Death by refined carbohydrates

Today was my last day of eating crap, and boy did I ever. How would you eat if tomorrow all of the packaged, processed crap was gone? Yeah yeah- vegetables are gone too. Who cares? Fruit is also gone. Who cares?

I've been trying to keep to a low carb, high fat, ketogenic diet for about 14 months. The original, main goal has been (always will be?) weight loss. It's helped me maintain a lower set point in weight than I had previously maintained with a paleo kind of diet. A great side effect of this keto diet has been that my blood sugars have stabilized, I don't have to use so much insulin, and my hemoglobin A1c is finally in the normal non diabetic range. I've tested anywhere from 5.4 down to 5.0, which is fabulous.

 But I realized, I'm still addicted to sugar and carbs. I've always indulged in semi monthly opportunities to eat a high amount of carbs at holiday parties, going out with friends, or "just because." It's not good for my body, or anyone's really, to be flowing back and forth from being a fat burner and a sugar burner.

I've been reading about other folks and their zero carb/all meat experiences. Apparently this diet can heal a lot of things. I craved a piece of that action. Yet I was also scared to give up on the things I've had in my diet since I was a child.

After a week of semi-intentional binge eating and body sabotage, I've chosen tomorrow, April 19 2015, as my Carnivore Birthday. And really, it couldn't come soon enough. I've had donuts every day for the past 4 days. Same goes for candy. I included pizza, French fries, a Philly cheesesteak, two pints of ice cream, and even more into today's jam-packed gastroexplosive activities.

These are the symptoms I've managed to give myself in the past week:

Bloating
Weight gain of at least 10 lbs
New stomach stretch marks
Visibly flabbier arms
Sore, cracked lips from all the sugar
Extra dandruff
New beginnings of blemishes
More labored breathing
I experienced fleeting chest pain during my workout today
Parts of my body are quite sensitive and hurt to the touch
Way more farts!
Less desire for sex
Weird, vivid dreams
Restless sleep
A general crappy, hopeless feeling

Theses were the symptoms being kept at bay by going high fat low carb (and counting calories/ not eating like Joey on friends), but this way of eating wasn't a miracle for me by any means the way it was for some people in the keto subreddits and Facebook groups.

I am le tired of counting calories and working hard to stay under my carb limit. What could be simpler than eliminating all carbs or plant foods?

Day 1 of my new life starts now. The Meat Is On.