Taking Things Day by Day (as if we have another option!)
/Weight Loss Fluctuations (2.3.2025 to 2.9.2025)
We are just about six weeks into a new year, and the start of fresh calendars is a nearly irresistible time to plan wholesale changes that we hope to convert into sweeping improvements. If you're like me, mid-February is often the point at which resolve morphs into surrender. Then we roll our eyes when thinking how foolish we were for thinking we could shift our habits for long enough to have bona fide success.
We all know the feeling of looking back at our bold late December statements with a blush: "This will be the year!"
BEYOND KETO (with Casey)
photo credit: casey durango
Oh, brother. Who do we think we're kidding? We can't stick with things for a year!
The thing is, no one can do anything a year at a time. We can only do things for 365 days, one at a time. Sometimes, even those days need to be parceled into more bite-size pieces—you should pardon the expression. Whereas we can't tackle change for a year all in one sitting, we can do—or resist—just about anything for five minutes. Go ahead. Test it for yourself. Set whatever stupid smart device you prefer to chime in five minutes and recognize how you managed not to eat those pretzels that have been staring you down, and you didn't keel over because of it. Now, string a bunch of those five minutes together. Before you can say "I can and I will," you'll have claimed power over whatever make and model of food has been your nemesis.
Sharing bits of my life and experiences that are 'beyond keto' helps me appreciate how laying off carbs has changed more than my jeans size, and I hope doing so is helpful to readers of this spot. There are a couple of chapters of my autobiography—if I was ever to write one—that were also impactful and meaningful that were 'before keto.' "The Chickens" might be the title of such a chapter.
About a year before I was as down as down can go, and while I was flailing about trying to stop the emotional descent I was living, I got a wild hair that we should have backyard chickens. Doing so was nothing that had ever entered my thoughts. But, as happens in these modern times when an online search for 'What is the formula to calculate mortgage payments' leads, in just a couple of clicks, to 'Is scorpion venom good for treating fever blisters?' I looked for how to crochet a pot holder' or some such and quickly came across recommendations for chicken hatcheries. The adorable puff balls shown in the photos and videos convinced me that being around terminal cuteness for a while would provide me with a virtual grab bar on which to hold, slowing the downward drift I felt. And just as with the web, one thing led to another. Three chicks in the makeshift brooder we set up in our family room have led to twenty-four chickens in our backyard. My Lovely Mate sole-handedly built what is referred to as the "Taj MaCoup," and we collect eggs at the end of every day. Those original cheeping peeps did help my mental and emotional state. I'll always be grateful.
Moral of the story: We can often find life preservers in places and things we have never considered. The key is to keep our eyes—and hearts—open. And to be willing to do something opposite from what we're used to.
Being brave. It does a body good.
Lest you think that I think that this is a just-do-it type of thing, let me tell you that I knew low-carb worked for me since 1977 when I was a college sophomore and wanted to lose the twelve or thirteen pounds I had gained in the first three semesters on campus. I did the induction period of Dr. Atkins' book, lost the weight, and tossed the book. (I've written about this before, but repetition can be helpful.) Yet, even knowing what I knew, and despite being a passably intelligent and logical person, I used to tell myself—out loud—that low-carb may work, but I couldn't see myself forgoing tortilla chips for the rest of my life. And I couldn't ... until I did.
The thing is, I didn't need to swear off my favorite crunchy salsa delivery delights for the rest of my life. I only needed to say, 'No, gracias' right now. Or, right then, to be precise. But you know what I mean. I would deal with the next 'right now' later. See how that works? Dealing with 'right now' takes care of later.
Gee, that sounds more philosophical than I intended.
The point is, as most twelve-step programs teach, don't tell yourself you'll never have pretzels again (although there's no nutrition in pretzels, but that's a topic for another day…), just that you won't have pretzels now. Maybe tomorrow, but not today. Or, if needed, maybe in five minutes, but not now.
Remember, now is all we have. Let's make the most of it. Then repeat. Focus on the present, and the future will take care of itself.
Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D., but instead, I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths, and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!
