the peas, which is not a good food for you to eat while your insulin resistance is still at such high levels. Too much natural sugar in peas. Try substituting the same amount of potato instead.]

Maintenance Round 1, Week 3, Day 4 – 12/8

Weight: 161.2 = no change

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 93
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 102
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 104

Ketostix: small

I didn’t have the 1 oz potato that was scheduled since I was out of them, and I didn’t see your message about the peas until it was too late. I ended up eating the peas instead of the potato and got the same high meter results as yesterday even though I ate the peas with more fat. Also when I eat a late dinner it does raise my fasting glucose and I ate dinner late last night.

Maintenance Round 1, Week 3, Day 5 – 12/9

Weight: 161.2 = no change

Blood Glucose:
– Fasting: 94
– 1-hour PP (after lunch): 100
– 2-hour PP (after lunch): 98

Ketostix: small

Due to circumstances beyond my control, this is my last post and farewell to you all. Even though this is the end of posting it is not the end of the road of my journey to heal my metabolism. I have learned a lot these past weeks and plan to incorporate Protocol principles into my daily life. I have learned what lipolysis, gluconeogenesis, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and glucose spiking mean, not just as words in a dictionary but through my experiences with them and how they make me feel. I re-learned what true hunger is, and to eat only when I am hungry and stop when satisfied, to listen to my body. And to not feel guilty when I eat lots of good fat. I also learned to gauge my progress not by the numbers on the scale but by the numbers on my meter going down and the tape measure.

Even though my insulin resistance means that I still have more hard work ahead, I feel confidant moving forward and have already felt small changes taking place. For one, I don’t shake any more after going for a long time without food, and I don’t find myself thinking about food or obsessing about it anymore. I also see that my water retention is due to either too many carbs (for me) with insufficient fat or from hormonal changes.

Thank you for your assistance through out this program, SugarFree, and for answering my seemingly endless questions.

[Note: You’re very welcome, Natasha! I know you’ll continue to heal as you move forward, and I and everyone who reads this blog wishes you a healthy and happy New Year!]