Like many women, I began struggling with my weight after having children. As the years went by, and raising a family and building a career became priorities, my weight issue became nothing more than an occasional, annoying thought. Eventually, I made half-hearted attempts to lose the weight, joined and quit various weight loss support groups more times than I can count, took every new diet pill that came on the market and spent way too much money on insanely expensive weight loss supplements.
In 2014, when my son got engaged, I was more determined than ever to lose the weight for his wedding. With renewed determination, I gave up all processed food and ate only healthy proteins, non-starchy veggies and healthy fats. About three months into my new lifestyle, I realized that I felt FANTASTIC and, even though I was losing weight, that actually became secondary to how amazing I felt. Gone was the afternoon brain fog and sluggishness I used to feel. Insomnia was now a thing of the past, and there was no longer a need for the prescriptions I took for chronic reflux and lifelong IBS. My previously elevated cholesterol and triglycerides were now in the normal range and even my hypothyroidism was stable for the first time in years, requiring no new dose adjustments. Best of all, I had reached and maintained my goal weight! Both my primary physician and gastroenterologist were ecstatic with my progress and each gave me their full blessing to continue my ketogenic lifestyle indefinitely.
As my body switched from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat for fuel, my energy naturally skyrocketed and I began walking three to four days a week. When that began to bore me, I started to run, and eventually did a few 5Ks, a 10K and just recently completed my second half marathon at almost 50 years old. I fast before my short runs and fuel only with fat and protein for my longer runs. Despite the myths, I’ve never once “hit a wall” and even managed to shave a full 5 minutes off my first half marathon time.
As the weight fell off, and my progress was followed by family and friends on Facebook, I was flooded with emails, texts and phone calls of people wanting to know how I did it. I sat down with local friends, made them one of my typical ketogenic lunches so they would see how non-restrictive (and luxurious!) it is and explained how it all worked. Soon, they began telling their friends and I was being contacted more and more. I realized I needed to do something, so I started a Facebook page for those interested in learning more about what I did. I now have over 100 members successfully following (and thriving on) a ketogenic lifestyle. It’s been more than two years now, and I have never once looked back. Keto has been a lifestyle change because it’s literally changed my LIFE!
By Joni Gommo
Leave a Reply