101 Days on Carnivore

I have been on the carnivore or zero carb diet for 101 days, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. I had a couple of mishaps. I have had a difficult time overcoming my sugar cravings. That being said, my blood pressure is solidly normal, my blood sugar is normal, and my A1C is 5.5. My favorite benefit of the diet is the reduced inflammation. So, much less pain in my joints (especially my…

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Visiting Dad & Saying Farewell to My Cousin

I am in Texas this week to see my dad. He will be 85 this year in October. He is moving pretty slowly these days. He worked hard all of his life and all that physical work has finally caught up with him. He says he is not in pain, so that’s a good thing. However, because of glaucoma, he is nearly blind. That is something I don’t think I would be able to handle. It is the reason he says he moves…

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Day 60 Without Carbs

It is day 60 on the Carnivore diet! I feel great. I have lost approximately 21 pounds. My joints are feeling better, and I am no longer having so many cravings for junk food. I have been exercising for a little over a month (walking mostly). I have also started lifting weights, which I think I mentioned in my last post, and I have plenty of energy. This feels different. The last time I…

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55 Days on Zero Carb Diet

I have reached day 55 on the Carnivore diet. Today my back is hurting a little. I have been doing some back exercises in the gym, and may have pushed a little too hard. There has always been this sharp pain in my lower back for as long as I can remember. It is different from pain resulting in typical soreness after a workout. That is not what I am feeling today. Other than that, my body feels…

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Most Recent Doctor Visit

I am in the doctor’s office for my 6-month check-up. My BP was a little elevated. I’m waiting for my a1c test result. My guess is around 6.5. I did a home test the other day. There is no telling how high it had been before I got myself under control. I went off the deep end during Thanksgiving and Christmas. My a1c ended up being 5.8. Woo hoo! In the last day or so, I have come to terms with…

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38 Days & Reality

Thirty-eight freaking days of the carnivore diet, nothing but meat, and I didn’t lose as much weight as I would have liked. I’ve lost 13 pounds, and 3 of them keep coming back! Some people might think, “Wow! 13 pounds is good!” The problem is my weight loss has stalled. Also, I wanted the weight loss to happen faster. I keep checking the mirror, the fit of my clothing, and the tape measure, and…

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Day 25-Zero carbs

Yesterday morning, my bp was 109/66. This morning, my BP was 118/77 (after some weightlifting), and my pulse was 70. These have been some great bp numbers without increasing medication. I can’t say enough how much better I have been feeling. My back always hurts a little after walking. It feels worse when I sit and play the sax for an hour. After weight lifting, relief. I haven’t really lost…

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Day 22-Carnivore Diet

So, today is/was day 22, the first day of week 4. My blood pressure this evening was 114/70. A little over two weeks ago, it was 231/138. When I began the diet, I was worried about an all-meat diet. My whole adult life (after the Navy), I’d been told that meat was bad for me, that it would cause heart disease and give me a stroke. When my doctor put me on statins and blood pressure medication, I…

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Cherry-topped Sour Cream Cheesecake

This is the dessert that destroyed my diet and health over the holidays. Cheesecake (any flavor of cheesecake) is my favorite dessert. There are times I am unable to resist it. When I was a child, I once ate so much of it in one sitting that I forcefully expelled it about 10 minutes later. Also, I am definitely a sugar addict. This is a very easy recipe. If you like cheesecake, this one is full…

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30 DAys Eating Meat Only

Wow! There was only one “like” on my last post. Perhaps people have tired of watching me fail to get in shape, get healthy, or lose weight. Who could blame them? I’m tired of watching myself fail. I’m tired of living it. In fact, I’m so tired of it that I am doing what many (including myself) would consider a desperate move: I have put myself on a zero-carb diet. On this diet, I can eat beef (or…

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A Zero Carb Diet/Carnivore

[Jan 21] So, I have been contemplating what is called the carnivore diet for several weeks. That means you only eat meat No vegetables ore any type of carbs, whatsoever. There are several doctors not claiming this is the best diet for overall health. I believe them. I’m gonna try it. [Jan 22] I began the carnivore diet today. I had no problems. No carbs today. I have a little headache but that…

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ah, the New Year

So, looking back over the past year, it didn’t really go my way. I had lots of pain and inflammation, diet failures, fasting failures, and also I ended up in physical therapy at the last part of the year. I did not lose weight! I did maintain, however. I need to try something new. I don’t know what it will be. I am researching a few things. In the mean time, I will continue intermittent fasting.…

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'tis The Season

We are in December; the Christmas season is here. As usual, I feel more alone than ever at this time of the year. However, it doesn’t mean I will be alone for Christmas. My two kids are away at the moment. One is in the Navy and stationed in Pensacola, FL. The other is in Washington, DC, at American University, earning a master’s degree. They usually need more time for a phone call or even a…

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Discharged From Physical Therapy

For the past 6-7 weeks, I have been in physical therapy because of pain in my hips. It was a very positive experience. When I walk, I am more steady on my feet. And speaking of walking, I can do it longer and without extreme pain. I still feel some pain, but it is much less than before. Roper St. Francis is the home of ATI Physical Therapy. They are professional and extremely good at what they…

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Finally, Some Health Improvement

I have been going to physical therapy for nearly four weeks, and my hips and lower back are feeling much better. I was not sure PT was going to help. Also, around the time I began physical therapy, I began to make more of an effort to choose the right kinds of foods at meal times. For the most part, I have (again) cut my sugar and alcohol intake. I was experiencing hip pain while walking. It had…

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At a Loss, but Not Weight-loss

The things I eat make me feel bad. I mean physical discomfort, digestive issues, stomach pain, inflammation in my joints, and lethargy. Yet, I continue to make bad choices at every meal time. Today was no different. I won’t go into what I had to eat, but some of it was quite disgusting; high in saturated fat, sodium, and artificial flavoring. I used the word disgusting because that is the way I…

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Continually toward Health

So, my A1C increased slightly, and I still don’t require any medication. My cholesterol is normal, and my blood pressure is superb. I believe I’m close to getting myself under control. I have even improved my diet somewhat. Yesterday, I started physical therapy. I have been having pain in my hips. It turns out it isn’t my hips at all. As I understand it, because I have a lower lumbar fusion, the…

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