I always remember a doctor telling my mother to cut out the cheese and then a month or two later, I saw her shoulders while she was changing one day and I was horrified. Lowering her protein and fat had terrible results. I know she was aging but still, it was like a withering effect. Not just fat but tissue and muscle all gone around her shoulders bones.

Adding, received this email from Dr. Perlmutter yesterday:

You've found something that works and that's great. My thought was of people (especially women in my experience) coming from a background of low-calorie-counting diets from magazines or websites, believing they have to white-knuckle their way through hunger to be on plan (until it forces them to quit). Keto shouldn't be this way. If anyone tries some keto plan but is hungry or feeling deficient in protein, etc., please don't just keep pushing your way through; adapt the amounts to your needs. On keto you shouldn't be going hungry from uncomfortably few calories in order to lose weight.

Because I'm doing this to regulate my blood sugar as well as lose weight, I'm OK with dealing with some hunger. What I've discovered is that it's more the fat than anything else that helps with the hunger. When I feel really hungry, it's usually because I haven't had enough fat. Even tho my carbs were low (20g) in the past, I ate a ton of protein - mostly meat. I craved meat. But now that I'm eating between 60-70g of protein, I'm not craving the meat at all - it's wonderful! And both blood sugar & weight are going down.

My sister has been a lifelong vegetarian. Her diet consists of carbs (bakery goods, potato chips, flour tortillas) with an occasional egg or fat-free cheese. Her body is a mess. She can barely walk, has no strength, no muscle tone, just flab. She’s tired all the time. It’s sad. But her mind is still sharp, I have to say. She is 81.

Unfortunately, I have to count calories along with carbs, fat and protein. But 2k is pretty generous, and I don't often top that, depending on what I eat, I'm just not that hungry.

And I walk 3-4 miles at least 3 days a week and sometimes 6. On work days I don't walk, but it's physical so I still get exercise.

Some of us are luckier than others I guess. But we all have to do what works for us.

Bob

Ditto on the not counting calories thing. I’ve found it really takes the crazy out of food for me. Would never have considered such an approach prior to low carb. What freedom!

I'm Jealous