Expert Q&A

How I finished 2023 vs 2025 on a low-carb or ketogenic diet

My 2023 Starting Point: The Cycle of Failed Diets

In late 2023, at 51 years old, I weighed 237 pounds with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (A1C 8.2) and blood pressure hovering at 148/92. Joint pain in my knees made even walking the dog feel impossible. I had failed every diet before — low-fat, calorie counting, intermittent fasting — each ending in rebound weight gain. Hormonal shifts from perimenopause made fat loss feel hopeless. Insurance denied coverage for any weight loss program, leaving me embarrassed and overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition advice.

That's when I discovered the power of a structured low-carb approach from my book The Metabolic Reset Protocol. Instead of extreme restriction, we focused on 50-80 grams of carbs daily from vegetables and limited fruits, prioritizing protein (1.2g per pound of goal weight) and healthy fats.

Transitioning to Ketogenic in 2024: What Actually Changed

By early 2024, I shifted into nutritional ketosis, keeping carbs under 30 grams while measuring ketones with a simple blood meter (target 0.5-2.0 mmol/L). This wasn't the restrictive keto many fear. My method emphasizes anti-inflammatory foods like wild salmon, olive oil, avocados, and non-starchy vegetables to combat joint inflammation.

Exercise? I started with 10-minute chair yoga and water walking three times weekly — joint-friendly moves that built consistency without pain. For busy schedules, I used 15-minute meal prep: egg muffins with spinach for breakfast, tuna salads for lunch. No complex plans. Blood sugar stabilized within six weeks (A1C dropped to 6.1), blood pressure normalized to 118/76, and I lost 28 pounds that first year without feeling deprived.

2025 Results: Sustainable Transformation and Key Metrics

By December 2025, I had reached 174 pounds — a 63-pound loss maintained for 11 months. My energy levels allow daily 30-minute walks, and joint pain is 80% reduced thanks to lowered inflammation from stable blood sugar. Diabetes management improved dramatically with only metformin needed now. The biggest win? Breaking the cycle of failed diets by focusing on metabolic health over scale weight.

Key lessons from The Metabolic Reset Protocol: Track waist circumference (mine dropped from 44 to 32 inches), prioritize sleep (7-8 hours), and manage stress with 5-minute breathing exercises. For middle-income families, this approach costs under $85 weekly on groceries — no expensive shakes or programs required.

Practical Tips for Your Low-Carb or Ketogenic Journey

Beginners should start with a 7-day low-carb reset: eliminate added sugars and grains, add leafy greens to every meal. If hormones are a factor, include magnesium-rich foods like pumpkin seeds. For joint pain, begin movement in water or seated positions. Measure progress with weekly photos, energy levels, and blood markers — not just the scale. Consistency beats perfection; even 80% adherence delivers results. My transformation proves it's possible despite age, busy life, and past failures. You can start today with one simple swap: replace your afternoon snack with cheese and cucumber slices.

💬 What the Community Says

The community shows a mix of cautious optimism and hard-earned realism around low-carb and ketogenic diets when comparing 2023 to 2025 results. Many in the 45-55 age group report 40-70 pound losses with improved blood sugar and joint comfort, especially those managing diabetes or blood pressure. Most practitioners find the first 4-6 weeks toughest due to keto flu and carb cravings, but appreciate simple approaches that fit busy schedules without gym memberships. A vocal minority debates strict keto versus moderate low-carb, with some noting hormonal stalls in perimenopausal women that required adding more protein or cycling carbs. Lived experiences highlight insurance barriers and past diet failures making people skeptical at first, yet many celebrate non-scale victories like reduced joint pain and sustained energy. Debates often center on long-term sustainability versus quick results, with most agreeing personalized tweaks work better than one-size-fits-all plans. Beginners frequently share embarrassment asking for help but find support in sharing meal prep hacks and affordable grocery lists.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). How I finished 2023 vs 2025 on a low-carb or ketogenic diet. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/how-i-finished-2023-vs-2025-on-a-low-carb-or-ketogenic-diet
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

📖 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get the Book →
Get Personalized Guidance From the Author
Every weight loss journey is different. Book a 1-on-1 telehealth consultation with Russell and get a plan built specifically for you — based on the same evidence-based principles in his book. Available to patients in all 50 states.
Book Your Consultation →
Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
▸ Anyone else feel this way and the role of cortisol and stress hormones while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ How does i take protein powder before autophagy starts during fasting after a weight loss plateau for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ “You shouldn’t feel anything” while doing intermittent fasting during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 High-Dose Dependency — The pharmaceutical trap of staying on maximum medication doses indefinitely, which we avoid through our smart cycling me… ▸ What can I ask for if estrodiol cream remains in shortage? Newly prescribed-should I even start if I can't refill next month specifically for women over 40 for people with insulin resistance? ▸ Are you using AI on your healing journey? If so, how for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Bad advice from doctor for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Why are peptides suddenly everywhere in 2026 when most of them have been around for 20 or 30 years — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Anyone else feel this way and the role of cortisol and stress hormones for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ How good is it if I still drink (sugar free) soda for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📖 The Clark Protocol — Our evidence-based framework that combines clinical nurse practitioner expertise with personal experience to solve the o… ▸ How does has anyone reversed insulin resistance without medication on a GLP-1 drug and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Anybody else wake up after 5-6 hours because their lower back starts hurting — what does the research actually say for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Bad advice from doctor for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ Digestive issues? Alcohol allergy — what most people get wrong about this while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Leftover semaglutide in vial - is the dose less strong during the weight loss plateau phase? 📖 Insulin Resistance — A condition where your cells stop responding to insulin, locking fat in storage; our protocol is designed to unlock thes… ▸ One Medical for Lilly Direct on a low-carb or ketogenic diet during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Tracking carbs in Resistant Starch: Do you count them differently after 24h in the fridge — what does the research actually say and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ Dark(ish) areas for stargazing during the weight loss plateau phase for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ Safest type of fiber: what to track and how to measure progress for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What to expect on 50mg of Spironolactone for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? 📖 Strategic Fat Loading — A critical 48-hour phase at the start of the reset where we prime the body with healthy fats to trigger the transition f… ▸ Does anyone else feel like they are living life at 50% and the role of cortisol and stress hormones and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Has anyone stopped HRT and then restarted it for people with insulin resistance and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Anyone worried about the FDA crackdown — what most people get wrong about this: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Refreshing Summer snack ideas during the weight loss plateau phase when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📖 Leptin Sensitivity — Restoring your brain's ability to hear the 'I am full' signal, which is often muted by high-sugar diets and systemic inf… ▸ Does anyone have ant literature or knowledge on autophagy and loose skin for long-term maintenance (not just short-term): what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ How did you stop your health anxiety — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ Do you know of any snacks that you can just chew on when you're bored on a low-carb or ketogenic diet — what certified coaches recommend? 📖 Nutrient Density — Prioritizing foods that provide maximum vitamins and minerals per calorie to satisfy the brain and end the cycle of hidd… ▸ “You shouldn’t feel anything” while doing intermittent fasting when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ How does i started this year vs. How I'm finishing it - 220lbs -> 135lbs 🩷 while intermittent fasting during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ How good is it if I still drink (sugar free) soda for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Been going out with this girl and I think it’s destroyed my microbiome for people with insulin resistance when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Anyone worried about the FDA crackdown — what most people get wrong about this during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Gave up all my vices… unsure of what to do with myself now: how to talk to your doctor about this while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ How I cured my bad breath. Especially helpful for people with sinus issues: what to track and how to measure progress: what to track and how to measure progress? 📖 GLP-1 Receptor Agonist — A class of medication that mimics natural hormones to improve insulin secretion and slow gastric emptying, used strategi… ▸ When Someone Paid by Credit Card, We Had to Drag Out This — what most people get wrong about this if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Gluten. I love it. How long to find out if it hates me: best practices and common mistakes to avoid if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Safest type of fiber: what to track and how to measure progress: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Anybody else feel like this — what does the research actually say and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ When fed ex secures the goods when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ Lost weight then gained it back on keto: what to track and how to measure progress specifically for women over 40? 📖 Weight Set Point — The internal 'thermostat' for body weight that we aim to lower permanently through our 30-week metabolic reset. ▸ Any Links Between Autophagy & Eye Disease Reversing when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances for people with insulin resistance? ▸ How I cured my bad breath. Especially helpful for people with sinus issues: how to talk to your doctor about this during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Do you know of any snacks that you can just chew on when you're bored on a low-carb or ketogenic diet for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Why does keto hurt my stomach 😞 for people with insulin resistance and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? 📖 Smart Cycling — The strategic alternating of medication doses with planned 'off' periods to prevent receptor desensitization and ensure … ▸ What to do with mg PCOS + Questions and how it connects to gut health and inflammation and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Did anyone lose weight because of a medical condition — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ How to induce autophagy without fasting for a long time — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ How much weight do you give to mechanism vs results when evaluating peptides — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend — what certified coaches recommend? ▸ Will doing omad 2-3 times a week get rid of it or reduce loose skin? I'm in my 20s if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? ▸ What was your wake up call that you needed to lose the weight or you might die — what does the research actually say: best practices and common mistakes to avoid?