Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property WP_Bulk_Delete::$api is deprecated in D:\InetPub\vhosts\leader-94.package\ketotao.com\wp-content\plugins\wp-bulk-delete\wp-bulk-delete.php on line 53 The Keto Tao - Living the Keto Way
I have been keto fasting since June 3 2019. It has gotten easier with overall. When I say easier, I used to mean I could fight my cravings when they showed up. Now, easier means it is so easy that I love living this way. I really have to say I prefer this keto tao just as most people prefer to eat carbs like bread. I am not kidding. In the past week or so, it hit me that I have changed. Before I keep going on this, I want to show my last week of weigh ins. I have been recently settled in at 150 or so and I was happy with it. In the past week, my weight has declined a few more pounds. I was surprised. Also, my midsection looks and feels different. I feel like the visceral fat is deeply gone. Hard to describe but I think I am at another level of Keto.
Keto is a way of life. Today is day ~254 since I began my keto fasting journey which is becoming more and more my keto tao. It is
Becoming how I am. It is not a diet.
Shaping me as much as I am shaping it.
Teaching me everyday. ‘When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.’
Expanding and changing my perspectives on eating, nutrients, choices and being deliberate.
Since June 2019, I reached a low on my scale of around 145-147 lbs although during my physicals http://ketotao.com/?p=20 in the fall, I was told my weight was 143 lbs more recently, my weight has fluctuated in the low 150s for the most part. Recently, however, it has been under 150. I take a photo of the scale and post to my online journal app every morning. Measuring daily is an important part of my Keto Tao as it keeps me attuned.
Keto is a way of life.
I weigh myself every morning. It is part of my Keto Tao. My weight this morning was 149.5 lbs.
My weight has been below 150 lbs at times this past week. I am not doing anything in particular to reduce my weight. In fact, one day I ate a half bag of pecans which is about 1000 calories.
I measured my ketone level for the first time since restarting my keto way in June 2019. It is 1.2 mmol/L. Optimal ketone levels. I used a Keto Mojo meter available from Amazon.com.
As I walked to the train after a long day of work I felt this urge to buy a snack. I actually played the scene in my head of buying a snack. However, I paused. I asked myself ‘Is this hunger or habit?’
I kept walking. I have learned to be ok with the sensation in my stomach that we immediately seem to react to by eating something. If you just pause and pay attention to the feeling in your stomach, you may decide that the feeling is not one of your body signaling you to eat, but rather a signal from your body that it is in balance and relaxed.
The human gut is full of nerves and has been called the second brain. Perhaps the feeling that we often confuse as hunger is actually a time when the gut is not being overwhelmed by the duty to digest and instead has the opportunity to add to the intelligence of the body.
Instead of interpreting that slight burning sensation as hunger panes, interpret it as energy or as fire…the fire in your belly. Feel how it actually brings you more awareness.
I intermittent fast daily. The fasting feeling feeds me now. When I get up and drink only coffee and some spices, I look forward to “feeling hungry” as this is what energizes me.
So, next time you are walking along and you feel that little hunger burn in your stomach ask yourself “Is it hunger or habit?” then walk on feeling energized by the aliveness in your belly.
I have been using clarified butter for a number of years. Clarified butter is made from butter but that is processed so that is free of lactose casein gluten and sodium. Clarified butter is a great source of saturated fats and other fats for me. It has 0 g of carbs and no sugar. It also has no sodium. I use clarified butter in my coffee along with coconut oil to make a delicious and nutritious morning beverage
I started this journey on June 3, 2019. Actually this is the day I started to record my progress. I weighed about 165 lbs When I began to photograph my weight on June 5. I actually hovered around 168 lbs when I started to seriously conmtemplate going keto again. I had been keto about 18 months prior but gradually increased my carb intake and eventually went from 140 back to 168.
This time around I decided to keto fast. For me, this means that I intermittent faste using the 16:8 method which means I fast about 16 hours per day. I think in practice, I fast for about 15 hours per day. I learned about intermittent fasting through Dr. Jason Fung’s books and articles. The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung is the book I purchased on Amazon (affiliate) that I have read and given as a gift.
I began my Keto Tao journey because I wanted to address my blood sugar levels. In October 2017, my A1C level was 6.4 which is borderline diabetic. A year later it was slightly lower at 6.1 but this is still high and is considered pre-diabetic. My weight also was around 168. At 5’7.5″ and 168 lbs, my BMI was 25.9 which according to the BMI ranges is OVERWEIGHT!
If you had seen me, you would not have thoughtI was overweight at all….you may even have called me thin. However, I am of Asian descent, I have read that Asians have a high rate of diabetes. This is thought to be because Asians may be more prone to developing more visceral fat. You know the fat in your gut surrounding your organs. This is bad stuff and it was not so hidden as I could see a little pot belly developing. Gut fat…not good as far as I am concerned.
In any case, one stand that I have is I will not get diabetes. Diabetes brings with it many consequences. I have had medical professionals in the past say to me…your blood sugar is elevated but medication is not needed. For me this is not even in my vocabulary…”medication is not needed?” What is that supposed to mean? Taking medication or not is not the measure of my health.
On September 27, I went to see my new awesome primary care doctor for my annual physical. When he weighed me, he said I was around 143 lbs, but my scale at home had show 146 lbs. Needless to say, I lost about 20 lbs and more importantly my gut and visceral fat were diminished. In fact my pants were and are hard to keep up without tightening the belt. My BMI is now around 22.5 which is normal
I was really interested in my blood test results. I was concerned about my A1C level and if my cholesterol and triglycerides were ok…as being Keto, I was eating a lot of saturated and unsaturated fats.
My A1C which measures the average glucose level over about 90 days was 5.7 which was almost in the normal range. My triglycerides are very low and are at a 13 year low while my cholesterol continues to be good although my LDL levels have risen. I am considering having an NMR lipid test in the future to more closely analyze my LDL as there are two types of LDL.
So, in my opinion, my Keto Tao way of life is helping my body heal. I have not exercised significantly so I have to say my weight and fat loss are primarily due to my Keto Tao which incorporates intermittent fasting lifestyle.
The next step in my journey is to start exercising regularly beyond the 10,000 steps I walk daily. I also am scheduled to get a DEXA body scan as I want to more accurately measure my body fat and specifically understand how much visceral fat I have. I will post an article about this. I heard about DEXA scans through some of Tim Ferris’s work.
The Keto Tao (Way) is making a huge difference to me. This time I am evolving my Keto Tao and making it a way of life. This site is intended to share my Keto Tao with you and hopefully help you on your journey.
Please note that this website is mostly based on my opinion and experience. It is not intended as advice. Everyone should consult their physicians and health care professionals for guidance on their health and diet.
Living the Keto Tao is very fulfilling. It can also be challenging. I continue to learn a lot about myself and that is why I started this site. Being Keto is not about being on a diet. It truly is a way and you will find your own Keto Tao.
Here are five things that help me:
I keep my meals simple. The only thing I want complex are my carbs.
I eat the same thing everyday but I love what I eat. I eat the exact same thing for lunch 5-days a week.
I don’t have a cheat day. I am Keto and I do not need to cheat. If I want to eat sweets or a power bar, I choose to eat i, but I break the bar in half or tear off a sliver and enjoy the taste.
I am a generalist. I do 1 and 2 so I have a pretty good idea the amount of carbs I am eating. I simply eat a lot of fat, throw in some protein and allow myself to have the occasional simple carb.
I weigh myself every morning. This resets my orientation.
I started my keto fasting journey on June 3, 2019. I am on Day 141. This is the second time I have been on a keto way of eating. This time, however, is far more robust. I have tracked my weight daily and also have been more mindful of my eating and structures I use.
I have not been exact in my keto process. At the same time, I am not lax in being keto. Simply put, this is my Keto Tao (way) and I am shaping it as it shapes me.
What do I mean by not being exact. Let me just list some things that I do or don’t do that may help clarify what I mean.
I do not monitor my ketones so I really do not know if I am in ketosis. One reason is I do not own a ketone monitor.
I intermittent fast using the 16:8 structure but focus more on waiting until noon to eat. I generally stop eating around 9 or 10 the prior night so I really am not fasting for 16 hours. I use the 16:8 as a model of what intermittent fasting looks like.
I do not always intermittent fast on weekends. Sometimes, I like to have a nice keto breakfast on Saturday or Sunday morning.
I don’t keep a calorie or grams journal. I just try to minimize crappy carb intake. I use my own basic principles and often eat the same things.
I eat dairy, eggs, nuts and probably other things some keto folks do not believe should be in a keto diet like bacon. Not much I can say here. I understand the reasoning, but for me right now I eat these items some of which are key sources of nutrition for me. I love cheese and eggs.
I do not have a cheat day. In the past, I would incorporate a cheat day. This time around I do not have a cheat day as part of my structure. On my journey, my mental model is not one of missing something but simply this is what I eat. I do not need a cheat day to look forward to or to reset my reserves to handle low carb days. I do not come from a perspective of lacking carbs or missing that chocolate donut. However, I do occasionally eat refined carbs. I will eat a sliver of cake or a piece of cookie. I savor the taste and sensations. If I want to eat a nutrition bar, I will break it in half. I don’t need to eat the whole package. If it says 20 g of carbs, if I eat half then that is 10 g.
The keto tao is a way of life. I hope that my journey helps you discover your own way to a fulfilling life.
I am sharing my perspectives and personal learnings. I am not an expert, nutritionist or medical professional. Please seek medical and other relevant professional advice for your specific situations as you make your own choices.
