‘I Went From A Plant-Based Diet To Keto And Fasting And Lost 60 Pounds In 7 Months’
My name is Rosanna Smith (@shrinkingbyfaith), and I am 31 years old. I live in Montgomery, Alabama, and I’m a church creative director. At the start of 2020, I committed to eating a plant-based keto diet and got into Peloton and Rebounder workouts to lose 60 pounds.
I gained weight into my teens after experiencing the divorce of my parents. I used to use food as a method of comfort to alleviate stress. Even as a child, food for me was a quick substitute for a therapist or friend.
At 17, my weight had hit 300 pounds. My ongoing struggle with my weight continued until I started on my first weight-loss journey. In 2009, I lost 100 pounds. But the weight loss did not last, and I eventually gained the weight all back over 10 years.
My turning point came at my yearly physical in January of 2020, when I was 30.
I got on the scale at the doctor's office and I was back at 300 pounds. I had officially gained the 100 pounds I lost back. I felt both defeated and disappointed with myself. My doctor was alarmed, and we had a heart to heart about my need to lose weight.
After the appointment, I sat in my car and cried. I started scrolling through old pictures from when I had lost that 100 pounds. That day, I made up in my mind that throwing a pity party wasn't going to yield the results I was looking for. That was the moment I realized I had to get refocused and serious about losing the weight.
When I started this journey, I was plant-based, and I had been for over 11 years. Eventually I switched to a traditional keto diet.
On April 28th 2020, after my own research and the suggestion from several friends, I decided to go keto and work meat back into my diet. It was the most successful in helping me reach my goals. My goal each day is to eat about 30 carbs.
Keto helps in keeping me satiated more than when I was plant-based. I also love the fact I do not feel like I am missing out on anything. I am able to "keto-fy" any dish. I have also implemented drinking electrolytes and incorporating intermittent fasting in to my daily routine—game changers.
Here’s what I eat in a day.
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese cooked in Kerry Gold butter and turkey bacon
Lunch: Lettuce wrap filled with turkey, provolone cheese, lots of veggies, and topped with avocado mayo, and mustard
Snacks: Pork rinds and salsa
Dinner: Salmon and spinach salad
Dessert: Strawberries and whipped cream
I had started working out as a member of Orangetheory Fitness, then the pandemic hit. I transitioned to doing at-home workouts.
That has taken a lot of discipline. My home workouts include YouTube HIIT and rebounder workouts. I've even had the chance to try out Peloton, which I really enjoyed. What’s great about at home workouts is I can go at my own pace. My goal lately has been to workout 4 times per week.
These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight-loss results.
I found accountability in the weight loss community. I started a keto blog (@shrinkingbyfaith) on Instagram. I've become part of an amazing keto/weight loss community, and this has allowed me to stay accountable with this new lifestyle. This is especially meaningful to my success during this pandemic.
I changed my relationship with food. My journey has been successful because I have learned that food can't be how I cope with stress. I give myself permission to eat food that makes me feel good both physically and mentally. I'm aware of what I eat, but I refuse to guilt myself and beat myself up for what I eat.
I worked on acceptance. I have accepted who I am. There is so much more to who I am as a person besides what the scale says. I have realized weight doesn't define me. Embracing this mindset has allowed me to really be patient in my journey. I appreciate all my victories, even the small ones.
I lost 60 pounds in seven months.
Having my family and friends supporting me has been a blessing while on this journey. I'm so grateful for all of them. Paying close attention to my portions, adding electrolytes to my water daily, and getting lots of rest has been helpful.
One of my favorite quotes is, "She doesn't beg, force, or chase. She prays, works, and has faith." Remember you are a force to be reckoned with. You are not the weight on the scale.
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