21 day sugar detox – Knocked Out by Keto

Hello and welcome to my blog!

My name is Angie and I have been living the keto lifestyle since January 1, 2017.

My journey on the keto path began, as many resolutions do, on New Year’s. I had once again made a yearly promise to myself that I would lose weight. I decided I wanted to lose 50 lbs, quite a daunting task but I didn’t really put a time limit on it. I had decided that if I managed to lose 30 lbs within the year I would allow myself to spend the money on a tattoo that I had been wanting to get for years.

God knows I have tried, many, many different diets many times in the past with varying degrees of success but maintaining the loss and keeping a balanced life without feeling too deprived always ended up setting me back.

I had tried and had great success with low carb programs in the past, they always seemed to give me the best weight loss and had enough variety and calorie density to keep me from feeling very hungry or bored with my food.

So when I started to hear a bit about the Keto Diet I was interested. I knew it was low carb, actually as low carb as you can go and was great for dramatic weight loss. So I decided to do some research. What I found out in a nutshell was on the keto diet your body becomes depleted of glucose and must switch from burning glucose (sugar and carbs) to burning fat for energy by a process called ketosis. This helps you with burning stubborn body fat and losing at a much quicker pace than on other diets. A great video that helps explain the process of ketosis can be found here, Ketones Explained.

Selection of protein sources in kitchen background — The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet, with moderate protein. The key to keeping it healthy is selecting quality fats like Coconut Oil and avocado and eating a moderate amount of protein.

Using some of the information I had learned I began my journey on the keto diet. I had just done 2 rounds of the The 21-Day Sugar Detox using theThe 21-Day Sugar Detox Cookbook so I had already kicked the sugar cravings and did not really experience the dreaded Keto flu. Basically I started by tracking everything I ate and drank in myfitnesspal just so I knew what I was consuming and I got a Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rateto keep track of my steps and calorie burn. Two weeks into the diet I had lost 12 lbs and felt great. I really got serious and started tracking inches lost as well. By the end of the month I had lost 14.5 lbs, and nearly 4 inches total, and that was without working out. To say the least I was thrilled, the best part is that it felt rather effortless. I wasn’t hungry because of the high fat content and its very tasty to the palate so I was not bored with my food choices.

I continued to eat Keto into February and did some more research and came across a company called Pruvit, which engineers exogenous ketones. Exogenous ketones are basically a supplement (which can be in several forms, pills, drinks etc.) that help raise the level of ketones in your body and push you into ketosis to accelerate your fat burning potential. At first I was skeptical but I found several reviews and then someone I knew casually began taking the Keto OS Supplement she experienced good weight loss but more so loss of body fat. She also reported that she felt she had more energy and her clothes were fitting better. So I decided to give it a try.

I ordered my first sample pack and began with the Orange Dream, which tastes just like an orange creamsicle. I started with a half packet in the am and the other half packet with lunch. The flavor was good and it was nice to be able to have something to drink with some flavor other than just plain water. It took a few days but I started to notice the gradual energy shift. I was able to get more done throughout the day, was no longer suffering with that post-lunch slump or sugar/carb cravings. During the month of February I lost another 5.5 lbs and 3 inches total.

keto-os-pruvit-exogenous-ketones-primal-health-brad-rasmus — Pruvit Keto OS Supplements available in several flavors including Orange Dream, Maui Punch, Swiss Cacoa, Raspberry Lemonade, Keto Kreme and Chocolate Swirl. Raise your fat burning potential with Pruvit Keto OS!

I made another order through Pruvit and this time decided to try their Maui Punch flavor, which I really enjoyed. I’d suggest this flavor to anyone. I was not able to workout during January or February because in November I had gotten the flu, stomach flu, pneumonia, bronchitis and a sinus infection which took well into March to clear. I managed to lose 4 lbs and 2 inches total. I knew I had to do something to help the process along and I came across some products from Idealfit that I thought would help me. I began with their L-carnatine, Burner and CLA. The reason I chose these products is L-carnatine is an amino acid that helps covert fats into energy, the Burner contains caffeine for extra energy and a thermogenic to help aid fat burning, and CLA is a fatty acid that helps burn stubborn body fat while preserving muscle. I though these products would help kick me into gear.

In March I began to feel better and joined a new local gym Rocky Boxing and decided to try their HIIT boxing class which lasts about an hour. Holy shit! What a work out, the sweat poured off of me. The instructors were all very nice and made sure to teach us all proper form and techniques. It was an intense workout that consists of 2 minute Rounds on the heavy bags working on some type of boxing drill followed by a 30 second interval of a body weight activity like push ups, planks, lunges, squats, crab crawls, mountain climbers or burpees. The rounds keep repeating until about an hour passes, it really gets your heart rate up and gets you sweating. I was very happy with the workout. I began taking the classes twice a week along with the bootcamp once a week. I liked the classes enough that I bought a pair of TITLE Boxing Gloves and Boxing Handwraps because I knew I would continue the classes. The workouts and supplements helped and I lost more inches this month. During March I lost 2 lbs and 3 inches total.

Boxing a sport that totally kicks your ass and you will be happy for it. @Rocky Boxing Club

While I was happy with my results I really wanted to help accelerate my progress and get as much bang for my buck as I could so I started doing more research on what could help me. I started to pay more attention to exactly what I was eating and in what portions. On the keto diet, or low carb high fat, you eat primarily 75% of your macros from fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs. Ok well that’s all well and good but how do you actually know how much fat and protein makes up those percentages…..

In trying to answer that question I came across a great and informative Youtube channel by a nutritionist, Christine Hronec of Gauge Girl Training, who uses her knowledge and a very scientific approach to breaking down the science of weight loss (through a variety of approaches, not just keto) to help others understand nutrition, their own bodies and weight loss. I started with this How to Calculate Macros For Fat Loss to find out my own BMR, activity factor and TDEE. (if you are following another type of eating plan you can use the macros listed in this video.) For those on the Keto diet you must take into consideration the 75/20/5 rule and you can use the macro example listed in this good video, Macros for the Ketogenic Diet to calculate your own macros using your own BMR. Another good video that explains the science of how the ketogenic diet works can be seen here, Ketogenic Diet Overview.

I really liked the information on Gauge Girl Training’s Youtube Channel so I began to watch more of her content. Another video I found helpful for tracking my macros was how to Track Macros in MyFitnessPal . I began using the formula and applied my macros in MyFitnesspal. In April I decided to take the plunge and ordered a 30 Day Custom Meal and Training Program from Gaugegirl Training. I filled out the questionnaire and requested a Keto meal plan be created for me. I liked the idea of a Custom plan because they take into consideration any foods you will not eat and also any you want included and build a program around that for your specific goals and body composition. They also ask about your job, how active you are, if you do any exercise and how much in order to build a custom training program for you. You can select how much you are willing to workout throughout the week and what type of activity you will and can not do in order to get your custom workouts. It takes 10 business days for your program to be created.

I got my program in early April and was very happy. I had requested that they add my Keto OS Supplement into my macro calculations. I asked for a keto diet with no seafood, or protein shakes. I had reported that I loved Mexican food and was more interested in having a program built around convenient meal prep rather than variety. Its not that I don’t like variety in my food but its much easier for me to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner and have less to shop and prep for. The program contains 7 menus for 30 days, its up to you if you want to use a menu for an entire week or a menu a day for a week’s worth of meals. Personally I use a menu a week to make my life easier but its up to you what you choose to do. As for the training program it really depends on what you select as a body goal and what body type they identify you to be. Basically it is cardio and weight training. Mine consisted of 3 HIIT cardio session in which 2 were the boxing classes I was already doing and three weight training days.

One tool which became necessary for the Gauge Girl program was a digital scale. I ordered this one Digital Kitchen Food Scale and have been very happy with it. You will also need a scale, one that measures body fat such as this Digital Body Fat Weight Scaleis very helpful. You will also need a tape measure such as this Body Measuring Tape to track your inches lost. It really important to take pictures and track your inches because that is often the metric that moves the most on a weight loss journey. You will also need a good set of Meal Prep Containers to store al of your pre-prepped food in. In April I lost 1 lb and 4.5 inches total.

I liked my custom 30 Day program so I decided to repeat it for the month of May and continue my custom training program and boxing classes. I was getting used to working out more and I could feel gains in my endurance, cardio capacity and strength. Most of my clothes were getting too big on me and I had to start looking for smaller clothes for work and the gym. I discovered the Athleta High Rise Chaturanga Tight which are super cute, breathable and do not fall down even through intense HIIT. Use my link to get 20% off your order. It was becoming apparent to me that diet was about 90% of the weight loss equation. In May I lost 6 lbs and 3 inches total.

You can’t beat what you eat! – Christine Hronec, Gaugegirl Training

One year apart. May 2017 (only 5 months on the Keto diet) on top and May 2016 on the bottom

In June I decided to do a third round of my custom meal and training program from GaugeGirl Training. I began adding a Idealfit BCAA supplement to promote muscle building and decrease post workout soreness and also a PreWorkout to increase my intensity and endurance during my workouts. I was starting to see more definition and dramatic fat loss through my torso and hips. In June I lost 2 lb and 2.25 inches total.

In July Gaugegirl announced that they had created a new Low Carb High Fat Protocol since there was much interest in the keto diet and more people were requesting keto and low carb meal plans. I was very excited. Now this is a 10 week program that is not tailored to your specific macros but it has 3 different calorie tiers to select from. The other unique thing about this program is there are 3 different phases, two levels of “low carb” that gradually lower the amount of carbohydrates you consume while simultaneously increasing your fat intake. The third and final phase is full Keto protocol. Since I was already eating keto I naturally began in Phase 3 Keto and I ate from the mid-calorie tier of macros. I also purchased a 12 Week Endomorph Beginner Training Program began training from the first 4 weeks of the program and during July I lost 6 lbs and 5.25 inches total! I was so excited because my loss had slowed down and I was unsure what would happen since I was not on my custom macros. The LCHF Protocol is a great program for anyone who eats low carb or wants to experiment to find out if Keto is right for them. The meals are delicious! And the body type programs are great, she has them for every body type at every level of fitness.

Doing the Gauge Girl Training 12 Week Endomorph Beginner Training Program paired with the GGT Low Carb High Fat Protocol at Rocky Boxing

In August I was still doing the LCHF challenge and the Endomorph Beginner program. I lost 4 lbs and 1 inch total but during the month the scale started to bounce up and then down again and up and down without much change in my measurements with nothing being lost in my waist. I figured I had finally hit a plateau and called and got a Consultation with Christine Hronec of GGT. She reviewed my measurements and actually concluded that I needed to eat more calories and begin intermittent fasting. Intermittent Fasting helps to break a weight loss plateau and gets the body fat burning again. I was on a 16:8 Intermittent fast and at first it was difficult for me, because of my work schedule I was not able to eat my first meal until typically 11-12 noon. At first I was hungry at my normal breakfast time but I got used to within about a week. It takes a bit to get used to eating all of your meals within an 8 hour window and not allowing yourself to “boredom eat” especially late at night when you want a snack. Here is another great video on the effects of Intermittent Fasting and Your Hormones.

One year difference. Left Aug 2016, right Aug 2017 (8 months on the keto diet and exercising)

In September I nearly broke my foot so most of my training came to a grinding halt. Ofcourse I continued the keto diet and my various supplements. I was able to get some upper body lifting in but the cardio, serious lower body weight exercises and my HIIT boxing classes had to go on hiatus. I kept up the Keto OS which helped me lose even though I couldn’t be too active. Pruvit actually released a new Keto OS flavor called Raspberry Lemonade and to date that is my favorite flavor! I managed to hit my 30 lb weight loss goal for the year so I went and got the tattoo I have been wanting at a new local tattoo shop, the Berwick Tattoo Parlor. It took a few sittings to finish because of the detail but I really love the end result and knowing that I put in the hard work to earn this reward. I managed to lose 2 lbs and 1 inch total during September.

Nearly broke the 2-4th metatarsals when a gallon jug of chemicals fell on my foot while closing my pool. Thankfully I am a PTA with a Rocktape certification so I can fix my own boo-boos.

Trying to keep up what exercise I could do after injuring my foot in the early fall.

My new piece, a Rose Tattoo surrounded by Celtic knot work and shamrocks

In October a new local yoga studio called Mrida Seva Yoga opened just a few blocks from my house. I started with some easier yoga classes just to see how my foot would handle it and for the most part it did pretty well. So I kept going to yoga classes and doing some light lifting twice a week. In mid-month Gauge Girl Training hosted a Booty Building Bootcamp inside the Athleta store in Rittenhouse Square and I decided to go to it. It was the most amount of exercise I had done since being injured and it went well. Christine and her team put on a tough hour long class filled with butt and leg burning exercises with short HIIT cardio sections to keep your heart rate up. They actually close down the store while the class is going on and you exercise right there in the store. GGT had gift bags for us and there was a 20% off purchase from Athleta. Christine did a Athleta Try on Haul video so I had an idea of some of the new items in the store that I wanted to look at. I tried on quite a but and ended up buying the Infinity Stripe Transcendence Bra (which I thought would be good for yoga, pilates and lifting) I also got the Luxe Cut Out Pose Top in both black and gray because it was too cute and so soft and warm.

The ladies who attended the Booty Building Bootcamp at the Athleta store in Philadelphia

Christine and I following her Booty Bootcamp class

In November Gaugegirl Training released a Keto for the Holidays: 40 Healthy Low Carb High Fat Macros Based Recipes ebook that you can download. My mom saw it and got it for me as a present for Thanksgiving. I picked out a few recipes that I wanted to make and take to their house for Thanksgiving. I made the Sriracha Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs and the Keto Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread recipe from the Keto for the Holidays book along with a Keto Lemon Poundcake. My non-dieting family actually ate everything. The deviled eggs were a big hit!

Sriracha Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs from the Keto for the Holidays ebook by Christine Hronec

Keto Lemon Poundcake and Keto Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread from Keto for the Holidays

Over the past year I have learned a lot about the keto diet, macros, nutrition, supplementation and how my body reacts to food and proper training. I am down 40 lbs and 26 inches overall this year. My journey is not finished yet. I am still looking to lose more weight and body fat as well as get stronger and leaner.

I hope you enjoy my blog and have learned something. I will be posting keto recipes, tips, tricks, exercises as well as humor and inspirational sayings and the occasional updates on what I am up to and how my journey is progressing.