I remember thinking in my teens that I'd never let myself get above 200 pounds. I did. Then, when I entered my 20s, I decided 300 was my new cap that I would never let myself surpass. Again, I did.

I tried many diets but nothing helped. I even dealt with eating disorders along the way, both under-eating and purging at points. I would have transient weight loss, but I would always gain the weight back and then some. I joined so many gyms hoping to find support and a fitness family but never succeeded.

View this post on Instagram Face-to-face travel edition! I was eating hella carbs in Germany! Lots of pretzels, sandwiches, and sugary yogurts. Truth be told, my calorie consumption was very low for my size. Fast forward to Mexico, very few carbs and whereas I still have trouble somedays getting enough calories, I am eating WAY more and am enjoying my food quite a bit more. My goal is minimum 2k calories a day -you do NOT want to under-eat with any diet plan youre on. With consistent restriction, your body will recalibrate to run efficiently on less calories. Initially it may give you results, but it will end up hurting you. Ask me sometime how I gained 120lbs in a year -extreme calorie restriction and weight training 6 days/week HURT me. All I did this time around was remove carbs and increase my calories. No gym. And guess what, the weight fell off -even when eating 2.5k-3k calories a day. Im extremely lazy, so eating that much is hard for me, Im happy around 2k calories/day. My shakes help pump up my OMADs with collagen and MCTs when needed. I used to live off beige food. I would literally eat crackers for dinner because I was too lazy to cook, cut up, and chew meat. I would swallow yogurts and applesauce because I was annoyed to have to eat and too lazy to chew. Now I want all the fatty steak -and hallelujah that one meal a day can be a good thing (it keeps your insulin levels from being elevated all day)! Any other lazy eaters out there? I know Im redic, but hope Im not alone If you have questions about my shakes, shoot me a message! . #omad #omaddiet #omadlifestyle #omadketo #omadmeal #intermittentfasting #intermittentfastingresults #fasting #fastingforweightloss #fastingtips #facetofacefriday #facetoface #transformations #carbface #ketoface #beforeandafterweightloss #ketogirl #bigandbeautiful #weightlosschallenge #weightloss #losingweightjourney #losingweightnaturally #ketoweightlosstransformation #ketoweightlossjourney #eatfattolosefat #eatfatlosefat #eatfatloseweight #ketobeforeandafter #ketowoe #losingpounds A post shared by 150# Naturally 1yr!Gym (@ketokalamazoo) on Aug 16, 2019 at 11:52am PDT

I discovered keto in grad school, thanks to a couple of classmates.

When I saw the success my classmates had after starting a ketogenic diet , I eagerly gathered all information I could from them. By this time, I was in my 30s and feeling awful. I'd gotten up to 350 pounds, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease , and despite anti-inflammatory prescriptions, I had a great deal of chronic pain that I'd resigned to live with for the rest of my life.

I was *shocked* by how well the keto lifestyle worked for me. I had a few stops and starts, but for the most part, I kept some weight off easily at all times while following keto. But before my wedding in December 2015, I wanted to look my best for the milestone moment and really committed to the diet hardcore, getting down to 290 for my big day. I felt happy, beautiful, and successful in my giant, soft pink ballgown.

View this post on Instagram When I got married (Dec 2015), I was feeling great. Utilizing Keto, Id gone from 350 down to 290. To ensure continued success, I joined a biggest loser competition at my local gym Jan 2016. I was convinced to let go of Keto and adhere to a 1500 cal/day diet of veg, rice, chicken, and protein powder. In addition, I lifted weights 4 days a week and either did cardio or weightlifting on days 5&6. I was eating too few calories for a sedentary person my size -let alone someone lifting as often as I did. Needless to say, once the competition was over, I gained 120lbs in one year. My body rebelled like a motha from calorie restriction. Remember, your body will recalibrate to run efficiently on less. Although its easy to ruminate about how I would be a fit goal weight if I hadnt had to lose the 120lbs I gained, Im trying to focus on how far Ive come -while remembering how wretched it is to yo-yo and I REFUSE to do it again. I started Keto again May 2018 and, once again, my body demonstrated carbs do not work for me. I think weight loss competitions are great -I just wish I wouldve stuck to my Keto guns. Side note: Is anyone else devastated theyll never wear their wedding dress again?The most expensive piece of clothing owned, tailored to fit -and you only wear it onceI was pretty enamored with this ball of pink fluff -I NEVER wouldve thought Id pick a pink dress! And youll note Im wearing pink lipstick instead of my trademark red. Tell me about your beautiful dress! Better yet! Post! I want to see pics! TAG MEEEEEE!!!! . #weddingdressideas #pinkweddingdress #winterwedding #winterweddings #kalamazoowedding #kalamazooweddings #michiganwedding #michiganweddings #michiganweddingphotography #weddingmakeupideas #ketodiet #ketoinspiration #ketoinspo #lowcarbinspiration #mondaymotivations #mondaymotivation #ketocommunity #ketofam #ketonewbie #ketobeginner #ketobeginners #microwedding #biggestloser #thebiggestloser #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bigbeautifulwomen #bigbeautifulgirl #ketogenicdiet #ketogenicweightlossjourney A post shared by 150# Naturally 1yr!Gym (@ketokalamazoo) on Aug 26, 2019 at 11:54am PDT

After my wedding and when I left for my honeymoon, I was down to 278 pounds and felt great. I vowed never to get above 300 pounds again. But I'd be lying if I said my weight-loss journey was without a few roadblocks, and it's important to be honest about those, too. So here I go.

To my absolute horror, I gained over 100 pounds back in six months due to some health issues.

I had slews of appointments with my general practitioner and an endocrinologist. Both doctor did copious blood work trying to figure out how and why I was gaining so much weight. In one year, I gained 120 pounds. That's everything I'd lost, plus an additional 70ish pounds.

I felt utterly hopeless, depressed, stressed and scattered , all while trying to finish up my research and a doctorate degree. Between my autoimmune disease, stress, and depression, my hair was falling out in clumps and I stopped caring about many things in my life. I hid from my friends because I was constantly worried about being judged. I stayed in the house to avoid anyone who would see how bad my weight gain had gotten.

In May of 2018, I hit 402 pounds and decided enough was enough. So, I joined a ketogenic support group on Facebook. I needed this structure and support. The group I joined only stayed active for three months, but I was determined to keep plugging away even after it concludedand I did. (If you think a group could work for you, there are tons on Facebook and Instagram to check out!)

Unfortunately, I also encountered a bump in the road that July when I contracted a virus that destroyed nerves in my body. But I refused to let it ruin my progress. Between having to learn how to walk again (I could barely make it to the bathroomso I did zero exercise), and multiple hospital stays, I still managed to maintain a low-carb diet. One year later? I'd lost a total of 150 pounds, no exercise involved.

View this post on Instagram Whereas Im glad Ive grown comfortable enough to make posts and stories without makeup, I really want to get better about the appearance I project. Although completely unnecessary, makeup makes me feel a bit more put-together -and I really need to feel more put together and organized right now. Something as simple as a swipe of red lipstick, a smudge of eyeliner, and mascara puts a little sass in my step. I feel like this is vain -but it really does. Do you do anything special to put pep in your step? I need some ideas! Im perky -but Im also still in the funk of 2018 where everything went bananas. Thank gosh for you all, you have NO idea how much your support kept me going -and how much it STILL keeps me going. Im still stuck at 150lbs down and am plateaued like a motha -but I will NOT stop! . #ketocommunity #ketogeniccommunity #ketofamily #ketogenicfamily #ketogenicfam #lowcarbcommunity #lowcarbfam #lowcarbfamily #weightlosscommunity #weightlossupport #weightlossfamily #weightlossfam #lipsred #redlipstick #redlips #biggirlsarebeautiful #biggirls #bigandbeautiful #weightlossinprogress #weightlossjourney #myketolife #myketojourney #myketostory #myweightloss #myweightlossstory #myweightlossjourney #depressionsupport #cateyeliner #lowcarbjourney #lowcarbweightloss A post shared by 150# Naturally 1yr!Gym (@ketokalamazoo) on Jul 12, 2019 at 9:02am PDT

Today, I can confidently say that I'm never giving up on myself again. My newfound quality of life is too important to me. I am free of chronic pain and living a life dependent on medication. There are other benefits, too, like not having to worry if I'll fit in a seat. I've found so much freedom, health, and happiness.

When it comes to healthy eating, I prefer to stick to the basics.

I try to practice intermittent fasting eating within a six-hour windowdaily. This typically results in me eating one large meal and then one smaller meal or snack per day. But I'll point out that I don't restrict myself in an unhealthy way. If I'm hungry, I eat.

View this post on Instagram Throwback to Berlin and watching the world premier of Logan in the same theater as @thehughjackman and @sirpatstew at the International Film Festival! Im still not where I want to be, but Im so happy with how far Ive come. I still cant walk or exercise like the girl on the right could -but hot diggity if Im not still losing weight despite it. No working out, no more under-eating.... the difference being I eliminated sugar and grains. Sidenote: I wish I had this grain-free brain while I was in grad school! . #berlinberlin #internationalfilmfestival #facetoface #ketotransformation #physicaltherapylife #ketogeniclife #ketogenicweightloss #ketogenicliving #ketosislifestyle #ketosisdiet #lowcarblove #lowcarbeating #lchfdiet #lchflifestyle #ketofamily #ketocommunity #fatadapted #ketoadapted #eatfatlosefat #ketomotivation #bigandbeautiful #handicap #healingjourney #healingvibes #losinginches #weightlosscommunity #weightlossbeforeandafter #weightlossgoals #obesetobeast #naturalweightloss A post shared by 150# Naturally 1yr!Gym (@ketokalamazoo) on Jul 1, 2019 at 9:07am PDT

I do not track macros (carbs, proteins, or fat) or calories daily. I tracked in the beginning to get a feel on how many carbs and calories are in the foods I eat, but nowadays I simply try to have as few carbs as possible and eat intuitively. A day of eating might look like this:

• Breakfast: I skip it.
• Lunch: Four slices of black forrest ham fried in a tablespoon of olive oil with sharp cheddar cheese drizzled with a few tablespoons of C8 oil (I use C8 Keto MCT Oil by Keto Bay on Amazon) and a few tablespoons of chipotle mayo as a dip. I'll also have a few Tassos garlic and jalapeo double stuffed mammoth olives and a few Meats pork rinds.
• Snack/dinner : A cup of coffee made with one serving NeuRoast Instant Americano coffee and one serving of Lions Mane extract and/or a keto bar.
• Dessert: I'll usually have a Complete Wellness shake, which is like a keto meal replacement drink, with two scoops of unflavored collagen and a scoop of unflavored MCT oil powder.

When it came to working out, I relied on runningan exercise I already loved.

Even when my diet was much heavier in carbs, I worked out quite a bit. While this might be surprising, I'd knock out four to six miles (sometimes eight when I was feeling sassy!) on the elliptical a few times a week, even at 350 pounds.

But, truth be told, I haven't worked out in years. The 150 pounds I lost in a year I achieved without ever stepping foot in a gymit was entirely nutrition-related. Now that I'm able to walk again without a slew of orthotic braces and crutches, I'm so eager to return to running.

Working out isn't necessary to be successful on the keto diet. However, aerobic activity and weight lifting are both so great for many other reasons, like cardiovascular health, building muscle, and maintaining a strong core throughout life.

Weight loss requires some serious perseverance.

View this post on Instagram Im so darn appreciative @ketotransformations shared my story! A recap for newbies: 11 months and nearly 150lbs gone; about 80 more to go until my goal weight of 170lbs! I used to hide behind scarves, purses, small children, pillows -whatever was available. Not anymore! I still have quite a bit to lose, and am plateauing hard -but this girl is NOT stopping. The girl on the left could pound pavement -she didnt let her weight stop her and could walk anywhere from 7-12 miles a day despite autoimmune flare-ups and inflammatory pain. The girl on the right eats WAY more and is learning how to walk again (see past posts for story), so she doesnt get much exercise at all. Moral of the story? Eat less; move more obviously did not work for me. Removing carbs was key -and despite a huge decrease in physical activity and an increase in cortisol/stress (inhibits weight loss) from illness, I still lost 140+lbs in 11mos JUST by letting go of carbs. Also, my autoimmune flare-ups are basically gone and Im off my RA prescription. *clicks heels* So many wins! . . #ketofamily #ketosupport #ketobeginner #ketobeginners #ketonewbie #ketones #ketonesforfuel #ketonesforthewin #ketosuccess #ketogenicsuccess #weightlossdiet #weightlosssupportgroup #myketojourney #ketojourney #lchfweightlossjourney #lowcarbjourney #myweightloss #myweightlossstory #weightlossjourney2019 #extremeweightloss #extremeweightlossjourney #weightlosssuccess #weightlosssuccessstories #naturalweightloss #ididthis #iamstrong #weightlossinspo #weightlosshelp #weightlosscommunity #weightlossfamily A post shared by 150# Naturally 1yr!Gym (@ketokalamazoo) on May 16, 2019 at 7:27am PDT

If you have a lot of weight to lose, don't be discouraged. I was there once, too. You have one shot at this lifeso think about what you want out of it. No more "I'll start Monday" or "I'll start after the holidays" or "I ate this bad thing, I'll take the rest of the day off." Instead, keep pushing on.

Also, it's totally okay to find motivation in places other than the gym. I asked friends for advice about keto, read diet books that were based in science and interested me, and more.

But ultimately, the best piece of advice I can give you is to find support. Weight loss is difficult for a variety of factors. For me, my Facebook support group was key to keep me accountable and motivated. For you, it might be something else. And hey, if you need someone, I'm always happy to cheer you on.