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BACKGROUND
When I rebooted my fitness journey on 6/26/2022, I weighed in at 192 pounds. At 5’9”, the BMI index says I should weigh about 150 pounds, but I can’t go that low without looking like a prisoner that’s been held in captivity for years! I’ll be happy to hit and stay around 170 pounds!
I began my reboot in June by trying to “carb cycle,” that is, only eat carbs every other day, trying not to become a no-carb “extremist.” And, while I did see some progress, it was slower than I wanted so I increased my cardio workouts thinking that’s what I needed…more exercise! I was wrong.
After doing extensive research, I found that my problem wasn’t exercising more, it was insulin resistance caused by too many carbohydrates in my diet, which has caused inflammation, which led to obesity and being diagnosed with adult-onset type II diabetes many years ago.
And, even though I lost 30 pounds in four months without going to the gym in 2019, by simply intermittent fasting Monday-Friday, 16-20 hrs, I mistakenly thought I could just eat anything I wanted as long as I fasted Monday-Friday. Again, I was wrong.
I’ve come to learn that not only do I have to practice intermittent fasting, but I also needed to remove carbs (and starches, as starches are broken down into sugar) from my diet. I learned that when I removed sugar, carbs, and starches from my diet, this allowed the body to begin to burn the stored fat in my system rather than just burning the carbs I put into my mouth daily.
I’ve learned that when my body is burning fat rather than carbs, it is in the state of ketosis. Ketosis is a process that happens when your body doesn't have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. Instead, it burns stored fat and makes things called ketones, which it can use for fuel. I’ve learned that I want to keep my body in a constant state of ketosis, and I did so by changing how and what I eat.
Note: I use a ketone meter to read my ketone levels at different times during my day, both daily and on weekends, but you don’t have to do this for this experiment. You will immediately know if this is working for you or not.
As of my last weigh-in on Sunday, 9/17/2022, my weight is 172 pounds. That is a 20-pound loss in two months & three weeks, however, most of the weight loss was due to my changing to a keto/carnivore diet from 8/1/2022-9/2022. The weight loss happens quickly.
People ask, “Gil, how are you losing weight so fast,” or tell me, “losing weight that fast is not healthy,” because this approach challenges conventional wisdom about weight loss and what most doctors recommend. But I have found that most people and some doctors are simply misinformed and/or hold onto outdated information and theories on diet and weight loss.
I thought back to the doctors and nutritionists over the years who told me to “change my diet,” but never said to change it from what-to-what! Mostly I heard I should be on a low-fat diet, cut down on red meat, eat more veggies, limit sugar, and exercise. I was shown photos of lean meat, fruits, and veggies that I had never eaten in my life.
Not one doctor, including my current physician, ever told me that I needed to cut carbohydrates from my diet because my high-carb diet was causing insulin resistance which led to adult onset of type 2 diabetes. At my last appointment with my doc, in early 2022, he suggested I search YouTube for dietary advice for patients with only one kidney. So, I did.
I found that not one doctor ever mentioned insulin resistance, insulinemia, keto, or carnivore lifestyle. The only advice I got from doctors was to eat a low-fat diet, add fiber, reduce salt, exercise daily, watch portion control, oh, and watch your caloric intake. I have found most of that advice is wrong for reversing diabetes, addressing insulin resistance, and heartening weight loss.
Interestingly, the American Society of Clinical Oncology website, “According to the 2007 Physicians Health Study of 19,000 doctors, 40% were overweight and 23% were obese.” If doctors can’t figure this out for themselves, how in the world are they supposed to help me?!
I have drastically reduced carbohydrates in my diet to almost negligible.
I used to read labels on food for sugar, protein, fat, and sodium content, but I ignored carbs. I have learned in the past two months that carbs were the cause of my weight gain over the years and likely the cause of my type 2 diabetes onset and my bout with kidney cancer. My nemesis is and always was, insulin resistance.
This is what I have learned
1. Carbs are the killers
2. Fat is good!
3. Cheese (not processed) is ok
4. Butter is not bad for you!
5. Sodium is not dangerous
6. Eggs are not dangerous
7. Bacon is not dangerous
8. Red meat is good for you!
What I have removed from my diet
· Wheat/bread/cereal/grains
· Corn/peas/tortillas
· Rice/pasta
· Sugar
· Milk
· Margarine
· Cooking with Vegetable oil/canola/corn oil – BAD!
· Cooking with butter or LARD (believe it or not) is good!
· Kombucha
· Candy/cake/ice cream
· Berries/cashews/almonds
· All chips/crackers
New Snacks
· Sugar free beef jerky
· Pork rinds
· Pumpkin seeds
· Brazil nuts
· Walnuts
· Macadamia nuts
· Pecans
· Pine nuts
· Tillamook cheese sticks
14 Day Keto/Carnivore/Fasting Experiment
Option I – No Lunch (Monday-Friday)
1. Breakfast - If you must eat breakfast, stick to eggs, bacon or sausage, any meat (really), in omelet cooked in butter! Yum! No bread, no tortillas. Black coffee, no sugar, no crème, (or Stevia if you must!), plenty of water all day.
SKIP LUNCH
2. Dinner (no later than 7 pm) - meat, steak, hamburger, chicken, pork, fish. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli. No rice, no beans, no pasta, no bread, no tortillas.
3. After dinner, no snacks, no food until you break your fast the next morning. There should be at least 12 hours fasting between dinner and breakfast.
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Option II – No Breakfast - Monday-Friday
1. Skip breakfast
2. Lunch – (12 noon’ish) - meat, steak, hamburger, chicken, pork, fish. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli. Sandwich meat in an egg wrap. Salad w/no dressing but add meat/chicken for gods sakes! You can add beets to your salad if you like them. No rice, no beans, no pasta, no bread, no tortillas, no chips! Pork rinds are good tho!
3. Breaking your fast at lunch provides at least 17 hours of fasting between dinner and lunch.
4. Dinner - (no later than 7 pm) - meat, steak, hamburger, chicken, pork, fish. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli. No rice, no beans, no pasta, no bread, no tortillas. After dinner, no snacks, no food until you break your fast the next morning. This provides at least 12 hours fasting between dinner and breakfast.
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Option III – (my program) – Monday-Friday
1. No breakfast
2. No lunch
3. 5:00 pm – break my fast on the drive home with beef stick/cheese/prosciutto stick. This provides me with at least 20 hours fasting between dinners.
4. Dinner (6:30 pm’ish) - meat, steak, hamburger, chicken, pork, fish. Asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli. No rice, no beans, no pasta, no bread, no tortillas. After dinner, no snacks, no food until you break your fast at dinner the next day.
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My daily food and exercise schedule
1. I still practice intermittent fasting Monday-Friday (22 hrs per day)
2. I do not eat breakfast or lunch Monday-Friday
3. I eat a no carb or low carb (no more than 3grams) dinner
4. Red meat, chicken, pork
5. Some veggies, ie, brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.
6. 7 pm – two-mile walk with 24-pound weight vest w/ K9 Randa
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Cardio Considerations
Several studies have shown that walking 15 minutes after eating, for at least 15 minutes, lowers blood glucose levels and assists the digestive system. So, Monday-Friday, if possible and safe, you should consider walking for at least 15 minutes (15 minutes) after dinner, with the doggie, the kids or by yourself. 30 minutes would be ideal!
Weekend Considerations
On weekends you should try to stick to the weekday schedule as much as possible, but don’t cause yourself additional stress if your weekend schedule isn’t as perfect as your weekly schedule. Basically, just remember to cut out all bread, tortillas, pasta, beans, corn, vegetable oil, canola oil, and all sugars. No soda of any kind, no beer unless it's keto like Michelob Ultra, and no snacking between meals. Walk when you can drink plenty of water and just see what happens!
Summary
I believe if you try this for just two weeks, or 14 days, you will see dramatic results. I have found that my digestive system is working better, my weight has gone down quickly, my percentage of body fat had been reduced effectively, and my blood pressure has become controlled.
Also, I feel better, my mind seems clearer to me, and I am getting stronger by the week and have increased my cardio workouts. You don’t have to work out as I do, you do have at least walk for 15-30 minutes each day, including weekends!
If this starts to work for you, I recommend you get a Fitbit or Apple watch to start tracking the number of steps you take per day. My daily step goal is 10K, but sometimes I only get 8-9K. I also measure my blood pressure, my ketone levels, and blood glucose levels daily. I can show you how to do this and why it’s important if you choose to stick to the program.
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