Just started a keto diet about six weeks ago and so far really enjoying the experience. I did it because my girlfriend wanted to lose weight and it's easier if the other person in the house isn't constantly guzzling carbs so I said I would play along!
Started out 5'8" and 165 pounds with all excess weight located in my beer gut. Already down about 7 pounds and a noticeable difference in the shape of my stomach. I'm really stoked because all kinds of exercise never had any impact by this dietary switch really seems to work.
I'm not super diligent at the moment, but as lot of people told me, what you eat depends on what's in your fridge and pantry, which right now is meat, cheese, avocados, green vegetables, so that's what I eat and no bread, pasta, rice, candy. The hardest thing has been limiting my beer intake although that has probably also been one of the biggest contributors to my weight loss and other benefits.
Speaking of other benefits, I have loved cooking at home more (which was necessary since eating out options for keto are limited) and that has had a big impact on the other number I haven't been able to get to budge for a long time: the amount I spend on restaurant and bars. Grocery spending is up a little bit but not a lot.
Balancing keto and exercise has been confusing. I thought my running performance might get better with weight loss, but it seems to be getting worse. Of course, it also just got very hot and humid in central Virginia, and I don't do well with humidity. From what I have been reading, that can account for up to a 15% decrease in pace. Once I get this half marathon out of the way this weekend I will have a bit more freedom to do more easy runs/cross training and build a better base of fitness around a keto diet.
I have found the dietary restrictions much less onerous than I thought. I have tried gluten free before, and this has similarities so I already had a few recipes up my sleeve. I like the fact that I basically get to eat as much as I want, which usually ends up being not very much because the fat satisfies my hunger. I can't remember the last time I ate so much it hurt, which used to happen pretty regularly (like every time I went to Chipotle). I can definitely see this as a long term thing. It's not the type of diet that I think makes it weird for friends to come over. No one seems to mind or really notice that things like potatoes, pasta or bread are missing, when there's a plate of delicious meat in front of them!
My target weight is a stable 155, and I expect my fitness goals will require addition of a little bit of muscle, so I'm shooting to hit about 150, then work out a slightly sub-maintenance level of carb intake and gradually float up to 155.