Keto update

I never would have thought coffee would be my downfall, but it's the one sweet thing I can't seem to give up.

Okay, week 2 of the experiment - remember those 2.6 missing pounds? Well 1 pound came back. I would be discouraged except I have to keep reminding myself I got off the 'I need to lose weight' moron train a long time ago. This is about feeling better - and as far as the way I feel, this experiment is already a success.

* Still no more acid reflux or indigestion.

* Back pain greatly reduced.

* Better sleep

* I'm not falling asleep in front of the TV anymore.

* A lot more energy and some better mental clarity.

* Feet not swollen at the end of the day.

* I don't feel like food is controlling me.

* No constant nagging hunger.

Here are the down sides:

# Don't have that nirvana enjoyment of food - the first bite of a buttered roll, the joy of a chocolate cookie or a piece of gooey candy... food is becoming just fuel - which is good and so bad at the same time.

# I'm spending time obsessing about numbers - searching for an almond  milk with no carrageenan, using keto calculators and wondering if my protein percentage is too high - that isn't what good health should be about.

# If my previous diet had been more unhealthy I might be losing more weight/faster - but I was already eating pretty well. Other than having a lot of multigrain breads and my cookie fix, I was drinking a ton of water, eating a lot of vegetables, fruits and nuts - so I think I've replaced the calories in the breads and cookies with the calories in cheese and meat, therefore probably not getting the big caloric deficit most people get who jump into this eating style from the cheeseburger-French fries-and-a-coke lifestyle I had 7 years ago do. If I'd done this back then, I might have been dropping pounds like crazy.

# I have to not allow myself to think in terms of 'never having that again'. I don't like that idea, but there is that fear that giving in and having something carb-heavy will put me right back into the cravings that I've finally kicked after 30 years.

Bottom line - I've made a lifestyle change that I do want to stick to and I have to remember that I FEEL better, which is what good health is all about. It's not about how your clothes fit, or what number is on the scale. It's about how I feel and since I feel better, it's a success.