How the Keto Diet helped me lose 20 pounds in 12 weeks.
There are so many different diets out there, Whole 30, Paleo and Keto are probably three of the most talked about right now. I have tried Keto off and on previously, but over the last 12 weeks, I have finally found my sweet spot, and the pounds have come off and I couldn’t be happier. I’m a father of two, with a very demanding job in addition to this blogging site. I will give you one truth and one recommendation and some motivation:
One Truth: You have to burn more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight.
One Recommendation: Do what works for you and what you can stick with.
Motivation: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” – Kate Moss
Now I added the motivation because its so true. Even though I started Keto to get rid of my dad bod, and Moss was a super skinny super model, the motivation is the same. You need to have a plan and you need the will power and mental mindset to achieve it. A trainer once told me, your appearance is 70% what you eat and 30% your workout routine. I am a firm believer that this is true. Below is my journey on how I got started.
MY PLAN that helped me lose 20 pounds in 3 months.
Step 1: Gather intel on how and why Keto works:
I started by reviewing videos online. Thomas DeLauer is where I got a lot of info. His videos are long and he takes a long time to get to the point, but he has a lot of good information and is science-based. I don’t have any affiliation with him, I just learned a ton and think you would too.
The basics of the Keto diet is to limit your carb intake to less than 25g a day and strive to get 70-75% of your calories from fat, 20% from protein, and 5% from carbs. In unscientific terms, you’re supposed to jam your body with fat, so that your body starts to learn to use fat for fuel. Once your body works through the food you eat, it then starts to break down your body fat for fuel and energy. This is called Ketosis. There are many ways to measure if your body is in Ketosis, with strips or blood tests. The other bonus is that since you’re so limited in what you can eat on this diet, that it almost forces your calorie intake to go down, which helps with the Truth up above.
Step 2: Meal planning
The majority of what I eat on my version of the keto diet revolves heavily around eggs, cheese, meat and butter. I also eat tons of spinach salads with full fat ranch dressing and guacamole. Snacks are limited to cheese, pepperoni, olives and pork rinds.
Download my free weekly Keto meal plan today!
Step 3: Sticking with it
You’ll be hungry, a lot in the beginning. Two main keys for me were to get a lot of the junk food out of the house. Another, remember the Motivation. When you look at a carb, just remember its not going to taste as good as you’ll feel if you don’t. Your stomach will adjust and get smaller. Also, make sure you drink plenty of water and ensure you’re getting enough salt. I got the salt through pepperoni, pork, and on tough workout days, Powerade Zero.
Step 4: Shopping List
The basics you can get from the grocery store, such as eggs, spinach, butter, etc. If you’re going to do pulled pork in a crockpot, grab a 3lb boneless porkroast, full of fat, and put it in a crockpot for 8 hours with spices.
The supplements and snacks that I purchase on Amazon:
- Quest Bars: High protein, but 14g of fiber make this a net 7g of carbs (you’ll need to ensure you’re getting fiber on the Keto Diet) and this is a nice touch of sweet.
- RSP meal replacement protein: Another staple, high protein to promote muscle growth, vitamins, and high fiber. I used as a mid-morning snack or pre-bedtime snack if I did a big workout day.
- RSP pre-workout: It has the right muscle building aminos and pre-workout energy.
- Keto strips: You pee on them, and they let you know if you’re in ketosis and burning fat. If you’re not there after two weeks, increase your fat, and be disciplined in decreasing carbs.