Toni's Journey!

My journey starts 3 years ago when I discovered Dr. Berg and the Keto Diet. I am 53 yrs old, post-menopause, and located in the Midwest. Growing up I was always thin and athletic. At the age of 34, I had my son and gained a lot of weight, and highest at that time I got up to 190 lbs. I also was in a very stressful relationship that didn't end for 7 years. I also was a low-fat everything diet, everything I got from the grocery store was low fat and low calories. My doctor said I was starving my body of starvation and nutrition eating this way. Which now I totally understand how low fat was making me fat. I found Dr. Berg on youtube and started binging on his videos. A light bulb went off and realized that I must fix the inside health before I started on the outside. Made perfect sense to me. After eating keto I had to do little experiences on myself with certain keto foods to find out what would work for me. I know I cannot eat the high fat, I eat medium-fat which works for me. I also started checking my blood sugar 3x a day before I ate and 2 hours after. This helped me keep track of what foods were raising my insulin and not. This was my gauge of the foods that were making me feel terrible. Forgot to mention I don't have a gallbladder. This process helped me take my A1C from 6.8 to 5.9 in 3 mos. I was amazed! I do Intermittent fasting 16-8 about 4-5 days a week. I change up the times to keep my body guessing. I started to document my journey 2 years ago with all my failures and challenges which has helped me so much. It helped me what works and what doesn't for me. I do eat as much as I can find organic because when I eat this way I feel amazing. Starting December 2020, I started exercising, walking, and some HIIT. I walk on my breaks at work and at home afterward. I am on average 12-15 miles a week. I have found some great places that have hills to challenge me more. Mistakes I have made on Keto, in the beginning, I was weighing myself every day, I know now that keto does not work this way. I did my measurements which I am so happy about this one. Another mistake is this process is not going to be perfect and straight-lined.. you have to fail to get there.. Another mistake, Need to keep my eye on the ball and to not compare myself to other people on keto. No journey is alike.. 3 pieces of advice to someone starting keto: 1. Throw the scale out the door!!! 2. Keto is not a miracle diet/or quick fix, it's a lifestyle change 3. My favorite, fix the inside before working on the outside.