Mastering the waves of ketosis

See the picture on the left below? The kids are wading into the ocean and aren’t very far into the ocean. My son is getting smacked in the face by a wave. That area where the waves are breaking can be rough. You can lose your footing. You might get knocked over or pushed into shore.

More than once I’ve ended up covered in sand from getting stuck where the waves break. It’s exhausting to stay in that place where you are fighting the waves rolling in and standing against the waves pulling you back out.

In the picture on the right, the kids have actually ventured beyond the waves breaking. Look how calm! They need to go 10 feet further in, but the waves are breaking BEHIND them. It’s calm where they are, and they are riding the gentle waves and laughing.

They are more relaxed because they aren’t concerned about getting knocked down and coming up with a face full of sand or a bathing suit full of sand. It’s a gentle place where you get rocked by the ocean if you can stop worrying over jellyfish and sharks!

If you’ve ever been to the ocean, you know that area where the push and pull of the breaking and receding waves is to be avoided long term. It can be where folks get “stuck”. If they aren’t strong swimmers or if they’re inexperienced or just short like me, they can be fearful of going beyond the breaking waves.

Mastering low carb is like surfing

I took these photos because they serve as an example of folks wading into a very low carb or ketogenic diet. Folks start wading in and they get to the breaking waves and some run back to shore.

They cave to cravings or to social pressure. They give in to foods at a party, or they refuse to avoid a high-carb habit. When they try again, the cravings are worse. They can stay stuck in that wave breaking place that’s pretty miserable. Remember that it’s exhausting!?! They never see the progress they want because they’re constantly pushed back to shore. They’re tired and hungry and often simply give up.

Folks who stay on plan and take the time to create new habits and embrace new foods and focus on what they can eat, those people can ride the waves. They relax in a state of ketosis that is freeing. It provides a buoyant lack of hunger that allows them to lean in and float!

They are further buoyed by feeling better health and seeing weight loss. They can ride the waves and swim and not tire and not have a suit full of sand. That’s important y’all. Sand in the bathing suit? Just imagine all of that grit in the bottom of a wet bathing suit.

As you wade into the ocean, it is important to watch for jelly fish and sharks and riptides. There are “lifeguards” here on www.dietdoctor.com to warn you about those not to spoil your fun, but because they want to see your joy in riding the waves! They want to see you swim with the tide as you learn how to follow a low carb diet.

C’mon in, y’all! The water’s perfect!

—
Kristie Sullivan

About

This informal piece was written to be motivational for folks in my closed Facebook group. I share pieces like this at least four to five times each week.

More

Low Carb for Beginners

A Ketogenic Diet for Beginners

Earlier with Kristie

The Sound of Silence

How a Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffin Can Mean Freedom

Obese for nearly all of her life, Kristie Sullivan, PhD, is passionate about helping others learn about all of the health benefits from eliminating sugar, grains, and starches. She focuses on eating whole, real foods that everyone in the family can enjoy.

You can learn more about her at her YouTube channel, Cooking Keto with Kristie. She also published a cookbook, Journey to Health: A Journey Worth Taking to help others discover how delicious and healthy a low carb lifestyle can be. Join her (and several thousand others) on the low carb journey at her closed Facebook group, “Low Carb Journey to Health (Cooking Keto with Kristie)”.