Hello all! I am back on Keto after like 4-5 months away. I lost 40lbs at the beginning of this year, then COVID-19 hit and i fell off the wagon. I gain back 30 of the 40lbs lost and i looked at myself Monday 11/2/2020 and felt disgusted of myself. I am excited to see what happens this time around and get back to living a healthy life. I do “Dirty Keto” but i don’t like putting labels on what i eat. Is anyone else in the same boat? Fell off for a few months but back at it?
Back on Keto after months away
islandlight
(Laurie)
#2
Ha ha, many times over!
I guess what I’m doing could be called dirty keto. My living situation restricts the amount and kinds of cooking I can do.
However, I buy the best quality prepared/processed meats I can, and I don’t eat things like keto snacks or keto desserts. For me, sticking to the basics is less confusing and therefore safer.
Welcome back, and good luck.
runningcrazy
(Claire)
#3
Yup! 4 months off the wagon and trying to get back with it. Harder this time around. So many foods call to me. Also, weight loss is quite a bit slower than it was 2 years ago when I first started.
One more biggie…chose to restart keto at a really bad time. I’m 5 weeks away from a marathon that I’ve been training for since January. My metabolism is so confused. I’ve been trying too many different things to support my pace and intensity, comprising staying in ketosis. My running has definitely gone south. Can’t wait til this marathon is over, so that I can refocus on my eating habits, and reduce my mileage while keto adapting.
If anyone has suggestions, I’m open to listening…
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#5
If you are not fully readapted to fatty-acid metabolism by the time of the race, your performance may suffer somewhat. However, there is no harm in training keto and racing with some carb intake. But you may have to choose between the short-term goal of winning the marathon and the long-term goal of promoting your metabolic health. Not an easy choice, I reckon.
runningcrazy
(Claire)
#7
Thanks, Paul! You reaffirmed what I knew inside but didn’t want to admit…my performance is not going to be up to par. As you say, I can train on keto and supplement with carbs during the race… and on my long training runs. Health is of priority. Keto has given me so many, many benefits til now… eliminated my asthma and allergies, lowered my BP, stopped aches and pains due to aging, even got rid of my chafing and blistering during runs. Seems that my decision has already been made. Thank you again for your input, and helping to clarify what is important… Aloha. Claire
Fangs
#9
omgosh yes. it is tough when we first start.
it ‘clicks’ so well for some and then there is me…I fought a dietary health change like a maniac trying to keep my ‘old fav ick foods’ in my life LOL
I lost 70. gained back 60.
lost 60. gained back 40
lost 70 again, gained back 50
I lost 50, gained back 25
and believe me it was a friggin’ nightmare thru the years…til that next time I lost 50 and said NEVER AGAIN will I do this nutso crap in my life and I held onto my eating plan with the focus of a fanatic and put all that focus on the eating plan and holding it and it worked. I became the one ‘who it clicked’ for finally thru the years 
it can be so easy for some and such a long long road to recovery for healthy long term eating for others. You keep the course and wishing you the best!!!
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#10
Glad to help. And your performance will not be sub-par for ever, just for a while until you adapt. There are several keto-adapted ironman winners, including one guy who, I understand, won the Western States 100 one day, and ran a marathon the following day, just for fun. Dr. Stephen Phinney and Prof. Jeff Volek have been studying such fat-adapted athletes, and their performance is impressive. Explosive performance takes somewhat longer to return than endurance does, but Prof. Volek’s team showed in a recent study that by two years of fat-adaptation, glycogen levels are back to normal.
runningcrazy
(Claire)
#11
Thanks, Fangs. I hear you loud and clear. Focus and commitment are critical. But also learned that it’s ok to flub up, forgive yourself, and move forward. Sounds like you’ve picked yourself up and carried on. I aim to do the same.
runningcrazy
(Claire)
#12
Yes!! Drs. Phinney and Volek have awesome info out on the net. Their papers and books have helped me tremendously through my first keto marathon last year. At that time, I was fat adapted for almost 2 years. And it did take nearly the full 2 years for my performance to improve beyond the carb marathons that I used to do. It’s amazing that these keto timelines seem to be universal. Lesson learned on the need to stay with a good thing when you find it!! Restarting my 2 year performance timeline…but it’s never too late…and lots learned along the way. Thanks again, Paul!!
SharonAW
(Sharon)
#13
Rather the story of my life, BUT keto makes it easier to be consistent, in my opinion, anyway. 