I lost weight.

…but that’s a given when you cut out close to all the carbohydrates out of your body. If you are like me, then you likely eat a lot of carbohydrates throughout your day. Carbohydrates come in a lot of different forms. For example, I did NOT know that one slice of bread is already 32 grams of carbs. I knew the number was high up there but didn’t know one slice would already take me over my daily recommended intake for the keto diet. It would be an understatement to say that it was a very tough goodbye.

They are also in starchy vegetables like carrots, potatoes, corn, beets (Yes! The ones you thought were supposed to be healthy) Basically the more vibrant and sweet anything is, it contains sugars and carbohydrates you are advised to stay away from. This meant saying goodbye to my beloved pears, grapes, persimmons, papaya, etc.

*You will learn that not all fruits are equal on a Keto diet*

MONTH 1

When I first started out on the keto diet, I scoured online forums, trying to see if there was an ‘easier’ way to go keto. In other words, I was looking for ways how other people ‘cheated’ on the diet and to affirm that it was ok for me to cheat on my diet as well. Of course, you do have 20 grams of carbs that you could allocate to eating whatever you want, but 20 grams is a very, very, VERY low number. You also need to keep in mind that carbs exist in almost everything you eat, so that adds up over the course of the day too.

Alright, so to sum it up, my initial two weeks on the keto diet were tough because I didn’t know what I could eat and I quickly figured out that to do it properly I would be eating at home a lot, or just eating from the salad menu at most restaurants (with sauce on the side please).

As with what you have read on most keto diet resource blogs, the weight does come off — quickly. Within the first 3 weeks, I had lost 6 pounds. For reference, my starting weight was 123 pounds, so shaving 6 pounds off is a pretty big deal.

I did get the Keto flu and trying to power through my workday with low to no energy was painful. I took the expert advice of drinking lots of water when I woke up, tried to stick to eating carbs early on in the day and not in the evening, and switched over to eating healthy fats (avocadoes will be your new best friend). If I had to sum it up with one word, you feel like a ‘blob’ sitting in your work chair by about 3 pm. You also get very hungry, because your body is used to burning carbs, and is wondering where the usual fuel is, so the loud growling is your stomach demanding carbs.

Fortunately, once you power through the first few weeks (for me it was 3 weeks) then you will start to feel the other positive effects of the Keto diet. Firstly, you don’t feel hungry throughout the day because the ingredients you eat on a keto diet tend to keep you fuller for longer. On my old diet, my lunch would contain carbs and sugars, which would lead to a carb coma in the afternoon where I also feel like a ‘blob’ sitting in my work chair. This brings me to the second positive effect I felt from the Keto diet — more energy. I felt that my mind was clear and I never tired out throughout the day. I didn’t need caffeine anymore. I felt super productive throughout my day because I didn’t need downtime to recover from an energy lull.

On the topic of exercising, I would recommend it after you get through the Keto flu, because your energy levels are so low during the first few weeks that it’s best to just lie down and take a break. I started adding yoga and refreshing walks around the city as I started to feel more energized. My exercises are quite light and focus more on cardio, so if you lift weights or have more rigorous routines, my own online research tells me there are a variety of supplements for those who work out and are on a Keto diet.

MONTH 2

As I progressed through the second month of the Keto diet, I noticed that the weight was still coming off but at a slower pace. This may also because of the holiday gorging I engaged in during Thanksgiving and the current holiday season. I am also a carnivore, so to replace the void of not eating carbs, I ate a lot of meat. I mean A LOT of meat. This is also not the best option because I ended gaining back some of the weight I lost because while fatty meat can provide fats and protein, having too much of it means you consume too much protein, which converts into glucose in the body (same as what carbs convert into so it’s not good).

The Keto diet is a high fat, mid protein, and low carb diet, so I learned this lesson the hard way during month two when I tried to replace carbs with lots of protein.

*Protein is good, but only in moderation*

I also spent an extensive amount of time researching where I could get Keto desserts. I ended up with a meager three shops that carried Keto desserts and ended up baking at home with sugar substitutes like Swerve and Monkfruit. While it says on the package that it is ‘keto-friendly’, don’t be like me and eat 3 muffins in a sitting (I didn’t have sweets for 6 weeks, it was a dire situation).

In month 2, I gained back some weight because of my indulgence in meats and substitute sugars. Oops.

MONTH 3

I discover the magic of fatty fish. Living on the West Coast, we are privy to a lot of fresh seafood, but I have never really been a seafood person except for a love for sushi. Guess what sushi has? Rice. Guess what I can’t have? Rice. Initially, I cut sushi out of my life entirely, but then I realized I could, and should, still have sashimi because the fats from the fish are healthy and great for the Keto diet.

*Fish has lots of healthy fats and is great for the keto diet*

I also started grilling salmon filets at home with lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. If you love fatty food, you will find the aromatic and crispy fish skin a godsent. Why didn’t I discover this sooner?! To sum it up, it took me 3 months to really figure out what I can and can’t eat and to create a diet with replacement ingredients that would still make me happy when I eat.

At the end of 3 months now and deep into the holiday season with pending Christmas meals next week, I am feeling great, my skin is much better (less sugar = better skin!), I have lots of energy throughout the day, and I am happy to report I can still fit in my clothes even after Covid.

Would I recommend the Keto diet? I am choosing to continue my Keto journey because of 2 reasons:

To maintain my weight since all workout classes are canceled and if I didn’t manage my diet I would be 200 pounds
The unparalleled productivity I have experienced from the energy levels I get from being on Keto is something that I can’t give up as a businessperson. If I slide back into a high carb diet I would likely be half as productive during a workday.

So to each their own. If you have a good reason to be on the Keto diet and absolutely can’t live without the benefits of the diet then I say give it a try, but know that it’s a long journey and not a 3-month stint.