One Year Of Keto

I posted this article last week on my other blog.  It only seemed right to put it here too.

Hard to believe it has been one year now since I began my Keto Journey.  The biggest surprise for me is that I've stuck to it!  It has been an amazing time for me, to be sure, and the benefits of this lifestyle are incredible.  I am so very happy I decided to take the leap.  Keto has given me my life back!

I had so many crazy things going on this time last year.  My health was tanking and I was really sick with nonstop migraines, auto immune issues, high blood pressure, intense back pain due to a kidney that wasn't functioning properly and several other problems.  I was facing another round of steroids that I absolutely did not want to take due to the fact that one they didn't seem to help much and two the side effects were awful.  Needless to say my anxiety was off the charts and I felt like I was spiraling fast.  No one likes to feel hopeless, but there I was.  I was really scared too.

Never in a million years did I think something as simple as changing my eating habits could have made such an impact.  I dove in head first, figuring I had nothing to lose at that point.  I was hoping it would help.  Keto not only helped it began to turn everything around.

Within two weeks I felt amazing.  I never did get the Keto Flu, or if I did it was better than how I was feeling to begin with.  The first thing I noticed was all the swelling in my body flushed itself away.  I lost 8 pounds of water and my clothes fit.  I was able to sleep through the night and when I woke up I wasn't in as much pain and I felt rested.  As time went on pain was no longer my constant companion.  Nor was my anxiety.  I felt calmer.

My body began to change.  I was on this Keto Journey to improve my health.  My focus was not on weight loss because I knew that would happen anyway so I didn't worry about it.  I got stronger, my muscles began to function and I was able to do things like I should be.  I began to to do repairs and updates to my house.  I spent more time with my friends.  I began to have tons of energy.  I wanted to do stuff!  And I did.

My health stabilized.  The migraines have subsided.  In the past year I've only had two, instead of two or three per month.  My blood pressure has gone down, my kidney is behaving itself, my back pain went away, my muscles no longer hurt and my joints don't ache.  The nonstop tinnitus I was suffering gives me a reprieve during the daytime.  I'm hopeful it will continue to improve.  My mood is so much better and my anxiety is much more manageable to the point I often forget it is an issue.  My hormone levels are normal for the first time in years.  I feel good.

I did lose weight.  Thirty seven pounds in total.  I am now at the weight I was five years ago before all of this began to get out of control.  All of my clothes fit.  I'm at the weight I am supposed to be and I recognize myself again.  I am 54 years old and I feel like I did when I was 40.

Mentally I'm much sharper and clearer than I have been in a long time.  No more brain fog.  I feel like I'm able to make better decisions with regard to all the different areas of my life.  Last summer I changed jobs and I love what I do and my coworkers too.  I have an amazing boss and I enjoy going to work each day.   When I come home to my beautiful home I find I'm very happy to be here and I enjoy it so much more.  I'm better off financially, spiritually and emotionally.  I'm hopeful, I'm grateful and for the first time in a very, very long time I'm optimistic about my future.  I'm back in control.

There is no doubt in my mind that this Keto journey has literally saved my life.