I do believe I was blessed with good genes, however, with the genes we are blessed or cursed with, we have the ability to change the outcome or certainly to have some control over the outcome. We all have that ability via nutrition and exercise.

Myth: Skinny women don't have to diet or exercise...

I had very serious body image issues. I was too skinny, too tall, unattractive, and not many friends (I was never in with the ‘it’ crowd). I wore leotards under all of my pants (to give an illusion of more weight). I wouldn’t wear dresses. I never even reached 100 lbs until my first year out of high school. I have always been a reserved person, soft-spoken, and introvert and extremely shy. While unbeknownst to me, I was interpreted by others as believing I was above them. I learned many many years ago, not to judge a book by its cover and that we all have a story to be told.

I wish I would have known many years ago that I have some say so, I wouldn’t be in this position now, working hard to steer this old vessel on a straight and narrow path while healing my body after years of not knowing how to properly feed it (mentally and physically). I forgot the fundamentals of staying healthy. I fell prey to the SAD (Standard American Diet). Back then, I didn't know how to love me...

In my 55 years of life I have been on three different diets. I was successful on all of them. In fact, anyone can be successful on any diet. The problem comes when you treat it as a ‘diet’ and not a lifestyle. Now when I use the word ‘diet’, I use it as a noun and not an action word. When I am working on my diet it is usually a plan for a lifestyle. By the way, these three diets happened over the course of about 20 years.

1998 I had my second son at the age of 35, I ballooned to 194 lbs. I reached, my highest weight ever. I know exactly why I gained that 50 pounds too. This pregnancy was treated w/no regard when it came to my diet, unlike my first pregnancy (I was told I wasn't gaining enough for that pregnancy...I wish I'd known more about nutrition during my first pregnancy). And this is when I began my first diet.

First up was the Atkins diet. I put myself on a 3-year plan not realizing that I would reach my pre-pregnancy weight within six months. Atkins coupled with exercise (cardio and weight training equally) the fat melted off. At some point (after two or three years), I went back to eating more carbs. I managed to keep my weight consistent for the next 15-16 years, but this came along with low-fat eating and calorie counting and endless hours in the gym weekly.

Next up, in 2013, a good friend of mine asked me to join her in doing Diane Sanfilippo’s 21 DSD. Which I did successfully and immediately following that I transitioned into a Paleo lifestyle. I did this for the next three years.
Three years later, I relocated to Georgia. The first thing I did was to secure a gym membership and find the nearest Wholefoods Market. Starting a new position, there was a learning curve and adjustment for me. I didn’t know anyone in the area, and I was commuting to Metro Atlanta on the weekends and my life just seem to take a series of unfortunate turns. Nothing was routine anymore and I had every excuse to use to get off the beaten path.
I continued my Paleo way of eating and eventually lost my way in 2016 (right as we stepped on the Norwegian cruise line for a trip to the Eastern Caribbean).

In Jan ‘17, my sister and I decided to try the ketogenic diet. After roughly two months, I deemed myself as being a failure in the keto world and gave up out of frustration. Everything I knew about keto at that time came from social media. I didn’t do the necessary research to set myself up for success. After seeing so many testimonies on social media and realizing others success was quite different from mine, I gave up on keto.

I’m ready. I’m ready for consistency with my health and nutrition. I’m tired of low energy, dealing with hormonal imbalances and being on a nutritional roller coaster. I have two sons, I want to be present for them, for their children. I’m also still young and have a lot that I want to do with my significant other (like seeing other parts of the world, experiencing other cultures); when you become empty-nesters, it seems as though a new world opens up to you! We have a renewed mindset of optimal health and how to achieve it! It’s no longer counting calories and living in a gym. There is a much easier and sustainable way and self-care fits into the formula in a huge way!

December 1, 2018. I went all in keto and removed sugar (once again) from my diet. This time around, I did it to heal my body. I did the research, talked with others and set myself up to be successful this time around.

Keto has been a healing diet for my body (it’s a science based diet and has been around for a long time). I’ve seen inflammation go down in my body, my hormones are balancing out I regained a sustaining energy throughout the day. The one thing that immediately made me realize a ketogenic lifestyle was for me, was the way I felt after having a meal. I no longer felt bloated, sleepy – I just felt great and content! My skin got better; my hair started growing healthier. My appetite was reduced, I could go longer periods without getting hungry. I also only wanted nutrient dense foods. One of the big contributors is simply eating wholesome and nutritious foods. There are so many other benefits. 80% of my keto diet is dairy-free and just about 100% sugar-free (I do enjoy 80-85% dark chocolate w/a nut butter occasionally). I eat only non-gmo foods, organic products (when they are available), I purchase grass-fed/grass-finished, pasture raised and forested meats. I use wild-caught seafood only. Of course, if I'm traveling, I choose not to be so dogmatic about food!

Are You Ready?

If you are exploring dietary theories that can work for ‘you’, such as keto, paleo, vegan or the one of the many other lifestyles, I would love to help you along your journey. It’s time for you to choose you!

Contact me for a discovery chat, karen@corksandconversation.com