80 hours in...

80 hours in and am free. Awoke this morning early put swimming trunks on and descended 2 flights of stairs to a 25 metre pool. Jumped in and swam 50 lengths without an iota of McArdle sensation. Arms and legs functioned as I imagine they always should and toward the end I was able to push the pace higher without much issue. Great to be back in this zone of capability‎.

Not surprised as yesterday morning I had abandoned watching the cricket and walked the 10k back to my hotel. Hotter and inclines no less harsh but toward the end I was pacing up the last slope with no sign of cramping or soreness. Calf muscles benefitted from a massage afterwards but clear to me that ketosis was beginning to work its full magic.

In need of a fast

Day two of a week long fast. After a frustrating few months of being in and out of ketosis and after a cancelled business trip opened up a window of opportunity I decided a fast was in order. Koh Samui as ever the location.

My last meal before leaving was a modest cauliflower cheese and yesterday was just water and several very small pieces of cheese in the evening. Plenty of walking, a massage, lunchtime nap and a steam before I headed for bed very early. Slept well and this morning I was already showng deep purple on the ketostick I had brought along. Not enough though to yet feel the total freedom I experienced toward the end of my last fast in summer. ‎Today 12 lengths of the pool was not a struggle but I could feel the tell tale M pain in my arms. Walked for well over 10k this morning and will head out now for a coffee (not normal fast procedure but then my purpose is different). Have allowed myself a few small pieces of cheddar and 3 teaspoons of Greek yoghurt today, along with plenty of water. Feeling good and really should not be frustrated that I am not yet fully in the zone, but I am.

Another long walk and calves that were solid after the morning walk recovered with help of massage. Nearly 20k today. Did have a few sunflower seed kernels to snack on before bed but don't think that should impact ketosis.

Day three. Slept late coffee at 5pm probably not the best idea. Up early and walking. Coffee with butter after 30 minutes and then on 15,000 steps done by 9:45am and now watching a little cricket while sipping my water. Hills climber very easily today and there were some steep long inclines. Ketostick firmly purple. Progress.

Keto works, staying in ketosis is the challenge

Friday 24th January before a business trip and a cricket social has left me

at only 0.2 mmol for blood ketone.

Dinner with friends on Saturday evening may have further diminished level of ketosis as I embark on a 10 day business trip. The cheese board on Emirates has hopefully helped. Aim is to return home a kilo lighter and deeper in ketosis....thats the aim at least.

Up at 6am on Monday to gym but this morning it just was not happening. Knew early and so did not continue. Will focus on diet today and tomorrow and may have a fast if I can fit one in as want to get back in ketosis quickly!!‎

Busy week in Middle East and not until Friday that I managed exercise with a morning walk along Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Not sure on keto but ‎walked at good pace. Sadly very bad indigestion pain for next 24 hourse put an end to exercise. Guess we'll have to start from scratch again next week in Singapore.

Today Monday 9th, after a good keto day yesterday, managed a 50 minute session at 8.1kmph so feel positive about starting again and trying to get back to deeper ketosis and even better treadmill attainment.

Checked keto level this morning and back to 0.4mmol so moving in the right direction. Now to stay in ketosis for a few weeks and see where that gets me!!

still going strong - pleased I stuck to just one Guinness

So far this year I have managed only 7 treadmill sessions but have done plenty of exercise in addition, whether pre-season cricket training or walking round a rugby pitch, with my son for the former and watching him the latter. Each have been good workouts- all above my pre-July 2014 lifetime best of 7.2kmph for a 50 minute session. Today was my best so far this year with 7.05k covered in 50mins (8.5kmph) and am hoping to break my best ever post keto session of 7.35k before month end.

Incentive enough to kep off the carbs - last night while a friend downed several pints of Guinness I stuck to just one and a couple of whiskies. This morning's session ample reward.

A good start to 2015 - more discipline needed.......

10am New Years Day. Work begins in earnest. 24 hour water fast from now begins. ‎Weight too high (83.8kg) and well out of ketosis. 6:30pm and only a few spoons of Greek yoghurt, plenty of water and a few cups of tea. Keeping active with some sorting out to take mind of food. 

Will test keytones again tomorrow and may persist with the fast.

 0.2 per Mmol at 10am this morning. Followed by 10k bike ride during which thighs moaned low level for first km but after fine all the way even when I increased speed marginally for a couple of short bursts. Already feeling the benefit of mild ketosis. 

Day two with only modest eating yesterday of a small amount of cheese and natural yoghurt and down to 81.6 kg at 0.8 mmol on ketone tester. Great start to 2015. Mild headache this morning. 

6th Jan and 1st treadmill session of a New Year, 1st for several weeks but thanks to the wonders of ketosis easily (that may be stretching it but..) managed over 7.4kmph average for my 50 minute session. Distracted talking to a friend in the gym at vital moment so did not get the readout to provide exact number. Really very pleased with the session though and have decided to try and keep every session this year above an average speed of 7kmph. Will require consistency and a good level of ketosis but I think it's possible. 

To provide context up until September 2014 I had never done a 50 minute session at that average speed so 1st up after a break from the gym is a real positive. 

Weigh in and ketone test tomorrow morning. 

Back above 8 KMPH mark

Never easy today and felt like slowing down a number of times but managed to get back above 8.0kmph for my 50 minute session early this Saturday morning‎. Can taste ketosis and as muscles were not the issue this morning, more aerobic capacity, am sure am back firmly in the zone. 

Now intend to make sure I get on the treadmill at least once a day, 6 days a week, until end November and then reevaluate. Want to see what impact that and a calorie controlled ketogenic diet will have on both weight and cholesterol. A business trip to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne will be the first challenge to that, next week.

Finding my way back...

After two weeks of business travel around Asia and the Middle East and post cricket beers yesterday I was certainly not in ketosis this morning. Have eaten very little today, a handful of walnuts and a slice of beef, left over from a BBQ on Saturday, in an effort to get back in as quickly as possible. Have also done 2 50 minute treadmill sessions today, neither achieving a standard I ‎am now happy with. But the afternoon session was easier and better than the morning one so think ketones are beginning to work their magic. 

Find some of the FB group reluctance to experiment with a ketogenic diet somewhat bizarre. It seems on this subject many are simply prepared to follow "specialist" advice even when there clearly are no specialists in the field to recommend or not. No one has studied the long term impact of ketogenic diet on a McArdle's patient. Hence it is easy to point out the possible negative effects, while ignoring the potential benefits. I will carry on. Am sure during my University years specialists would have not approved of alcohol intake for one, while how many times has the medical professions changed their minds on the simple egg?  Holding out for a magic pill also seems odd given any drug will likely have its own side effects and is at best several years away. Of course for some risks are clearly too high through other conditions but for many seems to me worth a go......

Every day we take calculated risks without asking for the advice of an expert. I am certain my body functions better in ketosis. I will monitor carefully but will march to the beat of my own drum, as regarding M I am my own expert and quite content to follow my path wherever that leads. 

Pleasingly after 30 overs of keeping wicket yesterday have pulled up surprisingly well, given the prior two weeks of planes, hotels, meetings and taxis!

Planning areal effort this week on exercise front and a very controlled calorie intake. Want to shed a pound or two and see what impact that has on cholesterol while continuing to pursue a high fat diet.