Paleo Pals - Health, Weight Loss & Support

A success story lol— two days in a row with eating well and no potato chips or popcorn. Very happy with myself right now. Just though I would share

Losing weight is so hard. I am on my 5th day of rads and I got weighted. I am the same as when I started this whole process and I stopped eating bread, pasta and white rice 2 months ago. Since all the sacrifice I made didn't make any difference, I ate half of a chicken sandwich my son didn't want for lunch. I will have to start again tmrw. Uhggg

Egads,

That makes sense. Thank you for your explanation. I will not get discouraged. Mimi

Hi kids. Thought I'd join in as I have lost 150 lbs. on a keto version of paleo. I started a few months before I was diagnosed in 2015 at 288 lbs, and hit my goal weight of 135 in April of 2017. Maintaining it over the last year has been pretty much effortless.

I have a lot of great recipes and tips to share, and I love to talk about everything I have learned. I'm also a bit of a research junkie.

Someone brought up coffee. I hadn't been a coffee drinker for many years, until I went on tamoxifen and found this:

Coffee 'could halve breast cancer recurrence' in tamoxifen-treated patients

Now I drink all I want!

Thanks for the warm welcome ladies! I'm going to do something I've never done and show my "before" photo. I was literally so ashamed of my appearance I became a hermit and most people who know me IRL never even knew I had gotten so large, because I wouldn't go anywhere or see anyone. In the "after" pic you can see what I think is the truly remarkable thing about this diet, besides ridding you of hunger and cravings that have sabotaged every other diet in your life. It's anti-aging in a way (I believe from eliminating grains). You would think I would have a lot more loose skin after losing over 150 lbs. I definitely have some, but it could have been a lot worse and it is not noticeable at all in clothes.

Before:

After (not bad for a formerly morbidly obese 54 year old!):

I do hope to inspire others, but what I usually run into is a lot of skepticism and excuses why this diet can't possibly work because it goes against more conventional diet advice. I have encountered outright hostility from others on these very boards, in fact. If you are sitting there thinking you are too far gone to ever make a comeback - trust me, people, if I could do it anyone can!

Thanks so much, Egads! That is the only fat picture that exists. My brother was visiting and I couldn't avoid the camera. I literally cried when I saw it, because even though I was well aware of how much I weighed, your mind sort of blocks out how bad the situation is until you are forced to confront it in an objective way.

Speaking of blood work, mine happens to be better than a teenager's. Strangely, this is not enough evidence for most people that there is nothing unhealthy about this diet:

Blood lipids from last week. High cholesterol is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence, and my particulars are perfect:

My MO said my A1C (average blood glucose over previous three months) is the lowest she has ever seen in her career. High blood sugar is also a risk factor for recurrence. The EAG includes after meal spikes:

SOF Way to go!! Very Impressive!!

Egads: I try to get to my "gym" class 5 days a week. Last night was upper body/arms, so tons of push ups and some hand held weight training.

tonight, another low cardio. Each includes core work.. love it!! Once I started weight training, I loved it!! but we aren't really too hard core. but its effective.

However, nutrional challenges pursist.. sigh... Hubby didn't want to make dinner last night. so , off to a restaurant we went. But, I wasn't horrible.. bacon blue burger, no bun.. no chips/fries, grilled squash (green and yellow) instead. water to drink... rest of the day was pretty normal..

Egads - my MO likes my keto/paleo diet, but my PCP hasn't really ever accepted it. She does keep her mouth shut about it now that she has not a single thing to complain about in terms of my health or labs. All of my doctors say I am their healthiest patient because it is true. The only med I take is tamoxifen.

For exercise I wear a FitBit and get at least 10,000 steps most days. I also have an elliptical machine I try to use at least every other day for more cardio, and I workout with weights and resistance bands at least twice per week, and preferably three. I've managed to preserve muscle mass with this program even with the massive weight loss. I'm sure you've all seen the recent news about how important this is for us.

You are so correct that physical fitness is addicting once you get over that initial hump. When I first started I couldn't even walk to the end of my block. I had a bad back, bad knees, bad ankles (all mostly resolved). It was hard work until I got to over 7500 steps per day, but then the endorphins started to kick in and now I miss it a lot when I can't walk. I work at home and take frequent breaks to walk between tasks, which really helps to keep my metabolism fired up. I have more energy than I did when I was 30.

The first step to regaining your health is to believe it can be achieved. Start slowly, and build up, and before you know it you'll be walking everywhere you go, and liking it!

Egads - If moms weren't trying trying to kill us (unintentionally of course), our schools were, with ridiculous "balanced" crap lunches like this. I know, what am I complaining about? All of the "food groups" are represented, so it must have been good for us!

Well, I'm 3 for 3 at the gym this week!!! YAY ME!!! Cardio last night was a beast... I love the trainer, but man, I had a rough time last night! My stamina is still way lacking from pre-diagnosis... I actually sat down for a few minutes to catch my breath. (chest was getting just slightly tight.. more on that later)

I do push ups on my knees with an occasional full one thrown in. I had 3 nodes removed during my surgery, (all clean! WOO HOO) but according to my drs. my range of motion is practically normal. I feel a tug now and then, like I've overstretched or pulled something but it doesn't really hamper too much. more just a reminder that I had the surgery.. sigh... Could be the same that you are experiencing.. Also, even though my port is gone, its still weird when I do my arm stretch, (you know, the one when you cross your arm across your chest and pull with the other one??)) Its almost like I still feel it there. I don't think i have much lymphodema...

tonight is leg night. Can you say Squat Goals?? But for all my great exercise, I had a Au Bon Pain salad today that came with the dreaded piece of whole grain bread... sorry, couldn't resist... but its Carb day, so even though its wheat, its a carb?? And yes, I had protein, (turkey)

During most of my treatment and for a long time after I was done, I often had a heaviness in my chest.. like someone was sitting on it. Drs kind of downplayed it, but was wondering if anyone else ever felt that. It wasn't painful, it wasn't debilitating, but noticeable.

I am very grateful for what seems to be my physical strength. I credit my Max program and all the work that I did for that year prior to my diagnosis. I truly believe that is what helped me handle treatment better than most.

EGADS!! That is sooooo gross!!! Thank God my mother never bought into any that stuff... The very rare "tv dinner" was actually a treat... but mostly, mom cooked everynight, meat, starch, vege.... nothing processed. Thursday was pizza, cuz Dad got paid! lol (Today, I can barely eat it)

My husband remembers, "spam casserole" and fried balogna sandwiches.. (ew)