It’s no secret that I need to do something about my weight. It’s impacting my ability to do what I want in life, and it’s definitely increasing the risk of an early exit. I also have many commitments this year which I can’t afford to miss, so I am working on not a diet, but a better lifestyle. I’ve chosen to work with a modified ketogenic diet which will give me the flexibility and success I desire.

I have been reducing the amount of caffeine consumed, and as a result soda. I still drink way too much soda some days, but I am starting to make progress. I’m down to one coffee with cream per day, and down to 1-2 cans of soda per day. Once the caffeine headache subsided, I have definitely noticed that I’m sleeping better. Another success I’ve had was cutting out alcohol. I have only had a minimal amount to drink over the last year, which was almost always an occasional glass of wine with dinner. Roughly speaking, I managed to drink only 5-6 times this year. In 2017 that number will drop to zero.

I am looking forward to revisiting the ketogenic diet this year as I have had great success in the past. In 2013 I had managed to lose about 50 pounds over 4 months without feeling deprived of food. The concept of the keto diet is that you stay under 20 grams of net carbs, which is carbohydrates minus fiber, per day. While this sounds restrictive, it really just promotes choosing healthier foods. Calorie sinks like bread and pasta are a no-go, while things like chicken, fish, and leafy vegetables are encouraged as they contain very little or no net carbohydrates. Healthy fats like olive oil and seasonings are allowed too, which let me cook without sacrificing flavour. For anyone wanting to learn more about keto, I strongly recommend visiting the Reddit Keto community (https://www.reddit.com/r/keto).

The hardest thing about keto is the fact that most restaurant food is incredibly high in sugar. Even things that most would consider safe, like a salad, frequently contain hidden carbs in dressings, seasonings, and glazes. Worst still is many restaurants won’t provide a nutritional breakdown of their dishes. Parties can also be challenging as they often have ample chips, sweets, and sodas. I can normally work with this though by bringing vegetable, cheese, or deli meat platters to share.

I will be starting keto the first weekend in 2017 and I will chronicle my journey with foods, challenges, failures, and successes. With determination I should be able to lose 100lbs this year, which while far from my goal, is still a great step towards it.