Hello family, friends, fans, and everything in between,

This might not be news to those who see me day to day, but this past month I did something completely new: I went on a diet. But not just any diet — I tried keto.

• Now, to be fair, I’ve done diets before — but always to gain weight, to bulk. I’ve never done anything restrictive. My general approach has always been to eat healthy most of the time without overthinking it. But that changed recently.

From the end of last year through May, I went through my first serious bulk and gained about 6–7 kg — a big achievement for someone like me, who’s always found it hard to put on weight.

However, with more muscle also came more fat, and I’ll admit: Seeing my abs disappear was an emotional adjustment. Anyone who follows me knows I’ve always been quite lean, and seeing that version of myself shift in the mirror brought up a lot of feelings. It’s wild how much of our identity can be tied to how we see ourselves. For a while, I felt like I was going through a bit of a minor identity crisis.

So, as a kind of personal experiment, I decided to follow up the bulk with my first real cut — and keto felt like the ultimate challenge. A good friend recommended it to me a while back, and I never forgot it. I researched, prepared, and committed to a 6-week trial (they say 6–12 weeks is ideal to see real results).

and here I am: Wrapping up week 6. I didn’t want to tell you guys earlier — I didn’t want to jinx it.

• Was it effective? Yes — I can see the results.

• Was it worth it? Honestly… not really, at least for me.

I think a low-carb diet could’ve given me similar results with way less sacrifice. Going zero-carb has been brutal. I’ve never craved potatoes or cookies more in my life — and I even gave up my beloved yogurt.

Here are some honest takeaways:

• Going carb-free is way harder than going alcohol-free.

• I have huge respect for people who do restrictive diets — because I’m not sure I’ll ever want to do one again.

• If you were hot before a diet, you’re probably still hot now. We really shouldn’t stress too much about it (- if you are hot).

What about you — have you ever tried keto? Would you? If so, I’ve learned some interesting meals I’d love to share.

With love,
Micael