It's my 1 year Ketoversary!
What a great year it's been! I've learned so much about my body's actual needs and how to take much better care of it. I still have plenty of room for improvement, especially when it comes to my nemesis, exercise! Why can't I just like it?!?! Ugh!
I've adjusted and tweaked my plan, counted calories meticulously, threw calorie counting out the window, played around with and then stopped eating any kind of "low carb versions" of foods, fought with and defeated artificial sweeteners and my sweet tooth in general and have truly enjoyed chatting and learning from everyone here in this group.

Here's my story over the last year:
I started out at 165 pounds with a 28.3 BMI and about 41% body fat.
As of Today I am 134.4 pounds with a 23.1 BMI and about 31% body fat.
My original goal weight was 135 because in my previous attempts to lose weight I could never get below 144 and I thought that was a goal that was both challenging and achievable. After an amazing first 3 months


I decided there was no reason not to aim for 126 which was a suggested ideal weight on an app I was using at the time. With such a great start I was basically convinced I would reach my first goal by the 6 month point! Wow! I quickly learned that the loss isn't predictable and suddenly became disappointed with my August results, especially since it was my first consistent effort at exercise (just walking 45 minutes most mornings).


Of course, August was still a productive month, but I'm going to tell you that I was convinced I was "stalled"! I just stayed the course, and had a decent couple of months. Though I will confess that I know I still posted about being "stalled" and having slow results during that time


I share this because it's such a common feeling after having greater losses in the beginning. But I was making progress all along, even though I felt like I wasn't.
Then in the fall there were many gatherings and holidays and though I stayed fully on Keto, I started making "Keto desserts" at least once a week and sometimes more often, and I quit on my most consistent effort at exercise because it was cold in the morning and well... because I really stink at keeping up on exercise. That did result in some lost progress. But then I got it together and didn't make the same mistake while celebrating in December... Well, not the dessert mistake anyway, I still wasn't exercising. I did make a dessert for Christmas but not every single week! I had no restraint with the sweets.
This is also when I decided to start weighing myself daily so that I could better understand all the ups and downs and work on focusing less on the scale number.


Going into 2016 I eased up on myself about the weight fluctuations and really worked on changing my feelings about the scale and what's most important to me. I feel great and more focused.
Weight loss has continued toward my goal, though slowly, it's perfectly ok because I feel great everyday and don't feel deprived in any way. I can do this forever.
It was when I took the relaxed approach even further in April by not logging and trying an all animal food plan (except all the wine I cheated and had) that i showed a bit of a jump in progress again.


My most current lesson is very much on par with some previous ones.
Relax, don't stress it. It will happen if I stay the course.
Eat when hungry and don't when not.
Happiness doesn't come from a Keto dessert, and they don't make special occasions any more special. Either the occasion is special or not. The food doesn't make it so.
I don't need to feed the nightly sweet tooth, and if I do it'll never die.
I'm not a dog, I don't eat treats for a reward.
Scale weight changes from hour to hour, day to day and week to week, but it's the month to month I see my progress.
Exercise is for health, not weight loss, and I need to get it together on that still.
I'm sure there are a bunch more too, but it's been a busy day and I've been trying to write this for going on 12 hours now and am constantly interrupted by one Mom task after another! Lol
Anyway, thank you everyone for being a constant source of inspiration, friendship in this journey, valuable resources, insight and understanding along the way.
Here's my one year progress pic in the same shorts! They barely stayed up for the photo!
I can't believe I ever thought I stopped making progress!


I can't wait to hear everyone else's story on your Ketoversary or LowCarbversary too!