My experiment into the ketogenic diet is officially over - ended on Valentine's Day with a glass of red wine...which I really missed over the almost 2 weeks which were involved.
Here's what I learned:
I felt great the first week (most likely because the ketogenic diet requires cutting out all grains to stay under 20 carb grams per day, and grains have always given me a problem).
I started feeling not-so-great after the first week, I was feeling slightly dehydrated (was drinking plenty of water, but felt like I was not holding it inside my body), lightheaded, and this way of eating was actually coming out of my pores (the body creates acetone as a result of being in ketosis).
I did not mind keeping a food journal again, I actually liked it. But I did not enjoy having to get to a certain amount of fat and protein each day.
I missed veggies. I was able to eat them of course, but not in a quantity I enjoyed.
I did not feel that eating all the fat involved was benefitting my digestion. Also, not all fat is created equally - fat is not oil. I am better off eating olive oil and more non-starch vegetables.
I had very low energy some days, most likely because I need more carbs than 20g per day.
This diet was way too acidic for me.
Those are the main reasons I stopped the diet. A healthy way of eating that is right for you, should not make you feel lousy, you should feel awesome. You should thrive once you figure out which way of eating is right for you.
The good thing about doing this was that I removed grains from my diet. I have done this before with much success. I do have arthritis (not Rheumatoid or anything that has been diagnosed as autoimmune), and my doctor suspects I have Fibromyalgia. Several years ago I learned through food journaling that grains cause me inflammation in my joints, make me put on weight quickly, and slow down my digestion. Why do I eat them? Because my family does. I am the chef in my family and it becomes a challenge in what to feed the whole house every day. I just go with the flow and start eating what everyone else does because it's easier. Everyone is human, you can't take that out of you even if you are a health coach. There are definitely things I know need to be a "once in a while" food adventure for me. Dairy is the same type of no-no as grains in my case. I can have dairy in small doses, but I know I can go overboard with it, which is why I steer clear of cheese. Truth be told, I don't do all that well with the red wine I broke this diet with either. That needs to be a "once in a while" thing for me too. Even if it is organic.
The best thing you can do for yourself when it comes to diet and health is...KNOW THYSELF. And once you do - don't listen to the devil on your shoulder, listen to the angel. OK, listen to the devil once in a while. (That last line may have been the devil talking.)