If you are considering a Keto Diet for your new lifestyle, I commend you. But why are you considering it?
We have these ideas in our head about what our lives will be like when we succeed, but what is the reality?
Keto is a lot of effort and a very restrictive diet and it can be ruthless if you cheat, especially at the early stages. And yet, it is one of the most popular diets out there.
When I started, I was doing it for my wife’s health, so when I started to lose the weight, I was happily surprised and became quite motivated.
I made the meals, did the shopping, and did the work necessary to make it successful for me as well as her.
Is it easy? Quite the contrary, I make every meal, prep foods and recipes for every week, I always have to prepare for what we eat when we are out, whether it’s double checking a restaurant, a menu or bringing a few items to substitute a meal on the fly.
It’s a lot of effort, focus and discipline. So, why do I do all of this?
It’s actually a much more rewarding reason than you think. Thanks to the Keto diet, I am proud of who I am and how I feel. I am so much healthier than I was. I get up and have the energy I need to enjoy my day. My mood is better than I can remember, and I get to do all of the things I enjoy and it feels great.
As I may have mentioned, I am a bit older than most of you. Our children have grown and gone and the medical issues we have encountered left both of us tired and just looking forward to the day to end.
It just felt like our lives were winding down and there was nothing we could do about it.
When I was much younger I had always enjoyed staying busy and never liked to stay still. There were many times that I did just enjoy a beautiful sunset or an incredible view, but I preferred to keep moving.
When I would get up, I would make a list of things I wanted to accomplish that day, but as I began to gain the weight, I would be lucky to accomplish just one or two of those items.
Not because I didn’t have time, but because I would lose the motivation as the day progressed. It was more than just energy too. I didn’t feel very good about myself and felt like other people were judging me the same way. I didn’t like to go out as much and tended to socialize less.
And it was so gradual, I didn’t even realize it was happening. As it turns out, it wasn’t everyone else that was judging me, it was me.
When I started losing weight, I began to feel better about myself, not just because of the weight loss, but because I was feeling like I had some control again.
That gave me more motivation, more energy and more willingness to socialize.
At first, no one even noticed my weight loss.
Their comments were about my improved attitude and they began commenting on how I was dressing. That was something I didn’t even realize until they brought it up. I have my, let’s call them “stay at home clothes” and then I have all of my “going out clothes”. I didn’t even notice how unimpressive I was dressing.
I found a desire to dress a bit nicer, even if I was just going to the grocery store and I held my head up to a bit higher, I smiled more and I found myself making eye contact when I would normally avoid noticing people any more than necessary and just lay low.
So, why am I on a keto diet?
Because, if you follow it properly, you have control of what you weigh, who you are and how you see yourself.
You are your greatest reward and putting in the work is more than worth the effort to enjoy all of the other aspects of your life to their fullest.