Down 16.5kg in 20 weeks, despite chronic fatigue syndrome!

I'm feeling good today, and felt like sharing, so here we are!

Stats: 33/F/5'3" SW: 89.7kg / 198lbs CW: 73.1kg / 161lbs

Backstory: I was overweight all of high school and uni. In my early 20s I decided to do something about it, and lost 18kg over 12 months with just CICO. Along the way I learned how to run, and eventually started doing long distance running and triathlon. I credit the exercise with my weight loss as much as diet, because my diet definitely wasn't great - I would reduce my intake drastically so I could justify a chocolate biscuit, only to feel so restricted that I'd give up and binge. My body probably only coped with this for as long as it did because I was young.

It didn't last forever - in 2010 I got sick, and after 18 months of specialists visits I was finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Even small amounts of activity, like showering, were exhausting, so exercise stopped completely, and the weight piled back on.

I feel like I was one of the lucky ones though, because after a few years my symptoms started to improve. I could do moderate amounts of walking, and could even have a big day as long as I was careful to have a very quiet week afterwards. My problem was that any attempt to lose weight resulted in a fatigue flare, and I'd quit it within days to get rid of the aching in my bones.

Then in October last year I got on the scale randomly and was horrified that I'd hit 90kg. I'd been stable in the mid-80s for a long time, and told myself it was fine as long as I wasn't gaining - so it was a rude shock to see that number.

I spent the next while trying to work out how to lose weight without triggering the fatigue, and at some point came across the keto sub on Reddit. Mentally, I found myself feeling ready to jump in a few days before Christmas - and then realised that would be making life unnecessarily difficult 😂 so I started on Dec 28.

I didn't get keto flu until three weeks in, at which point I mistook it for a fatigue flare up. I didn't quit keto though, just moaned for a week and dreamt of carbs until I read something on here about the actual symptoms of keto flu, grabbed some electrolytes, and started feeling better within an hour. That was an eye opener.

I also found it took a full 8 weeks to become fat adapted, and fat adaption wasn't a big revelation like it is for some people - I felt completely normal, until I realised that my legs weren't immediately tired when I walked up the hill to the bus stop anymore. They just continue to feel normal. That was literally the only sign I got!

But it gave me a boost of confidence when I realised, and at the end of March I started learning to run again. It's a very long walk/run program (basically a 6 month version of C25K) but I'm up to week 7 and still going strong!

In the last few weeks I've also started intermittent fasting. Originally it was just 16:8 because breakfast is inconvenient, but I've discovered that only eating at lunchtime works well for me, and now most days are between 20:4 and 22:2.

I'm at 73kg now, and goal is to get somewhere below 65kg (that's the upper limit for a healthy BMI at my height).

Overall, I'm so very happy I found the Reddit keto subs, I'm happy I found something that works despite my CFS, and I'm happy I can run again!

Before and After Photos

Edit: fixed photos link

Edit 2: omg, thanks for the gold, kind stranger!