Hello! My keto journey started in June 2016, but the research started long before that back in April 2016. I took 2-3 months to study and research the ketogenic diet to understand the “rules of the road”, meal planning, success stories and all of the ins and outs. I was on a macro counting diet prior to this WOE and I was eating six times a day.
The first two weeks, I made a SUPER slow transition as I was just getting used to eating less often and how my meals were planned, ultimately I wish I would have just jumped right in. Either way, it took two full weeks before I knew I had been through ketosis and the fat adaption process. I could feel the energy lift, cognitive focus, and other signs such as “keto breath.”
I was following a basic keto macro for the first month and transitioned to ketogains after a month as I learned I did not need to eat excess fat if my body already had fat to burn. My journey really kick-started when my husband and I hiked the Colorado Trail in August. It was a 7-day trip and I had to carry all of my food.
To my surprise, I was able to eat keto for the entire trek and it kicked me into overdrive. Within a month after completing this trip, combined with working out days a week, I was down about 20 pounds. I was so ecstatic and encouraged by it so my momentum was strong through the back half of the year.
I travel for work, so it has always been incredibly challenging to maintain focused on the road, but I set a meal plan in place for travel and committed to working out. There have been several tips I have learned along the way such as: carry tuna at all times, adding mct powder to coffee and protein shakes, intermittent fasting (14/10), and electrolytes.
Fast forward to today, I am cruising along in my keto journey. My current stats are:
Start Weight: 178
Current Weight: 143
Starting Bodyfat%: 28%
Current Bodyfat%: 19%
My greatest achievement is 8″ lost in my waist! 😀
Workout: 5 days a week lifting/LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio
I recently updated my Instagram to focus on keto and my way of life (@simpleketokayla). It has been fun to get responses from people and their own journey. I have had SEVERAL people start this WOE, including my husband, since seeing my results. I am just always encouraged by the support and love of the people in my life. I couldn’t do it without them.
1. What tactics did you employ to help you get to your goal? What did you find helped you get to your goals best?
I began this process with a massive amount of research. I am self-aware that I need to understand the how and why things work before I can commit to such an overhaul lifestyle change. Some of the main topics I researched were: finding food alternatives, developing a meal plan that worked in my budget, keto flu, what supplements I could/could not take, and how this would effects this may have on my health. I knew that if I could the meal plan and supplements within my budget I could be successful.
What helped me get to my goals best was my changed perspective/relationship with food. For years, I looked at food for success/failure or a reward. I learned through my journey that food was fuel. This did not happen overnight, but through time I learned the importance of this relationship.
2. What is the most impactful change you’ve made to your diet and why do you feel it’s been the most important?
The most impactful change I made to my diet was implementing intermittent fasting. I stopped eating after dinner around 6 pm, completed my workouts in a fasted state and did not eat again until 10 – 11a. I feel this was so important because I used to eat before bed out of boredom. I was not really hungry or needed to eat but we would be sitting by the tv and I felt I should eat.
The added benefit of keto is the suppressed food cravings.
3. What is the best single piece of advice you can give to someone that is just starting out?
Trust the process, don’t follow the scale. The scale is so deceptive as you hold onto water weight differently on different days, so it isn’t the best place to look for success.
4. How do you feel your life is now that you’re at your goal?
Today, I am spending a lot of time and research finding balance. While I am ecstatic that I have reached my goal, I found myself asking “What’s next?” I taking time to find staple recipes for dinners that are low carb, yummy, and easy to make. All the while, figuring out what macros work to continue to build lean muscle while not adding body fat. It is exciting and challenging, at the same time. ?
5. What do you consider the biggest change in your day-to-day life?
My job involves A LOT of traveling (flying and driving) so I find the biggest change I have found is that I spend a lot more intentional time researching restaurants and food options. Often times, I pack my own food to bring on the plane because many airports do not have keto-friendly options.
6. What did you do to find support throughout your journey?
I am so blessed to have a husband that stands by me in everything that I do, so he was 100% on board when I started my research. In fact, he even started keto because he loved seeing the results I was getting and wanted to see the same for himself. I have been open and transparent throughout my journey so many of my family and friends are aware that I was taking on this new way of eating, which to them, they know to just be low carb.
Every time we are meeting for get-togethers or holidays, they always try to make a low carb or no carb option. Also, they are completely open when I bring in keto-friendly options. I even get tagged in facebook or Instagram posts for “keto.”
7. What do you currently do to manage your day-to-day diet?
My husband and I grocery shop on a two week basis, with a budget of $100/2 weeks. I build a meal plan for both of us that consists of the same breakfast and lunch option for the 2 weeks. We then have a list of roughly 10 dinner options that we just select for each day. We build a little budget for going out to dinner or dinner with friends.
I fast breakfast so that part is easy. I take a protein shake with creatine and MCT powder to break my fast, then I eat lunch 1-2 hours later. There are 5 lunch options that I rotate around but I stick to a protein, veggie, and a fat. I keep it incredibly simple.
8. What is your favorite keto recipe from www.ruled.me that’s become a staple?
– Slow cooker steak lover chilli
– Cauliflower pizza casserole
9. If there is one thing that you could do differently during your journey, what would it be and why?
If I could do one thing differently, I would focus my money on good whole foods and avoid keto replacement foods (sugar-free candies, low carb replacement items, etc) and supplements (such as exogenous ketones).
