Keto WOE and gaining energy

I have more energy today, maybe because I finally got my ass back on track with Keto. You’ve likely heard all about Keto by now since it’s become the newest fad- which on one hand makes me roll my eyes because it’s most definitely not “new”, but on the other hand companies are starting to create more keto friendly options and that can be helpful for some.

I started doing Keto in 2016 when my friend who is a nurse told me about having great success doing it. She and her fiance started it together and they both lost a ton of weight- but what’s more is that they both experienced great health benefits. He was pre-diabetic and experiencing some issues around that and changing his Way Of Eating (WOE) changed his whole life. He is now living medication free with no signs of diabetes and his blood pressure is totally normal. How can you not be convinced to start something when people you know and love are having such amazing results?

When I started in 2016 I weighed close to 270lbs- which wasn’t even my heaviest. At my absolute heaviest, I’m sure I bordered on 300lbs but didn’t own a scale and refused to check. At 270 though, I was having my own set of health issues and feeling like shit all the time. I started off great and immediately lost 30lbs in the first couple of months. To say I fell off the wagon isn’t exactly true- I was still trying to keep my carbs as low as possible, but I was turning to those products that were considered “keto snacks” and falling back into diet soda’s (No carbs, how could I go wrong?) which was my ultimate downfall. For the record- DIET PRODUCTS ARE NOT KETO.

Long story short, I’m still not where I want to be but I’m closer to ONEderland than ever before at 220lbs. The hardest part of the WOE for me is having to make everything from scratch. Literally EVERYTHING. Spice mixes and dressings and even wanting to have a snack requires preparation and quite frankly- I don’t have the time sometimes and I lack the energy to put in the effort.  It can get overwhelming- especially with a roommate (and occasionally the baby daddy) who isn’t following the same plan and eats the groceries I buy to make my food (insert line of expletives here). There’s also the fact that I spend my work hours preparing meals for people and cleaning up their dishes- when I get home the last thing I feel like doing is making my own meal (and the mess that accompanies it). I’ve tried the whole meal prep in advance thing, but truth be told I don’t like a lot of this food after it’s been frozen or left over for more than a day. Usually when I do cook I make enough for two meals, that way I have a meal for the next day and that’s it.

Even though sometimes I slip to the more convenient and “quick” keto options and I may not be losing the pounds, there are still far too many benefits for me to quit. When/if I eat any type of carb heavy food or sugary treat, I bloat. I bloat, I break out and I lose my glow. I ache, I’m tired and sore and lack energy and I not only feel like I’m physically worn out, my mental health takes a beating just as much with the guilt and knowing that had I just made a better choice ONE TIME, I could have avoided it all. Not to mention that my menstrual cycle is- FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE (remember, I’m 35)- REGULAR.  That’s right, I don’t need birth control to regulate my periods, I have them on my own with the weight loss. That, and probably the Synthroid I’m now taking for my hypothyroidism.

So, where did this entry stem from today? Well, as I mentioned, I’m back on track. I’m eating the right things and recording all my food and tracking my macros and even though this is only day 2 of being strict, I had SO much more energy when I got up today. I finally finished cleaning up the backyard! Go me!