Thirteen Down–I Made It!

Wow. I made it.

The Weight Loss

I finished out the challenge with a net weight loss a few ounces shy of 25 pounds, although all but three pounds of that happened in the first eight weeks. I lost exactly 5% body fat. I’m very pleased with both of those numbers. (I’ve included first day/last day scale shots below, but ignore the amount of weight I supposedly lost; I tested out my scale when I first got it and gained a bit of weight before I started GoingKeto, so those numbers don’t line up with the 15 Nov – 15 Feb timeline.)

I visit my doc early next week to do follow-up bloodwork so I can find out exactly what happened inside of my body over the last three months; I did initial bloodwork right before I started, so I’ll post before/after information once the labs come in.

What Went Well

When I was planning this challenge, I listed all of the odds and how they were stacked against me:

• I’d start on November 15th and go through February 15th. That includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, the Super Bowl, and Valentine’s Day.
• I wasn’t going to allow myself to cheat a single time: not one day, not one meal, not one dish.
• I’m a single dad with four kids—and they’re not on the diet.
• I was going to completely change up my eating style as well as try intermittent fasting for the first time.
• I hadn’t consistently worked out in a year and a half, and I was going to implement a new system.

It wasn’t easy. Those first three weeks, to be completely honest, were rough. But I managed to go 90 days, through the holidays, without cheating a single time—and I taught my kids how to make three new kinds of cookies, two cake recipes, and one type of pie during that time, as well as more muffins and pancakes than I’d like to admit. I’m pretty proud of making it through.

My lifestyle has completely changed. I don’t feel controlled by food cravings or my eating schedule anymore. I can barely remember what “feeling hangry” is like. My energy levels and mental focus have been consistently stable for months. I’m more productive at work. I feel like a completely different person.

What Was Hard

The first part was a bit rough, but now I can’t imagine my life without keto. The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is getting to cheat occasionally; I’m a firm believer in the mantra “everything in moderation, including moderation,” and sometimes you just want a Krispy Kreme. That’s totally fine. I was strict for 90 days to show it could be done, and now I plan to stay on keto long-term with the occasional cheat dish or meal thrown in to spice things up.

The Next Week

I was going to have an epic cheat meal this Saturday, but my labs got pushed back to next week, so I’m going to wait. When I do, though, I’m going to down a massive plate of Pad Thai, followed by the largest slice of apple pie you’ve ever seen. After I recover from the prediabetic shock I’m sure I’ll experience, it’ll be right back to keto. There’s no way I’d give up this feeling.

It’s not about the weight anymore. It’s about the lifestyle, and I’ve completely fallen in love with it.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD

This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD.

Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.

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Joshua Burnett

Josh is a freelance writer and editor based in the Corvallis, Oregon area. He has a diverse and varied background as an Air Force officer, structural firefighter, professor, construction worker, retail manager, investigator, and author. He is an expert on the keto diet. When he isn't writing, he's normally reading or hanging out with his kids.

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