I got a lot to talk about tonight/today (it all depends on when you are reading this). It's going to be about changing over to the Keto lifestyle and a lot of the things I haven't talked about that are from it. I guess the first thing is that photo above. I took it because Baby Girl Gauge was sleeping on my chest and I wanted to capture that moment. I shared it on Instagram and on Facebook. It got the response I was looking for, which was "that is happiness", but I also got some other responses that I didn't expect. Those responses were talking about my appearance. I've lost a lot of weight, and I've talked pretty extensively on how I got there, but I haven't gone into great detail about the benefits and affects that it has had on me. That is what today is about.
Let's get back to that photo. The comments that stood out, were on how young I looked. I didn't notice that, even when I posted the picture. I knew it showed my weightless, and how you can see it in my face, but that was it. I attribute that all to the diet and the intermittent and long term fasting. Fasting as I mentioned before has anti-aging benefits at the cellular level. That means that your body chemistry can get youngish, but it shouldn't effect your outward appearance. That is what the science says, but there is also the overall affect that it has on your demeanor and how you present yourself. I'm not going into a "it boosts your confidence" tale, I'm going into the "when you feel better, you appear better to others." This is when we get into a lot of the other benefits I have talked about and a lot that I haven't.
I have already spoken about how it has affected my heart rate. That alone is a huge game changer in my mind. My heart is doing less work, which prolongs my life. We are going to get how that very last section of words is also a key component in this change. With my heart feeling better, my whole body is feeling better, and that affects my overall appearance. Healthier body, healthier skin, healthier attitude.
The next thing is going to be about that little grouping of words above, "which prolongs my life". There was a time, and you should know it very well if you have been reading for any length of time, when I wouldn't' say anything like that. Prolonging my life, why on earth would I do that? Here is the thing, and I'm attributing it to my new lifestyle and way of eating. My depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies, are all but gone. I won't say they are completely gone, because that would be foolish. Those feelings have been a part of me my entire life, for them to just leave would be ridiculous. I can say that they are no longer front and center, and I have no desire to relive them. Even though my life is pretty hard right now, I'm the happiest I have ever been, and I attribute that to my new diet and lifestyle. I want to live.
Ok, time to talk about the body and how it has changed. This is of course the obvious first thing that people notice. I have slimmed down, my stomach had gotten flatter. I have more definition in my body (not enough for my liking, but it's happening). I can bend over and tie my shoes and it doesn't hurt. That last thing was something I thought was an age related thing. It wasn't. It was because I was fat, and not just fat, but morbidly obese. I didn't know I was as bad as I was until the weight started stripping off of me. I didn't think I could ever get to 175, but I did. I realized that 175 wasn't enough and now I'm sitting around 165. Guess what? That isn't enough either, and we will address that in the closing of this blog (I hope you are still reading). I can physically do more things than I have been able to do in decades, not years, but decades. I thought I was pretty healthier before, just about 10 to 15 lbs overweight. Ha, I know now how laughable that is.
Now we are going to get into some things you probably don't want to know about, but are some things that are pretty important, and if you are a guy, you are going to love one of these things. Ok, we are going to have some toilet talk now. I know, who wants to hear about that, but it's important. Once I changed my diet and went Keto, I noticed some pretty significant changes, with my bowel movements. My stool softened up quite a bit, but everything flowed much easier. This was all do to eating more easily digestible foods, and eating vegetables that promoted helpful gut bacteria and digestion. I don't get a lot of fiber anymore, but what I do get, has a ton of extra benefits in how it gets my digestive system working. It takes less to do more, is basically what I'm getting at here. That was one of the most unusual benefits of this new way of living. The other is, well, it's a very odd one as well.
This one is for all the guys that are reading. I'm going to talk about penis. Yeah I know, it's a taboo subject but it has been affected by this whole lifestyle change. Here is the science guys, for every 10 lbs you lose, you gain a third of an inch to your penis size. It's not that it really gets any bigger, its just that it has more skin at it's dispense. If your skin isn't being pulled tight by fat, it can go towards letting you hang a little lower. Here is what I've noticed. I've lost 45 lbs, so that means a full inch should be added on. It's more than that guys. I'm not going to go into full details about myself, but It is a lot more comfortable now, and erections are much stronger. Eww gross right? He said erections. I did say that this one was going to be about some things you didn't want to really know about, but they are important.
Well, that is it for the benefits, now lets get into some talk about the future. Could I just sit back and be satisfied with how I look now, and move into maintenance mode? I said I was going to do that before when I hit 175, but we know how long that lasted, and yes, I could do that, but I'm not. I learned a few things in the past couple of weeks. What I have done is not easy, and although I believe anyone can do it, since I did. I know now, that that isn't fully true. It takes a center mentality and drive to do this, and you have to want to, well basically, get better. In the end that is what it really is. You are getting better, physically, mentally and health wise. So no, I'm not going into maintenance mode. I'm going for a very strict 28 days of Keto starting tomorrow, and I have a pretty lofty goal. I didn't weight in today, so I'm not exactly sure what my weight is right at this moment, but when I last weighed in I was at 167. Here is the goal for the end of the next 28 days, 150 lbs. That is my goal and that is a big one. I fought very hard to lose 10 pounds the last time I did 28 days, but a few things got in my way. That isn't an excuse, but it is something that happened. My plans went awry, and that cold happen again. Regardless, I will hit goal, just like I did the last time.
Here is the plan. I learned a lot over the last several months about what works and what doesn't. I've tried all sorts of different things out, from basic Keto, to vegan days, to intermittent fasting, to long term fasting, to caloric deficit. I will be using all of that in the coming days, to hit my goal, but in a sensible way. My first week, I'm going back to grade school, and eliminating dairy and sugar. I know, sugar is mostly out of my life now, but there are some things that I won't be eating or drinking during that first week. During that week, which starts tomorrow, I will be incorporating OMAD and intermittent fasting, with intervals of 20 to 24 hours each day. I'm not limiting my caloric intake other than, whatever I eat when I'm at the dinner table, and that is it. I could potentially eat a meal of around 1800 calories. No limits means no limits, but it will more than likely still be less than what the average person consumes in a day. The second week I will add very limited dairy back into the diet, and continue the OMAD and intermittent fasting, but I will throw a 36 hour fasting day in there as well. The third week, will be similar to the second with the exception of a 48 hour instead of the 36 hour. The final week will once again eliminate dairy and will do my best to eliminate carbs all together. That means 50/50 on proteins and fats. I will be limiting my calories to around 1200 per day for that week. It's going to be glorious.
I'm putting out the call right now. If you want to join me in this, reach out and get in touch with me. My email address is at the top of this page. You can direct message me on Instagram, and even Facebook to a limited extent ( I don't have Facebook on my phone, so I'll only see the messages when I'm on there.). I will be here to help see you through this, and give you encouragement. That is something I have never really had. I have had people tell me that I'm doing great, but on those days when it was really hard, and I didn't know what to do to pull through it, I had to figure it out myself. There was no one for me to reach out to for that help. I'll be that person for you, and trust me, you will get through it, and feel remarkable at the end of it. The other thing is, that you won't want to end it, and I'll still be there to help you navigate the new world of eating that you are about to embark on.
The fasting is the toughest part. I have yet to have anyone start an extended fast with me and see it to the end, so I know how hard it is, but if you are willing to start it and see it to the end, I will be there for you every step of the way. I will give you a way to contact me at any time so that you can make it, but you have to use that contact.
That being said, I'm planning my next 72 hour fast for October, so if you want to do that one with me, start preparing now. Get your health and food game in order, so that you can make that transition from eating to not eating easier. Strategy is key in your success. I start my fasts usually in the evening, so that I have an automatic 8-10 hours that are covered with relaxing and sleep. It makes it so much easier than if you start after a big meal in the middle of the day. Your natural desires to eat at normal times hits you hard. That is why I suggest starting now, and throwing in a few OMAD days to through your whole mental chemistry into a turmoil so that you won't have those cravings at specific feeding times. Also, change the time of day you eat from time to time. This will also throw things out of whack. If you are constantly eating day in and day out at the same time. Your body will have cravings that are stronger during that time, and it will make your time fasting miserable. I'll give you a specific date in a week or so, and we will get this done.
For now though, here is a picture of Morty and Baby Girl Gauge. Peace in and goodnight.
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