I tried keto first. Lost 15 pounds in six weeks. Felt like a champion.
Then I went to my nephew's birthday party, had two slices of pizza, and watched those 15 pounds crawl right back on right away. (Literally the next day)
So I tried intermittent fasting.
Same story. Lost weight. Hit a wall. Gained it back.
Then I went all-in on cardio.
I started running 5 days a week. 30 minutes. Then 45. Then an hour.
I'd read all these articles about how "cardio burns fat" and "calories in, calories out."
It sounded simple. Like maybe if I just burned more, I'd finally break through.
But... nothing. The belly fat is still there.
So I doubled down and cut carbs completely.
No bread. No pasta. No rice. Not even fruit.
But nothing really worked long term.