I Tried The Keto Diet For 12 Weeks And Here’s What Happened
If you’re even remotely interested in health and fitness, then surely you’ve heard about the Keto Diet. But if you haven’t, allow me to explain. The Keto or Ketogenic Diet is an extremely low-carb diet, consuming anywhere between 20-50 grams of carbs per day, in order for our bodies to reach ketosis – meaning our bodies are effectively burning stored fat for energy. Here’s what happened when I tried the Keto Diet for 12 weeks.
1. I lost a ton of weight, especially water weight
I originally started the Keto Diet because of the amazing weight loss benefits I’d heard and seen all about. I watched countless YouTube keto journeys and transformations and I was eager to jump on the bandwagon. When I did the Keto Diet I made sure to eat between 25-35 grams of carbs per day, and boy, did I lose weight. Altogether in 12 weeks I lost just under 10 kilos, and 15 cm off my waist, with minimal exercise. Wow!
2. The “Keto Flu”
Yes, unfortunately, the dreaded “Keto Flu” is real. And it’s a bitch. I was lucky enough to not get hit with the vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea. Instead, I was blessed with nausea, headaches, irritability, weakness, dizziness, poor concentration, sugar cravings and difficulty sleeping. How fun… Note the sarcasm. Thankfully, these symptoms only lasted 2 or so weeks.
3. My skin was ultimate bare face goals
Hello clear and glowing skin! I was shocked at how well my skin reacted to this new diet. It cleared up drastically. My skin was no longer oily and greasy and I had no nasty spots or clogged pores, which is what I’ve always struggled with. My skin was just fresh, clear and dewy all of the time!
4. Suppressed my appetite
I’ll admit, I was a serial snacker when I was on carbs. I’d snack when I was bored, hungry, tired. For whatever reason I’d always find myself going to the cupboard for a quick fix. And my snacks would usually be sweet, delicious and oh so unhealthy. See my problem. However, when I switched to the Keto Diet, I found I was no longer snacking constantly. I’d actually rarely get hungry, which was crazy for me! It reduced my appetite dramatically and made losing weight so easy. So if you’re a serial snacker like me whilst consuming carbs, the Keto Diet may be for you.
5. I found myself having fewer mood swings and headaches
I feel before I went on the Keto Diet I was over-consuming carbs and sugar and not eating enough healthy fats, which in turn would make me feel lethargic, tired, hungry, and I’d get headaches and mood swings in between meals. On the Keto Diet, I was having less mood swings and headaches throughout the day, and I wasn’t feeling hungry or lethargic any more. I had more energy, felt satiated and most importantly, I was happy.
6. Increased mental focus and productivity
Before the Keto Diet, I would struggle with mental focus and brain fog as I’d constantly get the midday crash. Whilst on the Keto Diet, I felt I had a lot more mental clarity and could focus on my tasks throughout the day. I was more productive as I didn’t have this slump in the evening, which was great because I was working in retail which had me on my feet all day, completing my final semester of uni and doing freelance editing work at the time. Busy bees don’t have time for that mental crash! #aintnobodygottimeforthat
Please remember before starting any new diet you should always consult your doctor first and do your research. Overall, my Keto Diet experience was quite an enjoyable one and I would recommend it to anyone looking to lose weight, break their snacking or sugar addiction and/or improve their mental clarity and productivity levels.
