Before joining FS in Nov 2022, I had always tried to eat pretty decently and was able to manage my health through activity. When I got hit by a car on my bicycle in 2020 that all changed. While a large part of the world was rediscovering the bicycle, fear ruled my mind. The simple joy and freedom that was once fulfilled through commutes, joyrides, and MTB singletrack had left my side. While my wounds had healed my mind remained scarred.

Finally, I knew I had to take control, so I did something drastic. I started a keto diet. It was a hard reset. Maybe a little biohacking to feel full while consuming less calories. I did my best to incorporate vegetable fats: flax, hemp, cacao and pecans while staying away from processed meats. This worked for me. The hardest part was exercise on a low carb diet. When I worked too hard, I puked a few times. Keto was never going to be a long term solution for me; still it put me where I needed to be. You know how the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster would provide the additional thrust needed to help the Orbiter escape the Earth's gravitational pull before being jettisoned? That's what keto did for me.

Once I started eating carbs again my workouts really took flight. Being 40 lbs lighter probably helped too. I kept waiting for the water weight to return, but after 6 weeks I never gained. The loss just slowed as my body tried to find a new normal. In February I registered for a weeklong 500 mile ride across Iowa in July with 50,000 of my closest friends as a way to rekindle the relationship with my bicycle. The journey continues.