Today I decided that it was way past time I posted a new blog. I was hoping to have some exciting news with my next post but, that's not really the case.
Progress has been slow. But, I keep telling myself, slow progress is still progress. I have pretty much just been maintaining the number on the scale. I will get down a few pounds, then I celebrate my success and put it back on. I have got to stop those celebrations!
I do not intend to go down a size, I just want my jeans to fit comfortably again. I am still wearing the same size I wore when I was at goal, they just do not fit like they should. So, after I wiggle my way into them each day, I remind myself that at least I have not had to buy bigger ones, yet.
Since January I have only lost about 5.5 pounds. (However, I have lost those same 5 pounds countless times.)
I know there are mixed opinions about the Ketone Sticks, but I recently purchased them again and am back to testing myself daily. I am trying to figure out what it is, that keeps kicking me out of Ketosis. I think the Diet Dew may have been a culprit. So, I have once again cut diet soda out of my life.
I am also working on drinking my coffee black again. I still occasionally squirt a few drops of liquid stevia in it but, eventually I hope to cut that out as well.
By the way, I was right to worry about how my recent job change could slow down my progress. I do not regret the job change, but I do not get the exercise I did before. I am currently only getting about 5000 steps in my average 12-hour shift. Hopefully, I will be able to figure out a way to get more steps in eventually, but right now I do not have time to even think about it. And they keep telling me that we aren't even into the busy season, yet.
Soon enough we will begin our bicycling season, though. One of the perks to the new position at work, is I only work 3 days one week and 4 days the next. That is going to free up so much time for biking! Hopefully the lack of steps won't be as big of a deal then.
Back to Keto though. I tried doing OMAD and Intermittent Fasting but that just wasn't working for me. By the time I get home from work (7:30 PM) it is too late to be sitting down to devour my entire days' worth of calories. So, I am back to eating 3 meals a day.
I have also been trying to eat less of the higher fat foods. For about the last year or so, my normal breakfast was nothing but Sausage or Bacon. Super fatty! I am still going to eat up what we have bought, I am just not eating it every single day and do not intend to buy it again. Not until I reach goal, anyway. So, instead of sausage links, I've just been having an Egg with cheese for breakfast. So, I am getting 5 instead of 14 grams of fat in the morning. Remember, when you are in Ketosis, your body first burns up the fat you consume and then it starts to burn your stored fat. So, I should start burning my stored fat much quicker during my day.
I have also changed my workday lunch. For one thing, I've cut way back my cheese; another super fatty food. I used to say I could live off cheese, but now I eat it much more sparingly. I will occasionally take leftovers from the night before that might include some veggies/carbs - but for the most part, my lunch has mostly just been a protein. Chicken Breast, Turkey Italian Sausage, Bunless Burger, Air Fried Pork Chop Bites, etc. So, for the most part, my breakfast and lunch have little to no carbs. The evening meal is a meat and a vegetable. Just whatever Ed feels like cooking. So, I have been keeping my Carbs in check, trying to really limit my fat and pushing for a protein goal while restricting my calories.
To be honest, I think the reason I've had so much trouble getting back to goal, is I was trying to lose the weight without really getting back into weight-loss mode. I was trying to lose weight while eating a more relaxed "maintenance" version of Keto. I wasn't even very good at tracking/logging my food. That is something else that's changed. I'm trying to log faithfully, before I eat it, to make sure it's not going to throw me over.
This week, I also decided to count NET carbs, instead of total carbs, just as a test. If I do not like the results, I will go right back to counting total carbs. I just think that if I count Net Carbs, maybe I can get a few more veggies into my diet.
