Week 2 of the Keto Diet was interesting. I started the week off feeling very comfortable with the diet. I lost an additional 2.4 pounds which means I have lost a little over 5 pounds in two weeks. This is a big deal because I don’t have a lot of body fat to lose. It was very encouraging to see that type of reward since the entire basis for me starting the Keto Diet was to lose the last bit of weight I couldn’t seem to get off after hitting a plateau. My family and friends have also commented on how in shape I look recently and how flat my stomach has become. I do wonder if it is really the Keto Diet that is burning my fat cells or the fact that I can’t eat snacks at work (unless I bring them which I do) and I can’t drink beer.
My energy levels are still high, but I have to say I never felt sluggish before I began the diet. I have been enjoying food groups such as dairy that I used to limit and I’ve had fun creating new recipes and meal plans for myself to accommodate the food I love in conjunction with this diet. The most difficult thing I experienced this week was sugar cravings. I was extremely surprised to see how intense those cravings were because I do not eat excess sugar or any sugary snacks regularly. I ended up drinking four strawberry flavored sparkling waters in an effort to feel satisfied (the drinks are sugar free but I thought the taste might trick my brain).
My biggest motivation for not drinking alcohol and not eating sugar (two no-no’s on this diet) has been the pride I get from acknowledging my self-control. The only extra sugar I had been ingesting frequently was from alcoholic beverages which I would have with dinner or watching a sporting event. I went to a bar to watch a World Cup match and only drank water. If I were to suspect that my body missed sugar, it could have only been coming from the alcohol I was drinking.
Now that I am at the start of week 3 I am excited to finish the challenge. I miss being able to eat pizza or the occasional hash brown. I did slip up Saturday and I ate a hamburger bun and two chocolate chip cookies. This means my body left ketosis and now I have to spend this week trying to get back into ketosis. I do think this is a great diet I will turn to three or four times during the year for 4-6 weeks each time to help restart my metabolism and enjoy a high fat diet- because it is easy to enjoy! I have never liked looking at a food group as “bad” or “forbidden” and I do worry a little that I will end up overindulging in the food I couldn’t eat during this diet. With that being said, I have become so aware of how much mindless calories I was getting through snacking or drinking that I do think I will carry the lessons with me to only eat the snacks I pack and only drink on a real occasion, not just because I am watching the Bachelorette or a sporting event.
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