Diet and Weight Loss Update!
So about a year ago I made a resolution to lose weight. At the time my design had me cutting back calories via simply counting how many I ate and restricting myself from going over a certain amount. I was very strict about tracking it day to day and managed to lose 20 lbs in the process. Unfortunately after about two months I hit a brick wall, a weight plateau that I just couldn't get past no matter how "good" I was with my diet. Frustrated, I gave up trying to track calories.
Fast forward to about 10 months later. I'm 10 lbs heavier than I was at my plateau and while still 10 lbs away from the maximum weight I've had, very frustrated in myself. I have a friend who has been on a keto diet for a while now and has lost 80 lbs in the last year, which inspired me to look into Keto.
It is a high fat and protein diet with very low carbs (all via vegetables / leafy greens). Similar to the paleo diet that is also rising in popularity, but cutting out the fruits and whole grains (which get metabolized to sugar). The idea is that your calories get restricted because you are satiated on fewer calories. Further research shows that the diet has an over 80% retention rate (people staying with the diet) versus your traditional low fat high carb diet which has around a 50% retention rate. I try to do some research about studies done on the diet, impacts long term, etc. The diet has existed for almost 100 years as a treatment for epilepsy among other neurological diseases, but oddly there is not much information on otherwise healthy people. The one "long term" study was only a 6 month period, which noted elevated HDL (good cholesterol), lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowered blood pressure. Forums for people on the diet noted significant weight loss and elevated moods as well.
So, I decided I would try it. On July 8th I restricted my carbohydrate intake to under 20 grams a day, with a fat intake goal of 110g and protein intake of 100g. For a while I was keeping track of everything I ate, but I quickly found I was feeling full long before my macro nutrient and calorie goals were hit.
It has almost been 4 weeks since I started and I have lost 14 pounds. I am feeling more energetic, and happier. I am accomplishing goals both professional and personal. I am at the lowest weight I have been since 2005. The food restrictions have not been difficult at all to live with, but once I do hit my target weight my goal is to switch to a more paleo diet for weight maintenance and slightly more food variety.
200 lbs at my peak. Today I am 176. My goal is 145-155, I am 5'8.5".
Fast forward to about 10 months later. I'm 10 lbs heavier than I was at my plateau and while still 10 lbs away from the maximum weight I've had, very frustrated in myself. I have a friend who has been on a keto diet for a while now and has lost 80 lbs in the last year, which inspired me to look into Keto.
It is a high fat and protein diet with very low carbs (all via vegetables / leafy greens). Similar to the paleo diet that is also rising in popularity, but cutting out the fruits and whole grains (which get metabolized to sugar). The idea is that your calories get restricted because you are satiated on fewer calories. Further research shows that the diet has an over 80% retention rate (people staying with the diet) versus your traditional low fat high carb diet which has around a 50% retention rate. I try to do some research about studies done on the diet, impacts long term, etc. The diet has existed for almost 100 years as a treatment for epilepsy among other neurological diseases, but oddly there is not much information on otherwise healthy people. The one "long term" study was only a 6 month period, which noted elevated HDL (good cholesterol), lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowered blood pressure. Forums for people on the diet noted significant weight loss and elevated moods as well.
So, I decided I would try it. On July 8th I restricted my carbohydrate intake to under 20 grams a day, with a fat intake goal of 110g and protein intake of 100g. For a while I was keeping track of everything I ate, but I quickly found I was feeling full long before my macro nutrient and calorie goals were hit.
It has almost been 4 weeks since I started and I have lost 14 pounds. I am feeling more energetic, and happier. I am accomplishing goals both professional and personal. I am at the lowest weight I have been since 2005. The food restrictions have not been difficult at all to live with, but once I do hit my target weight my goal is to switch to a more paleo diet for weight maintenance and slightly more food variety.
200 lbs at my peak. Today I am 176. My goal is 145-155, I am 5'8.5".