Time for an update
Whoops, long time no post!
Bunch of stuff has happened, so here’s a highlights reel:
Keto I started Keto on the 28th December, at 89.7kg. On March 24th I weighed in at 77.0kg, for a total loss of 12.7kg in 12 weeks. Keto has been pretty easy to stick to - I went through keto flu (although I took a week to recognise it) and went through the normal loss of appetite period, but then it came back.
I have fallen off the wagon once or twice (all in the March 24th to April 16th (today) period). Tim Tams and easter eggs. But considering I normally spend the entire 3-4 months between Christmas and Easter consuming multiple bags of easter eggs per day, this is still a vast improvement on the old me. (And really, that behaviour wasn’t isolated to that part of the year. I just swapped out the eggs for more Tim Tams and family-size blocks of chocolate the rest of the time. And swapped the Malteser bunnies for the Malteser reindeer... man I love those soft malt fillings.)
Anyhow. The setbacks have been small, but as a result I will be pleased if I can finish April still at 77kg. I can knuckle down again in May.
Victories from my new diet:
The 12kg+ of weight loss
Hips have lost 16cm and waist 13cm
My clothes just sit so. much. better. on me.
Heartburn is considerably reduced. Sad that it’s not gone, but I’m down to 1-2 antacids a week, instead of up to 5 a day.
Dandruff is gone! That was a surprise!
I’ve gone down from bras sized 18G to 14F - that’s two band sizes and three cup sizes! If I wear my old bras I can fit my whole hand into the cup on top of my boob.
I get tired at night and go to bed on time. I never felt ‘wired’ in the past, but I did feel like I was at my most awake right before bedtime, which invariably led to going to bed late, and struggling in the morning. Not anymore.
Feeling more clear-headed when I wake. I haven’t felt the other mental benefits that people doing keto talk about, but this is a big win for me. I wake up and I’m... awake. I can just get up, instead of fighting through a drowsy fog for 30 mins or more.
No afternoon slump after lunch. Used to struggle to stay awake after lunch (leading to the consumption of more chocolate as a pick-me-up). Now I just feel normal all day.
My food is delicious!! I even get regular comments at work on how good it looks/smells.
Comments on my weight loss from people at work, and some at home. Pa asked where the rest of me had gone. Dad congratulated me as he helped me put new holes in my belt. Krich has started calling me “skinny Kris”. Bronte won’t let a single day go by without a comment (could probably stand for her to tone that down a bit, actually). I’m still in the obese category according to BMI, but it’s super nice to know other people can see the loss so clearly!
Exercise
Started with a goal of 4000 steps/day in January. Planned to increase this by 250 steps/month, but actually found it too easy. So I ended up maintaining 4500 steps/day for February and 5000 steps/day in March. At that point it started to feel a bit harder though, so have backed off a little. Currently maintaining 5250 steps/day in April. Have only missed my step goal twice in the 3.5 months: this was two days in a row immediately after doing over 17,000 steps at the State Election in March. I decided they were well-deserved rest days.
Started out skating twice a week and maintaining off ice workouts & stretching regularly. The off-ice/stretching sessions wobbled and became less regular at the end of Feb, and was definitely intermittent in March & April. I’m tending to do easier stretching videos and skipping my off-ice or core workouts.
Started running again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Truly doubted the day would ever come, but here we are. I’m doing a modified C25K program - I took the original 9 week program, and made a double-length 18 week version, and then a triple length 26 week version. At the moment I’m doing the triple length program, and just finished W3D3 (aka, W1D3 of the original program). The idea is that the baby steps needed to be even smaller to prevent a CFS flare up, and I think I got it right - so far, the runs have been tough but not impossible. I do suspect I’ll reach a point where I can drop down to the double-length program, and from there maybe even go back to the original program (I’m thinking this last one might happen when I get to the point of being able to run 25 mins straight - the difference between that and 30 minutes should be small enough that I don’t need the extra weeks of building up in between). But for now, I’m super pleased with myself. Running!
Current program: Running every other day, except where that day falls on a Monday or Thursday, I go skating instead. This works out to 1 day skating every week, and alternates between 2 and 3 runs per week. Also trying to get back into the habit of doing off-ice and core workouts as well as stretching.
Learnings/new things
Electrolytes are super important. I think I’ve finally got a handle on them. If I don’t, it triggers my fatigue, and/or headaches. Good news is, both symptoms clear up quickly as soon as I get some electrolytes into me.
Intermittent fasting has got me curious. I’ve just started experimenting with a 16:8 IF, and so far I like it. I tend to feel plenty full from drinking 1.5L of water + electrolytes in the morning, so sticking with it hasn’t been too much hassle. It saves me time in the mornings, not needing to make or find something for breakfast. And long term, will save me money on food too.
The second I started running, I started dreaming of long distances again. 10kms, half marathons... sigh. But I can’t do both long distance running and skating, and at the moment I’m keen to do some singles skating. So the plan is to only get up to running 5-6kms, then start cutting back the running days in favour of skating days.
I’m only halfway to goal weight, but my priorities are shifting already. I feel confident that my weight loss will continue, albeit slower than the first 3 months were. But my focus now is going to be on improving fitness and skating ability, and the weight loss will be a secondary goal.
No plans to give up keto any time soon! I think this way of eating is for life.
