Because I’ve had such incredible results, I want to share my Keto Diet experience. In case you are wondering “what is a Keto Diet?” I’ll start there. Keto is short for Ketogenic and it is a way of eating. Simply, it is low carb, moderate protein, and high fat.
Through the years I’ve tried and done a multitude of diets. The ones I’ve lost the most weight with were NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, and general calorie counting. What sucked about all of them was feeling hungry all the time. Hungry as in my hands shaking, I could chew the lips off my face I was so hungry.
Then I’d go on the “everything in moderation” maintenance plan. I’d proclaim to the world how it was THE thing to do. Yea right. That didn’t work. Weight would creep back on slowly. Why? Because I had no restraint. Splurges got me to where I was at the end of 2017. The signs were there to make a change.
In November, I went to see a movie and I was miserable sitting through it. Why? Because my jeans were so tight. I had purchased those jeans a few months before in a larger size because I couldn’t fit in the ones in my closet. Weight was piling on fast. My eating and drinking were out of control.
I had GERD/acid reflux. It started late 2016 and kept on in 2017. My doctor gave me a medication that I took for a month and it helped it a little. After the medication, I was having to eat Tums before going to bed. Even with Tums I’d wake up with my throat full of the acid stuff. It would happen during the day too. I was coughing it out constantly and eating more Tums for some relief.
I knew I had to make a change yet I was lost and discouraged on what to do. The thought of being hungry for months was certainly not appealing.
Then I saw a friend’s Facebook post on December 22nd about being on Keto. It stood out like a beacon. The moment I saw it I had the feeling it would be the answer. I started researching Keto online and ordered some books to prepare myself and to make sure it was the path I wanted to take.
January 1st was my first day with the Ketogenic way of eating. The first week I lost 6 pounds and since then I’ve lost about ~2 pounds a week. But that’s not all…
I haven’t been hungry since I started. To clarify, not one single moment of my hands shaking, I could chew the lips off my face hungry. Never have I ever been able to go more than a few hours without eating or I’d feel starving. All that changed. I noticed it most on the day I had to take my mom to the ER. It was mid-morning and we were there until mid-afternoon. When I got home I realized I had not eaten since breakfast and I didn’t run to the pantry or fridge to stuff something in my face. I let the dogs out and took the time to make a proper late lunch.
My GERD/acid reflux is almost gone. It’s slowly and continuously improving. I no longer cough up the acid stuff throughout the day. Instead of Tums, I take a little apple cider vinegar at night to help control the acid during the night. 4/23/18 Update: I no longer have to take the vinegar. Yay!
Redness around my eyes has decreased substantially. I believe it is because of not consuming inflammatory processed food and sugar.
A couple of weeks into my Keto Diet experience, I purged my pantry and fridge. I trashed all the non-Keto food except for a few things for my husband who is not on Keto. He’s supporting me 100% so I keep snacks for him.
Measuring and tracking all food has been key to my success. I use a digital scale and measuring cups and spoons. I track it all using MyFitnessPal. Eyeballing portion size won’t work when starting out. You can easily go over carbs without realizing it. Too many carbs mean either no weight loss or weight gain.
Keeping food simple has also helped my success. I stick with meat, vegetables, and a few fats. I do not use sugar substitutes. A sweet tooth got me overweight and caused those fierce hunger moments.
Knowing how to cook helps greatly. I make my own mayonnaise and salad dressing. Look at the labels to see why. Almost all of them have some type of sugar in them. I make broth to drink daily. Why? Because it helps with the obligatory Keto Flu and gives me collagen for hair and skin.
I gave up alcohol while I’m in the weight loss phase. This one was a real commitment. I love wine. My favorite vacation is to go to California wine country. Alcohol is allowed on Keto yet it can slow weight loss. I’d rather get to my goal weight and then add it back when I’m maintaining.
March 1st was a milestone. I had lost 20 pounds. It was also the day I completed a 60-Day Challenge (#KetoDietChallenge). This photo shows the results:
I still have a way to go before reaching my goal weight. At least I know the journey to get there won’t be filled with hunger. I’m certain my keto diet experience will remain positive. I know it will be filled with food I love to eat!
Update: April 23rd was another milestone! I’ve lost 30 pounds. This photo shows the progress:
Update: June 4th was another milestone! I’ve lost 40 pounds. This photo shows the progress:
Update: July 30th was another milestone! I’ve lost 50 pounds. This photo shows the progress:
Update: October 22nd was another milestone! I’ve lost 60 pounds. This photo shows the progress:
Here are some resources if you want more information:
FYI – This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Keto books and cookbooks:
- The Ketogenic Bible
- The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living
- The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners
- The Keto Diet: The Complete Guide to a High-Fat Diet
- The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen
- Easy Keto Dinners
- Southern Keto
- The Big 15 Ketogenic Diet Cookbook
- Simply Keto
- The Case Against Sugar
- Good Calories Bad Calories
Best Keto movies to watch:
Ketogenic Websites:
I’ll come back and update this post with more photos and details of my Keto Diet experience. If you decide to go with the Ketogenic way of eating, I hope my story has helped in your decision process.
On Pinterest? If so, pin this:
Thank you so much for suggesting my book and blog, Renee! Much appreciated.
If you ever want to do a guest post with your story and maybe a keto recipe, let me know!
Thanks Carolyn and will do!
Wow Renee, congratulations. You look fabulous. I’ve just started the kept diet as nothing else seems to work and after menopause hormones were going all haywire, feeling bloated all the time. I’m into my second week, get tempted with carb food like bread and banana. For me its a little more difficult as I’m vegetarian but am learning what to include in my diet.
Push through it and it will get better. Your body will adjust and you’ll soon be not so tempted by those carbs.
Congrats on the weight loss and finding the perfect diet for you. I want to read more about it, as I have got to find something I can be successful with. Look forward to hearing more from Spoiled Hounds. Loved your journey it’s very inspiring thanks for sharing, you look so good!
Thanks Karen and good luck with your weight loss journey. I hope you find something that works for you. Perhaps it will be Keto. It’s worth a try.
Awesome job Renee! I need to do something myself. Congrats and thank you for sharing with us. I am going to research the Keto diet. Thank you for the recommendations.
I hope you figure out what you need to do for yourself. It has to be something you can commit to and I understand all the struggle that goes along with it.
Renee, I think this is awesome! I love Keto! I will never go back to the way I ate before. I feel so much better ALL the time and am so much happier. You look great and I’m so proud of you!!
Thanks Shelby, especially for being my inspiration to start Keto.
Good for you! I am dedicated to Keto because I am feeling better and not starving. Sadly have only lost seven pounds since dec. so must be doing it wrong, just got the keto diet cookbook to read up some more. I have Carolyns books as well as 6 others. I wish the macros could be described in cups etc, it would be easier to know what to eat. I have only gone over 30 gms of carb a couple of times. Does my fitness pal tell you amounts to eat? Maybe I eat too much, tho’ it does not seem so. Thanks for sharing.
MyFitnessPal helps with planning meals. You have to know your macros and put them in to know your daily target. Once you add food, it will calculate the totals. So if you enter 1 cup of cauliflower, it will show the nutrition for it. I plan all my meals with serving sizes so I know exactly how much I can eat to stay below my daily max calories plus getting the right amount of fat, protein, and carbs. It takes some time to get used to it. Once you do it’s easy to do. Good luck!
Nice of you to share your experience. I learned a lot from you. Thanks for sharing!
So inspiring to see your photos and read your story! Thank you for sharing. After 50, this weight loss has been tougher, but I’m working through it.
I’m petite and any weight gain seems to show faster than on someone taller. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but at 4’10”, I want to lose 7 more pounds to get down to a healthier weight, and ideally, down 12 pounds. I have been eating a keto diet for 34 days. I also added OrangeTheory fitness workouts 3-4x a week just 20 days ago. I am amazed that I’m not ravenous after a workout that’s burning over 500 calories in an hour class. I’m rarely hungry, unless I don’t drink enough water. So far, I’m down 4.8 pounds, and for me, that’s great progress.
Sending you all good energy to keep going, keep keto, and feel great!
Thanks Susan! And likewise, I’m sending you strength and positive energy to keep you on track in your Keto journey. I hope you achieve your goal and will feel great too.
I am commenting to let you know what a terrific experience my daughter enjoyed reading through your blog. Thanks so much!
Thank you for your kind words! You made my day.