My Health & Fitness Story
“Oh! I see you had your baby,” another parent in the school parking lot said to me one day as we ushered our kids into our cars. I had strapped my then infant into his car seat and my older ones had buckled themselves in.
I was picking up my eldest from her after-school program and really wasn’t in the mood for chit-chat, but I managed to politely smile and comment, “Yes, he’s going to be a year old soon.”
“But why does your body look like that?”
Frazzled, and a little taken aback, I asked, “Like what?”
“Like that?”
Then I realized what she was getting at. If you were to see me then, with my 5’2″ frame, you could tell I was supposed to be a naturally average to lean person, but I was clearly overweight. However, having several children back-to-back, plus my already not-so-great relationship with food, and dealing with depression over my mom’s death, really didn’t lend to me looking perfectly put together and having that oh-so-elusive celebrity mom snapback. I was just happy I managed to get up everyday and fulfill my day-to-day duties despite it all.
Then, she proceeded to tell me that when she had her child, she never ended up looking like me. Gee, thanks.
What that exchange taught me was (1) I never wanted to be that jerk who judged people based on their outward appearance. Remember that piece of wisdom about never knowing what battle someone is going through? We don’t know if it’s health issues, illness (physical or mental), etc., so randomly commenting on someone’s weight, especially when not invited, needs to be squashed. (2) No two people are exactly the same, and how you look or how your body recovers may not be the way my body works. An eating regimen that may whip you into shape, may not be what’s best for me.
And it’s not that I didn’t want to get back in shape. Everyone wants to feel beautiful, confident, and in control of their lives. I realized that I was dissatisfied because I was not in control in several areas of my life (including my health and eating habits), and as a result, I lost confidence and did not see my beauty. And, that other parent did me no favors by belittling my appearance and comparing me to herself.
I found myself avoiding taking pictures or deleting the ones I did take. I tried tea detoxes, smoothie diets, eating vegetarian Monday through Friday, you name it. I always ended up hungry and unhappy, breaking down and eating comfort foods, then getting mad at myself when I found myself back at square one.
I joined a gym a little over a year ago and made some progress. It planted the seed of perseverance. When my trainer encouraged me to look at my eating habits and how I could incorporate practical, healthy options, I listened. I began doing research, and some things worked for a little bit, but then I’d hit a plateau. I finally came across the ketogenic diet–what was this? I could eat bacon and not have to scavenge the earth for organic mushrooms handpicked by unicorns? Finally…I could feel satiated and not have to suffer hunger headaches. I didn’t have to drink any crazy concoctions! It was worth a try.
I transitioned into a keto eating regimen, and I’m happy that I did! I really do believe in the 80/20 rule–80% of your body transformation is going to be in the kitchen, and 20% in the gym. I ended up losing nearly 30 pounds and I feel fit, strong, and confident. I used my new eating habits to lose weight, and I used the gym to mold and shape my body in a way that I liked.
Most of all, I am back in control.
Food is not my crutch or my master anymore, and that is so freeing. I am also thrilled that I can run up and down stairs without my knees aching or feeling tired; I can play and keep up with my kids without getting winded. I can buy that dress or those jeans and look hella good in them. And not just that, dear reader, I can do deadlifts, bench presses, and a ton of squats–it just feels kickass to be able to accomplish these physical feats.
Some people may see keto as just another fad, and I can understand, as we’re bombarded with so many products and methods. However, if you’re researching or learning about the ketogenic diet, it may be worth a try. See if it fits your plan, desire, goals, and lifestyle. It’s not the one and only method to lose or control weight, but from experience, I’d say it’s a very effective one. I feel it’s also great if you have those last stubborn 10-20 pounds to lose.
I wish you well on your health and fitness journey, and I’m glad that you’ve taken the time to read my story. If you’re just starting out, I encourage you to take a look at my Hungry Girl’s Guide To Keto, which gives you the basics of the ketogenic diet, a sample 4-week meal plan and grocery list, as well as some practical tips.
GET THE HUNGRY GIRL’S GUIDE TO KETO
