Welcome @ibj9. You’ve come to a good and supportive place. This community has been valuable to me as I’ve gotten started.
Like @mich, I started the first week of May. My goal is to lose accumulated flab around the middle (around 25 lbs) while enjoying my way of eating (WOE). Except for a few water-weight pounds the first week, my weight has been steady, and that’s okay with me so far given what I’m learning about the keto lifestyle. I’m loving the WOE. And I’m enjoying some significant non-scale victories (NSV):
The major NSV is that my body appears to be recomposing – my clothes are looser, my pants button more easily. My face is thinner. That suggests I’m replacing fat with muscle even though I’m not exercising any differently (occasional walking and swimming). This will be a big deal over time. #Win.
Another NSV is my skin is so much smoother and healthier. I’ve had life-long issues with dry skin and eczema. I’m not yet going to claim victory over that, but it is so enjoyable to clasp my hands and feel truly smooth and healthy skin. This extends to scalp, face, arms etc. Much less rough and scaley. Much more smooth and lustrous. #Win.
In terms of coming to sense with “what to do” and what to pay attention to, I listened to 2ketodudes podcast for a few months before starting. I noticed two things: First, they repeat a core philosophy of keto over and over and over – less than 20 grams carbs, just enough protein, fat to satiety, electrolyte/H2O replacement, and n of 1 (everyone is different, so take responsibility for your own learning and experimentation). Along with their show-me-the-science approach, this gave me confidence in a simple and straight-forward approach. Second, they explore intersections with this philosophy (which can be inspiring, illuminating, and also distracting for a newbie). So I decided to adopt the core philosophy and stick to it for perhaps 3-6 months. I’ll learn how to buy foods, prepare them, eat out, etc. And I’ll notice the results. All of the other riffs that 2ketodudes go into is like having a palette of choices available to me when I’m ready to expand my choices
Finally, checking in here a couple of times a day is very comforting.
KCKO