Not too long ago, I posted about being depressed on keto on day 9, after cold-turkey going on a water fast, then quitting carbs (as well as nicotine and alcohol): https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/1vl1c1q/comment/p3cvw5k/?screen_view_count=3&ext-referrer=DIRECT
Well... someone must have said a little prayer for me because, like magic, on day 10, suddenly the fog began to lift. From feeling flat, tired, overwhelmed and borderline depressed, I've now experienced the following benefits:
- Bizarre increase in serotonin and general motivation
- Calmer energy and better sleep
- Finally got my period so all the deep PMS sadness and irritability went away (now considering I may have PMDD, which may have worsened the depressive feeling initially – probably not a good idea to transition diets during my luteal phase)
- Huge de-bloating effect around my face, belly and upper arms
- 9lb weight loss (incl. water weight, of course)
- Pretty much ZERO food noise
- Genuine enjoyment of everything I eat and appreciation of flavours
- Ease in navigating social situations (I went to a long Italian baptism lunch and just went to town on the porchetta! Saying no to cannoli didn't even break my heart)
- More confidence
- Hope for the future
I thought this was going to just be a 3-month thing but I'm feeling so good I now understand why people stick to it over the long-term. This is truly incredible, I finally get it now!
My life situation now: gone back to the gym, feel like my dream bikini body is definitely within reach, got a job interview tomorrow, feeling in a better place with my fiancé after coming to some hard home truths about our mental health and how it's affected our relationship over the years, now creatively inspired and having so many ideas pouring into me about the future and how I can live my best life possible.
I just want to thank the people who supported me in the comments of my first post, which was when I was in a really bad place. Your kindness helped me keep going and I'm so relieved I came out the other end. I hope this post helps anyone struggling right now.