How I Lost 80 lbs On The Keto Diet (And Why I Quit)
For those who have followed my blog for a while (even back when it was under a different name), you may remember reading how I lost 60 lbs on the keto diet. In it, I feature before and after photos of my keto diet weight loss at that time.
Today, I am happy to report that I am down to 190 lbs, putting me at more than an 80 lbs weight loss overall. I have hovered between 189 and 195 lbs for quite a while now (over 8 months). But, the important thing is that I have kept the weight off and I am determined to eventually hit my ultimate goal weight.
In my previous post, I set a new goal of reaching 195 lbs and firmly taking myself out of the “obese” category. I am happy to say that I have reached my goal. Being 5'9 at 190 lbs, I am officially in the “overweight” category.
In this post, I will talk about my journey, my struggles, why I quit keto, and how I maintain my weight (and plan to lose more).
My Keto Weightloss Journey in a Nutshell
After four kids and various physical ailments in my life, I struggled with my weight. Over the years, my weight slowly crept up.
At a routine doctors visit in early 2015, I was mortified to learn that I had reached my highest weight ever: 275 lbs. At a height of 5'9, this meant that my BMI was 40.6, putting me just over the edge into the morbidly obese range.
In the spring of 2015, a friend introduced me to the keto diet. I had never heard of it before, but my friend had already lost a considerable amount of weight on it, so I was intrigued.
At the time, I had been losing weight slowly but steadily with the Weight Watchers diet. I was about 256 lbs when I started keto.
My weight loss on the keto diet was rather dramatic in the beginning. Within the first month, I had dropped more than 10 lbs. And I lost another 10 lbs in my second month on keto. I've been told that much of the initial weight loss on keto is water weight.
Frustrations and Setbacks
I reached several plateaus during my keto weight loss journey. During the fall of 2016, I went back and forth between 210 and 220 lbs for several months. I believe stress was a major factor.
In February of 2017, I began focusing on my weight loss again. The weight came off slowly, which was frustrating, but I was finally down to 209 as of March 9, 2017.
I was determined, and finally hit my goal of being under 200 lbs on May 4, 2017.
Here's a chart the outlines my keto weight loss over the past 4 years:
Here's a chart the outlines my keto weight loss over the past 4 years. (The chart looks like a steady weight loss, but it was NOT. Notice the lengths of time are not even, though I did try my best to make an accurate representation.)
Why I Quit Keto
As of May 2018, I am no longer eating the keto diet. It was a tough decision because I owe it to the keto diet for getting me as far as it has in my weight loss. However, it was time to move on because it was starting to cultivate some very bad habits for me.
The main reason I quit is that it had led me to a constant restrict/binge cycle that I couldn't break. Being someone with a history of what I believe to be disordered eating, I recognized that this wasn't good. I realized that because my carbs were so restrictive, that whenever I would have something over my “limit” I would consider it cheating, which mentally led to a binge. And if you know anything about keto, cheating means that it can take days to get back into ketosis.
I started to do a lot of research about eating a more “normal” diet, and I've settled on a balanced diet which includes whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies, and healthy fats while maintaining a calorie count conducive to weight loss. I was terrified of gaining weight at first, but I am happy to have maintained my current weight and even begin to see a tip downward on the scale.
Even if this ends up being my maintenance weight (I've yo-yo'd in the same weight range for nearly a year), I'm happy with that. I no longer feel deprived. In fact, when I eat a balanced diet rich in satiating foods, I haven't even been experiencing intense cravings!
For instance, I've been eating oats with fruit and yogurt for breakfast, whole grain pitas with meat and cheese for lunch, plates full of veggies and fruit or nuts for snacks, and meat or beans and quinoa, brown rice, or potatoes for supper. The best part is that I can indulge or eat alongside my friends and family without it leading to a full-blown binge.
I definitely still root for and support those who are doing keto, especially those who were inspired by my own story.
Follow My Weight Loss Journey
I am at my lowest weight since having my first child almost 13 years ago. But why stop? I hope to someday hit my new goal of 170 lbs, which would land me right at a “normal” BMI.
I have been documenting my weight loss on my Instagram account since I started the keto diet in August of 2016. Follow me on IG to stay updated on my progress, as well as great tips and recipes from the Nerdy Millennial blog.
Read More About the Keto Diet:
- What is the Keto Diet? Discover the Remarkable Benefits
- Low Carb vs Keto Diet: What’s the Difference?
- 10 Hilarious Signs You’re a Keto Dieter
Nerdy Millennial Keto Diet Recipes:
- Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bombs
- Keto Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
- Low Carb Zucchini Pizza Boats
- 6 Easy Keto Meals You’ll Love
Find more keto recipes/tips here on the blog or on my keto Pinterest board.
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Are you on the keto diet? I'd love to follow your own weight loss journey! Share with me in the comments your Instagram account, or tell me about your own keto weight loss story.
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WOW. Thanks so much for sharing!! That’s a wonderful story Vanessa.
I sure do hear a lot about Keto… As an herbalist, it just isn’t in the ‘mix’ of what I normally recommend in the long term, more a ‘jump-start’ situation. The WW program has changed so much that it is essentially a whole foods program now, with portion control.
I applaud your brave decision (despite wanting to maintain and then lose more) of choosing a more whole real foods approach.. I know you will find your way! With only best, good wishes.. CL
This is the second post I saw today regarding the Keto diet, and another reason I should do it. Thanks for sharing.
That is so awesome that Keto helped you to lose that weight. I am glad that you did realize that you could be just fine eating healthy food again
You’re doing great! I hear so much about the keto diet. I know it’s not for me, because I love my carbs and need to be able to eat them when I want.
Oh wow! Such a great accomplishment! It worked so great! Good that you got back to a normal diet.
Keto sounds like it is really such a great diet for many people, I am glad it sounds like you had some great success with it! Well done you.
Well, your journey and your resolve is so inspiring. I want to shed a couple of kilos before my sister’s wedding. Let’s see if I can attain that. Wish me luck!
I love this, congratulations!! I just started my keto journey and bought some recipe books which have been an amazing help. It’s only been a few weeks but I’m already noticing a difference although I refuse to get on the scale until I hit the 30 day mark! Fingers crossed 🙂
I used to be very fat. Then I started Keto. It works like charm but one need to stop it in time, before it may cause further body damage. Nice post
All this confuses me. I read marvel of the keto diet but now I find that it also has its downsides. Maybe we should all just have a healthier life between food and sport?
I’ve heard about good and bad things about this diet. Some are positive and negative. But I think this is one of the most effective diets.
Congratulations on that big win. I am so glad that you were able to achieve so much weight loss and keep at a consistent level for a lengthy period of time. Keep up the great work that you are doing.
Woah that’s a too much change. You have definitely worked hard and with good efforts, you have reached your goal. I think it’s okay to quit keto as you achieved your goal. You have found another way to balance your weight. Eat whatever you want to 🙂 Keep it up 🙂
Congrats and your weight loss. Good for you for being in-tune with your body and knowing that you needing to stop keto. Having a healthy state of mind is just as meaningful as a healthy weight.
Wow! Congratulations on your weight loss and keeping it off. That’s an incredible achievement. Thanks for the heads up about the pitfalls of the keto diet.
I am so happy for your success so far! I am gearing up to try it out myself!
Good to hear that you are still on the right track on your fitness journey. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and that really motivates me.
Such an impressive journey. I never thought keto diet will help so much! Gotta look into it.
Great achievement and congrats for your weight loss. Thanks for sharing such a motivational post.
Honestly, I think I’ll recommend the keto diet to a friend who is seriously stressed about losing weight. You did it and it’s nice that you’re adjusting to normal food while still watching your weight.
Inspiring, great content and informative. Thanks for sharing.