How Candice got her life back

Candice had always been fit and active. Then all of a sudden, she started gaining weight. After having two kids, she was at her all-time high and was always feeling weary, she knew she needed a change. Her mother was on a keto diet and praised it, so Candice went on to the Diet Doctor site and decided to try it. This is what happened:

I was always a relatively fit youth. I played sports, was active, social and wasn’t too concerned about food.

By 20 years of age, I started to put on weight. I’m only 5’2” (157 cm) and went from 120 lbs (54 kg) to 170 lbs (77 kg) in five years. Fast forward another five years and a baby later, I hit 200 lbs (90 kg). Along came baby number two and I peaked at 220 lbs (100 kg).

The weight wasn’t the only change in my life, prior to gaining weight I was always naturally social and outgoing. It seemed that the more weight I gained, the harder it was to function, to go out with friends, family events and even grocery shop.

There were days when I was so exhausted (after doing absolutely nothing!) where I would literally sit on my couch all day only getting up to grab snacks and prepare meals.

I would see pictures of my friends hiking, playing sports and running marathons. What used to be so natural to me, now seemed so foreign. I thought to myself “I guess it just isn’t in the cards for me anymore.” It seems unrealistic and I detached myself from the thought.

One summer evening, my husband dragged me off the couch and we took our eldest son to the park. As I sat on the swings with him, the sides of it cutting into my hips, I thought “I can’t wait to go home and relax”. It literally worked for me to sit on a swing and watch my son play and get exercise.

My moods were dreary at home. My kids always asked me to play; build blocks, train tracks, color or go for a walk. My answer was always the same, “maybe when daddy gets home”. I had no energy and my kids were suffering for it. There were beautiful sunny days where I made excuses to myself and justified staying inside with them, “it’s too hot outside for them anyways!” I lied to them and to myself.

The problem was, I didn’t know why I had no energy. We ate whole grains, tons of veggies with all our meals and healthy yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast! We adhered closely to the Canadian Healthy Standards guideline.

A year prior, my mom had switched to eating keto. I thought nothing of it and actually poked fun at her when she wouldn’t eat the same food as us, “zucchini noodles! Weird!”

She always expressed how amazing she felt and tried to get me onto her wagon.

After I finished breastfeeding baby number two, I stepped on the scale and it read 220 lbs (100 kg), the heaviest I’d ever been. I saw a pic of myself all dressed up for a ladies night and I couldn’t even recognize myself. That was my “aha” moment.

I started researching this “keto diet” my mom boasted about and I found the Diet Doctor webpage. I watched a few videos, read a few articles and set a start date. I meal prepped based on the recipes and bought some affordable urin-analysis strips.

Within four days I was in ketosis (a little mini victory!) Within the week, I’d lost 4 lbs (2 kg) but the major difference was my energy, motivation and mental clarity.

My weight loss steadily continued and my wellbeing steadily increased!

In the beginning, I had leg cramps and headaches which I combatted with magnesium, bone broth and lots of water. A small price to pay for the gigantic rewards I was feeling.

I’ve continued with it for six months, have lost 45 lbs (20 kg) and gone down eight dress sizes, from a 20 to a 12. But the best part is, I want to play with my kids, I want to socialize and I’ve even had the drive and clarity to start my own successful company after being in a partnership for the last eight years!

Last month, I went to the doctors for a physical as I wanted to ensure that this keto diet was truly doing as good for me on the inside as it was on the outside. All my numbers were better than normal and my doc told me to keep it up!

Every day I feel better and better and my kids get to see a better side of their mom! Which is the side that’s actually me!

I never realized how carb and sugar-addicted I was and how much it took away from my real life.

I’m excited for each day and because food no longer rules my life, I’m liberated! I choose to win every single day…and it’s easier than I ever imagined.

Even on days when I succumb to my old ways, I know how easy it is to get back on track. I start again and within a few days, I’m back winning in ketosis!

So thank you! Thank you from my husband, my kids and myself. I never knew one website would help give me my life back.

May 2018, 220 lbs (100 kg) — November 2018, 174 lbs (79 kg) only 14 more pounds (6 kg) until my goal…and who knows, maybe I’ll even surpass it!

Comment

Congratulations Candice, that’s a beautiful and very inspiring story! Thank you for sharing it.

/ Andreas Eenfeldt, MD

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