My week of eating only ten percent of my calories in carbohydrates is over. And I am glad. It did a number on my body. But there were some good things that came out of it. Here are the pros and cons.

Pro: I lost 3.4 pounds. I actually lost more than seven pounds after five days but it was mostly water weight which I gained back the last two days of the week.

Con: I typically have already been losing three to four pounds per week on my original meal plan, so there was no significant difference.

Pro: After the first few days I felt a boost of energy.

Con: The dehydration in the last few days reduced my energy and nearly put me in the hospital. Plus, I missed some Thanksgiving time with my kid and that’s a deal breaker.

Pro: I was able to eat red meat, olive oil and more protein than I was accustomed.

Con: I had to restrict my body of bread and fiber, the latter causing gastrointestinal problems.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:2-4 ESV

You may think, because this diet did not work for me, I will discourage others from trying it. That’s not true. Statistically speaking, the low carb diet has roughly the same success rate as my diet does. It also has the same failure rate. For me the low carb diet was not sustainable. But it does work for many and I will not discourage others from trying it.

I am glad I tried this out. It was good to get exposure to foods I have not eaten in some time. I will be able to enjoy them again when I get to my goal weight and my caloric restrictions change. I can wait.

I learned a few other things. I have incorporated more cheese into my diet. That was a success. The hard cheeses I like can still fit within my nutritional profile and add a lot of taste to my meals.

10-Piece Taste Tempting Cheese & Sausage Gift Box from Wisconsin Cheeseman

I had to learn to reduce sodium. The dehydration factor of the low carb diet forced me to examine everything I was eating, including soda and other diet drinks.

As a result of what I learned this week because of the low carb diet, I will be making more changes to my original diet. I will stay within my overall nutrition profile, but I will be fluctuating the total calories every day instead of only twice per week. I will be adding some foods, eating more of others and eliminating or drastically reducing others.

Right now my body does not know what to expect. And that is a good thing.