'I Dropped Four Dress Sizes By Practicing A Looser Version Of The Keto Diet'

From Women's Health

Hi! My name is Kayla, and I'm 23 and a physical therapist assistant in a trauma hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. I've gone from a size 12 to a size 8 on my weight-loss journey.

I dealt with body image issues and felt self conscious about my appearance as early as elementary school (which is really sad to think about). I was always the chubby friend in a one-piece bathing suit at pool parties. I remember never looking like my friends. I spent countless days looking in the mirror criticizing myself. I lost sleep over my size, and what I could do to lose weight.

Unfortunately, I’ve been victimized by diets and disordered eating behaviors for as long as I can remember. The worst times for me were in high school when I secretly engaged in restrictive eating with excessive exercise, followed by extreme calorie counting and/or cycles of binging and purging.

My turning point

In college, my restrictive eating turned into a “who cares” mentality, and I gained a lot of weight very quickly. I began hiding myself in baggy t-shirts and cardigans. After seeing myself in photos at that time, I was shocked by my appearance and knew I needed to do something to have a healthy relationship with food.

Beginning in 2017, I initially followed the food pyramid, where I was meal prepping daily and going to the gym. I was so frustrated when I saw no progress over weeks of staying committed to what seemed to be the standard American diet.

Eventually, a friend of mine introduced me to a low-carbohydrate eating plan that her doctor encouraged her to try. I thought if it worked for her, maybe it would work for me. So I started and I slowly began noticing changes in my body and energy. With more research and education, I learned about the keto diet (which is also a low-carb plan, as you probably know) and I have stuck with it ever since.

I originally followed the plan perfectly with high-fat foods and essentially no carbs. But now, I’m sticking to low-carb rather than strict keto (meaning I enjoy a slice of cake once in a while!).

What I typically eat in a day

• Breakfast: On work days, I have a hard boiled egg and iced coffee. On weekends, sometimes I’ll intermittent fast or I’ll go all in with bacon, eggs, and avocado.

• Lunch: A salad with arugula, spinach, romaine, goat cheese, avocado, Trader Joe’s Green Goddess dressing, and salmon made in the air fryer.

• Snacks: Walnuts, a salami and cheese snack pack, or pork rinds and guacamole.

• Dinner: Bun-less burgers with a veggie or chicken alfredo with zoodles.

• Dessert: Rebel Creamery ice cream.

How I sweat

I fell in love with kickboxing over the past few years. I work 12-hour shifts at my job as a physical therapist, but I still make an effort to utilize the gym at my apartment complex.

During the week I switch it up between weight training, cycling, and boxing. I am also trying to add in a little more cardio to build up my endurance, and I’m currently training for a 5k.

My top three tips for success

1. Ditch the scale. I am all about non-scale victories. I found that using a scale wasn’t really healthy for me. Instead, if you need something numerical, use a measuring tape and track inches. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 8. I have lost way more inches than pounds in my weight loss. If I would have only tracked my progress via the scale I would have been disappointed.

2. Consistency is key. Everyone has off days—you’re human. But don’t throw in the towel. If you want it, you’ll do it. And if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. I used to remind myself that I didn’t become overweight or develop unhealthy eating habits overnight, so I can’t expect the same for weight loss.

3. Start small—and do your research. Download a calorie and macro tracking app to see what you consume day to day. Is it too much? Not enough? Talk with your doctors, dietitians, etc., and see where you can make changes and better your behaviors. Even if you aren’t keto, I think most people could benefit from cutting out processed junk food.

The biggest lesson I learned

You have to be kind and patient with yourself on good days and bad days. I had to change my mentality from “I’m doing this to impress others” to “‘I’m doing this for me.”

It’s also really important to not compare yourself to other people. Understand that everyone’s body is so different, and comparing yourself to others will only bring you down and make you lose sight of your own goals.

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