Two Down, Eleven to Go!

I’m two weeks down on GoingKeto, and it’s time to check in!

The Weight Loss

Net weight loss is at a solid eight lbs. I managed to make it through Thanksgiving without wrecking my diet, although I will admit that I didn’t stick to my portion control as well as I should have. The more important thing, however, was staying low-carb; you can recover quickly from a day of eating too many calories as long as you stay on your macros, but it takes much longer to get back on keto if you’ve indulged in carbs because your body switches metabolic pathways away from ketosis and back to glycolysis.

This week I adjusted my total caloric intake by actually moving it downward; I was aiming for more of a performance goal but realized that despite my increased workouts, my daily job is sedentary enough (I sit in a chair and write all day) that the extra calories weren’t needed. I’ve dropped about 500 calories a day and slightly increased my protein intake. I should lose a pound of weight per week due to the caloric deficit (a pound of fat is 3,500 calories, so a decrease of 500 calories per day x 7 days = 3,500 calories) in addition to what I’ll lose by burning stored fat as fuel.

I feel a lot better, and the weight loss has continued steadily, albeit at a decreased rate. I was expecting the decrease, however; know that I’ve burned off my glycogen stores and am starting to burn fat.

What Went Well

My tastes have started changing, and I’ve noticed a slight mental shift. Rather than looking at keto dishes and thinking of the replacements, I’m starting to really enjoy the unique tastes that they can provide as my style of cooking changes.

I’ve also discovered new foods that I previously avoided, such as Brussels sprouts, and seasonings I’d never explored, like sage. I found that I really enjoy the sharpness of shallots and am absolutely in love with how walnuts and Granny Smith apples complement pork.

The gym routine is going well, and I’m starting to see changes in my body. I’ll start posting progress pics in the next two weeks: I’m pretty happy with what I’m seeing so far. I’m slowly but steadily increasing the weight on each lift, and this week I saw veins popping out for the first time in longer than I’d like to admit.

What Was Hard

I miss bread. Nothing fancy: chocolate cakes, empty-carb-filled donuts, and even pie aren’t much of a temptation, but I’d really like a piece of toast with jam to add to my bacon and cheesy eggs breakfast, or a sandwich for lunch. I empathized with John Pinette’s feelings towards bread1.

However, you are what you eat, and I don’t want to look like John Pinette—that makes the choice relatively easy. I might try baking my own low-carb bread this week. If it’s anything like the rest of the Tasteaholics recipe, I might prepare for a miracle.

The Keto Lava Cake was one thing that helped this week. It’s definitely something I’d recommend.

The Next Week

Staying consistent is the most crucial element of any fitness journey, and fitness is 80 percent what you eat and 20 percent exercise. I’ve been able to dial in my Intermittent Fasting window and am much closer to the 16:8 goal, although there’s still some work to be done there.

I’m super excited to be on this journey and continuing; I can’t wait to see what February 15th brings!