Day 15 - Baby Belly I cared for mum my today. She has Altziemers and me and my sisters care for her outside out work hours. But I forgot my natural sweeteners. I had 3 cups of coffee there today, and couldn't resist using the sweeteners she had there. So I had 2 cups with one Sweetex in, and one with Canderel in last one in a coffee shop. (Oh and thank you so much Starbucks for starting doing Coconut and Almond milk lattes! Made my day! But they do add sugar, so ask them not to) And didn't think too much of it. When I got home, my stomach swelled like a big baby belly balloon! It could only have been those sweeteners as my diet was clean and the usual food I have today. It was pushed right out and was hard. So. the proof is in the pudding it would seem, that those sweeteners were a major factor to the bloating I had had before, that I had just got used to. Now I know what it is not to be bloated, it's easier to recognise when I am. The sweeteners are definitely being left out the diet after this Keto experiment. Day 16 - 'I can't bring myself to eat fat'I was thinking today about a conversation I had with a customer at work last week. She looks after herself, and we always have chats about food, diet and exercise whenever I go, even though she is one of my telecoms customers, we always catch up on these subjects too. She had said to me that she can't bring herself to eat fats. Shes only just been able to start eating avocado's, and even that to start with was a struggle. And this was because it has just been embedded into her over all these years that all fats are bad, and that fats make you fat. She is a well educated smart woman, and knows that what she feels is nowadays wrong but it's just part of how she thinks now. Everyone needs to understand, by leaving good fats out of your diet, this could have a massive negative effect on your digestive process and your body in general. It doesn't mean you have to do a Ketosis 70% fats diet, but a conscious effort to have good fats in your daily diet should be happening or should be considered. Most people seem to have a bit of knowledge about the benefits of carbohydrates and proteins, but don't really understand fats, and why the body needs them. So here's some information to help with this. A healthy human diet should have about 25 - 30% of its daily calories from fat in your normal everyday diet. Fat is a very dense source of energy, though is only usually converted to energy in the absence of carbohydrates, as we are finding out in this Ketosis process. So other than energy, what else does it do?
2. We need body fat. Although most of us don't want it, it is very necessary to cushion and protect your body organs, and protects us from injury. As a body builder, at show time, our aim is to get as low a body fat as possible. This look, is only fully achievable for the few days around show time, as it is so dangerous to stay this low. During show time, ladies tend to get between to 8-10% and men can get to 2 - 4%. This is red alert time. In this period you are prone to injury, organ damage and can feel very cold. Training should be careful and lighter. A lot of people see there body building idol in this state on stage and think that how you look all the time. It isn't. It can't be. Which is why off season most of us like to get the fat back on to feel healthier, in most cases look healthier, be able to grow more muscle by utilizing nutrients more efficiently and to protect our organs. Men and woman are different in what body fat levels we need. So I am a 46 year old woman, a healthy range for me is 23 - 35% body fat, and for men of the same age 11 - 22%. (Although from various sources this may slightly differ, but to give you an idea) Quite a massive difference. Woman are made different to men. The reason for this difference is that women at some point in their lives may become pregnant and will need to nourish a fetus and then a baby from their own fat reserves, so women have to stock energy in the form of fat in anticipation of future pregnancies. (Unfortunately for those ladies like me who decided not to have children, there is no off switch in this part of our genetics!) 3. Fat also provides insulation in the body fat and by providing healthier skin. One of the more obvious signs of fatty acid deficiency is dry, flaky skin. In addition to giving skin its rounded appeal, the layer of fat just beneath the skin (called subcutaneous fat) acts as the body’s own insulation to help regulate body temperature. Lean people tend to be more sensitive to cold; obese people tend to be more sensitive to warm weather. I had my hairdresser over on Friday just gone. She has been going on at me about my dry scalp for about 6 months, telling me ways of treating it. On Friday, it had totally gone. She said not a trace. Could this be because of eating all this healthy fat for the last 2 weeks? I think it could. My skin in general looks a lot better Another tick in the box. 4. You need fats also because they regulate the production of sex hormones. Hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, adrenaline and insulin, are important chemical messengers that affect many aspects of your overall health. Hormones are secreted by various glands and organs, including your thyroid, adrenals, pituitary, ovaries, testicles and pancreas. The endocrine system (the collection of glands that produce hormones) works together to control the level of hormones circulating throughout your body, and if one or more is even even slightly imbalanced it can cause widespread, major health problems. An imbalance can cause a low libido, insomnia, depression, weight gain/loss, irregular periods and a whole host of issues. Dr Axe explains well in that link details of all the issues in more detail that it can cause. So...do you go to the doctors for hormone replacement treatment, or thyroid treatment, or anti-depressants? Or could it be you don't eat enough good fats? Could you not just try eating a good amount of good fats in your diet for 3 months or so, and see what effect it has on your body? As fats help regulate the sex hormones, I think it would be worth a try. By the way, any change of diet for health reasons, or to see an improvement in the way you function, will take 2 - 3 months to see or feel the difference you may be looking for. This is because your body and organs regenerate all the time, most organs take 60 - 90 days, some much less. So it takes this long for a diet to 'become part of you' when done for medicinal purposes. Like when a cut heals on your skin, that may mend in a matter of days, this is a quick regenerating organ, Liver and pancreas and the like take something like 60 days for example. So patience is a virtue. And why you have to give change a chance. You don't know how many times I've heard 'I tried this diet for 2 weeks and I didn't feel different'...yeah...well...you won't. or 'I took multi-vitamins for a month and nothing happened?'...yeah...well...shame...*sigh* 5. Your brain needs fats to function properly. The brain is the fattest organ in the body, being made of about 50% - 60% fat. When it comes to building the brain, the body needs a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids from animal foods, to keep the brain functioning efficiently and consistently. Some experts are now saying that a widespread lack of omega-fatty acid balance you get from eating fats may be at the very root of some of the most troublesome neurological epidemics of our day, such as Altziemers and Fibromyalgia. So, have I got you wanting to add more good fats into your diet? Pick a few of these to add to your shopping basket the next time you go shopping - Day 17 - Physiologically easier...I've noticed something. I am not having my treat meals, or treat days like I often have on diets to look forward to...or those occasional biscuit or choccie with my coffee with Mums. We baked mince pies today..didn't even think of trying one. Simply because in my head, I can't. As I know a carb hit could throw everything off. When you've finally reached Ketosis, you just don't want to ruin it! So I'm finding resisting temptation much easier. It simply isn't an option. And an added bonus. Made my best coconut bread to date. Not a vegan version, just keto. So took out the soy yoghurt and added butter and 3 egg whites instead. And a little less salt. Delish! Its in the prep for the week! See how my prep evolves over time. Changed a bit since day 1 - Day 18 - Has all this fat upped my bad cholesterol?Starting wondering today whether my cholesterol has been effected by the sudden rise in fat I'm eating? My LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein...or bad cholesterol) was 4.8 mmol/l end of last year, and the ideal is under 5.0 mmol/l. I had previously been up to 7.2 mmol/l!! To give you an idea, the levels of total cholesterol fall into the following categories:
I did then put things into place to improving it, lowering my protein in take a little and adding some regular good fats/oils to my diet, which worked. So all is good. So what is it now? I fasted for 6 hours, and tested my cholesterol Result? 5.2 mmol/l. Up slightly, but not massively to be fair. Which is what I would expect. A lot of the fats I am eating come under the good fats of unsaturated (poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated) These fats actually help improve your cholesterol and lowers the bad (LDL) and helps raise the good (HDL). However, I am eating quite a lot of cheese, butter, cottage cheese, and coconut oil, and as good a rep that this has, it is still a saturated fat like the ones before, which come under the bad, which can raise your LDL. So a small rise like I have was what I though may happen, as they battle to find a balance. Still not a level I would yet worry about. So happy days! So why is high cholesterol an issue? How can it effect me? To go into detail check out this great link from Bodybuilding.com, but most of us know it places you at risk of heart disease as it can cause blockages in arteries. Body builders are prone to having high cholesterol due to the high amount of saturated fats eaten off season (some peoples bad habits) butters, eggs, meats and poultry skin, and also that obesity is a known cause of it too, and some body builders really do carry some serious weight at times. Excess weight of any kind can put pressure on your body. It doesn't have to be that way though. Just eat better. Eat more unsaturated fats, and keep them to 30% of your diet. Also -
Just best to be aware of what is going on in your body. Prevention, rather than cure. Day 19 - So..shouldn't my insulin be real low now?Insulin is a hormone normally produced in the pancreas and helps the body's cells absorb glucose from the blood, so when eating carbs, it helps you utilise your food more efficiently :
WOOOOOAAAHHHHH!! Didn't see that coming! According to this..I'm now diabetic! Prior to this diet I was 5.2 mmol/l and now I've shot up to 8.6 mmol/l? I tested through out the day. And all day it stayed between 8.6 - 9.0 mmol/l, not peaking and troughing after food either like it is known to do. But I have no diabetic side effects? Tiredness? Thirsty? Feel sick? Feel Faint? Nope. None of the above. Although I have had a dull headache for a few days, which I put down to a bit of stress in the family life at the moment. But it also could be this. So, an investigation is required. I consulted Dr Google as you do, and found this interesting read on www.dietdoctor.com - “We definitely see that in people who are doing low carb long term, the majority will find that their fasting blood glucose becomes their highest value of the day,” says Dr. Sarah Hallberg. “They are not actually having issues with blood sugar. They are doing really well. But if you are looking at a log of 24 hours of blood glucose you will see a high first thing in the morning and then a steady decline throughout the day, with no big excursions [in glucose levels] even after meals.” (This is true of me. I tested Friday morning and was 9.2 mmol/l, and I'm normally about 8.6-9 mmol/l in the evening, no major ups and downs) The scientific name is “physiologic insulin resistance” and it’s a good thing — unlike “pathologic insulin resistance.” "The “pathologic” kind of insulin resistance is caused by higher and higher levels of insulin — hyperinsulinemia — trying to force glucose into over-stuffed cells. That insulin resistance is a prominent feature of type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and other chronic conditions. (So this isn't the reason for my high blood sugars) Prior to converting to the ketogenic diet, your muscles were the major sites to soak up and use glucose in the blood for energy. On the long-term keto diet, however, they now prefer fat as fuel. So the muscles are resisting the action of insulin to bring sugar into cells for energy, saying, in essence: “We don’t want or need your sugar anymore, so move it along.” Hence, the elevated, but generally stable, glucose circulating in the blood. Where is that glucose coming from when you consume no sugar and only leafy veggie carbs in your diet? Your liver, through gluconeogenesis — the creation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources such as lactate, glycerol, and glucogenic amino acids from proteins. It is a natural protective process that got homo sapiens through hundreds of thousands of years of feasts and famines. “There is no essential requirement for dietary carbohydrate because humans possess a robust capacity to adapt to low-carbohydrate availability,” says Dr. Jeff Volek. In the liver of a keto-adapted person, he notes: “ketone production increases dramatically to displace glucose as the brain’s primary energy source, while fatty acids supply the majority of energy for skeletal muscle. Glucose production from non-carbohydrate sources via gluconeogenesis supplies carbons for the few cells dependent on glycolysis [using sugar for energy.]” So, it would seem I have a consistently high amount of blood sugars, floating around, being produced by my liver via proteins and other nutrients, with no where to go. And according to this, it is perfectly normal thing to happen in Ketosis. My ketones or consistently between moderate and large quantities, so they aren't being effected by these high glucose levels, my water is still between 2-4 litres a day, and I don't feel bad or lethargic at all. So no need to worry, tight? Still going to my GP for an opinion. It's the sensible thing to do. My GP, is also big into body building and has good knowledge in what I do. Whereas a lot don't and would flap about this straight away. But I do trust his word. So I will let you know what he says. Day 21 - 3 weeks in..So, finished week 3 now. Jumped in the Tanita scales and the results are in -
DAY 1 - Weight – 75.3 kg / 11st 12lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 22% Muscle Mass – 53.5kg / 8st 6lb Water % - 61% Visceral Fat - 4 DAY 7 - Weight – 72.2 kg / 11st 5 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 24.5% Muscle Mass – 51.8 kg / 8st 2lb Water % - 56.4% Visceral Fat - 4 DAY 14 - Weight – 71.2 kg / 11st 3 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 23.3% Muscle Mass – 51.8 kg / 8st 2lb Water % - 57.7% Visceral Fat - 4 DAY 21 - Weight – 70.9 kg / 11st 2 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 23.3% Muscle Mass – 51.7 kg / 8st 1lb Water % - 57.7% Visceral Fat - 4 So, no major difference today. No fat loss, and some minor muscle loss. (Which I did expect to happen due to low proteins). This is a plateau, which always happens in diets. Your body starts to adapt to the calorie intake. But it could also be down to my bad habit I have formed this week in nibbling! Little bit of cheese here, few nuts there whenever I open the cupboard door, extra couple of teaspoons of yogurt straight into the mouth not measured. And I was out for a meal on Weds In Hackney, London. I didn't eat carbs, but had tapas, which would be tough to calculate the calories. Now, when your nibbling fats, small amounts could easily add big calories, as we saw before that I had mentioned. So I am taking a little responsibility for this. My bad. You have to be honest with yourself on a diet. It's generally not the scales fault! What I am happy about, is the consistency of the scale reading over the last 3 weeks. Due to the lack of carbs, my body isn't fluctuating up and down, my muscles aren't loading and depleting with food intake, giving a more stable read that I can trust. This is a big help when monitoring progress. Thats, this week over. I'm baking this weekend! So more recipes next week to be included and I've mastered the perfect coconut bread so will give you a new recipe for that too! Have a great weekend! Terri
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Day 8 - The Vegan Keto Dinner MenuThis turned out to be quite challenging, and I had to practice a few times, but I did my best I think. And, the Vegan guests ended up not being able to make it, which was a shame. So my guests where meat eating, diary eating, carb eaters...eating a diary free, meat free and carb free dinner! Poor loves! Luckily, they were up for trying something new! My menu was - Tofu Tikka Masala Lime and Coconut Cauliflower Rice Coconut Bread Coconut BreadSieve the flour into a bowl. Mix in all dry ingredients, so add flax seeds, add baking soda, add salt, add Erythritol and add Coconut flour. Then in a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Melt coconut oil in pan, while melting, in a bowl mix sour cream and cup of yoghurt, and then add the coconut oil, cider and coconut milk Then mix wet and dry together. Put parchment paper in bread tray 23cm. 175 degress for 60 mins. Cover in foil for last 10 mins I have to confess, I made this twice. The first time, the middle didn't cook. Too moist, so I changed the recipe to the above, and it was better. It makes 12 servings and each are 105 calories per slice. Tofu Tikka Masala
Heat oil in in a pan, once melted add onion, garlic, ginger, Tikka curry powder, tomato puree and coconut milk. Mix in together. Add the cubed tofu, cover the pan and simmer for 10-15 mins. Add the cauliflower rice and cook till rice is soft. And bingo. Chop up some coriander if required, to finish. This makes 5 servings, 253 calories per serving. Lime and Coconut Cauliflower Rice Place cauliflower in food processor; pulse until cauliflower is chopped into pieces about the size of rice. Set aside. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 6 minutes. Add coconut milk, coconut, and 3 Tbsp. lime juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 12 minutes, or until tender and liquid evaporates. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and salt; cook for 2 minutes, or until lime juice evaporates. Makes 8 servings at 139 calories per serving. The Tofu Tikka and Lime and Coconut Cauliflower Rice, was a success. The coconut bread was an acquired taste. I liked it, especially for a replacement meal for a couple of days, with a layer of peanut butter! Nom..nom..nom, but my guest weren't too hot on it! Doh...or no dough! Ha! Going to make it again though, but just a Keto version, not Vegan. So with eggs and butter. Going to have it as one of my meals next week. The only thing I would mention, is the expense. The ingredients for the 2 lots of Physillum Husk rolls I did which totaled 8 rolls, and 2 attempts at the coconut bread, cost me around £25! For 2 small loafs and 8 rolls. Jeez! Below is how this dinner party of different food fitted into my macros. So brought down the fat a bit, but carbs still low enough, so a dinner party can be part of the diet plan if thought about. Day 10 - Thinking a lot todayToday I'm not so hungry. Did a massive poo. This has become daily and has definitely improved from how I was before the diet. I am back to work this week. Feeling good, which to me is normal. No better or worse than before and still sleeping very well. Body is definitely less wobbly/watery, it's not just in my head. I trust this thought now as I think it everyday. Muffin top on my leggings gone due to wobbly bits tighter, I think from the water loss and being less bloated. But could it be the stopping of bad artificial sweeteners I wonder? Or if it is this keto diet? This thought has made me think about the theory of the good old Food combining diet. Here's a little story. In my 20's I had an issue with my esophagus (basically the pipe that carries food from your mouth to your stomach), I was getting stomach acid randomly coming up into my mouth. The doctor said, I was producing too much acid in my stomach, for whatever reason he didn't give, and it had damaged the bottom of my esophagus allowing stomach acid to enter back into the pipe and back in my mouth. He gave me tablets and said I would be on them for life. To me this wasn't good enough. Never liked the answer being in a pill. So I read a little about food and how it digests (clearly the beginning of my interest in nutrition), which lead me to find the Food Combining diet. I bought a book on it. And thought this could be the answer to fixing my problem. I felt that reducing the acid would help the pipe fix itself. Right? The theory of Food Combining was, that we shouldn’t eat foods high in carbohydrates in the same meal as foods high in proteins or fats. One reason is that protein, carbs and fat require different digestive enzymes. Another is that carbs are digested in an alkaline environment while proteins are digested in an acidic environment. Either way, the story goes, if you eat these foods in combination, they will “cancel each other out” or "neutralized the digestion process" and not be digested, or take much longer than the body would want, causing maybe bloating, upset stomach, from potentially rotting food hanging about in your stomach. So, the Food Combination diet has you eating your proteins with veg, fats with veg and carbs with veg (in very basic terms), so you produce the correct acid and enzymes when you eat your proteins, and the correct alkaline and enzymes with your carb meals, so therefore digesting your food quicker and more efficiently. To me, this made complete sense, and could reduce my acid problem. So I did the Food Combination diet for 4 months. I found it an easy diet to follow. Nothing was cut out of my diet, just eaten a different way. I felt good, I ate healthier, I discovered new foods. I got right into making veggie burgers, which I loved. I lost weight quite easily, my acid returns stopped and I came off the tablets. I then stopped the diet to see if the acid issue returned. And it never did. It fixed my problem as far as I am concerned. There is not a lot of negativity online about this Food Combining diet, and I know now that it could well have just been a healthier lifestyle that fixed the issue. But I still like to think it wasn't just that and it worked for me. Why are you telling us this I hear you ask? Well, could this not be one of the reasons the Keto has a positive effect on you? You are consciously eating healthier and not combining starchy carbs and proteins in your meal? So therefore I am less bloated and digesting my food better and quicker, which in turn can make some people feel better? Interesting and possible me thinks. My Ketone sticks are still saying Moderate at Day 10. Could be because I'm only under eating by 250 cals a day? Only plan to loose about 0.5 - 1 lb a week. Do I need to under eat even less to reach full Ketosis and deplete the glucose quicker? But then, does it matter how quick I reach Ketosis? As long as I get there eventually, I guess it doesn't matter how long it takes. Patience is a virtue. Remember I said, I believe that every diet when you are under eating can have the result of glucose depletion in muscles, as that's what the body lives off first and foremost? So do you have to remove carbs to force Ketosis? Or just under eat enough for a period of time to use up all your glucose stores, which in turn will result in your body to start living off your ketones from fat reserves anyway? Mmmmmmm... Or are the sticks not working? It has been suggested to me that they don't. But I think they are there to guide, rather than gospel. So many question to figure out! Ketosis better kick in quick...and fat need to start moving, as I'm clearly doubting the theories right now! What I know for sure...is I had a great shoulder workout, as I normally do, I love training my boulder shoulders. And feeling jolly and skittish...like I can often do! I did notice thought, that I am loosing vascularity, not pumping up when I work out, and I ache it seems for no apparent reason? I'd expect it a day or two after training but its just all the time. Queer. But I know the pump and veins will be back..with the carbs back in my diet!...doh! :-) Day 11 - Today I have nuts on the mind...I am learning all the time. Today I was reading up on nuts to find out why Pecans and Macadamias are considered the best nuts for a Keto diet, but we are to stay away from the cashews! Why? Are they really that different? Apparently so. Check this out from the www.almonds.com Pecans and Macadamias are low in protein, highest in fats and low in carbs...so clearly perfect for Keto. Where as those cashews are one of the highest ones in protein, lowest in fat and highest in carbs. Got it. I understand why now. Thank you Almonds.com ! Day 13 - What to do with Tofu?Still had a load of Tofu left from the dinner party, needed to use it up. What on earth can I do with it, I thought? Not had much experience with it? Looked in the fridge, pulled out a few things that had been hanging around and made this - Tofu Pesto Fritters 560G Tofu (Mr Tofoo 2 boxes extra firm) 140g Tesco Green Pesto 2 tsp Tumeric 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 red onion 3/4 cup coconut milk Blend the Tofu with coconut milk. In another bowl mix together all other ingredients, then add in the blended Tofu. Mix together. Split into 12 portions on a tray lined with baking paper, and bake on 180 degrees for 30-40 mins. Oh my days! They are lush! So much so, they are added to my prep for the week below. Day 14 - 2 weeks in and counting..Today is weigh in and Keto stick check day! So whats been happening in side the old body? This... It took 14 days, but I have reached the state of Ketosis! Yay! I've arrived! And what about my weight? DAY 1 - Weight – 75.3 kg / 11st 12lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 22% Muscle Mass – 53.5kg / 8st 6lb Water % - 61% Visceral Fat - 4 DAY 7 - Weight – 72.2 kg / 11st 5 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 24.5% Muscle Mass – 51.8 kg / 8st 2lb Water % - 56.4% Visceral Fat - 4 DAY 14 - Weight – 71.2 kg / 11st 3 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 23.3% Muscle Mass – 51.8 kg / 8st 2lb Water % - 57.7% Visceral Fat - 4 Not only have I reached Ketosis, I have lost 1kg / 2.2 lb. AND lost only fat. As my muscle mass has stayed the same, and my body fat has gone down by 1.2% from the Day 7. Very interesting indeed. I have to say, the evidence in 2 weeks is the stats say it is working, just loosing the body fat. Also the good points-
So, after 2 weeks. Things are looking good for my review of the diet. But will this feeling continue? We'll have to wait to find out. My fridge is looking good too....! See you next week!
Terri x Day 5I want to add the post I originally put out which explained my reason for starting this diet. This was posted on the 28th Dec 2017 on my Facebook Page - After a very enjoyable bulk from October till now, I have decided to try the Keto Diet for 8 -12 weeks to see what happens. The only thing I have to get in shape for this year is some promo work at BodyPower 2018 and the summer! I have always not been sure about Keto as I don't like the idea of cutting out carbs or any macro from a diet. I feel all are necessary in a balanced diet. However...I can't knock it till I've tried it! I plan to live on a light maintenance amount of calories, so not a serious diet as a lot of weight loss isn't really my goal, I just want to see if surviving on ketones alone will really encourage extra fat loss, without (hopefully) much muscle loss, and I will be keeping a log my progress, thoughts, stinky breathe and feelings through the process. Starting end of this week, will allow me to try this diet, and if it works continue till BodyPower..if not return to what I know. I have heard a lot of positive feedback on it. For those who are unsure of what a keto diet is, it is a high fat, low/no carb diet with a medium to low amount of protein. The theory is this - The brain can live off two types of fuel, blood sugar (glucose/insulin produced from carbs), and ketones (from fat). The idea is to force the body to live of just the ketones, by depleting it of glucose. By therefore, cutting out the carbs, means no/low glucose to live on. On a Ketogenic diet, your bodies only fuel supply becomes fat. Fat turns to ketones by the liver. Insulin is low due to lack of carbs, and so fat burning increases, making it easy for the body to access fat stores to then burn them off. That's the theory anyway. My macros will be 70/20/10 Fat/Protein/Carbs. Its a lot of fish/eggs/cheese/nuts etc. Only low carb veg for carbs. Very much like the old Atkins diet (less meat!). So lots of quite tasty food. My shopping list was quite different! The ladies at Tesco's wanted to feel my forehead for a fever! Lol! I will also be cutting out all sweeteners. Which I am pretty addicted to. So no protein shakes, and no more of my beloved Musclemoose and Options chocolate drinks. Booooo! If you are thinking of trying this, after reading this, do not jump in if you are on medication for diabetes, or high blood pressure. Or you are breastfeeding. 😉 OK, wish me luck. Should be interesting....or horrid! I wanted to include this as I have had many private messages telling me various negatives about a body builder doing this diet. I just want to clear up that this is just me experimenting and researching a diet for myself. I will be following it by the book. To see what happens when you follow the Keto diet as it is intended. I have studied nutrition and I know also from my years of experience as a body builder, what is required of food to grow muscle. This is not a muscle growing exercise, it is fat burning research. I do thank you for your messages of concern, but I will definitely not be living this way for long, as the protein levels are way too low for my chosen sport and lifestyle. But I have a keen interest in gaining knowledge and experiencing for myself what diets are like. And discovering new foods, new recipes and ideas these extreme changes to regime introduce you to. So, today I got my delivery of Erythritol sweetener. And it is the NUTS! All natural, totally tasting like sugar. Happy days! My first cup of tea with this was bloody amazing. Easy to please! And I have been for a poo today! Yay! (Sorry for those who don't feel they need to know this info!) But I'm happy about this. Did look a bit odd though...sorry, not sorry! I don't seem to be as hungry today. But I have been super busy working. This always takes my mind off eating so that could be the reason why. I also didn't realise quite how bloated I was before I started this, until now. I didn't know it was an issue before as it was the norm. But my torso and legs are definitely less swollen looking, feel less solid, and unless its my imagination, I look better already in the mirror. But I do think there has been a lot of excess water loss, which could account for this. As us body builders know, when you loose water you look tighter. I also watched a TV program last night which happen to follow Josie Gibson of Big Brother fame, on a months ketogenic diet. And after a month she lost 1 kg or 2.2 lbs. And she wasn't happy, and said it was a rubbish diet. So she lost 0.5 lb a week. Meaning she must of been under-eating by 250 calories a day. If she had under-eaten by 500 calories a day she would of lost 2 kg or 4.4 lbs. The latter is an ideal weekly weight loss. Calorie deficit is what makes you loose weight, not the diet. This diet supposed to ensure you loose more stored fat on the diet, it doesn't promise to double the speed of weight loss! And as for loosing muscle mass, and gaining % fat? Well, I did say in this blog earlier , that I predicted this would happen with me too on my Tanita scale readings. And they were using these scales on the show. As I said before, this diet makes your muscles deplete of glucose, meaning your muscles will shrink. Therefore the Tanita's will read that you have less muscle mass. Leaving more mass between your muscle and skin, which makes the reading for % fat go up. You should wait for the Tanita scales to stabilize readings, always weighing your self at the same time of day after eating the same amount of food, and when Ketosis is reached. Then you should see these come down, providing, of course, you are eating a calorie deficit. Taking body composites is never an exact science, as your body changes by time of day, what you have been drinking and what you have eaten. Rant over. Tomorrow, I am food shopping. And will be attempting to make some Keto rolls. Something like bread..apparently! Day 6Today I feel good. Still waiting for that Keto flu, feeling proper crap that I keep hearing about. Hunger has normalized, I feel no more hungry than I normally do. Which is good, been to the toilet again today, so that's now once a day for the last two days, which is more than I normally do, so that's good. My sleep seems to be better than before too? So that too is good! The last four days have looked like this - Averaging about 3 hrs deep sleep a night! That's a lot! The norm is 1.5 - 1.8 hours a night, or about 18% - 20%. Mine is 27% +. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! This is of course trusting my Garmins readings. I am settling into the food more. Not thinking about what I'm eating so much. Just getting on with it. The one thing you really have to do on the Keto Diet is measure everything! You can't judge these portions by guesstimating! It is much less than you think. This being due to 70% of your diet being fat. Fat per gram is just more than double the calories than Carbohydrates and Proteins. Fat is 9 Calories per gram, and Carbs and Proteins are 4 calories per gram. So you get more for your money! Look at these portions below - Look at these tiny amounts of food, and the calories they contain. Most people use about 4 - 5 times that amount of peanut butter in a sarnie! 5 x 20g = 100g = 645 calories in peanut butter alone! 33% of a woman's recommended daily amount of calories in peanut butter only. 20g of peanut butter is what I have in my morning shake each day. And I HAVE to still measure it each morning. So, measure everything, or you could easily end up over eating. And not losing the weight you wanted to. Because remember...it's the calorie deficiency in a diet that will make you loose weight. Training wise, I guess that's suffering a little. I feel a little less enthused. Lost a bit of strength, and I am more achy than usual. (Although I always tend to ache somewhere!) I also have some arthritis in my hands, which is really playing up this week. And grip is very poor. Is it the diet? Or is it the weather, as this can have and effect? Won't know I figure until I stop the diet. Will need to monitor this. I thought I'd have a practice run today at making the Keto/Vegan Bread rolls recipe I found. It was interesting. They did sort of give me the feeling of eating a roll with some butter and peanut butter on them. Which was nice. But if I gave one to someone who wasn't keto, and told them it was a bread roll, they probably would be too impressed! I quite liked them. A bit like Rye bread. And they are really filling! This probably is because they are 75% fiber. If you are blocked up by this diet, these could help get things moving at they are made of Flax Seed and Psyllium Husk, which both have very high fiber, in fact nearly all fiber and a laxative effect! Watch this space....or maybe not! The recipe I worked with was - Keto/Vegan 'Rye' Bread rolls
1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. Blend flax seeds, tofu, salt and water till smooth. 2. In another bowl, mix together the baking powder, Psyllium husk powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. 3. Mix in blended mix till all mixed together. 4. Split into 4 and put onto baking paper on a tray, making sure they are about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 45 minutes (fan assisted oven time, adjust if not) and bingo..... I think I would make the mixture a bit more moist next time, and add a bit more water. But I did enjoy them with a bit of peanut butter and butter on them. Made a change from my usual 4th meal of broccoli and chicken! And changing this meal got my daily macros exactly right! An added bonus is they are only 77 calories a roll, practically no carbs, and nearly all fiber, so will probably end up down the loo too! Day 7 Woke up today after a bit of a restless sleep. I kept feeling like I wanted a poo, but nothing would happen. Probably them high fiber colon clearing rolls fighting the keto diet slowing down going to the loo! Who knows. I did also feel listless, lethargic and achy. And for someone who's always in control and on the ball, I couldn't think straight. Kept forgetting what I was supposed to be doing. But was it just because I was generally tired from the bad sleep? Possibly? I had an hour out cold on the couch in the morning...and again in the afternoon. WHich did make me feel better. I tried those rolls today, not good the following day. Could of bounced them off the walls! Best eat them fresh if you decide to make them. I checked my Keto sticks to give me an idea of if anythings changing- So day 7 and I am moderate. I do think the Ketosis state isn't happening as fast as it would for some as I am not heavily dieting. Muscles will deplete of glucose on any diet if you are under-eating, just happens quicker on Keto as its so low in carbs. So I am not surprised it's taking it's time getting there. I think it's also why I haven't been feeling rough like most people report. Taking it easy.
I also jumped on the the Tanita scales on the morning of Day 8 (so 7 days were complete) and here's how it read - DAY 7 - Weight – 72.2 kg / 11st 5 lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 24.5% Muscle Mass – 51.8 kg / 8st 2lb Water % - 56.4% Visceral Fat - 4 Compared to - DAY 1 - Weight – 75.3 kg / 11st 12lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 22% Muscle Mass – 53.5kg / 8st 6lb Water % - 61% Visceral Fat - 4 This may shock you. Reading these it says I have lost 7 lbs in a week, lost 5 lbs of muscle mass and gained body fat. Isn't this remember, what I predicted what would happen? It is actually impossible to loose 7 lbs of good quality weight (fat) in a week. There is 3500 calories in a lb of fat, so I would have to under eat by 3500 calories a day to loose this much fat. Its impossible to achieve without eating nothing for a week! Most people don't have Tanita or any composition scales, and would just see a 7 lb weight loss on your normal scales and think 'Wow, this diet is amazing!' But this is mostly what I call fake weight loss. Only a 1 lb or 2 lb will be real. So where has that weight gone you may ask? Reasons why this could happen in the first week of Keto (or most diets) -
Therefore, I am going to monitor weight loss and body fat measurements from now on. I have still got a bit of depleting to go, here is where I'll keep and eye on things to see what changes. Week 1 is over. I have to say. It isn't an easy diet to follow. I have a sweet tooth, and there is not much sweet about it. But luckily, I love oily fish and cheese, and these I am enjoying. I have a Keto / Vegan dinner party tomorrow. And I will be putting up the meals I have opted for. And a review of what it all taste like! As I have never made any of it before! Wish me luck! Terri Day 2Took some pictures in the gym to show what I look like at the start. Always need those progress pics! This is me nearly 12 stone and 22% body fat. I slept well. I did wake up as usual at 3 am starving, but this happens normally anyway! I had my first meal then in a shake form this time, and it worked! Much tastier as a shake! Blended up really well! And then went back to bed and slept for another 4 hours out cold. Perfect! Did my morning cardio session at home and then went to the gym about 10 am to do my weights with my buddy. Felt very strong. Clearly carbs still working their way out of my body. Pumped like a beast! The number 1's and 2's have already calmed down. Today I felt pretty normal. Still enjoying the food as expected as it's only Day 2. Did feel quite hungry in the evening. But I often feel hungry during a day anyway! Day 3Slept again like a log, after doing my usual wake up at 3 am, eat, back to bed and out cold! I'm glad it's not effecting my sleep. New Years Day today, done my cardio at home, then off to the gym for shoulders after lunch. The only thing I'm really feeling is hungry! These tiny meals digest through me like lightning, and I am left waiting for more after each meal. It is making me feel slightly hangry today! Grrrrr! Or it may just be that I couldn't have my large tea with 5 sweetener sachets, or a honeycombe latte when I went to Starbucks at the cinema! Water it is then! Bah humbug! ..(Mmmmm....humbugs!) I double checked my macro and calorie calculations using this Keto Macro Calculator Tool which confirms they are correct. So I will just have to wait till the Ketosis effect kicks in and dream of the feeling less hungry bit! My skin is no longer greasy, and my wees are still normal, even with drinking 4 litres of water a day. I've upped my MCT oils by just taking a teaspoon during the day. Adding it to food I think gets lost on the plate. By the way..when opening and using MCT Oils for the first time, be careful. It isn't a think oily substance, it's more a watery fluid which means it gushes out! As I found when a load of it went in the sink and on me! I started looking at Keto foods online, ready made snacks and food etc. Bloody hell, they are expensive! I got a dinner party this Sunday with me on Keto and a vegan couple coming. So it's a little challenge for me. Checked with all those coming, and they all are happy to eat a Keto/vegan home prepared meal. I've found a couple of recipes that I am going to attempt. So I'll let you know how that goes this weekend. I also wanted to investigate Keto friendly sweeteners, as I really struggle with no sugar/sweeteners in my hot drinks, especially coffee...and I love my coffee! I never really fully understood why sweeteners are seen as so bad by dieting body builders and Keto dieters? I found one online called Erythrinol, totally new one to me, that was Keto friendly, and without the bitter taste of Stevia. I felt the need to find out why this one is OK as opposed to Stevia for instance. So I done some research and discovered the following (Sourced mostly from Livestrong.com ) - Saccharin - A white chemical crystalline powder, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories. It is one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in soft drinks and is used in a variety of other products, including fruit juices, chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste and pharmaceuticals. Saccharin has been reported to raise blood sugar levels during a chemical process during digestion. And other reactions can include -
On reading up some more on this there seems to me to be a whole load of conflicting reports and investigations. So much so, it does get quite baffling. I think because of this, people have preferred just to avoid it, just in case. See below for just a taste of one of the negative reports I found. However, Saccharin does seems to be the preferred out of the two chemical sweeteners that is Saccharin and Aspartame. In the early 1970's, saccharin was thought to be a carcinogen when it was linked to bladder cancer. This link was based on studies done on rats. The National Cancer Institute notes that human trials have found no such link and that the mechanism that caused bladder cancer in rats does not exist in humans. Still, the Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that saccharin is unsafe and has issued the sweetener its lowest rating of "avoid." In a 1997 press release, the CSPI acknowledged that saccharin has not been proven to cause cancer in humans, but the CSPI contends that studies that have been done on saccharin indicate that it may still present a risk. Aspartame - Is one e of the most common artificial sweeteners, is a combination of two amino acids -- phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar and, like saccharin, contains no calories. Aspartame should not raise blood sugar levels as it contains no carbohydrates, nor should it have an impact on insulin. Anti-aspartame activists claim there’s a link between aspartame and a multitude of ailments, including:
However, on reading up on this there seems to me to be a whole load of conflicting reports and investigations that say otherwise. So much so, it does get quite baffling. And again, I think because of this, people have preferred just to avoid it, just in case. See below for just a taste of two conflicting reports I found. Consumer-Reported Side Effects - A 2003 report completed by the Aspartame Toxicity Information Center documented various consumer-reported toxicity effects of the sweetener. According to the report, aspartame toxicity can be divided into three categories: acute toxicity, which occurs within 48 hours of ingestion; chronic toxicity effects, which occur after years of use; and potential toxicity effects, for which it would be difficult to establish a link to aspartame. The report references a 1988 survey that appeared in the "Journal of Applied Nutrition." According to 551 persons who reported side effects from aspartame, the most common effects were headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory loss, blurred vision, severe depression, irritability, anxiety attacks and severe drowsiness or sleepiness. The Official Reports Say it's Safe - A 2002 paper published in "Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology" noted that the safety testing of aspartame has gone well beyond the required level and that there are no unresolved questions regarding its safety. Based on a 2005 animal study that found a link between aspartame and lymphomas and leukemia in rats, the National Cancer Institute completed a study examining over half a million retirees and found no connection between the artificial sweetener and the development of lymphoma, leukemia or brain cancer. Finally, a "rigorous review of all available scientific research on aspartame" published in 2013 by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that aspartame, when consumed at recommended doses, is safe. Stevia - Stevia is extracted from the leaves of its namesake plant, Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia is calorie free. It does not raise blood sugar levels at all. Stevia is 250 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar, reports Texas A&M University. But I do think is does have a bitter after taste. Bleuur! You can find Stevia in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but they also have other uses. Stevia work for home baking because it's both heat-stable. Most sweeteners, including Stevia, can cause dental cavities. Stevia contains steviosides, which may irritate your stomach and cause other problems for the digestive system, including, bloating and a decreased appetite. In some rare cases, Stevia consumption can lead to aching and sore muscles or a feeling of numbness and dizziness when standing up or moving. Xylitol - This is a sugar alcohol, with "alcohol" referring to a chemical structure. Sugar alcohols are modified forms of sugar and not technically an actual sugar, which is why foods containing Xylitol can be labeled "sugar free." It is naturally found in fruits and a variety of plants. Xylitol is extracted from corncobs or trees, according to Xylitol.org. You’ll get about 2 calories for every gram of Xylitol you consume, which is half the amount of calories found in table sugar. Xylitol barely has an impact on blood sugar levels. Xylitol has the same level of sweetness as table sugar reports Texas A&M University. You can find Xylitol in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but it also has other uses. Xylitol adds moisture to baked goods and gives a sheen to frosting's. Sugar alcohols do not cause cavities. Xylitol may even help prevent cavities, although Erythritol was found to do a better job than Xylitol at preventing cavities in children, according to a study in the May 2014 issue of “Caries Research.” Xylitol can cause side effects such as diarrhea, headache, and stomach ache in some people and/or when consumed in large doses. Erythritol - This is a sugar alcohol, with "alcohol" referring to a chemical structure. Sugar alcohols are modified forms of sugar and not technically an actual sugar, which is why foods containing Erythritol can be labeled "sugar free." It is naturally found in fruits and a variety of plants. Erythritol is usually produced by fermenting another natural sugar i.e. glucose, again according to Xylitol.org. Erythritol is calorie free. It does not raise blood sugar levels at all. Erythritol tastes 60 percent to 80 percent less sweet than sugar, according to the University of Kentucky. This does not have any bitter after taste. And is supposed to be the closest to tasting like sugar. You can find Erythritol in many low-calorie foods and beverages, but it also has other uses. Erythritol creates the same shiny effect in low-calorie chocolate, adds bulk to dairy products and improves shelf life in baked goods. It also works for home baking because it is heat-stable. Sugar alcohols do not cause cavities. Erythritol may even help prevent cavities, and was found to do a better job than Xylitol at preventing cavities in children, according to a study in the May 2014 issue of “Caries Research.” Erythritol can cause side effects such as diarrhea, headache, and stomach ache in some people and/or when consumed in large doses. Because the last three Stevia, Xylitol and Erythritol are from natural fruit glucose and plants, and have no reports or scares about links to illnesses, these are the preferred sweeteners of choice for most. It seems, Erythritol is the preferred sweetener on the keto diet. I really don't like the taste of Stevia, I have tried a Xylitol/Stevia mix in a product called Natvia, which does taste better than just Stevia, and there are so many scares around Aspartame and Saccharin that they are best avoided as there is no definitive answer. I like what I read about Erythritol, so my educated choice is Erythritol. And I've ordered some in. Day 4I was out cold at the alarm this morning. I seem to be sleeping heavier after my usual middle of the night snack? Bonus! I also did a Ketosis strip to see if anything had changed - So it's definitely darker. I think somewhere between Trace and small. It should take between 2 - 7 days to reach the desired Ketosis state. So, I would consider this slow progress.
I have been drinking squash that I needed to finish which contained aspartame and more carbs than I realised in 250ml. I finished this yesterday. So just water now. And I brought unsweetened coconut water today, instead of full fat diary milk, as I do have milk in my 3 cups of tea and coffee, and in my omelette. And there is a carb count in that too And I've upped my MCT Oils by a teaspoon a day. I have noticed some things today, such as -
Well that's day 2 to 4 done. I've been told the next few days are generally tough. So, lets wait and see. Speak soon! Terri The day before - 29th December 2017 – Trying to devise my diet today to match the macros is much harder than I thought! Not the bringing down of the carbs, but the bringing down of the protein! The portions are going to be tiny too, being that per gram of fat is over double the calorific value of carbs and protein. Everything is tiny! So, here’s a few things about me. Ok, so I have the constitution of an ox. I eat anything. I have no intolerances. No allergies, I never get stomach bugs and I can’t remember the last time I was physically sick for any reason. I sometimes occasionally get water retention, particularly with too much sodium (but I am also a girl of course, and we do tend to 😉) So, I’m not doing this to fix anything. I have very good skin, super shiny hair, and I sleep like a log, because I am fit and healthy and drink 2-4 litres of water a day. Cholesterol, blood sugars, blood pressure and all that jazz is all bang on. I get them all checked regularly. My moods are consistent, I am never lethargic and rarely tired till bedtime. I have an enthusiastic outlook on life most of the time and can be hyper-active at times. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke and I workout pretty much every day, sometimes twice a day. I always eat 5 – 6 small meals a day, normally on macros of 50/30/20 (Protein/carbs/fats) and I know this works for me. I have lived like this for about 5 years or so. But fat burning can be hard for me. Being 46 years old also makes it a little tougher. I am aware that calorie deficits, extra cardio and consistency in any diet works. But you do also loose an amount of muscle through dieting. Especially long-term dieting like I often do. I normally eat off season 3000 – 3500 calories a day. I can burn these easy each day, and a little extra calorie intake to grow off season is what I want. I look at my Garmin today and calories burnt is 3913. However, today was an extra busy day. I am researching ketosis to see if a shorter diet with more effective fat burning will work for me as a body builder. Loosing less muscle during the diet, and achieving lower bodyfat percentages. And a little less cardio. As opposed to long slow diets with hours of cardio. I also have stubborn bits of body fat that likes staying were it is. So, is it quick? Is it more effective? Will I feel better mentally? Will I feel less hungry? All this should happen during this keto diet. Bought on by the ketosis effect. The keto diet I have put together will be based on around 2200 calories per day. Macros goal is 70/20/10 (Fat/Protein/Carbs). With exercise there should be weight loss. 66/26/8 is where I’m at with macros. Which is the best I could do for now! See my diet below - This no doubt will be tweaked in over time if I don’t like combinations, or get bored and so on. I have bought my Ketone strips to check ketosis is happening and when, and my MCT oils to add to food. So, tomorrow morning is food prep for the week, and first taste of the days menu. Wish me luck! Day 1 - 30th December 2017 – I had a good feast at my dad’s Christmas buffet yesterday, and the last piece of my homemade pumpkin pie. My muscles are very glucose full today. I did my weigh in knowing that I am fully loaded. So, my stats today were – Weight – 75.3 kg / 11st 12lbs Height – 5 ‘6 / 168 cm Body Fat – 22% Muscle Mass – 53.5kg / 8st 6lb Water % - 61% Visceral Fat - 4 I always find with Tanita scales that when you are carb loaded your bodyfat % improves because your muscles are full, so it reads less than usual, because there is less mass to read between muscle and skin. You feel tighter. So, I predict, that as my muscles depletes of glucose, my muscle mass reading will drop considerably, resulting in my bodyfat reading going up, as it reads more mass between muscle and skin. This can be a head wreck. But if you have to understand your body changes dramatically with what you are eating every day. I’ve got the softer look to look forward to. Oh joy. That will be tough. I hope this will level out when the body fat drops, and should become more consistent. First Ketosis strip done, the obvious was read i.e. negative keytone reading Food wise? The breakfast was nice. Although I’m used to a much sweeter start. I am considering turning this into a shake. Adding some water and sticking it in the Nutri-bullet. There was lumps of coconut oil and peanut butter. I think those flavours mixed together better will make it tastier blended. Along with a cup of coffee. The omelette was delicious! Ooof the full fat extra mature cheese was gooey lushness! Lots of water, and a ginger and lemon tea. And the Chicken, Pecans and Broccoli meals 3 and 4 were also really tasty. The broccoli I baked with Piri Piri salt and smoked paprika. With the oils too, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it! And then meal 5 was Piri Piri Mackerel with Longley Farm Full Fat Cottage Cheese and half an avocado. This worked so well. Real happy with the plan so far! And lastly – The Sardines in olive oil with a whole hunk of mixed cabbage, with lemon and lime paprika seasoning. An old Favorite of mine that I left in. I have this as my last meal of the day through this years show diet and onwards! So, this is my food for the next week at least. I am very happy with my choices. Even after day one I have been feeling the effects of changes to my diet. I haven’t stopped weeing! 4 litres of water (which is about my norm anyway) and salting most meals to, but am back and forth to the loo all day. And not just number 1’s, …number 2’s hasn’t stopped either, which is actually very unusual for me. I’m normally once a week due to a twisted colon! So, this could be a good side effect that I hadn’t thought of.
I have noticed a very oily face! Worrying, as could instigate spots? But I’ll just keep an eye on that. There is a number of side effects that could happen. I am aware of these, and will keep an eye out. Click the link to find a list. So, there we are day one over. I’ll report back in a few days. Oh and Happy New Year!! Terri So, everyone’s been asking what happened at the UKBFF British Finals in Nottingham last weekend, and I wanted to wait till I have photos to add to my blog/post, and I have now got all the photos etc to back it up. Held at Theatre Royal, Nottingham, 700 competitors seen over one hectic and long weekend. You probably know by now that I didn’t get top 6, out of the 15 girls on stage, and I went there with the knowledge that it was unlikely. The UKBFF Woman’s Physique class I do believe is the toughest category in the toughest federation, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I prefer a challenge rather than an easy ride. And standing next to the finest physiques in the country helps me see what I need to work on, and what’s good about me too. But…friggin’ hell…what physiques did turn up this year! The day I thought was super organised, Cheryal and her team at ProGlow tanning was bang on time with my tan at 8.30am. Bumping into Hayley Brylewski in the tanning booths, getting a glimpse at how super tight she was this year…and accidently getting a glimpse of the boys tanning area brightened up my morning too..DOH! Then onto make-up, with the lovely MUA Donna, again…bang on time and ready to roll at 10.20am in a room backstage which soon became the place for us all to hang, chat, sleep, sip on our water, and munch on our rice cakes. Bumped into Linda Gartside in the corridor too looking beautiful all dollied up, great make up! And my buddy Clare Ibbett joined us in the dressing room for the duration too, and we then sat giggling through silly stories, with the occasional sip of wine to boot! Time for bikinis on, thanks to Muscle Dazzle again, for a fabulous suit, and a perfect fit all the way from the US. Amazing service. Then off we go after a call to back stage for pumping up, pinning on your numbers and getting glazed. Time for a bit of sugar too (and I don’t mean you Dennis!), it is supposed to make you veinier and help with your pump…but I just think really it’s a well-deserved treat before you go on! Moving on to stage right, continuing to pump, a little dance to someone’s funky routine music, and a nose around at everyone’s bodies! You know it, course we all do it! And wow…what a bunch of women to be stood around. Women from 20 odd to nearly 50 odd years of age, who are mothers, company directors, PT’s, hard-working employers and employees and hard training girls in their physical prime at that very moment. All motivators, inspirations, super-consistent, driven ladies with hours and hours of weight lifting and cardio sessions behind them, clean eaten food preppers for weeks/months to get right here. Totally in control of their bodies and very aware of every muscle and ligament as they move. Amazing. And we are on…… A long time being judged. Was a tough call. There were those that shone through, and those that were very good. No one was out of place. Everyone deserved to be there. The top six 1st Donna Murphy, 2nd Andrea Corbett, 3rd Linda Gartside, 4th Ade Bishop, 5th Emma Gormley, and 6th Anita Tryc. An amazing top 6. Although I must be honest in saying I was pretty shocked that Hayley Brylewski wasn’t in the top line up. Her condition and muscularity I thought was the best I’ve seen her, so I was a little baffled. But I guess it would have been hard to choose. I also am surprised Linda hasn’t got a gold medallion or trophy so far this year, so much work and improvements made! She’s looking phenomenal this year! Give her a bloody Pro Card for crying out loud! Donna and Andrea…what can I say…I looked positively skinny next to these two spectacular bodies. Donna symmetry on stage was second to none, and Andreas legs! Jeez!!! Time for treat bags back stage! Not sure whether I was more excited about doing the show or eating my treat bag? And a chat with some lovely new physique ladies met for the first time, like Nicky Glarvey (thanks for sharing your back stage photos!) Ece Kilkis…making me laugh with her 3-hour hair do! And meeting and chatting to the lovely Anita Tryc, and I can’t forget my lovely cuddle from Ade Bishop after show. To be fair, the comradery from all the girls made for a great atmosphere, and always enjoy and admire the maturity and mutual respect that comes with the Woman Physique category. This year was always going to be my last show. Body building was always a hobby to me. And from being on stage this year, I see I need to add a hell of a lot of mass to get anywhere near the top spots, and at my age that doesn’t happen easy, and I have other things I need to focus on. Such as my telecoms business of 20 years, which I also love, my mother who has Alzheimer’s, and to whom I am her carer, along with my 2 sisters and one of her friends. More and more time is needed to be spent with her. I need a social life back too. I need to be around my friends and family more but I never say never. And I will NEVER stop going to the gym and training. I want to thank all in the UKBFF, especially Sarah Bridges who’s always supportive, Paul Knight, who taught me my abs and thigh…which didn’t get called this year! Martin Kelly who’s always got a kind smile for me, and all the judges who’s paths I’ve crossed over the years. John Plummer for some lovely comments in his reports and always answers my questions I message him, and Chris Bailey for his beard, long hair and flip flops…oh and those stage shots! Eric Guy also for his photos and peculiar sense of humour? Liquid Sun Rayz, ShowTan and ProGlow for my perfect tans, Selena Bikini, Harlequin and Muscle Dazzle for my bikinis. All the gyms I train at where ever I lay my hat…for letting me pay to lift their weights, and sometimes do it for free! I enjoyed every part of this year’s season, the prep, the qualifier, the training and the finals. I bought the best me to date for sure. I can also thank bodybuilding for fixing all the things I hated about myself in the mirror during my younger years, my wobbly bingo wings…gone…my tree trunk knees…gone….my flat granny bum…gone..(ish)..and giving me confidence in me. Making me proud of who I am, and giving me a healthy lifestyle and better understanding of food, and how eating right has improved my skin, hair and all that comes with a good diet and exercise. Bodybuilding and fitness made me a better person and more in control of every aspect of my life. So…better get off to the gym…before my next meal…and so life goes on. Special mentions to those who have always been there for show support and advice – Mark Etherton, Danni Cage, Stella Milani, Antonietta Maria, Leo Johnson, Adam Howkins, Christal Cornick, Campbell Noon, Gareth Hicks, George Morris, Kendrick, Louise Beard, Matt Marsh, Spencer Davey and all those friends and my family.
And other friends and fellow competitors who have shared the stage, supported me and/or who understand and trust the process – Angela Kirkpatrick, Nat Simon, Douglas Lippingwell, Sandra Lippingwell, Fay Chester, Nikky Ricks, Gabriel Ogunmakin, Gemma Lancaster, Rosie Harte, James Perry, Jason Clare, Jodie Barrett, Karen Cobb, Kirkules Grimsley, Leica Geisei, Michelle Williams, Natalie Jowett, Nicki Chandraraj, Patrick Marshall, Zakos Pallikaros and my close friends and family.
This can only mean one thing....It’s off season time!! Looking in my mirror, this is me. This is my normal everyday body. Maintainable, achievable, less stressed, softer and is reality. This is the body I need to be happy with. The body that’s going to be the norm for most of the rest of my life. My show body is for yours and mine entertainment. 16 -20 of extreme dieting and working out for me to see what I have sculpted over time, and for your entertainment on stage. It doesn’t stay for long.
I dieted from January to July and lost over 10 kg...to have them all and more back on in 4 weeks. You probably think I’m gutted about this. But I’m not at all. This is part of the process, and part of being a body builder. So many people I speak to don’t understand this. You can’t look like you do in the pictures and on stage 365 days of the year. For a woman to live at 10-13% body fat or a man to do the same at their show levels of 2-5% is dangerous. Your internal organs need fat around them to function properly. A fit level off season for a woman is 21 – 24%, and a man 14 – 17%. You also only can really grow, sculpt and correct our shape off season. When you eat properly and sleep properly. This is when all the magic happens. And to all you young men and woman starting out who I often speak to, if you think you will have that stage body all year round your wrong. That’s a fantasy. You need to be real. You also need to learn to love your off season shape. After all, you are doing all this good eating and training to make THIS body the best it can be. The one you live with every day, the one you wake up and see every day in the mirror, the one you shower every morning and bath at night, the one that has responded to those long hard workouts, the one you push to its limits numerous times a year ...this is your off season body the one you should like the best, the one you should be proud of and the one you should take good care of. So back to looking in the mirror....this is me. This is my normal everyday body, and it’s great to see you again! Welcome back! Now let’s go lift some proper weights....! Back to the land of the living! After a fantastic holiday stuffing my face and gaining a wonderful 5kg (I weighed 10 kg heavier when I first got home, but was mostly water which has now gone!), and putting together a perfect little detox diet for the week when I came back of vegetable juices, fresh fruit/veg/ legumes, proteins, seeds and sprouted grains...blimey I feel better! I’m back on show dieting and prepping my foods now too to get ready for the UKBFF British Finals 2015 in Nottingham. And am on it like a car bonnet! I needed to gain some weight. The 7 weeks of maintaining weight between the last two shows was tedious! I need a start and a finish...I need to see progression and improvements rather than just ticking over. And with the weight I gained on holiday...I now feel motivated. And I sufficiently ate copious amounts of food to come back and look forward to dieting, and a routine with no cravings. With lots of good food and rest I feel less emotional too, hormones a little more balanced. I knew I would. Everyone feels shaken up the weeks after a show whatever the outcome, and I knew my thoughts and feelings would change once I got back to being me, and flushed out my system. The British Grand Prix wasn’t as bad as I had first thought for me. I was only 1 point away from the 3rd place lady. 1 point away from a potential invite to the Liverpool Amateur Olympia and Arnold Classic...but now rather than pull me down, that thought now is motivation. No experiments, use what I have learn’t works, and hammer out the next few weeks and bloody nail it! I was asking myself in my last blog why I compete? Why I put myself through it over and over when it is so taxing on the body? Especially with me all year round being such a health and fitness freak. And the reason is....I simply love show day. Competing is my only vice! I don’t drink or smoke or have any other bad habits, the only things that does tickle my fancy is showing my wears on stage.
And yes, it is for all that I mentioned before...recognition for hard work, some adoration, to show off, fulfilling my 25 year ambitions and to be unique or unusual. All these reasons and more are what I do it for. It pushes my boundaries, proves my physical control of my body and mind and it motivates my off season training giving me something to work towards. I think it is an art; to sculpt your body, balance it out and work on symmetry, correcting your form and posture and the only time you get to see what you’ve been working on all year and all of my life...is when I am stripped of my fat and water, tanned, oiled, bikini donned and with the most revealing lights pointing straight at me...only then do I know if all that food prepping and training has paid off. That’s why I put my body through those tough weeks. So I am going to continue with the great federation that is UKBFF...and continue to compete. After all, competing is my only vice... So, sitting here sunning myself in Egypt having a fantastic holiday with my sister, sat in a cabana after a snooze and a massive breakfast...I found myself reflecting on the show last Sunday which now seems a million days away.
For those who didn’t read the show reports, I didn’t place top 3 and came 4th out of 4 (last in other words, no denying it!) and I think it was my worst show to date. For two reasons, my worst placing to date, and my worst package brought to the stage to date. What went wrong, you may want to know. I tried a different prep which, as I am already qualified for the British this year, was always my plan to use these early shows as a time to tinker with final weeks of prep, try some different things and see what happens. When I first booked the Bodypower and British Grand Prix show they were non qualifiers which were perfect for practice. But they became qualifiers over the year, which upped the anti a little, but I still went with the plan of experimenting. Bodypower 2015, I was still happy with, as I felt I produced a good stage package, my mistake was not getting the posing right, and also I was told by judges afterwards I am too muscular for the Body Fitness and looked quite muscular on stage. I can deal with that, dust myself down and move on. The UKBFF British Grand Prix 2015...I’m struggling to deal with. It was a fantastically organised show, with some great prizes and a high standard of competitors. Which was exactly what I expected from the UKBFF Panther Crew! The day before I visited a pal who gives good honest opinions on my standard, and I got the thumbs up. Looked bang on he said. I thought so too. I had decided to try sodium loading and all that was left to do was to sodium load starting on the morning of the show. 5.30am - My tanning buddy who has tanned me on all my shows with Liquid Sun Rayz said she’d never seen my lower abs look so good. I had 3 small amounts of salted nuts (about 10 peanuts) before stage over the morning...then started to swell...and swell...... Got on stage and looked horrid next to the fantastic other competitors. I deserved to lose. I did feel gutted. I don’t do this to lose after all. I am always egging for a win. I feel embarrassed and wished I never got on the stage, I should of re-assessed the situation beforehand, and pulled out rather than making the fool of myself, which is how I feel right now. Trouble didn’t stop there. I swelled...and swelled...my eyes swelled, I felt very unwell and couldn’t sleep or eat properly, and my heart was trying to jump out of my chest. Because of the de-hydration process and the sodium mix, I drank 6 litres of water through the night as my mouth kept drying out. And although tired was glad when it was time to leave for my holiday as it took my mind off how I felt, although was starting to feel better. I have been having to sleep and sunbathe on holiday with my legs raised to stop myself from swelling up. Each day I am feeling better. Great to be properly hydrated too. Lots of good (and bad!) food and did do stair intervals and do some weights yesterday as felt the urge to train. I’m 44 years old this year. I have a passion for fitness, health and nutrition. I believe food to be medicinal and can fix and repair...and clearly can poison too if used in the wrong way. It has left me wondering why I do shows. Adoration? Recognition for my hard work? To show off? To fulfil a 25 year ambition? It’s unusual/uniqueness? I’ve always loved being on stage since my singing/acting days, so maybe a need to return to it? All of the above? The prep is tough ...and very unhealthy. I spend all year eating to improve my skin, hair, bones and joints and go shopping in the best fish and meats suppliers, eating and discovering new superfoods to improve my immune system, slow the aging process, to keep my heart, lungs and organs healthy and generally keep a spring in my step...to then poison myself for a show just to be the tightest, least watery, most vascular, driest, most defined, most serrated, the lowest in body fat....and all that on show day jargon that you hear. Body building is in my blood. It fascinates me. I love the way it makes me look. Visibly fit. I can sculpt and shape my body and get rid of annoying parts of my body, change its shape, and re-design my look, over time, slowly...with training and diet. I look in the mirror and I’m happy. Do I need to do the shows? It’s the un-healthiest part of what I do. To be physically at your peak for a matter of days, but at the cost of being at your un-fittest for that period of time? A decision I am still toying with. I have 3 more days of holiday. One more week off diet when I get home, before I start prep again for British Finals in October. Got a lot of thinking to do....and another blog in between, as I also know emotions are high. I think it’s good to share my thoughts and feelings during these times. It hopefully gives you an honest insight into the world of being a body builder. You might think ‘I know exactly where she’s coming from’ or ‘I didn’t realise that it can make you feel like that’ or ‘Sodium loading worked for me so she’s wrong’ ...whatever it is, it’s good for me to share my feelings, thoughts, emotions and physical awareness during this process with you as it might help you somewhere along your journey too. Or help with a decision you need to make during your journey. My great friend and advisor said ’Put it down to a bad day at the office’. I liked this thought process. Just that phrase has helped. Shit happens...learn from it. Will it make me even more of a looser if I give up? Or will giving up make me a winner in keeping my body fit and healthy all year round? Or am I over-thinking...was it simply a bad day at the office..... So, show day was yesterday, The Body Power UKBFF USN Classic Body Fitness over 163 cm and I understand that I was 4th out of the 8 line up. You may think I’m disappointed, but I am actually really quite happy with the outcome of this show. Why? –
1. There is no masters in this show, so I am in with everyone (all the fitty youngsters!), and I felt I held my own and fitted in nicely. 2. Looking at the photographs, I am so pleased with my progress in my glutes and legs. I have achieved what I set out to do, and have now got a tight butt and legs that match the muscularity of my upper body, and so look more symmetrical and balanced than I ever have. 3. The check in was easy, and the show was really enjoyable, backstage was friendly and the staff were so helpful and just great. 4. I lost to worthy opponents, 1st and 2nd place had physiques to die for, and 3rd and mine I hear were a close call. 5. Feedback from judges was that my posing was tense, and I need to relax a little. And they were right. I felt awkward at times, and it shows. Just goes to show practice means everything. And I didn’t practice enough, or understand how to pose Body Fitness style, until the day, and until I saw the other girls in the photos make it look so natural. I am so used to the tense compulsories of the Physique class. 6. My opinion..if it was just judged on rear shot ...I would of won! Lol! So, what does loosing mean? I have 6 weeks to prep for my next show on the 5th July in Uxbridge for the British Grand Prix. Going in armed with new posing practice regime, and different peak week prep after practising with 2 and still not being quite happy, I know what I’m going to do next time now. People always think you would be disappointment when you loose. You absolutely shouldn’t. It should just fire you up to be better next time, look at the photos, listen to feedback, correct your mistakes and get back on it. A question I often get asked is ‘Why do you do it? All that work for either nothing or, if you’re lucky a trophy to show for it?’ Of course that not all you get from doing this! Look at the pictures...I get to live with a fit and healthy body, that makes me proud to look at and see in the mirror, if gives me confidence, a strong heart, strong joints, delays ageing, endless energy, deep sleeps, encourages me to learn about good food and nutrition and the shows drive my ambitions and gives me something to look forward to. I am proud to be a 43 year old female UKBFF British Body Builder, and enjoy every minute of the process. So until the next time..enjoy some photos. xx |
Terri GriffithsWhat's the news? Archives
February 2020
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