pros and cons

There are some pros and cons to this near ketogenic approach I have been taking.

The biggest 'con' isn't that bad - mostly I need to wash my face, neck and shoulders two to three times a day because I feel oilier - but I don't have as many skin issues at the same time.  I'll take one over the other, yes.  Another con is that my clothes are looser - not bad really either *heh*... And I can definitely feel it when I eat something with high carbs or sugar... that is a con.  I can feel the change through my body systems like a very tangible ripple.

Thirsty.  That's a pro and a con.  I have to drink more, and more often.  That's a con because I'm so used to being 'dry' except for a quart or two of coffee per day.  It's a pro because I'm sure this is a healthier way to survive.  I'm 'hot' and sweating more now than I did before.. when I ran terribly cold especially after eating.  I do believe water is good for me - and my body is finally agreeing instead of saying 'I can't take one more cup or I'll throw it back up.' as I used to feel about large quantities of water.  Now I suck down an entire 8 oz glass and it's no problem.

Pros.  I'm not hungry as often, unless I splurge on a high-carb thing, and then I am hungrier even with the rest of my food in me.  If I stick to the list I'm full sometimes long past the normal time I would eat another meal.

 Also, I've lost inches.  My waist and hips are down 2 inches each, and my legs are still steady at one inch less than before I began the ketogenic part of this diet.  My stomach doesn't stick out as much, but there is still some ways to go.  Since there is water weight included in this and not just body mass - I think it would be safe to lose a bit more than I was originally planning because the water weight will come back afterwards.

Muscles.  I feel like I have more control over some muscles (like the ones in my rear that grip the exercise bike seat, and my shoulder muscles as I ride hands-free to use more of my core muscles) and that I have more energy in my muscles than I had before.  That's contraintuitive to the glycogen things I read about, where I should be depriving my muscles of the stored glycogen from carbs and then refilling them slowly with new glycogen made from the ketones...

I can get big bursts of speed on the bike (it has a speed thing, and I used to ride for 6 to 10 minutes at 8 to 10 mph and now I ride for 10 to 15 minutes at 10-13 mph), and I can lift more things over my head at work that I wouldn't think of powering up before.  I'm talking about a 20 lb well tank, not an elephant.  But still, it is nice to have that power in reserve and know it is there.  I'm up and down and lifting things all day and I only occasionally feel like I'm about to fall apart on the floor and need to be picked up.  And now, when that happens, I know I've probably done some effort worth the response.

Most of my little cuts and scrapes are closing back up remarkably fast, unless I get dirt in them, and then they have a little inflammation.  I am bruising a bit more on my arms (because I'm lifting and doing more) but they are healing up pretty quick, too.

Yesterday I was at 76 carbs and 21 sugars.  Today, I refused the other half of Esme's cereal bar (like I had been doing for more than a week but had went back to sharing it with her the past two days) because I really didn't want that 12 carbs and 6 sugars on my 'plate'... I'm hoping to go back to 65 carbs and less than 20 sugars.