Embracing Dirty Keto: Breaking Free from Guilt and Anxiety

Over the past month or so, I’ve written several posts where I couldn’t decide what kind of keto diet to stick with. Some of my vacillating comes from guilt. But most of it comes from my GAD, or anxiety disorder. It makes it really hard for me to make decisions, and to stick to them.

After writing yesterday’s post about my son’s upcoming wedding, I bounced some of these questions off of my husband. He said that he thought that if eating keto sweets is helping me stick to the diet, that’s a good thing, as long as I don’t overdo it. I stick within my daily macro allowance of 50 net carbs. I also want to keep trying and reviewing keto products. You never know when I will discover a hidden gem.

Dirty keto is keto that relies on some packaged foods. I believe that this is the right choice for me. I shouldn’t feel guilty because I’m not eating perfectly. If you’ve read any of my posts, you know that this is a big issue for me. I might tell myself that it’s okay, but sometimes I feel like it’s not. I might tell myself that I don’t care if I lose weight, but I do care. Sometimes we lie to ourselves to make ourselves feel better.

I’m sharing all of this with all of you because I am almost positive that there are others out there like me, who feel guilty about not doing keto the “right way”. As with any diet, there is no right or wrong way. The right way is the way that is right for you. What works for me will probably not work for you. Your body is different from mine. This is why I think so many people give up on better health.

A prime example of this is on Facebook groups. Someone will post a keto meal that they had, and people will jump all over them and bash them, saying that it’s not keto. Their idea of keto may not be the posters idea of keto. We have become much more judgemental as a society in the past five or so years. We are so focused on being right, that we don’t understand the damage we are doing to others with our criticism.

In future, I may write that I’m feeling guilty again and that I’ve changed the way I do keto. I suppose it’s only human to feel that way. And I might post that I am back to dirty keto. As time goes on, I might find that it no longer works for me. I have always said that life is short, and you shouldn’t be so strict with your diet that you have regrets. There are some who are on a strict diet because they have no choice. Some people lose the ability to eat and enjoy their food. I try to think of them whenever I feel guilty about eating something I “shouldn’t”. I “should” take that word out of my vocabulary. I refuse to suck all of the joy out of my life. Yes, I need to restrict carbs and sugar, but I don’t have to be miserable doing it.

I hope all of you will bear with me as I sort out my anxiety addled brain.

Writer, blogger and 60 something housewife who is exploring the keto diet. Follow me on my journey of discovery. View all posts by Janice Schroeder

Originally published at https://fromcarbstoketo.com on June 16, 2024.