Here are some of my before and after shots. Wow – I barely recognize that “before” lady anymore!
I’ve lost 25 pounds, and the great news? I’m only halfway there! I’m gonna lose another 25!
In the past, I would be at a point where I’d give up now. I’d be missing the “old” foods, and I’d be looking in the mirror and seeing such a difference and feeling like I’ve hit that “I look good enough” stage.
I’d be tired of eating in a restricted way. I’d be craving craving craving and wondering why this is such a struggle in life for me! Eventually, I’d give up.
But now? Oh my gosh, not sure if you remember – but I emailed you when I first downloaded your 14 day recipe book and I was telling you about how excited I was about your recipes and how delicious the first recipes I tried were. And they are STILL delicious! I NEVER feel like I’m missing out! I can’t believe it – but I don’t even feel like I’m missing BREAD! The recipes are so decadent, and so satisfying, that I almost feel like I’m cheating! But the weight dropping on the scale every week confirms that i’m NOT cheating! I’m doing great, and I’m eating in a way that feels like I could do this forever!!!
I love this lifestyle. In the beginning, I thought I would only do it until I hit my goal weight. I was afraid I’d be eating so much bacon and fat that it wouldn’t be healthy for me. LOL! Turns out – I don’t eat that much bacon – and the fats are good fats!
Well, I went to the doctor for a checkup – and she ACTUALLY SAID THESE WORDS TO ME after giving me my checkup – AND reviewing my lab work AND checking all my stats.
“Do you have any other questions for me? I feel badly because I feel like this is a short visit, but I honestly can’t find anything wrong with you or anything to suggest. So, if you don’t have any questions for me, our visit’s over because you’re in great health.”
How amazing is that?! I don’t think I’ve ever had a doctor tell me that before! She was thrilled with my weight loss and not only that – she was thrilled with my overall health! (and the nurse high-fived me! haha!)
I am not in the least bit intimidated now that I’m only halfway there to my goals. I’m actually excited that I still have more to go, and I look back over these last few months as relatively easy!
It’s fun to workout now – but working out is not the key to losing weight. Changing what you eat is the key. And your recipes almost make it too easy to change the way people eat! I don’t crave sweets – because you have the key. I don’t crave cheese – because eating cheese is encouraged! and fats? I love adding good healthy fats into my meals and knowing that fats are NOT the problem
– Leah Stevens
What is your favorite recipe from Ruled.me?
Can I just say I love them all?! Hahahaha!
I’d have to say – most meals can be made keto by just making them without sugar and replacing carbs for vegetables. you know? but….. CHOCOLATE. That is hard to do! I mean – you have to basically make your own chocolate treats from scratch! I know this is probably such an easy answer, but I absolutely LOVE your chocolate mug cake. It makes you feel like you’re not dieting. Its simple, it’s fast, and it tastes delicious and totally like you’re cheating! 🙂 and I LOVE the cream cheese icing that was for another recipe of yours – but i added it to this – and yum yum yum!!!!!!
I’m dying to try the chocolate covered bacon – i’m kinda a creature of habit. so i tend to make the same things over and over again and just dream about when i’ll make other things – but this one has to be on the top of my list 🙂
What is your favorite ingredient to use when making ketogenic recipes?
This is probably going to make you laugh, but BUTTER. I mean – butter is just such a no-no on other diets, but you can just enjoy it and not feel guilty. I think i’m seeing a pattern here. Keto allows you to eat without feeling that guilt all the time! I buy the organic, grass fed, butter whenever I can! If i’m going to be eating butter I want it to be the best I can have for my body!
What is/was your motivation to keep on track?
I’m in a weight loss challenge. Have you ever heard of Healthy Wage? You basically bet on yourself to lose weight. I’m in an individual challenge where I will win $2150 when i lose another 10 pounds. I’m in a team challenge on the same site to win $10,000 if my team wins the most amount of weight! 🙂 we are going hard! We want to win so badly! I’ve turned two of them onto keto diets and your website! 🙂
Did you ever encounter a stall?
Did I ever encounter a stall? Actually, this week! I lost no weight this week, but we were out of town last week and I didn’t have as many resources and had sugar in limited amounts… so I think that just halted my weight loss. But, what am I doing about it? Getting back on the saddle of course! This is not a sprint! This is a marathon. This is a lifetime journey. Setbacks cannot change my ultimate destination!
How did you hear about keto, and why did you start?
I don’t know where I heard of keto. I think I was looking for low sugar alternatives? I don’t remember. I was just googling things, and I’m a researcher. I happened to come on your website and I loved that you gave so much info. You kept it simple and gave the basics – enough to understand without being overwhelmed. Loved it!
In what aspects have your life changed since going keto?
In what aspects has my life changed? Well, I was already on a journey where I was becoming active again and eating healthier. But, I think this piece of the puzzle was so awesome because I started to realized that diet is way more important than activity. Activity is IMPORTANT, but what you eat is crucial to your health! Taking sugar out of my diet and taking out all the junky processed food and carbs has allowed my body to do what it was designed to do! Now I love to exercise, but I know that I don’t have to kill myself and sweat all day long. I can just stay active, and let “food be my medicine!” (Didn’t Hippocrates say that?)
What piece of advice would you offer to people that are just starting out on keto?
Cutting out foods that you are addicted to is very hard. You will go through withdrawal. You have to be prepared for that. Be ready for the physical, psychological, emotional aspects that come along with cutting addictive substances from your life! Sugar is a major addiction that people do not realize is inhibiting their health. So…. prepare yourself. Take your time. Be kind to yourself. You will most likely fail the first time. Maybe even second and third. Don’t give up and keep moving forward, even if its slowly. Make little choices and wait for the right time to make bigger choices. It will happen. Be patient and don’t give up!
What did you personally do in your first 2 weeks of keto? (i.e. Drink broth, go for a walk, throw food out, etc.)
For me – what I did in the first two week? I just jumped right in! But here is why, I had been on this path so many times (not with keto – but with many small changes to my lifestyle) that when I made the change to keto – it made perfect sense and it was actually EASIER and more FULFILLING than what i had previously been doing! I was doing things that were very restrictive, good for my health, but hard to do! I think I was probably actually eating pretty close to a keto diet (low-carb and very little sugar) without even realizing it. So when I made the change, it was a breath of fresh air!
