Neato Keto

I've decided that my intentional journey this year will be in doing the Keto plan - I refuse to use the D word. I feel sure that most know what it is by now, but I'm keeping my net carb amount to 5% of my calories daily. My protein around 25% and my fats around 70%...

I'm no stranger to the low carb life - as I've done Atkins numerous times in the past - and I can't explain why this time is different... but it's not quite as restrictive as Atkins' first two weeks -- being that within my macros - I can have up to 25 grams of carbohydrates a day. Now, that also needs to take into account that you subtract out the fiber content from the total carbs and get the net number... so my NET carbs are under 25 grams a day.

With the many times, I've done this before - I suffered excruciating withdrawal symptoms for up to a week. I did my research on the keto flu before getting started and I was ready for it - I never knew in all the Atkins stops and starts that what my body was struggling with was the loss of sodium. So this time, I armed myself with electrolyte water and added a little more salt to things the first few days. I never really got those dreaded migraines like I have in the past. My biggest struggle has been fatigue - I go in spurts. One minute I'm feeling incredible and knocking out all. the. things. Then a bit later, I'll find myself completely worn out - so I feel like my body is still adjusting to burning fat for fuel instead of sugar.

I'm in it to win it though - so I'm just taking it one day at a time. Like I said before - I'm not looking at this as an all or nothing thing. It's my new lifestyle. So if I'm at a party or something and there are carbs, and I want some -- I'll keep it to a small amount and go on living my life. Just because I have one small thing doesn't have to derail me entirely from my whole plan.

In the past that has been my thought process, I would cave and have one thing -- and next thing you know 6 months have gone by and I've been off the wagon the whole time. Not this time... I've got a friend that I'm super comfortable sharing the slips with and we've vowed to help each other through that "failure" mentality.

I'm two weeks in on the plan so far and I'm still loving it -- I've got just enough variety that I'm happy and I'm trying out all sorts of new recipes and sharing them over on my recipe blog. If you scroll down there is a label that will pull up all of our keto-friendly recipes.

My plan is to keep to the semi-basics for the most part as much as I can and add whatever we're craving. If I need to bake something -- I'm happy to do it. I'd rather do that than buy something packaged as low carb because that way I know and can control the ingredients. This week - I made John some mini cheesecakes that are low carb and have a pecan crust. I made myself some chocolate mousse -- but I'm looking for a different recipe on that one.

In addition to my keto plan, I've added in intermittent fasting. I'm going most days from about 10 PM to 12 or 1 PM the next day to eat. I seem to be doing just fine on that and even though my doctor was strongly against it - things are going fine. One thing I can tell you that has been eye-opening is that the night before starting the plan - my sugars were 358 and since beginning the plan they haven't been over 130 even once! I'm excited to go back next month to show her by sugar readings -- maybe I'll even begin my goal of backing off of some of my medications. 

I saw the doctor the day before we started and she put me on a new shot that is helping curb my hunger as well - I'm virtually NEVER hungry anymore... and I used to be a huge snacker. It's so strange... between the shot and the added fat in my diet -- I'm losing weight and never hungry. 

I haven't added this in just yet -- but it's coming. I've been seeing some ads for the Body Groove workouts and I'm thinking about getting them. It looks much for free form and I'm looking for something to completely change the way I think and feel about working out. Has anyone seen the ads or heard of this program? I'm curious how it works -- it looks like it would be fun and maybe something that James and Tyler can do with me at least whenever he wants to join in.

Well, I'm a bit late... but it's 2019!

I've learned a few things in the short time that it's been 2019, and I thought I'd start off a series of upcoming posts with that. What I've learned is that in years past - I've set goals and I've given resolutions of things like I'm going to lose 25 pounds... only to quickly fail. That gave way to me only setting resolutions of things like lose weight... with no set amount, because in my mind... even one pound gone in the year would be a success, right?

Well, none of it has been successful, and I found myself at the end of 2018 feeling pretty defeated. I thought that I was just destined to be heavy and on tons of diabetes meds for the rest of my life. Nothing could or would ever change for the better... Then I heard one of the most profound podcast episodes I've ever heard.

It was a couple of days in the new year and I was catching up on getting my Powersheets set up for the year, and determining what my goals would be and I heard something that I will never EVER forget... Two things actually: 1) There is nothing magical about January 1st. There is nothing special about January 1st other than the fact that for the next month or two you'll be writing the wrong year on everything... or maybe it's just me? 2) The reason that resolutions fail by and large is that there is no heart reason behind them. They are just shots in the dark at things that we feel like we need to improve.

That's when it clicked for me. Will I be perfect in this pursuit? Of course not, but what I can do is embrace the progress that is being made and know that things are better than not trying at all. How does that look different in real life?

It looks like choosing goals that are tied to reasons, real tangible reasons... for instance - with my weight loss goal - why do I want to do it in the first place? There are a few reasons there actually:

• to feel better and not have creaky joints
• to get off of all of my medications
• to have more energy for my family
• to be ALIVE longer for my family

Let's be real honest here - since few people read this anyway -- there is safety in putting it out there, but I was on a path to certain earlier death until I changed things. Granted I have only changed things in the last two weeks... but I'm headed in a better direction than the alternative. With my weight and my diabetes working together - it was almost a guaranteed certainty that I wouldn't make it until a natural old age. How can I look into the eyes of my family and not know to the depths of my soul that I need to do better for THEM? Take me out of the picture... but how can I not get control over this issue so that I can be there for many more years to come? 

I know that there will be struggles, but one thing I also know is that I love these people in my life fiercely -- both those that live within my home and those family and friends that I interact with on a regular basis... I happen to be someone that loves BIG often at the detriment of my own health because I also tend to be a people pleaser. Maybe of my goals, this year are all wrapped in on this topic. 

I'm one of those people that comes up with a word for the year, and each of my 7 goals for 2019 is tied to this word. My word for this year is Intentional. (I'd love to have a ring with that word stamped on it or even a bracelet -- I'll have to look for one)

Here are my 7 goals... 

1. Spend intentional time with God either through devotionals or Write the Word Journals
2. Intentional time with people that matter - John, the boys, friends, family
3. Intentionally improve health through diet, increased water, intermittent fasting, and exercise
4. Focus intentionally on our budget and debt snowball
5. Be intentional with my daily reading for enjoyment both nonfiction and fiction
6. Intentionally create a second book for publishing
7. Intentionally spend time on homemaking through decluttering and cleaning routines

Will these all happen perfectly - probably not, and some of them will take a backseat at times for the others -- but what I do know is that 2 weeks in -- I'm feeling better than I ever have and I'm showing no signs of stopping. Something has snapped in me this year and I feel so much more grounded in knowing that there will be bad days and there will be good days -- but showing up for myself will never EVER be a disappointment to those that matter.