Day 4 - Hangry No More

I woke up this morning feeling like a new person, albeit a new person with a dry and stinky mouth (keto breath?)  I don't know whether it was the rest, the Powerade, or the vegetables, but once I woke up fully, I had more energy than I usually do.  I had no trouble getting to work relatively on time, with everything I needed and looking professional.  As a decided night owl, this is a win for me.

Excitingly, the fat fast is over, and I started the day with the egg pizza (mistake quiche) that I prepped last night.  Since the meal plan I'm following for the next few days is for a 1,600 calorie diet, I thought to cut the portions down a bit to get closer to my 1,200 limit.  I have to say, 1/8th of a personal pan egg pizza felt very light compared to the lard-laden meals I've been putting together, and I wasn't fully satisfied.  Thankfully, my coffee with heavy cream did me right, and I made it to lunch without too many grumbles from my stomach.

We had a Lunch and Learn today with Keane about their Driwall rainscreen product, meaning that we were fed by Putnam Market on the vendor.  I go to every one of these regardless of the course content, partially because I organize them, but mostly for the free lunch.  I had ordered a delicious cobb salad I've had before, and though I usually ask for a light dressing and use only half, I went all in with bleu cheese.  The salad actually became a little wet from this, but with all the vegetables, it was necessary to maintain my macros.  I love how simple and delicious this meal is and will make a point to make it myself, including Trader Joe's precooked bacon and more avocado.

I started to get hungry again around 4PM and was craving a milky drink, but I hadn't plugged in my numbers yet and had no clue what to expect from the salad.  After a while the hunger abated, and I ended up working until 6:30 and not having dinner until 7:45.  Thankfully, I had prepared a salmon foil packet with peppers and zucchini, so all I had to do was microwave and enjoy.  It was a bland and a little oily, but satiating; I'll have to look into spices for salmon next time.

I researched the heartburn I've been having last night, and it seems to be a fairly common thing for people just starting a ketogenic diet.  Thankfully, everyone reporting the symptom said it passed within the first few weeks and didn't come back.  Today is better, but I still feel a bit of pressure in my center chest.  I should have gotten a less delicious form of Alka-Seltzer, because the chews with the candy shell are becoming my late night tropical treat.

I am struck by the influx of energy and absence of 'hangry' cravings that usually hit me every few hours.  I've read so many versions of the principle "diet affects energy", but I have never felt such a clear connection between what I eat and how I feel.  Sleepiness after turkey, a sugar high, even a rush from coffee . . . none of it makes much of an impact.  But after only four days, I am a staunch believer that fat consumption is the key to satiety and energy.  When I've finished this diet, I will find a way to incorporate more healthful fats into my meals.

That said, I have also noticed an increase in my anxiety and depressive symptoms in the last two days.  Right now it is more of an annoyance than anything, and by all accounts it is an expected and temporary result of the body switching its fueling mechanism.  However, doing what it takes to maintain mental health remains a huge priority for me, as it must.  If things turn south, I will not hesitate to hit the ejector and open up a carb parachute.  It's easier to lose weight than to un-trigger a mood episode.  I consider myself on the alert.

1,069 calories

69% fat / 68%

24% protein / 24%

7% carbs / 8%