Low-Carb Life with Lou Wallace

Day 6 - I finally found some pink on my ketone urine stick this morning. Only to .5, but that’s the first time it’s moved off beige. I’m curious to see how the sticks compare with keto blood testing when I get the monitor today.

So far, I’ve not had any trouble staying on track. I’m past the point of cravings or feeling hungry. I’ve been eating two meals a day, within a 8-hour window, no snacks, no alcohol, and staying below 20 carbs a day. I want to do that for two weeks, then re-evaluate. I have to keep it interesting or I will get bored and forget why I started this.

Reminder to myself of the WHYS:

• The primary motivator that spurred me to take action is that I’ve been experiencing more and more memory loss. Since my mother died with dementia, I’m excruciatingly aware of every time I can’t think of someone’s name or a word I’m trying to use, or being unable to follow through on a thought to complete the action required. The familiar story of entering a room and not being able to remember why comes to mind. I remember reading “Grain Brain” by David Perimutter and “Wheat Belly” by William Davis and coming away with the idea that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is likely a leading cause of the increase we’re seeing in dementia.

• Joint pan is another motivator. I’ve had knee replacements on both knees and need shoulder repair on both shoulders. My fingers ache with arthritis, especially the little finger on my left hand. Everything I’ve heard and read indicates that weight loss and a low-carb diet is the best treatment to get relief from joint pain.

• Skin issues – for a while now I’ve had tiny bumps break out across my forehead. Again, the general consensus is that the food we eat is responsible for the state of our skin, and low-carb, or at least no-wheat is the best treatment for skin health.

• I come from a family of diabetics. So far, I’ve escaped that diagnosis and I have no desire to hear it. Again, a low-carb way of eating seems to be the best way to avoid it.

• Weight loss - excess weight is a physical handicap. A healthy weight can be beneficial against a myriad of diseases waiting to strike where they can find a weakness. The lack of movement due to heaviness is certainly a health risk. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”

• And finally, I want to feel the self-esteem that comes with knowing I’m stronger than my self-sabotaging impulses. It’s one thing to have no idea how to handle a tricky life problem – it’s another to know what to do, but to be unwilling or unable to take the action necessary to solve it.

I’m trying to gain momentum with each successful day I can string together. My goal is for low-carb eating to become so second-nature that I don’t have to think about it. Like – I don’t think about whether or not to brush my teeth; I just DO it. Like – I don’t think about whether or not to smoke; I just DON’T do it. It’s not white-knuckling it one day at a time.

But, I’m not there yet. So IT IS one day at a time. And today is Day 6.

I have a head of cabbage and I’m thawing out a pound of ground beef to make eggroll in a bowl today. I’ve always made it in a skillet, but I’m experimenting with using the slow-cooker. I’ll saute the meat and some onion in sesame oil, mix in a cup of chicken broth, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, some stevia brown sugar, salt and pepper, and add chopped cabbage. It should give me about four meals.

I’ll reserve some chopped cabbage to use for a batch of cole slaw to have with another couple of meals -one with a roasted chicken leg quarter and one with a ground beef patty. If I can get six meals out of that head of cabbage, it will feed me up to moving day.

I’m looking forward to getting moved and having the kitchen set up to prepare some tasty low-carb meals for Mona and myself. She’s always been a healthy eater, so she’s game to eat whatever I make. Unlike here – where the people turn up their noses at anything but take-out and junk food.

I picked up a blood pressure monitor yesterday and ordered a Keto Mojo for monitoring ketones and blood sugar. I NEED the blood pressure monitor so I can tell if/when I need to contact my doctor about possible changes in my meds. I WANT the Keto Mojo just for the entertainment and motivation I can get from tracking ketones.

What are ya’ll eating today? Please share your meal choice, and the recipe if applicable.

Happy low-carbing. This is Day 5 for me.

Welcome to my page. My intention for this group is to provide a support system for myself and friends who have an interest in a low-carb-life for health and weight management. I want to share my journey and hear about yours.

I’m all over the place when it comes to low-carb/dirty keto/keto/carnivore. My preference is to eat clean – real food with no chemicals. However, I think it may be more sustainable to use low-carb products, at least for now – sugar-free dressings and sauces, low-carb bread and tortillas, etc. I’m interested to hear your thoughts or experience about how clean you can eat and still have enough variety to keep it interesting.

I was motivated to start this eating change on November 22, 2025, the day before Thanksgiving. My WHY is to help with memory loss, joint pain, and weight control. I dickered around for several days before finally logging a series of 3 successful keto days in a row beginning November 30. I have an 8-pound (water) weight loss to show for it. I’m using ketone urine strips and they have not yet budged off the beige color.

I’m interested in a Keto Mojo monitor to measure ketones and blood sugar. Have any of you used one or heard of it? Thoughts? I also need to get a blood pressure monitor since I’m on blood pressure meds and hope to be able to start lowering or removing them.

I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with you guys. Love you.