Keto Observations after 1 month:
Not every victory on a keto diet is determined by the falling numbers on a scale. We see a lot of posts about NSV, or non-scale victory, these keto observations are noticing fit better, or acquaintances comment on noticing a change in body shape. Here are a few of my recent NSV keto observations after 1 month of Keto.
1. I am sleeping better. As a life-long sufferer of chronic insomnia, restless leg syndrome, nightmares, and sleep apnea, I have noticed the last week or two that I am sleeping better most nights. While I am still a night owl, I am actually ready for bed earlier in the evening, think 1-2am as opposed to 4 or 5am. I am sleeping better and not napping during the day.
2. I am noticing more focus. Again, not needing a nap during the middle of the day, not stressing over phone calls and business, which regularly triggered panic attacks.. And the biggest thing for me is wanting to, and actually enjoying reading again instead of being a TV couch potato. I used to read voraciously, 2-3 books a weeks, scientific publications, news articles, you name it. The past several I haven't wanted to read at all, and spent most of my downtime binge watching TV or movies. Reading, while still a sedentary activity is much better for brain activity and creative inspiration, something as a writer I have been sorely lacking.
3. While I never was a big eater most of the time, excluding the monthly hormone-induced binge fest, I find I am actually eating less on Keto and feeling fuller longer. I have no intent to actually do Intermittent Fasting (which is often recommended to go hand in hand with a ketogenic diet) for a while, but after dinner (usually around 7pm) I find I am not hungry again until at least noon the next day. I don't do late night snacking of cereal, sandwiches, sweets, or chips anymore. The few times I need a late night snack, one serving, or even a half serving, of a keto fat bomb is all I need.
And can we talk about fat bombs for a minute?
I don't know what the science behind it is, or if it is coincidental, but between the higher healthy fat diet and the occasional fat bombs I am having significantly less issues with my restless leg during the day and at night. Even if I get up in the middle of the night to get a drink or go to the bathroom, I almost immediately fall right back to sleep. I literally cannot remember ever being able to do that in my whole life unless I was deathly ill.
4. My skin! I have had bumps on my upper arms and thighs most of my life since, well at least since puberty. Super dry flakey skin, even on my stomach. The bumps on my arms and legs are gone, completely gone. The skin on my stomach/abdomen is smooth and not covered in "dandruff" type skin flakiness. Even my hair that has stubbornly refused to grow past my shoulders for the last 20 years is now touching my bra strap in the back.
5. My blood sugar. I have been hypoglycemic and insulin resistant most of my life. The triggering event for starting Keto was my numbers flipping from low to high, signifying the potential start of diabetes. YIKES! Since starting Keto my highest numbers after eating have been no higher than 110, which is totally within the normal range.
I've only lost about 13lbs in a month, and I know most of that was probably water. I don't see any difference in the mirror yet, and only slight difference in how clothes fit. But the above NSV's are more than noteworthy as a testament to the wide benefits of a Keto lifestyle. It truly is not all about weight loss.
So for all you newbies to Keto who have been on it a month or two like me, or maybe you're just starting and feeling discouraged, don't! Stop stressing over the scale and see what other improvements are happening because of this WoE. Don't give up!
What Keto observations besides scale numbers have you had since starting your keto journey? I would love to see your stories in the comments below.
~sierra sugar
Not every victory on a keto diet is determined by the falling numbers on a scale. We see a lot of posts about NSV, or non-scale victory, these keto observations are noticing fit better, or acquaintances comment on noticing a change in body shape. Here are a few of my recent NSV keto observations after 1 month of Keto.
1. I am sleeping better. As a life-long sufferer of chronic insomnia, restless leg syndrome, nightmares, and sleep apnea, I have noticed the last week or two that I am sleeping better most nights. While I am still a night owl, I am actually ready for bed earlier in the evening, think 1-2am as opposed to 4 or 5am. I am sleeping better and not napping during the day.
2. I am noticing more focus. Again, not needing a nap during the middle of the day, not stressing over phone calls and business, which regularly triggered panic attacks.. And the biggest thing for me is wanting to, and actually enjoying reading again instead of being a TV couch potato. I used to read voraciously, 2-3 books a weeks, scientific publications, news articles, you name it. The past several I haven't wanted to read at all, and spent most of my downtime binge watching TV or movies. Reading, while still a sedentary activity is much better for brain activity and creative inspiration, something as a writer I have been sorely lacking.
3. While I never was a big eater most of the time, excluding the monthly hormone-induced binge fest, I find I am actually eating less on Keto and feeling fuller longer. I have no intent to actually do Intermittent Fasting (which is often recommended to go hand in hand with a ketogenic diet) for a while, but after dinner (usually around 7pm) I find I am not hungry again until at least noon the next day. I don't do late night snacking of cereal, sandwiches, sweets, or chips anymore. The few times I need a late night snack, one serving, or even a half serving, of a keto fat bomb is all I need.
And can we talk about fat bombs for a minute?
I don't know what the science behind it is, or if it is coincidental, but between the higher healthy fat diet and the occasional fat bombs I am having significantly less issues with my restless leg during the day and at night. Even if I get up in the middle of the night to get a drink or go to the bathroom, I almost immediately fall right back to sleep. I literally cannot remember ever being able to do that in my whole life unless I was deathly ill.
4. My skin! I have had bumps on my upper arms and thighs most of my life since, well at least since puberty. Super dry flakey skin, even on my stomach. The bumps on my arms and legs are gone, completely gone. The skin on my stomach/abdomen is smooth and not covered in "dandruff" type skin flakiness. Even my hair that has stubbornly refused to grow past my shoulders for the last 20 years is now touching my bra strap in the back.
5. My blood sugar. I have been hypoglycemic and insulin resistant most of my life. The triggering event for starting Keto was my numbers flipping from low to high, signifying the potential start of diabetes. YIKES! Since starting Keto my highest numbers after eating have been no higher than 110, which is totally within the normal range.
I've only lost about 13lbs in a month, and I know most of that was probably water. I don't see any difference in the mirror yet, and only slight difference in how clothes fit. But the above NSV's are more than noteworthy as a testament to the wide benefits of a Keto lifestyle. It truly is not all about weight loss.
So for all you newbies to Keto who have been on it a month or two like me, or maybe you're just starting and feeling discouraged, don't! Stop stressing over the scale and see what other improvements are happening because of this WoE. Don't give up!
What Keto observations besides scale numbers have you had since starting your keto journey? I would love to see your stories in the comments below.
~sierra sugar
