Falling short of motivation for Keto diet? It happens no matter what diet you want to start. We have all gone through that stage, where we avoid talking about going to a gym, want to leave a diet and not talk about getting fit. This can happen to all of us and has happened to me too.
There will be days when you will have no motivation for Keto, and it can be triggered by many things. A fight with your spouse, bad day at work or trouble with the kids. There will be days when you will ask yourself- Why am I doing this to myself? I can easily live the next ten or twenty-odd years eating junk food, wearing big clothes and avoid looking at myself in the mirror.
I have those days too, when I think that I was doing fine for the last 30 odd years, so why change it now. Everything was fine I agree. At least at the surface, but where was I headed? In another five years, I would have suffered from high blood pressure, bad knees or maybe diabetes. And would have spent the prime of my life like a sick patient, dependent on pills.
Today still, when I need motivation for Keto, I look at my old pictures, and I wonder what was I thinking. I looked like a stuffed turkey ready to explode. And what a fool was I used to give a deaf ear to my loved ones, that kept telling me to do something about it. In the past seven or eight-month, I have come in touch with so many new people. Some still thinking about doing something about their fat, others who read the success stories and postpone the decision making to another day. And some who chose to take the plunge and do something about it there and then.
I know for a fact that handling a Keto diet is a very tough task for an Indian. And that’s why I am here to give you motivation for Keto. We have very set rules for food and recipes that have been passed over from generations. Our diet is primarily carb-based and to change that overnight is not easy.
I meet friends who want me to give them some easy tips, to lose weight. But I tell all to read about Keto before deciding to join the wagon. To give up carbs and sugar overnight needs a strong will and extreme patience. Things get tougher when the rest of the family is not on Keto, and when you are out socializing. Most people fail to understand your choices and instead question the diet.
But that’s ok, I am today going to talk to you about how I keep myself motivated to go on, without giving up. Keto is my lifestyle now and I will suggest it to anybody who wants to get fit, and give himself a makeover. Have a look at my pictures and you will agree with me instantly.
Contents
Define yourself a goal
Sounds very bookish, but I think this is the first and most important step in your journey of getting fit. My goal is to become 50 kgs from 100kgs and I gave myself a year for it. Yours could be to lose the tummy, tone your back or just become fit . Think it over and set yourself a target that you know would be able to achieve. Don’t try to keep an impossible goal, as you would be only cheating yourself.
Make a game plan
Don’t try to copy a plan and put it into action in a hurry. Work on it, measure its feasibility and design it around your goal. My plan was to first lose the fat, as much as I could in the first three to four months, and then work on toning up the body. In the first three months, I had not even heard of the word macros or MFP. All I was doing was reading and eating, as low carb as possible.
Soon I realized that I needed more direction and focus, so I started reading about what other people were doing. I taught myself how to use MFP, which I admit can be very tricky at first. But once you get the hang of it, it becomes your best friend.
Next I calculated my BMR, and got to know that my daily calorie intake should be around 1400 calories. And if I wanted to lose weight a deficit of 200 to 300 calories was good enough. With two growing kids and a full time job, the option of going to the gym is on the backburner for now.
And the moment I cut out the sodas, the junk food and the sweets I was already on my way to achieving my dietary goals.
Make it interesting
If you hate reminding yourself of your goal, then why did you keep it in the first place. If you hate it, sooner or later you will drop it. Yes, we all do fall short for motivation for Keto or any other diet, but it has to be something you look forward to. I dislike the idea of getting up in the morning to go to the gym, so I chose walking to the office instead. It fit my schedule perfectly. Similarly, if you have hated spinach all your life, don’t eat it now. Substitute it with a veggie you like. If you don’t like boiled eggs, try an omelet. The possibilities are endless, just be ready to take the flight.
Educate yourself
Once you see the fat going, I bet your curiosity will increase and you will want answers to so many questions. After all, how many other diets make your lose three kgs in the first ten days without moving a finger. So what it that is exactly happening inside you? Which foods will speed up the process and which ones will throw you out of Keto? These are standard queries, which will make the transformation process so much more interesting. For example, I used to love drinking milk in the evening, and I looked for so many ways to somehow incorporate it into my diet. But I finally had to give it up, and for a good cause, so no regrets.
Make the food interesting
I know of people who eat the same meals for days in a stretch. I on the other hand like to eat different things everyday. There is so much that you can eat, without feeling that you are giving up on something. Just cut down the portions and keep your taste buds tickled. I was never very fond of cooking; only eating. But since I got on Keto, I like to try out recipes and make them Keto friendly. I admit a Keto bread will not taste exactly like the real thing, but there is no harm in trying an imitation. Like I always say Keto is a way of life, not a punishment. I am enjoying every day in it and planning a diet for the next day, is the most enjoyable part of the day. I like to squeeze in the maximum items, and have fun while planning it.
Read about other success stories
Go on the Internet and read amazing stories of other people ho despite all odds are sticking to the plan and not budging. There are people who have diabetes, disabilities, a dozen kids, limited sources of incomes, making the best of the options in hand. They just want to get thin and pretty, come what may.
Going on Keto is not a cheap deal, but then you can look for alternatives in that too. Eggs are not expensive, hog on them and you can make them in so many differnet ways. Make your ricotta or cottage cheese at home, Greek Yogurt is so easy to make. Keep a track on great deals in stores and stock up on meats when they are cheap. The point is to look for solutions when faced with problems and not give up. Do not underestimate your power to change yourself!
Track your progress
After a while you will like to have scientific evidence, about the success rate of your decision to go on Keto. Before you go on the diet, take a picture for comparing later. Get your blood work done, so that after three months you can get it done again and compare the reports. I have a picture of mine , which I often see to remind myself that I am not going back there ever again.
And if your spirits go low, on days when you are expecting the weighing machine to show you a big difference and it does not budge at all. Observe your clothes too, if you feel a difference in the sizes that should be a sure shot of inspiration.
Keep changing your goals
Like any other scientific study reevaluate your body structure after three, five, nine and twelve months and set new goals. A new goal will boost your confidence and assure you that all is good. After the fifth month think about working out, if you can, or introduce some kind of exercise to avoid hitting a plateau. I am 65kgs now, and I am hungry to reach the 50kgs target a.s.a.p. Feed the hunger!
Keep it going
Ok, you have the enough motivation for Keto. After the second month or so, you will have quite an idea about your body and the fat loss patterns. In other words, once you get the basics clear and set a schedule for yourself, take it all the way. Trust your decision and believe in it. Get your fundamentals clear, so that you don’t go around asking everybody and end up getting confused.
The first month is the toughest
You need constant motivation for Keto in the first month. If you cross the 30-day mark without breaking, you’re good to go! By the end of the first month, you will start seeing the results for yourself and will get hungry for more. If you think you will break keep your fat photo handy, look at it and keep telling yourself that you will do it.