Today, March 18th, 2019 marks my one year on the Keto diet. It’s hard to believe it has been one year since I first tasted the bulletproof coffee, lowered my carb intake and increased my healthy fats consumption. Getting on the Ketogenic diet was one of the most radical health changes I have ever implemented in my life, and this one thing has literary changed my life!

Looking back on day one on Keto, I still remember the excitement and anxiety. After doing research on the diet, I was ready to get started. I committed to trying the Ketogenic diet for just one month. Although I felt ready to get started, I still had some reservations as to whether this diet would work for my husband and I. Prior to this, I had not been on any diet. The most I had done was making a few changes on what I ate like cutting out certain food items like bread, rice, and soda. I had however strived to make healthy food choices, so when we started on the keto diet, I focused more on wholefoods and less processed foods.

One week led to one month and one month turned to two and here we are one year later. Staying on Keto has meant making a few changes, which have now become a lifestyle change.

The main changes I have made are;

• Having a set dinner time.
• Meal planning.
• Focusing on food quality and paying attention to food labels.

The first week was the hardest. Although my husband and I did not get the keto flu and got into ketosis in just a couple days, changing our eating habits was not easy. Counting macros was the hardest but the most important thing I did because I learned portion control through this process. Knowing portion control based on the macros gave me the freedom to be in any environment and still stay below my required macros. For example, when I go to a restaurant, I’m able to order keto friendly foods based on what’s on the menu. Also at parties, I’m mentally prepared to make keto friendly food choices.

For me, the downside of being on keto is not finding any sweetener that works for me. I have therefore not been able to enjoy keto desserts. This, however, has not been a dealbreaker.

I have enjoyed freedom over food control. I no longer have bread, sweets and dessert cravings. These cravings used to be part of my life before starting on the Keto diet.

My taste buds have changed too and certain foods no longer appeal to me. I never thought a day would come when I would choose broccoli instead of cake. My daughter loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, therefore I usually have bread in the house, which is no longer a temptation. The other day my husband brought home girl scout cookies. I took one bite of the cookie, and that’s the most I could eat! To me, the lemon cookies did not taste as good as they once did. So, if you don’t want your taste buds to change, Keto may not be a good option for you!

In case you are wondering if girl scouts cookies are keto friendly, no they are not. However, after being on keto for a while, the body is keto-adapted and is able to easily switch from fat burning mode to glucose burning mode more efficiently. Hence, eating a cookie or a piece of cake may knock you out of ketosis but you will be able to get back in ketosis in a few hours, as long as you are back to eating keto friendly foods.

After about 8 weeks on Keto, I had reached my weight goal. However, I still kept on going due to the health benefits I gained from the diet.

• I have the freedom to choose the foods I eat without being controlled by bread and sugar and salt cravings.
• Mental clarity. Brain fog is a thing of the past.
• More energy, and no longer needing to take afternoon naps.
• Seasonal allergies went away. I no longer need to take seasonal allergy medications.
• Control over my weight. I have maintained the same weight since I reached my weight goal. Weight loss is no longer a lifetime pursuit.
• I am more aware of the foods I’m sensitive to. This helps me make better food choices that work for me long term. Indigestion and blotting are no longer the norm.

I am thankful that my husband Charles introduced me to this crazy diet, and to the book, The Keto Zone Diet by Dr. Don Colbert. With all the conflicting information out there about the ketogenic diet, this book gave us the clarity we needed to make the keto diet work for us.

In his book, The Keto Zone Diet Dr. Don Colbert talks in length about Fats and why the topic is so controversial. If you are often wondering which fats are healthy and which ones are good for you, I highly recommend this book. (I’m not paid to endorse this book).

The two things that continue to make it easy for me to implement the keto diet are MCT oil and avocado oil. These are my go-to products. I use MCT oil and avocado oil in my bulletproof coffee. I also use Avocado oil as a salad dressing, and also as a fat source when I don’t have enough fat macros from the foods I’m eating. Unlike olive oil, which I use to saute my veggies, avocado oil has a mild taste, which enhances the taste of the food it is added to.

The ketogenic diet is definitely doable long term, by focusing on nutrient-dense foods. My post on the first month on keto diet gives an idea of how we implemented this diet into our lives. 

This crazy diet is not for everyone, but for those who are willing to dive into this adventure, it’s worth trying. To me, it’s been rewarding beyond weight loss. I’m looking forward to the next year on Keto!