Day 4, the middle of the beginning,hopefully

I'm starting Day 4, and the reality of my situation is beginning to settle in. Morale is still high, but I've gone from craving foods I like to missing foods I like. It's that feeling of, "hey, it's been a long time since I've had Chipotle" that is my current biggest obstacle. I wouldn't say I'm actively that hungry, but eating was simply something I did, regardless of physical cues. Stopping for fast food while running errands was part of my routine, now I have to plan my errands around when I eat.

Today's ketone test is less reliable because I forget to do it first thing in the morning, rather it was around noon. It shows moderate ketosis, which is good, but less good than I was hoping for. I guess everything does take time.

One thing I struggle with, in this early days, is differentiating between genuine physiological changes and psychological, placebo style, changes. People ask if I have more energy, and I do, but I'm not sure if it's because of my new diet, or if I'm simply energized by having something to do with my time (and energy, natch). I have enough of a science background to know not to trust any singular data point too highly, but when all you have are four data points, and all day to think about them, it's hard not to begin to extrapolate. If nothing else, it's fun to daydream about losing tons of weight.

I really look forward to be past the phase of starting a diet, and instead simply be on a diet. Long term, I'd like to stop thinking of it as a diet all together, and simply have it be my lifestyle, but I'm focused right now on reaching steady state (the state when a process has properties that remain unchanged with time). So, I'm declaring today the threshold of the middle of my beginning. I'm not sure when the beginning will end, at the latest it's my appt with the dietitian April 1st, at the earliest it's when I enter and stay in large ketosis. Weighing the factors, I'm guessing it will take a week or two to really reach a comfortable routine.



Today's breakfast was a slight variation on an old favorite. I grilled a 2oz chicken breast with cumin and cardamon, and wrapped it in a lettuce leaf for a no-carb wrap. I added some baby carrots because I was actively hungry. Unlike previous experiences, the chicken and lettuce meshed very well. Carrots have become my favorite treat, for two reasons. First, they crunch in a way that's very satisfying. Secondly, believe it or not, they are the highest carb aspect of my diet. Eating carrots is my equivalent of a frosted donut. It's one of the starker realizations I've made on this diet, to realize that carrots, previously a healthy snack that got in the way of better treats, is now king of the hill.

Today I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar with a friend, and we're meeting for lunch before hand. I'm excited to try to order food out. I'm prepared for nearly any result. Part of my goal for today is to see if it's even worth it for me to eat out, or if I should simply refuse invites. Hopefully I can enjoy a small steak or fish filet, and not feel overly tempted.

One final bummer with this diet: no alcohol at all. Not only is is a source of carbs, but apparently combining alcohol with very low blood sugar can have some harmful effects. Back in college, I'd have tried it just to see what it was like (like giving blood right before happy hour, on an empty stomach). Now, three full days in, I feel like I've got too much invested to be flippant.