My Ketosis Journey: From Curiosity to Commitment - Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician near you San Antonio TX, Quincy IL

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My Ketosis Journey: From Curiosity to Commitment

By Dr. John Kim | May 13 | 3 min read

Hi, I’m Dr. Kim—concierge physician, Functional Nomad MD, and founder of a virtual telemedicine practice that allows me to live, learn, and help others with flexibility and purpose.

Today, I want to share my personal experience with ketosis—not just as a diet trend, but as a powerful metabolic shift that’s changed my life. Ketosis happens when your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, and there are many ways to get into this state:

Ways to Enter Ketosis:

• Fasting – Going without food long enough to deplete carb stores

• Green Juicing – Drinking low-carb vegetable juices

• Modified Paleo – Emphasizing low-carb, colorful, sulfur-rich veggies, clean protein, and berries

• Duke Keto – A structured low-carb plan (20g total carbs/day), starting with animal protein

• Carnivore – Eating only meat and fish, aiming for zero carbs

My journey has involved all of the above—experiments, setbacks, breakthroughs. I hope sharing it helps you reflect on your own health path.

When Ketosis First Entered My Life

My first encounter with ketosis was during medical school at the University of Kansas. A fellow physician, who had written extensively on the topic, introduced me to it. I gave it a try and was blown away by the results—significant weight loss for me and remarkable improvements for my diabetic patients.

Interestingly, I’d unknowingly experimented with ketosis even earlier. After watching the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, I followed the filmmaker’s green juice cleanse and also lost a ton of weight. But like many, I couldn’t sustain it long-term.

What Happens After Weight Loss?

People rarely ask this: What happens after the weight is gone?

We’re in an era obsessed with GLP-1 medications—but what happens when you stop the shots? Many gain the weight back.

For me, ketosis isn’t about belief—it’s about function. My first goal was weight loss. I dropped 50 pounds—but hit a plateau and still wasn’t where I wanted to be.

Hitting a Plateau (and What I Did About It)

When the typical “Internet keto” stopped working, I turned to Dr. Eric Westman’s Duke Keto plan. With its structured, science-based approach, I lost another five pounds.

Still, progress slowed. So, I tried the carnivore diet, inspired by Dr. Ken Berry. I stuck with it for 120 days. While it was clean and simple, I didn’t feel transformed—and still had about 30 pounds to go.

It’s Not About Belief—It’s About What Works

That’s when I reminded myself: this isn’t about belief systems—it’s about results.

I consulted my own physician (yes, doctors need doctors too). He explained that too much protein might be my issue. My body may be converting excess protein into glucose and storing it as fat.

His advice:

• Eat more greens with meals to reduce caloric density

• Dive deeper into the work of Dr. Jason Fung, author of The Obesity Code and The Diabetes Code

The Simplicity of Dr. Fung’s Message

Dr. Fung’s core message is deceptively simple: You have excess calories stored. Until you create a deficit, nothing changes.

His solution? Don’t eat—or eat just once a day.

This isn’t about bingeing in one meal. It’s one normal meal. It’s a radical yet logical approach—and it resonated with me. It aligned with my doctor’s advice about reducing overall intake and increasing greens.

Enter: Level Two

I call this next phase Level Two.

• I eat one meal a day (dinner)

• That meal is green-vegetable-plus-protein keto

• No breakfast, no lunch

And it’s working. I lost another 3 pounds quickly. I know early weight loss is often water—not fat—but this time, I feel grounded and committed.

More than anything, I’m grateful:To God, to my body, and to the process itself.

Teachers Everywhere

I’ve been guided by mentors, books, documentaries, and my own body. Having a physician who acts as a teacher is a gift I hope everyone can experience.

So wherever you are on your health journey—keto or not—I encourage you to seek function over belief. Find what works. And find a partner who can walk the path with you.

Thanks for reading.

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