End of First Week: Keto + Fitness Challenge

So, I’ve got to keep it honest and real, guys…

On Saturday the 12th I attended my cousin’s funeral (Rest in Peace, Gregory) and was constantly on the go that day. Before the funeral, I stopped by my grandmother’s home and she fed me chili (very delicious, with a nice amount of beef, but not necessarily helpful with the strict keto because of the beans). I opted out of eating at the repast because it was all high-carb (pasta, sandwiches, etc.) and had a cup of coffee, figuring I’d grab something later or even when I arrived at home. So as I drove nearly 2 hours home, I was hangry and I swooped through McDonalds and got a Happy Meal (please don’t beat me up!).

Ah! I messed up. It was my fault for not being totally prepared. I should’ve brought a prepped meal in a container or keto-friendly snacks, but I didn’t. Lesson learned.

However, since my last check-in, all the other days except Saturday, I have been on track in sticking to strict keto, and for that I am glad.

I am still doing the following:

• exercising 4x per week
• staying around 1400-1600 calories per day
• drinking more water

Since this is the second (and last) week of the challenge, I’m determined to stay the course and kick butt.

With that said, I want to briefly talk about the idea of falling off the wagon or “cheating.”

In the past, if I ate something that was on the no-no list or the hell naw list, I’d freak out and go extreme in the opposite direction: eating *super* clean, doing detoxes, and lowering my calorie intake. I would wring my hands worrying if that slice of pizza or piece of cake just ruined all my progress and I’d weigh myself obsessively dreading to see the scale go up.

That is NO way to live.

I am not here for food to rule over me and my life.

Food is here for MY enjoyment, and I want to enjoy it AND be healthy and fit.

Once I realized that a slip up or “cheat” wasn’t going to undo months of progress, and that all I had to do was dust myself off and get back up and move forward, it changed my angst and mentality toward eating.

Now, this doesn’t mean I’m going to jump into a tub of donuts or guzzle down a 400-calorie latte in the name of freedom, but what it does mean is that I am going to not give up, not sweat it, and focus on being healthy (which includes a healthy mindset).

If you’re a part of this challenge or if you’re on another type of diet–don’t be discouraged. Don’t feel like a failure if you’ve had a day similar to what I’ve described above. We all have those days, and sometimes intentionally! Do you think I’m going to say no to a treat on my wedding anniversary, or Thanksgiving or Christmas? Also, if I am a guest at someone’s house, if they set something before me, I will eat what they serve without tapping them on the shoulder and telling them that I’m all about that keto life.

I’ve made it this far. 30 pounds down! Clothes falling off me and needing to buy smaller sizes. What happened on Saturday isn’t going to ruin that. But what it did teach me is to prep a few keto-friendly snacks/meals if I know I’m going to be out all day and on the go. Or for goodness sake, at least go to El Pollo Loco or something.

This is a journey. It will have ups and downs, victories and failures, but if you keep MOVING, you will get to where you need to be. So as we enter week #2 of the Keto challenge, I’ll keep this in mind, and not lose sight of my goal.