5 Months Will Get You 78: A Keto Story.

My name is Victor. Friends call me Vic. I am a bike hound and keto enthusiast. I have lost 78 pounds in 5 months adhering to a strict keto diet, starting on March 4th of this year, 2021. At the onset of my 40's, I found myself putting on weight and identifying with the people in the TV commercials that talked about how "once you're in your 40's, your body changes..." They weren't kidding. I peaked at 287 and realized drastic action was required. I bought a bike, something I hadn't ridden in 20 years, but had been a keen fan of from childhood all the way through college. I got back into the bike. And managed to lose 50 pounds in six months. And stall. And go back up to 245. Thus followed several years of yo-yo dieting effects, never seeming able to get below 235. Finally, in March of this year, my doctor recommended I try the keto diet. I was near despondent as I felt I'd tried everything and nothing worked for me, so I told him I'd give it a shot. I went home and did as much research as I could, getting informed and learning the ropes of all things keto. I looked at the keto-approved list of foods and told myself, "THIS is the menu. Eat things from THIS LIST and forget the rest." The simple question I asked myself in making the dietary changes was, "Do you want to eat this, or do you want to lose weight?" It's very simple, but it requires making that hard decision–some folks will tell you right out–they won't give up the carbs. Initially, my doctor also gave me a prescription for Phentermine, a medication prescribed to people with serious obesity issues, as a kind of 'jump-start' to help stimulate a metabolism that had been consumed by a severe case of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. I mean, my body wasn't doing ANYTHING. Stall City. I biked 4000 miles in 2020 and never lost a single pound. I even had the Phentermine for 3 months in that year and it did nothing at all that time around. Keto is what made the difference. Once I got through the adaptation phase, I was off to the races. About four weeks in, I started to notice the higher levels of energy–I could go for longer bike rides now whereas before keto, a 15-mile ride would leave me spent. I now ride 32 miles a day minimum. Mental clarity is much improved as well–I wake up in the morning NOT feeling groggy, but alert, and ready to start the day at time of wakening. Throughout all this, I have maintained my focus on being disciplined, diligent, and committed to the keto plan–it's the only way it can work, I am convinced, and that is one piece of advice I would give anyone wanting to try keto. In summation, keto has been a real game-changer in my life–for years I struggled with weight issues, trying to get my body to cooperate and do things I logically thought it should be able to do, but wouldn't. Keto changed all that. And I'm not done yet.