Intro to Keto

I'm sure if you've stumbled across my blog, you've rolled your eyes and said something to yourself along the lines of "what's this fuckwit going to tell me that all the other fuckwits haven't?"  Truth is, I'm not sure myself. Mostly, this is the story of my journey. You can join me if you want, share your own adventures, or if you're part of the keto police, you can get bent and kindly move on to a new blog and someone else to make miserable.

I'm going to define keto for me, largely in an effort to minimize internet trolls. Keto is a diet that is high-fat, moderate protein, and low carb. Most days I successfully manage 20 or fewer NET carbs (that is to say, total carbohydrates less dietary fiber). I've eliminated as much sugar as I can from my diet. I've limited my carb intake to leafy green vegetables. At some point, I'll probably transition to "lazy" keto or do keto with "carb-ups" where I eat more carbs than is usual. Right now, this is my diet plan. Keto for me DOES include dairy. Specifically, full-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, and heavy whipping cream ("cream" or HWC).  I read labels to avoid brands with added sugars. I can nearly see some of the keto police's heads exploding. I don't count calories. I'm sorta measuring things out until I learn where carbs slip in to the equation.

Along with keto I exercise. I lift 5x/week. I do some form of cardio daily, such as run, swim, walk, elliptical, whatever. I think exercise in whatever capacity you can exercise is critical to maintain good physical health. I'm not your doctor, so check with him or her if you want to start a plan. Get a trainer to help you learn what you should be doing in the gym (I have one. She's fucking amazing, even if she does only like purse dogs and is a morning person).

Keto, for me, is NOT necessarily a weight loss plan. I'm looking to see if keto will help me decrease my overall body fat percentage and I'm sort of wondering what physical changes I'll see as I progress through the plan. I do not plan on living this life style forever. In fact, I frequently question whether the results of keto are sustainable (or even healthy) long term. 

Here's what I want to write about, hopefully helping some of you determine whether keto is right (or wrong) for you:

• Keto results
• The "science" of keto (I have a bio-science degree, but I'm no scientist. Neither are half the other people schlepping advice. What I am is a skeptic of the first order, and no bullshit when I smell it).
• Adjustment to keto
• Products that help me STAY keto
• Cravings, food management
• Recipes
• Keto support paraphernalia

I've been doing for approximately seven weeks as of this first post. I did a slow transition to decrease my carb intake for two weeks prior to that seven weeks. When I started keto, I stood just shy of 6'3 and weighed in at 187 pounds. I was 18% body fat (by calipers). Today, seven weeks after I began and one day after my first permitted cheat day, wherein I ate ALL the carbs, I still stand just shy of 6'3, weighed in at 187 pounds, and the calipers said I was at 15% body fat.