Keto Finale......

     Steve and I face a busy week because we need to pick up a car at the port in Los Angeles on Thursday.  We shipped it from Hawaii. By shipping it there instead of the Seattle port we saved nearly fifteen hundred dollars.  It costs a little over a hundred dollars for both of us to fly from Bellingham to Los Angeles, so it works out. Then, we head to Richland where we'll exchange it with the car Jake is using.  The drive along the coast through Oregan is lovely, so I'm looking forward to creating another adventure. We had a lovely dinner in Vancouver last week with our Canadian friends. It consisted of lobster, shrimp, and steak, all keto-friendly. Of course, they served non-keto items like seasoned mashed potatoes and a cheesecake for dessert. I indulged in both. I do that sometimes, and it hasn't ruined my dieting efforts or triggered any binging. Over the past two years, I've had a highly successful run. I've lost over thirty pounds and am nearly at my goal weight.  As I explained, my goal was to reach the top end of the range for women my age.  I initiated this round of weight loss for health reasons.  My joints were hurting, and I was feeling unhealthy in general. The weight loss has made a huge difference for me and my overall health, as the blood work during my last physical verifies.  I'm sure my exercise regimen also played a significant role in my overall health improvement.  For the past several years, I've averaged 83,722 steps per week, totaling 4,353,544 steps per year.  That equals 36.96 miles per week, totaling 1,924 miles per year. My 315 minutes of cardio (vigorous and peak) per week equals 16,380 minutes per year.  My resting heart rate averages 62 BPM, which is quite good.  Therefore, I will continue my exercise program for as long as possible.  My program includes high-interval walking and running, Zumba, squats, deadlifts, and free weights.  I occasionally add swimming, yoga, and other activities, including golfing or hiking.  I'm going to continue with the keto while taking breaks along the way, as recommended by those currently studying the keto diet and its effects on participants. I'm so grateful for my health. It is the foundation of the beautiful life Steve and I live. Next month, we'll return to Hawaii and continue our regimen there. We plan to visit the island of Maui and the Big Island this year, and we're looking forward to seeing both. On our return trip to Birch Bay, we will stop by Anchorage, Alaska, to see some sites there and a Broadway show based on Tina Turner's life.  I will add an epilogue to this blog when I finally reach my goal weight. I'm so grateful for my health and will continue to guard it daily. As I said last week, I will end my blog even though I am not at my goal weight.  However, I'll add one more post when I reach my goal.