It all started several years ago. I have been overweight or a little chunky basically all throughout my teens. When I was younger, it wasn’t a huge issue because I was active and played sports. Once I got into high school, I moved away from sports and got into art. I was less active but still loved to eat.
When I was 18 and in my first year of college (2012), I had reached 200lbs. It was at this time that I met my current husband. We went out to eat often and otherwise stayed home, so the pounds just kept adding up and adding up. I had many instances that could have been “eye-openers” and motivate me to lose weight, like being kicked off of an amusement park ride due to my size, barely being able to fasten my seatbelt on an airplane, and not fitting into my wedding dress.
None of these did anything to get me to change. It wasn’t until 3mos before getting pregnant that I decided enough was enough. I had reached an alarming 307lbs, and at 5’3”, I knew this meant I was morbidly obese. I did my own research on weight loss because I was so afraid that my size would complicate my chances of getting pregnant.
I found out about keto and dove in the deep end head first. Within 3mos, I lost 45lbs and got pregnant rather quickly. I didn’t continue with keto during my pregnancy and wasn’t planning on restarting it. After giving birth and having gone back up to 270lbs, I had some high blood pressure issues that I was really concerned about since I was only 25yrs old.
I knew I had to make some serious changes and get back to a keto lifestyle, especially because I had to be there for my little girl. I got back on keto when she was about 6mos old and have lost a total of 118lbs from my highest weight. My high blood pressure is gone, and I was able to get off the medication for it.
I’ve gone down to 189lbs and have even increased my activity. I’m now able to run a 5K race without stopping and plan on doing one race per month next year. My journey isn’t over. I have some more weight to lose, and may or may not consider skin removal surgery in the future. My health is such a priority now because my DAUGHTER is my number one priority. This keto journey started out being about her and it’ll continue to be about her.
1. What tactics did you employ to help you get to your goal? What did you find helped you get to your goals best?
Tracking macros and taking body measurements. I used the Ruled.me keto macros calculator to figure out what my macros should be and then started out tracking them in MyFitnessPal. Gradually I switched over to other keto apps. The body measurements helped me see physical changes as I lost inches.
2. What is the most impactful change you’ve made to your diet and why do you feel it’s been the most important?
I still struggle with this sometimes, but overall I’ve learned to stop binging. It makes me sick to think about the amounts of food I used to secretly eat in one sitting, hiding the takeout boxes (yes plural) afterward so my husband wouldn’t judge me.
3. What is the best single piece of advice you can give to someone that is just starting out?
Stick with it. Push through the desire to eat carbs, push through the crappy keto flu, push through the negative comments from friends and coworkers. Just stick with it for a little while longer until you start to see results.
4. How do you feel your life is now that you’re at your goal?
My quality of life is so much better. People on social media, friends, and family are asking me for advice and guidance with their weight loss journeys. My confidence has shot through the roof. I’m able to run a 5K, which I was never able to do even in my active years in middle school.
5. What do you consider the biggest change in your day-to-day life?
The biggest change in my day-to-day life is that I no longer snack ALL day long. I used to have my desk drawer at work filled with sweets, sour candy, chocolates, and several bags of chips. I literally can’t do that anymore. If I want a snack now, I’d have to make sure I packed some almonds or pecans, or sometimes I treat myself with a home-baked keto cookie.
6. What did you do to find support throughout your journey?
To find support, I made myself become really vulnerable and shared my journey on social media. My Instagram is typically all about my weight loss journey, with a few selfies and adorable pictures of my daughter and husband thrown in the mix. I searched various different keto hashtags and actually commented on others’ posts and asked for help if they posted about something I was clueless about, like lazy keto vs dirty keto vs strict keto.
7. What do you currently do to manage your day-to-day diet?
I currently still track my macros (net carbs, fat, and protein). I use an app and stick to 25net carbs or less. I have allowed myself a few more cheat meals lately but I know that my body isn’t necessarily agreeing with those, so I’m going to have to cut down on those.
8. What is your favorite keto recipe from www.ruled.me that’s become a staple?
My top favorite recipes on Ruled.me are the jalapeño popper soup and the bacon cheeseburger soup. I love using both my crockpot and instant pot, and those two are perfect for making my house smell amazing as they simmer away.
9. If there is one thing that you could do differently during your journey, what would it be and why?
If I could do anything differently, I’d listen to my own body more than the opinions of others. I’ve lost over 115lbs. I no longer have to take medication for high blood pressure. Keto works for me and I know that, so why let myself be swayed by others that just don’t understand?
