How Tanisha kept it simple on keto and lost 80 pounds in 8 months

Even though Tanisha’s weight fluctuated throughout her whole childhood, it wasn’t until college that she truly started to pack on the pounds. After she graduated she tried every diet under the sun to lose the 100 pounds (45 kg) that she had gained, but without any success.

“I was a total carb addict, and I used to eat candy daily. Even when I was dieting it was very carb heavy.” When she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, she made a resolution to make a change. “I realized that I would become pre-diabetic soon, and it became the kick in the butt that I needed.”

Her first reaction was to look into weight-loss surgery, but her insurance wouldn’t cover it. Perhaps it was fate, because soon afterward she met up with a friend who had lost a lot of weight with keto. Tanisha became interested because it sounded so different from everything else that she had tried.

In May 2018, Tanisha went low carb, and then in July, she went full-on keto.

The first week of keto did not go as expected. “I did no research and lived off pulled pork with barbecue sauce, and bacon.” She gained weight and felt ill.

After reading many articles about common pitfalls and how to do the diet properly, she made sure to read labels and track her carb intake. In about eight months she lost 80 lbs (36 kg). Her weight loss slowed down when she stopped tracking, and as a consequence, she stresses the importance of keeping an eye on what you’re eating.

A typical day of eating

Tanisha eats three meals on most days, and she doesn’t fast. Some of the foods which she typically consumes are:

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese and avocado
• Lunch: Kale and Italian sausage
• Dinner: Shrimp and riced cauliflower with butter
• Snacks (occasionally): Almonds or pepperoni
• Dessert: Berries and sugar-free whipped cream

Before Tanisha started eating keto she exercised a lot, but it didn’t help her lose any weight. For that reason, she doesn’t think exercise is essential. When she just started keto she stopped exercising entirely so that she could focus on creating better eating habits without feeling overwhelmed.

Tanisha’s top tips for people new to keto

Tanisha offers three pieces of advice for anyone who is just starting out.

• Take it easy on yourself. It is important to understand that we all make mistakes (which we then can learn from), and that it is a natural part of any weight-loss journey.
• “You didn’t put the weight on overnight, so you shouldn’t expect to lose it overnight.” Having realistic expectations will set you up for success. Celebrating non-scale victories will help you stay motivated if you reach a stall.
• Track your food. Read labels, look at the ingredients and count carbs. This is the easiest way to learn how to do keto correctly.

If you want to learn more about Tanisha, you can follow her on Instagram or visit her website.

Comment

Thanks for sharing your story, Tanisha. I love the tips that you learned from your journey. Managing expectations, being patient, and taking it easy on ourselves are all valuable lessons. Keep up the great work!
Best,
/ Dr. Bret Scher, MD

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