Four months ago, I learned why my husband — once a CrossFit devotee — was having trouble opening jars and fastening buttons: His muscles are deteriorating due to a genetic disorder called myotonic dystrophy. My partner has an uncertain future; he could have a normal lifespan, he might not.
A week later, I was sitting at my endocrinologist’s office and looking at my labs. For the past two years, I had been knocking on diabetes’s door. That day, I learned I had crossed the threshold. My fasting glucose was 126, one point into T2D territory. At 5’4” and 227 pounds, I was not just obese but severely obese. My cholesterol was high. My blood pressure was high. The only things not high were my HDL and vitamin D levels.
Before my reserved and patient doctor, I had a full-on meltdown. I was convinced I was losing my husband and that a heart attack was waiting around the corner for me. My daughters would have to find wolves to raise them. They are 4 and 10.
The Yuletide Season was a blur of cookies and eggnog, peppermint bark and pinot grigio.
Fully indulged and emotionally vulnerable, I decided to turn myself over to one more diet. Before, there had been Weight Watchers (roughly 12 times), NutriSystem, SlimFast and others. I did Jenny Craig at age 12.
I had given a lot of my money to the diet industry and kept failing. At the same time, I LOVED FOOD. I was so obsessed with food, I turned a journalism career into a food writing career for a while.
I jumped headlong into keto shortly before New Year’s. Since then, I have kept my carbs low and not cheated once. (I saw a video early on from Dr. Eric Westman that one “cheat” could set you back two weeks; that’s been enough for me to stay clean.)
After three months of simple meals consisting mostly of meat with veggie accents, something remarkable has happened.
I’ve lost at least 30 pounds, perhaps a bit more. I weighed 191.9 at home this weekend. I am no longer severely obese but just obese. In another 20 pounds, I’ll be overweight instead of obese for the first time in a decade.
Going on keto hasn’t fixed my life. My husband still has a form of muscular dystrophy (though he’s lost about 25 pounds himself jumping on keto with me). I’m still scared for our girls and my health. I’ve been grinding my teeth over the thought of what my follow-up labs will say — my fasting glucose has been under 100, which is phenomenal, but I’m certain I’m going to be a hyper responder and will get the statins talk.
When I started eating this way, people would ask me how it was going. At first, I told them, “I don’t feel cravings for carbs. I just feel like there is a hole in my soul where carbs used to be.” Today, I feel like the hole is filling in nicely (hopefully not with arterial plaque), and I’m wondering how I can make this more than another diet but a true way of life.
I promised myself I would give keto three months. Today, I’m promising to give it three more.
Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself and thank you all for being so engaging and smart. I have seen the internet in all its awful glory, and you all are an amazing, inspiring bunch. Keto on, friends.
