Note: This blog post was co-created with Perplexity AI to provide a narrative supported by scientific references.

Bloated Me	Modern Me

Change is Inevitable—Guide Your Adventure

Change is woven into the fabric of life. My journey—across health, diet, and habits—is a story not of one quick fix, but of many small, connected shifts. I hope sharing my experience, honestly and with supporting evidence, helps you guide your own adventure.

The Start of My Journey

In August 2015, while working in Saudi Arabia, my friend David bluntly told me I looked bloated. He was right. A few weeks later, my friend Ashley explained the ketogenic diet. I’d been lowering carbs, but this was more extreme. That Thursday, I ate my last Naan—and then cut carbs cold turkey.

By Saturday morning, post–Tai Chi, I noticed something: I could clasp my hands behind my back, gaining surprising flexibility. Previously, bloating made this difficult. Science suggests that ketogenic diets can reduce inflammation markers and, correspondingly, physical symptoms including swelling and joint discomfort [1].

Headaches, Weight, and Early Wins

Within three weeks, I realized I hadn’t suffered a headache or migraine—once a daily struggle. Over the next year, I used almost no painkillers and saw consistent weight loss. There’s research connecting low-carb dietary patterns and weight loss with reduced migraine frequency and severity, though not all patients respond the same [2]. Meaningful weight loss, regardless of method, is itself linked to migraine improvement [2].

Intermittent Fasting—By Accident

Looking back, I also started intermittent fasting—working through the morning, eating my first meal in the early afternoon. Both ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting have overlapping metabolic effects, including better insulin sensitivity and appetite regulation [3].

Cravings, Gut, and Control

Three months in, I saw a shift—air travel, once fraught with cravings (chips and soda), became easy. Reduced carbs changed my relationship to food, anxiety, and cravings. This reflects changes in gut microbiota, as well as the influence of sleep and prior diet on hunger and willpower [4].

Roadblocks: Habits, Macros, and Protein

The ride wasn’t smooth. Years of hearing that fat is “bad” left me hesitant about drastically increasing fat intake, even though classic ketogenic plans call for roughly 70–80% of calories from fat [5]. I also overate protein at first. As research shows, excess protein can reduce ketosis via gluconeogenesis, stalling weight loss for some [5]. Adjusting those ratios got me unstuck.

The “Keto Flu” and Adaptation

I’m not advocating keto for everyone. “Keto flu”—a mix of headache, irritability, and sugar withdrawal (often in the first few days)—is well documented. Changes in gut microbiota and short-term sleep disruption can happen too [6]. Most people face a difficult adjustment period; for many (including my wife), sleep can be temporarily disturbed. For me, years of fasted cardio training may have helped ease the transition.

Also, the disappearance of daily headaches acted as a powerful form of negative reinforcement: each day pain-free made sticking with the habit easier.

Stress, Setbacks, and the Long Game

About six weeks after David’s comment, I was 15lb lighter. Six months in, I’d lost 50lb. But not every stretch was linear. In 2018, my mother-in-law passed away and I coped with sugary drinks, quickly regaining weight. Returning to my routines, I lost those pounds within two weeks. Human studies consistently find that chronic stress is strongly associated with comfort eating, dietary relapse, and weight cycling. Accepting this as part of the journey is key [7].

Flexibility and Compounding Change

By 2021 I started actively working on flexibility—stretching (using Science of Stretching), then more dedicated programs. I became a certified stretch coach, deepening my study through podcasts and ongoing learning. In mid-2024, I shifted from strict keto to focusing on a balanced macros approach (carbs, protein, fat) and eventually found a sustainable weight.

A Series of Small, Connected Changes

Looking back, my success wasn’t one grand change, but a string of small ones:

• Swapping sugar and low-fat milk for full-fat options.
• Building a daily walking practice (sometimes up to 130 miles/month).
• Adapting goals—as I noticed that too much focus on walking led me to skip Tai Chi, I changed my metrics.
• Investing in flexibility with stretching routines.
• Expanding my learning through podcasts on health and nutrition.
• Getting a dog in 2016, which made walking a daily habit.

Behavioral science shows that changing one habit can nudge further positive changes—the so-called “domino effect” [8].

Practical Advice: Turning Change Into Lifelong Habit

1. Address psychological health first. Mental struggles limit willpower and self-care [9].
2. Prioritize sleep. Sleep deprivation drives cravings and sabotages discipline [10].
3. Start small. Add one positive habit; let it spark the next.
4. Substitute rather than just subtract. Introducing new habits can “crowd out” old ones [8].
5. View change as inevitable—partner with it. Make a habit out of forming new habits.
6. Change is ongoing, not a destination.
7. Let change be your DAO—your way of life.

References

• 1 - Hekmatdoost, A., et al. “The effect of a ketogenic diet on inflammation-related markers: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Nutr Rev. 2025.

• 2 - Ruskin, D.N., et al. “Ketogenic Diets and Pain.” Front Mol Neurosci. 2013. Mottaghi, T., et al. “Weight loss in migraine improvement: A systematic review.” Obes Rev. 2016.

• 3 - Hartman, A.L., & Vining, E.P. “Metabolic and molecular mechanisms of ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting.” Nutr Metab. 2007.

• 4 - Olson, C.A., et al. “The gut microbiota mediates the anti-seizure effects of the ketogenic diet.” Cell 2018. Greer, S.M., et al. “The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain.” Nat Commun 2013.

• 5 - Paoli, A., et al. “Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets.” Eur J Clin Nutr 2013. Sumithran, P., et al. “Ketosis and appetite‐mediating nutrients and hormones after weight loss.” Obesity 2013.

• 6 - Kossoff, E.H., et al. “Optimal clinical management of children receiving the ketogenic diet: recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group.” Epilepsia 2009. Scarpelli, S., et al. “Sleep changes in association with the ketogenic diet in epilepsy patients.” Sleep Med Rev 2020.

• 7 - Torres, S.J., & Nowson, C.A. “Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity.” Nutrition 2007.

• 8 - Lally, P., et al. “How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world.” Eur J Soc Psychol 2010.

• 9 - O’Connor, D.B., et al. “Psychological distress and coping in chronic illness.” Behav Med 2010.

• 10 - Spiegel, K., et al. “Sleep loss: a novel risk factor for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.” J Appl Physiol 2005.