‘I Lost Nearly 100 Pounds On The Keto Diet—And I Still Eat Chocolate Cake’
I started gaining weight around 11 or 12 years old-then came the bullying, which made me bury my feelings in food even deeper.
I started yo-yo dieting and hopping from one diet to another: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, you name it. One time, I even ate plain chicken breasts, plain peanut butter, and plain beets for two months straight. I lost weight relatively quickly with that "diet," but I gained it all back (and then some). It was not sustainable.
In 2006, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My doctor placed me on a diet (basically a low-fat diet with more fruits and veggies) and prescribed me insulin. I managed to lose 60 pounds...only to gain it all back once again. I wasn't able to sustain that diet, either.
Having my son in 2012 was my motivation to lose weight.
For the first two or three years of his life, I was still burying my feelings in food-the stress of being a new mom, having a new job, and paying bills were reason enough for me to binge.
But then, right before my son turned 3 years old, I decided I'd had enough. I felt like I was killing myself, and I wanted to be healthy for my son.
In September 2015, I found the keto diet. I had heard that the keto diet might help with type 2 diabetes, in addition to weight loss, so I decided to give it a try.
The keto diet was extremely hard at first, especially after being on a low-fat diet.
You never really know how much fat you need on the keto diet until you actually try it-it's hard at first. Plus, back in 2015, there weren't nearly as many resources on the keto diet as there are today.
On top of that, my doctor wasn't thrilled that I was trying out a keto diet (again, it was still very new)-but he still agreed to monitor my progress. After just six months on keto, I successfully got off insulin injections-and as of right now, I'm currently not on any medication to manage my diabetes (all approved by my doctor).
As for what I eat on keto, I try my best to opt for healthy fats most of the time (salmon, avocado, various nuts), but I still allow myself some keto-friendly treats, too. Here's what I typically eat in a day:
Breakfast: I usually fast in the morning, but if I eat breakfast it’s usually two eggs, one avocado, and two slices of bacon.
Lunch: Cobb salad or a low-carb/keto salad with ranch dressing or creamy Caesar
Dinner: Salmon with salad or roasted low-carb vegetables
Dessert: Keto chocolate cake (this is my recipe)
Snacks: Pork rinds with guacamole, almonds, or Macadamia nuts
I lost just under 100 pounds in the last three years.
This is the longest I’ve ever "stayed the course" on a weight-loss journey, so to speak. I also started incorporating exercise into my routine: I'm trying out a mixture of HIIT and LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State cardio) on my treadmill, and hopefully will try some classes soon. I want to try to do a little bit of activity (even just walking) every day.
I still have about 60 pounds to go to get to my final goal weight, but I believe I'll be able to reach that goal this year, especially with my new gym routine.
If anything, my weight-loss journey has taught me that no matter how many times you fall down, you need to get back up-and I started my website, ketofy.me, to let other people know that, too. It's always important to remind yourself of why you chose to lose weight; my reason was to get healthy and be active for my energetic 6-year-old-I want to be around for him as long as I possibly can.
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